✍️ What Being a Dungeon Master Taught Me About Being a Dad
(A Father’s Day Reflection from the World of Project Rollplay)
“Have you been mental healthing me this whole time?”
That’s what my wife asked—half laughing, half stunned—when she realized her campaign about death and the afterlife was helping her process grief she hadn’t even consciously addressed.
That moment stopped us both in our tracks.
It reminded me of something I’ve always believed, but rarely said out loud:
TTRPGs don’t just entertain us. They transform us.
And now, they’ve transformed me—into a father.
Velaeryn is only a few months old, but she’s already at my table.
She plays a Riekling named Grumbles. Her squeaks and fusses?
That’s roleplay. That’s character immersion. That’s her beginning.
Through these games, I’ve mentored shy teens into brave adults.
I’ve seen players confront loss, identity, love, fear—and emerge changed.
And I’ve poured my heart into their arcs, writing stories that see them.
The truth is, I was a dad long before Vela was born.
I listened. I nurtured. I taught through play.
And now, I get to do it with her too.
She can’t roll dice yet.
But she’s already helped me level up.
Happy Father’s Day to the dads who build worlds, shape hearts, and make stories safe enough for healing.
—Joel / Tabletop Phoenix
Founder, Father, Forever DM