improv

How Dungeons & Dragons got me through the pandemic. Part 2: For love of the game

The most complex parts of 5E involve fight mechanics and casting spells. When you're not doing that, you're either rolling dice, exploring dungeons, or trying to convince the DM your character is charming enough to sneak past the guards. Most of the game is playing make believe, and no one needs to be taught how to do that. You’re born doing that.

How Dungeons & Dragons got me through the pandemic. Part 1: How I learned to stop worrying and say goodbye to improv

I cherish the memories of standing on stage with my team and hearing the packed Starlight Theater erupt with laughter, then commandeering the nearest empty table at Goat Hill Tavern and singing Carly Rae Jepsen songs until the beer spilled onto the woodchips at our feet. The faces of Improvinitus changed over the years - Robert, Fernando, Ethan, Leo, Nick, Maddy, Nina, Chris, Casey, Amish, Derek - but our reputation was solid. We made people laugh, and there is little in this life so magical as that. Improvinitus was how I met my wife, and that holds a unique magic of its own.