A few weeks ago, I saw posts on a local D&D group on Facebook about this thing called "Die Inspired". Details were sketchy but they presented their product as something akin to Critical Roll.
Now full disclosure, I have *never* watched a full episode of CR. I heard great thing about it, but watching actual play is frankly, not my thing. I will participate in streamed game, such as the one I did for over a year with Francois-L on his YouTube, JDRd30. But watching requires too much concentration on my part.
So. In short, not my thing.
At first, I was gonna pass. An event on a Saturday is premium time. Then JP2 sent me a message about him going. Looking at the schedule, I have nothing special for that day, so I sent my name too.
As the day of the event approached, I kept seeing warning signs. There seemed to be an awful lot of people playing. I'm talking over a dozen. If you know me, you'll know I do not play games of seven or more. They just aren't fun.
As I peeked over the flapping doors of the Game Keep at setup in the back and saw the number of people in there... I thought about doing a 180 and just head on home. But no, I said to myself. You drove all this way. You wanted to play with JP2. Just see how it goes.
The event is well-organized, Brandi and the folks at the Keep helped make this go off without a hitch. It was pretty seemless, some waiting, but nothing terrible.
Heck! They had food while we waited. So was it REALLY a wait?
Short interviews about us, our character, time playing RPGs, then we got seated ready to go.
I will not (NDA-cannot) explain what the game is about. The game had sixteen players all in it at the same time! There was a good rhythm overall and the plot was very much problem-solving. Death came fast, quick, furious, and generally funny! People bouncing off others, attack with masts, crit attack with barrels, force cauterizing wounds...
Or in my case, taking the stash of rhum!
Oh wait! I did not introduce my character to you (with the art of the inimitable British Shark). I played Figjam "Jim" Hawkins, the lovable halfling ship's cook who was down on his luck after his previous expedition did not turn out how he thought...
Jim is a bard who inspire other by offering them double portions of rhum or food!
In the end, I survived the event (with many rolls too close for comfort) and JP2 did not (his valiant efforts made him the first casualty). One player, who was drunken Friar kept calling me "child," which led to my shouts of "Clerics and Children first!" And I think I will be invited to the next one as our numbers keep dwindling I assume.
If you ask me what it was like, I will say... "The D&D version of Squid Games" as a gross simplification.
It was mad, it was fast, and it was fun. It was a very different way to play D&D. With the smiles and positive reactions all around, I expect there will be MORE participants in the event. So more craziness!
As for the shenanigans that Jim go into? It should be edited into a series and formatted for your viewing pleasure on their social media/ YouTube in the coming months. They will have hours of footage, over fifteen players per ship... That's a lot but I think an ambitious project can yield ambitious result. Go for it.
Go check them out, their website DieInspired.com is currently pretty bare but should fill up.
Also a big thanks to The Game Keep for hosting, allowing this madness to happen.
I will post updates as they become available.
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