The group assembled in sophomore Bennett Goldberg’s basement on Saturday, March 27, at 9:00 am. Six in total, each member organized their character sheets and put their dice on the table. After nearly two hours of perfecting their characters, sophomore  Ben Becker went to the head of the table and their Dungeons and Dragons meeting began.

“Welcome to Dehalal, you are in a small village called Wonderers Pass. It’s this little village akin to Riverwood from Skyrim,” Becker said. “It’s a good pit stop in between adventures. There’s a mayor by the name of Malcolm Toadstool. If Mario was a mayor, that would be him. He always carries around a stool. You’ve all assorted in town to see a public execution.” said Becker

And so began their epic day long adventure. For the past four months, a group of DHS students have regularly gathered to conquer mystical lands and fight mighty creatures. They are avid players of the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. At its core, Dungeons and Dragons is a game of storytelling. There’s one player that operates as the Dungeon Master. They envision the world that game is played in, develop the conflicts and lead the players through the story. The other players each take on fantasy characters to play as. There are 10 races that players can choose from, including human, dragonborn and elf, but players can customize the abilities and backstories of the characters as they see fit. These players use their imaginations to deal with the problems the Dungeon Master provides. Although much of their ability to accomplish their goals relies on the luck of their dice rolling, they are still able to make decisions that affect the course of the game. The rules of the game are outlined in the Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon Master Guide, and the Monster Manual

The DHS group is comprised of 5 sophomores: Jack Prebish, Jakob Flessner, Chris Tompkins, Max Goldberg, Ben Becker and Bennet Goldberg, and junior Ashley Benson. Although they have no official name, they jokingly call themselves the Dice Jockeys or DJs. The group was formed by Prebish.

“My dad . . .when he was a kid he played Dungeons and Dragons with his friends,” Prebish said. “Instead of bedtime stories he would have a Dungeon for us and we would go through it, although following none of the rules, because we were like five . . . At one point I decided, ‘why don’t I just bring that to my friend group? I think it’ll be pretty fun.’ I went online and I bought all the books. Then I said, ‘hey guys, do you want to play Dungeons and Dragons.’”

Prebish saw the game as an opportunity to bring out the more adventurous side in his friends. He describes his experience of playing Dungeons and Dragons as an exciting, hyper reality.

“Imagine giving Red Bull to an asylum, it is hectic to say the least,” said Prebish. “People get into it and there’s a lot that we don’t know and the group I play with happens to be mostly a little hyper to say the least.” Prebish said.

Prebish operated as the groups’ first Dungeon Master. But the DJs like to give all interested players a chance to lead the game. Ben Becker is the groups’ second Dungeon Master. Becker had been introduced to game by Prebish, but he has become one of the group’s most committed players.

“I like role playing games, like video games. I said, ‘why not?’ I kind of became obsessed with it. Now I’m the leader, basically. This is my life, I’m only barely exaggerating,” Becker said.

Dungeons and Dragons became an escape for these players. Many of them feel that the competitive academic world of DHS makes them lose their more imaginative side. Dungeons and Dragons offers a world where they can take on different lives and challenges that interest and excite them.

“It’s nice to live someone else’s life. Not because my life is bad, just boring sometimes. You can make it whatever you like,” Becker said.

Each player gives a specific background to their character that incorporates their favorite fantasy elements.

“I’m a half elf,” Goldberg said at the beginning of the game. “I’m good at longbows and swords. I look like Legolas with a hood and without black hair. I’m single and ready to mingle. I want to find a place where I can buy potions.”

The members are grateful that they found a culture that allows them to be silly and creative without dealing with the stress of academics. They embrace the “nerdy” culture that surrounds the game.

“If you have a background of loving really nerdy things and fantasy and role playing, this fits in really well,” Tompkins said.

Other members see Dungeons and Dragons as an opportunity to relate to others in a more comfortable way. For people who see modern people as dishonest and manipulative, role playing games can offer escape to an atmosphere with clearer objectives.

“Humans are complicated,” Prebish said. “Humans are just difficult to work with. They have their own opinions. I tend to think just a little more abstractly. Everyone’s in this big rat race. I’m going to do something fun. It’s a break from reality.”