I couldn’t sleep so a wee thread (inspired by KrystinaArielle) on D&D. Photo by Gregtito and missing from our crew is StubbyStan who was away this week.
D&D is and has been important to me in a way videogames aren’t. It let my wild imagination run free and helped me form worlds & stories where I could be the hero or villain. I was one of those kinds with a mom who thought @Wizards_DnD was satanic 
but y’all know it’s not. Having to sneak and play until I was older then finding other folks to play with was a challenge in the pre-virtual tabletop world.
Going to conventions was a pipe dream for me as a teen and adult, they simply cost too much. Even playing D&D regularly was getting too expensive.PDF’s opened the game back up to me as well as folks willing to share their PHB’s at the table. There were other challenges back then. Affording books and dice notwithstanding, distance was an issue. As well as finding a LGS that was welcoming was its own Sisyphean task
Finding groups that were not all white dudes (pre-virtual TTRPG) that I could get to, actually enjoyed spending time with was another.I fell away from D&D and all tabletop because of these factors as well as being tired of not being able to easily find other poc & especially other black folks who enjoyed role play.
All wasn’t lost though. I eventually made friends via ye olden internets, and unbeknownst to me, a whole new virtual way to play was coming up. Don’t think it was all angst & woe; I have had good experiences going to North & Lynn’s for almost 2 years, or closer to 3? For shenanigans. #RIP Vilotso Fletcher, my elven rogue who became dragon food in that campaign.
Then I joined a game via roll20app later, and while it didn’t work out interpersonally it helped rekindle my passion for tabletop. It made me want to get back to the table, either virtually or in person more than before.
Time and a FT job wasn’t going to let that happen though. So skip ahead a bit to 2017, being a guest on Dragon Talk with @Gregtito and getting 5e books back in my hands (thanks to Greg). Still wanting to scratch that itch.
Then a little later, getting to do some games on Roll20, including GM’ing on a stream for the first time earlier this year! Which was before #SoMEDND and a whole other side of TTRPG’s opened up to me. It’s where I met so many amazing folks, got to show people that D&D is for everyone not by being showy about how diverse RivalsWaterdeep is or Wizards wanting a cookie for helping us come together.
But by showing a cast of folks who have different skill levels, knowledge all together enjoying themselves, having fun and being visible to others who might think there is no spot for them at the table. It’s why I’m glad, and grateful for being on Rivals. It’s giving younger folks and those that felt left out a place and showing we do belong here. That we do get a spot at the table.
It’s why I’m glad for folks like KrystinaArielle BDaveWalters CarlosCrits APoisal SurenaXMarie satinephoenix Mark_Meer erikaishii and so happy that iamBrandonTV ShareefJackson & StubbyStan said yes when I asked them to join Rivals. Thanks y’all for being part of something so special for me. Thank you for bringing back my love of the game so, so deeply. I’m grateful for all of you. Honored to be part of the @Wizards_DnD stream family 
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