I'm floored and flabbergasted. My heart is broken and bleeding.
I brought Steve in as a Guest of Honor to our local convention in 2008. The original Gaming GoH (Steve Long, for the record) had to back out at the last minute due to a family medical emergency. So, since it was my call, I decided to contact the creator of my favorite RPG... the one that introduced me to gaming. I hunted Steve down, and he accepted with less than a week's notice.
He was a tremendous Guest of Honor. A top-o-the-line, grade A superstar Guest. Those old enough to remember flocked to see him; youngers were thrilled with every story, and every game. The SCA folks even came to celebrate him. He was a hit.
It wasn't until the closing ceremonies, when Steve asked to say a few words... in tears... that we learned that it was his first GoH gig... EVER. My jaw hit the floor. It was absolutely unthinkable that one of the founders of gaming, and such an awesome author, game designer, etc had never before been invited as a Guest of Honor!
We'd been friends ever since.
So, when I saw the post announcing his passing, my heart sunk, and I didn't want to believe it. I tried, unsuccessfully, to contact him... so that he could tell me it was wrong.
I will miss one of the greats of my childhood, and an even greater piece of my adulthood. I still run RQ, to this day. Now, every game will be be dedicated with fond memories to Steve Perrin.
He was beyond question a joy to have known.
ðŸ˜
