Those of you who know me, know that I am a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's works. When I was a kid, I remember watching 'The Lord of the Rings' in theatres with my family and how impatient I was when it came to waiting for the next movie to come out. As I read 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' in middle school, Tolkien's style of writing, as complex and descriptive as it is, drew me further into the depths of this new fantasy world that he had brought to life. It amazed me how he took an idea and built upon it until he had not only a whole new world and concepts, but how he also created languages to coincide with this new world; it still does amaze me. It was Tolkien who first inspired me to start writing. Now before I go on a whole tangent about what inspired me to become a writer, let me proceed with how Tolkien and his world pertains to Dungeons and Dragons.

Most of what Dungeons and Dragons is today is very Tolkienesque, resembling or influenced by the works, ideas, or literary style of Tolkien himself. I'm very appreciative of that fact, because if it hadn't been for Tolkien, the Dungeons and Dragons world could be very different than what it is. Plus, its Tolkienesque concepts and ideals make the fantasy world of D&D exciting and end enjoyable to play, especially with friends and family. Let me explain what Dungeons and Dragons is for those of you who don't know what this actually is. D&D is a tabletop role-playing game where you can esentially create a character, with a class, race, ideals, alignment, backstory of your choosing. Once you create the character, you join other members, whether it be friends or family, to go on quests to save The Forgotten Realms. The best thing about Dungeons and Dragons is that there is more than a thousand different way to play the game and how it is played and what happens depends on the players and their DM (dungeon master). It is the most creative and immersive game that I have ever played and thoroughly enjoyed.

I think part of the reason I enjoy this game as much as I do (which is a whole heck of a lot), is that it is continually inspiring me to be creative and helps me think of new topics or stories to write about. If you're still not convinced that it's as great as I say it is, if not greater, consider the fact that is brings people together for some old fashioned 'hang out and enjoy ourselves' kind of fun. If you're doubtful about joining because you don't know how to play or what to expect, then I couldn't give you one definitive answer, because everyone's experince is different, which is why I love it. If I am to offer some advice, it would be this: check out Critical Role on YouTube (They are a well-known D&D group who share their adventures through live streams amongst other things), for a better understanding of what you might come across when you choose to play. If you continue to watch their episodes, be prepared for many laughs as well.

P.S. If you end up playing for a group or have an idea for various characters or senarios, I'd love to hear about whatever you come up with! I'm a sucker for that kind of thing. :)

Note: If you decide to play the game, be cautious as to not anger your DM, because he/she has control over what happens to your character and the rest of the party, to a certain degree.