I'm the Decider

I'm the decider.
I pick and I choose.
I pick among whats.
And choose among whos.

And as I decide
Each particular day
The things I decide on
All turn out that way.

An epic poem by Roddy McCorley via Daily Kos.

Bingo

"Even had this project not produced such an invaluable aid to so many Dungeon Masters, it would still have been fascinating; for this is the campaign where much of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS took shape and form. This world was the first -- the prototype for the countless D&D universes that exist now. Already famous among fantasy gamers, Greyhawk also served as the setting for the novel Quag Keep by famed SF&F author Andre Norton. At conventions D&D players jump at the chance to play in this venerable campaign. How many characters were born, lived, fought, and died in this rugged land no one will ever know for certain; several will live forever through their contributions to the game. Do the names Tenser and Mordenkainen ring a bell?..."

--Allen Hammack
February 6, 1979
Foreword to "The World of Greyhawk Gazetteer"

Project Update: Second Person

A few months ago I wrote an essay entitled "From the Basement to the Basic Set," which gave an overview of the birth of Dungeons & Dragons from its origin in the field of miniatures wargames to the consolidated "Basic Set" published in 1977.

The essay is just one of several to be published by MIT Press in a book entitled "Second Person: Role Playing and Story in Games and Playable Media," which is scheduled for a November 2006 release. I was pleased to contribute to such an interesting project, and am proud to have an essay alongside such authors as George R.R. Martin, Greg Costikyan, Kenneth Hite, Jonathan Tweet, John Tynes, and James Wallis, all of whom I admire for one reason or another.

In any event, MIT just put up their order page for the book, which will cost you $45.00 in hardcover.

Cheap.

Go here for a preview and table of contents.

One of Us

Courtesy of Craig C., in the comments.