I am becoming a fan of the Totally Rad Show, a show about gaming and comics. They debut a new Wizards of the Coast D&D product to introduce people to D&D. I found it a good way to bring people into the game without overwhelming them with details in character creation and all of the rules of the game. You can check out the product on the following link, fast forward to around the first break around minute 26. Enjoy! http://revision3.com/trs/rear_shot
I'm all for this. Get more people into fantasy so they don't have to face reality. Life is so much easier when you walk out of the house not as a man but as a 23rd level barbarian that don't give a damn about a law but will do everything he can to make sure things are taken care of. However, when introducing new 1st level players to the game, how come they never have an introduction adventure like, "You are guarding a caravan making it's way west to trade furs and spices. You note a black speck in the sky coming towards you, rapidly growing larger. As it comes into view, you can clearly see a flying beast with large wings, greater than a castle, talons like spears and teeth like swords. It's a dragon! The last thing you think of is all of the stories Old Ginty used to tell around the tavern but didn't believe they were real. The dragon breathes fire on the caravan, engulfing everything and everyone, snuffing out lives in seconds. Maybe the merchant shouldn't have taken that shortcut back at the fork to save a week's travel. Roll a saving throw to see if you die from fire or fright."
