Mike Anderson
 

EPIC Quests in Creative Writing

Ages 11+

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Homework:   YES!   Homework is required in this class.  Please do not sign up if you are unwilling to do the homework which will allow us to play our game each week!

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What if there was a way to get your kid to beg to study math, probability, trigonometry, read pages of history and mythology, parse dense legalese for linguistic loopholes, write creatively, work on improvisation, team storytelling, branching immersive narrative design, puzzles, and dozens more soft skills and STEM subjects?

There is. It just takes dragons, sword fights, and lots and lots of dice. This class will use the most popular Roleplaying game (DND) as a launchpad to not only create new characters, plots, crisis points and settings, but also use the game to practice a TON of math, puzzles and science research!  What happens when the temperature goes down but the salt content of a lake rises?  Let's find out!  In the Dungeons and Dragons game, the most popular TTRPG (Tabletop Roleplaying Game) in the world in 2025, we explore so much more than just a new world!  In this class, we use an analog educational game (no screen!)  that depends on paper, pencils, imagination, and lots of face to face collaboration with your peers. It also relies on using the pythagorean theorem to calculate whether your healing spell will reach your barbarian if they’re flying 30 feet in the air and 30 feet away. Or whether your damage is better with a 2d6 greatsword or 1d12 great axe. It’s a game of studying the myth of Medusa so she won’t turn your party into statues. It’s a game where the only way into the evil wizard’s lair is solving a series of logic puzzles, or negotiating and talking your way out of fighting a dragon might be the party’s only chance of survival. 

But first and foremost this a collaborative storytelling game.

Students write the backstory of their own epic hero, learning what it is to flesh out a fully developed three dimensional character with goals and flaws. They then learn how to use conflict and dramatic stakes to develop that narrative further. By the end they’ll each have all the necessary components to write their own epic fantasy adventure straight out of JRR Tolkien.  With our fearless leader, Mr. Mike helps students develop their writing skills through in class assignments, homework assignments and helping students learn to collaborate and decide on ideas to deepen both the plot and the character development for each participant.  And of course, students see in real time the impact of their creative decisions, and have the opportunity to take their adventure to a new level of creativity!

D&D is a game of infinite possibility, and while imaginative, historical/ fantasy combat is a part of the game’s structure, we make sure to structure it in a way that is sensitive to what is appropriate for the student’s age. It is more about learning to build a story with your fellow players than it is about fighting goblins.

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Please note:  In the Huck usage of this game, we will not be allowing dark content.

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Weeks 1-2- Session 0- How to play & Character Creation
• Intro to Dungeons & Dragons: Dice mechanics, Basic terminology/ breaking down character
sheets.
• Developing backstory/ character. What qualities make a character heroic? What makes them
interesting to play? Flaws, ideals, trauma.
• Think about what kind of character you’d like to play: Choosing a class and race, Ability scores,
Backgrounds and starting equipment.
• Finalize character sheets.
• Homework: Develop an “Inciting incident” for your player- what set them on this adventure?
Read players handbook section about your chosen species and class.

Week 3- 7- Beginning a campaign.
Our adventure begins! Writing assignments are sent each week. We will start each class with sharing our writing assignment developing our characters stories, then jump into our adventure and continue on our adventure weekly while our characters abilities advance. Healing and support role importance
• Understanding action economy- Action/ Bonus Action/ Movement
• Positioning strategy- healers, tanks, damage dealers, melee fighters.
• Initiative/ taking turns/ teamwork- supporting one another.
• Roleplay, exploration, puzzles, and combat

Weeks 8-11- Campaign continues/ Developing your own DND adventures and stories
• The adventure continues- Characters will advance at least 2-3 levels per trimester, leading to more
reading and learning more abilities- more reading from the players Handbook to study feats,
spells, as well as new class abilities.
• Martial Classes: Fighter, Barbarian, Monk, Ranger Rogue will learn combat tactics as well as
Key features: Extra Attack, Rage, Ki, Sneak Attack
• Spellcasters (Sorcerer, Wizard and Warlock) How spellcasting works: spell slots, levels,
components. Cantrips vs. leveled spells, Arcane vs. innate vs. pact magic
• Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger will learn class features Bardic Inspiration, Channel Divinity,
Wild Shape, Auras, Spellcasting hybrid mechanics
• Students will also learn how to design their own story/ dungeon and the basics of the five room
dungeon and how it relates to the three act story.
• Students will learn how to develop home-brew weapons and monsters that are balanced and
interesting, in addition to developing a stat block for a character of their choice from history,
myth, movies, books, TV, etc. How would you write out Odin vs a Kpop Demon Hunter?

Overall Learning Objectives during the course of each trimester-
• Understand the core mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons.
• Learn about each character class, its features, and role in a party
• Build and roleplay a character.
• Experience party dynamics and basic storytelling through a campaign.
• Build confidence with creative writing with your weekly assignments digging deeper into your
character and their backstory.
• Be able to create your own adventure.