It wasn't a satanic thing. I mean, maybe it was for some, but nobody I knew that played Dungeons and Dragons was even remotely interested in worshiping Satan. We left Satan and all his deeds to the kids with the big hair and the chains and the black clothes, but they didn't really want him either. They wanted Robert Smith. They were just born a few years too early to know it.
It was really just for the porn. Outside of a dog-eared, all but illegible copy of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, there was no book I read and re-read more than Gary Gygax's Monster Manual, the first hardcover book for what was to be known as "Advanced" D&D, and by "Advanced," I'm pretty sure they meant, "Now with boobies!"
Although the manual gave a frequency of "rare" for succubi, they still kept showing up in almost every game of Dungeons and Dragons I played from age 10 onward. And don't think they were held to the "number appearing: 1" rule, either.
Rest in peace, Gary Gygax. 1938-2008.
Wow. The artist's rendering of Ann Coulter really becomes her.
Posted by: You can call me, 'Sir' | March 25, 2008 at 03:35 PM
well, I have to admit that the boobies (and the curves of the hips) on the female monsters and sprites were a real draw for me, too.
And the guy friends I played the game with all colored in their books and corrected the "missing nipples" problem in many of the pictures...
Posted by: Chicory | March 25, 2008 at 04:18 PM
How the hell did you get ahold of that sketch of me?
Posted by: Burgh Baby's Mom | March 25, 2008 at 05:01 PM
Oh, man, you are such a GEEK!
Posted by: 3-Martini Jennifer | March 25, 2008 at 09:16 PM
I was never into Dungeons and Dragons, but now I think I may have been missing out...
I will definitely offer a moment of silence for Mr. Gygax, because I know he gave geeks something to which they could belong long before the Internet came along to empower them to the point that they are now almost socially accepted.
RIP
Posted by: LiteralDan | March 26, 2008 at 01:42 AM
I had an elf, big shocker. Most girls I know who ever played were elves. I do miss the earrings I used to wear made out of 20-sided die, though.
Posted by: Velma | March 26, 2008 at 09:29 AM
so i joined a D&D group to meet guys when i was 16...and none of them really noticed me or my pal liz. it was odd at first, but fun. we gave up after ten years. i still don't think they ever noticed we were girls.
it was fun though - not nearly as bad as when we were in college (catholic university) and dated a pair of priests in training...who dumped us for eachother!
Posted by: @ndrea | March 26, 2008 at 10:20 AM
"DAMAGE/ATTACK"; "Chaotic evil". *snicker*
I knew the Monster Manual was the most popular book amongst my D&D-playing friends, but I was utterly naive as to why. Doh!
And I'm sure a number of my characters were elves. Doh! again.
Thanks for the geek-out moment!
Posted by: Renata | March 26, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Here's my big claim to geek fame: My mom represented Gary Gygax in his divorce, approximately 1981. He gave her a big box of random D&D books and the ill-fated novelization attempt known as "Choose Your Own Adventure" books.
Unfortunately, an 11 year old who has never played before doesn't make a good DM for her 7 year old sister. And my guy friends were too easily distracted by real life boobies to let girls play.
Posted by: Liza | March 26, 2008 at 05:48 PM
42.
Posted by: debbie | March 27, 2008 at 01:27 PM
I keep trying to tell Mike that I'm the only one out there with boobies, but he's not buying it either.
Posted by: loren | March 29, 2008 at 02:30 AM
I have to sadly admit that I too loved the nudity in D&D. RIP, Gary Gygax.
Posted by: David Binkowski | April 06, 2008 at 11:01 PM