The Ravens Nest

One of Us, Not One of Them.

Before I post this, I want you to know that this was written by Elven Maid Inn on Twitter (@elvenmaidinn) and she expresses every ounce of frustration I have with Reddit. Please consider reading in full. Link To Original Article.

Ernie Gygax Jr.

One of Us, Not One of Them

by Elven Maid Inn

Bop…

I am alive and still kicking. My soul is filled with anger and frustration. Without going into details about the nature of my health condition, I spent my last night before heading into surgery reading Reddit comments and feeling horrified. Before I let my anger out, I wish to explain what it’s about.

On February 28, 2025, devastating news reached us all: Ernie Gygax has passed away. He was the son of Gary Gygax, one of the most important people who shaped the Tabletop Role-Playing Game scene as we know it today. Ernie was in Lake Geneva on that fateful night when it all started. He was there when Dave Arneson showed “Blackmoor.” He witnessed the moment that shaped our hobby.

Ernie Gygax was a playtester of the original Dungeons & Dragons. He was one of the first people to ever play D&D. His feedback was crucial in shaping our hobby. He was there with Gary Gygax, Don Kaye, Rob Kuntz, and Terry Kuntz to start the Greyhawk group. He playtested early versions of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. He loved the hobby. He was the very first Magic-User created in D&D. His character was named Tenser—heard of it? Maybe Tenser’s Flaming Blade? Unless you played AD&D 2e, then no, because WotC erased Tenser’s name from it. But what about Tenser’s Floating Disc? That’s a spell from the 5e book. Cone of Cold is also credited to Ernie. I won’t even mention something every Fighter does to this day: multi-attack.

Ernie was not as famous a game designer as his father Gary, but he left a mark on our hobby—an undeniable mark, a legacy that cannot be forgotten. He was One of Us, he was a Player and Game Master, who loved the hobby. It pains me even more to read comments from this dumpster fire that Reddit has become. Not only that, but from r/OSR of all bloody places on Reddit?

First of all, Mr. “amp108,” the creator of the r/OSR subreddit, have some bloody decency. The man just passed away. Show some respect and consideration. There’s a famous saying: “If you have nothing nice to say, then shut the fuck up.” I’m paraphrasing here.

I can clearly see that you have no idea what OSR stands for. I can see that you and many of your subreddit followers never played during the TSR era, 3e, or heck, probably even the 4e era. I’ll tell you why I know this: for the first 40 years of D&D, we were a minority—all of us. We were ridiculed, beaten in schools, and laughed at. Yet we always welcomed anyone who wanted to play our game. Skin color was not an issue. Gender was never an issue. I’ll say more: just a moment ago, I listened to Speakeasy, which aired on Saturday. There was a guest on the show—Graph Paper Architect—who knew Ernie personally. He said Ernie ran games for anyone, including people from the LGBT movement. And you dare to insinuate that he was a racist? Does it hurt you so much that a person like him left a legacy on this hobby and you never will?

Let me enlighten you, boy—because you don’t seem like an adult to me. The majority of claims about Ernie Gygax come from two sources: his comments about the “woke” community (which, like most of us, he’d had more than bloody enough of) and a leaked document for Star Frontiers: New Genesis with discriminatory rules. A fictional setting that has discrimination? Doesn’t that sound familiar? Wait, let me check. What other franchises have “discrimination” in their settings? Hmm, it might be tough to find any, but I’ll try: Warhammer 40k, Star Wars, Star Trek, Mad Max, X-Men, Avengers, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, EVE Online. Would you like me to continue, or should I stop right now?

You said in your “statement” that Ernie Gygax Jr. was never “one of us.” Funny—I agree with you. He was never one of you because you’ve never been one of us. You’re just a sparkle troll who cares about karma, leeching off players who want to experience the old-school style of gaming. You’re infecting it with lies and hate. I was waiting for my operation, reading your comments and others on the OSR subreddit. I can’t return to normal life yet. I still have recovery ahead of me. But let me say this: I’ve had enough of you and people like you in our hobby. I’ve had enough of your hate and lack of tolerance in our hobby. I’ve had enough of you and people like you infecting our hobby, seeking controversy where there is none. I’ve had enough of you throwing mud on people who have died and can no longer defend themselves. My chalice overflows with rage and grief, spilling past its breaking point.

I want to thank my partner and my friend for helping me write this article. I’m unable to write at this point, but I can talk, and they can type what they hear from me and they cannot say no to me so I will use that power.

I also want to express my deepest gratitude to my friends from X and Discord for their words of courage. I had your messages read to me. I miss you all. I remember you all. You guys are the force that pushes me to get better. Thank you.

When I’m back, I will take over Reddit.