If the thought of hordes of rabid fantasy gamers roaming the streets, wild-eyed and hopped up on complex medieval and sci-fi scenarios, scares you, then thank kind-hearted owners Julian Rodriguez and Jason Wemouth for providing said nerd herd a safe, comfortable place to get off the streets and into a vicarious adventure. Emerald Knights is the premier, live-table-gaming venue in the region, a place where eager aficionados gather to compete at Cosmic Encounter, Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons, among other titles. A spacious structure with a second balcony level of additional tables, the shop also sells comic books, games (both RPG and board), miniatures and T-shirts. Rodriguez calls his store “a family-friendly business, almost a clubhouse,” where people hang out all day and have passionate discussions on Picard versus Kirk, or “Was Santa Claus a wizard or a druid?” “We're Cheers for geeks,” he says. Only here, everybody not only knows your name, they also know your battle quotient. 4116 W Burbank Blvd., Burbank. (818) 588-3631, ekcomicsandgames.com.

—Adam Gropman

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