The DND Bug

I can deny it no longer- I have officially been bitten by the "Dungeons and Dragons" bug.

I blame my recent fixation to the channel "Critical Role" and its new animated show of one of their campaigns, "The Legend of Vox Machina". When you tempt me into a new show with Titmouse's animation style and a group of complex characters, it won't take long before I cave.

Truthfully, I don't know what captivated me the most. The animated series is a speed-run of the original campaign's events, leaving out details and core moments to the original fan's dismay. However, the two seasons and 24 episodes total still paint an amazing picture of the series and its characters. I've gone back and begun listening to the campaign's livestreams to pursue those scenes lost from the campaign to animated series translation. My realization on why I was drawn to this story and group of friends rolling handfuls of dice hit me like a truck. The game itself has a technical side full of numbers, loopholes, and paragraphs of specific scenarios that one could encounter. The creative side, I came to realize, is so much deeper than I anticipated.

Sitting down with a handful of friends to play a board game is one thing, but creating characters with such depth and complexity to explore with your friends is another. It's less of a game and more of an overarching narrative. The "Game Master" or "Dungeon Master" must create an entire universe for the others to journey across with preparations made for whatever path the party chooses to follow. The sheer amount of possibilities makes my brain hurt. I have so much more respect for those who dedicate their time to these massive creations.

Once labeled as a game for "nerds" has been embraced by millions and played by many. The resurgence of "nerd culture" and its separation from its past derogatory label is incredible inspiring. Slowly but surely the world is figuring out how important acceptance and support is.

Maybe one day I will create a character of my own and embark on some magical adventure with my friends. For now, though, I think I'll stick to watching experts like Matthew Mercer lead a game from afar.