Learn To Play

Never played a tabletop role-playing game before? You're not behind — everyone at the table starts somewhere, and the rules are taught as you go.

This program uses Shadowdark, a modern tabletop RPG built to be easy to pick up. You'll create a character in your first session — choosing who they are, what they're good at, and what they care about — and start playing right away.

A few things to know before you start

Dice tell part of the story. Rolling a set of dice determines how the unexpected moments in the game play out — which means no two sessions ever go quite the same way.

Your character is yours. You decide how they think, speak, and react. Over time, a lot of players find their character starts to feel like a safe place to try out traits — boldness, patience, honesty — that are harder to reach for outside the game.

Nobody's grading you. There's no "wrong" way to play. The goal isn't to win the adventure — it's to show up, engage, and see what you learn about yourself along the way.

All materials are provided at every session — there's nothing you need to buy. And because Shadowdark's core rules are free, if you catch the bug, you can keep playing with friends long after the program ends.