Club spotlight: Dungeons and Dragons thrives at Dulaney

Anne Wang, Staff Writer
February 10, 2020

“Can we play D&D now?” Fans of “Stranger Things” may have heard of this iconic line, but now students can play Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) in a club at Dulaney.

Every Tuesday from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the satellite cafeteria, students embark on an adventure immersed in the fantastical world of D&D.

D&D is a tabletop role-playing game that combines elements of turn-based combat where a simple roll of a die can determine outcomes. Each player has a character sheet with stats and abilities. As many students trudge through the vicissitudes of the high school life, D&D offers a great escape to relax and socialize with peers in the midst of antisocial phone behavior.

“They take all the mechanics of a video game and put it into a pretty robust table-top game, and it gives you even more freedom than a video game,” said Advisor Timothy Guest.

The game began in the 80s and has evolved through many versions, similar to how a video game receives new updates. However, the game had a stigma for its fantasy “antibiblical” elements behind it back then. Now, people are breaking away from the negative connotation as the game has soared in popularity. Unbeknownst to many, increasing amounts of students are playing D&D in their free time as a hobby.

“Giving them a club that they can clearly go and get help from other people who’ve played it before or just learn how it plays or even enter a game– that would probably be the best part of the club right there,” said Guest.

The game has even built upon family bonds.

“I joined D&D because my brother plays and it gives us something to bond over,” said senior Jules Gill.

In addition to family bonds, the club is also notable for its unique structure. Although D&D still has traditional officers like President and Vice President to organize the meetings, there is a special position called Dungeon Master (DM) who runs the game, leading the quest. The atmosphere is also laid back as members don’t need to have prior experience playing the game since the community is inclusive to all members.

“It’s not a strict meeting and conclusion event. It opens up a new side to school where you can develop your imagination in situational issues,” said Gill.

Whether it’s by destiny, chance or “Stranger Things”, D&D is here to stay.