Too often in life we are told that our childhood hobbies and passions will never amount to much. We're encouraged to let creativity die out, in favor of more "reasonable" pursuits. And while we do sometimes have to put those instincts aside to take care of our families or ourselves, we should never lose that spark completely. After all, who knows when you might suddenly pick up the hobby again, and create something that will outshine and outlive your wildest dreams. How lucky for us that Gary Gygax was one such man. Born on July 27th, 1938, Ernest Gary Gygax was always a creative and curious soul. He spent his childhood playing make-believe with neighborhood friends and board games at home. As early as 5 years old, he already adored card games and chess. He grew into a young man obsessed with science fiction and fantasy, filling his time with the stories of H.P. Lovecraft and Jack Vance. Even in the midst of his work and family life as an adult, where he found jobs as a shipping clerk and insurance underwriter, Gygax always maintained his passion for gaming. His obsession with wargames in particular would go on to inspire him to create his own worlds, rules, and entire gaming system. ![]() It may be hard to imagine a world without D&D now. Not only has it been around for many our entire lifetimes, but it has pervaded pop culture in shows like The Big Bang Theory and Stranger Things. Even if you don't play it, you have heard of it. And if you do play, more often than not you can point to a moment at the table where you fell in love with the game. For most of us here at the REP, that love keeps us coming back night after night. Gary Gygax was able to essentially create a new style of storytelling, one that perfectly illustrates the idea we previously discussed: that roleplay is a living art form. Spells we know and use now in every game were born at Gygax's own table, and created by his children and their characters. They are a part of the very lore of the world. Gygax's own tale was full of failure and defeat. He was deemed unfit to join the Marines. He was high school dropout. At one point he was fired from his stead job of almost a decade, and left to help provide for his wife and five children on what he could make cobbling shoes in his basement. His catalog of health problems included walking pneumonia, multiple strokes, heart attacks. And yet, like the very heroes he helped create an entire game for, Gygax kept fighting back. His personal victories can be found in every page of our own Dungeons and Dragons books and supplements. And the message that goes along with them is clear: don't give up. Your dreams are worth pursuing. 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 Gary Gygax is fondly referred to as "The Father of Roleplay." There is no doubt in our minds that this title is well-earned. But he could not have known, when he began, how much his games would change the lives of those who played them. Here's just a few of the ways our own team has been touched by Gygax's legacy:
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AuthorKaitlin Bellamy is a professional actor, author, and narrator. She has made her living with the art of storytelling, and now co-runs Random Encounter Productions with Dungeon Master Cody Stone. See more of her work here! |