Dungeons and Dragons has one of the most passionate and dedicated fan bases in gaming history, and with good reason. Its open-ended structure allows for an infinite number of play styles for Dungeon Masters and adventurers alike

Not only does the game contain literal tomes of lore, theories about which can be incorporated into the game, but the mechanics of character and encounter building allow for fan theories from all realms of nerdom to come together in one place.

RELATED: What Dungeons & Dragons alignment are you based on your Zodiac type? 

Check out this list of ways Dungeon Masters and players can use fan theories to enhance their next campaign!

10 The Mind Flayer Among Us

The illithid, known as mind flayers, are monstrous, inter-dimensional, psychic octopus-like beings made popular by the hit Netflix series  Stranger Things. They can take control of peoples' minds to do their bidding, and because they are inter-dimensional, it stands to reason they could be here in our world too.

At the start of the "normal" campaign, the DM selects and secretly informs one player that they are actually an agent of the mind flayer. That player's task is to convert the rest of the party into mind flayer drones by performing a ritual during downtimes between dungeons. This ritual requires magical components (at DM discretion) that the afflicted player/s must acquire discreetly, and at no point can they ever reveal their true allegiances. Nothing like inspiring paranoia amongst friends!

9 The Mind Flayer Among Us - Version 2

Here's another mod inspired by the idea that the Illithid have access to our realm: In this set-up, the Dungeon Master would run the players through a series of repetitive dungeons, always looking for the same quest objective which would constantly elude them. Clues about a mind flayer will be left for the players to find, which would provide a loose description of the true identity of the Illithid - the Dungeon Master.

RELATED: Dungeons And Dragons: 10 Magic Items For A Mid-Level Party

In this scenario, the DM/illithid has already enslaved the minds of the entire party and is keeping them in an infinite loop of dungeons. The only way to defeat the illithid is to confront them in real life and do the unthinkable - stop playing the game.

8 You Are The Beholder

D&D 5th Edition co-creator Mike Meals caused a stir when he mused that the entire Dungeons and Dragons multiverse might just be the dream of a beholder, a giant floating cyclops. For this campaign, the DM will place one beholder per player somewhere in the world where the party can encounter them. These beholders represent the real-life players' link to the game world. If the party unwittingly kills the beholder, the player connected to that particular beholder loses control of their character and is taken over by the DM.

To "reconnect" with their character, the player must solve a puzzle in the real world in isolation, while the party tries to solve an in-game puzzle together. Only once both puzzles are solved can a player reconnect.

7 Confirm That D&D Is Actually A Pathway To Satanism (Ironically)

As long as Dungeons and Dragons has been around, there have been stories and controversies about how it is secretly trying to convert the youth to a life of devil worship. Test your players' moral convictions and maybe turn them to the Prince of Darkness with this game mechanic.

Routinely present your players with simple ethical decisions - save a cat, give money to a beggar, etc. If they behave like upstanding citizens, go ahead and increase the Challenge Rating for every encounter by a small increment. If they act like unrepentant dirt-bags, reward them with gear, or lower the Challenge Rating if it's gotten too high. It may be tough to change character alignments, but human morality is pretty fluid, right?

6 Become The Fast And The Furious

the fast and the furious cast

It's no secret that Vin Diesel, star of the Fast and Furious franchise, is a big D&D fan. Some have even speculated that the dramatic increases in the film characters' strength and constitution can be attributed to the fact that the characters are existing in a D&D campaign. The Verge went so far as to create downloadable character sheets for Dom, Hobbs, and Tej as part of an April Fool's joke.

Perhaps Dominic Toretto's ancestors came from Waterdeep, or maybe Hobbs is the descendant of a mighty half-orc. Either way, rolling up a Fast and Furious character in 5th Edition is a lot easier than you might think. Start with a human fighter, select the "Mounted Combatant" feat, and choose the Cavalier subclass at level three. Get a horse - the fastest and most furious horse money can buy - and crash that horse into your enemies. Then gargle some barbecue, resurrect Han, and steal a faster, even more, furious horse. Because family.

5 Enter Middle Earth

The original version of D&D, released in 1974, included hobbits instead of what are now called halflings. Copyright wars ensued, and as a result, Dungeons and Dragons and Lord of the Rings have been kept apart for over forty years.

However, in 2016, the Open Game License allowed for the creation of Adventures in Middle Earth, an adaptation of a LOTR role-playing game made compatible with the 5th Edition of D&D. One major difference is the general removal of magic and spells, so no, there will be no party of Gandalfs summoning Great Eagles to fly over Mount Doom and alley-ooping the One Ring into Mount Doom. Dust off all your old Sam and Frodo fan fiction and get ready to make some cannon shattering charisma checks.

4 Become Jim Hopper From Stranger Things

D&D fans have speculated that Stranger Things is actually a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, instead of just featuring one. Can't wait to see what happens to Hopper between seasons 3 and 4? The folks at Nerdarchy did an excellent job rolling up a playable Sheriff Hopper character using 5th Edition rules, going so far as to get input from actor David Harbour.

There are arguments for Hopper being played as a Fighter, Rogue, Ranger, or some multi-class combination of the three. For the complete Hopper experience, start as a human, take the Tavern Brawler feat, the Investigator background, and talk to your DM about including firearms in your campaign.

3 Dungeons & Dragons Is A Post-Apocalyptic World

This fan theory from Reddit postulates that the world of D&D is actually a post-apocalyptic nightmare resulting from the magical equivalent of nuclear war. It claims that orcs and elves are no more than regular humans who have mutated as a result of some cataclysmic event in the past.

RELATED: Dungeons and Dragons: 5 Best Multiclass Combinations (And 5 Worst)

Further evidence of this catastrophe - the plethora of dungeons that seem to litter the landscape are actually abanded fallout shelters of a long-forgotten generation. This theory contains tons of interesting ideas any DM could use to enrich their stories and build a deeper sense of immersion with their players.

2 Every NPC Has A Backstory

Individuals who are passionate enough to DM are bigger fans of D&D than regular players, and in a way, every campaign they create is a grand theory about the world and lore within. It must be frustrating to compose an elaborate campaign full of riddles, puzzles and a web of interconnected NPCs, only to have the party bash, stab and loot every sentient being they encounter.

Consider playing a campaign where assault, robbery, and murder are treated with the same moral gravity as they are in this world. No action would be without consequence. Even beheading a zombie would require an explanation to a family member as to why that particular corpse needed desecration. This is the perfect opportunity for a DM to work on their storytelling and acting abilities. Don't be afraid to send your players to civil claims court!

1 Explore Wildemount

Following the immense popularity of the D&D series Critical Role, Wizards of the Coast has released a new sourcebook called Explorer's Guide to Wildemount. Not only does this introduce three new sub-classes, a new branch of magic, over a dozen monsters and magic items, but also an entire campaign.

The book was designed for fans of the series and newcomers alike. For those looking for an extra deep dive, be on the lookout for The World of Critical Role, expected later this year.

NEXT: 15 Video Games To Play If You Love D&D