For Whom the Die Rolls
Okay, so I would be lying if I said that I didn't dream up this entry entirely because I came up with a marginally clever literary pun, and then found myself casting around for a topic befitting the title. But as I am a fan of bad puns, poetry, and tabletop role playing games, I decided to just roll with it. So, allow me to explain what this entry will be about for the two of you who are still here after my immaculate punning.
Why is he yelling about Dragons?
Why indeed, subheading? For those of you who know me, it's no secret (even if some of you wish it was) that I am one of those weird people who plays that game where people pretend to be dragons, or whatever. That's right! I'm talking about good, old-fashioned, Satan-summoning Dungeons and Dragons. I love D&D. I love it with all of my heart, soul, and checking account. I will talk about it with anyone unfortunate enough to bring up anything even remotely related, and I will talk until I see their eyes beginning to glaze over. Some people call that a character flaw, I call that a fairly accurate assessment.
The thing is, it began to occur to me recently that most people who know this is an interest of mine have little to no context for it. I mean, I know why I love D&D. But then again, I also know what it's done for me and why it became so prominent in my life. Very few other people have that same information, and yet are frequently subjected to my ardent declarations about this hobby in which I participate. Those same people could then be forgiven for believing that my life must be very sad if the only thing I have worth talking about is a quaint, but somewhat infantile little game of make-believe, where I have to literally pretend to be someone else in order to find the validation and fulfillment I lack the competence to achieve in real life. Of course, maybe nobody thinks that, and I'm just projecting my own insecurities onto internet straw-people in order to illustrate a point. Really, who is to say?
This post is for anyone, of course. But if you've ever heard me talking about tabletop role playing games (TTRPGs), or seen me posting about them on social media, and either didn't know what I was talking about, or wondered what the big deal was, then this was specifically written with you in mind. I hope very much that you will take the time to read it, and perhaps come away with new insights into a world in which you had previously held no interest.
What's in a game...
Listen, I don't want this entire blog to be about my obsession with TTRPGs, so I have to get all of my gaming/literary puns out while they're relevant. I have the talents that I have and I'm not about to waste them, or apologize for them.
There was a different version of this section, now lost to the ether, wherein I launched into an increasingly convoluted description of just what a TTRPG is and isn't. It was filled with lots of metaphors, analogies, similes, a few digs at classic bored games (not a typo). Over all, it was a dry take. I was boring myself writing it, so how could I expect anyone not to be bored reading it? The fact is, none of that was what matters to me about TTRPGS anyway. That said, for those of you who still don't fully know what I'm talking about, it's worthwhile to have at least a baseline description going forward.
Tabletop role playing games consist of a group of people, often times seated around a table, if you can believe it. These people are divided into two categories: players, and game master (GM). The players create and play characters befitting the agreed upon setting, and the game master serves as an arbiter of rules, and runs the world in which the players explore, including but not limited to: the narrative, the non-player characters (NPCs), creating challenges, puzzles and mysteries for the players to solve, etc. Most actions are determined narratively through description of intention on the part of the players, and description of reactions and consequences of those actions on the part on the GM. However, other actions of which the outcomes are uncertain, are determined by rolling various polyhedral dice. That's it! There's nothing mystical about it. It's a game of collective story telling in which the players take a role that is equally author, audience, and actor.
There's a lot more to these games than that, I suppose, but it's all very granular or conceptual, and frankly pretty irrelevant here. Plus, there are hundreds of other sources out there that dissect the inner workings of TTRPGs far more articulately and insighfully than I could ever hope to manage. If you're interested in learning more, I could probably be persuaded to hunt down some links for you. In any case, now that we've been over what TTRPGs are, let's talk about why they are so much more important than just a game to me and thousands of others.
There was a different version of this section, now lost to the ether, wherein I launched into an increasingly convoluted description of just what a TTRPG is and isn't. It was filled with lots of metaphors, analogies, similes, a few digs at classic bored games (not a typo). Over all, it was a dry take. I was boring myself writing it, so how could I expect anyone not to be bored reading it? The fact is, none of that was what matters to me about TTRPGS anyway. That said, for those of you who still don't fully know what I'm talking about, it's worthwhile to have at least a baseline description going forward.
Tabletop role playing games consist of a group of people, often times seated around a table, if you can believe it. These people are divided into two categories: players, and game master (GM). The players create and play characters befitting the agreed upon setting, and the game master serves as an arbiter of rules, and runs the world in which the players explore, including but not limited to: the narrative, the non-player characters (NPCs), creating challenges, puzzles and mysteries for the players to solve, etc. Most actions are determined narratively through description of intention on the part of the players, and description of reactions and consequences of those actions on the part on the GM. However, other actions of which the outcomes are uncertain, are determined by rolling various polyhedral dice. That's it! There's nothing mystical about it. It's a game of collective story telling in which the players take a role that is equally author, audience, and actor.
There's a lot more to these games than that, I suppose, but it's all very granular or conceptual, and frankly pretty irrelevant here. Plus, there are hundreds of other sources out there that dissect the inner workings of TTRPGs far more articulately and insighfully than I could ever hope to manage. If you're interested in learning more, I could probably be persuaded to hunt down some links for you. In any case, now that we've been over what TTRPGs are, let's talk about why they are so much more important than just a game to me and thousands of others.
If gaming be the food of love, play on...
Over the last several weeks it is more likely than ever that you've heard of Critical Role. Critical Role is a live streamed game of D&D played by a group of best friends who happen to be some of the most prolific, dedicated, and talented voice actors in the field. Led by Dungeon Master, Matthew Mercer, the game is broadcast weekly on the live streaming platform, Twitch. Why is it more likely now than ever before that you've heard of them? Well, earlier this month the Critical Role crew announced to their fans, the self-dubbed Critters, that they were launching a Kickstarter to fund a feature-length animated special featuring some of the most beloved characters from Critical Role's past season. They started out with a goal of $750,000 to be reached in a fundraising campaign lasting 45 days. IN ONE HOUR they broke over one million dollars! In the first day they had hit 4.5 million, and in a little over two weeks they had over 7.5 million dollars with still more flooding in every day. That's insane! I mean, that's absolutely bonkers, right? All this fuss over a game of make-believe? There has to be more to it than that, right? Well, that is a very astute assumption I made on your behalf for rhetorical purposes. Well done!
The fact is that the success of Critical Role is indicative of something far more powerful at work than anything the cast behind the show has built, however magical that might be. In order to explain what that is, I need to first say something a little bananas. Are you ready? Okay, here we go. Humans, stay with me now, crave genuine emotional connection with other humans. I know! Shocking! Yes, that's right. Even the most jaded, cynical, misanthropic killjoy (you know who you are, and I'm calling you out) somewhere deep down needs to feel connected to other people in order to feel fulfilled. Okay, so that may not literally be true, but hyperbolically we're golden. Critical Role has enjoyed the success that it has because hundreds of thousands of people across the world, myself included, found something there that they connected with. No, I'm not talking about Dungeons and Dragons. I'm talking about the people; the human element. It isn't even just limited to the cast of the show, either. I am willing to bet that in every major geek/nerd culture convention around the world, if you know where to look, you'll be sure to find a group of Critters who arranged a meetup. Fans of Critical Role are just as excited to meet each other as they are the cast and crew of the show. That's something that goes beyond simple fandom. It is pure, it is genuine, it is powerful.
Critical Role is just the macro-scale view of a phenomenon that exists in even the coziest TTRPG night at home around the kitchen table with just your closest friends. The act of building, creating, and imagining cooperatively is one of the most quintessentially human things there is. To imagine being someone who exists in circumstances other than yours is an exercise in unadulterated empathy. To engage with narrative as a storyteller, as audience, and as a participant, is a part of being human that is baked into our DNA. But most powerfully and importantly of all, spending hours face to face with other people, enjoying each others company, laughing at shared jokes, creating together, feeling and exploring emotion together through a medium whose imaginary nature makes it safe to do so, is one of the most wholesome and healthy acts you could ever commit. It's a concentrated dose of friendship, complete with endorphins, group memories, and sometimes even baked goods if you're very, very lucky.
To me, playing TTRPGs has never been about the dice, or the character sheets, or the rule books. It was never about the elves, magic, and monster-slaying. It was never about fantasy escapism from the pressures of reality. It is about sharing face time with people and connecting over an enjoyable activity. It is about creating a shared space where everyone is free to create, and is encouraged to be the best version of themselves. It has, and always will be about the people I am lucky enough to sit around that table with, and who choose to sit there with me.
Critical Role is just the macro-scale view of a phenomenon that exists in even the coziest TTRPG night at home around the kitchen table with just your closest friends. The act of building, creating, and imagining cooperatively is one of the most quintessentially human things there is. To imagine being someone who exists in circumstances other than yours is an exercise in unadulterated empathy. To engage with narrative as a storyteller, as audience, and as a participant, is a part of being human that is baked into our DNA. But most powerfully and importantly of all, spending hours face to face with other people, enjoying each others company, laughing at shared jokes, creating together, feeling and exploring emotion together through a medium whose imaginary nature makes it safe to do so, is one of the most wholesome and healthy acts you could ever commit. It's a concentrated dose of friendship, complete with endorphins, group memories, and sometimes even baked goods if you're very, very lucky.
To me, playing TTRPGs has never been about the dice, or the character sheets, or the rule books. It was never about the elves, magic, and monster-slaying. It was never about fantasy escapism from the pressures of reality. It is about sharing face time with people and connecting over an enjoyable activity. It is about creating a shared space where everyone is free to create, and is encouraged to be the best version of themselves. It has, and always will be about the people I am lucky enough to sit around that table with, and who choose to sit there with me.
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