I played Dungeons & Dragons this evening and it was so much fun. Seriously… so much fun…
But – I’m getting ahead of myself…
Dungeons & Dragons (DnD… or D&D) is a TTRPG where players collaboratively create and play characters in a… shared fantasy world – and, while it used to be a game spoken about in hushed tones between dorks like you, it’s just no longer the case. DnD is out and about in the community – with millions of players and a robust society of dedicated players.
D&D is like an interactive fantasy story where you and your… friends get to be the heroes. You make up your own characters… with unique abilities and personalities. You go on adventures in a made-up world filled with monsters, magic, and mysteries.
The DM ( Dungeon Master… or GM – Game Master) describes this world and sets the challenges, and you decide what your characters do in response. You roll dice to see if you succeed at things like fighting monsters, solving puzzles, or persuading NPCs (non-player characters) to help you in your quest.
I’ve always wanted to play DnD… but never really had the… people around me that wanted to play as well. It’s not like any of my family or friends wanted to join the quest to save the Faire or find out what’s in that Haunted House – but I did… and now I am.
But why Dungeons and Dragons?
It’s a game of imagination and teamwork, where anything can happen, and the outcome depends on your choices and a bit of luck with the dice. It doesn’t matter if you want to explore ancient ruins, battle dragons, uncover hidden treasures, or engage in political intrigue… D&D lets you craft your very own epic stories and adventures. There is an element that I find so intriguing… it’s unlike any other game I’ve played… but it’s hard to describe… like song lyrics you used to know and yet you still can’t find the song you’re after.
It’s not like Warhammer – where it’s you against another… it’s the teamwork and social element that can be missing from other games… Fallout 76 – good concept, poorly executed… working together to achieve a common goal is very rewarding… and games like Baulder’s Gate or Diablo seem to provide the social interaction… if you have friends to play it with… did I mention I don’t have many friends?
Back to the story…
So I played D&D tonight and I had a great time with complete strangers. I spent 3 hours talking to people I barely know and together… together we killed some giant weasels… I mean.. we did other stuff but mainly… it was the weasels.
The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is a Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) adventure module originally published in 1981 for the first edition of the game. And, before you wonder… No, I didn’t choose it but it sounded fun!
In this campaign, our unlikely band of misfits are tasked with investigating a… seemingly abandoned but haunted house mansion thing on the outskirts of the coastal town of Saltmarsh. We started our session learning about the town and the death of a mercenary. The… council… has tasked us with finding out what happened. The information we gained by asking questions, leading us to two possible stories. The mercenary had a brother who disappeared after their death. They were described as taking on a job to clear the old haunted house where the alchemist used to live. The other story is that they were a prisoner who escaped… so that’s weird right? We learned about the Alchemist and asked a bunch of questions of the NPC’s – probably nothing useful but we asked anyway…
The night was not without mistakes, though. My overall n00bieness slowed everyone – and everything – down. And yet, they persisted with me. I would provide a general prompt without a specific action and confuse everyone… but they would calmly explain where I had gone wrong and what I had to do…
We managed to trek to the haunted house but my dumb ass wanted to investigate the roses and some giant weasels decided to jump out. The rest of the evening was spent not trying to die while watching my companions *almost* die… A couple of lucky rolls completely changed the battlefield and I’m a little proud to say that I … kinda saved the day… no… really!!!
I’m genuinely excited to see where this campaign takes us. The people I’ve been playing with are really patient with me and take the time to explain what I need to do & why… They’ve patiently explained all the… little things that new players might not understand. And I appreciate that so so much.
I’m sure, as we explore the haunted house, we will uncover a series of mysteries and secrets that lead to a larger and more dangerous conspiracy taking us on quite the adventure… I like that the game combines elements of investigation, exploration, and combat as we work to unravel the mysteries of the haunted house and its connection to the alchemist and town.
Without giving away any spoilers – because honestly, you should absolutely play this campaign – the adventure will offer any RPG dork, or nerd, opportunities for role-playing, puzzle-solving, and combat encounters – all while meeting new people and taking some well-needed downtime. Because you deserve that.
Till next time.
P.S – I’m level two. >.<