A New Hope

Earlier this month I had the honor and privilege of running West End Games' Star Wars, The Roleplaying Game - one of my all time favorite RPGs - for three of my very long time and very dear friends. The game was run over Discord and went for three hours.

It's a challenge for me to put into words how good it felt to game with these fellows once again after nearly 20 years. Aside from getting to play with three people who are very special to me, playing with these guys has truly rejuvenated me. It was a breath of fresh air to game with three players who want to play the kind of game I want to run. 

I first met and became friends with Keith Conroy, Aristides Iliopoulos (sometimes referred to by his nicknames Aris or Artie), and Jason Narvaez while working at The Forbidden Planet between 89 and 91. I was introduced to these fine fellows by our mutual friend Vlad Rients (you can watch Vlad, Keith, Aris, and their pal George chew the pop culture fat on the YouTube channel The Podcast Cosmic). These fellows were also in my Tales from The Rim campaign group.

There is a lot more to our friendships than this though; Aris and I worked together at the Forbidden Planet. Keith helped me choose the Groomsmen's suits for my wedding. Jason was my Best Man. These guys, like a very select few others in my heyday of playing TRPGs have long since gone from 'people I gamed with' to family. I couldn't be happier getting to play with them again. 

The campaign, entitled 'STAR WARS: Gray Territories', is set in the same timeframe as the Disney+ series 'The Mandalorian'. approximately five years after the destruction of the second Death Star and the death of The Emperor at the Battle of Endor. I will discuss the details of the campaign in a later post and probably do a breakdown of the 'Episodes'.

Here and now, I simply want to say how and why this campaign - which has only had one session as of this writing - has already rejuvenated my love of RPGs and helped to shrug off the feeling of 'Gaming Ennui' I've been experiencing lately. 

These guys approach gaming differently from my other groups. That different approach can best be summed up as 'exactly the way I do'. Much like my A&D High School Group, these fellows and I aren't just on the same page; we wrote that page together as a team. We want the same things out of the game. We move and think at the same speed. We get it and each other in a way that could only come about if you'd been there, if you know what I mean. 

It is really freeing to be able to run a game as well as I can because the group is good enough, quick thinking enough, and immersed enough to handle that. Likewise, I need to be at the top of my...well...game as it were...to keep pace with this crew. Exhilarating. Nothing like it.

I will end here for now. I apologize for the long delay but I just haven't felt motivated to post lately. Tired from an increased work schedule (a good thing) and a lack of enthusiasm as mentioned above and in my previous post. Feeling a bit better now and looking forward to the rest of the year. 

Talk to you soon and May The Force Be With You!

AD

Barking Alien