We just passed the ten session mark in our fantasy game set in the realm of Mystamyr, played using the Mythras Classic Fantasy set of rules. Ten sessions feels like a landmark to me. It was also the session when the characters returned to Anminster after several days of adventure.

For those not in the know, Mystamyr evolved from my experimentation first of all with the Dungeons & Dragons Red Box (1983) and then with Mythras Classic Fantasy. It truly began to take form as a larger entity following the invitation of Rodney Leary to add it to the official Greymoor setting described in the Classic Fantasy supplement book for Mythras. 

It has been an interesting journey since I first started walking back towards this old fantasy world back in February. Session Zero was in late March. Session One happened the day after my birthday in April. We’ve been playing bi-weekly since and I’ve only missed one session (due to a short-lived mental health relapse). To get past six sessions was an achievement – I used to get overwhelmed before that point – and to reach ten feels like progress.

From an early outline of an adventure using some random tables, I’ve managed to create several new locations in the realm of Mystamyr and the players have been willing to explore them. We’ve faced undead walkers, troglodytes, goblins, and a banshee. They’ve plundered caves and secret thieves’ guild bases. Overall, I get the impression that most of the players had a good time.

We just reached a turning point in Session 10: one player has left and we are bringing in one and possibly even two new players to beef up the group. This is certainly the first time I have had a waiting list for a game I run.

It’s exciting too because the party has decided to trek across the lake from Anminster and see what’s happening at Moonspike Tower. That location was my first dungeon site in the Anminster saga and it’s nice to see an old map find new life with a restock and slight re-design.

I am experiencing a joy that arises from the campaign feeling like it is taking on a life of its own. Mystamyr is starting to feel real to me and the world is beginning to show signs of independence from the GM alone: the player’s actions and questions are driving the creation of new people, places, and things with regularity. Interestingly, it’s getting easier to prep and run for Mystamyr. I think I am feeling more secure there.

My conclusion is that while it was a momentous act of effort and will to take on the role of Game Master back in February – on the tail of my mental struggles – as time has passed things have become easier. Maybe we build new habits of thinking and doing. Perhaps it’s just that we begin to trust the players and process more. But in the end, beginning and keeping up momentum is paying off… at least right now.

Game on!