by Claire Dunford, Co-Founder and Games Master at Chronicles and Companions
Images by Simon Folkard Photography
What do you think of when you hear Dungeons & Dragons? For many, it conjures images of cramped living rooms, cluttered tabletop maps, and strange spreadsheets of numbers. But my co-founder Justin Whiting and I set out to completely change that image – as two Devizes locals, we are on a mission to transform the Wiltshire D&D scene by taking the world’s most famous roleplaying game out into the wilds, and the local response has been nothing short of legendary…
Under our banner, Chronicles and Companions, Justin and I recently hosted our inaugural independent event: D&D in the Woods. Held under the leafy canopy at Found Outdoors in Great Cheverell, our debut session completely sold out, bringing together seasoned dice-rollers and total newcomers for a unique afternoon of offline fantasy storytelling.
For anyone new to the hobby, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a cooperative storytelling game – a cross between improvisational theatre, interactive fiction, and tabletop strategy. One person acts as the narrator (the Dungeon Master, or DM), setting the scene and presenting challenges, while the other players create fictional heroes, make decisions together, and roll dice to see if their daring actions succeed. Once considered a niche hobby, the game has experienced a massive global resurgence, boasting over 50 million players worldwide thanks to pop-culture hits like Stranger Things, live-streamed games like Critical Role, and a growing desire for face-to-face connection away from screens.
Instead of pulling up chairs indoors, the adventurers joining us donned cloaks and left their devices behind for a full day of storytelling and dice rolling in the fresh air.
We welcomed the group to the forest with a relaxed whittling session led by local carver Beck Stubbs. Players were then guided down a winding trail to our specially prepared outdoor gaming tables, where the natural sights, rustic atmosphere, and forest breeze provided the perfect backdrop for their quests.
Across the woodland tables, every party of adventurers was tasked with solving puzzles, defeating monsters, and, hopefully, saving the day. To add extra local flavour, I wove Wiltshire folklore directly into one of the bespoke narratives, throwing that table headfirst into a fantasy-infused Moonraker mystery inspired by one of Devizes’ most iconic stories.
Dungeons & Dragons is fundamentally about shared imagination and adventure, and we wanted to see what would happen if you used the natural atmosphere of our local Wiltshire woods as the backdrop. The response from the community has been incredible, and selling out our first fully independent event proves that people are craving immersive, offline ways to embark on a quest together – and that sentiment was certainly echoed around the gaming tables!
Beyond single events, Justin and I are building a burgeoning local network of fellow adventurers. We’ve cultivated a warm, inclusive, and rapidly growing online community hub aptly named The Tavern—because, as every fantasy fan knows, that’s where the best party members meet. It serves as a welcoming space for locals interested in tabletop roleplaying to connect, make friends, and easily find open tables to join.
For those looking to play in person, we run regular indoor D&D sessions at fabulous game cafes and locations across Wiltshire including at Game Knights in Devizes and Fun and Games in Trowbridge. We also offer a popular ‘Game Master for Hire’ service, bringing custom-run, professionally managed D&D adventures directly to private events like stag and hen dos, birthdays, and corporate team-building days.
Following the success of our sold-out woodland debut, Justin and I are absolutely buzzing! And are already planning our next moves, with even more upcoming local campaigns, community sessions, and special events currently in active development.
If you’re interested in joining future Chronicles and Companions games or want to hire us to DM your next event, connect with us on Facebook and Instagram
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