Someone’s Making An ‘Immersive Tavern’ At The Birthplace Of D&D
A new restaurant aims to bring the “authentic” roleplay experience to life in a D&D immersive tavern coming soon to Lake Geneva.
How far would you go to pay too much money for a sandwich? Okay, but what if I told you you could experience the first hour or so of a D&D campaign live while you did that? Get ready to live that dream with a D&D immersive tavern experience.
The developers of The Griffin & Gargoyle are willing to bet you’d enjoy this experience. So much so that you’d be willing to travel all the way to the birthplace of D&D, Lake Geneva Wisconsin.
What is the Griffin & Gargoyle?
The Griffin & Gargoyle is a planned “immersive fantasy restaurant” that wants to pull you in to the world of D&D like never before.
This news comes via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who recently spoke with the project’s developers. Daniel Colwell and Michael Paylor have been hard at work with this concept for over 5 years. In 2016, Colwell was struck by a flash of inspiration.
“That element of collaborative storytelling that you get around a gaming table, you can’t really replicate that anywhere else. There’s empathy building involved, exploring elements of your personality that you don’t get to in your day-to-day life, and there’s a whole new generation of kids that are just entering into the game now and finding it freeing.”
A D&D Immersive Tavern Means Dinner and an Adventure
Exploration is at the heart of the planned restaurant. It would cover an estimated 32,000-38,000 square feet and hide all sorts of mysteries. The heart of the tavern would follow the story of five adventurers who created The Griffin & Gargoyle.
In their quest to discover the story, players would have to investigate multiple areas, interact with actors, and follow clues in step into the shoes of a D&D adventurer. With multiple areas, each with a distinct look, The Griffin & Gargoyle aims to capture the whole fantasy experience.
The whole staff is expected to be in character. A storyline is woven into every room thanks to the work of a talented scenic designer. Patrons can also explore a Wizard’s Shop, find private gaming spaces, or visit an axe-throwing range in the tavern’s basement.
The restaurant is currently aiming for a 2024 release date.
Happy Adventuring!
