They may have been dateless to the prom, but Dungeons & Dragons aficionados, closeted or otherwise, now have the opportunity to hone their inner-dwarf or cleric for up to $1,000 in a grant from the game's founder, giving the stigmatized, pasty and patronized the last laugh.
Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro, Inc. and the owners of Dungeons & Dragons, will award 20 monetary prizes to college students across the country, as well as award one winner the title of Dungeons & Dragons Club of the Year and a visit from a D&D game designer and genuine Dungeon Master.
"We want to reward people who play Dungeons & Dragons in college," Hasbro spokeswoman Amanda Hirschhorn said. "There's a huge fan base there and we wanted to help further their adventures."
Hirschhorn said the role-playing groups often need money to start websites, advertise tournaments, cover travel fees to conventions and pay rent on meeting space.
Awards will be decided by the specifics of each application, she said.
"The further the club's imaginations' take them, the more compelling their submission will be," she said.
She said the company hopes the grants will attract new players.
"It's a great way to spend a Friday night," she said. "Instead of a party or cards, people should give the game a try. It engages every part of your imagination."
To apply, clubs must submit four photos of their group and describe its members and how the game has changed their lives. They must also be at least 18.
University of Minnesota Dungeons and Dragons Club chairman Rachael Morris said the grant would help pay for her often-pricey Dungeon Master lifestyle.
"D&D books aren't cheap, even with our club's discount at the local gaming store," she said. "If you really want to get into the world of Dungeons & Dragons and build your own settings, you need more than just the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manuals. You also need multiple copies of the three core books for new players who don't have their own books yet."
Morris said she chose not to play the game in high school, though it consumed many of her friends. By the end of her senior year, though, she overcame her reluctance.
"I still remember my friend Tom trying to convince me that playing D&D would make me more attractive to men," she said. "My first character was a half-elf bard named Josianne Moonflower. I never thought that I would become co-founder and chair of a D&D club in college."
College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Malcolm Hess said he was disappointed by the lack of a Dungeons & Dragons club at Boston University.
"I do think BU should have a D&D club," he said. "I even thought about starting one up but I could not find the support."
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