In a world where high-speed online gaming connects players across the globe, it’s heartening to know there’s still room for smaller, passionate communities.
The tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) scene may not be mainstream, but it’s devoted and close-knit.
Founded by Sharifah Hanna in 2023, Here Be Dragons recently celebrated its second anniversary. It’s a TTRPG lounge in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, where people can dive into games of every kind—from the fantasy realms of Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder to the Lovecraftian chills of Call of Cthulhu, the grimdark battles of Warhammer 40k, and much more. With over 200 games available, the lounge offers a true dragon’s hoard of worlds and systems to explore. You can buy board games at the space or gather with friends to play there. It also sells game miniatures, dice, dice bags and other board game merchandise and paraphernalia. The most popular game to buy and play there is Dungeons & Dragons!
For Hanna, Here Be Dragons is the world she wished she had had when she was growing up and feeling out of place and alone. ‘I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid and with autism as an adult. When I discovered D&D, I felt immediately welcomed by the community and wanted to give that experience to other people. The game—and others like it—is amazing for socialising. TTRPGs are also a great way to practise improv storytelling. I fell in love with storytelling through playing board games.’
TTRPGs have seen a surge in popularity in recent years, thanks to pop culture shoutouts in shows like The Big Bang Theory and Stranger Things. But the real game-changer has been Actual Play—streams where players and a dungeon master run through a handcrafted campaign. These shows have drawn countless newcomers into the community by showing just how fun, creative, and chaotic TTRPGs can be. You’d be hard-pressed to watch one and not want to roll dice yourself! On the flip side, they can set unrealistically high expectations—after all, not every neighbourhood game night comes with professional actors and cinematic-level storytelling.
Beyond its open play space, Here Be Dragons also runs workshops in their painting room. Visitors can learn to paint miniatures (often used to represent characters in-game), make dice jewellery, or even craft prop armour and weapons. There’s also a private game room with an audio system—perfect for mood-setting soundtracks—and a widescreen setup for maps and visuals to enhance gameplay.
Of course, keeping a niche business alive is no easy feat. Hanna takes heart from other game spaces in the Klang Valley that have stuck it out. Francis Wolf, for example, opened Wolf Game Shop back in 2003. The Section 14, PJ outlet is still standing—though, as Wolf admits, just barely. ‘This is a very niche market within the niche market of tabletop gaming,’ he says, referring to his shop’s focus on miniatures, miniature-based board games, paints, tools, and books. Online platforms are his biggest competitors. ‘You get more choice online, obviously,’ he notes, though Wolf Game Shop also sells through Shopee and similar platforms. Board games themselves, he laments, aren’t as popular with the younger crowd: ‘They don’t interest youngsters, so as a hobby, the growth is slow.’ Still, his shop managed to survive the pandemic!
Meanwhile, Abraham Joel Victor, owner of Vivae Board Game Café, has been running his outlets, in Ampang and Damansara Utama, since 2018. His goal was simple: to create spaces where people could socialise, express themselves, and ‘just have fun.’ At Vivae, you can buy and play board games, and grab food while you’re at it. They also have game nights and tournaments, but Victor admits it hasn’t been easy. ‘Adding the F&B element was a way of making ends meet,’ he says. ‘Every month is a struggle, but so far we’re holding up.’
Back at Here Be Dragons, Hanna is candid about the ups and downs of running a TTRPG lounge: ‘I had so many moments, especially at the start, when I was like “I don’t know what I’m doing!” Luckily, I found people who believed in me and invested in this place. I wasn’t expecting us to stabilise so quickly—but here we are!’
Now, she says, the focus is on growth. And for her, that means more than just sales. ‘Growth is about people and the community. We want this space to be a gathering point, a place where people feel like they belong.’
For more information visit Here Be Dragons’ website at https://www.herebedragonsgames.com/
Here Be Dragons
Address: 2nd Floor, 54-B,
Lorong Rahim Kajai 14,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL
Hours: 2pm-12pm (Tuesday-Friday) 10am-12pm (weekends)
Elesh Vengadesan-Lee is a 28 year old writer.
Image Credit: Here Be Dragon’s Board Game Store
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