A D&D Easter Egg from Gary
In the late 90s, I had the privilege of meeting Gary Gygax, the creator of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), at GenCon. He had returned to the convention after a hiatus due to the sale of TSR, the company that produced D&D.
Before his speech at the assembly hall, he made an unannounced stop at a friend's booth. My friend Mike and I recognized him and went up to say hello. Gary was incredibly gracious, taking the time to speak with us and another woman who had purchased the "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" module for her husband and wanted it autographed.
As he signed the module, Gary asked if any of us had found the Easter egg he had hidden within it. He proceeded to show us where he had inserted his initials into the game. Despite having played and Dungeon Mastered this module numerous times, I was surprised to learn about this hidden gem.
The "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" is a classic D&D module that takes players on an adventure into a crashed spaceship on a mountain peak. It was first published in 1980 and was written by Gary Gygax himself. The module was groundbreaking for its time, blending elements of science fiction and fantasy in a way that had never been done before.
The module is still highly regarded by D&D players today and has been re-released multiple times over the years. Gary Gygax's creativity and ingenuity, as well as his willingness to engage with his fans, have left a lasting impact on the gaming industry. On this Easter, we can reflect on the joy and fun he brought to so many people through his games and say a heartfelt "Thanks Gary."
