History

In 1983, three men, who gathered their friends around a game table on a regular basis, decided to make things ‘official’ and organize a Dungeons and Dragons role-playing club. Needing a name for the club, these three men put on their thinking caps and came up with the DCB Club–based off of the first letter in each of their names.

In 1986, the Butler Clearview Mall’s two book stores, Waldenbooks and B Dalton’s Bookseller, asked the DCB Club to sponsor a gaming event held in the hallways of the Mall. The event was to publicize TSR products and the AD&D Game, and raise money for charity. At about this same time, the name ‘DCB Club’ had lost its zing, and a new, snazzier club name was thought up: The Circle of Swords.

While preparing for the Mall event, a pattern began to develop. Eight game masters were secured to handle eight game tables each holding eight players. Because of this, it seemed only natural to have a logo a circle with 8 swords lying inside. This ‘Circle of Swords’ has been our trademark ever since.

Since that first event, we have grown to be one of the largest RPGA sanctioned gaming clubs in the world. We pride ourselves on offering high-quality gaming entertainment and will continue to do so well into the future!

In 1991, we developed our Live Action Medieval Fantasy game; COS Quest. Each month, COS members donned their characters’ costumes and headed out to the PA woodlands for a weekend or day of adventure that otherwise would be played out at somebody’s dining room table. The club had acquired several props over the years to assist your imagination while battling beholders, dragons and other monsters.

The club-coordinated COS Quest LARP events ended in 2022 but the rules and realm are now available via open gaming license. This allows our players and gamers across the country to continue the game in their own fashion or in conjunction with other groups or chapters as they wish.