Earlier today I was browsing through shelves at a toy store to look for a last gift for one of my daughters. That’s when I hear an excited voice ask one of the store employees ‘do you have dungeons and dragons?’. I listen in and learn that they do not have any DnD material at all and also can’t order it. I walk a bit closer and see 3 12 year old ish boys and a girl with disappointed faces. The employee also can’t help them where to find dungeons and dragons products.
Now I live in Germany where you can’t find dnd boxes at the likes of Target like in the US for example. In fact I know of 2 stores in the whole city which carry DnD books and material.
I step in and ask if I may help out with the question. I tell them that there are 2 stores which carry the books, dice and more on the other side of the city. They said that’s far away but they’ll try to go there in Saturday.
We get talking and they tell me about how they are looking to start a dnd club at school and also play at home. They got a set of dice and saved around 70 euros for a book and maybe some more dice and such. I tell them that’ll buy them the players handbook which is a good starting point and maybe some extra dice.
They ask me if I played as a kid and I said yes, in fact I still do and I’ll be playing tonight. That’s when I made a weird decision in my head. I had all my stuff already with me so I don’t have to go back home between work and game night. I opened my backpack and gave them my copies of the PHB and Monster Manual. They were super excited and actually insisted to pay me but I’d have felt bad taking money from them.
I didn’t want to post this as virtue signaling stuff or anything. It was just kind of a crazy decision I made that I think was kinda cool. They just reminded me so much of me when I started out. We were lucky to get our first dnd books gifted by an older brother of one of our group’s members. So I wanted to pay it forward. Now I just have to figure out how to run tonight’s game without my books.
There will be tales of the mysterious stranger who gifted the party arcane knowledge before vanishing in the blink of an eye…
As the young adventurers rushed to their guild, ready to share the treasure they were handed by the kind traveller, they could hear seven canaries singing happily.
What is with Lemmy and the seven canaries guy? Like I know who he is but wow is lemmy obsessed with him
It’s an avatar of Bahamut (the god of good dragons) and 7 metallic (good) dragons in disguise. You don’t wanna piss off the old man or the birds. I normally have them as ravens, but canaries works.
Due to how the gods of dragons work, Bahamut doesn’t have a lot on his plate, so he will wander the planes and see who is a murderhobo, that needs dealt with, and who is an adventurer that he will give a favor or token to
I stick one of the canaries up my butthole.
A floating frog adorned in royal garb appears in front of the canary and calls him “Lemmywinks”
If more people in the world were like you, it would probably be a better place. You have no idea what positive impact this will have on these kids but I promise you that they will remember you.
I find giving someone something that I enjoy is even better when you KNOW that they will use and enjoy it too.
I gave away a PS4 to someone at the office. I got the PS5 and wanted someone to enjoy the PS4 as much as I did. It made me happy to hear the games he was able to play now–and he did tell me about them.
The joy of giving is not a myth.
I have a bookshelf full of DnD and other roleplaying books. Whenever someone is over if they get particularly excited about something I always try and give it to them (unless that book holds particular sentimental value to me). Or like one time when I was moving one of the movers was talking about studying for a programming interview so I gave them a book specifically to help with that. For most my life I had very little income and I’m finally in a place where my needs are met and I’m not struggling constantly. The times people gave me things when I showed interest were really impactful and I just want to do that for others now. You’re doing great things they’re going to remember this
This is the sort of thing that keeps your hobby alive with the next generation. Very cool
unfortunately they were sold to half price books for beer and gas money
That sounds good, someone else can pick them up cheaper used, there is gas to help get around, and there is also beer. You said it like a bad thing, but I don’t see how it is.
I didn’t want to post this as virtue signaling stuff or anything. It was just kind of a crazy decision I made that I think was kinda cool. They just reminded me so much of me when I started out. We were lucky to get our first dnd books gifted by an older brother of one of our group’s members. So I wanted to pay it forward. Now I just have to figure out how to run tonight’s game without my books.
Truly, thanks for being nice to others. We need more of that in the World, especially these days.
