One of the regular players in my Munchkin game has brought up the idea of getting a group of friends together for some table-top role-playing ("D&D" to you youngsters). He even asked me if I’d be willing to be the gamesmaster.
This means I may get a chance to restart my old Argothald campaign. I’d love this. That story has been dormant since 1989, and it would be great to see it continue.
Argothald was more than just a game; it was also an open-ended gaming system. Just as the old game ended, I was working on a major revision to that system. I never had the chance to complete it or test it.
A few years ago, I said that if I ever started Argothald again, I’d use GURPS as the rules system. With the chance of starting up the game again, I’m revisiting that decision. GURPS isn’t a bad system, but it doesn’t quite fit the high-fantasy open-ended environment of Argothald.
To my surprise, I found that my write-up of the latest Argothald system from 1991 was still sitting on my computer, in a form that I could read. After 21 years, I wouldn’t be starting from zero.
I’ll discuss which system to use with my prospective players.
All this geekiness made me think, "I’m living a life in which my worst problem is wondering which game system to use." I’m lucky. I’m also grateful. It’s an opportunity to give something back.
I’m going through my collection of books and games, and donating those that I’m not going to use to Books for Soldiers. It’s an effort to use that service, since you have sign a notarized document to send the servicemen any books in the mail. I understand the reason for the precaution, and I’m willing to make the effort.
A few years back, I gave away a huge pile of books that I didn’t think were very good. Now I’m donating those books that I liked, but I know I’m never going to want to read again. The soldiers are getting the best, which they deserve.