Appendix N redux

[WheresMyD20]

I'd definitely keep the entire original Appendix N and then add to it. There's a lot of great stuff in the original Appendix N and a lot of it is pretty easy to find used on the internet.

 

[Hussar]

Oh, hey, I'd add the Thieves World books in here as well. Various authors, but, not a bad place to look for inspiration.

 

[TFJ3]

What would your version of appendix N look like to guide the new edition?

I would have to say that depends a lot on the actual content of the game. The works listed in the original Appendix N were really reflected in the content of AD&D, whereas many of the fantasy works listed in this thread, as great as they are, have little if anything to do with what you'll find in the recent editions of D&D.

At this a point the real "Appendix N" of the recent editions of D&D would mostly be composed of various Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, etc novels as D&D has increasingly become it's own subgenre of fantasy disconnected from the rest of the genre. Over the years there have been a handful authors whose works were sufficently influenced by D&D that they'd merit inclusion like Raymond Feist and Steven Brust, but there's really nothing of George RR Martin or other currently popular fantasy authors in the game as it presently exists.

 

[gyor]

Books- Forgotten Realms novels over the years as away to get an idea on how the game has evolved between editions. Look into the Lovecraftian mythos, his influence on D&D is important, when it comes to understanding abberants.

Fan Fiction- George Tasker has some great stuff, x-rated though like the double d's play d&d and any story invovling a certain,goblin Paladin whose name is rather crude and whose actions are definately not lawful good.

TV shows-Lost Girl(great for character interaction), Merlin.

 

[Dausuul]

I would have to say that depends a lot on the actual content of the game. The works listed in the original Appendix N were really reflected in the content of AD&D, whereas many of the fantasy works listed in this thread, as great as they are, have little if anything to do with what you'll find in the recent editions of D&D.

At this a point the real "Appendix N" of the recent editions of D&D would mostly be composed of various Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, etc novels as D&D has increasingly become it's own subgenre of fantasy disconnected from the rest of the genre. Over the years there have been a handful authors whose works were sufficently influenced by D&D that they'd merit inclusion like Raymond Feist and Steven Brust, but there's really nothing of George RR Martin or other currently popular fantasy authors in the game as it presently exists.

The fact that GRRM et al are not close to the "D&D genre" is a good thing. D&D has a tendency to get too hung up in its own traditions. Every so often I see somebody on these forums talk about Tolkien-style elves and dwarves as standard in fantasy, and it makes me want to bang my head on the wall. Because they're not. They're so, so not. Tall pretty bow-shooting elves and stout bearded axe-swinging dwarves are specific to Tolkien and his imitators... which category happens to include D&D. In the rest of the genre, an "elf" is more likely to resemble Dobby than Legolas, and the iconic "dwarf" these days is Tyrion Lannister.

The authors people are listing here are gold mines of material for DMs and players. Except for having dragons and wizards in it, the archetypal D&D setting doesn't look a bit like Earthsea. But an Earthsea-inspired homebrew campaign would have me on board in a heartbeat! I'd like to see more Earthsea in my D&D games, along with Westeros and Tigana and Mid-World and Prydain and the Dreaming, and less Forgotten Realms. D&D has this mentality that every damn campaign has to have elves and dwarves and the whole shebang, and I'm bloody sick of it.

 

[haakon1]

We need the Seamus Heaney translation of "Beowulf". BEST VERSION EVER. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Beowulf-Verse-Translation-Bilingual-Edition/dp/0393320979]Amazon.com: Beowulf: A New Verse Translation (Bilingual Edition) (9780393320978): Seamus Heaney: Books[/ame]
-- And if movies are included, the Michael Crichton variant of the tale "The 13th Warrior". The 13th Warrior - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From Easter dinner with my non-gamer friend's non-gamer kids (middle school and high school aged), they are very into:
-- The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings
-- Harry Potter
-- The Hunger Games

I haven't read the latter, but it's clearly in the fantasy genre in their minds, so I'd add it as a nod to a new generation, despite the "future" setting. Unless I'm missing something there!

Which reminds me, "Star Wars: A New Hope" absolutely needs to be on the list if there are movies included, despite the sci fi skin on a classical story.
-- Is it possible someone exists who isn't aware of Star Wars? Probably And probably a lot of people exist who don't realize it's as much fantasy as it is sci fi.

 

[Neonchameleon]

The Deed of Paksennarion. (Best D&D fiction ever written IMO)
Lois McMaster Bujold's Chalion triology. Also her Vorkosigan saga despite it being officially SF.
Harry Potter.
A Wizard of Earthsea.
Terry Pratchett.

Babylon 5. (It's officially SF. Sue me.)
The A Team.
Leverage. (And as if both this and the A Team aren't about great adventuring parties)
Hercules/Xena

Mass Effect
World of Warcraft
Planescape: Torment
The Witcher

The Sandman
Lucifer
Hellblazer

 

[Hussar]

I would have to say that depends a lot on the actual content of the game. The works listed in the original Appendix N were really reflected in the content of AD&D, whereas many of the fantasy works listed in this thread, as great as they are, have little if anything to do with what you'll find in the recent editions of D&D.

At this a point the real "Appendix N" of the recent editions of D&D would mostly be composed of various Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, etc novels as D&D has increasingly become it's own subgenre of fantasy disconnected from the rest of the genre. Over the years there have been a handful authors whose works were sufficently influenced by D&D that they'd merit inclusion like Raymond Feist and Steven Brust, but there's really nothing of George RR Martin or other currently popular fantasy authors in the game as it presently exists.

I would point out that the Steven Erikson novels started out as an FRPG campaign (although I think the system was GURPS, but, I could be wrong there) which would fit very, very well in either 3e or 4e. So, it's not exactly a stretch to see the Malazan books as part of a 5e Appendix N.

The Black Company books, by Glen Cook, even though written in the 80's, would be virtually picture perfect for a D20 setting, and in fact got a [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Mythic-Vistas-Company-Campaign-Setting/dp/1932442383]d20 book by Green Ronin[/ame] that was very well received.

And if you cannot see any links to Thieves World in either Ptolus or Freeport, you're not looking hard enough.

 

[Libramarian]

I know, but I couldn't remember what it was, only that it was from a book over three decades ago when a substential number of people here weren't even born yet, so I thought I ask it again for everyones benefit instead of going on a search for the last thread.

It is sort of an esoteric and in-group-y thing to just call it "Appendix N". The AD&D DMG has appendices A through P over like 70 pages, it's pretty hilarious.

 

[Ultimatecalibur]

I think a few Anime Series need to be in the Appendix:

Records of Lodoss War
Slayers
Louie the Rune Soldier
The Legend of The Legendary Heroes