Gamecock Guild Explores Dungeons and Dragons With DM Ada Hylton, Treasurer Rose

Ada Hylton’s favorite Dungeons & Dragons campaign began with a simple heist that went spectacularly off script: a father, son and stepson walked into a casino on the Nine Hells plane to steal an item, and by the time they left the father had joined a circus. This anecdote, Hylton said, captures why members of the Gamecock Guild value improvisation and shared storytelling.

Dungeons & Dragons, the club explains, is “a collaborative storytelling game where players work together to live out a quest set up by the Dungeon Master, whose job is to come up with the storyline.” The players make choices and use dice to resolve outcomes: “The players make choices that lead their characters through the Dungeon Master’s plot, with dice rolls to show how successful those choices are.” Hylton usually serves as Dungeon Master, and the club stresses that “Dungeon Masters don’t play characters; instead, they control the game’s narrative and the world the players interact with.”

The Gamecock Guild meets every month to teach rules and run introductory sessions. “At the meetings, club leaders often present a powerpoint lesson such as how to make a character,” which gives new players a practical entry point into character creation and class choices. Club leaders also encourage members to organize their own campaigns; Hylton said club leaders will sponsor individual campaigns but will not schedule them, offering oversight while leaving scheduling in players’ hands.

Administrative support is part of the club’s appeal. The Gamecock Guild hosts campaign fairs where prospective Dungeon Masters can pitch games and recruit players, and the club keeps track of campaign meetings and can book rooms if players need a space to meet. Hylton added that club leaders “keep in contact with the Dungeon Masters in case they need anything,” reinforcing the Guild’s role as a community hub rather than a top-down gaming authority.

Stories from the table illustrate how game mechanics and roleplay intersect. In one campaign resurrection, “In this scenario, she was allowed to bring her character back to life.” The treasurer, Rose, recounted a consequence that reshaped a character: “The agreement is Tiadiyx has to go worship this God who brought him back to life,” Rose said. “So now he is a cleric.” The story underlines a basic gameplay truth explained by the club: “A cleric is a different character class, which defines a character's strengths and uses.”

Hylton, a second-year psychology student and club president who usually runs games, acknowledges the pressure of the DM seat. “The role of Dungeon Master can feel more pressured,” Hylton said, “but a lesson all Dungeon Masters must learn is how to go with the flow.” For players and prospective DMs, the Gamecock Guild offers monthly lessons, campaign fairs and room support so members can learn rules, practice improvisation and find fellow players to bring their narratives to life.