Greg Stafford Condolence Thread

[Tobbe-A]

I am honoured to have met the man and to have walked in his worlds. 

[jps]

So sad and he was only 70. Good thing he saw RuneQuest rise again before passing away.

[MHanretty]

Goodbye, Greg. I am saddened at your departure but celebrate your journey - I am glad you saw your lifelong vision realised.

[Michael Rooney]

Greg was a myth architect on the same level as MAR Barker and JRR Tolkien: original and cosmogonic, yet earthy and human. His bold spirit shone through his creations, and does not dim. My heartfelt thanks go to him and his loved ones for sharing so much of his generous creativity.

[John Wick]

The greatest accomplishment in my entire life, without exception, was when I with Greg at Gencon and told him, "I ran a Pendragon game with all women playing Lady characters." Greg said, "How did you do that?" And I spent twenty minutes with him just listening and smiling.

 

Greg Stafford asked me, "How did you do that?" Then, he sat and listened. The man who so inspired me that I would not be a game designer if it weren't for him. I had done something with his masterpiece that he had not considered and was curious how I did it.

 

That is the greatest accomplishment of my life. Greg sitting quietly and listening and smiling. I got to tell him a story.

 

I never got to play Pendragon with Greg. Now, I never will.

[Mike McLean]

A tragic loss for all of gaming. His legacy is unimaginable. I find my normal verbosity short circuited by this loss.

The only words that come to mind are a quote from Jack Sparrow:

"The world's the same size. There's just less in it"

Heartfelt condolences to his nearest and dearest.

 

[Phil Hendry]

This is sad. I never knew Greg, and I had been away from Runequest and Glorantha for many years, but had recently returned - and am enjoying, immensely, immersing myself in the world and the game which he began. My condolences to his family and friends... And to the gaming world, which has lost one of its greatest ever.

Edited October 12, 2018 by Phil Hendry

[Sardonicus]

We are all a little poorer today.

[Bohemond]

I first discovered Glorantha around 1980, when I was about 12 or 13. I loved it and gave up D&D entirely on the spot. For me, Glorantha is hands down the best fantasy world ever created and no matter what other games I play, I always come back to it. 

I never met you, Mr Stafford, but you brought real light into my life. I have no doubt that at some future date, when gaming has true need of your creativity, someone will perform the Lightbringers’ Quest to return you to us. 

[Chris Gidlow]

I foresee great contests at Greg's funeral games. 

[Morthrai]

I have just heard the news, doubly sad with the new editions just out and going so very well. 

Farewell sir! ☹️

[Vhloche]

Sad news.

My condolences to his family.

I am thankful for his contributions to the gaming community. 

Peace.

 

[OmegaEarthling]

Thanks for letting us play in your imagination, you will be missed. Condolences to family and friends.

[styopa]

I was barely even acquainted with him, but even in those few interactions he was one of the most purely kind-hearted, generous, warm people I've ever met.

The man was truly giving in a way we can all aspire to be.

The world is a little bit lesser for his passing.

My deepest sympathies to his family, and to his close friends at Chaosium and around the world.  Greg is, I'm sure, exploring whatever really comes after this and is likely having more fun than anyone.  I can't imagine someone more prepared to actually enter the Hero Plane than our favorite Shaman, Greg.

[atomicovermind]

I barely even know what to say. 

There is no other game design person who's work has had as much influence on me as Greg. I remember being at my first GAMA Trade Show in New Orleans in maybe 96(?), hanging out on Bourbon St. with Matt Forbeck and Charles Ryan and running into Greg (who Matt knew, I think), and striving mightily not to lose my fanboy shit. Greg couldn’t have been nicer.

I got to know him a little bit over the next few years, not deeply, but socially. Every time I'd see him at a show and hear him say "Hey Hal" my 12 year old self freaked out. GREG STAFFORD KNOWS WHO YOU ARE my brain would yell. It never really stopped.  I eventually even came within a hairs’ breadth of doing business with Greg. It didn’t work out, but those he ended up eventually partnered with have given new life to his work. I can’t help thinking that, as much fun as it would have been to work with Greg, things worked out perfectly.

My deepest condolences to Greg's friends and family, and to all my friends at Chaosium. I consider it an absolute privilege to have gotten to know Greg, and his work will continue to entertain and enlighten both me and so many others for years to come. 

Gone to soon, Greg. Rest easy. Rest quietly. You will be missed more than I can say.  

[Gene M.]

I am gutted by this news. My condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. Just awful.

[Ethereal]

Thank you for creating and supporting the The Games that I have to come love and play since 1982. May you continue to create and flourish in whatever after life awaits us all.

[jeffjerwin]

I only got to know Greg this year and he was a lovely person. Of course, his worlds had brightened my own for decades before that.

Arkat has gone to his star.

[lawrence.whitaker]

This is heartbreaking.

Greg was truly unique, and I feel honoured and privileged to have been able to count him as a friend.

[Andrew M]

The various Gloranthan games I have played have been some of the best games I have played. Having met Greg at Conventions in the 90's his enthusiasm and myth building inspired my own games in a way no other games developer has . He will be greatly missed

[oomizuao]

How sad to hear this news. 

May all good spirits guide his journey to the true spirit world.

[Curtis Takahashi]

Thank you Greg. You were truly an inspiration to us all and cannot think of a better way to have spent my years growing up. You will truly be missed. Condolences to your family and great appreciation for sharing him with us all.

[gorman]

Rest in peace.

I find it hard to explain in a few words without getting boring but... without Mr. Stafford work I would probably have far different friends. Far lesser friends. I owe to his incredible work many of my most cherished friends. Many of the choices that, directly or not, influenced my life.

Thank you and condolences to your family. Love from Italy.

[davecake]

 Greg was my favourite creator in my favourite hobby, but he has ended up a lot more. He took our nerdy hobby and, with his deep knowledge of the sacred, showed it could be a window into the profound. He ended up teaching me more about spirituality than any professional holy man ever has, and about creativity and play as well.

It felt like he still had so much creativity to share with world still to come.

i was lucky enough to meet him a few times, and collaborate with him a little. He was a joy, so interested in others and so open. 

A memory I will never forget is the first time I heard him tell  the story of the Red Goddess, at twilight behind a school on Melbourne, an audience spellbound listen8ng to the great storyteller tell one his greatest stories. 

Farewell beloved  Arkati trickster shaman. May Daka Fal bless and guide you. 

And my deepest condolences to those who knew him better than I, his colleagues, friends and family. 

 

[Michael Cule]

And now I am sad.

Thank you Greg. Be free of all our mourning that might bind you here. “Go spirit, to the fate of thy will.”