The resurgence of tabletop role play game Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) has been nothing short of remarkable, drawing in a global player base exceeding 50 million.
And now the local Logan D&D community is getting a major boost.
A new fully immersive store, The Adventurers Guild, has opened at Beenleigh as a haven for D&D and Magic the Gathering (known as the most complex “real-world” game out there) enthusiasts to meet each other and play.
The store owner, Eagleby resident Greg Hurst, said it was the first of its kind in the area and a must see for D&D players.
“There’s a private room that you can hire out, and it’s fully themed and immersive – it’s done up like a Tudor tavern,” Mr Hurst said.
“We’ve got a ten-seater table that you can hire to use for anything you want, from Dungeons and Dragons to Magic the Gathering.
“We’ve got people interested in holding meetings in here as well, and we’ve got YouTube streamers filming in here.
“These kinds of games are story driven, so if you’re in a game space that looks like where you’re supposed to be, it’s more immersive for both kids and adults.”
Mr Hurst said Dungeons and Dragons was a theatre of the mind.
He said The Adventurers Guild took that concept to the “extreme”.
“You can play as simply as having one set of dice and a pen and paper, with no other cost – that’s how I played it for many years – or the way I’m going to be showing it, which is with full 3D scenery and little miniatures,” he said.
Not only is Mr Hurst a seasoned D&D veteran, but he’s also a teacher.
“I’ve been playing D&D since the 90s and Magic the Gathering for the last 10 or so years,” he said.
“And I actually teach people how to play these games for Wizards of the Coast, who are the makers of Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering, at events like Supanova.”
He said his store would be great for kids during school holidays.
“D&D is all about mathematics and literacy, which is one thing that kids don’t want to hear, but as an adult or a parent, you do.
“It also gets kids to use their imagination, and encourages social interaction as well,” he said.
The Adventurers Guild officially opened over the weekend, and it was a full house.
“It’s been very well received so far,” he said.
“Games like D&D are becoming a lot more mainstream than they were when I was playing them in the 90s, that’s for sure.
“I’ve always wanted to have a place like this – it was high time that I did it and make it the coolest shop out there.”
