Malcolm
I live in Canada with my wife and children but grew up in New Zealand (that’s why I don't have an accent :) ).
My first experience of D and D was in the 1980s where I played with the famous Red Box Set before moving onto Advanced Dungeons and Dragons and so on.
I actually got in trouble at school for playing the game during the height of D and D devil-worshipping hysteria.
It is great to see how things have turned around for D and D and how it is seen as a positive experience for people. Social interaction, creative writing, shared problem-solving, and a positive supportive environment are all huge positives in our cellphone obsessed world.
I love the art of shared storytelling. I, the DM, provide the environment and then you, the player, help build the story. I love it when players come up with creative solutions and I share in the joy. “Remember when we had that lich Acererak cornered on that platform while our cleric had a silence spell cast on him? He was powerless to move and was eventually taken out by a barbarian throwing a bone at him!”
The other great passion I have is the non-profit my wife and I set up called Meaningful Volunteer. We talked to village elders in both Uganda and Nepal and decided to build solar-powered schools in both communities. The schools act more like preschools and give children a running start when they enter the school systems in their respective countries.
I love it that the money that comes in from players like you go directly to supporting these schools via things like teachers’ wages, school lunches, school supplies and so on.
We play on Roll20 and use discord for communication. Games are generally voice-only but I am more than happy to do video and even stream if all players are in agreement.
See you at the (virtual!) table.
Malcolm
Here!
