Legends & Lattes

Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop roleplaying game in which players design characters by choosing their fantasy race and adventuring class. Players participate in a campaign run by one player, dubbed the Dungeon Master. The Dungeon Master creates a narrative, describes the world, and provides quests and non-player characters (NPCs) for the players to interact with. Dungeons & Dragons was first released in 1974, and by the 1980s, it was a cult classic. Today, according to Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast, more than 50 million people worldwide actively play Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, and the game’s cultural influence can be observed across media.

The fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons has given way to a larger sphere of fantasy media. Video game developers have taken inspiration from the game’s fantasy elements and character statistics for game-building. Video games like Divinity: Original Sin, Dragon Age, and The Elder Scrolls allow players to create characters of similar fantasy races with class-specific statistics that impact their gameplay. Set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons itself, Baldur’s Gate 3 closely replicates the experience of playing a Dungeons & Dragons campaign by allowing players unprecedented freedom with mechanics and NPCs.

Legends & Lattes is also set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. In the Prologue, Viv’s adventuring party resembles those formed by player characters as they travel together. The world is populated by fantasy races, each with its own entry in Dungeons & Dragons lore. Stone-fey, like Lack and Taivus, are mystical humanoids associated with earth powers. Gnomes, like Gallina and Durias, are less obscure, but the novel expands on their lore. Viv, Cal, and Tandri are all members of marginalized fantasy races, which plays a major role in the way they’re perceived by others and helps develop the theme of Appearances and Misconceptions. Viv is an orc, and orcs are traditionally associated with violence and war. Cal, a hob—short for hobgoblin—is a small, wiry goblin-like man who’s used to not being acknowledged due to the stereotype of goblins being treasure-hoarders. Tandri is a succubus, a female demon known for using sexuality to manipulate mortals—a reputation that elicits harassment. Overall, Legends & Lattes explores archetypes outside of their typical adventuring. Viv’s past is easy to imagine for those familiar with Dungeons & Dragons, but her peaceful present is a less represented story in the fantasy world.