D&D Part 8

Traditions
The traditions of Dungeons and Dragons are mostly about the actual playing, in whatever form the play choices to do so. The most important traditions of a pen and paper Dungeons and Dragonser will be to sit down with their groups and play, commonly the major celebrations are the times when they run know dungeons like Tomb of Horrors. Board game Dungeon and Dragon Players will have gaming parties where many games are played, and multiple encounters will be used. LARPing Dungeon and Dragon Players major tradition is getting together, usually once a week, and taking over a large space to play.
A common tradition amongst all Dungeon and Dragon Players is going to conventions. Not always are these conventions Dungeon and Dragons in focus, but in even the least Role Playing geek convention Dungeons and Dragons can be found, commonly at the Wizards of the Coast booth. Along with conventions Cosplay is a common tradition. Many a Dungeons and Dragons player will dress up for the convention, sometimes as one of their Dungeons and Dragons characters, or as a well known character from an MMO they play, or their character from an MMO they play, and sometimes as some character that they feel some strong connection to, even if they have never dealt with the before.
Tools of the Trade
The most important thing for most Dungeon and Dragons players is the pencil, dice are high on their list as well, as is a dice bag, and the Dungeon and Dragons books. Most Game Masters would say they need maps, or a map board.
Minis are very common, but in no way the norm, however the norm is not to not have minis either. If a group does not use minis they most likely use token or counters of some sort.
With a professional mini painter, one mini painter that just does it to cover what financial aid does not, as well as 4 players and the GM that have the kits of a professional mini painter, in the group what is seen on the table during this game is much nicer than many have, but not completely out of the ordinary. Six of the characters have fully finished minis, one is working on hers, and any side characters and extra figures are at least partially painted. This is in contrast to what people think of geeks, and gamers, where we are sitting in a dark basement with no figures, just papers telling the players everything they need to know.
One mini painter shared with me that she wishes more people wanted Dungeons and Dragons mini’s painted, “all mini’s can be expressive, butDungeons and Dragons mini’s are meant to be changed, and given it’s own thoughts and feelings, that have been created by a person, other mini’s are already given those thoughts before they reach the hands of the player, even before they are in the hands of the painter.”
Music
From what I have observed there is no one type of music that all Dungeons and Dragonsplayer listen to, but they really enjoy songs that are slightly off from the norm. For example the Guild music videos, and “Taking the hobbits to Isengard” techno.