New D&D Club finds early popularity

Marie Wakefield, Special Contributor

November 20, 2024

President Patty Weir explains the course of action during the game. Physical props, such as squishies and Post-It notes, are sometimes used to enhance the game.

Imagine preparing to cast a fire spell as you battle a fiendish beast bent on your destruction. Your mind races and your hand tightens around your wizard’s staff as you ponder the option that will give you the best chance of survival.

Now, imagine all this taking place during the D&D Club (Thursday, Flex B) within the walls of Jeri Clay’s science classroom. Clay has never played Dungeons and Dragons, but still agreed to be the sponsor when approached by freshman Patty Weir, who founded the club this year.

“I’m just an adult with a room,” Clay said.

Weir was involved in the D&D club in middle school. When she found out there wasn’t one at Kingwood Park, she decided to change that.

“I saw they didn’t have any [D&D clubs],” Weir said. “And I thought that there’s definitely a lot of D&D people that are here.”

While there were many students interested, one of the early struggles the club faced was the issue of membership as people dropped out due to other commitments. Seventeen students, however, remained and continue to meet weekly for games and fun.

“I love how goofy we can get,” freshman Charlie Crass said.

Dungeons and Dragons, D&D for short, is an adventure role play game. There is a minimum of three characters and a Dungeon Master. The Dungeon Master is the storyteller that weaves the narrative in which the characters interact with the circumstances the Dungeon Master has set out. For example, the Dungeon Master determines what your quest will be and the background behind it.

Sam Lewton holds his set of D&D dice. Typical sets include variations like triangle dice, pentagon dice, and dodecahedron dice. (Marie Wakefield)

“You’re writing a story with other people,” said Weir, who serves as the Dungeon Master and president of the club.

Dice are also a major component of the games. There are several variations, including a triangle-shaped dice and even a dodecahedron shaped dice called D20. D20 is the most important dice in the game, determining circumstances or statistics like how much visibility, strength, speed or intelligence you have, and even the effectiveness of your attack.

“So basically, your life is a gamble,” Crass said.

The club meets Thursday Flex B in room 2403, and people who join don’t need to know how to play.

“Everyone can come here, and if they have experience, they can play, and if they don’t we will teach them,” Weir said. “The club is very fun and we try to do activities as much as possible.”

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