About a month ago, I read this blog post by Arcane Springboard at This is My Game about how the original D&D Red Box was the catalyst to some of his longest lasting and most meaningful friendships.  His post caused me to look back at my first Red Box experience, and the impact D&D has had (and continues to have) on my friendships.  Looking back I found a common thread running through my life.

D&D, Computer RPGs (and other computer games) have either been a catalyst in creating friendships or something that cemented existing friendships for a lifetime.  D&D wasn’t the catalyst or sealant on my earliest friendships in grade school (that didn’t come until college), but I do remember my first exposure to the Red Box

I was in 4th grade.  A friend and I were staying the weekend with our “surrogate grandparents”, and he brought the Red Box.  I remember opening it up and looking at the maps and reading the books about elves, dwarves and monsters.  I’m not sure we actually “played” the game.  I think we just went through and drew the dungeon on graph paper.

Even without understanding what we were doing, I was enthralled with what I was reading and seeing.  I remember seeing the Red Box and other AD&D books and modules in bookstores after that.  I remember being in awe of the art on the covers, and spending countless hours perusing the racks of modules and shelves of books. (Remember when stores like Walden Books had a large D&D section?)

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It’s been a long time since the “Hammers of Justice” rode the countryside swinging hammers (and falchions, and staffs, and whips), dispensing justice to those who needed it. Some of my best gaming memories are the city of Alden Minor (created by Dave “Invy” Cline), and the HOJ campaign.

Back when the campaign was active we had a website. But as the campaign sunset, so did the site. Invy put immense work into creating Alden Minor, making it a living, breathing city. I’ve wanted to revive the site, and share that resource with the gaming community at large.

About six months ago I realized I still had the domain, and set about putting something back together. Time hasn’t allowed me to dig into the source material, but I’m finally at a point to start compiling and posting.

I have started a new gaming group over the last couple of years. The campaign has gone through fits and starts. It’s recent reboot ties back to Alden Minor and the Hammers of Justice. I look forward to sharing that, and my thoughts on gaming.