Gary Gygax: A Dungeon Master Lost

by Faith McKay

Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons, passed away on March 4th at the age of 69 after suffering from health problems for a few years. While Gygax had not been involved with the creation or marketing of DnD for over 20 years, his passing has been felt throughout the DnD community.

Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons and Dragons in 1974 and the game has since inspired video games, books, and films. Dungeons and Dragons, or DnD, is a fantasy role playing game that is widely considered the beginning of role playing games as we know them today.

Throughout his life he received numerous awards, honors, and a lot of respect for his work in the gaming industry and that hasn’t stopped because of his death. After his passing, many fans were left wondering what they could do to honor his memory.

“I would like the world to remember me as the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else.” – Gary Gygax

And his fans have taken note of this wish.

Players of “World of Warcraft” have tried to honor his memory by dedicating a patch in the game to him here. MIT students went a bit farther on March 18th when they erected a 20 sided die on campus in his memory. Message Boards have been filled with stories of how Dungeons and Dragons, and the passing of Gary Gygax, have effected their lives.

During my search around the internet for all things Dungeons and Dragons/Gary Gygax after his passing, I found this Dungeon Master shirt on the Mixed Species shop. Mixed Species is run by four guys from Oregon with a great geeky sense of style. From the site’s Dungeon Master shirt description: “This shirt gives you an immediate dexterity boost of +1 but a -2 penalty to your charisma. Pencils, graph paper and dice not included. *research shows that you have to roll a 19 or higher on a d20 to get laid when wearing this tee*”

I think that this is a great example of how Gary Gygax’s mark has been left exactly how he wished it to be. Not only will he be remembered as the man who enjoyed playing games, but the spirit he has shared will keep on going with the game, and all that it entails.

If you’re interested in Role Playing Games, you should also make sure to read our Beginner’s Guide to RPGs in this issue!

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