A group of local children will spend the next eight weeks as wizards, warlocks and elves as they fly into the world of Dungeons & Dragons with the Swampscott Recreation Department.

Dungeons & Dragons is a role-playing game where players fight off mythical creatures, cast spells and adventure. The game is played on a table top and uses dice, pen and paper and miniature figures.

One game, or campaign, will be played over the course of eight Thursday evenings at Clarke Elementary school. It is meant for beginners who want to learn how to play the game.

The program is hosted by David Murray, who is dubbed the North Shore’s premier “Dungeon Master” by the Swampscott Recreation Department. The first session met on Thursday, January 8.

Murray spent a good part of the first evening explaining rules to the new recruits as they prepared to take part.

The children created characters and chose what type of species and skillset they would have. Some chose physically strong characters, while others opted for wisdom and dexterity as signature attributes.

Excitement in the room rose as the players took on their new roles and started to learn how to play.

Murray spoke to the group, with a thick guidebook in hand, and took time individually with each player, as each character comes with a different, complex set of rules.

The children had to return to their normal lives at the end of the session, but only for one more week before entering the world of Dungeons & Dragons again.