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theronBy the time I graduated high school, I'd gotten a job scooping ice cream at Baskin-Robbins. Not a great gig, but suddenly having even a low-triple digit income per month was pretty sweet since I was still living at home. Also, I had access to a car, which meant more frequent trips to Dibble's Hobbies, a much better place to encounter a wider array of games. I answered a Player's Wanted ad at Dibble's, and within a few days, found myself introduced to RuneQuest. It was the second-edition, with the pretty Luise Perrenne cover and the saga of Rurik the Restless as he progresses to Runelord. It was also the point where I left the dungeon behind for the next several years. RuneQuest and Basic Role-Playing became my systems of choice. I quickly assembled a vast swath of the Chaosium back catalog. I made my first ever out-of-town road trip to Austin in order to purchase a copy of Call of Cthulhu (first edition boxed set - I still have it). I remember going "halfsies" with my best friend Bobby on Stormbringer, only to go back to the store the next day to purchase another so we could both have a copy.
We played the hell out of Stormbringer. It was the right game for that point in our lives. We were 18 year old metalheads, and it was the most METAL! game out there. Crank up the Iron Maiden, Blue Oyster Cult, and the Tygers of Pan Tang (natch), get out the dice, and reap souls for Arioch! It's also when I began to hit my stride as a role-player, moving into deeper territory than "kill it and take its stuff." It was also the first game where I tried my hand at creating a bit more of an immersive experience. I remember creating an ancient Melnibonean scroll with a piece of parchment looking paper, a calligraphy pen, and a copy of the Gregg Shorthand Manual. Shorthand + Calligraphic Flourishes = better looking result than you might think.
On the downside, gaming rated substantially higher on my priority scale than, say, college. Which is why my scholarships collapsed in a heap at the end of my freshman year. Not that I cared at the time. I was young, stupid, and gainfully employed. A dangerous combination. And a new addiction was waiting right around the corner.
Next Time: I Discover Superhero Games
We played the hell out of Stormbringer. It was the right game for that point in our lives. We were 18 year old metalheads, and it was the most METAL! game out there. Crank up the Iron Maiden, Blue Oyster Cult, and the Tygers of Pan Tang (natch), get out the dice, and reap souls for Arioch! It's also when I began to hit my stride as a role-player, moving into deeper territory than "kill it and take its stuff." It was also the first game where I tried my hand at creating a bit more of an immersive experience. I remember creating an ancient Melnibonean scroll with a piece of parchment looking paper, a calligraphy pen, and a copy of the Gregg Shorthand Manual. Shorthand + Calligraphic Flourishes = better looking result than you might think.
On the downside, gaming rated substantially higher on my priority scale than, say, college. Which is why my scholarships collapsed in a heap at the end of my freshman year. Not that I cared at the time. I was young, stupid, and gainfully employed. A dangerous combination. And a new addiction was waiting right around the corner.
Next Time: I Discover Superhero Games