PANDEMICBOOSTING D&D’SPOPULARITY

BY LYNDSAYWINKLEY

WhatI’mobsessedwith: Dungeons &Dragons OK,nerd.Why?: Have you ever pickedupabookorstartedamovie andthencame to hourslater feeling like you’djust returnedfromanother world? Dungeons&Dragonscastsa similarspell, except youand your friends get to craft and experience itsmagic together.Itisawildly fantasticaland often-humorous role-playing gamethathingeson teamworkandimagination.Inits mostcondensed form, the gameis about donning a persona of your choosingand goingonanadventure. Youmightbecomea woodelf ranger who,bowinhand,decides to explore a forgotten realm.Ormaybe you’rea dragonbornsorcererwhosewild magicisamenace to your enemies —andsometimes yourfriends. That’sthemake-believe part Butthe relationships you’llbuild andthe ideas you’ll explorewhile youplay are quitereal.

Today: ActorMamie VanDorenis 91.

ActorMike Farrellis 83.NBCnews anchorman TomBrokaw is 82 Actor

GayleHunnicuttis79.Singer Fabianis

79. ActorMichael Tucker(“L.A.Law”) is 77 ActorJon Walmsley (“The

Waltons”)is 66 Actor-director Robert

Townsend(“The Parent‘Hood”)is 65.

Actor KathyNajimy(“Veronica’s

Closet,”“King of the Hill”)is 65.

DrummerSimonPhillips of Toto is 65.

ActorBarryMiller(“Saturday Night

Fever,”“Fame”)is64. Actor Megan

Gallagher(“Millennium”)is 62.

CountrysingerRichie McDonald of

Lonestaris60. VocalistAxl Rose of GunsN’ Rosesis60.SingerRick

Astleyis56.Bassist TimBrown of the

Boo Radleys is 53.TVhostAmy

Robach(“GoodMorningAmerica”)is

49 ActorJosh Stewart (“Criminal Minds,”“Third Watch”)is 45.

ActorBenLawson (“Designated Survivor”)is42.

ActorCrystal Reed (“Teen Wolf”)is 37 ActorAnna Diop(“24: Lega- cy”)is 34 Singer Tinasheis29

Monday: SaxophonistBrian Travers of UB40is 63.Comedian RobertSmigel (TriumphtheInsultComicDog) is 62.

ActorJamesSpaderis 62.Country singer Garth Brooksis60. Keyboardist

Thebasics: Youstepintoadamp cave, your footstepsmuffled bya mysterioushumliltingupfromthe darkness.Whatdo you do? Thefreeinganswerin D&Disanything you want. The gamemaster (ordungeon master)isin charge of describingthe worldandpresenting scenarios,but playersbringthat world to life through theirchoices.Do youlaughin the face of dangerandcharge in?Do yousoftlyhum back?Do youcasta spell to lightthe way? It’s up to you… andthedice.Players forgetheir own pathsthroughthedecisionsthey make,butit’s thedicethatdetermine howsuccessfultheyare.

A wordof advice: Leanin to failure. Inmany games,the object is to win. ButinDungeons&Dragons,the goal is to experience. Itdoesn’tmatterif you fluba rollwhilecharging ata dragonorpickpocketinganobleor persuadingawizard.In fact,those misses oftenfuelthe game’s most memorable moments. Every outcome leads yousomewherenew, and every pathis filledwithits ownkind of

DavidBryan of BonJoviis60.ComedianChris Rockis 57 ActorJason Gedrick(“Windfall,”“Boomtown”)is 55. Actor Essence Atkins(“Halfand

Half,” “Smart Guy”) is50.Guitarist

WesBorland of LimpBizkitis 47.

Bassist Tom Blankenship of My MorningJacketis 44. ActorAshton Kutcheris44. Actor Tina

Majorino(“NapoleonDynamite,”“VeronicaMars”)is 37 ActorDeborahAnn Woll(“True Blood”)is 37.

Tuesday: Composer-conductorJohn Williamsis90.ABCNews anchor Ted Koppelis 82 ActorNickNolteis81.

Comedian Robert Kleinis80. ActorguitaristCreedBatton(“TheOffice,” The Grass Roots)is79. ActorBrooke Adamsis 73 ActorMary Steenburgen is 69 AuthorJohnGrishamis 67 Actor Henry Czerny (“Revenge,”“The Tudors”)is 63.Singer VinceNeil of MotleyCrueis61. ActorMissy Yager (“Manchester by theSea”)is54. Actor Mary McCormackis 53 ActorSusan Misner(“Billions,”“TheAmericans”) is51.MusicianGuy-Manuelde

Homem-Christo of Daft Punkis48.

ActorSethGreen(“Austin Powers,” “Buffy The VampireSlayer”)is48.

ActorJoshuaMorrow (“The Youngand the Restless”)is48.BassistPhoenix of Linkin Park is 45 Actor William JacksonHarper(“TheGoodPlace”)is wonder. That’s aprettygood perspective to have outside of D&D, too. HowdoI getstarted?: Roll for initiative.I’m kidding,althoughthat phrasedoeskick-startmostcombat encounters.(You’lllearnaboutthat later.) Theeasiest way to getintothe gameis to play it. Thanks to popular shows like“Stranger Things” and

42. ActorJim Parrack(“TrueBlood”) is41.MusicianJoeyRyan of Milk Carton Kidsis40. ActorCecily Strong (“Saturday NightLive”)is38.MusicianAnderson.Paakis36. Actor Karle Warren(“JudgingAmy”)is30.

Wednesday: ActorJanetSuzmanis

83 Actor-turned-politicianSheila James Kuehl(“TheMany Loves of DobieGillis”)is81.Singer Carole King is80.SingerBarbara Lewisis79. ActorJoe Pesciis79. AuthorAlice Walker(“TheColor Purple”)is 78. ActorMia Farrow is 77.SingerJoeEly is 75 ActorJudithLight(“UglyBetty,” “Who’s the Boss”)is 73 ActorCharles Shaughnessy(“TheNanny”)is 67. Actor Ed Amatrudo(TV’s“Nashville”) is 66.Saxplayer Steve Wilsonis61. Countrysinger Travis Trittis 59 Actor Julie Warner(“Nip/Tuck,”“Family Law”)is 57 ActorSharon Case(“The Youngandthe Restless”)is51. Actor JasonGeorge (“Grey’s Anatomy”)is 50. ActorAmber Valletta (“Bloodand Oil,”“Revenge”)is48. ActorCharlie Day(“It’sAlwaysSunnyinPhiladelphia”)is 46.SingerChad Wolf of CarolinaLiaris46. ActorA.J. Buckley (“CSI:NY”)is 45. GuitaristRichardOn of O.A.R.is43. Actor TomHiddleston (TV’s “TheNightManager,” film’s “The Avengers”)is41. Actor DavidGallagher(“SeventhHeaven”)is 37 Actor Michael B. Jordan(“Black Panther,” “Creed”)is 35. Actor Rose Leslie (“Game ofThrones,”“Downton Abbey”)is 35. Actor Camille Winbush (“TheBernieMacShow”)is32. Actor cult-favorite podcastslike“Critical Role,” D&Dis experiencinga resurgenceinpopularity. These days,it’s pretty easyto findanearbyDungeons&Dragonsmeet-up. Butif strangers—andthe pandemic— make that option feelrisky, you can alwayspickupastartersetandpeer pressureacouple of yourclosest companionsinto tryingsomething

JimmyBennett(“NoOrdinary Family”) is 26 Actor Evan Roe(“Madam Secretary”)is 22.

Thursday: Actor Robert Wagneris 92. Singer Roberta Flackis85.Singer JimmyMerchant of Frankie Lymonand the Teenagersis 82 BassistBob Spalding ofThe Venturesis 75. KeyboardistCory Lerios of Pablo Cruiseis71. Actor KathleenBeller (“Dynasty”)is 66.Countrysinger Lionel Cartwrightis 62.“GoodMorning America”co-hostGeorge Stephanopoulosis61. ActorLauraDernis 55. CountrysingerDudeMowrey is 50. ActorJasonOlive(“ForBetteror Worse)is50. ActorElizabethBanksis 48. ActorJulia PaceMitchell(“The Youngandthe Restless”)is44. Reggaetonsinger Don Omaris44. Actor Uzo Aduba(“OrangeistheNew Black”)is41. Actor StephanieBeatriz (“BrooklynNine-Nine”)is41. Actor MaxBrown(“BeautyandtheBeast,” “The Tudors”)is41. ActorBarrySloane (“Revenge”)is41.SingerEricDill(The Click Five)is40. KeyboardistBen Romans ofThe Click Five is40. Actor TrevanteRhodes(“Moonlight”)is32. ActorEmma Roberts(“American Horror Story,” “We’re theMillers”)is 31. ActorMakenzie Vega (“The Good Wife”)is 28 ActorChloeGraceMoretz new. Evenif youdecideit’s not your thing, you won’t regretthe experience.Andwithalittleluck of the dice, youjustmightdiscoverthat you’ve beenthehero of yourstoryall along.

D&Dstartersetsare available at localbookstoresandonAmazon. lyndsay.winkley@uniontribune.com is25. Actor Yara Shahidi(“black-ish”) is 22.

Friday: ActorConradJanis (“Morkand Mindy”)is 94. SingerJimmy Carter of TheBlindBoysof Alabamais90. Actor

Tina Louise(“Gilligan’s Island”)is88. MusicianSergio Mendesis81. Actor PhilipAnglim(“The ThornBirds”)is 70 Actor CatherineHickland(“One

Life to Live”)is 66 Drummer David Uosikkinen ofTheHootersis 66 Actor CareyLowell(“Law and Order”)is61. SingerSherylCrow is60. Actor JenniferAniston is 53 Actor Damian Lewis (“Billions”)is51. SingerD’Angelois 48. ActorBrice Beckham(“Mr. Belvedere”)is46. VocalistMike Shinoda of Linkin Parkand of Fort Minoris 45. Singer-actorBrandy (“Moesha”)is43.BassistJonJones of Eli YoungBandis42. Actor Matthew Lawrence (“BoyMeets World”)is42. Singer Kelly Rowland (Destiny’sChild) is41. ActorNatalieDormer(“Game of Thrones”)is40.Singer Aubrey O’Day (Danity Kane)is38. ActorQ’orianka Kilcher(“TheNew World”)is32. Actor TaylorLautneris30.

Saturday: ActorJoeDonBakeris86. CountrysingerMoeBandyis 78 Actor Maud Adams(“Octopussy”)is 77.

Actor CliffDeYoungis 76 Actor MichaelIronsideis 72.Guitarist Steve Hackett (Genesis)is 72.SingerMichael McDonald(DoobieBrothers)is 70.

ActorJoanna Kernsis 69 Actor Zach Grenier(“TheGood Wife,” “Deadwood”)is68. Actor-talkshowhost ArsenioHallis 66 ActorJohnMichael Higgins(“RaisingtheBar,” “A Mighty Wind”)is 59 Actor RaphaelSbarge (“OnceUponA Time,”“Mass Effect”) is 58. ActorJoshBrolin(“True Grit,” “NoCountry for Old Men”)is54. SingerChynnaPhillips ofWilson Phillipsis54.BassistJimCreeggan of BarenakedLadies is 52 Keyboardist Keri Lewis of Mint Conditionis51. ActorJesse Spencer(“House”) is43. Rapper GucciManeis42. ActorSarah Lancaster(“Chuck”)is42. Actor ChristinaRicciis42 ActorJennifer Stone(“Wizards of WaverlyPlace”)is 29 ActorBaylieandRylieCregut (“RaisingHope”)are12. ASSOCIATEDPRESS

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