The El Paso Main Library Hosts Dungeons and Dragons Nights Twice A Month

The wagon cover around you rustles and shakes as you calm your breath. The guards still have no idea you've hitched a ride in their wagon, an anxious bead of sweat rolls off of your forehead, dangling for a moment on a hair from your eyebrow before plopping against the iron cuffs shackled to your friends wrists. You are confident in your lockpicking skills, but the wagon is filled with other prisoners watching as you fumble your tools with every rock the wheels tumble over. Suddenly, a prisoner whispers at you…a low rumble of a voice ripples toward you above the clatter of wagon sounds. 

“Undo mine too or I shout for the guards.”

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Reality settles in, you are sitting at a table with 5 friends watching with anticipation to see your next move. One of your friends, the one leading the story, asks for a dice roll to see if you are successful at picking the lock off of your friend's wrist, he reminds you that you need a 10 or higher to succeed. You roll a 20 sided die and it lands on a 6…but wait! The skill you rolled for is one you're good at so you get to add an extra 4 points to this roll! You succeed but just barely…

Grizz

The shackles clink open and your friend quietly sets them on the floor of the wagon hoping the guards don't hear her. She starts sneaking past you to quietly leave out of the back without the guards noticing. You turn and look towards the low grumble from earlier and this large beast of a creature lifts up his arms and presents his wrist shackles to you. 

You're just about to start lockpicking, because it's the best chance to get out of here quietly. Your friend grabs your shoulder and whispers loudly. 

“If we move fast enough we can get out of here before the guards have time to see us. Lets GO!”

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The beast with its hands up hears the whole thing. His pointy ears perk and his hands grab your closest arm with an incredible grip. It feels like a gargoyle clenched you in its hands and turned to stone. You can't move, you turn to tell your friend to get the hell out of the wagon but the moment your mouth starts to form the words, the beast bellows out into the night, shaking the cart with just its voice. 

The guards stop the cart immediately, you and your friend are thrown forward as you hear their feet stomping towards the back of the wagon. The tarp flaps whip open and as the guards discover you, you hear the voice of your friend at the table: "Roll for initiative, you’ll have to fight your way out of this."

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This is what it looks like to play Dungeons and Dragons, the game is all about creating a fantasy story with a group of people and making each one of you the writer of this fable by giving you a character to create and a purpose to strive for. 

Together your crew battles against powerful forces and creates a whole world based on your actions. 

If you've ever thought of stepping into this world but you don't have a crew to team up with, well The El Paso Public Library has some news for you! The 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month are officially D&D nights and new players ages 13 and up are more than welcome to join!! 

Courtesy of El Paso Museum of History

If you're eager to know how the story ends, you'll have to get down to the library and start it.