Get talking about board games, and Sergiu V Campeanu’s enthusiasm is apparent. One of the founders of Settlers of Patan, a board game group formed in 2017, the 33-year-old Romanian does little to hide his avidity towards the group and their communal affinity for tabletop games. In fact, even his visiting card reads ‘Chief Enthusiasm Officer’.

“I love how these games can immerse you in their narratives. The games we play are different from the classic games people know. They are modern, innovatively complicated and require time, and exercise real-life dialogues for resource building and networking,” says Campeanu.

Campeanu formed the group and started these board game sessions a year after he moved to Nepal in 2016. Among the belongings he brought to Nepal were a number of board games—some of which were Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Eldritch Horror, Dead of Winter, Bang the Dice Game, Memoir ‘44, Isle of Skye. But being new to the place, he didn’t have many friends to play them with. “And that is the pretext of the idea behind forming the group. I wanted to meet people and make friends here, you could say it was for a selfish reason,” he says. “But now, we aim to try as many new games as possible. We also want to engage with more people, who may be interested to try out these games.”

In Kathmandu, the most popular board games in the 90s were chess, ludo, snakes and ladder, Scrabble and Monopoly. Before smartphone and computer games became a routine for people of all ages, it was these board games that were present in every household, where friends and families gathered around to have a fun time together. But now, both the games and the tradition have become almost obsolete.

But, around the world, tabletop games are making a comeback. People are going back to them as they are offering something that is majorly missing in electronic mediums—genuine human interaction and quality time with family and friends. They have also become great for team-building exercises and as an engaging way to pass time during work breaks. That is why Campeanu’s gaming group is swiftly gaining popularity in the city.

“I started looking forward to these board games sessions to break away from my monotonous routine, going from home to work and vice-versa,” says Shirshak Dangol, a freelance graphic designer, who has been a regular at the weekly board games sessions organised by Settlers of Patan. For Dangol, the gaming sessions are great socialising opportunities. “I am an introverted person. I don’t really interact with people. But playing board games helps me build connections and friendships. Plus, it’s also fun,” he says.

In the three years since it started, Settlers of Patan’s community has grown significantly. “We have around 20 to 30 people coming to play board games every week,” says Campeanu. Settlers of Patan, which is named after the board game Settlers of Catan, a popular German board game, has become an avenue through which people get to know each other. It is also popular among the expats in Kathmandu.

“I came to know about Settlers of Patan through Kathmandu expat group’s Facebook page in August 2018. I joined one of the sessions hoping to make new friends,” says Stacey Cassar, a teacher at The British School. According to her, these games not only help in bringing people together, but due to their format, eases the gamers into having fun and good conversations. “I enjoy how these sessions are intimate and how it keeps my mind active,” says Cassar.

Campeanu, who estimates he spends an average of seven to eight hours a week playing board games, the weekly gaming sessions were a mode of recreation that also helped him realise his passion for his vocation in teaching and community building. “Board games are interesting, as they allow you to share an experience together. And that is how you make connections that become building blocks to making friendships. This is what has helped us grow as a community,” says Campeanu.

By playing games children make friends, and as adults, the same remains, says Campeanu. “Even as adults, games help us to break the ice,” says Campeanu.

Settlers of Patan plays various modern games like Ticket to Ride, Banking, Tiny Epic Galaxies, Coup, Carcassonne, Azul, Smash Up, Architects of the West Kingdom with a mix of diverse people. One of Campeanu’s favourites is Dead of Winter, a game set in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested colony. “I like games that tell a story, games that transport you to places and makes you go on a journey. The kind that gives you a domino experience,” says Campeanu.

For their collection, however, the group depends on friends coming to Nepal. “It’s usually people who have been to our gaming sessions prior who introduce the group to new games that they come across during their travels outside Nepal,” says Campeanu. “But there aren’t any marketplaces for modern games in Kathmandu yet.”

His board game group has also arranged gaming sessions in the last two Com Cos Con events organised by Otaku Next, which were well received by many youngsters. A lot of people visited their booth and spent meaningful time, strategising wins. “People were curious about the games we had and a lot of people showed up at our table,’ he says. “It was a nice feeling to see our group’s comradery. The members came together to organise these gaming sessions, even though we were all just volunteering.”

The atmosphere of the gaming sessions organised by Settlers of Patan is always lively. “There’s laughter everywhere and friendly jokes—just a lot of joy,” he says.

Settlers of Patan organises weekly meet-ups at Baked n’ Fresh in Bakhundole, Lalitpur.