Loquacity Every absurdity has a champion to defend it, for error is always talkative. --Oliver Goldsmith
For as long as I've been gaming, I've often felt the want, the need, to express myself. I guess that's why I game in the first place. Role-playing games are great tools for self-expression, be it through a little amateur thespianism, or carefully constructing a strategy to defeat the most ingenious Dungeon Master's nefarious machinations. Like many people, over time I've occasionally jotted down a few thoughts here and there; some attempts at creative writing, a journal, or in my case (and others) a website as an outlet for literary notions. I combine the two - my love of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, and a desire to express myself.
What I never figured on when I set out to do this was A: how popular it'd get (in it's own way) and B: that anyone beyond a few die-hard old grognards would give two copper pieces about it. But as they say, when you least expect it...bam! It happens.
In my case, "it" happens to be a pretty darned auspicious appointment indeed. You see, dear readers, I was recently asked to write the monthly editorial for Space Gamer magazine. Many old grognards may well know about Space Gamer - what it is, it's history, where it's been...but for those of you who may not know, in brief, once upon a time when you could count the number of fantasy (or science fiction) games on both hands and have fingers left over, Space Gamer was a publication which, like The Dragon (and later Dungeon) gave a voice to this new hobby called role-playing. It also had pages devoted to the even newer hobby of computer gaming, the grandaddy of all of these, wargaming, and the occasional cartoon or article that poked fun at all of the above, titled Murphy's Rules. Space Gamer has been through many hands, including a long stint as a near house-organ for Steve Jackson Games (and I say that as no insult) and most recently it has raised it's masthead again as an online magazine.
This is where yours truly comes in. The folks over there apparently are just crazy enough to think a dyed-in-the-wool and unrepentant loudmouth like me is whom they want to write the editorial column, so away I go.
Well, wait. Let's back up. Let me correct that sentence: "...so here I go." I'm not "going" anywhere in the sense that the Delver's Dungeon is closing it's doors, or that I'm dropping any features (particularly editorials!), or that my somewhat uneven-yet-steady updates are going to slack off like they did over the second half of my first year running the 'site. No indeed. Let me assure you all that this is a time to rejoice, for me. I have been chosen to be a voice in the gaming community, and that's a great honor for me. But I will not turn my back on that which got me the opportunity, and that's the dungeon sweet dungeon I've built here.
As far as I'm concerned, it's business as usual for the foreseeable future here. I'm just really, really honored, happy, and downright pleased by this. Finally, the quote at the top of the article nicely sums up my self deprecating humor and the opportunity I now have. So enjoy the Dungeon, rest assured that this great news means no changes 'round here (except maybe I'll get better at spelling and grammar).
-Bill Silvey, The Dungeon Delver.