It started simply enough. A bored, geeky guy moved to town and looked for other bored geeky types to play Dungeons and Dragons. He put up a flyer at the local game store. He got an email from this guy named Rich, who said that there was an open spot in a game that was beginning at the game store on Tuesday nights. He went, met Rich in person and played in the game. They bargained with some myconoids in a not very fun game, but he kept Rich's email with the hopes of finding a better group.

Later, he got a call from a girl named Suzanne. She had just moved to town and was looking for folks to game with. He had also found two other potential gamers -- Matt and Tim -- through some random internet site. They all arranged to meet on the patio between Clemons and Alderman Libraries. He was especially impressed with Matt's Sonic Youth t-shirt. Everyone seemed okay, not scary or dirty or anything, so the agreed to give gaming together a shot. Matt wanted to start making up characters Right Then, so they went back to his minimally furnished crappy graduate student apartment. They sat on the floor (because he only had one chair), rolled dice, and made up D&D characters. Later, Matt's fiance joined them. A few sessions later, Rich joined the group.

Thus it began. Almost five years of gaming together. They took turns running games -- Tim ran a GURPS game, they rotated DM duties in an experimental try in cocreating a campaign, Suzanne ran a game for awhile. Matt's friend JD joined the group, playing regularly despite living in Harrisonburg. He later met a guy named David at the comic book shop. David joined at the tail end of a lengthy campaign which culminated in the defeat of Vladj the Red, Scourge of the North.

He and Rich drove 500 miles to Gen Con, a great gathering of gamers and geeks.

He took a break from gaming to get his dissertation done, but gaming continued. Matt ran a Midnight game. Rich later began his own game, bringing Leland and Robert into the fold.

They had a good time. Stories were created. Friendships were made, and occasionally strained. People moved away. The fellowship dwindled.

To Rich, Matt, Tim, JD, Suzanne, Laurel, David, Leland, Robert, and everyone else I was able to game with here in Charlottesville: Thanks for lots of fun and a Bag of Holding full of stories.