[Sad News] Co-Creator of D&D Dave Arneson Passed Away at Age 61

**g026r** · 04-05-2009, 01:31 PM

The following was posted over on the OD&D discussion board:

I got this message yesterday from Bob (Robert the Bald) Meyers regarding the health of Dave Arneson. As everyone knows, Dave is co-creator of our favorite hobby game and has been a frequent poster here.

David's cancer has unexpectedly worsened just this week, to the point that he is in the hospital. He is heavily sedated and not doing well. He is not expected to live for more than a couple days, if that long.

Clearly, this is devastating to Dave’s family as well as his gaming friends.

Updates will be posted here as I get them.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that this is terrible news. He may not have been as prolific as EGG was, but the hobby still wouldn't have been the same without him. Here's hoping he does better than expected.

(Link to source: http://odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi...ay&thread=2020 )

Edit: Removed the original quote's comment about potentially contacting based on a later update. Please respect the family's wishes.

**Shaira** · 04-05-2009, 01:56 PM

That's awful.

Blackmoor has always had a very special place in my heart and my memory - the First Fantasy Campaign by Judges Guild was the first fantasy campaign I ever bought and ran, it just had such an amazing feel, great maps, artwork, ideas bursting out of everywhere. We had a blast charging round those groovy crinkly parchment maps, raiding the Tomb of the Grey Dragon, running round Loch Gloomen and Boggy Bottom - and always fearing the Egg of Coot at every turn (not to mention to Orcian way!).

Dave's stuff always had a freshness and an atmosphere to it - real classic material. I remember first getting the Blackmoor supplement in the post and reading about those funny druid guys and those... assassins? It was at Dave's hand those classes first saw the light of day. We made some of the weird new characters and played Dave's scenarios and campaign till they were riddled with holes.

Then the "new" modules in the eighties - the DA1-4 series, even with their dodgy geographical "insertion" into Thonia and so on, were great, especially with the new geographical detail and stats for some of the characters. Mello the Halfling, the Great Svenny, the Blue Rider, the Wizard of the Wood. And finally the City of the Gods! Nice stuff.

The recent stuff was a pleasure to see, especially the big Blackmoor Campaign book. It's been great to see Dave producing all that material for us at last, and introducing new blood to the First Fantasy Campaign.

It's hard to overestimate Dave's contribution to the hobby. Here's a tankard of Mausian ale raised in your honour at the Comeback Inn, Dave. Thanks for Blackmoor.

God bless. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Sarah

**flintlocklaser** · 04-05-2009, 01:58 PM

That's rough, hate to hear it.

**t@nya** · 04-05-2009, 02:13 PM

Oh no.

Please get well, Dave.

**Elvish Lore** · 04-05-2009, 02:15 PM

I met Dave Arneson last year at Gen Con and the man was in poor health then.

Here's hoping for a quick, painless end.

**nedjer** · 04-05-2009, 02:27 PM

real pity to see both guys go. Always read D&D like Bill Gates and Paul Allen - took both of them to get the right result

**Sleeper** · 04-05-2009, 03:41 PM

I don't know him personally, but still. Best wishes. Our hobby wouldn't be the same without Braustein and Blackmoor.

**Dwight** · 04-05-2009, 03:50 PM

Gak! If somehow someone can get the text of this post to Dave, please say for me "Thanks".

**Old Geezer** · 04-05-2009, 03:53 PM

.....oh.

I just saw Dave about two weeks ago.

Drat.

**Dice Hound** · 04-05-2009, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by g026r

I think I speak for everyone when I say that this is terrible news. He may not have been as prolific as EGG was, but the hobby still wouldn't have been the same without him. Here's hoping he does better than expected.

(Link to source: http://odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi...ay&thread=2020 )

This sucks. Not to take away anything that Gary did, but Gary got most of the credit and Dave was just a sidenote in many of the discussions regarding the creation of D&D. IMHO, I think Dave had just as much if not being the actual spark to help create D&D. His creation of Blackmoor set the stage for Gary to create the rules.

Both men will be running the best campaign once again. Only this time in the afterlife.