Mazes and Monsters cover to cover... IV

Chapters 2 & 3

In chapters 2 and 3 we get to learn more about Kate who plays Glacia the Fighter and Daniel who is the Maze Contoller for this band of college students.

Kate Finch is an 18 year old sophomore with her own room this year. She's driven across country again to Grant University and her mother worries that Kate isn't eating right or enjoying life as much as she can. Kate's parents broke up a while back, mom is a slightly frumpy grandma time and dad is a swine of a swinger. Kate wants to be a writer but the muse has left her with a pile of half finished stories, how can she write about things she doesn't know? Playing Glacia in Mazes and monsters has given Kate a safe place where she can enthusastically be part of the story without the fear of rejection and her ignorance and lack of experience were not a hindrance, bravery and caution were both rewarded in the game.

Daniel Goldsmith is a six foot tall computer genius from the Boston area; Kate thinks Daniel has a John Travolta thing going for him as he's easily the best looking guy in the dorm and not a bit conceited. Daniel has a comfortable life back at home where he feels too hemmed in and wonders about his brother who ran away so he turns away from MIT to attend Grant and get out of his traditional comfort zone. Daniel wants to program computer games, he spent his whole summer working up a new maze for his fellow players, on his morning runs he can't help thinking up more things to add to the game. Daniel, the immortal youth and Maze Controller, also can't help but wonder about the caves which he passes on those morning runs of his.

The three characters introduced so far have a problem, they need a 4th player. Jay Jay thinks they should simply post on the message board next to the gay rights meetings and the science club notices. The players are reluctant to embrace a stranger as they wish to double up into one of their dorm rooms to save the spare as their inner sanctum gaming room, their own private world. Daniel has done a lot of work on the new maze and Jay Jay is pretty sure they can find someone able to play at the with a notice that reads something like " Wanted: a Mazes and Monster freak who can play at the third level and promises to neither fink out nor flunk out".

--------

So far we see everyone who plays Mazes and Monsters just isn't totally thrilled with their home-life and families. They seek a childish escape from reality where they can build their own sheltered world. Kate is escaping failure and inexperience. Daniel is running away from a life he feels he doesn't control to a world where he controls every detail. While he isn't the Maze Controller Jay Jay is the true leader and motivator for this group of players, he can be the leader his weirdness hasn't allowed him to achieve in his short 16 years of life.