YIC-Burgas and YC-Vratsa jointly organized the first three-day Dungeons & Dragons Academy, a thematic continuation of the first youth festival for fantasy and LARP “Sword and Magic,” organized in the summer of 2023.
On the first day, the experienced
DM Ilian Alexiev introduced the participants to the main races (humans, elves,
dwarves, dragonborn, etc.) and classes (fighter, wizard, druid, cleric, etc.).
Then, everyone filled out their character sheets, creating interesting and
funny names for their heroes, their appearance, and backstory.
The next day, the more
experienced players participated in a demonstration session involving the
legendary antagonist Archlich Acererak. The main skills of the heroes and the
combat system of the rich world of D&D were shown in action.
On the last day, the
D&D Academy concluded with four parallel epic short “One shot”
sessions. Some DMs were stricter and guided the characters diligently along
their predetermined path, providing them with additional challenges and
obstacles. The players appreciated this, as it helped them complete their
mission. Others were left entirely to their original ideas, leading to
unexpected but intriguing outcomes. In any case, everyone had fun, made new
friends, and experienced unique adventures.
The Quest of one of
the sessions included demon hunting, while another involved uncovering the
conspiracy of a mystical cult on a distant island. The atmosphere of an
alternative fantasy universe was enriched by the presence of mystical robes,
iron armor that some players dared to wear, and safe but impressive LARP
swords.
Each day, participants
had a short reflective session where they shared how they felt during the
character-building process and participation in the adventure. Additionally,
all modules were conducted entirely in English to allow our guest players from
Canada, Armenia, and the Netherlands to participate fully!
We thank all the
inspired young people for the energy and dedication they put into presenting
this fantastic world and this little-known but creative hobby!