RIP Gary Gygax

Gary Gygax, the co-creator with Dave Arneson of Dungeons and Dragons, has died at age 69.

Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys, and eventually was turned into video games, books and movies.

Gygax always enjoyed hearing from the game's legion of devoted fans, many of whom would stop by the family's home in Lake Geneva, about 55 miles southwest of Milwaukee, his wife said. Despite his declining health, he hosted weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons as recently as January, she said.

…The quintessential geek pastime, it spawned a wealth of copycat games and later inspired a whole genre of computer games that's still growing in popularity.

Blub.

My favorite appearance of D&D in pop culture was the final episode of the brilliant Freaks & Geeks, in which the geeks invite überfreak Daniel to play D&D with them, only to be shocked that he accepts. It's a perfectly crafted scene about how the game can bring people together, and just how fun it is. I can't honestly think of a better homage to Mr. Gygax.

The scene contains perhaps my favorite bit of dialogue in the whole show:

Daniel: Okay, fine, I'll be a dwarf. But my name is Carlos.

Bill: Carlos the dwarf?

Daniel: Yeah, you got a problem with that, Gorthon?


H/T to Jay in Oregon, in comments, and to John Cole, who honors Mr. G thusly: "Death attacks Gary Gygax. Gygax misses his saving throw. Gygax dies."