Fifth Edition Player's Handbook.
Dungeons & Dragons, commonly rendered D&D, is a tabletop fantasy role-playing game—perhaps the tabletop fantasy role-playing game, in that it pioneered the d20 gaming system as we know it and is responsible for many tropes in the genre, such as character alignment, "Natural 20" and "Nat 1," Spot checks, etc. Since its creation, it has become a massive franchise including various "campaign settings" that use its basic rules, including Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms (home of the infamous Drizzt do'Urden), Ravenloft (a Gothic horror setting), Eberron, and Greyhawk.
The Game
A set of polyhedral dice used in the game. Clockwise from top left: d6 (six-sided), d4 (four-sided), d10 (ten-sided), d8 (eight-sided), d12 (twelve-sided), and d20 (twenty-sided)
D&D uses a system of levels, races, classes, alignments, and skills to roughly define each player character, giving a wide range of options in character creation. Events in the game are determined by a combination of storytelling on the Dungeon Master's part, in-character actions on the part of the players, and rolling dice by both the DM and the players, giving each game an element of random chance that keeps things exciting when used properly.
The game has gone through several incarnations since its first publication, individually referred to as "Editions": Dungeons & Dragons, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D), D&D Third Edition (3e), D&D v3.5 (3.5e), D&D Fourth Edition (4e), and most recently D&D Fifth Edition (5e). Most players are introduced through 5e, making it the most played edition currently. However older hands playing the likes of 3.5e and AD&D are not out of the ordinary.
While D&D enjoys a great deal of popularity, especially among people who also enjoy fantasy fiction such as The Lord of the Rings (from which it lifted not a few concepts), some see it as a dangerous gateway to things like devil-worship. It is an unfortunate truth that some people who play D&D take it too far and get sucked into the fantasy world, but most players actually have a very healthy grasp on the difference between fantasy and reality, and they're generally more interested in having a good time than corrupting anyone's soul. D&D has seen a recent surge in popularity, thanks to the release of Fifth Edition and the numerous "Real Play" webseries made using the system such as Critical Role and The Adventure Zone.
In the PPC
Two of D&D's shared universes have featured a Fanfiction University, with a relevant mini type. Dragonlance has the Official Fanfiction University of Krynn, which was written by the PPC's Laureril, and features the mini-Draconian. Forgotten Realms has the Official Fanfiction University of Baldur's Gate, co-written by Winterfox and the PPC's Kaltia. (Baldur's Gate is a series of video games set in the FR world.) OFUBG introduced the mini-Slayer. Unfortunately, neither OFU survives today.
Agents from this Continuum
General D&D
- Dax (5e changeling barbarian/fighter)
- Nurse Elms is certainly acquainted with weapons that use dice as damage ratings (d4, d6, d8, etc.).
- Kalen Briarthorn (4e pixie rogue)
- Unger (3.5e half-elf barbarian)
Dragonlance
- Main article: Dragonlance
- Earwig Slugthrower (kender)
- Maralys Deeppockets (kender)
- Talia Nightsong (half-Silvanesti elf)
Forgotten Realms
- Colt (half-elf)
- Mazarun Zothyrr (drow)
- Zaneth (illithid)
Missions in this Continuum
Since D&D is left mostly undefined to leave room for DM and player creativity, it is difficult to determine what is D&D badfic. Its various campaign settings are another matter; missions to them are listed on the continuum's page (if a page exists), or under the specific continuum heading on this page.
Forgotten Realms
- Agent Desdendelle (DF)
- "End in Tears," with Agent Anebrin (DF)
- "Of Course I Still Love You," with Agent Librarian (DF)
- "Chosen of a Goddess" (crossover with Lord of the Rings), Agents Joe, Endomiel, and Ril-gania (DMFF) with Ella Darcy (DAC) and Verra (DI)