TSR TSR’s Brian Blume Has Passed

Brian Blume passed away at a the age of 70 on Friday. He was a business partner of Gary Gygax back in the early days of TSR, and co-founder of the company. He played the wizard Rary, and created Vecna.

Obituary for Brian John Blume | Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Homes

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While the fallout between Gygax and the Blume family - and its effects on the company - are well documented, Blume's investment is what got D&D started with its first print run of 1,000 copies. He left the company in 1985.

He passed away on Friday March 27, 2020 at the Lakeland Nursing Home in Elkhorn WI from Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's disease.

 

[MoonSong]

This is the internet sir; I apologize if offense was taken. I've seen much worse "gags" online.

Though some things are so sad that I wish they were an insensitive joke instead. Who's left out of the original group -besides Ernie- ? u_u

 

[gyor]

2020 is really sucking

 

[M.T. Black]

I was very sad to hear of his passing.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Though some things are so sad that I wish they were an insensitive joke instead. Who's left out of the original group -besides Ernie- ? u_u

James Ward (I think it's him) posts here on this website pretty often.

 

[M.T. Black]

Though some things are so sad that I wish they were an insensitive joke instead. Who's left out of the original group -besides Ernie- ? u_u

Rob Kuntz is one of the originals and also writes the occasional article here.

 

[Henry]

Skip Williams isn't an "original," per se, but he might as well be - according to Wikipedia, he was a TSR Dungeon Hobby Shop employee in 1976, and playtested first edition AD&D rules.

As for Brian, may he rest in peace. I never knew that much about him, or never met him, but he (and his father and brother, apparently) were essential to TSR getting off the ground in the earliest days. He's also the guy who came up with the Vecna anagram - there's a claim to fame!

 

[atanakar]

Sad.

They are dying too young. Blume 70, Gagyx 69, Arneson 61, Moldvay 58.

[ USA Average for men is 76.47 - wiki ]

 

[Flamestrike]

As footnote, and a tribute, the Wizard Rary (one of his most famous inventions and characters) never got past 1st level, and was only ever played once.

It was a gag on the level title for 1st level Magic Users in OD&D, which was 'Medium':

The gag was when Gary asked what his character was called, he responded with 'Medium Rary'.

Rary has over time been retconned into one of the most powerful wizards of Greyhawk, and a traitor to Mordenkainen and the others.

As well as Vecna, I'm pretty sure he was also responsible for Myrlund (who had a literal magical six shooter). He was obsessed with Westerns from memory.

Vale.

 

[Tyler Do'Urden]

Other "originals" still with us - Tim Kask, TSR Employee #1, is still alive and gaming (and there have been some recent podcasts with him that were pretty entertaining).

 

[M.T. Black]

As well as Vecna, I'm pretty sure he was also responsible for Myrlund (who had a literal magical six shooter). He was obsessed with Westerns from memory.

Vale.

I think Myrlund was by Don Kaye, who was also into Westerns