Ryan Hoppens’ Friday night endeavors may come as a surprise.
The coastal and environmental science senior tells people he’s playing Monopoly, but he really travels to an unfamiliar world of magic, filled with strange creatures that can attack at any time.
Hoppens plays the fantasy-adventure game “Dungeons & Dragons,” in which players venture through fictional worlds and encounter mischief along the way.
Almost every week, Hoppens and his friends play the game, though they disguise it as Monopoly. The group also has a secret Facebook page for players under that same guise.
Hoppens said he was initially apprehensive to play the game, given the nerdy stigma people often associate with D&D. But he was eventually lured in after observing friends embark on fantasy-filled adventures.
An entire adventure in D&D is called a campaign, in which characters can fight in turn-based battles, Hoppens explained. One campaign can last days or weeks or even extend indefinitely.
Before a campaign begins, each player creates a character, choosing a skill level and personality. Players can choose a variety of combinations — from an evil wizard to an idiotic barbarian — and some add other attributes to further character depth.
Characters are usually represented by miniature game pieces, but a player can also sport garb of his or her imaginary characters.
One player, who assumes the role of Dungeon Master, creates a fantasy world, which is mapped out on a giant grid for the characters to venture through.
“The Dungeon Master has to be very imaginative and quick-thinking,” Hoppens said. “You’re basically figuring out what he is