by It took me almost 60 years. But I have finally found what I didn’t know I needed. And it feels good. The Dungeons and Dragons Community.
Thanks to a crazy idea – that I should learn to play Dungeons & Dragons at the ripe old age of 57 – I have found something I’ve been missing all my life. I’ve found a community. They are now “my people,” and I am really happy about it. I look forward to hanging out with them. We can talk for hours, and it never feels forced. We laugh, debate, and have fun. I am engaged in meaningful social interactions virtually every day -something far too many people don’t get enough of these days.
I am also thankful that it did take so long to find the Dungeons and Dragons Community – which I find quite amusing in a slightly depressing sort of way.
Thank you, The Technology of the Dungeons and Dragons Community
If I had found this D&D community earlier in life, it wouldn’t have been as diverse a group of people. It wouldn’t have been as interesting. They would have all been just like me – white, middle-class mid-westerners. But thanks to the internet, and social media platforms like Discord, I have been able to meet and get to know D&D fanatics from all over the world. I have learned some amazing slang for calling someone a jerk, that the Poles make a meat pie very similar to my mother-in-law’s Prussian pie, and that the Brits don’t need lemons to drink lemonade. But most importantly, I’ve learned that D&D is a universal language for geeks.
I can talk to them anytime, no matter where in the world they are. I was talking to Peter, who lives in northern England, yesterday while he was driving his car on the wrong side of the road. (He had “hands-free” on, don’t worry.) He was picking up his wife from work. We chatted about which monastery in Icewind Dale his character Choyce, a monk, was from. We are starting a new campaign on Saturday, and this is important information I need to know!
Last Saturday, I stayed up way too late talking to George in Eastern Europe. It was 4 am for him. He is just as obsessed with the game as I am, and we spent almost two hours talking about what the crew of the Ginger should do about the pirate ship they are planning to dock in Saltmarsh. His character (Abe the Bard) is planning on trying to talk his way through this delicate political situation.
“There is no way the town council will allow you to dock a pirate ship in their harbor. You can roll all the persuasion checks you want, Abraham. It is not happening.”
Yes. I know people will say an online community isn’t a real community. They will tell me to look around locally. There must be D&D geeks nearby. Wouldn’t it be much more rewarding to hang out with them in person?
To this, I say, “no.” This is better. But I’m not going to take the time to explain why – because I need to talk to Dexter in Thailand about whether or not his character knows Choyce before they meet in Luskan on Saturday.
Related Reading About The Dungeons And Dragons Community
What Skills Does It Take To Be A Dungeon Master? – The following is a list of the things and skills you need to be a dungeon master before you DM your first session.
What is a Virtual Table Top And How Do I Play It? – A virtual tabletop (VTT) is an online application that allows you to play D&D with other players through an online interface.
Review: Icewind Dale – Rime of the Frostmaiden – A “snow” box of role-play opportunities Icewind Dale – Rime of the Frostmaiden is an excellent choice for DMs who love a sandbox module with lots of options for role-playing.
