FACT: The oldest continuously-played Dungeons & Dragons character is believed to be a 237th level magic-user named Kirin Blade. Tom Darcy started his character in 1979, and has played the game every weekend since then for an estimated total of 22,500 hours.

From: NHawkins
Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2006 11:32 PM
To: TAED
CC: Legatissimo, staff server, mediarelations@gullible.info
Subject: Darcy interview

TAED,

Thanks for your entry on Tom Darcy. Re: our earlier discussion via Blackberry, I was able to track him down for an interview. He currently lives in Akron, Ohio and still maintains the character. Here's the transcript.

NH: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, Tom.

TD: No problem. I'm really proud of my character, you know, so I'm happy to talk about it.

NH: Have you been interviewed before about Kirin Blade?

TD: Yeah. Inquest magazine did a quick profiel a few years ago. Wizard, Scrye. Most of the big gaming mags. I actually wrote a couple freelance articles in magazines that have since folded - a lot of roleplaying mags, D+D specific mags - stuff like that.

NH: You mentioned those magazines have folded. Have you seen a decline in roleplaying games?

TD: Sure. Kids have video games now. Back in '79 - I was fifteen then - we played D and D for an escape from, you know, all the bullshit in high school. Now kids just do Playstation, or even Everquest if they're into roleplaying. Who wants to take the time to create a character, modify his stats on a spreadsheet and roll dice when a computer can just take care of all that for you?

NH: I suppose they wouldn't. What about your D and D group. How has it changed over the years?

TD: Well, we've all grown up. There's only one other player from my original group who I still play with. Everyone else is from the Akron area. We've met at conventions - for comic books, fantasy games - all that. We take it pretty seriously.

NH: Do you follow your own special rules for the game?

TD: No way. I mean, everyone has their home rules they like. But to settle all that among these different players, we stick to the original rules that came inside box of the original D and D.

NH: Purists. All right. How have you avoided your character's death after so many hours of play?

TD: Well, after a while, the other players would band in to protect me. There's been probably over a hundred characters who have sacrificed themselves for Kirin. Mike, our usual Dungeon Master, he's got a list somewhere of all of them. It's really quite touching, you know. If I get the money together, I'd like to get a big plaque made and hang it in the basement where we play. I feel like Kirin is akin to Gandalf, in the sense that he's so advanced that he acts like a guide for all the other characters. And I owe that to those other players.

NH: That brings up an interesting question. How do you embody Kirin in the game? How does Kirin interact with the other players?

TD: In the beginning, Kirin was reckless and arrogant - learning spells beyond his ability, nearling blowing his party up with a lightning blast trick he picked up in the North Hampton Woods from an elf-mage. But over time, after he got a few nasty beasts under his belt, after he watched some members of his party die, I guess you could say Kirin grew up. Now he's more clear-headed - he has sort of a quiet detachment to everything happening around him, as if he's seen it all before. He's disinterested like James Bond - he realizes emotions are a shortcut to true understanding and expeident action. Now Kirin is more of an elder-statesmen, telling the other characters about the new lands they're entering, admonishing them to save their money for a better shop that will be in the next town. On and on.

NH: Right. Very well. You mention Kirin is an elder statesman. Is he getting older? Can he die of old age?

TD: I'd really rather not think about that. I don't know what I'd do if that happened. I mean, can you really imagine starting back at level one after - no, I don't think Kirin can die of old age.