Field Report 001 – First Contact at the LGS

Logged by MaD SaXXon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

My first incursion into the local game store felt more like infiltration than camaraderie.

I arrived early—eager, if not anxious—but for nearly an hour, not a word was spoken to me. Eye contact was a rare commodity, and I felt like a ghost drifting between tables of established pods. Eventually, I summoned what courage I had and asked a nearby group if they could use a fourth. To their credit, I was welcomed in... but not by name. Just:

“What commander are you playing?”
“What does your deck do?”

No names. No banter. Just business.
I tried to keep pace—kept a sketchy opening hand to avoid delay, took my free mulligan, and still ended up with two lands (one of them a bounce land). The table said I could mulligan again, but I didn’t want to push it. I shuffled, drew, and fate handed me yet another two-lander. With 34 lands and several fetches, no less. Classic.

The game went okay—I stumbled out of the gate and didn’t do much until I was already at 13 life. It wasn’t a strong showing, but it was a start.

Next Objective:

For the second visit, I’ll get there earlier. I’ll introduce myself by name. I’ll shake hands, not just reveal commanders. Building a community starts with a conversation—even if you have to cast it first.

Until then,
—MaD SaXXon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

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