Derby’s past is being retold through a roll of the dice. Over the past six months, Derby Libraries has worked with local tabletop role‑players, a professional dungeon master and students from the University of Derby to develop Darbye — a fantasy role‑playing setting rooted in the city’s own archival material.
From archive pages to imagined streets
The project reimagines Derby in the late 18th century, placing participants in an alternate version of the city during 1793, shortly after the execution of the King of France — a time the creators describe as politically unstable. Organisers say the game world is built from primary sources kept in the Local Studies and Family History Library, including handwritten guides, notes and other records that the team have woven into the storylines, folklore and magical elements of the setting.
Professional dungeon master Toby Tyrrell‑Jones, 36, has overseen a trial campaign of the setting played by volunteers involved in the development process. The test sessions are being filmed by students at the University of Derby for a short video series that will accompany the public roll‑out of the work.
"I guess the really special thing about the world of Darbye is that it is Derby with just a bit of a twist," Toby Tyrrell‑Jones said, adding that mixing material from the archive with the conventions of Dungeons & Dragons offered an "immersive" way to tell local stories.
Purpose and public access
Derby Libraries say the aim is to open access to local history in a different format: one that appeals to new and existing audiences by combining research with participatory storytelling. A public launch is expected in the autumn, though a specific date has not been announced.
Ben Dawson, the libraries’ project coordinator, has described the initiative as unprecedented for the service. The collaboration brought together volunteers who helped shape the fictional world, city staff and students documenting the project on film.
- Collaborators: Derby Libraries, professional dungeon master, community volunteers, University of Derby students.
- Historical basis: Material drawn from the Local Studies and Family History Library; setting placed in 1793.
- Delivery: Test campaign filmed; public launch planned for autumn (date TBC).
What this means locally
The Darbye project links cultural heritage with contemporary leisure: it offers an alternative route into understanding archival material, particularly for younger or non‑traditional archive users. For the libraries, it represents a way to highlight unique holdings within the Local Studies collection and to demonstrate how primary sources can inform creative reinterpretation.
Residents and visitors interested in seeing the development and the filmed sessions should watch for further announcements from Derby Libraries and the University of Derby about the autumn launch and any accompanying events or screenings. The organisers have emphasised that as much of the city as possible should be able to engage with the history through the game.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Setting name | Darbye |
| Historical year | 1793 (alternate history) |
| Partners | Derby Libraries, University of Derby students, professional DM, volunteers |
| Public launch | Autumn (date not yet confirmed) |
Organisers say their approach treats the archives as a resource to be interpreted, not rewritten. The project positions historical documents as springboards for fictional world‑building rather than as finished narratives, offering players a chance to inhabit a version of the city that draws on genuine local material.
Further details, including event times and opportunities for public participation, will be released by Derby Libraries in due course. Those interested in archives, role‑playing games, or local storytelling are being invited to keep an eye on official channels for updates.
