Imagine this, you and your friends are on a journey in a dangerous jungle. There are poisonous mushrooms, animals you’ve never heard of, and you’re on your way to slay a dragon that has taken over a neighboring community. Next week, maybe you and your friends are in a foreign night market competing in challenges to become famous for the day. The sights and sounds are unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, there is vibrant color, languages you’ve never heard, and foods you’ve never tasted. 

While a lot of us escape into new worlds by reading, there is an even more immersive way to escape into a fantasy world. Tabletop role playing games allow you and your friends to tell a story together, while describing what your character is doing in the world. The most popular is Dungeons and Dragons where you and your friends tell a story about heroes, villains, monsters, and adventures. Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) isn’t just for nerds and the kids from Stranger Things. People of all ages and backgrounds play DnD and other tabletop role playing games. 

This semester has been Dungeons & Dragons heavy for our teen programs. We’re playing a one-shot adventure on the first Saturday of every month, which is an easy place to start for teens new to the world of TTRPGs. Can’t make it to one of our sessions? The library has resources for you and your friends to play your own games. If you’ve always wanted to play a tabletop role playing game, DnD is a great starting point, however it is not the only choice in the world of TTRPGs. All TTRPG manuals and game settings we have are available in our adult non-fiction section. 

Pathfinder (Games/RP/Pat) has the second largest following after Dungeons and Dragons (Games/RP/Dun) and is a fantasy setting where adventurers are trying to make their way in a world of evil and magic. If you love HP Lovecraft, then the Call of Cthulhu (Games/RP/Cal) is for you. In this TTRPG, the players are “investigators” trying to figure out this supernatural setting surrounded by Lovecraft’s aesthetics and mythologies. Vampire: The Masquerade (non-fiction Games/RP/Vam) are for those who have always wanted to live in a world with vampires. There are rival factions and vampire hunters that the players must evade and plot against.  

After you check out these resources, everything else you’ll need can easily be found free online, making this a great no cost option for your next game night!