Dungeon Master - Gaming Groups

Gaming Groups

Regular gaming groups consist of a dungeon master and several players. Some meet weekly or monthly, while others may only meet two or three times a year. A DM can also run a single adventure otherwise unconnected with a campaign or game world. In this latter case there is no connected plot, and the players can choose to play different characters in each session.

The game session is typically known as an "adventure." It can be metaphorically described as an act within a stage play, where the players are the lead actors. In this analogy, the DM provides the stage, the scenery, and the basic plot on which the improvisational script is built, as well as all the bit parts and supporting characters. Typically, each player generates a fictional player character (PC) to play within the adventure.

A series of adventures generally compose a campaign, and the player's characters will often remain as elements of the continuing story arc unless they meet an unfortunate demise. Using the stage play analogy, a campaign would comprise all acts of said play. While each adventure may have its own story arc, they are usually parts of the larger story arc of the campaign. The DM strings individual adventures into this campaign, in which the same PCs fight many different monsters and a few recurring villains; the PCs gain treasure, reputation and power as they go. Such campaigns can last for years or decades, earning a great deal of loyalty from their players. Also, there can be a common theme (e. g., find the Sword of Light) to a number of adventures that may in time become a campaign of sorts.

Beyond the campaign is the "game world". This vast construct is typical of many fantasy novels, such as J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth or Robert E. Howard's Conan saga. DMs may choose to run a game based on a published game world, with the maps and history already in place; such game worlds often have pre-written adventures. Alternately, the DM may build their own world and create their own adventures.