Between the ages of about 9 and 12, I was a little more than obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons. I loved creating dungeons and DM’ing the campaigns that my brother’s character would adventure through. Learning how to manage the complex action while also marrying the player’s choices to a fantastic narrative was challenging and fun, and it was always rewarding to create a world full of tricks, traps and treasures.
I also loved the look of game: the graph paper dungeon drawings, the painstakingly painted miniatures and — of course — the books! I’d spend hours poring over the Monster Manual and the Player’s Handbook learning about creatures and spells and classes and characters, but always taking time to linger over the rad illustrations.
That’s why last week’s news about the death of David A. Trampier was so sad. The TOR site has the details…
Trampier was doggedly reserved throughout his life, to such an extent that most D&D fans know his work more than they know his name. He disappeared in 1988, leaving his ongoing comic D&D Wormy abruptly unfinished, and retired from illustration to drive a Yellow Taxi in Carbdondale, Illinois…
According to the Castle Perilous Games & Books store blog, Trampier suffered a stroke late last year but was considering convention appearances and some illustration work in the future…
Thank you, David Trampier for bringing character and life to a gaming series that means so much to so many.
Take a look at Trampier’s iconic illustrations below:
Stay Awake!
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