Beginning — RPGaDay #1

Well, where did it all begin? University, as it happens.

I didn’t get the grades I’d hope for at A-level. The ABB, or whatever I needed for my first choice university, transformed into a sullen and disappointing BED. As it happened, that qualified me for none of my first choice selections, leading me down the momentary rabbit hole of clearing to find something else.

I ended up on a Historical & Political Studies course at Huddersfield Polytechnic – or the University of Huddersfield, as it has become by the time I departed with my Lower 2nd.

I would be lying if I said it was all fun. A traumatic breakup in the first year, a more traumatic stay in Halls for the first term, a fall-through on rented accommodation before the Christmas holidays… And, I had to study some politics—modern politics, no less—despite really only being there for the history, a smidgeon of philosophy, and the Role Playing Society.

One way or another, I survived the first year and for the rest of the course, I had a loft room all to myself in the arse end of Lockwood and the choice of a bunch of modules that meant I could all but blank politics from the curriculum.

Therein, I discovered my love of all sorts of history, but notably the elements that involved a Tudor. I mean, there was some Civil War, a little Richard III, and a smattering of the Vikings for good measure, but if I could swing it, I opted for anything Tudor.

And books; so many books, a few of them not even role playing related. It started then and it has never stopped, to the extent that I have a couple of hundred books dealing with the three centuries through which the Tudors made their mark. I wouldn’t claim to be an expert; I would be too anxious to commit to Mastermind. However, Tudor England has my heart and soul.

What did I hope to do before I turned in those tragic grades? Well, Medieval English at Durham was high on the agenda but was not to be.

Every day during August, I’ll be writing something new on The Dee Sanction and aim to connect the word prompt of the day with the development of the game. Check out the concept, the list and the graphics over at AUTOCRATIK.