Imagine is one of my favourite fantasy roleplaying games. I discovered it around 2000 when D&D 3rd Edition arrived and I saw adverts for an alternative to the d20 System. The great news is that tomorrow evening (6pm GMT), I am joining a game run by the designer of Imagine, Michael Tenery.

Imagine has been around since 1985 and developed constantly through the years. Although it’s a detailed game and the books are extensive, the system is pretty simple to play – it’s d100 for skills and a d20 roll-high for attack rolls. As with all my favourite games, the rules are front-loaded to the character sheet.

What I love is the attention to detail. Imagine is clearly a descendant of Dungeons & Dragons – most obviously in some of the metaphysical assumptions – but much more thoughtful and evocative. While not a generic fantasy, it is easy to build your own world around the rules and tweak most aspects of how things work. The Master’s Manual opens up the rules for custom creatures, items, spells, and whatever else you need to craft.

For tomorrow, I have an Elven Mage character to play. I’m looking forward to joining a group of mixed players – none of whom I know – and the chance to sit at the table of the game designer. This is such an honour for me because it’s not often you get to play with the mind behind a game you deeply admire.

If you’ve not checked out Imagine before, it’s worth a peek. As for me, I’m looking forward to seeing how it runs from the player’s perspective.

Game on!