Beginners Start Here - What is Dungeons & Dragons?

Dungeons and Dragons (DND) is a collaborative storytelling game, also known as a table-top roleplaying game (TTRPG), typically composed of one Dungeon Master (DM) and several Player Characters (PCs).

The role of the Dungeon Master is to set up adventures for everyone to play and facilitate the fun. Some Dungeon Masters run pre-made adventures published by Wizards of the Coast, homebrew their own, or take a hybrid approach.

The role of Player Characters is to explore the world presented by the Dungeon Master, interact with each other and nonplayer characters (NPCs), and fight monsters piloted by the Dungeon Master.

A Simple Example of Play video link

I'm paraphrasing the video below:

DM: “You’ve got a bow strapped to your back and a dagger at your belt. You’re walking through the woods at night and it’s dark. Suddenly you hear a crack off in the distance. Something large stepped on a branch. What do you do?"

Player: “How far away is it?”

DM: “Give me a perception check.”

At this point, the Dungeon Master asked the Player to role some dice to determine how perceptive of their surroundings they are. The Player will add or subtract a number to the roll based on the type of character they created.

Player: “I rolled a 13 plus 3, so 16.”

DM: “That’s pretty perceptive. You see a pair of eyes in the darkness. You see an owlbear, a 10 ft tall monster with the head of an owl and the body of a bear. What do you do?

Player: “I draw my bow and slowly approach.”