She Kills Monsters

(Tried to compress this into a tweet today but had too much to say.)

If you grew up in the 90s and haven't heard of She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen, a play about two sisters and Dungeons & Dragons, look for it in a community or college theater near you.

The play has a great story wrapped around the fantasy-in-reality setting of a homebrewed D&D campaign, and is very, very, very funny. As a metaphor for the high school experience of a group of kids who weren't in the cool crowd, the story freshly creates some easily relateable and poignant moments. It has pro-nerd and humanist morals and for teens and grownups to share together, though like our podcast, it is not intended for children.

Unlike many other works on the topic (Zero Charisma), She Kills Monsters portrays D&D and its players in a positive light and weaves a redeeming story, not some tired Chick-Tractsian dark drama about nerds "falling too deep" into a roleplaying game. We can't get too much of that message, so this should definitely be championed by folks like us.

Besides, before the show and during stage changes, they were blasting a ton of 90s alt rock, which is kindof my jamz. -w

PS Also succubus cheerleaders.

More info:
quinguyen.com
30xNinety Theater

Campaign Post-Mortem Survey

Like we have discussed on the podcast multiple times, it is important to:

as a DM, asking and receive constructive feedback from your players and 

as a player, provide positive and/or constructive feedback to your DM. 

That said, at the end of chapter two of a large homebrew campaign setting I've been running since 2009, I sent an email to each of my players:

• thanking them for 18 crazy nights, 
• remembering some of my favorite moments with them and their PC's in the last campaign chapter, 
• asking them some after-campaign story questions about what their character does with the rest of his/her life, 

and then asked the following questions. Keep in mind this wasn't anonymous but - because I emailed each person individually - wasn't subject to groupthink or other people's opinions.

Here's the text each player received in an email:

Does it talk?

I wish to complain about this podcast what I listened to not half an hour ago from this very boutique.
Oh yes, the, uh, the Exemplary DM... What's, uh... What's wrong with it squire?
I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. He's dead, that's what's wrong with it!
No, no, he's not dead, he's uh... resting.
Look, matey, I know a dead podcast when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.
No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Exemplary DM. Beautiful plumage!

We are neither dead, nor stunned, nor pining for the fjords folks. Just resting. Who knows what beautiful butterfly will emerge from our cocoon-like slumbering state. Keep in touch! Thanks for listening!