warning: graphic geek content ahead

A while back, I answered a craigslist ad looking for people to get together and play Dungeons & Dragons, something I haven’t done in over a decade. I (and by extension, Colleen) got the bug again after reading all the hype in the geekosphere about the new edition of the game (4E, published earlier this month); and it sounded like fun.

After a couple of weeks of conversation (including such things as mulling over whether Colleen and I would be a comfortable fit with a group with an average age ten years younger than ourselves) , rules (version 3.5) digestion and character creation, Colleen and I spent Saturday at dungeon master Casey’s kitchen table rolling dice and slaying monsters (the kids spent some time at a friend’s house).

Much fun was hd, marching my ranger and her wizard (along with cleric, fighter, and paladin played by DJ, Jake, and Dave) through the wilderness on the edge of the village, assisting the local militia in taking back territory occupied by a group of land-obsessed elves, fighting demons, goblins, and assassin vines along the way.

While I did manage to make the final killing longbow shot to take down the dragon in the third act, my character, a ranger, was almost otherwise completely inept in using the tools of his trade, such as finding hidden wilderness paths, moving silently and spotting trouble. The dice simply weren’t with me on my skill checks. Colleen’s wizard was a much more able adventurer, making effective use of arcane knowledge and taking down the bad guys, both with spells and a quick hand on the crossbow.

Not bad for someone who’d never played before, other than one semi-attempt in college!

We both felt the game came together really well, and we’re looking forward to playing again in a couple of weeks, once everyone’s schedules line up again. We felt the group gelled well, and we enjoyed the company as well as the adventure. We may be old farts, but there was plenty of common ground between us and the “youngsters” to span the age gap.

Until then, Colleen and I have the weighty matters of animal companion and familiar to consider.