Chelsea joins a DnD group that's into heavy roleplay.
"It's just DnD, babe, I promise you've got nothing to worry about," Chelsea reassured her boyfriend Tim over FaceTime.
"I dunno babe, I've heard some weird things about the guy who runs it. Nothing I can prove, but... just be careful, okay? And remember you can say no to anything, leave at any time, and speak up if something's making you uncomfortable. You don't have to do anything you don't want to."
"I know, babe. I know," Chelsea reassured him. "I'll be fine. I'm a big girl, and I can take care of myself. Besides, it's all just pretend anyway. It's not like my bard's
literally
going to be having sex," she continued, then with a teasing expression added "Unless, you
want
her to. You sure you're not secretly turned on by the idea of me playing a huge slut?"
"Only when it's just the two of us," Tim chuckled, then sighed and relaxed. "Alright, alright. I trust you, and I'm sure it's all just exaggerated gossip. Have fun, and tell me all about it after. Okay?"
"Okay! I'll talk to you later. Love you, bye!"
"Love you too, Chel. Later!"
I hang up the call, then begin to stand up from my desk - but stop when I see I've got a new DM in Discord. It's from Eloise, aka Faerweather; the friend who recruited me for this evening's game.
Faerweather: Hey girl! Excited for tonight?
I'll admit my own handle, "Chelshocked," isn't my favorite idea. But then I really only joined because apparently the group uses it a lot for stuff between sessions.
Chelshocked: Definitely! It's been, like, forever since I had a gaming group. When do I get to join the server, btw? I wanna see all this crazy lore and in-character shenanigans you keep hinting at.
Faerweather: I know, but it's kind of a house rule. GM only invites people after they've officially joined the party, and that only happens after they've been to at least one session. Sorry!
Chelshocked: No, it's fine, I get it. Should I bring anything? Do I need to make a character or anything?
Faerweather: Nope! Actually, that's why I'm dming you. GM asked me to send you some stuff. First one's a cheesy video he makes everyone watch before their first session, then once you've done that I'll send you the character he made. GM says you can discuss any changes at the beginning of the session once you've had a look.
Chelshocked: I mean that's a little weird, but whatever. Go ahead and send me the link.
Faerweather: It's a file, actually. Sending it now.
Sure enough, a few moments later, there's a file in the chat called "NewPlayerIntro.mp4" I download it, then after making sure my headphones are on, open it up.
Chelshocked: Got it. Watching now.
"Hi there!" an oddly soothing, deep male voice greets. "If you're watching this, then one of my players has recommended you for our group. Before we continue, make sure the lights are off, you're wearing headphones, and this video is set to full screen. If you need to, go ahead and pause until you've done all that." I pause the video and shut the blinds, maximize the file, then resume playing. The screen is, for now, blank, so it's only the voice I have to pay attention to.
"Good. Now, let me tell you a little about me, and the campaign. I apologize in advance if I start to ramble. If you find that it feels like I'm dragging on, you can just tune me out and focus more on the sound of my voice than the actual words I'm saying. Unless you hear me say 'listen carefully,' you can just let my words sort of wash over you and focus on the sound of my voice. To make it easier, let me throw up something you can focus your attention on until you need to listen carefully." On cue, the screen comes to life and displays a spinning, multicolored spiral pattern. I looks almost like water, with pink, blue, and purple coloring. "Just keep your eyes focused on what's on the screen, and your mind focused on the sound of my voice until you need to listen carefully."
There's something else going on in the background, I realize. Some kind of ambient, ethereal noise, with a steady tone underneath what almost sounds like a mystical choir alternating between long Ohs, Ahs, and Oms. The effect, combined with the swirling spiral and the guy's voice, is actually really relaxing. Almost hypnotic.
"Now, again, don't worry if you find yourself tuning out. I've been a GM for a long time, and in my experience my players tend to retain a lot more than they realize. Even if you don't consciously pay attention to my words while I explain the campaign setting and house rules, your mind will absorb the important parts so long as you let yourself be calm and relaxed, focus on the screen and the sound of my voice, and let your mind become open and receptive while you do. So, let's start there. Take a nice, deep breath in..." I inhale while the voice pauses filling my lungs with air, "...and out..." I exhale when he prompts, feeling my chest empty itself out. "Very good. When I tell you, do that again. But this time, imagine that when you breathe in, you're filling yourself with calm, focus, and readiness to receive. Then, when you breathe out, imagine you're emptying your mind of everything that isn't my voice or the screen you're focusing on. Ready? Good. Breathe in..." I do so, and as the air flows through my nose into my lungs I find my limbs starting to feel limp and heavy. A faint tingling sensation pays over my forearms as my eyes seem to lock onto the center of the spiral and my attention becomes almost completely captivated by what I'm seeing and hearing.