MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — In the Twin Cities, a group is playing Dungeons and Dragons to help people slay their inner demons.
Kehl's Quest is a one-of-a-kind Recovery Community Organization (RCO) based in the Twin Cities. Players use tabletop role-playing games such as D&D to build community.
"People surprise themselves when they play D&D for the first time," said Dominic Tomas, co-organizer of Kehl's Quest: Adventures in Recovery. "I think that's a good thing for people to see a different side of themselves, too."
"I think a lot of people, especially in early recovery, are trying to relearn how to have fun," said Quinn Forss, founder and Quest Master. "As an adult, fun often involves substances, and it's really hard to know what to do with yourself. So this is the perfect social interaction."
Kehl's Quest believes collaborative gaming can empower a strengths-based mindset and help you hone new skills. Gaming also offers a space to practice healthy behaviors and communication.
"It's boxed in, so you have a reason to be there; you have something to talk about already, and you get to have this creative, expressive experience," Forss said.
Kehl's Quest believes that recovery looks different for everybody, and participants are not there to define that for you.
"Whether it's you're trying to reduce use, you're practicing abstinence or the 12 steps or what have you, or what you're recovering from anxiety, depression, you're welcome in the space," emphasized Forss.
Kehl's Quest focuses on the social aspect of recovery. "It's not as overt as like we're building lessons into the game, but I think that there is a lot that one can learn from it. Between teamwork, empathy, like creative problem solving," Forss said.
The organization got its start in 2017 with Forss' journey to sobriety. He got back into D&D after getting clean and thought back to his mentor, Matthew Bowden Kehl, who died in a car accident in 2012.
"I was thinking about Matt a lot and decided that I wanted to make a space where we can utilize this very fun game and other tabletop RPGs, which are role-playing games like D&D, and give people a chance to connect, empathize, create something fun and memorable," Forss said.
Forss joined Tomas and Will Lycan in 2022 to make the RCO a reality.
If you're interested in picking up a game, they're free to play and open to anyone seeking recovery from addiction. Both new and veteran players are welcome. For more information on Kehl's Quest, click on this link.
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