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I'll keep this short, 'cause I'm barely holding it together right now. I know I haven't been active on here for a fair while now, and either has the 8th Dwarf, but I wanted to at least come back and make this post, since I know how much he loved this community, and his lack of time spent here wasn't really his choice.
The 8th Dwarf, known to his friends and family as Brad, lost his year long battle with cancer this morning. He was a great friend to me when I needed it the most, even if we never got to meet face to face for drinks like we planned. He was always ready to listen to me vent or give some calm, measured advice, or just cheer me up with some stories about the various shenanigans he'd got up to both in and out of games.
Brad, wherever you are, I hope the dice are rolling in your favour. Thanks for everything mate, I'll miss you.
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Horrible news, my condolences for his passing. I remember him from the boards. Thank you for bringing us word. =/
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Oh, no. I remember him, too. He was a funny and creative guy. I'm so sorry, Tinkergoth. Thanks for letting us know.
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Damn! I liked him too. You will be missed.
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Vale 8th Dwarf - been missing your posts, and updates on Rolemaster, and quips, and vignettes on everything from red rattlers back in the day to not loving cricket, and by turns moderate and meaningful, irreverent and insightful.
May the next big adventure, whatever that may be, keep you well.
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Oh no =(
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A huge loss to the community, his friends, and his family.
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Damn. 8D.
He will be missed.
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I just read the notes on his facebook feed from his wife and uncle...
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Farewell, 8th dwarf. The world is diminished with each light that goes out.
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Ugh. Farewell to a fellow gamer. May he roll well wherever he is at, and get first pick of the treasure. You'll be missed, 8th Dwarf.
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Thought I'd come back and post some songs I know Brad loved, and say how glad I am to see that so many people remember him fondly here.
Before I get to the songs though, I wanted to share something I wrote that I hope can give those who didn't know him all that well a bit of an idea of just how great a guy he was. Some of what I wrote here originally is in it, so I apologise if it sounds a bit familiar, but this is what my original post would have been if I had been able to find the words at the time.
Today one of the best men I've ever known, Bradley Holland, lost his battle with cancer. A dedicated family man whose wife and daughters meant the world to him, a king among nerds, and a life-long role-player. A true friend to me when I badly needed one, willing to lend a shoulder to cry on to a complete stranger he'd never met, happy to befriend someone almost half his age, to share his love of music, gaming and all manner of random shit with me, to talk me through my fears and worries, and cheer me up with stories of his shenanigans both in and out of games. Through all his pain over the last year, he kept up an optimistic attitude to show the world, no matter how he was actually feeling, and struggled through the treatments so that he could spend as much time as possible with his loved ones.
So long Brad. While I wish I could have known you for longer, and that we'd actually been able to have those drinks together like we planned, I'm grateful for the time we did have. Wherever you may be now, I hope that the beer is cold, and the dice roll in your favour (though not too often, 'cause I know you, like any true gamer, understand that half the fun is in overcoming the consequences of failure). May the GM be brilliant when you're a player in whatever celestial gaming group you find, and the players be amazing when you're the GM.
I guess what I really want to say is this... I don't know if you ever really knew how much your friendship meant to me, how much you helped me through things just by being there to talk. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that you were there, and you did help. Thanks for everything mate, I'll miss you more than you'd ever know... Hell, I miss you already.
P.S. I thought about trying to find some appropriately sombre songs by one of your favourite bands to listen to tonight. Then I realised you'd just say "F&!$ that" (or perhaps "bugger") and want me to put on something that'd make me smile and laugh... So here you go, this one's for you buddy... I'll have that drink for the both of us now.
And now for the songs. He had a pretty diverse taste in music, so there's a bit of variety here.
The Whitlams - Blow Up The Pokies
The Whitlams - No Aphrodisiac
The Screaming Jets - Shiver
The Screaming Jets - Better
Stone Roses - Fools Gold
The Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Hilltop Hoods - The Nosebleed Section
Wolfmother - Woman
Wolfmother - Joker and the Thief
Tame Impala - Elephant
The Living End - Prisoner of Society
The Living End - All Torn Down
And let's finish with some Frenzal Rhomb...
Frenzal Rhomb - Bucket Bong
Frenzal Rhomb - Punch in the Face
Frenzal Rhomb - Mum Changed The Locks
Frenzal Rhomb - Never Had So Much Fun
I could post so much more, but that's what I've been listening to today.
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Damn...my condolences.
Decided to visit the boards and see what's up since I haven't been on in a while. What a crappy way to start the day. I didn't really know him or interact with him, but he's one of the folks I've seen as a fixture of the community since I joined. RIP, Brad.
Has his family set up any kind of fundraiser to cover expenses?
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R.I.P. 8th Dwarf
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My Condolences to his friend and family. I did not know him that well or interacted much with him but did find his post insightful.
It's always the good ones. :(
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Goodbye, 8th Dwarf. You will be sorely missed. :(
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I did not know him but know someone who did. He passes on his condolences.
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RIP, sir.
I shall drink this beer for you.
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[Clenched fist salute]
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Damn...my condolences.
Decided to visit the boards and see what's up since I haven't been on in a while. What a crappy way to start the day. I didn't really know him or interact with him, but he's one of the folks I've seen as a fixture of the community since I joined. RIP, Brad.
Has his family set up any kind of fundraiser to cover expenses?
I'm afraid I'm not sure if they've set up anything for that. While Brad used to tell me a lot about his family, I never actually got introduced to them, and I'm loathe to intrude on their privacy right now. I'll keep an eye out though.
I was thinking last night that what I'd really love to do is find a way to sneak a tribute to him into a Pathfinder product somewhere. Nothing big, just an NPC somewhere in a sourcebook with his name or something close to it, the eighth son of a dwarf family with red hair and a friendly attitude. Something like that.
Not sure how I'd even go about suggesting it though - What's the appropriate avenue for something like that? - or if Paizo would even consider it.
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I think that sounds great.
Will dedicate the part on dwarves in Freehold! The Saga of Wune to him.
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I think that sounds great.
Will dedicate the part on dwarves in Freehold! The Saga of Wune to him.
It's something I've always done in my games. I've got a couple of NPCs who pop up somehow in almost every game regardless of genre. Not always, or even often, in a major role, but they're there. My way of keeping them alive in my memories.
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Wow! I know his handle from the music posts. He turned me on to some bands from Oz that I did not know...sending positive (and musical) thoughts to the family.
EDIT: MOTHMAN!
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My sympathies.
Our family's had a few passings due to cancer as well, so i can understand your situation.
also, f#+$ cancer!
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Both myself and all the staff @ the Flying Pincushion just wanted to pass along how sorry we were to hear about Brad's loss. The 8th dwarf will be missed round these parts, and our hearts go out to all his family and friends.
Sincerely,
Jeff Harris
Flying Pincushion Games
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Oh no. :( That's awful to hear. Please pass on our condolences from us at Paizo to his friends and family.
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oh, damn
some years ago when he (and I) where still regulars in FaWTL I loved our (FaWtL rules forbidden) sport talks
I learned the rules of Rugby from him
Rest in Peace my dwarvn friend, you will be missed
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Tinkergoth or Mothman,
maybe you can pass this thread to his family, maybe it can be a small solace, seeing that some people all over the world do care
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Somewhere out there in the aether, is a dwarf who was 8th out of 7, sitting in on a game with Gary Gygax and rolling all 20's.
Rest easy Brad old boy, you may be gone, but never to be forgotten.
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I'll be making the trip to Sydney tomorrow for the memorial service to pay my respects. I've got a red-headed dwarf mini and a set of dice for Brad to take with him, and I'll pass on the best wishes and condolences of everyone here.
If anyone on reading this is going, could you please PM me and let me know? I've never met Brad's family and friends, and I'd feel far less awkward if I know there is someone there who I've at least interacted with in some capacity.
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I'll be making the trip to Sydney tomorrow for the memorial service to pay my respects. I've got a red-headed dwarf mini and a set of dice for Brad to take with him, and I'll pass on the best wishes and condolences of everyone here.
If anyone on reading this is going, could you please PM me and let me know? I've never met Brad's family and friends, and I'd feel far less awkward if I know there is someone there who I've at least interacted with in some capacity.
I've PM'd you mate.
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He was a good sort.
He and his family are in my prayers. May they have the chance to grieve and heal naturally.
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He'll be missed.
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I just wanted to pop-in and thank Tinkergoth for coming to the funeral. It was great to have you there to share your memories of Brad, and is a good example of the influence and personality of the man that you'd be willing to come all that way to pay your respects.
Our gaming group put together a gaming pack to place as a parting gift to Brad - hand-written character sheets from his last couple of campaigns, a dice set made from dice donated from the group, dice bag, folder etc. The best tribute we could think of for a man who spent at least 30 years gaming.
Tinkergoth I can imagine it was hard to come to a gather of so many strangers, that took guts. My hats off to you good sir.
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May he rest peacefully after such a glorious sendoff.
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I just wanted to pop-in and thank Tinkergoth for coming to the funeral. It was great to have you there to share your memories of Brad, and is a good example of the influence and personality of the man that you'd be willing to come all that way to pay your respects.
Our gaming group put together a gaming pack to place as a parting gift to Brad - hand-written character sheets from his last couple of campaigns, a dice set made from dice donated from the group, dice bag, folder etc. The best tribute we could think of for a man who spent at least 30 years gaming.
Tinkergoth I can imagine it was hard to come to a gather of so many strangers, that took guts. My hats off to you good sir.
It was the least I could do, and I'm glad I was able to share in what was, while an unspeakably sad occasion, very much a celebration of Brad's life and the way he touched the lives of everyone there. The pack you guys put together for him was fantastic, and I was honoured to be able to place the first set of D&D dice I ever owned next to it.
While I may have been a stranger when I arrived, by the end of it I felt like one of the guys, and I really wanted to say thanks to you and the others for making me feel so welcome and sharing your stories with me. Also a big thanks to Mothman for lending me a pair of cufflinks... of all the things to forget to pack...
On a side note, I've still got Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life stuck in my head. I was singing it all day at my wargaming league, and by the end of it so were half the players. A parting gift, or perhaps practical joke, from Brad. Even from the other side of the veil, he's still handing out earworms.
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Hi,
I do not post here very often these days, but I want to thank everyone for their kinds words and I know Brad really enjoyed being part of this community. He would often tell me about you and the conversations he was apart of in these threads.
For Malchedial and I, we have lost more than a great mate, we have lost our big brother. Looking through the comments, I can see that Brad's empathy, intelligence and wit have left an impression here as well.
Tinkergoth it was a pleasure to have met you. If you are ever up our way again, please don't hesitate to make contact as it would be good to have a beer with you.