The "Club Profiles" enable each member to introduce themselves to the club at large, following a loose format.

Jeffrey (Jeff) S. Young

BIRTHDATE: August 12
BIRTH PLACE: Farmington Hills, MI
HAIR COLOR: Brown
EYE COLOR: Brown
HEIGHT: 6'0"
WEIGHT: 138 lbs
MARITAL STATUS: Single
SEX: Male

My interest in the AD&D game system started soon after I was introduced to the Middle Ages of Europe, and more exclusively, England. I was intrigued of the stories of knights in their armor jousting with each other to win the hand of the "fair maiden," and sometimes wresting over honor. The auras of the kings Charlemagne and Charles Martel, and even tales of King Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table must have been astounding, either in their realistic lives or fictional ones.

By the age of nine my imagination was running fervently with the Basic and Expert sets put out by TSR, and only a few years later I was introduced to the AD&D game. Most of the time I have spent gaming was with a close knit of friends, including Cliff Sockman and his brother Jay.

Later I came up with the idea of forming some kind of club of players from around the United States where we could share ideas, tell each other stories, and even play the game through the mail. Incredibly enough, some five years later, I am in the third year of my membership as part of that club, Dragonslayers Unlimited.

I have attended close to 15 gaming conventions, including three GenCons. At those 15 conventions I have been able to be part of numerous games and tournaments as well as been able to run many of my own as a GM.

Aside from gaming I like to write short stories, poetry, and listen.to music. I enjoy bands like Def Leppard and Whitesnake, as well as some pop music, and even some classical if I happen to be in the mood. My brother and I love collecting comic books as well, and have close to 2,300 of these.

This year I will have started my sophomore year in college at Bowling Green State University.

Richard (Rick) W. Emerich

BIRTHDATE: September 26
BIRTH PLACE: Oak Park, Il
HAIR COLOR: Brown
EYE COLOR: Blue
HEIGHT: 5'11"
WEIGHT: 160 lbs
MARITAL STATUS: Single
SEX: Male

I got involved in gaming in my junior year in high school, coming across a bunch of guys who were sitting in the school's library listening intently to another guy who sat behind a cardboard screen on which was printed a strange swords and sorcery scene. I became fascinated by what was going on, hearing for the first time the words "Dungeons and Dragons." I asked if I could sit down and listen. After a couple of such meetings I was asked if I wanted to participate. I sure did!

My family had moved around quite a lot before my father, now deceased, moved us to New Canaan, CT to take a job with a big corporation in New York. I had not had a chance to make many friends until the meeting with the ad hoc gaming group in the library, being newly arrived, but once I was invited to sit down I no longer lacked in this regard.

I eventually began DMing adventures for the group, first using the Basic Set and then the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons rules when they were introduced. My first game was based on a modified Lord Of The Rings story -- just like most of us when we first start out. I've always had a vivid imagination, a liking for science fiction and adventure fantasy, and organizational skills, all of which I could apply to having fun with my new friends through gaming. Little did I know at the time that I would DM games at, to date, a total of some 40 conventions across the U.S., including three tours at GenCon with Jeff Young and Cliff Sockman (thanks guys!), join a nationwide club and be its newszine editor, have some of my most favorite modules be published in Dungeon magazine and several used by the RPGA for their official games at conventions, and run a popular PBM game now going into its fourth year. AD&D has not only been profitable and fun, but enabled me to meet new people and make great some great friendships.

To start my PBM I advertised in the RPGA's Polyhedron, and Jeff Young was the first to respond to my ad. Soon I had other players and the PBM grew. About a year later Jeff suggested that we get together in person, so I drove out to Ohio to meet him and Cliff, who by then was also in my PBM, and do some "real time" gaming with them at a local convention. We solidified a friendship and shortly thereafter we three met the Briertons, attended another couple of conventions together, and then Jeff suggested forming a gaming club based on PBMs and, when possible, meeting at conventions. You know the rest.

My high school friends have moved away to distant cities so I've not had much chance to game in "real time," save the few times a year when I travel to meet with fellow club members at conventions. I get my "gaming fix" via my PBM and those in which I play, and occasionally the game I now write for submission to TSR. It's a hobby I enjoy but have less and less time nowadays to devote to it.

I have degrees in chemistry and computer science, and have spent some time teaching biochemistry and working as an engineer at a small sewage treatment plant before taking a job at a environmental laboratory in Westchester County, NY where I am the lab supervisor. I devote some time to my community as a volunteer firefighter, and hold several State of Connecticut accreditations in firefighting and rescue technical areas.

I enjoy model railroading too, but haven't been able to do any of it for the last five years because of my job and other priorities. I enjoy the rock W roll of Pink Floyd, Def Leppard, Warrant, Firehouse, Motley Crue, Slaughter, Winger, Trixter, and others. I used to read at least a couple of sci-fi or fantasy novels a week, but again, lack of free time has forced me to cut back in this, though it remains one of my favorite pastimes. I am a Star Trek Fan Club member and like both the (somewhat overacted, but nevertheless enjoyable) original TV series and the newer, sleeker, more technically detailed ST:TNG, as well as the feature films -- I'm certainly looking forward to Star Trek VI. I've started collecting comic books recently after seeing Jeff's collection and wanting an alternative investment method that would be interesting as well as profitable.

Among the things I wanted to be when I was younger but haven't managed yet are: being bass guitarist with a successful rock band; a railroad engineer; chosen for a space mission to Mars; star as a major character in a Star Trek movie or episode (I did do the Universal Studios Star Trek Adventure when I was out on vacation in California, and was featured as the landing party officer with one whole line, so I guess this wish was sort of fulfilled); and a famous comedian. But even without achieving these fanciful goals, life has been good to me so far.

Ingrid A. Maack

BIRTHDATE: January 29
BIRTH PLACE: Jersey City, NJ
HAIR COLOR: Blonde
EYE COLOR: Blue-gray
HEIGHT: 5' 4"
SEX: Female
MARITAL STATUS: Single

I have one brother and have always lived in New Jersey. Palisades Park where I live is about a 35 minute ride to New York City by bus.

I grew up being always interested in science fiction, paranormal stuff, and the Vikings. I've been gaming for 11 years now. May main love is D&D, though I also play Cthulu and Star Trek RPG.

I love the new "Dark Shadows" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation." I really miss the TV series "War of the Worlds." I'm a big Klingon fan, and like Gennie Summers and Jil Conway I belong to the Klingon Strike Force. I'm also a member of Role Playing Games Sig and N3F. I love gaming in general and am in several PBM games.

My favorite authors include David Eddings, Roger Zelasny, and Marion Zimmer Bradley. I love reading fantasy novels. Also, as of late, I've discovered the syndicated show "Dracula." I love this show, and Geordie Johnson -- I love vampire books and movies.

D. Gene Frye

BIRTHDATE: November 6
BIRTH PLACE: Madison, WI
HAIR COLOR: Brown
EYE COLOR: Brown
HEIGHT: Not tall enough
WEIGHT: Not thin enough
MARITAL STATUS: Single
SEX: Male

Schooling: One year of college.

Likes: Dolphins and whales; cats; fantasy; SF; horror; mystery/ suspense; surrealistic/ macabre comedy; nonfiction about marine biology, oceanography, psychology and (gasp!) the paranormal (oh, no, not that!); movies on home video; most music from the 1960s; a lot of modern rock; shopping at the mall; second-hand book stores; flea markets and garage/yard sales; writing letters; mythology; really old erotic literature (Fanny Hill, anything by the Marquis de Sade, The Pearl, etc.)

Dislikes: Most politicians; New Kids On The Block; Bill Cosby; most televangelists; bloody horror movies; rural life; country music; most televised sports; being snowed-in; red tape; censorship.

Gaming Experience: First edition AD&D (World of Greyhawk campaign); Role-con 1988; Oriental Adventures PBM campaign; the Scales of justice PBM from Tudor Games; a Teenagers from Outer Space PBM, the Alamaze PBM, and Arcanum PBM, a Heroes Unlimited PBM, a Shadowrun PBM, a GURPS Supers PBM, a Rifts PBM, and the Arith PBM campaign.

Places I've Been and/or Enjoyed: New York City; Gettysburg, PA; Washington, DC; Niagara Falls, Canada; Denver, CO.

Favorite Activities: Reading; writing letters; collecting RPG systems; shopping; renting/buying movies; listening to the radio; watching TV; daydreaming; recycling aluminum cans.

Professional Responsibilities: Too boring to mention!

Keith M. Mercer

BIRTHIDATE: April 20
BIRTH PLACE: Brookville, PA
HAIR COLOR: Brown
EYE COLOR: Hazel
HEIGHT: 5' 10"
WEIGHT: 200 lbs
MARITAL STATUS: Married
SEX: Male

I began playing AD&D about 11 years ago. I've always played board games; my older brothers needed someone as cannon fodder. I've worked for an insurance company for 15 years as a field auditor. While working full time plus having an infant, I finished my studies at Slippery Rock University. Yes I'm a graduate of Slimy Pebble U. In the last three years we've moved three times; the last one should be it for a long, long time, since the bank will make sure of that.

I'm now the owner of a log cabin, one dimwitted dalmatian, and one cat with blood-tainted claws (the dalmatian was the victim). I've been running an AD&D (or close variant) PBM for nearly three years now. Its one of the means I keep active in the game, plus by playing in a few other PBMs I can find. Time constraints keep cropping up and face to face gaming is down to perhaps once every month. I do get to several of the nearby conventions and am amazed at how strange some of the convention games are.

As to other hobbies: Sci Fi movies, Star Trek: The Next Generation, reading, hunting, fishing, softball, and sleeping.

Anthony (Tony) W. Bellitto
BIRTHDATE: May 29
BIRTH PLACE: Medora, IL
HAIR COLOR: Brown
EYE COLOR: Blue
HEIGHT: 6'0"
WEIGHT: 170 lbs
MARITAL STATUS: Married
SEX: Male

I am married with one daughter, who comes first in my life. With work and family life I have little time for games. My first introduction to fantasy was J.R.R. Tolkein. I've read everything I could get hold of since then.

I've played D&D and AD&D for 15 years, and have played a few other games in that time. I enjoy any strategic game also.

I work afternoons at a small warehouse. I am buying a house in a little town of 500 people... not many gamers in this hick town.

The last few years I've played a PBM game called Galatic Prisoner. It's an open-ended game that very complicated, but the more you learn new moves and strategies, the more you learn and the more complicated it gets. The man that runs it is a chess player and designed it to be easy to learn but hard to master. I've had some good successes in the game.