I’m serious: I don’t know how to do it.

I can’t claim that he was a great man or even a good man--I honestly don’t know much about the man. I don’t know his politics, his religion (or lack thereof), what he was like on a personal level, or even if he liked to kick puppies. But he helped me improperly misspend some good portion of my youth on AD&D, he was wildly creative, and if not for him I might not truly understand what Bender meant when he said “It’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social.”

And I don’t even mean that in a bad way. I loved wasting time with my friends on AD&D.

The sad news is that Gary Gygax has passed away at age 69--which isn’t young, isn’t old, and certainly seems too soon.

If not for his contributions, video games and geek culture would probably look much different than it does today. Beyond jokes about “d20s” and “saving throws,” D&D’s systems and mythos have spawned many excellent games, including Baldur’s Gate and Planescape: Torment.

Rest in peace.

Read the rest.

Update: And, damnit, I’m not the only one.

Update: This is equal parts amazingly wrong and ridiculously appropriate. As is Robert’s comment on this post.

Another Update: Michelle Malkin, too? Who would have guessed? Ed Driscoll, has a few words and so does Wizbang.