| Who I Am About Me My Interests Family & Friends My Faith What I Do St. Therese School My Desk Other Aspects Art Gallery Fantasy Page News Links Song now playing: "Homeland-farmland," by Bjorn Lynne Click here to visit his web site, or check the logo at the bottom of the page This page created July 24, 2000 Last modified March 28, 2004 Picture at right: Ehlonna, goddess of the woodlands from Deities & Demigods |
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| Terrible, terrible things! Just kidding. Without writing a whole book, here's a basic explanation of what goes on during a typical D&D game, since some might wonder just what does (and doesn't) happen. The point of the game, first of all, is to have a good time using your imagination. Players first create imaginary characters for themselves, buy imaginary weapons and equipment, and basically create alter-egos for themselves. When everything is ready, the person running the game describes whatever imaginary scenario has been prepared for the characters, which at some point will always involve a kind of "hook" to get the players interested in involving their characters in the story. Such plot devices can include rescuing a missing person, finding a lost item, defeating some creature menacing a town, or whatever. These hooks form the basis (or at least the springboard) for the adventure. In terms of how the game is actually played, it could be described as a kind of conversation between the players and Dungeon Master (the person running the game). The DM normally has prepared notes and maps, detailing whatever the players might encounter. He describes not only what their characters perceive with their senses, but also takes the role of everyone and everything else in the game, from villagers to other adventurers, to every monster they meet. The players describe what their characters do in any given situation. The game progresses based on their actions. Most actions succeed or fail based on the roll of the dice. Anything that a person in real life could conceivably succeed or fail at can be attempted in the game, and most often the result is determined by a die roll. Everything from combat to climbing up a rope is done like this. There really is no "winning" the game in the conventional sense of the term, since it doesn't truly end unless a character dies. Saying that one "wins" D&D is something like saying one can "win" life; it doesn't work that way, humanly speaking -- it's a series of little victories and defeats. So it is with the game; players may successfully complete a particular adventure, but there's always another challenge waiting... Next: I've heard stories over the years about strange goings-on during the game. Does D&D encourage that? Does the game promote anything to do with the occult, or with satanism? |
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| "Just what goes on during a game?" |
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