Following on from last night’s session, prepared in small pieces and delivered via Zoom using the Foundry VTT (to handle rolls and some maps, images, and notes), I wanted to reflect on the journey through 24 sessions in Mystamyr.

I have said before that this is the fourth campaign outing into Mystamyr – I have played with Red Box D&D, Mythras Classic Fantasy, Castles & Crusades, GURPS Dungeon Fantasy and Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition over the years. Rules system changes occurred as I drifted through my mix of solo, one-shot, and longer-form play. This is longest consistent outing.

The biggest part of the equation is the player group. We are bonded around wanting to play Mythras Classic Fantasy – indeed, one of the players is the game’s designer – but we have become friends over the past 18 months or so. They are a generous and patient bunch who have encouraged one another to continue. This is, of course, priceless.

The game system has been useful, providing a consistent blend of my favourite d100 mechanisms with the flavour of the Classic Fantasy genre. Mythras emulates AD&D very well without falling into the things that I dislike about AD&D, such as Vancian Magic and some haphazard subsystems. Thus, even though I seem unable to master the game at present it doesn’t matter nearly so much because the core principles are simple.

But it’s also worth stating that the commitment to keep pushing my own boundaries, and strip away the strange beliefs and behaviours I had built up over many years prior, has aided me in the execution of a consistent game. I could not have done it without the intervention of therapists and the encouragement of good writers. Many of my “thirteen GM rules” have proven false or in deep need of reform. I am glad to have taken the journey.

Going forward, it’s a drip drip drip of preparation and tiny steps. A little scratching on the map here, a quick rumour jotted down there, sometimes recording some thought about an NPC or new place. The accumulation of little pieces makes the campaign world grow and keeps the player characters moving towards their goals.

I hope that I can hold the course and that the group will stay together for many more months yet to come. It’s been a rewarding trip into my fantasies of old D&D-like play. Mystamyr might just be something of an expression from my inner fourteen-year-old self.

Game on!