A nerd, a geek and a satanist walked into a medieval tavern...

Blazing Reader,

When you do the right thing and get the vaccine, you'll be welcome back.

That was a notice placed on the front page of a gaming shop's website, back in 2021. I found the site (can't remember where it was — somewhere in the USA) when researching Dungeons and Dragons (for the chapters in Much Ado About Corona about the illegal meet-ups in the basement of Gary Gygax's comic shop during lockdown).

That notice made my blood boil like a goblin's head in a sorcerer's cauldron.

I always saw DnDers (people who play Dungeons and Dragons) as being archaic and counter-culture. Requiring members to get injected with experimental lipid nanoparticles doesn't fit in with the whole medieval times ambiance.

If anything, aren't people play role-playing games and people in the freedom movement both marginalized and misunderstood?

Here's how AJ explains it in chapter 24:

“When something gets taboo, people keep their heads low. When it comes to role-playing games, you’re either labelled anerd, a geek or a satanist.”

“Yeah,” I said, “my folks thought it was too occult.”

“What did they mean by occult?”

“You know, supernatural stuff.”

“Like walking on water, then turning the water into wine?”

“Well, Dad would say wizards and stuff are pagan.”

“Pagan?” asked AJ.

“It means, supernatural stuff that isn’t Catholic.”

AJ shrugged. “You can construct any character you want. A medieval monk is hardly unheard of. Most of the ridicule comesfrom people who don’t know anything about RPGs.”

“RPGs?”

“Role-playing games,” clarified AJ. “Please, pay attention.”

A nerd, a geek or a satanist. Just like if you refuse a vaccine, you may get labelled an anti-vaxxer, a science-denier or a flat-earther.

John C.A. Manley

P.S. I've no idea how many DnDers are taking vaccines (instead of rolling for immunity), but if you have any gamers in your circle of friends and family, please forward this post to them (or, even better, buy them a copy of Much Ado About Corona for Christmas).

P.P.S. If you missed it, here's part one of my DnD blazing blog post trilogy: Four kids almost caught playing Dungeons n' Dragons "illegally" during lockdown