Direct inspirations for D&D elements?

[Brian E. Harris]

I know there's been threads about this, but can't seem to find them.

Curious what you all are aware of as far as fiction that served as a DIRECT inspiration for elements of D&D.

I'm not thinking so much as LoTR, but examples such as:

Voyage of the Space Beagle (or Black Destroyer?) - A.E. van Vogt - Coeurl a.k.a. Displacer Beast

The Dying Earth - Jack Vance - Spells such as Prismatic Spray

Dying of the Light - George R.R. Martin - Githyanki

Along those lines, what else can you think of, or do you have the links to threads of this nature?

[CunningMongoose]

Elric of Melniboné - Michael Moorcock - The planes and part of the alignement system. And now the Black Blade Magus.

Vance inspired more than particular spells, he inspired the whole memorization casting system.

But Wikipedia knows all : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sources_and_influences_on_the_development_of_D ungeons_%26_Dragons

[Benicio Del Espada]

CunningMongoose wrote:

Elric of Melniboné - Michael Moorcock - The planes and part of the alignement system. And now the Black Blade Magus.

Vance inspired more than particular spells, he inspired the whole memorization casting system.

But Wikipedia knows all : link

:)

[Kirth Gersen]

The regenerating D&D troll, and the original 1e paladin class, were both lifted straight out of Poul Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions.

Going back to the source of THAT, 1st ed. clerics were more or less based on Archbishop Turpin from the Chanson de Roland, who claimed he used a mace because it "didn't shed blood."

The cubic gate magic item is meant to represent the titular object in de Camp & Pratt's The Carnelian Cube.

The hand and eye of Vecna were inspired by the Hand of Rhynn and the Eye of Kwll, from Moorcock's "Corum" books.

The rogue class (originally the "thief") is arguably a tribute to Cugel the Clever, from Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" books. The robe of eyes appeared in the story "Chun the Unavoidable," from The Dying Earth. And, yes, the "fire-and-forget" concept of prepared spells is from Vance as well.

Carnivorous apes (which later became dire apes) can be found in R.E. Howard's "Moon of Zembabwei," and in E.R. Burroughs' Tarzan of the Apes. Girallons first appeared, under the name of "Martian apes," in ERB's A Princess of Mars.

Halflings were originally called "hobbits." 'Nuff said. And giant spiders in 1e were intelligent, a la the ones in The Hobbit. And treants are a pretty obvious ripoff, too (not to mention dwarves and elves as PCs).

[Paul McCarthy]

Kirth Gersen wrote:

The hand and eye of Vecna were inspired by the Hand of Rhynn and the Eye of Kwll, from Moorcock's "Corum" books.

As a side note, Vecna is also an anagram of Vance: Mr. Jack Vance.

[Knoq Nixoy]

Also the Ioun Stones are from Rhialto the Marvelous by Vance.

[CunningMongoose]

Benicio Del Espada wrote:

CunningMongoose wrote:

Elric of Melniboné - Michael Moorcock - The planes and part of the alignement system. And now the Black Blade Magus.

Vance inspired more than particular spells, he inspired the whole memorization casting system.

But Wikipedia knows all : link

:)

Thanks :-)

[Kirth Gersen]

Ooh, a couple more:

The 1st ed. psionic "probability travel" through the planes was a not-so-subtle nod to the descriptive text for walking in Shadow in Roger Zelazny's "Amber" series.

If you wondered why the assassin was a base class in 1st ed., read ERB's The Swords of Mars.

[yellowdingo]

Brian E. Harris wrote:

I know there's been threads about this, but can't seem to find them.

Curious what you all are aware of as far as fiction that served as a DIRECT inspiration for elements of D&D.

I'm not thinking so much as LoTR, but examples such as:

Voyage of the Space Beagle (or Black Destroyer?) - A.E. van Vogt - Coeurl a.k.a. Displacer Beast

The Dying Earth - Jack Vance - Spells such as Prismatic Spray

Dying of the Light - George R.R. Martin - Githyanki

Along those lines, what else can you think of, or do you have the links to threads of this nature?

'The Burrowers Beneath' by Brian Lumley is mentioned as a source for the Squidheaded mindflayer. Though the early description of it in Strategic review makes it out as a Demon (using the rules applied to Describe Demons) rather than an 'alien' race.

A Spaceship called the Beagle crashes on the World of Mystara (a D&D setting) unleashing technological (and likely monsters from the interplanetary survey mission)...along with it's green skinned crew from 'The Galactic Federation'.