Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game in a Fantasy sword-and-sorcery setting, originally published by TSR in 1974. It was purchased by Wizards of the Coast in 1997. It is currently in its fifth edition.
D&D is so prevalent that it is often used as a synonym to RPGs and TTRPGs in general.
Since 2015 and the release of Fifth Edition, Dungeons & Dragons has seen a rise in mainstream popularity due to Actual play series such as Critical Role, ⁣Dimension 20 and The Adventure Zone, television series like Stranger Things, and video games like Baldur's Gate III
==Fanzines==
"Fanzines sprung up globally in response to the desires of individuals, clubs or publishers to put out the good word of fantasy role playing. Like Non-TSR items, these publications were not produced or necessarily approved by TSR. Also like Non-TSR, one can witness the creative energy of early role playing in its prime. These 'zines contain a treasure trove of information ranging from convention reports, published game reviews, new game mechanic alternatives and even reviews of other 'zines." Fanzines & Mags at Tome of Treasures.
*Anytime, Anywhere (multifandom, 2002)
*The Beholder
*Blackrider
*The Dungeoneer
*The Trap Manual (1979)
* Loviatar
* Dragon Lords (early 1980s)
* The Palantir (late 1970s)
* 1-20
==Library groups==
Many D&D groups met in libraries, especially school libraries. In the 80's, junior-high and high school gaming groups were common; most of these were D&D-based, with occasional experiments with other RPGs. Most groups had no formal club membership. Some had an established Game Master; others rotated that role between members. Library staff was generally supportive as long as the groups didn't get too loud. For many kids, this was their first introduction to non-age-segregated social groups.
==Live-action==
Some D&D groups tried live-action role-playing (not yet known as LARPing), with varying degrees of satisfaction. Some limited this to cosplay or development of conlangs associated with the game; others created elaborate "dungeons" in outdoor settings or buildings, sometimes in restricted-access areas. Some of these activities fed the anti-D&D hysteria that tied into the "satanic panic" of the late 80s/early 90s.
==Mainstream backlash==
Some parents and Christian conservatives feared that D&D was a gateway to the occult. The 1984 tract by Chick Publications, Dark Dungeons, implied that D&D groups were introductions to witchcraft, and that players whose characters died were likely to commit suicide.Dark Dungeons tract accessed Mar 7 2011 Many sensationalist news articles used any teen suicide where the child had played D&D to imply or claim that the game was the direct cause of death. This backlash convinced a lot of gamers that they were surrounded by idiots who couldn't tell the difference between game pieces (albeit textual game pieces) called "spells" and real supernatural abilities. 
==Treatment of Women in D&D==
There are some D&D players who are not very accepting of women (and even minorities) in their favorite hobby.
*rape in d&d
*gatekeeping
===Links===
* http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=135593
* http://www.gamegrene.com/node/447
* http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20070706210005/http://www.tasteslikephoenix.com/articles/women.html
==Racism in D&D==
In the set up of D&D, certain races (orcs and drow in particular) have been defined as "evil races". As they were also the only races explicitly described as having darker colored skin, such definition was considered racist. When, during design o 5th edition of the rulebook, the company moved away from the idea of "evil races", some D&D fans argued that lack of pre-defined evil races would impact the conflict in D&D. Other fans cheered the change.
Discourse appeared discussing whether or not "evil races" were in fact needed in D&D.
==References==
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