I hope you’ll indulge me for a momentary break in the current story to pay my respect to Gary Gygax Day.

I owe a lot to Gary, Dave, and all of the original players who forged Dungeons & Dragons. I know I am not alone when I say that I would not be the person I am today if not for Dungeons & Dragons. At 10-years old, I played my first game of D&D sitting on the front steps of my elementary school and the experience sparked a love for D&D (and all RPGs) that has burned for 20 years.

I was fortunate enough to meet Gary years ago (and along with my friend Rob, give him the first in a series of annual GenCon Greyhawk t-shirts). He was kind. He shook our hands, thanked us for the shirt, and shared a gamer story. It wasn’t until 2008, after he was gone, did I really start to think about what his work meant to people, our culture. Gary and the original crew didn’t just create a game, they left behind a legacy that directly affected me from the moment I set eyes upon it.

Gary’s legacy took my imagination to places it had never been before. Gary’s legacy taught me to dream of brave heroes, monsters, magic, and fantastic locations. Gary’s legacy took a shy, chubby kid and molded him into the man I am today. I will never forget that.

So today, if you are into RPGs, take a moment to remember Gary and roll a d20 in his memory. I think he would dig that.

Thank you, Gary.