It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since I took the plunge into this strange yet amazing hobby of mine. Running D&D is a lot of fun, and It’s hard to believe how much it has changed my life. Recently I’ve been driven to be better, and do so much more in my personal life. I can thank D&D for most of that. With 2020 being what it is, D&D has helped sustain me through all of it. So, I will be giving you a summary of my life and my group, catching you up on year two. Year One was covered here, and part 2 here.
The Campaigns
The Rule Of Dragon’s is over, we finished the campaign. The players got to a good place with their characters, so we had time skip to level 18. They did a high-level adventure where they killed a legendary dragon, Saryn the Armoured Wyrm. It was one of the most memorable final battles I have ever run. I then wrote a long summary I read at the end of the next session, the summary may be posted on its own but it probably won’t make much sense out of context.
I have now finished running three D&D campaigns, and am running my 4th. It is a 1-20 campaign that runs twice a week, the players are on level 14 right now. It is called Hellraising Strangers, which is the group’s name. Originally I used the Saints of Old as the placeholder name, but once the group chose a name that good how could I not use it?
The Group
Players left, but no one new joined. We are now hovering at just five regular players, with some of the old ones jumping in from time to time. It’s not a bad thing, as it has allowed me to focus more on their characters. Now the stories feel closer, with a tight-knit group. It’s a lot of fun, and some of the other players will be rejoining for the next campaign.
With 2020 being what it is, I am lucky that my group has continued at all. With the start of a new campaign, many more could have dropped out, and some did as it went on. But now we have a smooth group going with a solid core. A few people came in for a couple of sessions to try out D&D, and one of them is planning on eventually running D&D now.
The Continuing Journey
The belief that you can always learn something new is paramount. This year I have learned a few things that have humbled me. I used to run combat well and then somehow I lost it for the next campaign. Somewhere along the way, I went from amazing, to meh. My players still enjoy it, but I want to add more challenges to it and mechanics that make them unique. It’s hard to do sometimes, and I am doing better.
I put a therapist in my current campaign and, my players love it. One of them enjoyed it so much that now they trust me as a close confidant because I so accurately predicted their characters’ flaws. It was an interesting moment that has led to a deeper friendship with one of my players.
It’s Ok to Just Talk
Sometimes, as we gather in discord before running D&D we just started talking. It was a lot of fun, and we didn’t stop. This is something that has happened only twice, and no one has found annoying. We did it on days that people were late to show up, so when they joined they joined a crazy conversation. Of course, I’m not saying ignore your players or the session, but it’s fun to go off-script.
A Simple Thing Can Change Your Life
A short part, and it’s simple. D&D has changed my entire life. I now have an amazing relationship, friends who inspired me to get a better job than I know to have, and much more self-respect for myself. I was depressed for multiple years, I could have gotten clinically diagnosed if I wanted to but instead, I held it in. What it led to was me eventually acknowledging and getting out of my depressive state with the help of said friends.
Inspiration
The hardest part about running D&D in a year everyone thinks is bad is staying inspired. It’s something I’ve had to struggle with regularly, and it’s something that everyone has to. I have already started prepping my next D&D Campaign, this one is going to have another unique story made by me and my players. But what’s inspiring me right now is life, I am still living and drawing closer to the people around me.
I draw inspiration from my amazing girlfriend, my D&D group, and some of my idols but, it’s easy to forget with lockdowns and a massive pandemic going around that life is still worth it. With something to fall back on and parents who love me, so even as a student, I made a few risks. So, if this ramble about life tells you anything, it’s that something good will always come your way if you work for it. Don’t get discouraged and stay Inspired.
The Unplanned Break
I stopped writing on this website back in June after I took a second part-time job and focused on paying off debt. The time I used to put into this website went into something else, but it has always been in the back of my mind. So that’s why I came back. Expect regular updates once again now that my schedule is a little better.
Stay Hopeful
This has turned from a reflection into a message of life. I may make a post detailing more of what happened in the campaign and the events around it. But in general, life continues and despite the insanity of the year we should all sit down and enjoy what we can. Whether it be friends, family, loved ones, or this strange hobby so many people share, enjoy the rest of the year. Refuse to believe it’s bad, decide now to make it a good time for you. With this message of positivity, enjoy your year and play D&D!
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