Dungeons & Dragons, it’s a thing that people are aware of but not everyone really understands what it is so in this blog we’re going to get to the bottom of it.
Well, what is it?
Dungeons & Dragons (or DnD as it’s known as) is basically a gaming system. In it, one person is the Dungeon Master (or DM) and the others will be the players. Each player will control a single character and using rules and an array of dice will make their way as a group of adventurers in a fantasy world experiencing a world with the DM as their guide.
The type of game that DnD is widely known as is a Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) and a usual game will be played over a series of sessions as an ongoing campaign. Players are encouraged to act as their character would as individual adventurers in an adventuring party and will overcome trials and tribulations to become more powerful. As they do so they will continue on their adventures and meet harder opponents and grander situations.
I hear it’s popular, why is that?
Different people have various theories on why DnD is so popular, we like to think it’s the inherent story-telling aspect of the game.
If there is one thing that brings people together it is their mutual interest in narrative and stories. We all love an engrossing plotline, otherwise why would the film and TV industry be so popular? Imagine being one of the leads in your favourite drama, but no longer just a bystander watching it unfold instead, a contributor to the story. This is what DnD does for you no longer are you removed from the action by just watching it, you are in control of the narrative, deciding what the characters say and do.
You have complete freedom to be who you want to be and to do what you want to do, within reason. Each character will have their own strengths and weaknesses and if you want to perform an action then you will roll a dice and depending on how good your character is at that kind of action and how well you roll you will either succeed or fail and the story will continue…
Is this a new thing?
Not at all, DnD has been around since 1974 and has gone through a number of revisions and hence new editions in that time. It quickly became notorious, so much so that in the early 80’s Steven Spielberg featured it in his film E.T. and (likely due to this) more recently the 80’s based drama, Stranger Things lent heavily into this nostalgia by having the main cast be players of DnD.
Its popularity has waxed and waned over the years but there has always been a dedicated fanbase. Since its inception other roleplaying games systems have also been created but none have quite hit the heights of public awareness that DnD has.
During the pandemic there was a clear upsurge in the popularity of DnD as the game was taken off of tables and on to screens. People used video conferencing to play the game remotely with their friends and thus stay connected in a time of being distanced, very much a lifeline to normality in an otherwise trying time.
Bringing people together through shared experiences is what DnD is truly about.
So, can I come in and pick up a set of DnD and play it?
Afraid not! Due to its nature, to play DnD you’ll need a dedicated DM to create a story to play through and a group of friends who will regularly turn up to play through it.
We do get regular groups book tables in our cafes to play through their own campaigns and we love to see this but you can’t just turn up and play. This summer we ARE running a special just for groups like these, so check out the new deal on this recent update.
But wait, I’ve seen posters about sessions in my local cafe, what’s that all about?
Ah, yes, well, we’ve teamed up with groups of professional DMs to bring you one shot evenings across our cafes. What this entails is a session that is contained within one evening rather than a long term campaign that even those who have never played before can get involved in.
Buy yourself a ticket to one of these events and you’ll be led through an adventure over the course of an evening with like-minded individuals and you can get a taste of what DnD is all about. We’ve even got special offers going on over the summer for these too… check them out here.
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We believe DnD should be for everyone and that’s why we run these events, get in touch with your inner storyteller, book yourself a seat and come along and get involved. Who knows, it may just be what you need.