The Saint Peter’s abbey in Ghent was the place to be for fans of the game Dungeons & Dragons last Saturday. Some 700 enthusiastic gamers gathered here to play the game, but also to dress up, buy accessories and attend workshops. ‘It is a form of escapism,’ explains organiser Thomas Goyvaerts.
Dungeons & Dragons fans gather at Saint Peter’s abbey in Ghent for Day of Dungeons
Colin Clapson
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Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop role-play game, a fantasy role-play game set in an enchanted medieval world. ‘It's a way of telling stories,’ says organiser and lover of the game Thomas Goyvaerts.
‘The players sit around a table and take on the identity of a character - a knight, a magician, you name it. The Dungeon Master, the narrator, then leads them into a fantasy world with elves, dwarves and trolls. The participants go on an adventure together letting the dice determine the evolution of the game.’
The St Peter's Abbey is an appropriate setting for a festival organised around the game. ‘This is the 3rd edition of Day of Dungeons, but it's the first time it is staged in Ghent,’ says Thomas. ‘There are hundreds of thousands or even millions of players worldwide, but usually you only play with a small group of about 6 people. Today is one of the few times you can play with a very large group, which is really something unique.’