Peeking Over the Screen

The Dungeon Master’s screen, that is.  

This blog focuses on my experiences with Dungeon & Dragons (and other RPGs,) as a player and a Game Master.  It’s not about the mechanics and styles of playing these games, it's about the personal revelations that come with the experience of running these collective storytelling campaigns. 

My D&D Bio

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Chris Phillips, AKA Chrisyphus, AKA ChrisP, AKA The Dungeon Mastadon

I started playing D&D in the early 80’s and since my nerd roots were firmly established even then, it was a logical next step. I played many different role playing games back then, which helped my imagination grow in those formative years. Currently I play Dungeons and Dragons (fifth edition) as well as RPGs featuring other genres and game mechanics. Since the pandemic has moved us all online, some translate well and others not-so-much. The current campaign I’m running is over Zoom, with a phone dedicated to the maps, miniatures and other things I want the players to see works as a digital/analog hybrid.  On the other hand, I’m playing in a Star Trek RPG over Zoom/Roll20 and it seems to work really well.

The games themselves inspire some creative approaches to introspection and self-work as I reflect on sessions played.  The link to the child I was when I first saw D&D as a sanctuary, as a safe retreat where my imagination could roam free to the adult I am now has allowed for exploring issues on insecurity, anxiety and introvertedness that are all part of who I am. The writings on this blog will focus on the relationships between playing these games and the personal revelations that I assume may find connective tissue with others who seek internal and external relevance to the shared narratives we tell.