# OoTS memorializes Gygax **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 6, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281 "2008-03-06T03:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/1 "2008-03-06T03:32:52Z")
[Aaaaaawwwww](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0536.html) ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/2 "2008-03-06T06:32:00Z")
Full Frontal Nerdity did as well. [http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ffn/index.php?date=2008-03-04](http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ffn/index.php?date=2008-03-04) ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/3 "2008-03-06T11:02:12Z")
Something Positive had it’s own spin on it. [http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp03042008.shtml](http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp03042008.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/4 "2008-03-06T13:13:47Z")
Dork Tower [http://archive.gamespy.com/comics/dorktower/archive.asp?nextform=viewcomic&id=1347](http://archive.gamespy.com/comics/dorktower/archive.asp?nextform=viewcomic&id=1347) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/5 "2008-03-06T13:43:15Z")
[Penny Arcade](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/03/04) ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/6 "2008-03-06T17:07:30Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio] [Penny Arcade](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/03/04) [/QUOTE] Very nice. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/7 "2008-03-06T18:13:39Z")
The SDMB readership is going to be skewed towards the geek/gamer crowd sympathetic to, if not enthusiastic for RPGs… But has anybody run across any NEGATIVE obits? I remember about 25 years ago there was a lot of old fashioned hand-wringing about how “Satanic” D&D was from the fundies. Wouldn’t be surprised if somebody took the widely reported passing of Gary Gygax to get back on that soapbox. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/8 "2008-03-06T19:18:28Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] The SDMB readership is going to be skewed towards the geek/gamer crowd sympathetic to, if not enthusiastic for RPGs… But has anybody run across any NEGATIVE obits? I remember about 25 years ago there was a lot of old fashioned hand-wringing about how “Satanic” D&D was from the fundies. Wouldn’t be surprised if somebody took the widely reported passing of Gary Gygax to get back on that soapbox. [/QUOTE] If I recall the ‘Satanic D&D’ crowd, in addition to being totally humilated in the late 80’s, was never keen on pointing to the inventors of these games, who were usually bearded nerds who looked fairly harmless. It was much better for them to paint D&D as being played and invented by hooded black robe wearing faceless beings who silently laughed at the youth of America being corrupted into playing the games. Seriously, I think they only ones who might make a negative obit abot Gygax would be the ones who Gygax targeted in his ‘Sorcerer’s Scroll’ rants and managed to hold a grudge for 25 years. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/9 "2008-03-06T19:30:06Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Miskatonic] If I recall the ‘Satanic D&D’ crowd, in addition to being totally humilated in the late 80’s, … [/QUOTE] I lived through the 80s and played D&D in the 80s, and remember having to verbally defend myself from Bible totin’ nuts on the NYC subway in the 80s while reading a newly purchased copy of _Deities and Demigods_ (eventually just getting off the train and taking the next one)… And yet, I must have missed this “humiliation”. What event or events are you referring to? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/10 "2008-03-06T22:17:05Z")
I remember in the '80s when I was in college there was an organization (I don’t know if it was a joke or not) called “Gamers Against Gary Gygax.” You could buy “G.A.G.G.” hats at conventions, but that was about as far as I ever saw it going. I think whatever negative feelings the gaming community might have had about him blew over fairly quickly, though, and he went back to being regarded as everybody’s favorite crazy uncle with dice. I know I’m sorry to see him go. I was never a big fan of D&D, but the impact he had on a hobby that has shaped the biggest part of my life can’t be denied. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/11 "2008-03-07T00:25:03Z")
[Gu Comic’s](http://gucomics.com/comic/?cdate=20080305) tribute was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/12 "2008-03-07T00:55:55Z")
Nemi Comics [![](http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/cartoons/nemi/nemi060308_600x194.gif) ](http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/cartoons/nemi/nemi060308_600x194.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/13 "2008-03-07T01:03:06Z")
Eric Burns posted a lengthy obit on [Websnark](http://www.websnark.com/) that’s mostly glowing, but does touch on the controversies stirred up by Gygax’s sometimes abrasive personality. He also mentions that the various “Stananic/suicidal” controversies had been “wholly debunked,” but doesn’t elaborate. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/14 "2008-03-07T01:11:08Z")
I wonder how Tin Kask is doing. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/15 "2008-03-07T02:54:10Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] Eric Burns posted a lengthy obit on [Websnark](http://www.websnark.com/) that’s mostly glowing, but does touch on the controversies stirred up by Gygax’s sometimes abrasive personality. He also mentions that the various “Stananic/suicidal” controversies had been “wholly debunked,” but doesn’t elaborate. [/QUOTE] [The Pulling Report](http://www.rpgstudies.net/stackpole/pulling_report.html) OK, I got the date wrong (it was 1990) And it didn’t stop the fundies from shrieking, but they found other things to shriek about and the more serious ‘concerned mother types’ were pretty effectively shut down. Shame that Eric burns doesn’t have the quotes from _The Sorcerers Scroll_, I’d love to have seen the one where Gygax tries ineptly to separate D&D from Tolkein. It includes such blunders as ‘The One True Ring was nothing more than an Invisibility Ring!’ (quote not exact). Still you had to take the bad with the good. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/16 "2008-03-07T05:09:23Z")
[XKCD too](http://xkcd.com/393/) ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/17 "2008-03-07T05:50:50Z")
I too mourn Gary’s passing. He’s touched so much that I enjoy today, it’s hard to imagine what my life, and pop culture/gaming, would be like without D&D. I have to wonder, though: will there be this level of mourning when Dave Arneson passes? Probably not, which may be a shame… ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/18 "2008-03-07T07:08:04Z")
[QUOTE=Leaper] […] this level of mourning when Dave Arneson passes? […] [/QUOTE] Wait, you can multiclass in mourning? ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/19 "2008-03-07T12:59:46Z")
[QUOTE=Randy Seltzer] Wait, you can multiclass in mourning? [/QUOTE] Yes, but not in knight. (sorry) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oots-memorializes-gygax/440281/20 "2008-03-07T13:08:46Z")
[QUOTE=Randy Seltzer] Wait, you can multiclass in mourning? [/QUOTE] Don’t need to. The prestige class in question is Creator Mourner, and the class abilities apply equally to either of them. You can either take all 5 levels of the class now, with Gygax, or take 3 with Gygax and defer the final 2 to earn when Arnesen’s gone. Now, when Mark Rein(stupiddotthing)Hagen goes, you may want to wait a while before taking any levels in Mourner For The Darkness. Just to make sure he doesn’t end up Embraced. It’s embarrassing to mourn someone who’s actually spending his nights jumping around on rooftops.