There is a book that just came out that was based on at least part of a D&D campaign someone ran. The book is called The Hammer And The Sword. It can only be ordered online right now, but it should be in stores pretty soon. The address for the book if anyone is interested is www.xlibris.com/TheHammerAndTheSword.html and there is a link to see an excerpt from the book.
There is a book that just came out that was based on at least part of a D&D campaign someone ran. The book is called The Hammer And The Sword. It can only be ordered online right now, but it should be in stores pretty soon. The address for the book if anyone is interested is www.xlibris.com/TheHammerAndTheSword.html and there is a link to see an excerpt from the book.
Is it just the cynic in me or is the outline of the book given on the website incredibly similar to to the Story in Raymond E. Feist's 'Shadow of a Dark Queen'? (Blacksmiths apprentice, framed for the murder of an important noble, imprisoned, freed, becomes a warrior, goes far away etc. etc.)
I've never read anything by Raymond E. Feist, so I really don't know if you're being cynical or not. Did you read the excerpt from the book? If so, is it similar to this other story you mentioned?
But wasn't Midkemia a gameworld before Feist decided to write his novels?
Rasthorn, there's a whole thread devoted to Feist in the books section which you might find useful (called "New to Raymond E Feist").
I glanced at the description of that Feist book (Shadow Of A Dark Queen) and it doesn't sound that close to the synopsis for The Hammer And The Sword. Aside from the part about someone being framed and having to flee, which seems to be a fairly common plot device in all genres.
Try this short story about a FRPG campaign gone wrong ...
Go to "The Line."
In service,
Rich
Go to The Original Dr. Games Site.
According to Steven Erikson's introduction to Night of Knives, the entire multi-volume Malazan Book of the Fallen epic is based on an RPG campaign he ran with his friend, Ian Cameron Esslemont, back in college.
That takes the cake for me!
I read somewhere that Steven Brust's "Vlad Taltos" books are similarly based on a homebrew campaign.
The only thing I've read that I know for certain was based on a campaign would be The Hammer And The Sword & On The Anvil Of War by Jason M. Green, but I have no doubt that there are more books like that out there. I think it is a fairly good idea for someone with the ability to write a novel and/or short story to take a campaign they ran and adapt it to the page. Considering how much work goes into setting up a campaign I would think many people would have a large supply of material that can be used to make a compelling story, since that is what running a campaign is all about. Plus, it allows you to have the characters do what they should have done instead of what your players might have chosen to have the characters do and in the process mess up a great deal of planning. Granted, you would have to have the permission of the players to use their characters in the books, but then again you could always just create brand new ones to throw into whatever fantasy world you've created.
Breach the Hull (Dark Quest Books, www.darkquestbooks.com, May 2009) and So It Begins (Dark Quest Books, March 2009) both contain stories based on the Alliance Archives Military Role Playing System, which Dark Quest Games will be releasing in Fall of 2010.
The stories are, in Breach the Hull:
In the Dying Light, by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Wayward Child, by Mike McPhail
In So It Begins:
First Line, by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Cling Peaches, by Mike McPhail
You can find samples of all the stories, plus others based on this universe at www.mcp-concepts.com.
Let's see:
Raymond E. Feist's Midkemia and Kelewan novels are based on the RPG gameworld created by Steve Abrams which Feist played in at college.
Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont created the MALAZAN world as a setting for AD&D and later GURPS games.
George RR Martin and Melinda Snodgrass created the WILD CARDS setting as a background for a long-running SUPERHEROES campaign. GRRM also came up with some ideas for ASoIaF during a historical Roman RPG campaign.
Daniel Abraham, creator of the excellent LONG PRICE QUARTET and another member of the New Mexico SF collective, is a sometimes-player in the above WILD CARDS and Roman campaigns, I believe. So is Walter Jon Williams, creator of the DREAD EMPIRE'S FALL series of space operas, although those books are not based on a particular game.
Charles Stross, best known for his big SF novels and THE FAMILY TRADE fantasy series, started his career creating D&D monsters. Stross' big claim to fame is semi-stealing George RR Martin's githyanki and githzerai from his 1977 novel DYING OF THE LIGHT and transforming them into D&D monsters.
Robert Jordan DMed for his stepson's D&D games in the 1980s, but claims it didn't have much impact on the creation of the WHEEL OF TIME.
Scott Lynch has played a lot of RPGs and I believe used embryonic versions of the world and cities from THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA in some of them.
China Mieville originally created Bas-Lag (as seen in PERDIDO STREET STATION, THE SCAR and IRON COUNCIL) for roleplaying games, believe it or not.
Terry Pratchett has played a few RPGs in his time, but apparently not until after he'd started writing his books.
Scott Bakker created his world of Earwa from THE PRINCE OF NOTHING and ASPECT-EMPEROR series for RPG purposes.
Ed Greenwood, Elaine Cunningham, Troy Denning, RA Salvatore, Weis & Hickman etc all obviously got started in writing game-related fiction.
I think that so much work goes into a game (usually) that it would be a shame to waste it by letting it die out once the players leave. I've read things that inspired campaign settings and RPGs, but I'm uncertain how many things I've read started out as an RPG. I'm sure those with issues about D&D and all its imitators would be shocked to learn that some of their favorite authors probably were inspired at least somewhat by something related to a campaign setting or a single inspired gaming session.
Jason M. Green
Independent Author & RPG Enthusiast