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Definitely not Goblins Review

On Sunday 20th April 2025 I found myself in the basement area of Blackfriars in Glasgow, a public house located in the oldest part of Glasgow, which is named after the medieval religious order of Dominican Monks whose friary was in the same area. I was there to attend an event which also has a medieval flavour to it, a fantasy role playing game called Definitely Not Goblins.

Although I have been a fan of fantasy and role-playing games since I was a teen, this was the first time that I’d ever attended a live role-playing game. Despite this being my first time at such an event the format was reminiscent of the 1980s television programme Knightmare of which I was an avid viewer. Dungeons and Dragons is now in it’s 51st year having begun in 1974 and has always had strong sub-culture of dedicated players, but the television show ‘Stranger Things’ which is set in the 1980’s and depicts the younger characters playing the game has increased it’s popularity in recent years.

Robin Zetina was the Dungeon Master and the game featured 4 players who each played fantasy characters and made up two opposing teams. To help give the audience a sense of place there was a screen which showed images of the location in which the game was taking place, and the fantasy worlds they were inhabiting.

Robin Zetina is a comedian as well as a Dungeon Master and he ensured that the proceedings were good humoured with the appropriate sense of levity, which was more than matched by the four contestants, whom I understand are the regular players. They played to a full house of mainly Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasts and also a few newbies like myself. I quickly got immersed in the game and at one point found myself shouting along with the other audience members “Jump through the portal!” as one of the characters hesitated on her next move.

As is common with this live format, there is a degree of audience participation and a good deal of improvising on the part of the players. Of course its main appeal is to Dungeons and Dragons aficionados, but it can also be enjoyed by those with no previous experience of the game. In these days of war in Europe and a lunatic in the White House it is good to lose yourself in a fantasy world in what looks like a Glasgow dungeon.