Essay: The Secret Lives of Dice

In the movies, Toy Story and Night at the Museum small things come to life at night and have a mind and will of their own.

Over time, I've noticed a force that is all its own, one that is like a neutral force of nature that knows no enemies and keeps no allies for long.

You may remember a few of these moments when the dice have "gotten away from me":

• Battle against the Hill Giant while Enroute to Falconwell - Slyl is slammed into the earth on a crit, his ring of 9 lives activates to restore both his physical and mental health
• Battle Beneath the Selunar Eclipse - d20 critical roll against Animosus and he falls from the Black Gauntlet Knight's strike
• Battle Against the Mur Zhagul - Slyl loses initiative and his life on a crit by the creatures attacks
• Battle in the Quickearth - At the end of round 2 I announced to Animosus that the standard action of lay hands will occur on his initiative count in round 3. During round 3 (before Animosus acts) in front of everyone a d8 is rolled twice to select the target of the Mud Golem's attacks in round 3 based on the creatures reach of 10". Aloud I choose to vocalize the targets are based on, and in order of their counters on the battle-mat (1-2 Ani, 3-4 Mauros, 5-6 Pavel, 7-8 Nemeseth). I actually vocalized this distribution because I didn't want Animosus to get struck before he healed himself.

And the dice once again had their way. I rolled a 1, then a 2. Both strikes hit Animosus squarely and he falls.

As Kelestri's player says, "D&D without dice is just theater. D&D without roleplay is just a video game."

So Animosus' player says something like, "Thanks DM for once again helping my character to fumble in combat." And you know... his comment is well deserved. Did you see a pattern in the bulleted list above? The neutral force of the dice (and rather consistently) have taken down Slyl and Animosus more than any other character.

And over time by Kelestri's player's definition, we have done more D&D than theater. And over time I have learned not to appologize for the dice — a force many campaigns have come to respect. ... When we sleep at night, do they wisper to each other, "Behold! I am dice! Slayer of characters! Destroyer of campaigns!" Or tonight, when we're fast asleep, do they rest too - satiated for a time like a beast who had recently consumed its fill by nearly swallowing another character?