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| A few items I saved from my D&D purge of the late 1980s. |
The next 14 years was devoid of gaming of any kind. I was busy with life and quite happy. But the excitement surrounding the release of Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001 changed things. The nostalgia of the past overwhelmed me and I found myself renewing my Dragon and Dungeon magazine subscriptions and spending way too much time on Ebay rebuilding my former collection. I also started painting again and playing war-games. I was surrounding myself with pieces of my past, yet I still did not play an actual game of D&D and have yet to do so.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of D&D. It also marks my attempt to return to the game that meant so much to me in my youth. Here in this blog I will document not only my return to Dungeons and Dragons but my past experiences as well. Please join me on this journey.
My goals for the blog this year are as follows:
* Document my return to Dungeons and Dragons
* Reread and discuss the rule books including:
* D&D Basic set by Moldvay
* D&D Basic & Expert sets by Metzer
* AD&D Players Handbook
* AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide
* AD&D Monster Manuals 1 & 2 along with the Fiend Folio
* AD&D Dieties and Demigods
* AD&D Unearthed Arcana
* AD&D Wilderness Adventures
* AD&D Dungeoneer's Survival Guide
* Play at least one game each from the three different rule sets (basic, expert, and advanced)
* DM at least one game each from the three different rule sets
* Reread every issue of Dragon Magazine
* Try online gaming via Hangouts or other virtual tabletop
* Attend GenCon 2014
* Follow the evolution of D&D Next
* Develop a list of online D&D resources for returning players
* Join and participate in the D&D internet community
As you can see, I have lofty goals in mind for 2014 and I have already squandered the first three months of the year. Meeting these goals will be a challenge but they are certainly not unattainable. And if for some reason I do not meet each and every goal, then no worries. I'm sure I will have fun trying. After all, it's the journey and not the destination that really counts.
If you would like to be a part of this journey, please consider following this blog. Better yet, why not contribute and help me along my chosen path. As I remember, D&D is more fun adventuring with great companions.
If you're more into miniatures and wargaming, then stop by my other blog and say hello!
Check back soon for additional updates and pardon the dust during the construction of this blog.
Thanks for reading!
"Though I have read fantasy books, painted miniatures, played wargames, and collected Dungeons and Dragons books and supplements, I have not DM'd or played a game of D&D since 1987. Two years after I stopped playing I made a huge mistake and sold the vast majority of my substantial D&D collection. I was growing up, driving cars and dating girls. Dungeons and Dragons meant little to me then and for many years thereafter. But as Tolkien wrote, "deep roots are not reached by the frost." The seed was still there. I just did not realize it."
ReplyDeleteMy friend, I can totally relate to this, as it is very similar to my own roleplaying career. Indeed, I named my own blog "Once More Unto the Breach" for the very fact that I was returning to roleplaying after so long. I set aside RPGs in order to explore other aspects of life beyond gaming, but the love of the game was there deep inside, waiting to bloom again someday...
"I was surrounding myself with pieces of my past, yet I still did not play an actual game of D&D and have yet to do so."
I can TOTALLY relate to this! I was collecting roleplaying books, imagining how novels I read would play out on the game table, etc.
I wish you good luck and all the gaming happiness in the world! You've set up some cool goals for yourself, and I look forward to reading about your adventures to come!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I have visited your blog many times before but I never took the time to delve into your older posts (which align closely to my current interests) and your other pages. I went back and spent more time there and discovered 1) what a truly wonderful blog you have and 2) that there seems to be quite a few similarities between us as far as gaming goes. Reading the Raison D'être section of your blog made me feel like I had found a kindred spirit of sorts. It's heartening to know that it is possible to come back to D&D as evidenced by your site.
DeleteThanks reading my first post. Please come back to visit as my journey back to D&D continues.
P.S. I don't see a way to follow your blog at the moment. Let me know when you set that up! And in the meantime, I'll put you on my blog roll at Once More Unto the Breach.
ReplyDeleteHa! Minor construction problem. I will fix it immediately.
DeleteWelcome back to the table Blackwarden! You've got a great goal list for the year, better pace yourself! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think it will be a great journey and I'm very excited about the future possibilities. I'll try not to overload myself and enjoy that journey instead of worrying overmuch about the final destination.
DeleteThanks for reading!
I found my return to "old school" tabletop gaming to be immensely fun and rewarding (my hiatus from D&D proper was nearly as long as yours). Good luck with your exploration...and with your blog! It's always fun to read another's perspective!
ReplyDelete: )
It's great to hear that I'm not the only player returning to the table after too many years. It's also encouraging to know that you found your return "fun and rewarding." Thanks for the comments and most importantly, thanks for reading!
DeleteBy the way, you have a great blog. I'm your newest follower!!!
DeleteVery ambitious aspirations for the year. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'll need the luck. Fortunately I'm super motivated right now and the project is moving along nicely. With all the rereading though, I need to be sure I make time for playing!!
DeleteThanks for reading my blog!
Sounds awesome! Looking forward to hearing about your journey.
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining the adventuring party. Hang on for the ride. Exploration and treasure await!
DeleteThose are some good goals! Mine are mainly trying to get enough people together to play. I have two close friends who play, but schedules seem to be the problem. I'm particularly looking forward to you getting to AD&D.
ReplyDeleteHi Jim. Thanks for reading (and participating) on this blog as well. I'm moving through Moldvay pretty quickly and will be on Metzer before long. AD&D is just around the corner. Hang in there. It will not be long.
DeleteOne of my goals is to explore the possibility of playing a few games online. If you're interested I will definitely keep a spot open for you when the time comes.
Thanks for reading!