Losing your first character

On Sunday, Dave the Knight, aka Dave the Crippler, was cut in half by a black reaver.

As deaths go, that's a good way to go - killed by the single most iconic Rolemaster monster. He wasn't killed by a lucky hit by Random Goblin #3 or bashed to death by the orc standing one hex away from Konk Chopgroin.

Still, losing your first character . . . it's been decades since that happened to me but I never enjoyed having my characters killed.

It's just a paper man, but as paper men go - it was the player's first.

Honestly I can't even remember the first character death I had. I probably didn't take it well, I was in 4th grade. Dave's player is right about that age.

What I think is good, though, is that:

- no one end-zone danced or rubbed it in. He died, we said too bad, we moved on.

- no one suggested undoing it. Dead's dead, rules are rules, the dice dictated the death.

- he died after making a clear mistake in a decision. It wasn't just bad rolling, it was a bad decision that set him up to make another bad decision.

- he and his dad immediately began discussing what template next, not poor old Dave the Crippler.

Still, losing your first guy. I don't even remember how mine went. I don't take it too well these days, I can't imagine I did it better in the past.

And we'll see what he makes next.