Emerson Tabletop Society: Bringing Roleplaying to Emerson

There is an image of mystery surrounding tabletop Roleplaying Games (RPGS) for a lot of people. The reason for this is obvious- it can be hard for people to get into involved without a lot of assistance. With all the dice and statistics involved in a lot of RPGS such as Dungeons and Dragons, it can seem confusing and daunting for a new player. 

Since tabletop RPGs are a combination of storytelling, acting and playing a game, it seems suitable for Emerson students, who revel in storytelling. In addition, there is a wide variety among tabletop RPGS. Most people only know of Dungeons and Dragons, but there are many more tabletop RPGS. For example, Call of Cthulhu is a game used to pay tribute to the stories of H.P Lovecraft. There is something for everybody.

So why don’t more Emerson students get involved with tabletop RPGS? As mentioned above, one of the biggest deterrents between Emerson students and tabletop RPGS is lack of knowledge, both in how to get involved and how to play the game.

Many tabletop RPGS use dice and sometimes an inordinate amount of them. This can be confusing to a newcomer. What is the difference between a dice with twenty sides and twelve sides in the game? It can be incredibly difficult for a group of people with no experience to sit down, go through rulebooks and try and figure out how to play. Luckily, there is a way to learn how to play on-campus. Emerson has many tabletop RPG groups, and they have formed a loosely tied coalition called Emerson Tabletop.

Jess Waters, current head of Emerson Tabletop says, “tabletop RPGS are a great hobby for any Emerson student. It can help film students set the scene, it can help actors refine their improv and help writers create worlds.”

Waters says that she posted a message looking for others to join her tabletop group. At the beginning, she didn’t know anybody who showed up. Now, she counts them all as close friends.

Emerson Tabletop organizes mainly through its Facebook page, which shares its name, where people can post about wanting to find people to play with. In addition, the group occasionally runs game nights for the larger Emerson tabletop community. The club is a great resource for those looking to get into tabletops. Many members are willing to share and teach what they know about tabletop RPGS to newcomers, and people are always looking for others to play with them.

“Anybody who wants to get involved with Emerson Tabletop should contact me or try and get into the Facebook group,” says Waters.