Ok, so when I hear of this game, I instinctively think about nerdy guys sitting around a table all dressed up playing some fantasy role playing game in a school library during their lunch or free period.
A few weeks ago, the organizer of my book club messaged me on Facebook and asked if I would be interested in playing the game. She had never played before and was trying to get a group together for a game.
Now I would normally have scoffed silently to myself as I read the message and replied that I couldn’t, I do have a rep to keep up. But being in a different country is strange, and sometimes lonely so I decided to accept her invitation. I am always interested in meeting new people and making friends. I was sure to warn her that my only exposure to the game was from watching The Big Bang Theory. This didn’t seem to be a problem since she had never played before either – but from the few book club sessions that I have gone to, I have observed that the other members are heavy into that “scene”. Like I can’t even talk about old school pokemon or Sailor Moon – I am completely out of the loop on all things like that. From the entire night tonight, I only got one reference to this gaming world, and it was from Lord of the Rings, you know “you don’t throw dwarfs” or whatever.
I knew in advance that it was going to be like 5 hours long and left early enough to find the coffee shop before our meeting time of 5pm. I was the first one there and got a nice big table for us.
I have to admit, sitting there waiting for the others to arrive I was a little concerned about how I was going to like the game. Like I said, I am not a gaming person. I suck at playing mid-1990’s super mario bros on the grey nintendo station with the cartridges that you had to blow on to make them work. Like this picture – which has duck hunt in it. We had the gun for this game and I even sucked at shooting the stupid ducks!
The first guy shows up, the one who is going to be teaching all of us about this game – you know “the game master”. He said he’s been playing for like 20 years and was excited to share his hobby with us. He did a lot of prep before hand too, with pre-selected players that we could choose from. He also had a pre-planned quest for us that would last like 8-10 sessions if we decided we were digging it.
It started, and after a little bit, I started to get more comfortable. It was actually fun guys! Like really fun! I can totally understand now why people get really into this game! My character was a rogue elf, and although the paper said that I would protect my life above all else, I was also totally loyal. As a thief and a charlatan, I was also good at stealthy things, so I was used as a scout.
Guys I got SO into this game! I don’t even know where it came from! I HAVE NO IDEA! So I was scouting out this trail and I come across a circle in the dirt. It was a trap. I followed the rope and found out that it was attached to a sapling, just waiting for someone to step in it and trigger it. Since we were trying to be all quiet, I asked if I could disarm the trap and let the sapling up without making noise to give away our position. Apparently I was really thinking because that gave me a bonus something or other.
Then we were in some cave, and there was a bridge with a goblin on it. He had his back to me and this other player, and I said the following:
“Can we just neutralize him?” as I pulled my left index finger across my throat and then turned my left hand into a gun and “shot” the air twice….
Neutralize him?!?! What am I in black ops or something?! WHO IS THIS PERSON AND WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO ME!? Guys my life isn’t cupcakes and rainbows anymore…I’ve seen too much….
The bridge was too high to get onto but I asked if someone could hop on another’s shoulders to sneak up on this goblin. Apparently we could. Since I was stealthy I took out my sword to kill this goblin. I roll the dice and I got a number three times what I needed to kill this guy. So I was told by the game master that I chopped off his head, his arm and cut out his heart (ya gotta be sure he’s dead amiright?)
So 4 hours passed and it felt like 1. It was such a great time! The guy running it was great, we all meshed really well together, and since we all bought at least two drinks from the coffee shop we were in, no one asked us to leave even though we were there for 4 hours.
We are meeting again next month to continue on with our story and I have been completely converted. I didn’t know that all that violence and strategic planning was living inside of me. I think I have become possessed or something.
Can we all still be friends? I don’t even know! Have I passed into some sort of nerd land where I have to sever ties with my current friends to make up for this conversion?!
For the first time in months I am sad that I will be leaving in November. I won’t get to finish the entire quest but as of right now, I am a level 2 rogue elf.
I don’t know who I am anymore…..
Is that a Nintendo
Gaming system? Do you know what that is? I’m almost 36 and I played that as a child. Wow! Fun! Duck hunt and Mario brothers. And whatever that game was where you boxed people. Something with mike Tyson. Fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol that was the last gaming system that I played on. We had one when I was little, I did have a nintendo gameboy for a little while…a lime green one? played pokemon on it….when there was only two pokemon games to choose from (red or blue) I had one and my brother had the other. that was literally the last I ever played. lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
“I am a level 2 rogue elf. I don’t know who I am anymore.” I can’t stop laughing!! You’re hilarious 😂😂😂😂😂😍😍😍😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL I am having an identity crisis! I’ve never been one of those girls who has been into anything like this, world or warcraft? Never. Gaming? Never. I don’t even know how to turn on a playstation! I have to have a friend watch Xmen and hobbit movies with me to explain to me what is going on – I’m THAT girl. Not a D&D playing girl. lol except now I kinda am?
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOLOLOL!! Hilarious!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Literally in my head, after the Nintendo image I was saying ‘Abort Mission! Get out now!’ If you stay over there for D&D, I am sending the Navy Seals in to rescue you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe I will stay just to have the Navy Seals come? Like the American military base is only an 1.5 hour subway ride away so you can send them to my apartment at any time 😉 HAHA I won’t stay longer but we are meeting again in a few weeks to play the next little bit…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m going to need pictures of Dungeons and Dragons. If I do send in the seals, I’m also going to need A TON of pictures of them too. Okay?
LikeLike
LOL deal! Although the pictures of the game won’t really help much? It’s just a bunch of us sitting at a table withe some dice on the table….and some papers. That’s it
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
yeah, we have papers that tell us about our character, and the guy running the game has papers to tell him the story, and then you just roll dice on the table lol that’s it
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like the renaissance festival…I’m gonna need costumes!
LikeLike
HAHA! no costumes…they aren’t that into it
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just sent you an email!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Memory of the Star and commented:
Playing D&D today, so I won’t be able to post in full! Usual reblogging etiquette applies, no comments or likes on the post. Please check the original content and leave your feedback there!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Noice
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi! I’ve been reading your website for a long time now and finally got the courage to
go ahead and give you a shout out from Kingwood Tx!
Just wanted to tell you keep up the excellent work!
LikeLike
Hey! Thanks so much 🙂 I’m glad you have been enjoying the writing!
LikeLike
Pingback: Hey!! HEYYYY!!! | No Love for Fatties
Oh my goodness I remember that first game! It was wonderful! I never thought I would laugh so hard over killing goblins (okay that sounded very weird) but our game master made it so much fun. Glad you had fun too 🙂 Your rogue elf was the stuff of legends !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha I know! I miss playing – haven’t since I got home last year. But I do use my dice all the time at work with my kidlets. They love all the crazy shapes and colours.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s awesome! I use the dice sometimes when I teach my students (like I assign students numbers and then roll the dice to call on them. Sometimes I let them roll the dice too)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are you teaching now?! I had no idea! That’s awesome!
LikeLike
I teach ESL part time twice a week in the mornings at the university near where we live. It’s so close that I can walk there! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooo super awesome!!
LikeLike
We played another campaign after you left. We all got new characters except Paul (Govan) and since we were in the same town as the last game, our old characters became notoriously famous and people in the town would talk about them. We even visited Thia’s tavern a couple of times. Now that I’m back in America I miss playing and I miss our group so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awww I forgot about my tavern! Lol I’m still part of the Facebook group and read about their adventures sometimes haha.
LikeLiked by 1 person