First steps in a strange new world...

After eventually getting the character generation done, we settled on a backstory that had Dion and Ciarda as brother and sister - work with what you know! Each has some character elements to roleplay, and they both seem keen to be part of the story. I was keen to get them into some combat as early as possible to whet their appetite, so I organised a small ambush as they travelled to a village where I'd determined their adventure was about to begin.

There was tremendous excitement and a little actual fear when some bushes rustled and three goblins leapt out at them. Ciarda, with the imagination of a 7-year old, wanted to climb a tree, crawl along a branch and drop down behind the goblins to surprise them. I had to point out that (a) they could see her and (b) they were charging at her. Full marks for playing the story, though!

And so it was time to break out the dice and the dice trays and the combat rules. I had visions of my own first character in D&D - aimlessly swiping at fresh air whilst monsters sliced me up, hitting once every 1,000 swings... This might put them off for life, I worried.

No need to fear! Each of them rolled a natural 20, scored a critical hit, and felled their opponent on their first roll. What are the odds? (1 in 400, actually, and I'm still gobsmacked!)

The third goblin looked scared at this point, and both Dion and Ciarda said that they felt sorry for it because its friends were dead. Not too sorry, though, because they happily brained it when it jumped at them! After the fight they were both jumping around the room, as pumped up with adrenalin as if they'd actually been waving weapons at monsters!

As total novices, I had to remind them to search the bodies. They found a map, clearly of the goblin lair, but they had no idea how to get there, so they continued to the town for a night's rest.

Both declared D&D as "the best game EVER!" I count that as a success.