I must confess, for years I had an addiction and only through time and personal reflection was I able to curb my obsession. Anytime friends were around with the same addiction or I was in a place that promoted this affliction I was powerless to resist. It controlled me but I have been free for some time. Just the other day I was going through some of my old things and I pulled out the bag I knew so well. I emptied it onto the floor and there they were…dice; all kinds of dice, different colors, shapes and sizes. The feelings came back in a rush and I was pulled back to those days of rolling them between my fingers and throwing them hoping for a critical hit…for the non-geek set, that is an amazing role that will ensure whatever it is you are doing will go extremely well.
You see back in the day I was that geek, in the closet about it though, I told no one outside my fellow gamers. Once a week we faithfully gathered in the predetermined location with all of the tools of the trade…our books that we regarded like bibles, our character sheets that we never got rid of, even to this day, and our dice. Everyone had their own Crown Royal bag most of the time, I don’t know why…purple with gold stitching that was full of their own varied selection of dice and everyone had their favorites. The bag of dice was your very own holy grail, it was your street cred, your calling card, the way everyone knew you were the real deal. Only a newbie would arrive with no dice and they would be immediately instructed on where to go and what to get to begin their collection. This was priority.
For those uninitiated, who will probably never understand, these nights were usually the best night you were likely going to have all week. Of course, everyone will understand the greatness of a close group of friends gathering for fun, but the role playing games, miniature battles and playing card worlds will most likely remain a mystery. The dice were the very real extension of everything we pretended to do; that visceral connection to a made up worlds actions. The random outcome from rolling the dice would determine in some part what would happen. Others would think it was a far different reality to their real world where they believe that most everything they do and most everything that happens is by their determined decision making. I think they may be closer together in actuality than we care to believe.
I am issuing a warning here, to those who know what I am talking about and those who might dare to venture into the world of gamers and dice throwers, be careful if you consider venturing into that world; you will have fun and it will become a part of you and you will crave it. I find myself picking up my phone to call those other addicts who used to delve into the other realms we have not seen in some time. Maybe one day soon, with luck and some spare time available, we can reunite and bring back the joy. I will keep my dice handy and forever, with the hope that there will be a need for them again. May your bag be full and may they role forever in your favor…um, no loaded dice please.
You see back in the day I was that geek, in the closet about it though, I told no one outside my fellow gamers. Once a week we faithfully gathered in the predetermined location with all of the tools of the trade…our books that we regarded like bibles, our character sheets that we never got rid of, even to this day, and our dice. Everyone had their own Crown Royal bag most of the time, I don’t know why…purple with gold stitching that was full of their own varied selection of dice and everyone had their favorites. The bag of dice was your very own holy grail, it was your street cred, your calling card, the way everyone knew you were the real deal. Only a newbie would arrive with no dice and they would be immediately instructed on where to go and what to get to begin their collection. This was priority.
For those uninitiated, who will probably never understand, these nights were usually the best night you were likely going to have all week. Of course, everyone will understand the greatness of a close group of friends gathering for fun, but the role playing games, miniature battles and playing card worlds will most likely remain a mystery. The dice were the very real extension of everything we pretended to do; that visceral connection to a made up worlds actions. The random outcome from rolling the dice would determine in some part what would happen. Others would think it was a far different reality to their real world where they believe that most everything they do and most everything that happens is by their determined decision making. I think they may be closer together in actuality than we care to believe.
I am issuing a warning here, to those who know what I am talking about and those who might dare to venture into the world of gamers and dice throwers, be careful if you consider venturing into that world; you will have fun and it will become a part of you and you will crave it. I find myself picking up my phone to call those other addicts who used to delve into the other realms we have not seen in some time. Maybe one day soon, with luck and some spare time available, we can reunite and bring back the joy. I will keep my dice handy and forever, with the hope that there will be a need for them again. May your bag be full and may they role forever in your favor…um, no loaded dice please.