The Prayer

So, I was playing D&D "Midnight" today with my gamer friends. I play a dwarrow which is a half-gnome, half-dwarf. She's also a rogue which means she can open locked doors, steal things, hide, sneak attack and find traps. All of these things are what rogues are good at. But mine is a tiny thing. At 3.5 feet tall, she's actually tall for a dwarrow. However, when your fellow gamers' characters stand at above 6 feet tall, a dwarrow is pretty small.

I'm also a Christian who loves a good story. That's why I so enjoy D&D. It's group story-telling. And you never know what ideas your friends are going to come up with as you are all walking through the adventure together. That's what makes it so fun and intriguing.

That said, you can't help but have your natural traits and personality seep into your character. Our group got into a really tough spot tonight during the game. We were at the bottom of a pit, faced with five orcs on the ground, four orcs on rope ladders and about 15 people and two elves up top--all bent on killing our group (as we were trying to stop them from assassinating the elven queen).

One of our group, our wizard, actually died after being blasted with a fireball from one of the elves up above. Our fighter was taking a huge beating from the orcs, and our own elf archer had been knocked unconscious. I was about a third of the way up the wall, having chosen to try to climb up rather than take ladders with orcs coming down. Even our "cavalry," a group of wights (don't ask), were having trouble taking the orcs down.

As I said, I was climbing the wall. My plan was to try to make a sneak attack on the spell-throwing elf up above, since no one was paying attention to me. But it was going to take me a long time to climb the wall. I was going to have to roll my dice probably four more times before I made it to the top, and I would only progress if I rolled high numbers on a 20-sided die. Best roll is a 20--it means perfect success with what you are attempting. Worst roll is a 1--this means an epic fail. Not only was I going to have to roll four more times, but I would have to wait my turn to make those rolls. I saw our wizard get killed and our archer get knocked out. Our party of four was down by two, and our fighter was taking a beating. I was too far away to do anything but keep climbing.

Except what I always do when I'm in a tight spot. Pray.

Something you need to know: there is no god to pray to in the mythology of "Midnight" except Izrador. Izrador is a bad god. He is the only god. And he's evil. A little earlier in the evening, we had run into one of Izrador's legates (priests) and we had to go on this quest at his command or he would've killed us then and there. So, here we are, on this odd "do this for Izrador's side to save the elven queen who he hates..." quest. My friend the wizard was dead! This was very sad for me. That's when I realized that I was down to my last option.

My turn came up. I knew I was going to have to roll the die to climb. I had pondered what I was going to do as the others took their turns. I looked at our dungeon master, Bob, (who creates the plot line as we go along and make choices) and said, "I'm going to roll for a climb, but first..." I took a breath and had my character grip the wall and say, "Izrador, if you actually care about the outcome of this mission, if you really want us to succeed in this, please send your priest guy to help us." Then I rolled the die.

I rolled a 20. A perfect 20.

I didn't really connect with what just happened. I was just so relieved that it meant I wouldn't be falling off the wall. But then I looked at Bob's face and you'd have thought he had just been handed the best Christmas present ever.

And I lit up inside. Because my God had heard my prayer. The dice don't roll in Izrador's world, they roll in this one. And I laughed. Because, with that prayer and roll of the dice, my God handed Bob a glorious plot twist that set his imagination on fire and that ultimately saved the life of our dead party member. I was reminded that no matter what we are doing, God is with us, ever around us, engaged in what we are doing. He loves us. He blesses us. Even in our game time with friends. Perhaps even more in times like that.

So...to finish the tale...Izrador heard. And Izrador answered. And he didn't send his legate. He came himself. (A perfect 20 always gives you what you asked for and MORE). My little dwarrow was suddenly at the top of the wall, not knowing how she got up there, and then became a conduit of the dark god's power. The enemies were obliterated. Not just killed. Completely and totally annihilated. Not even their souls were left. Scary.

But that's within a story. And who knows where it will go from there. My dwarrow doesn't remember anything. But you don't get touched by a god like that without being changed.

Same goes for me and my friends. God was with us as we gamed and had fun tonight. All I know is, God loves my friends with a passion.

Thanks, Lord.