Random Encounter #001: Meetup

Technically, not #001, as it's pretty apparent that this group has been going on for a while now. But, it's new to me.

What am I talking about? Well, I decided to get out of my shell and join the RPG community after a long hibernation from actively participating in the hobby. I looked up Dungeons & Dragons on the Meetup website a while back, sat on the results for weeks, and finally decided to take the plunge. Today, I joined a group at the local game store for an afternoon of adventure. The meetup event is called Random Encounter and purports to be a series of one-shots or short campaigns of various systems. 

I joined the event on Meetup and the DM Mike reached out to me Saturday morning. They're playing DnD 5e right now and asked if I was familiar with the game. I said I was experienced and open to playing just about anything, what did their group need. The answer, they need a magic user (obviously an old school DM here), so I've made a wizard. They're playing in the Forgotten Realms and the gang is currently in the Swordcoast, far from where they started, but maybe I'd like to be from the same small village as the other characters. Make a 3rd level character, now or at the game, was the instruction.

So, I threw together a 3rd level human wizard on DnDBeyond, Walton Glaives. He's from a village near the groups starting point. Where, having some familiarity with the locale, having heard about their exploits, and desiring to get in on a little adventure himself, he's travelled to find them and join in their adventures. 

DM Mike had me roll my stats, rather than using the standard set I used, choose a feat, and added a LUCK attribute to the mix. I think I ended up with a decent character.

Walton Glaives
Investigative Wizard Extrodinaire & Abjuration Savant
Spirits Exorcised. Voyeurs Blocked. Portals Closed.

I envision him as something of a private investigator or detective. Think of him as more Sherlock Holmes and less Harry Dresden. Inquisitive, brilliant, and determined.

Not much happened during our 3-hour session, but that could have been because of the new additions, the size of the group, or just where we were in the story. I was a bit lost with what was going on and my introduction was delayed, but I dove it and tried to be as much a part of the team as I could be

In addition to DM Mike and myself, there were six other players at the table. It was a big group, eight people. I was told that the group changes a bit each time, based on everyone's availability. I wasn't the only first timer, we had another join us who was a complete RPG newbie and just looking to get out and meet people. Given the distance he drove and the lack of experience in gaming, I'd be surprised if he came back for seconds. I'll be back. You gotta give these things a chance to develop.

Location: Out of the Box, Kentwood, MI 49548, USA

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