Inside/Outside D&D and the Social Sphere

COVID has made homebodies out of the lot of us. This suits some people, while others are in a constant haze of cabin fever. I myself have always been relatively comfortable staying put, as long as I have access to the things that I enjoy most. And perhaps my greatest joy, above video games and all else, is playing Dungeons and Dragons with my best friends. COVID forced us to play online where we had never successfully sustained sessions before, since we couldn't have the out-of-state folk fly in over summer and winter break like we normally would have. 

My roommate is our group's designated Dungeon Master (DM): the 'director' of the story, so to speak. As a player or an outsider, the task does not appear as daunting as it truly is. My friends and I play D&D because we love to roleplay with each other, to create complex and meaningful character arcs, and above all else interact with the fictitious world and characters of the DM's creation. It came as a surprise to many of us, after playing under our designated DM alone for many years, that many other people play D&D because they like fighting things, leveling up, and making mischief. 

A normal DM is the director of the story. Our DM is the solitary writer and director, the narrator and actor who breathes life into all non-player characters, and the combat strategist and general mastermind behind the campaign. He is the master of lore, the keeper of thousands of years of history, of nations that have risen and fallen, of legends, heroes, monsters and gods. 

Needless to say, the burden our DM undertakes is far greater than many can even imagine.

Living with the DM has shown me these things. I've seen firsthand not just hours, but days and weeks of preparation go according to plan or down the drain depending on the player's decisions, not knowing what the DM has been working so hard to build. I've stayed up late listening to the sounds of the 3D printer churning out miniatures all night long. I've supported him through the stress and breakdowns that come with having players with high expectations of quality that he is constantly expected to maintain. 

As a player, when you are inside the world of the DM, it's easy to miss all the blood, sweat and tears that go into the making of a campaign. Becoming a part of the landscape, you are allowed to get lost in the moment, to forget your own worries and become a different person for a few hours. That all happens because of the outside forces that make it so: fruits of the DM's labors exist with the express purpose of being forgotten by the players so that they can be totally immersed into the game. 

Our perceptions of reality are limited by what we see. People working behind the scenes are always hard at work to make sure our environments are clean and safe, our trash removed and our electronics powered, our buildings sturdy and insulating, our people healthy, our stomachs filled and our essential needs supported as much as possible. Because of the efforts of these people, we do not see them. 

I think COVID has given us all a greater appreciation for our essential workers. It just took me a while to see that within my own social sphere, my friends and I have got essential workers of our own.

So, here's to you, DM. Thank you.