2017 was reportedly the biggest ever sales year for Dungeons & Dragons. There are a number of reasons for this, including the resurgence of geek culture, the similarly surging popularity of board games, and – of course – the popularity and success of Critical Role.

I first started watching Critical Role in the beginning of 2016. I know this because when my brother was hospitalised that Spring, the only thing I was capable of doing mentally and emotionally was watching Critical Role. All of it. When I started watching they were on episode 40 or so – it took me several weeks of doing nothing but watching to catch up to live.

Critical Role reminded me of several things during those months. One, that I was still capable of laughing at something. Two, that I loved telling and being part of stories more than anything else in the…