Share a friendship you have because of RPGs

Our All For One: Regime Diabolique campaign is named Lights in Darkness & the name is an apt one for the genre. Far from raging against the dying of the light, our Musketeers are literally the beacons of hope in a France which is plunged into the darkness of the 30 Years war and of demonic powers which walk among men.

The camaraderie exemplified by the genre ~ quite literally “One for all & all for one” has a way of extending past the characters & being felt by the players. ~ Other games I have been involved in may not have been about these bonds & vows, but we have formed connections as human beings around the table sharing a unique experience, and these connections have extended beyond the game itself.

I identify strongly with the sentiments by Sebastian Allard in his video answering yesterday’s question ~ I don’t know that I can say it any better than he did. It’s not surprising that Seb kind of answered both questions at the same time. If you look at my response to yesterday’s question, you’ll find most of the same people qualify as answers for today’s question as well.

This hobby is unusual in that it can provoke unexpected emotional responses, & that we can share some quite moving & profound experiences with each other. The fact that they are fictional is irrelevant. This shared experience & the bonds that often develop between the characters seems to foster the development of bonds between the actual flesh & blood people at the table.

It’s been my experience in another facet of my life that identification with one another can create very strong connections. These deep friendships were not surprising considering the nature of our common experience. ~ However, I have found that in the RPG community the connections & friendships I have formed are also important. It isn’t just about the game, but an exploration of the human experience from an unusual vantage point.

Life is hard. The human condition can be difficult, and the challenge can be magnified by anything that makes us feel different, even if it’s just a penchant for geeky & nerdy hobbies. Maybe introversion feels natural, and perhaps it’s just that there aren’t many people that we feel we can relate to. ~ In a very real sense, the people I have become friends with through the hobby are Lights in Darkness.