The world of Dungeons and Dragons is only possible through the power of shared story telling. Their investigation has taken them from a sleepy mining town, through damp caverns, through wild forests and to an abandoned ruin of a village where a dragon has made his lair. The party is tracking their missing Dwarven employer who was captured by a band of goblins.

This week the companions trekked across dangerous, forested wilderness on their way to gather some key information at an abandoned town a few days’ march to the north. Rather than quietly staring a screen and clicking buttons on a controller, the YMCA Academy Dungeons and Dragons Club members cooperatively scour maps, lay out plans, brainstorm solutions, and tackle enemies all through the power of imagination. Instead of being powered by a computer or gaming console, Dungeons and Dragons games unfold in the minds of a group of people through shared story telling.

The classic fantasy strategy game, Dungeons and Dragons, has made a major come back at the YMCA Academy. At my school, however, we sit around a table with pencils, paper and dice. Video games may have become the norm for most high school students looking for the thrill of solving puzzles, navigating political intrigue, and combating evil monsters.

Dungeons and dragons club middle school