Why Fight Evil on the Tabletop if You Don’t Fight it in the Real World?

RollVsEvil, a newly formed non-profit charity, along with multiple tabletop industry partners, are pleased to announce the new RollVsEvil initiative. Created by a group of tabletop RPG and boardgame companies to give gaming communities a way to do what they love (playing games) while supporting frontline charitable efforts to battle real-world evil! These efforts will support small groups and charities working directly on the ground where donors can see verifiable immediate results and know that they are changing lives.

RollVsEvil’s first campaign is in support of people suffering from the invasion of Ukraine, with the first of many RollVsEvil gaming events starting this coming weekend. Up to £100,000 / $130,000 in funds will also be matched by Supernova Capital & Partners.

To celebrate the launch of RollVsEvil, Roll20.net will be streaming a special charity stream on March 25 at 8 PM EDT with GM  Anthony Joyce-Rivera and players from TransplanarRPG. The group will be playing a 2-hour session of The Monster of Wonderia.

How it will work:

The first event aims to keep it simple, asking interested gamers to “just play a game” online or in-person on Saturday, March 26. The group suggests that each player commits a few dollars for playing, and during play, think up interesting ways to encourage donations — maybe pay a few dollars to re-roll the dice or draw another card! It’s up to you — keep it fun and simple, then pay your donations in to our fundraising page at www.rollvsevil.com. Remember to sign up for updates, so we can let you know about the progress. Even just a few dollars can add up when thousands of player groups are contributing!

If you’re all remote, don’t worry! Jump on the roll20.net virtual tabletop and play, as they are offering a free bundle for anyone to use who wants to get a game on. In this case, each player should pay their donation to the fundraising page individually. Through Roll20, the RollVsEvil team has the potential of reaching 10 million people, so even a few dollars will add up in this crowdfunded fight for a better world.

And don’t worry, if you can’t play on Saturday, just play a game on any day that works and join in when you can. There’s always someone who could use help, and RollVsEvil aims to do its best to support as many of them as it can.

Here are some examples of the projects the group is currently supporting:

• Funding for a group who are helping vulnerable people, such as the disabled, LGBT, and senior citizens with pets to evacuate, they may need physical help to get out of their apartments and onto a bus to safety.
• Reaching out to hospitals in Lviv and Kyiv and sourcing specific medical supplies directly from manufacturers for them.
• Funding plus laptops and Starlink internet connection for a group working with hostels in Poland to give families and single parents an immediate refuge, providing internet access and safety whilst they find a more long-term home during the war.
• Funding for the A21’s charity campaign on the borders to help combat human trafficking and the gangs who target the vulnerable. Whether providing information to people crossing the border or working with Interpol, we hope to give them the resources to rescue those who’ve been targeted.
• Sourcing donations of supplies such as camping gear, food, and medical supplies for the growing displaced people within Ukraine and shipping them to a team in Lviv who then distribute to those most in need.
• Supporting the work of ICANHELP.HOST, a self-styled free “AirBnB” for displaced people, created by a group of Belarussian IT people who fled persecution in their country.

All of the above have been chosen because they’re having a real, immediate effect now or in the next few days. RollVsEvil is tracking how funds are used, following up with evidence, photos, videos and testimonials to demonstrate the effect your financial support will have.

Our goal is to multiply what the groups above can achieve and to find more similar groups to support.

RollVsEvil has so far gained the support of many tabletop companies to help spread the word including the likes of Mantic Games, Modiphius, Steve Jackson Games, Gama, Cubicle 7, Roll 20, UK Games Expo, Steamforged Games, R Talsorian Games, Chaosium, Titan Forge, Q-Workshop, Paizo, Mythic Games, Magpie Games, Green Ronin, Para Bellum, amongst many others.

Head over to RollvsEvil.com to sign up, find out more about each project we’re supporting and join the group’s Discord, Facebook, or Twitter group to get updates and help share with friends.

About RollVsEvil

RollVsEvil is a not-for-profit limited company set up by Chris and Rita Birch, founders of tabletop games publisher Modiphius Entertainment who initially raised $50,000 together with friends Paul and Linda Wedgwood of Supernova Capital. Paul and Linda have also agreed to match any funds raised up to a total of £100,000 / $130,000.

All costs of running RollvsEvil are being covered by Modiphius Entertainment and Supernova Capital & Partners LLC, so 100% of the funds raised go directly to the projects we are supporting. In addition, we are connecting those who wish to make larger donations directly with medical suppliers who will organize the delivery of urgent supplies to specific Ukrainian hospitals.

Chris & Rita Birch are donors to National Park Rescue and Mumbai’s Vision Rescue. Paul Wedgwood is the patron of the National Video Game Museum, VP of charity Special Effect, and a major backer for National Park Rescue. Linda is ambassador and patron of National Park Rescue.

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