My uncle is the kind of man who it’s nearly impossible to get a good gift for.

He wants for basically nothing, and the few desires that occasionally pop up for him are immediately satisfied by a quick trip to the store, far before anyone can even think about getting them for him.

Back in 2018 I knew I wanted to get him a great birthday gift, as a thank you for taking me in as a teenager; for giving me a home and a supportive family. I knew that he loved the actual play series Critical Role, and that he had watermarks on his desk where he put his soda every day. I also knew that I was eighteen and unemployed, so I couldn’t afford any official merchandise. So I scrounged up some tools, bought the cheapest pine rounds off Amazon, and taught myself how to make my own coasters.

I burned them slowly over a few weeks, and sealed them with mineral oil. They’ve developed cracks from aging, and I didn’t bother to put any kind of feet or padding on the underside so they really are just wood discs. But for a first project, I think they have held up pretty well. Well enough, at least, that they’re still scattered around my aunt and uncle’s home 8 years later.