[3 Hearts and 3 Lions] How was it influenced you (and fiction)?

[Carlsen Chris]

As many of you know, 3 Hearts and 3 Lions is often cited as a foundational text in the creation of D&D. Here are my questions: how influential has Anderson's novel been on you as a gamer, and in which specific ways has it influenced your games? Also, if you are a reader of fantasy fiction, how has the novel influenced fiction since its publication, and in which specific ways?

EDIT: Damn in-title typos.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I've read it. Paladins and regenerating trolls.

Not very influential otherwise, frankly.

 

[Ryujin]

Well it certainly influenced my views on how a Paladin should be played. It also solidified my take on how Elves (and later Eladrin), who I would consider to be Light Fey, would tend to behave when dealing with creatures of Law.

 

[Jhaelen]

Not at all (I haven't read it, nor do I plan to). My main inspiration when I first came into contact with (A)D&D was Michael Moorcock.
All things considered, I don't read a lot of fantasy novels. I prefer sci-fi.

 

[Kramodlog]

Not to be that guy, but I'll be that guy and say The Lord of the Rings had more influence on my early D&D games than any other text or film, foundational or not. Some stories with Conan, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser where cool, but they mostly made you say "Oh, so this is where the demilich comes froms". Same with Jack Vance's Dying Earth. You went "Oh, ioun stone! Primatic ray!", but not much else. I can't say they made me go "This is how a D&D game should be done".

I think this is partially why campaign settings like Dark Sun, Ravenloft, Spelljammer and Planescape suffered and weren't as popular as the Forgotten Realms. People didn't have blue prints (LotR) on how to use them.

Now at my age, and at the age of the game, we are in a post-LotR world. Campaigns need to be different from the "epic quest" format the LotR gave us, so you get Iron Gods, Reign of Winter or Strange Aeons.

 

[Morrus]

I think this is partially why campaign settings like Dark Sun, Ravenloft, Spelljammer and Planescape suffered and weren't as popular as the Forgotten Realms. People didn't have blue prints (LotR) on how to use them.

I dunno. I can’t imagine there are many out there unfamiliar with Dracula.

 

[Kramodlog]

I dunno. I can’t imagine there are many out there unfamiliar with Dracula.

Dracula ain't much of a blue print for a D&D game, even set in Ravenloft. Too much of the action takes place with characters alone and not in a group. That doesn't work with D&D. Having a player seduced by a vampire might lead to a few hours of good roleplay... for the DM and one player. All of the others will just be bored watching the awkard romance.

As for Ravenloft the old classic quest, well, it was just a dungeon crawl with gothic themes and a vampire as the baddy. What set it appart at the time, was its quality and story dept. Not because its baddy was pseudo-Dracula. It is of course outdated and no one would talk about if it was published today. Its quality doesn't meet current standards. The only reason it keeps getting remade is nostalgia. This is why people buy it and similar adventure books like Tales from the Yawning Portal. It certainly ain't for the revised maps or plots of TotYP.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Personally, I can’t say it has influenced my games. Aside from the carry-overs to D&D, that is – it’s one of those novels that is coded in there with the game’s DNA.

I am certainly a reader of fantasy literature. As for Three Hearts Three Lions’ influence on fiction, I’m not sure Poul Anderson is as big an influence these days. One could argue that any book that riffs on Nordic sagas and legends owes something to The Broken Sword or Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, but that might be a tenuous claim. He’s not a forgotten author by any means, but I think his influence is waning.

 

[ccs]

Somewhere along the line I've never read this one.....
So whatever influence it may be having on my gaming must've come from bits that found thier way into 1e.
But I don't know what they are.