December 20, 2025
A Year in Review: Community, Crits, and Coffee
Looking back at the amazing community and new friends found in 2025.
Hi everyone,
I haven't written a year-end letter in quite some time, but I felt inspired to revive a tradition my grandmother used to keep. She would always recap the year's highlights and looking back at the amazing community and new friends I've found in 2025, it felt like the perfect moment to start it back up.
The Evolution of the Game
The year began comfortably, winding down a year-and-a-half-long campaign with my local group and exploring new twists in Fluffy’s Fantastic Army (FFA). I was also enjoying some time as a player in the Arc of Eternity.
However, life brings its own set of "random encounters." Due to some wonderful but busy life changes for my players—including a first-time father and a mom navigating her twins' senior year—we had to close the chapter on FFA for now. While I’m not sure if that specific campaign will return, I’m hopeful for a reunion one-shot down the road.
Out of those changes, a new adventure was born. Many of us teamed up with friends from the Twitch community to start Acquisitions Inc. It has been an absolute blast finding that "sweet spot" between chaotic humor and epic questing, and I’m so glad the players and viewers are enjoying the ride.
Finding My Voice
What started as a joke—Coffee and Dragons RPG—ended up reigniting my passion for streaming. After a prank involving a friend who missed a session to go fishing, I realized how much I missed this world. I rebranded my old account and committed to building something from the ground up.
It wasn't always easy. I’ll admit there were darker moments where I caught myself playing the "comparison game," watching other streamers shoot past me in numbers. But D&D is a different beast; it’s like a slow-burn novel where the payoff comes from the deep dives and the puzzles. Thanks to some incredible wisdom from @Sparkles_Mandy and a late-night chat with @jalapenoNuts, I shifted my focus. I stopped looking at others and started looking at what I could give back to the community.
Elevating the Experience
This shift led to our Saturday night D&D 101 stream. I realized there were so many people who wanted to play but didn't know where to start. Now, it’s our most-watched show. It’s a space where I can teach both players and viewers that making mistakes is part of the fun.
We’ve also leveled up our production quality! Thanks to the incredible generosity of my D&D 101 players, I moved from free tools to a full Foundry license, which has elevated the gameplay for all my sessions. Our creative team has grown, too, with @jalapenoNuts on intros, @Whimsicalwoo crafting original songs, and @TheTieflingTrickster designing our logos and emojis.
Closing the Chapter on 2025
As we hit the end of December, I am floored by your support. We are just six follows away from our goal of 300. Meanwhile, you’ve absolutely shattered my other goals: we hit 56 subscribers (crushing my goal of 20!) and nearly 6,000 bits.
Beyond the numbers, thank you for being part of this wonderful community. Whether you are a player, a viewer, or a fellow streamer, you’ve made this year one for the history books. I can’t wait to see what natural 20s we roll together in 2026.
Happy Holidays From,
Tora and Navaar