"fictional character, typically in a fantasy world, with others; like Dungeons and Dragons."

I already mentioned that I am not a native English speaker. I don't know what "in a fantasy world, with others; like Dungeons and Dragons" means.

" in the lack of real engagement with socialist scholarship and ideas"

Then again, I don't understand what—in your view, or in the opinion of your socialist friends—constitutes "socialist scholarship and ideas." I would be very interested to hear this, particularly as someone who lived under actual socialism and remembers perfectly well what it is and what it looks like in practice.