AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-ction time! The first silent auctions of the #DB2022 are live, but will be ending at 2am Pacific Time. Throw your headband into the ring while you still can!
Screaming Trash Friends
We tried to explain the concept of a SILENT auction to the screaming trash friends but they shouted us down. These tiny goblins are not good at following the rules, and that's exactly what makes them perfect. Bring them home to inspire you and lead your entire household in a chorus of raw shrieking.
Current Bid: $2,345.00
Hand-Knit Desert Bus Shift Headbands
Ah, there it is. That warm, cozy feeling of another Desert Bus, and knowing you can look forward to hours upon hours of company with all four of your favorite shifts. With this set of four knitted headbands, you can wear that comfortable feeling on your head this winter - or summer? Maybe you just like the style; we're here to drive a bus, not judge your drip.
Current Bid: $345.43
Welcome to the Wublic Broadcasting Services fundraiser event. Our operators are standing by to accept your pledge on this splendid occasion we call "Night Watch." We'll be here from 6pm to 12pm Pacific Time, raising money for the programming that has made this channel one of your favorites to put on in the background when guests come over to make yourself seem cultured.
Stay tuned for a medley of adequately whelming performances over the evening and remember: uWublic Broadcasting Services are supported by viewers like you.
I would recommend not pressing random buttons for safety's sake and time-space preservation, but... pfft, we wouldn't listen. We've found ourselves in a universe where Mikey's in the studio, a large lizzard doggo is hanging out, and, oh right, the bus has begun!
Here's what you've missed during the first shift of Desert Bus 2022...
Button? Button. Press the button.
Speaking of buttons, Ian introduces this year's Random Dance Party button, which is itself a pin of the Random Dance Party button that actually triggers Random Dance Parties, but the button pins you can buy from the store are really cool mini flat versions of buttons but won't trigger Random Dance Parties. Got that?
Jacob went on a trip and brought back snacks!
Alpha Flight shares some spicy video game opinions.
It's 5-o-clock somewhere... well, here actually!
And finally... is it a Terry Pratchett or Desert Bus Quote?
Remember, for the latest updates, stay tuned to desertbus.org. You can also catch up on the latest #DB2022 happenings around the web...
- Visit YouTube for the latest video highlights from the Video Strike Team (VST).
- Check out photos from this year at photos.desertbus.org.
- Be our friend on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
- And, of course, the live stream is always available at desertbus.org and twitch.tv/desertbus.
We'd like to take a moment to thank one of our sponsors for this year's event: Wizards of the Coast!
Wizards of the Coast is a family of studios specializing in building roleplaying games, trading card games, and digital games for all types of players. You may know them for Magic: the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and a plethora of stories and digital games in these universes. WotC creates entertainment that inspires creativity, sparks passion, forges friendships, and fosters community around the globe.
Thank you, Wizards of the Coast, for sponsoring Desert Bus for Hope 2022!
We mentioned earlier today that we're playing Dungeons & Dragons on Alpha Flight again this year! Tune in Sunday thru Thursday at 1:30pm PST to watch live or catch the replays on the Desert Bus for Hope YouTube channel.
Then, on Friday during Alpha Flight, we'll host DM's Corner. We'll share how you can ask your questions later on this week.
Buuut... ahead of tomorrow's first session, we wanted to give you a small sneak peek into the world our players will be adventuring in this year...
The Setting
The D&B games from Desert Bus 2022 start in the ancient city of New Harbour. New Harbor, which is on the coast, is separated from the vast Empire of Law by a magical wilderness called the Shrub. The Shrub is maintained by a group of fey-like beings called the Kind Ones, for a fee.
Every so often, perhaps once a year, a benefactor (identity unknown) pays off the Kind Ones to permit a group to travel through the shrub and into the Empire of Law, to bring the poor oppressed citizens who live in the Empire of Law hope (i.e., contraband).
Nearby to the City of New Harbour is the Threshold Atoll, a very chaotic place that is littered with unstable portals to strange dimensions and other places within the world. Nobody can control the portals, and their destinations frequently change.
Backgrounds
Characters are encouraged (but not required) to pick one of the backgrounds in this set...
Imperial Refugee
You fled the Empire of Law and made it to New Harbour, though not by journeying through The Shrub. There is a price on your head in the Empire, and every once in a while a bounty hunter shows up in New Harbour with a list of people that includes you. Describe the reason that the imperial bureaucracy is so interested in bringing you to justice and why certain imperial citizens might recognize you as a folk hero. Name the person you left behind in a terrible situation who inspires you to risk everything in order to rescue them.
Magic Weapon
Your weapon of choice (from your starting equipment) is tainted with the chaos magic that’s so prevalent near The Shrub. Give this weapon a name. When you roll a 1, 19, or 20 on an attack roll with this weapon, something happens. A 1 will typically give you a bad result, while a 19 or 20 will likely be a positive result. The strength of these effects varies enormously. Tell your DM.
My Mom Rules
Your mom is one of the thirteen people currently considered one of the rulers of New Harbour. Even though many of the thirteen are technically considered Evil, she doesn’t have to be if you don’t want her to be. Describe why she is furious with you. Name her aging personal assistant who has a soft spot for you.
Never Speak the Name
You know the secret truename of one of the Kind Ones who maintain The Shrub. You were never supposed to learn this name. If you speak it out loud within New Harbour then that Kind One will immediately be aware of you and will seek you out. Describe the recurring nightmare that you have of the repercussions of speaking the name.
Shrub Groomer
You have seasonal employment trimming back The Shrub that encircles the non-ocean border of New Harbour, separating it from the Empire of Law. You have Advantage on any non-combat roll against a Plant creature, and once per session you may declare one of your hits on an attack roll against a Plant creature to be a critical hit. You have a strange love-hate relationship with The Shrub. Once per session while in physical contact with The Shrub you may describe a boon you receive. Once per session while you are in physical contact with The Shrub, your DM may describe an event of their choosing and you may not resist. Any time you touch The Shrub or an object made from it then roll a d6. If you roll a 1 then tell your DM.
Smuggled Contraband
You have a single object that you stole from a pirate captain based in New Harbour. Name the captain. This item is ridiculously valuable, but it doesn’t do anything helpful and would be immediately recognized if you tried to fence it (or even just display it). You are currently being blackmailed by a member of the captain’s crew who claims to have proof you’re the thief. Describe the blackmail situation.
Vermin Friend
The portals that open intermittently in Threshold Atoll are near enough to New Harbour that exotic creatures sometimes make it all the way into town. You personally seem to attract weird insects for some reason. At any given time, you probably have several insects on your person (possibly in your clothes or belt pouch or even in your hair). You have advantage on any roll to resist venom or disease, as well as any attempt to draw an insect toward you. Once per session you may pull a venomous insect from somewhere on your person. This has an injury-based venom that causes great pain for a full minute and requires a DC 14 Constitution saving throw to resist. (Failure causes another ten minutes of great pain and 1d4 points of damage.) If you are ever in a social situation that might be affected by the appearance of an insect crawling across your body then tell your DM.
We're live! The bus is out of the station and on the road, kicking off Desert Bus for Hope 2022. You can watch live here at desertbus.org and twitch.tv/desertbus.
We're raising donations for Child's Play, a charity that improves the lives of children through the power of play. Since 2003, Child's Play has partnered with children's hospitals and domestic violence shelters across the globe through donations, program grants, and, most recently, technology symposiums for child life specialists to share their knowledge.
So, how does this all work? Well, we're playing Desert Bus, an unreleased game that has you driving, in real time, from Tucson to Las Vegas. It. Takes. Eight. Hours. And just in case you thought you could just press the go button and walk away... oh no... the bus drifts to the side of the road, so if you don't keep it on the road it'll crash. This game is as boring as it sounds.
To keep ourselves, and you, amused the whole time, we have a variety of guests, prizes, and other hijinks. The more you donate, the longer we drive! 100% of your donation goes directly to Child's Play. (We don't receive your donations, but we have a tracker to see just how long this adventure will go for.)
Want to get involved? The most awesome thing you can do is just hang out with us here on the road by tuning in. If you want, you can also...
- Chat live with us over on Twitch.
- Submit a challenge for us to do on-air.
- Place a bid for one of our fabulous live auctions or silent auctions.
- Donate to one of our giveaways during the event.
- Check out our official DB2022 merch and t-shirt.
- Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
We'll see ya on the road!
We’re… oh geez… less than 24 hours from the official start of Desert Bus for Hope 2022? And yet we’ve got even more surprises as we’re ready to announce even more guests for this year’s event!
Ken Steacy
Wednesday, November 16th
9:00am PST
He’s back… it’s Ken “Value Added” Steacy, calling in to chat this year with the morning crew on Dawnguard. Ken decided at age eleven to become a professional comic book artist, a dream he’s realized since 1974. Since then, he’s worked on a plethora of projects and received awards including an Eisner, an Inkpot, and an induction into the Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Book Hall of Fame.
Travis Eriksen
Wednesday, November 16th
8:00pm PST
Travis is the Executive Director of Child’s Play and the orchestrator of the Omegathon at PAX. Tapping his background teaching middle school math, he has helped Child’s Play move towards not only giving games and tech away but also to become a teaching resource in how to use games as an intentional part of therapy. He’ll be calling in to chat with the Night Watch crew on Wednesday night.
Don’t miss either of these call-ins… and don’t miss the official kickoff of Desert Bus for Hope 2022… which is… oh dear, very very soon!
🚌 Saturday, November 12th at 2:00pm PST 🚌
twitch.tv/desertbus
desertbus.org
Now if you don’t mind, we’re gonna go back to last minute panicking planning...
You know, the Desert Bus for Hope schedule just wouldn’t be complete without our guest call-ins. And, we’re happy to announce that our guest schedule is now live!
As with last year, we won’t be having any on-site guests, but we’re excited to have all these awesome people call in, chat with us, get into hijinks, and answer your questions throughout the event…
Coyote Wall & The Garages
Sunday, November 13th
8:00pm PST
Back for a third time, alt-rock musical collective The Garages are teaming up with the country-folk musician Coyote Wall to bring the house down again with another performance. Tune in live to check out their tunes, then check out their album from this year’s performance on Bandcamp!
Victoria Tran
Monday, November 14th
3:00pm PST
Returning guest Victoria Tran is the Community Director at Innersloth (creators of Among Us) and an organizer for Wholesome Games. She’s constantly exploring ways to create kinder game community spaces, so we hope she’ll feel right at home with the Desert Bus community.
SungWon Cho
Tuesday, November 15th
3:00pm PST
Returning guest SungWon Cho has a very to-the-point bio: “I’m a voice actor and do YouTube too.” We’ll add on to that… board game reviewer, podcaster, and all-around entertaining video creator.
Molly Lewis
Thursday, November 17th
4:00am PST
Though Zeta survivor and singer-songwriter-ukulelist Molly Lewis couldn’t join us for the entire run this year, she’ll be calling in to say hello and hang out Thursday morning. She writes humorous-yet-poignant songs about history, current events, popular culture, and occasionally herself.
Laser
Friday, November 18th
9:00am PST
Returning guest Laser will be calling in to chat with the Dawnguard crew on Friday morning. He’s a trans musician known for the Doubleclicks, his musical Teaching a Robot to Love, and his new project Laser the Boy. Laser is also an improviser, TTRPG streamer, and Kickstarter coach.
Merch! Merrrch! Get ready for yer merch! We got shiny things, flat things, textile things galore! The gift shop ain’t open yet, but when we are… ohh boy, we got goods to buy. And part of the proceeds from each sale goes to Child’s Play Charity… and makes the bus run just a bit longer.
Check out the new and returning shinies we’ve got comin’ up this year…
2022 Desert Bus Poster
$12.00 USD
We can’t show a photo of this item yet… because it doesn’t exist yet! Every year, the talented M Lee Lunsford (@MLeeLunsford) illustrates this poster over the course of the entire run, bringing their artistic interpretation to all the shenanigans that happen while the bus is on the road.
This 11”x15.5” poster is printed and will be shipped after the run ends.
2017-2021 Desert Bus Poster Bundle
$50.00 USD
Missing a poster from a previous year? We usually only offer posters the year of each run and then they’re lost to the sands of the desert forever. But… this year, we’re offering a rare reprint poster bundle from the last five years of Desert Bus for Hope, 2017 thru 2021.
Dance Party Button Pinny Arcade Pin
$25.00 USD
This year’s official Pinny Arcade pin features the one… err, two… uhh, four… ya know, I’m just gonna stop counting… and only Dance Party Button. While pressing this limited-edition button facsimile will not play a randomly selected tune to dance to, it will look shiny in your collection.
This is a limited-quantity item… when they’re gone, they’re gone!
Desert Bus DBLoon Challenge Coin
$15.00 USD
Originally an exclusive item for volunteers and prize winners, in recent years we’ve offered a limited run of Desert Bus DBloons in our store. This year’s official limited-edition DBloon is made of antique silver and features the Desert Bus for Hope making a nighttime drive along the desert landscape.
This is a limited-quantity item… when they’re gone, they’re gone!
DB Shifts Playmat
$20.00 USD
Returning this year, the Desert Bus Shifts playmat features the banners for Dawnguard, Alpha Flight, Night Watch, and Zeta Shift. Use these playmats at your next Magic: the Gathering game or on your desk as a really large mouse pad.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers…
Where can I buy these? When can I buy them?
The Desert Bus for Hope merch store is hosted by LoadingReadyRun. You can get there by visiting store.desertbus.org starting on November 12th at 12:00pm PST.
The store will remain open until shortly after the run ends, whenever that may be.
Where do you ship to?
We follow the same shipping policies as the LoadingReadyRun store. And, good news EU & UK friends… this year we’re able to ship to both the EU & UK during the run!
When will my items ship?
Most items will ship as soon as we can! However, since the poster isn’t done until the end of the run, the poster will be printed and shipped after the run ends.
Are any of these items limited?
Yes, the Dance Party Button Pinny Arcade pin and Desert Bus DBLoon are limited stock… once they’re gone, they’re gone! If any pins or coins remain after the run ends, we’ll offer the remaining stock for sale in the store during next year’s event.
All other items are not limited and will be printed or re-printed based on demand.
Where's that really snazzy Desert Bus 2022 T-Shirt?
The Desert Bus T-Shirt is sold and shipped by Fangamer. Stay tuned for the reveal of this year's T-Shirt. When it's available, you can purchase the shirt at shirt.desertbus.org.
Where does the money from each purchase go? How much goes to Child’s Play Charity?
The split of proceeds from each purchase varies for each item. Please check the merchandise description on the store for details.
I think this really cool thing should be on the poster…
Please don’t ask to add specific events to the poster! What appears or doesn’t appear on the poster is at the sole discretion of the artist and their interpretation of the event. And, we think they’re pretty darn great at capturing the spirit of the event every year without any input.