y Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian
09-24-24
The fantasy role playing game Dungeons and Dragons became popular in the mid-70s throughout the 198o’s with players taking on the medieval avatars such as fighters wielding swords and magic users with wands casting spells. Most of the action occurring in a game of Dungeons and Dragons referred to as D&D occurs in one’s imagination.
The Uvalde Hesperian visited El Progreso Memorial Library on Thursday. September 19th to observe a game of Dungeons and Dragons being played.
Each character is represented by a piece of paper or on a smartphone app listing various attributes like strength, agility and charisma all represented by numbers. The paper also lists equipment like magical swords, type of armor and other items like torches, magic potions and whatever spells (if any) the character can cast.
Each adventure is called a module and the guide for the adventures is called the dungeon master or DM. The DM is fully knowledgeable about all aspects of the game and while the players discover what’s around each corner or in each room, the DM already knows.
The DM at last week’s game was Dr. Edward “Eddie” Vazquez who seemed quite knowledgeable about the game.
Players characters can also have their own figurines that are placed on a map where rooms and hallways are revealed as the party explores new areas of a cave or dungeon.
A cave or dungeon can contain treasure, magical items as well as traps and fantastic monsters.
The module being explored last Thursday night was a created one from the dungeon master himself. Modules can be purchased also. Back in the early 80’s the basic starter set module was called Keep on the Borderlands along with the Caves of the Unknown. A famous advanced tournament module called the Tomb of Horrors was designed for advanced players.
When the characters move or take certain actions such as probing for traps or attacking a monster, the outcomes are dictated by the roll of a die. D&D has many types of dice from the four-sided die which looks like a pyramid to a 20-sided die that can generate a random number from one to 20.
Dungeons and Dragons requires a lot of imagination, thought and strategy.
Game Night at the El Progreso Memorial Library is on Thursdays from 5PM to 9PM
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