Creating the Perfect DnD Birthday
Ian bought a sword in October.
As far as weaponry goes, I don’t know anyone else who can spit facts about any given item like my husband can. Granted, I can say that about most topics because Ian is a walking, talking encyclopedia with an endless store of trivia. With this being said, I was in no way shocked when we visited a local Renaissance Fair, and he dove headfirst into a blacksmith’s tent with well-researched commentary for every type of sword and spear.
It was clear that the extent of his expertise had been lying relatively dormant since I met him because though I knew an understanding of basic weaponry comes with the territory of the things Ian loves (i.e., medieval history, The Song of Ice and Fire, Greek mythology and folklore), I was in awe of the way he conversed with the blacksmith about the nuances of the weapons and their functional applications. His eyes brightened as the blacksmith handed him a short sword after which he beamed over in my direction with a silent “Can I have it?”
Thus, Sir Swordsly became a member of the family as Ian’s accessory of choice around the house. I could be writing an email and randomly feel a small, cold poke in my back–ah, my husband is off his morning meeting, I see. As Ian continued to fight imaginary villains in the kitchen and knight the unseen ghosts of our apartment, I believe it brought his simmering interest in the world of DnD to a boil.
Diving Into DnD
I guess it was less of a dive and more of a big toe dip. For those who are unfamiliar, Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) is a fantasy, role-playing game where participants build their own characters and act as that character in an imaginary world created by the Dungeon Master (DM). Participants roll dice to determine how effective their actions are regularly throughout the campaign which directly impacts the narrative. Campaigns can last from one day to several months, and players come to love and even identify with the characters and world they build together.
Ian and I were introduced to the concept through the video game Baldur’s Gate 3 that is set in the DnD universe. We had an absolute blast sipping champagne and creating our characters. Ian chose to be a Drow Rogue, and I chose an Elf Sorcerer. The game gives you the ability to pick level of abilities, specialty moves, and even the facial structure of your character. Once you start playing, the extent of your success or failure of key actions is up to the roll of a die (sound familiar?).
As we learned the structure of DnD and laughed our way through the narrative options, we wondered how the game would translate from console to table-top. Thankfully, Ian’s sister Ava had some insight as a beginner player. She taught us about one-shot campaigns that are a bit more structured that a typical campaign and are meant to be completed in one sitting. Overall, it is the perfect way to try out DnD without too much investment or preparation, so I asked Ian if he would be interested in hosting our very first experience for his birthday this year just to test the waters. There was never a more enthusiastic “yes”.
Planning the Party
Step 1 – Identify the DM: We had a toddler’s level of understanding of DnD, so we knew there was no way either of us would be able to host an event without help. Choosing the right DM would make or break the event. We needed someone we trusted. Someone knowledgeable and flexible. Someone patient enough to manage our friend group’s relentless antics. All directions pointed to Ava. She had never been a DM before and was a bit nervous, but we reassured her this was a low stakes environment with a group of people that have never taken themselves seriously a day in their lives. Spoiler alert: she killed it!
Step 2 – Brainstorm Food & Drink: This is my favorite part of party planning. I am of the belief that people remember two things after an event: 1) if they felt welcome and 2) if they left hungry. Because everyone knew each other coming into the event, my focus got to linger on the latter. Keeping to the theme was of the highest priority. A December party called for cozy bevvies, so we landed on a delicious, mulled wine and a few bottles of mead. Though it can’t be picked up at any grocer, mead is oddly easy to procure if you have a Total Wine or similar establishment nearby. For food, we opted for a variety of light bites such as charcuterie boards (“Premium Dragon Cuts”), assorted fruits and cheeses (“Foraged Finds”), brownies (“Tiefling Treats”), and roast beef sliders (“Barbarian Burgers”).
Step 3 – Create the Ambiance: Our holiday decorations were up, so there was already a touch of magic throughout the space due to the hanging twinkle lights, charming trinkets, and scattered candlelight. We just needed a few more items to make it feel more DnD. For the room, I ordered garland with gold stars and moons that were hung between strands of the twinkle lights to add a mystic element. For the playing table, I ordered leather dice trays that would hold this gorgeous set of dice that had glitter in them, so they shimmered when rolled. Lastly, what truly set the scene was the background music. During the game, we used calm adventuring music while exploring and then transitioned to combat music during battle actions. This addition made it feel like you were in your own movie or video game and just waiting for a narrator to come out and foreshadow the next scene. Thankfully, we had Ava for that!
Here’s A Toast
The party could not have gone better. We are incredibly fortunate to have a group of friends willing to try new things and commit to bits. Ava was impressive with her skills as a DM. She created a clever narrative that was tailored specifically for Ian which made him feel so special. Even Sir Swordsly made an appearance at both the party and in the campaign where Ian played human rogue with a talking sword–but only he could hear it talk. Our guests also built characters for themselves; however, most names and backstories are highly inappropriate for such a permanent place as the world wide web, so I will spare them the possibility of any incrimination. I will say, though, neither Ian nor I had laughed so hard in a long time because of shock value they brought to the table, and we wouldn’t change it for the world.
I know you aren’t a fan of birthdays but thank you, Ian, for letting the people in your life come together to celebrate you. You consistently inspire those around to be the best they can be, and you are worth the attention and appreciation. Happy 28th Birthday, Ian!
Cheers!
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