a dungeon...a dragon...and a generation of geeks...

Now I have to admit I like role playing games. Don't tell me you never played...if so, then you missed out on something...but you probably are not a "geek".

There are many games that people love to play. The list is endless...truly endless. Card games, board game, games of chance...games of skill...but no other game that I know of...allowed the players to create a universe, for "geeks" like me.

Geek you say? Why of course. Geek was, and remains to many, an offensive term. It has been a stick with which to beat anybody who does not enjoy all of the cultural and social values of the majority. Anybody who had an interest in computers, science fiction, fantasy literature or collecting comics could be easily dismissed as a geek once upon a time.

And the key thing with the classic "geek" pastimes was that they were - except for the occasional convention - typically fairly solitary pursuits. Except...when they were playing...Dungeons and Dragons.

This game was launched in 1974...about the same time as the Tolkien's work was being read with almost a religious fervor on college campuses everywhere. I recall it was almost impossible to talk to anyone who did not know about the little Hobbit.

So much is this fantasy genre in our culture that in ET the game being played on that fateful night...was of course...Dungeons & Dragons. An icon...that we all recognized...there was a reason that Spielberg didn't have them playing Monopoly...

Even Political candidates are being viewed through the eye of a D&D veteran...read on..



While your friendly neighborhood Trivia Geek endeavors to remain publicly neutral on all issues political or controversial, I simply could not resist reposting (without editing or judgment) the three leading U.S. presidential candidates as they would appear in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons‘ Monster Manual, courtesy of British sci-fi author Charles Stross.

FREQUENCY: Very rare...John McCain
NO APPEARING: 1
ARMOUR CLASS: -7
MOVE: 3″ (72″ per flight sector on the campaign jet)
HIT DICE: 200 hit points (But first you have to defeat 4d8 Secret Service Agents)
% IN LAIR: 0%
TREASURE TYPE: All your NATO base are belong to us!
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Invades Iran. Takes 100d20 casualties in first strike while inflicting 20 x 100d20 civilian casualties. Followed by war of attrition, economic collapse, recrimination.
SPECIAL ATTACKS: 5% chance of 30,000 Megaton nuclear first strike on Upper Volta.
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +3 or better weapon to hit. In event of combat, 20% chance of heart attack per round, followed by the swearing in of President Santorum. You wouldn’t want that, would you?)
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 80% (10% vs. mind control spells by Cheney.)
INTELLIGENCE: Normal.
CHARISMA: 12 (16 to neocons)
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil if under control of Cheney; otherwise Chaotic neutral.
SIZE: M
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: X/29,950* (* for impeachment)

A huge, ancient, carnivorous dinosaur from the swamps at the heart of Republican country, not unlike Godzilla in appearance and wrinkled integument, McCain has seen better years. Nevertheless he can breathe fire and threaten to stomp flat the capital city of any country that Fox News disapproves of with the best of them.

The biggest danger in facing off against a McCain is that he might be under the mind control of the Svengali-like Cheney, Prince of Darkness. In this case, he is likely to be lethally aggressive and even more unpredictable than usual.

Image courtesy FreakingNews.comHilary Clinton (Demon Queen of Pork Belly Futures.) (Lesser Goddess.)
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO APPEARING: 1
ARMOUR CLASS: -7 (But -4 if encountered in the same campaign as a Bill Clinton)
MOVE: 3″ (72″ per flight sector on the campaign jet)
HIT DICE: 200 hit points (But first you have to defeat 4d8 Secret Service Agents)
% IN LAIR: 0%
TREASURE TYPE: The future is … Pork!
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 + 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: captures 2-16 superdelegates; 20% chance to cast Slime per round
SPECIAL ATTACKS: If sustaining damage, 33% chance per round of invoking Bill Clinton to fight alongside her. See also Big Dog.)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +4 Fundraising, Regeneration, +3 or better weapon to hit.
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 80%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
CHARISMA: 17 (Democrats)/ -1 (Republicans)
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral (Will steal anything that’s not nailed down, especially if she can construe it as lawful appropriation. Depending on the meaning of the word “it”.)
SIZE: 14
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: X/12,250* (* for impeachment) As with all Clintons, Hillary exudes negative charisma towards Republicans. Otherwise, she’s a classic machine reptile.

Image courtesy of freaking news.comBarack Obama (Demon Prince of Upsetting Applecarts.) (Lesser God.)
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO APPEARING: 1
ARMOUR CLASS:
MOVE: 3″ (72″ per flight sector on the campaign jet)
HIT DICE: 200 hit points (But first you have to defeat 4d8 Secret Service Agents — unless attacking in Texas, Florida, or other Republican-held states)
% IN LAIR: 0%
TREASURE TYPE: Budget Deficit: -500,000 million G.P. plus compound interest
NO. OF ATTACKS: 0 (He runs a clean campaign).
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Makes his opponents look foolish: -1 Charisma per round engaged in combat polite debate.
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Casts Mass Charm 1 per round engaged in combat polite debate.
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +5 Fundraising, Regeneration, +3 or better weapon to hit.
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 80%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
CHARISMA: 18(100) (Democrats) / 12 (Republicans)
ALIGNMENT: Law Professor
SIZE: M
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: X/89,950* (* for impeachment) Handsome, intelligent, charismatic, and he manages to sound absolutely wonderful … but how do you know what else is lurking under that sleek exterior? The Obama’s main advantage in combat is that he makes everyone else in the melee look absurdly aggressive or foolishly short-sighted, sapping their Charisma. Probably the lesser evil, so once you elect him you’ll have the luxury of knowing you’ve been eaten by the right lizard god.

So it is that when I heard the news of Gary Gygax death...I could only think...what happened to the healing spell? Where was his "healer"?

oh...and there is this...just a thank you...from




and a tribute...



Sweet dreams Gary...rest with all of the beloved characters you helped a generation play..."life points"...we all have them...

Love,

The Lass or should I say Ember...the monk...