By Riley Rath 

I can count on one hand how many DND sessions have NOT included an uproar of laughter. 

DND may have been for social outcasts in the 80's, but it has never been anti-social. It's a chance to get together with friends and do something other than watch a movie/sports or day drink (fresh pressed wheat grass, of course). 

DND is fun, social, and can be incredibly funny. And usually that is enough to get someone even remotely curious in giving it a try. 

But after a few sessions, a lot of new players say things like, "Wow, that was fun! But it's kinda only a silly game… not sure I want to make it a weekly/monthly priority." 

But it is so much more, and it can be so much more. 

There is a huge, additional benefit DND brings to me, and one I have witnessed in so many other dungeon masters and murder hobos. 

And I'll show you by telling a story from one of my home 5e games. 

 It begins with my players smack dab in the middle of a head-scratching mystery… 

They had recently discovered a secret, cult-ish order (which everyone knows are the best secret orders) that was manipulating a horde of hobgoblins into continuing a needless, bloody war. 

But while they knew it existed, they knew little of its members; it's hierarchy and its motive for perpetuating the conflict remained unknown.  

After asking around the city, they learned of a noble ball, a black-tie affair, that was being thrown by the noble Carrar Family at their mansion situated on a hill in the middle of the city. 

And how fortuitous… all of their "suspects" were to be in attendance! 

So dawning their disguises, and smuggling their weapons and spell casting focuses… they infiltrated the party… and boy-howdy was it a party. 

Music from a full orchestra, dancing under glass chandeliers, the champagne and caviar flowed like rivers. The Great Gatsby himself would blush. 

And so the party got to work… joining in the fun: 

• The bard's dazzling lute-solo was met with thundering applause… 
• The half-orc stole away a voracious baroness for NSFW… 
• The warlock displayed her sharp wit in casual conversations, eventually "befriending" an allied spy lurking in the Lord's private library… 

But one character (the rogue... duh) was NOT partying it up late into the night. 

Rather than rubbing shoulders with the richest in the kingdom, they were slumming it with the rats in the walls. They had snuck past the servants… snuck past the guards… snuck past any and all magic security… and was now navigating a maze of secret passageways. 

Their efforts paid off when, deep beneath the mansion, he discovered a secret stone basement… 

A tattered tapestry that was once glorious had been torn, burned, rotted, and defaced… 

The slain carcass of a goat lied on the floor, its dried blood filling the intricate, ancient rune etched into the stone. 

A small, delicate tome next to a shattered inkwell and quill. 

This was no mere dungeon... the air itself filled with evil. 

Knowing he was running out of time (the party didn't want to make TOO much of an impression) the rogue committed the basement to memory, tore off some of the tapestry, and grabbed the tome below. 

And one by one, they slipped away, dashing through the city streets to their warehouse. 

After a good night's rest, they shared their tales and they discovered the journal belonged to the lady of the home… who had publicly and terribly committed suicide just a month earlier. 

My players asked, "I read the book… what's in it?" 

"This is in it," I replied, and sent them a Google doc. 

A Google Doc titled: "The Journal of Lady Carrar." 

And it was 45 pages. 

You see, rather than just having them roll an intelligence check, I had written out significant portions of this lady's journal… entry… after entry… after entry. 

It detailed her fall from grace… and descent into horror. 

She had one son, and though he was immoral she treasured him with all her heart. So when he committed a shameful act, she went to extreme lengths to ensure her son would never be behind bars and his accuser would be silenced forever. 

But overtime her guilt consumed her, throwing her into dispair… Her only hope being the strange promises of the leader of a sect… her being drawn deeper and deeper into the sect by its charismatic leader… and her horror when she understands exactly WHO she is serving… and what they plan to do… 

Clues… adventure hooks… plot reveals… all buried in the journal… but it was up to the players to find them… 

I share this story not because I am too-cool-for-school… I imagine many players may find it excessive or an annoying part of the story! 

I am also not sharing it out of some spiteful opinion that most DMs aren't doing enough to add detail and flavor to their players' world. 

And honestly, the vast majority of the time, I would suggest just having players roll an intelligence check. 

I share this story for this reason alone: 

Table top role playing games are an AMAZING creative outlet. 

Everyone knows about the imagination, role-playing, and evocative descriptions. Many more know you can paint minis, build terrain, and… of course, there is the all-important (and all-consuming) world building. 

But there are so many more avenues to develop creativity. 

To my own amazement, I had a BLAST creating a fictional journal with dozens of pages and entries, thousands of words depicting a poor woman's descent into horror and madness. 

I know a lot of people who have written histories and poems, pretending they were J.R.R. and designed languages. Some have made a career out of drawing player characters, and anyone who can sketch or paint can depict a stand-out moment from their party's latest session.  

Hell… a friend of mine developed the wedding culture tradition for dwarves! 

So the next time someone says "what a silly game," tell them "NO." 

"It's not a silly game." 

"It's a silly game AND the best and most diverse creative outlet out there." 

"And you should play with us :-)" 

Riley Rath 

Riley is a freelance copywriter, content writer, and marketer based out of Spokane, WA. He is thankful to have the opportunity to combine his passion for imaginative role-playing to help FLGS, tabletop, board game, and D&D related businesses communicate their distinct value to players everywhere. When not playing or writing about board games or DnD, he is busy hiking, cooking, and gardening... very hobbit-like for a 6'4" dude. 

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