Category: D&D at Work

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2024 Dungeons and Dragons at Work Retrospective

Happy New Year!!

Another year gone. I cant believe I’ve been writing this blog for over a year and a half. What a journey. Explored some great concepts and I’ve found that I’m really firming up my thinking on using D&D and other rpgs to gain experiential leadership learning. I’ve also met with some amazing people and had thoroughly enjoyable conversations. Good times! This retrospective showcases a few highlights from 2024.

Is it hard to be a dungeon master? One of my most popular posts where I discuss the challenges of DMing as well as providing some tips to get you started. Given the popularity of this article I’m wondering whether a series of DM tips and tricks might not be a good idea for 2025. Watch this space.

One of the Echoes of Xenos game board set ups

One of the great things about writing around leadership and D&D is designing and playing games that explore these concepts. I designed and ran the Echoes of Xenos event for a group of friends. I took elements of D&D, megagames and miniature wargames to encourage emergent play. Did everyone have fun? Yes. Did it work as planned? Not quite. But I’m taking the learnings and designing a similar event that I will be writing more about soon. I’ll also be designing and playing more games this coming year.

Larry Elmore’s Dragon Slayers and Proud of it.

Another popular post was my take on Larry Elmore’s painting Dragon Slayers and Proud of It. This shows a low level party of adventurers showing off their latest victory. I related it back to celebrating the little wins. Advice that I still need to heed from time to time. It was really fun to explore such an iconic piece of art.

Another fun aspect of this adventure was being invited onto a couple of podcasts to talk about my journey so far. If you want to hear me talk about these topics, my hobby origin story and the campaigns I run listen here:

Bedroom Battlefields

Legends Loot and Lore

Finally, 2024 has been a good year for Dungeons and Dragons at Work. But it wouldn’t be possible without people reading it. So thank you to all who stop by and have a read. I hope you are enjoying the content. Feel free to drop suggestions or feedback in the comments below.

Happy New Year and wishing you all a fantastic 2025!

Normal service will resume next week.

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Dungeons & Dragons and Christmas: A Perfect Blend of Magic and Merriment

As the festive season approaches, it’s the perfect time to think about gathering friends and family for shared experiences that bring joy, laughter, and a bit of magic. Most people think of Christmas as a time for gift-giving, decorations, and hearty meals. But, it’s also a fantastic opportunity to embark on an epic Dungeons & Dragons adventure. After all, D&D has a lot in common with the spirit of Christmas: camaraderie, storytelling, and imagination.

The Magic of Storytelling

Christmas is steeped in stories—from classic tales like A Christmas Carol to the folklore of Santa Claus. In the same way, Dungeons & Dragons is built on the power of storytelling. Whether you’re a veteran dungeon master or a first-time player, the season provides a perfect backdrop for creating memorable moments. Much like the stories that get passed down during the holidays.

Bringing People Together

The holidays are all about gathering with loved ones. Of course, D&D is one of the best ways to bring people together in a meaningful way. Much like sitting around the Christmas tree or the dinner table, gathering around a D&D table (or even a virtual one) invites everyone to collaborate, strategize, and have fun together. Dungeons & Dragons fosters teamwork and deepens relationships, making it a wonderful way to share quality time with friends and family during the holiday season.

You could even run a special holiday-themed campaign: perhaps a quest to recover stolen gifts from a mischievous goblin or an epic journey through a winter wonderland to stop an ancient frost spirit. With D&D, the possibilities are as endless as your imagination, and the festive setting can add an extra layer of magic to your adventure.

I ran a Christmas themed adventure based loosely on the original Klaus comic book where the party were transported to a magical realm to help the mage Nikmas defeat a villainous overlord. We had great fun and the party ended up burning the overlords castle to the ground. In our campaign world Nikmas is celebrated at the end of every year and castle effigies burned on bonfires. As players we wish each other Merry Nikmas too. This tradition has now been going on for years.

Amazing inspiration for a Christmas themed D&D session.

Giving the Gift of Adventure

Another beautiful parallel between Dungeons & Dragons and Christmas is the act of giving. When you’re a Dungeon Master, you’re constantly crafting experiences for your players—moments of triumph, tension, and laughter. In a way, every session is a gift that unfolds as the game progresses. And for players, they give back with their creativity, problem-solving, and dedication to the story.

This season, consider giving the gift of adventure. Whether it’s a new D&D starter set, custom dice, or even just the time to run a one-shot for a group of friends. Dungeons & Dragons is the gift that keeps on giving, long after the last piece of tinsel has been packed away.

Wishing You a Festive Season of Fantasy

Whether you’re sleighing dragons or just relaxing with hot cocoa and character sheets, Dungeons & Dragons offers a perfect way to add a little more adventure to your Christmas celebrations. So this year, consider gathering your party and diving into a world of magic, heroism, and fun.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful, imaginative, and festive season filled with laughter, warmth, and epic quests. Happy holidays, and may your dice always roll high!

I’ll be taking a break from writing to enjoy some time off with family and friends (with some gaming mixed in I hope). Normal service will resume in January.