Dungeons & Dragons is a game in which you can fight owlbears, save mermaids, or even fall in love with a gnome. It's shocking to no one that this game has risen in popularity in recent years. However, it may surprise some of you to discover that this game has spawned a completely new genre of fiction. That’s right, Dungeons & Dragons podcasts, recordings and performances have become so ubiquitous that you can now unpack their tropes and conventions.
Don’t believe us? Then roll a DC 15 Insight check! Or, you know, just keep reading the article. From CollegeHumour's Fantasy High getting millions of views to Critical Role crowdfunding millions of dollars to animate their adventures, the Dungeons & Dragons genre is everywhere. Even HarmonQuest, another popular title from Rick & Morty/Community creator Dan Harmon, has been renewed for its third season. All of these shows star excellent improv, gripping dice rolls, and stories that fans can’t get enough of.
But it isn’t just US creators getting in on the action. Australia has its own thriving Dungeons & Dragons scene with some of the best storytellers in the biz. Two of our favourite performance troops are the Canberra-based Roll For Intelligence and Sydney’s Dragon Friends. And even though these live podcasters don’t have Critical Roll’s budget or HarmonQuest’s star power, in some respects they more than make up for it. Want to know why? Well then, buckle up your d20s and your spell scrolls. Because we, my friends, are going on an adventure. An adventure of critical thinking.
Part One: If it ain’t broke...
Both Roll For Intelligence and Dragon Friends have many of the same elements that you’d find in a regular game of Dungeons & Dragons. They both have Dungeon Masters, describing the world and conducting the story. They both have players, pretending to be characters inside this universe. They both have dice, which decide the fate of the characters and whether their actions succeed or fail. However, using the language of Dungeons & Dragons to create a story isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, both Roll For Intelligence and Dragon Friends use this very language to their advantage.
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One of the most unique elements found in Dungeons & Dragons, and the shows adopting its mechanics, is the use of improvised dialogue and plot. You see, Dungeons & Dragons doesn’t follow a script. The characters are reacting to problems in real time and making it up as they go. This lack of structure can lead to the performers tailoring each story to the interests of the audience. As Morgan Little, the previous producer for Roll For Intelligence, told The Music, “If something really resonates with the audience, we can do more with that. There’s no huge hurry to push on."
This tailoring of content can definitely be seen throughout the adventures in Dungeon Friends. During the first episode of season five, David Harmon, the show’s Dungeon Master, forgets the word for “mug” and admits he was instead thinking about a Flintstones-esque pelican. The live audience belly laughs at this and halfling rogue Bobby Pancake (portrayed by Simon Greiner) demands that his drink comes in a giant aquatic seabird. Naturally, his wish comes true. The pelican becomes the star of the episode. Dungeon Friends is a better show for embracing its mistakes, the audience’s feedback and the mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons.
Part Two: On the other hand…
Both Dragon Friends and Roll For Intelligence have an edge that separates them from most of their competitors. And this edge isn’t rooted in the mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons. Rather, what separates these shows is their use of Aussie vernacular and their local sense of humour. Roll For Intelligence originally advertised itself as an adventure where “hordes of hoons with goons” attacked Canberra. And remember that pelican from Dragon Friends? Later in the program, he refers to Bobby Pancake as “a real loose unit”. Both of these shows embrace modern Australianisms and cheeky banter with open arms.
It’s refreshing to have fantasy characters sounding like they’re not from Game Of Thrones. It’s great to have one's voice represented in the media. Dragon Friends and Roll For Intelligence feel organic because of their ‘loose unit’ inflections, not in spite of them. They both feel authentic and special. To be clear, neither of these shows are solely successful because of these vocal shenanigans. However, they certainly haven’t hurt getting the audience and their bums into seats.
Part Three: The end (of the article) is nigh
Wow. What an adventure of critical thinking that was. Not only were there multiple discussions about pelicans, but you read about some series to Google or revisit. However, this isn’t to say that Roll For Intelligence and Dragon Friends are the only two shows in existence. There’s a plethora of Aussie Dungeons & Dragons content waiting for you. Yes, my friend, it’s out there. It’s hiding in the depth of the iTunes charts. It’s being performed in your local. All it takes to discover them is the tiniest bit of research. Or, you know, a DC 10 Investigation check.
