Natural Six

In June 2023, the cast came together to discuss playing Dungeons & Dragons in a London pub and "five bottles of rosé later..." {{cite web | url=https://www.ginx.tv/en/video-games/tavern-talk-among-us-crossover-free-content-update-launches | work=GINX TV | title=Interview: Ben Starr On Natural Six, Fearless Play, & Wizardly Whims | date=31 October 2023 | first1=Alexandra | last1=Hobbs}}{{cite web | url=https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/natural-six-dungeons-and-dragons-ben-starr-hollie-bennett-3520470 | work=NME | title=Natural Six is a Dungeons & Dragons campaign series with some very famous voices | date=25 October 2023 | first1=Andy | last1=Brown}}{{cite web | url=https://www.gamesradar.com/why-this-dandd-actual-play-series-featuring-the-voices-of-geralt-and-ff16s-clive-is-going-to-be-the-next-big-thing/ | work=GamesRadar | title=Why this D&D actual play series featuring the voices of Geralt and FF16's Clive is going to be the next big thing | date=27 October 2023 | first1=Will | last1=Sawyer}} decided they wanted to do so in front of a camera. Some of the group had met before, with the genesis of the idea to play having come when Alex Jordan and Ben Starr got to talking in the Side recording studio reception in London. Both were waiting to go into a booth and record for different video games. Alex recruited colleague Doug Cockle and Ben brought in Hollie Bennett, having met her a mutual friend's house-warming party, as well as Harry McEntire who had been recommended to him as a potential Dungeon Master by fellow actual play group Oxventure.{{cite web | url=https://www.thegamer.com/natural-six-perfect-entrypoint-watching-dungeons-dragons-dnd-newbies/ | work=TheGamer | title=Natural Six Is The Perfect Entrypoint For Those New To Watching Others Play Dungeons & Dragons | date=26 October 2023 | first1=Meg | last1=Pelliccio }}

In order to fund initial production the group announced a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter with a trailer on 9 October 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/dungeons-and-dragons-5e/news/natural-six-dnd-actual-play-baldurs-gate-final-fantasy-witcher-actors | work=Dicebreaker | title=Baldur's Gate 3, Final Fantasy 16 and The Witcher actors party up for D&D actual play series Natural Six | date=9 October 2023 | first1=Matt | last1=Jarvis}} The campaign officially ran from 16 October to 15 November 2023. It received 907 backers, who contributed £67,932, surpassing the initial goal of £50,000 funding the first 10 episodes, plus the addition of miniatures and the podcast version.{{cite web | url=https://www.wargamer.com/dnd/natural-six-success | work=Wargamer | title=DnD: How the videogame stars of Natural Six found success by failing on purpose | first1=Mollie | last1=Russell }}{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.co.uk/gaming/story/_/id/43598272/ben-starr-final-fantasy-16-xvi | work=ESPN | title=Ben Starr's Final Fantasy journey, through jokes and tragedy | first1=Kirk | last1=McKeand | date=28 January 2025 }}

The campaign's launch day also featured a YouTube video where the cast rolled their characters.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMqL-6Z4EFA&ab_channel=NaturalSix|title=Natural Six - Rolling our Characters|date=16 October 2023|via=YouTube}} On 27 October 2023, they followed up with a pre-recorded Session Zero.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVbhT5xym5w&ab_channel=NaturalSix|title=Natural Six | Session Zero | D&D 5e|date=27 October 2023|via=YouTube}} As part of the pre-launch, the group hosted a live show at EGX on 13 October 2023, which served as a Session 0.5.

Following the successful funding for the first 10 episodes a Natural Six Patreon has been introduced, with additional content available by subscription tier, as well as merchandise sales which debuted at MCM Comic Con x EGX 2024.{{cite web | url=https://www.thegamer.com/natural-six-egx-mcm-comic-con-journey-past-year/ | work=TheGamer | title=Natural Six’s Journey From EGX 2023 To MCM Comic Con x EGX 2024 | first1=Meg | last1=Pelliccio | date=19 October 2024 }} The first online merchanise drop sold out in half an hour.{{cite web | url=https://www.wargamer.com/dnd/professional-dungeon-master | work=Wargamer | title=The meteoric rise of the professional Dungeons and Dragons DM | first1=Mollie | last1=Russell | date=7 June 2025 }}

Episodes are recorded in-studio, with filming taking place one weekend a month, recording two story episodes and two Action Surge episodes per weekend. Natural Six typically stays one to two episodes ahead of the published story episodes. Filming, editing, and production are managed by the video production agency DoubleJump.{{cite web | url=https://icat.vt.edu/projects/supported-research/sead-grants/2024-2025/major/open-the-gates-gaming.html | title=Open the Gates Gaming - Midpoint Pecha Kucha presentation | first1=Elizabeth | last1=McLain | date=6 December 2024}}

In addition to story episodes, Natural Six also releases Action Surge,{{cite web | url=https://www.cultureslate.com/fandom-holonet/why-natural-six-is-the-newest-dd-show-you-should-be-watching | work=Culture Slate| title=Why 'Natural Six' Is The Newest 'D&D' Show You Should Be Watching | first1=Anna | last1=Grimm | date=17 Jan 2025 }} available one week after the release of story episodes or immediately for Patreon members. Originally designed to help maintain a weekly content schedule—since the team could only film and fund two full story episodes per month—Action Surge was designed to be a companion to the main adventure. Action Surge episodes alternate weekly with story episodes and are available as both video and podcast versions.{{fact|date=June 2025}}

Natural Six follows a story designed and written by the Dungeon Master Harry McEntire.{{Cite web|url=https://doras.to/naturalsix/lore|title=Natural Six | Welcome to Reliquae |website=Doras.to}} Initially conceived for a series of offline D&D sessions, the group turned it into an actual play series once McEntire shared his initial plans for the story.

Thousands of years ago, the Gods were locked in a divine war as the embodiments of good (The Virtuous), evil (The Vile), and order and chaos (The Wild) did battle. After millennia, The Virtuous were victorious and ushered in the Immortal Peace, consigning the memory of evil to history. Driven by a desire to use their divine power to create, rather than destroy, they called into existence Reliquiae, a great fertile crater surrounded on all sides by a ring of impassable mountains called The Allanites.

Once peace settled, each God also brought forth a mortal race to populate this new world, imbuing them with an essence of their own divinity. Mortality flourished; cities, towns, trade routes, and centres of magic and learning sprung up as the land fed its people and the Gods offered counsel.

Yet, even during peace, the mortal realm often falls short of perfection; feuds, thefts, murders, extortions, and all manner of other ills can be found throughout the land, despite its political and religious stability. From this, The Web was born.

The Web is an organization that offers protection and procurement, at a price. Originally founded in the city of Eskalond, The Web has grown in influence and scope, expanding rapidly to spread itself across the continent. It is known by many as the last refuge of the desperate. If a farmer owes a debt they cannot pay, if a family wishes to settle an age-old score, or a scholar longs to recover something lost long ago, they seek the silken embrace of The Web.

Those who wish to avail themselves of The Web's services can pay in gold or time. Many of the debts of those paying "the time price" pledge years of their life or even subsequent generations of their family.

The story starts by following the stories of five heroes as they begin their mission.

Natural Six is formed of six principal cast members—one Dungeon Master and five player characters{{cite web | url=https://artificialtwenty.com/2024/04/06/natural-six-review-voices-of-geralt-clive-rosfield-and-more-shine-in-dd-5e-series/ | work=Artificial Twenty | title=Why 'Natural Six' Is The Newest 'D&D' Show You Should Be Watching | date=6 April 2024 }}

• Harry McEntire - Dungeon Master
• Doug Cockle - Kelnys – Dragonborn druid
• Ben Starr - Raidion Thornbear – Wood Elf wizard
• Aoife Wilson - Dolly DeWinter – Tiefling bard
• Alex Jordan - I – Kobold rogue
• Hollie Bennett - Endellion Rinnan ("Elli") – Human fighter

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|www.naturalsix.net}}
• {{YouTube|handle=NaturalSix}}
• {{Twitch|id=NaturalSix}}

Category:2024 web series debuts

Category:Twitch (service) livestreams

Category:2020s YouTube series

Category:Dungeons & Dragons actual play