Ordinarily, i don’t tend to bring a lot of my personal life to the blog beyond the most basic bits.  I’m a “don’t air your dirty laundry in public” sort — very Scottish.  But tonight was a good night at the gaming table and represented a closure of sorts for me.

For 19 years, I’m had one constant at the gaming table — my ex-wife.  Even after our divorce, she was back at the table for a few months before she finally wrote me off after the announcement of my impending fatherhood.  Completely understandable, and completely expected.  She took with her one of my friends of 17 years.  He had been increasingly erratic in his behavior for a while before our divorce, and while I’m sure he would find a way to blame me, it was simply that he was a miserable bugger that wouldn’t shift himself to fix his life.  It seeped into every aspect of his life, including gaming.  He stopped being fun to hang out with years ago (but then again, so had I…)  A few others picked sides, as well, which is also understandable and in one case expected.

This happens from time to time.  You’re gaming group might collapse.  It might not.  In my case, three of the core players and friends — and that’s usually where the strength of a group lies…you have to be friends first — stuck it out.  Tonight was our first gaming session without two people they’d played with for seven or so years, another that was with us for, on and off, three.  Half the group gone.  It could be sad, or we could move on.

We did the latter.  My fiancee joined us as well, her third or fourth time playing.  I crafted a new universe, a new campaign — in this case a Hollow Earth Expedition game set in Shanghai and revolving around a search for a mythical mellified man (google it, it’s a good McGuffin!)  Characters included the unscrupulous archeologist/tomb raider, the vain and slightly stupid playboy adventurer, a mid-level lieutenant in the Green Gang with ties to the Kuomingtang and an 11 year old street urchin thief working for the gangster.

We had dinner (I made a killer pot roast), we chatted about things, then got down to play.  My girl dropped into the group well and they treated her like she had always been there, and the rest of us continued to mess like nothing had happened.  For me, it was a bittersweet to not have the usual gang around, but life changed you, your life, and your group.

This is shaping up to be an excellent campaign and group.  Game on!