View source for Eric and the Dread Gazebo

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[[File:Singapore botanic gardens gazebo.jpg|thumb|300px|Quiet!  It's sleeping!]]
'''The Tale of Eric and The Dread Gazebo''' is an old legend of tabletop gamer lore, passed down from the early days of ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]''.  

The story goes: At one point, our faithful heroes stand before a white gazebo.  After dealing with monsters called fantastic names like ''githyanki'' and ''rakshasa'', Eric thought he had the gazebo monster's number.  [[Hilarity Ensues]].

The original short story can be read [https://web.archive.org/web/20080804140516/http://www.dreadgazebo.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8 here] or [http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/98/Jul/gazebo.html here].  There is also a retelling of this story done in the style of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLop9wYFOfc a radio play].  However, the proper way to learn of the Dread Gazebo is through [[Oral Tradition]], as each retelling of the story is becomes more embellished.

{{tropelist}}
* [[An Aesop]]: Yes, it is possible for an RPG player to have ''too much paranoia''.
* [[Attack of the Killer Whatever]]: The eponymous Dread Gazebo.
* [[I Thought It Meant]]: The gazebo isn't a monster?
* [[Oral Tradition]]: One of those stories passed from gamer to gamer.
* [[Shout Out]]: The Gazebo is referenced in [[Knights of the Dinner Table]], [[Nodwick]], [[Munchkin (game)|Munchkin]] (see image links), and others.
* [[Tall Tale]]: 15&nbsp;ft tall.  And growing taller with each retelling.
* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: "It's too late. You've awakened the gazebo. It catches you and eats you."
* [[Very Loosely Based on a True Story]]: IRL, it only took a minute to ask Eric the obvious, "you don't know what a gazebo is, do you."

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{{quote|''It could have been worse; at least the gazebo wasn't on a grassy gnoll.''}}

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[[Category:Tabletop Games]]
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[[Category:Gaming Lore]]