If you've ever sat around a table with others, virtual or otherwise, to engage in an open-ended adventure limited only by your imagination (and the flexibility of your Game Master), then you know the joyful satisfaction that can arise from such sessions. If not, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.
If you are truly new to the concept of table-top role playing games it is not a difficult one to grasp, although there are rules that you will learn as you go along. At it's core, you are playing a character in an adventure within a framework established by your Game Master (GM). For instance, it might start with a set-up such as "You are a human wizard. You and your two friends, an elven ranger and a dwarf fighter are camped out for the night in the woods on your way to the city. Before you doze off, you hear a ruckus coming from behind a tree, just out of view from the campfire. What do you do?".
You may decide to get closer and see what's going on, and that's when your skills kick in. Your GM may ask you to make a Perception check, one of the skills you may have in the game, and how well you do will be determined by the roll of a die...usually the famous 20-sided die common in tabletop role-playing games. If you roll a 3, the GM may say..."You squint into the darkness but can't make out anything". If you a 17, the GM may say "You peer at the source of the noise and don't see anything at first, but just before you turn your gaze away you catch the glint of two wolf-like eyes staring back at you".
From there it's up to you....do you immediately awaken your friends? Do you run away? Do you attack? It's all up to you. What ensues may be a challenging struggle for survival against a wild beast, or a cautious attempt to calm and befriend a new ally. Maybe the wolf-like creature isn't quite what it seems and takes you in a whole new direction.
The beauty of this is that every game can lead you into a totally new and unexpected story. More often than not, the combined imaginations of everyone at the table result in entertaining situations that far exceed anything you'd find in a movie or fantasy book. And the fact that you are part of the story telling process makes it a far more satisfying experience.
And it's not just a story. There will be challenges, subterfuge, battles, puzzles, diplomacy, and laughter which will engage your mind, emotions, and soul in a way that few other activities can do. The result can be not just a good time with friends, but a measurable change in wellness. This is what we want everyone to experience and why we feel this can be a great way for people to improve their social, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Or at the very least just have a good time.
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