Through Darkest Dungeons Are Formed The Greatest Friends

What interests do you hold as a person? Do you like imagining far away realms where magic can occur? Do you like looking at old maps and wondering what it must be like to inhabit those places? Do you enjoy artistic and crafty endeavors showing the beauty of the world in microcosm? You are here reading this story and quite possibly many others hosted on this platform, so I am willing to bet that you enjoy good story telling. And who among us does not? With the film industry raking in billions of dollars every year, it is safe to say that the world puts a lot of value on stories. And there is no better medium to tell stories than Table Top Role Playing Games (or TTRPGs)!

As a child I always loved books and reading but found it to be a solitary act. My preference always seemed to deviate towards films more. Heresy, I know. A significant portion of this problem arose out of the fact that my eyes would try reading faster than my brain could compute, and I would end up having to read lines 3 and 4 times over, interrupting the flow of the story. But I love the way that a movie can engage both your eyes and ears simultaneously. I love how by the act of a films creation you come to associate images with sounds as your brain intertwines the two as synonymous. I love the way they can transport you to a completely different realm. I love how they can create messages so powerful that they will continue to resonate with you for years to come. But best of all, you can share your experiences with others who had seen the same film as you as a common cultural touchstone, sometimes in the very same moment of the viewing. I love the community that can form from these common cultural touchstones and the fascinating conversations that can take place as a result of reflecting on these works of moving art. There is just so much to love about films! But for as amazing as films are, Table Top Role Playing Games can be infinitely better!!!

For those who are unaware, Table Top Role Playing Games are a specific type of game that allows a group of players to use their creativity to develop protagonists and embark on “adventures” that another person (generally referred to as a Game Master, although this can change from game to game) creates. “Adventures” can include fights with enemies, puzzles, acting as a character, or exploring a vast and mysterious world. Though there are exceptions even to this rule, as unlike in video games, or books where one cannot explore the boundaries outside of the creator’s restrictions, TTRPGs allow occasionally allow players the agency to move outside the boundaries originally intended by the creator, or in this case Game Master. Notice that the aforementioned protagonists and challenges are devoid of any genre defining settings or language, which is one of the most beautiful parts of any TTRPG system. The rules which are defined by game designers of these TTRPGs (generally called sourcebooks) are merely a framework to make sure that this remains a game. But there is no requirement that the game must take place in any one locale, setting or genre. Generally, the games assume that if you have enough drive you can “reskin” (meaning to aesthetically alter the appearance or function of certain lore, rules, or mechanics) the rules, enemies and mechanics to create a world that feels all your own. Some of the more popular TTRPGs tend to have a default setting of Western medieval fantasy. But nothing in the books says that you must play in that setting. I have seen people take the system and run urban fantasy games in New York City. I have seen people run games in a setting that felt as if it was straight out of 50’s and up to the 80’s. I even saw one case of someone running a game with a Wild West theme. The endless possibilities of these systems allows for the creator to develop all sorts of ideas for stories they otherwise would not have been able to develop. The rules are merely guidelines that provide the structure by which you can create countless settings, worlds, challenges, and more, their versatility ensuring that you can never run out of possibilities so long as you have the mind to imagine it.

But why should you join a TTRPG game if given a chance? Because it is a chance for you to share in a collaborative (but not always co-operative) story with your friends. If you are currently thinking of your friends and imagining a bunch of monkeys smashing and throwing typewriters around the room, and cringing in horror, know that I sympathize. However, I would reassure you that sometimes, the level of chaos that seems so scary in real life can lead to the most hilarious stories. Personally, it led me and a few of my friends to be able to release a creature of pure fire to wreak havoc on a castle, and in its wake, allow others of our crew to steal a large sum of wealth from the castle’s treasury. After being paid and walking out of the castle’s earshot, my character and the character played by my best friend proceeded to jab and jeer at each other about who was the better combatant, and who was from the better side of a mountain until they fell asleep (this happened a lot). However, upon realizing that none of the castle’s denizens seemed to blame us for setting the creature loose, we decided to eliminate the creature ourselves. As a result, we got paid twice, once from theft, and once from “proactive” mercenary work. No video game I am aware of has ever let a player create that level of chicanery. And no book could ever make me feel as if I were solely responsible for the actions of the character of my own choosing, even if it were a choose your own adventure book. Not only that, but we created this moment collaboratively and there was a certain intimate bond that occurred at the table as we all shared this moment, akin to giving a heartfelt gift to a friend. This was just one of many experiences I have been able to share with my friends, some of whom I would not have known existed, if not for this game.

For all the amazing monsters you can slay, and feats of prowess you can execute, worlds you can explore, some of the most meaningful moments are the most mundane, when two characters try connecting and empathizing with one another, or even fight with one another. But isn’t that just like real life, we need to slow down and appreciate the mundane moments we have with the people we love and cherish every word, celebrate every success, and empathize and weep with every loss that those around us suffer. And TTRPGs can model that, they can allow individuals who would normally have no experience interacting with a type of person, or as a type of person, to embody something new and different than themselves, potentially sparking greater empathy for those around themselves they otherwise, would have overlooked.

Furthermore, several people have found that there are some therapeutic benefits to TTRPGs. People can create characters that are idealized versions of themselves or have similar struggles that they have. Through the process of playing this game and either acting braver or externalizing their struggles into a game in which immediate successes over their struggles can be measured, empowers people to be more like their characters and dig deeper into wells of courage as a sort of mirroring behavior. Their thought process might resemble the following, “If my imaginary character could change their lives for the better, why should I be barred from progress in real life?” It can also assist others in understanding unique perspectives of other people when they interact with a character that has unique struggles.

So do not ignore the call to adventure. Pursue the desire to craft a story. Seek out community and collective experiences with your friends that you can share for years to come. Go explore amazing worlds, defeat powerful foes, and solve unfathomable puzzles. Go play a TTRPG and change your life for the better today!