D&D Casts Its Spell on Millikan
Players role dice to calculate how much damage their character do.
February 28, 2023
With AP German posters taped to the walls and chairs strewn about, Mr. Strout’s bungalow 579 might not seem like the perfect spot for Dungeon & Dragons sessions at first glance, but every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at lunch, it becomes the backdrop for students to run their own D&D campaigns.
“Everyone here found out that they all liked D&D or were at the least curious about it and wanted to try,” says Strout.
Dungeons & Dragons, typically shortened to D&D, is a tabletop fantasy game with almost fifty years worth of history. From its rise in the 70s and 80s to its long legacy of pop culture imagery in series’ like “Stranger Things” and “Community,” it’s proven time and time again that it has what it takes to remain relevant decades after its first publication in 1973.
So it’s no surprise that it has a fanbase here at Millikan!
“It’s a collaborative storytelling experience,” says QUEST junior Nyeli Patilda. “I love how you get to tell a story together and everyone’s got input; it’s never gonna go the same way twice.”
Mr. Strout first opened his classroom up to his German students interested in playing D&D back in 2021. Since then, they’ve been spending their lunch periods playing together.
What makes playing special to these students is the creative nature of D&D. Players get to create their own original characters. Instead of following a strict rulebook like most tabletop games, their campaigns are organized and written by a Dungeon Master. This allows students to express their creativity and let their imaginations run wild.
“It feels like I’m a part of a movie,” says SEGA junior Elijah Fullbright. “It’s great because there’s an almost infinite amount of combinations of what you can have and everything you can do.”
This group has been playing together for over a year. While some are relatively new to the hobby, others, like their Dungeon Master QUEST junior Dahlia Hardy, have grown up playing D&D.
“My uncle has been playing since he was a kid and he got me started,” says Hardy. “He sent me the starter kit and now I’ve been playing at least once a week for years.”
Everyone in the group has a unique history with the tabletop series, but were all brought together by their shared creativity and artistry. It’s a passion that they’re happy to share with others who are interested in trying out D&D.
“The best advice I could give? Just jump in! You don’t have to worry about the rules,” says Hardy. “It’s all about having fun!”
Anyone curious in playing should come to bungalow 579 during lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Kai Z Yamamoto • Mar 1, 2023 at 10:00 am
The article features the emerging pop culture of Dungeons and Dragons first made in the 1970’s. The author shares its popularity in modern shows such as “Stranger Things” and “Community.” This game has made its way to Millikan in the home of Mr. Strouts classroom, bungalow 579. Ms. Wilson quotes four members of the club to express the engagement of the game. It is all about imagination and the creativity of the game is a key part of playing. The Dungeon Master takes charge of creating the possible options, but the dice determines its fate. As a D&D member myself, six dice are primarily used but the most common is a twenty sided dice. The author slightly mentions the rules of the dice, though it wasn’t explained clearly. The rules always change in D&D and the scenario is never the same twice. Landscapes and situations alter and once you complete a task, the next challenge could be something completely different. I appreciate the author’s selection of the topic and getting photos of the club and its distinct entities. At the end, Ms. Wilson promotes the D&D club by restating the location of the club meetings and the time the members play.