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Dungeons & Doofuses

An Introduction to my D&D and Runequest experiences and how it shaped my writing.

My wise wife suggested I write some of the fun stories from my days playing D&D and RuneQuest. So, we cannot blame her as she may not grasp the full extent of what this means.

Intro to the illness

The Hobbit was my gateway drug. It was given to me when I was in 4th grade. I am not naming names as the statutes of limitations have passed. They probably thought it would sedate me; it must have worked as they then gave me The Lord of The Rings. Gandalf declared, “None Shall Pass!”

As he was busy at that moment, he used shorthand. Translation: “You will not get past your obsession with epic stories of mythological beings set in incredible magical realms. You are going to spend untold amounts of money, time, and care on some amazing characters faced against overwhelming odds. You are going to confuse others with your passion—and you will think it is their loss.”

Some close friends I met in fencing class had introduced me to D&D back as a college Freshman in 1979. These guys (and later gals) were hilarious, intelligent, decisive, and talented, which made the games exciting, fast, and addictive. With enormous efficiency and creativity, we blew up modules that we bought; we blew up modules we made. What made it work was the DM (Dungeon Master) David E.

DMs are the gods of the game. They are the organizer, storyteller, the brains that set up campaigns to test characters, lead them, engage them, and roll dice on behalf of the game’s monsters and traps, and they are the final say on EVERYTHING that happens.

David is a rare DM and gamer. David demonstrated organization, quick-wittedness, strategic thinking, and he laughed when he rolled badly and took the hits when he did. What made him completely rare as a DM was that he did not put his ego into the game. His goal was to make it fun, challenge us, and let us go wild without being too easy on the players.


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Read excerpts from Trolls and other Trouble - Book One
Read excerpts from Prophecies and other Problems - Book Two