The clatter of dice intermingles with the sounds of electronic music as players eagerly await their game master's next words. He pauses for a moment, his face creased in thought, then leans forward. “An eight?” 

He pauses again, then describes one player's character attempting to link minds with the horrific monster they've been hunting for two sessions. Two players begin making frantic notes while the others listen in rapt attention. 

All in an evening's work for D&D Club.

D&D, which stands for Dungeons & Dragons, is a kind of game known as a tabletop role-playing game. William Heaton, a member of the club since its early days, describes these games as “a collaborative storytelling game where you get to be silly and serious with friends.”

Spencer Corry, a former member of the club, says he plays D&D because of the creative freedom it allows him. “I like creating stories and sharing my stories with friends.” Now, he runs his own game for his fiancee and friends.

Kait Owen, another member of the club, says she also loves engaging with her fellow players both inside and outside of the game. She tells me, “I've met lifelong friends through playing D&D!”

It's not surprising how much this idea of telling stories and making friends appeals to SUU students, especially those in the creative arts programs. The club currently has multiple games running every Wednesday evening, with options available on other days for busy students. 

Each session has between four to six players under the guidance of a game master, who creates the world and acts as a sort of narrator for the players. Despite its name, however, D&D Club sessions can choose whatever game system they want to run. 

Heaton says the best game system he ever played wasn't very similar to Dungeons and Dragons at all. “There were no classes or pre-made spells or weapons or anything. It was all based on points and you used points to build your character, weapons, and their abilities using the rules in the book. It had so much math I got tired of it,” he laughs, adding that “the game we played was so much fun.”

So why should other SUU students try out D&D or other such systems? Nicholas Hokanson, the club's current president, believes it's a great way to take a break. “You get to roleplay as a character in a world of someone else's creation.”

Heaton agrees, humorously adding that you can also “avoid money for a therapist by projecting onto your character.”