The interesting aspect of D & D is that it is a unique social event that presents challenges players of video or online games may not always contend with. Video gamers can pick up a controller, throw on the headset, and begin destroying worlds to their hearts content at any point that strikes their fancy. A player may not need to find a party, arrange schedules, meeting place, or negotiate time limits. They might interact with whoever happens to be online at that time, or solo a campaign without relying on another person. While I enjoy multiple gaming platforms, there is something special about the social interaction, group strategy, and harnessing multiple talents that attracts me to table top RPG’s.
For my gaming experience, I needed to first find like minded group of individuals, create a time where all could gather, collect the needed resources, and keep this momentum rolling for as long as possible. The easiest way to accomplish this was to find an already established group and force myself upon them. (I am good at forcing myself on people. Like Erkle.) My chance came when I randomly heard a co-worker mention beginning a new campaign for his already thriving party. I heard this through the thin cubicle wall that divided our desks. My ears perked while my curiosity was tantalized. I walked over and cooley leaned on the wall and asked, “So, uhhh, you play D & D?” He proceeded to state things I never would admit in public. How he met on the reg with three to five other gaming aficionado’s. How table top RPG’s had been a life long passion that he never grew out of. But the most interesting aspect for me was he served as the Dungeon Master.
The Dungeon (or Game) master is the ultimate leader of the gaming session. The DM establishes rules, sets the scenario, and plays the villains a party will fight throughout their journey. They are god of our world.
My buddy graciously invited me along for an evening of gaming. Like a jack-wagon, I attended one session. I never went back.
The stigma that had kept me away for so long started creeping back into my mind. What would coworkers think if they found out? What would my friends think? What would my spouse think? Dungeon and Dragons is something to be done between the ages of 10-15, during the 1980’s, and only in the basement hidden away from main society. (see Stranger Things for examples. I would also like to mention I do own Scoops Ahoy costume for emergency cosplay needs. It’s a thing. Trust me.) Adults don’t play games for recreation. We hunt, watch sports, play golf, make furniture out of wood and other appropriate adulting ventures to impress our adult counterparts. (Please see my blogs on all the aforementioned hobbies and interests as I also participate in every single one of them. Except furniture building. I could never content with the great Nick Offerman in furniture building.) Gaming was something I could never admit to any other human, plant, or inanimate object that I participated in.
So I crawled back into my hole of self denial and stayed there until life came knocking.
Durgan's Dungeon 