A New beginning and Memories of an old First Start

I can't honestly remember who made the first suggestion. I only know back in 2016, both my partner Carmel and my dear friend Paul were suddenly talking wistfully about never having played Dungeons and Dragons.

There was a pause.

A long pause.

Then I admitted I used to love playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as a teenager in the 1980's and if people were really interested I would gladly look into starting a trial game for us now.

To my surprise nobody laughed.  They really were serious. Really!  Carmel even revealed she has always wanted to play D&D but never had the chance.

This was utter revelation!  People admitting in public they wanted to try Dungeons and Dragons? What about the social infamy?  The public disdain?  I remember the old days, the clandestine dice rolling, the carefully camouflaged character folders, what miracle of transmutation has made D&D  a socially acceptable interest and pastime?    (Well  more than in 1984 at least).

Back in my teen years D&D was a wonderful escape from the pressures of adolescence and school.  There was never much money to spare but an RPG never requires much expense beyond pens and graph paper. I collected some of the Ral Partha and Citadel figures and tried painting a few; I played with friends and family but also used to delight in escaping into solo games I would write up later.  The Keep on the Borderlands and The Isle of Dread were our two commercial modules, supported by homemade cardboard counters and ship cross sections from fighting-top to keel.

With A-Levels my focus slipped.  I played once at University but decided the whole activity was best forgotten, a childish part of my past.  I burnt my old stories and gave away my figures.  Apart from one, my painted Dwarf Lord Thaeolas.   He was too important to lose.  That should have told me something I suppose.  

Then at 48 my dear friends revealed their own interest in D&D.

It was too good to miss.

After some alarmed research,  I was unaware of how many editions had come and gone in thirty years,  I began studying 5th Edition D&D published by Wizards of the Coast   What a delight!   I loved the rule mechanisms for providing a clear framework while encouraging personal innovation and inventiveness. The Advantage/ Disadvantage rule is genius, the essence of playability.

I began collecting many of my old figures from Ebay and this time I painted them all, gaining in confidence using the Armypainter Quickshade system.  It was a pleasure to find figures to fit my friends' wishes and to scratch build a twin crossbow toting, wooden bucket on castors, complete with handle and lopsided painted smile.  (Full explanations later).

I also invested in the essential 5e Players' Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual. Online downloads are another wonderful resource.

Paul enlisted his father David and his girlfriend Cerys. We began with a small scenario inspired by the film The 13th Warrior. To my surprise my friends really enjoyed the experience and we progressed to The Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign with the D&D 5e starter set.  People have joined and left,  Amy and Sam are also now part of the company, and we don't play as often as we want but the core group continues to reach for their character sheets and spell cards.

I am learning constantly but hugely enjoying the chance to play again as both Dungeon Master and player.  I wanted so much to be part of the game too, I prepared characters to fill any niches within the party and since everyone was wary of plunging into melee I had the chance to field a Paladin as I hoped.   

These first games were so enjoyable I started writing an account.  It was just too much fun to let fade.  The chapters are attached to this blog. They just kept growing.

Some of the comments were actually said during the games,  others I've invented later but I feel they capture the spirit of the sessions and the commitment of my fellow players.

I hope you might also find them entertaining.

No dice have been fudged!