Eye of the Beholder

07/03/22 • 43 min

Chapter 1 - In the early 1960s, Gary and Mary Jo Gygax move their young family to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin to escape their urban life in Chicago,. Though he works as an insurance underwriter by day, Gary spends his nights and weekends as a central figure in a burgeoning community of wargame players seeking camaraderie and a distraction from a turbulent era. When he’s fired from his job, Gary begins a second career as a shoe-cobbler while continuing to pursue his creative ambitions. Barely able to make ends meet, Gary is on the verge of abandoning his dream altogether when a fellow gamer from the Twin Cities introduces him to a game that will change both of their lives forever.

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Introduction - When We Were Wizards

WHEN WE WERE WIZARDS is a 14-episode documentary podcast that charts the rise and fall of Gary Gygax, the co-creator of the role-playing-game phenomenon Dungeons & Dragons and co-founder of the company that produced it, TSR Hobbies. It’s a story about the personal toll success can exact on friendships and families, especially when corrupted by greed, lust, and human folly.

WHEN WE WERE WIZARDS is told in the voices of the people who were there - covering everything from the game's creation, to the Satanic Panic, TSR's dysfunction, Gary's adventures in Hollywood and more. Never before has this tale included so many insights, discoveries, heart-wrenching recollections, and stunning revelations.

This is a story for anyone interested in unique subcultures, Americana, corporate chaos, history, cautionary tales, and human drama.

Follow our instagram @whenwewerewizards

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Detect Magic

Chapter 2 - In Minneapolis, a hive-mind of creative synergy reaches a critical mass with a game from Dave Arneson called “Blackmoor.” Convinced of its potential, Gygax and Arneson work furiously to develop the idea into what eventually becomes Dungeons & Dragons. But when he is unable to find a publisher for it, Gary and a childhood friend start their own company to print and sell D&D. The future looks bright until a tragedy tests Gary’s resolve.