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View Full Version : For a friend of mine...



Kol Korran
2016-02-16, 02:36 PM
I am not sure this belongs in this forum. I've seen the "real life" discussion thread, but I've mostly used this forum, and this pertains to roleplay as well, in... it's own way. And I... felt I needed to write this. Maybe to myself, maybe to others, to let more know. I don't really know.

When I was a kid, about 9-10 years old, we moved to a new apartment. In my floor, there was a family, with two kids about my age- The older boy was year older than me, the younger boy year younger. We started to get to know each other, when the older kid bought some strange new game- Dungeons and Dragons (1st edition, the red box). He read through the manuals, and suggested we play.

I remember reading the book, which had two "Play it yourself" adventures. In the second adventure I met a rust monster, and was totally bummed it ate all of my stuff, and didn't want to play. The DM to be talked to me, inspired me. "You will fight, you will be defeated. But you only really lose if you stop fighting. Not everything is easy. Keep fighting." I came back, and joined his (Albeit small) group.

I remember some of the first adventures- The one in the GM section, where we met a carrion crawler in an old castle, then fighting lots of kobolds, and going into a dungeon, looking for the evil wizard bargle. We had a blast. At the end of it he said. "Well, that was nice, but I think we can do better." I remember some adventures he ran- He tried tried n intriguing mix of adventures who were at time quite tough, but tried to instill values, morals, character... Though he gave some nasty challenges as well... He seemed somewhat more mature, and grew a bit frustrated by us kiddos, who wished to just bash monsters and take loot., even though he was but a year older than us.

Yet we didn't just play D&D. When we went outside to play, he would sometime join, but avoided very energetic games, never quite explaining why. His younger brother once confided in me it was because his parents forbid him. I didn't understand why, and I remember he looked a bit sad at not joining at times, though he loved coming up with games, and ideas. He had one lively imagination!

I remember when I myself wished to become a DM, but a year or two later. I was quite frustrated by lots of stuff, but he helped me with some ideas, and mostly focused on... focusing on the players, not my won ideas. And that though it was but a game, it matters to people. It took me quite some time to understand what he meant. He was about 12-13 at the time.

The years passed, we parted ways, though we met at times in the building, or near it. We were always friendly, though I'll admit I didn't quite keep in touch. He didn't join basketball or soccer games, but he read books, and saw films, and thought, discussed, always an optimistic, but not a naive one. I thought him naive at the time.

In my twenties I suffered very hard, very long depression, disabling disease. He asked about me at time, offered comfort, wished to talk, always gentle, yet when I pushed him away (As I did with all), he respected it. When I started rebuilding myself, I moved away. I learned he worked in his father's place of work, which seemed odd to me, as if a sign of not being able to grow up.

A few years later I moved back to the old home (Which my father left, leaving it open), as I studied medicine, and needed a place I could afford. I met him again, at times, in the building at times. He moved from that home, yet still lived nearby. Last year, he got married. He was kind, gentle, and benevolent. Really, a good person.

About a month and a half ago I met his parents by surprise in the hospital I work in. He was hospitalized. Apparently he was born with a heart defect, which at the time could not be operated upon, and survived, but with limitations, which prohibited him from engaging strenuous activities, and needed someone close to be near by, for if his heart will fail.

And it failed. For some time he has hospitalized, but I heard today that he passed away. And... though we weren't close, he was indeed a good man, a noble spirit, in his own quiet, joyful, optimistic and giving way. I started thinking about him,remembering him, and I realized that some of my desire to be good, to believe it is not naive, cynical, obsolete or dumb came partly from him, the way he played his games, treated us his players, and tried to foster in me as a GM.

He was kind. Very kind, despite some cruelties life threw at him, which is rare, beautiful and wonderful in today's world. and he learned how to find happiness and be appreciative, which I shall try to emulate. And I find I miss him...

Farewell dear friend. Farewell...
I shall miss you.

PoeticDwarf
2016-02-16, 03:01 PM
Sounds like someone we can all learn from. My respect for him.

Segev
2016-02-16, 03:01 PM
My condolences on your loss, and cheers for the friendship you shared.

Gallade
2016-02-16, 03:34 PM
It's always nice to get to know such people. Missing them just goes to show how good they were.

Thrawn4
2016-02-16, 03:49 PM
For me, the times I always regret are missed opportunities to say farewell to good people, to wish them long life and say to them in all sincerity, "You build and do not destroy; you sow goodwill and reap it; smiles bloom in the wake of your passing, and I will keep your kindness in trust and share it as occasion arises, so that your life will be a quenching draught of calm in a land of drought and stress." Too often I never get to say that when it should be said. Instead, I leave them with the equivalent of a "Later, dude!" only to discover there would be no later for us.
― Kevin Hearne, Hammered