SLICE & DICE: Downtown Pizza Shop To Host Friendly Entry to Tabletop Gaming
Leona's Pizzeria collaborates with local for inaugural one-shot campaign event on Aug. 22
Evelyn Nelson, photos by Luong Huynh |
Whether you are new to the game, an experienced “dungeon crawler” or simply hope to connect with other locals over a piece of ‘za – a new Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) happening is open to all, hosted in downtown Eau Claire.
Aptly named “Slice & Dice,” this monthly series kicks off at 12:30pm on Aug. 22 at LIVE at LEONA’s (406 Galloway St., Eau Claire).
Luong Huynh, the event organizer – also known, in D&D, as “The Tavern Keeper” – of Slice & Dice, has picked the imagination-driven game back up in recent years. A big part of this reconnection came from volunteer efforts at a friend’s annual D&D multiple sclerosis fundraiser in Eau Claire.
“I started playing in high school, or more accurately I should say I survived D&D in high school,” Huynh said. “In 1998, the game was notoriously unforgiving and I felt like I needed a math minor to figure out some of my rolls (RIP THACO).”
D&D, a tabletop fantasy role-playing game – first brought to life in the 1970s – lets its players create personalized heroes (and villains, or those somewhere in-between) to embark on winding adventures, guided by a Dungeon Master.
“Making friends as an adult can be hard and the logistics of playing can be a barrier. That’s where the seed of Slice & Dice began to sprout.”
luong huynh
slice & dice EVENT CREATOr, "The tavern keeper"
Sessions will be facilitated by a rotating cast of experienced local Dungeon Masters. All essential materials – from a roster of characters to choose from, dice and trays – will be provided; registration for each session includes a complimentary beer or non-alcoholic drink.
Many of these measures stem from feedback Huynh has gathered during other D&D campaign events and aim to address common hurdles for players of all experience levels.
Those include a lack of guidance for beginner players; the challenge of finding consistent groups to play with; fatigue from the “forever Dungeon Master” who never gets to play; logistical challenges to coordinate weekly commitments amidst busy individual schedules.
“I boiled it down to two notions: making friends as an adult can be hard and the logistics of playing can be a barrier,” Huynh said. “That’s where the seed of Slice & Dice began to sprout.”
As Aug. 22 approaches, the event’s Dungeon Masters are well-prepared to guide both novice and veteran players alike, Huynh said. Also, standalone one-shot adventures – rather than the game’s typical hours-long campaigns that can span weeks, months or even years – mean that locals can attend a single event or join regularly without a worry of falling behind.
“Between all of our friendly local game stores – and the Eau Claire Board Game Group – we already have a vibrant and supportive table-top (role play gaming) scene in the Chippewa Valley,” Huynh said. “This series will add a unique social option to the mix.”
Along with being a social event, Slice & Dice welcomes more community involvement as the series evolves. Menomonie Market Food Co-op (206 N. Barstow St., Eau Claire) will serve as the inaugural guest in a roster of local businesses and organizations participating as “Very Important Players” (VIPs).
Each month, these featured entities will have the opportunity to showcase their work and share upcoming news they are excited about.
At its core, Slice & Dice aims to follow the same ethos as the game which inspired it: bringing strangers and friends together to craft an imaginative story together. Guided by the game’s vision, there is no final winner or loser – instead, it’s an opportunity for newfound connection.
Visit the Slice & Dice webpage online or volumeonetickets.org to register for upcoming one-shot campaign events ($25/person) and view its recurring schedule – soon to be announced.
In addition to being an event organizer in Eau Claire, Luong Huynh is also a contributing photographer for Volume One. New event announcements from LIVE at LEONA’s can be found via social media (@liveatleonas).
