Before the popularity of online gaming and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), many role-players got their fix playing table-top games. Dungeons and Dragons is perhaps the most well renowned of all.  At their peak in the past decade, the games were commonly found and joining a campaign was easy.

With the emergence of computer gaming, table-top games have seen a decline in players.  However, a few table-top gaming groups have surfaced at Lafayette.  One is led by junior Josh Key, the  group’s founder and Dungeon Master.

This group was created in December 2012, and has been playing weekly games of Dungeons and Dragons since.

Key, as the Dungeon Master-or, essentially, the narrator and facilitator of the competition-controls the games and their rules.

“I do know the rules pretty well, but I mostly just make up my own,” Key said.

Despite the common belief that Dungeons and Dragons is a difficult game to learn, Key feels differently.

“It’s a lot simpler than it sounds,” Key said.

For junior Sara Ruby, a newcomer to Key’s Dungeons and Dragons club, the game presents a daunting yet exciting challenge.

“Just creating a character kind of terrified me. [Key] explained it to me and he helped me create the character, but I’m still nervous about going to play this game with people who know what they’re doing.”

With prior table top gaming experience though, Ruby feels after settling in and learning the rules she’ll be comfortable playing the game.