Modern Appendix N

[Alaxk Knight of Galt]

Goodman's DCC is focused on creating an RPG experience in-line with Appendix N. I think this is a fantastic idea. DnD, to me, seems to be evolving from the previous edition rather then from any literary or film sources.

My question is two fold, what would a modern day Appendix N contain and how would it influence DnD today?

Here are some of my suggestions for what a modern Appendix N should hold

• Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan
• The Dark Tower - Steven King
• A Song of Ice and Fire - George RR Martin
• The Gentlemen Bastards - Scott Lynch
• Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson

How might these influence a modern fantasy RPG (or even a 5th Edition of DnD). Let's just look at the Dark Tower (a non-traditional fantasy)

• The idea of the Ka-Tet fits perfectly with an adventuring party
• A vast multi-verse that is falling apart, with a centeral focus holding what remains together
• Guns as ancestral weapons and a Knightly Order that uses them
• Technology is falling apart
• Lowmen, Demons, Lobstrocities, and all sorts of nasties
• The Black 13 as an artifact of doom

Obviously this just scratches the surface of possibilities of what the Dark Tower might bring (let alone what other writers, movies, comics, and TV shows might add). What would you have in a Modern Appendix N and what gaming mechanics would you import from it?

 

[Stoat]

China Mieville, less for mechanics than for flavor. I like his emphasis on an urban, industrial fantasy rather than rural, agricultural fantasy. I also like his use of modern political philosophies in fantasy; not because I necessarily agree with his politics, but because I'm ready to move away from pseudo-feudalism.

 

[1Mac]

Cool idea. I'd add The Black Company novels by Glen Cook to the list, but what you have is pretty solid.

From Black Company, Mistborn, and WoT, (and SoI&F, to a lesser extent), one gets the idea that magic is more thematic than generalist, and (except for Mistborn) that magic doesn't need to be recharged or re-remembered. I like systems for "effects" that are more thematically tailored and generally useable.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I've never heard of "The Gentlemen Bastards" or "Mistborn," but I think the other three are obvious choices. Black Company and China Mieville also belong on there, as does, I would argue, Neil Gaiman. Although he may be beloved of the WoD set, he's also a solid fantasy/horror writer in his own right and his influence is certainly more pervasive all the time.

I'd also include fantasy videogames like God of War and World of Warcraft on the list (and arguably EverQuest, whose shadow loomed over all other MMOs before World of Warcraft covered it with a larger and darker shadow).

The only widely popular and influential fantasy comic I can think of that's truly modern, rather than just a revival of an older comic series, would be Hellboy, but it definitely would fit into a modern Appendix N.

 

[Mark CMG]

Let's get some Terry Pratchett (Guards! Guards!) in there at least to show we don't take ourselves too seriously.

 

[Starman]

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Not only is it a great story and a cool world, it shows how even the most talented hero can screw things up and find himself in trouble.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

I'm still a little conservative in my reading but I would wish to include:

* Malazan Series - Steven Erikson.
* Magician, Silverthorn, A Darkness at Sethanon - Raymond E. Feist (Is this modern enough?)
* Drenai and Rigante Series - David Gemmell
* Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Series - Tad Williams
* Assassin Series - Robin Hobb
* Deverry Series - Katherine Kerr

George RR Martin's Fire and Ice series already having been mentioned but definitely seconded here.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Jeffrey]

*furiously scribbling down titles*

Damn! I need to get to the library tomorrow!

 

[Mark CMG]

I think many would say Simon R. Green's Hawk and Fisher series would be good additions.


Simon R. Green - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[jasonzavoda]

Taking a quick look over my bookshelves these authors and books stand out as permanent fixtures and definitely worth inclusion in an updated Appendix N

Elizabeth Boyer - She went to the same source material as Tolkien but simply fictionalized the source material. If you enjoy norse fantasy adventure these books are great.

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceresses series of anthologies. A mixed bag of writing but some gems in the 20 or so volumes released.

Bujold's Chalion series - Especially The Hallowed Hunt. Not only enough for a campaign setting but the core of several adventure ideas in each book.

C.J. Cherryh - Her Gates series is wonderful fantasy, and her novel Paladin should inspire any oriental adventures style campaign.

Gary Gygax - Maybe his work goes without saying, but I know many gamers who weren't aare of his novels or who rejected them as novels only to discover how much information and ideas and inspiration were contained in each of his books. His Gord novels are fun and an incredible campaign resource for the Greyhawk setting. His Dangerous Journey's novels are the same, fun and filled with campaign information, but more importantly they create a living atmosphere for these campaigns. They are also filled with adventure ideas.

Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood and related novels - You will never look at that small grove of trees behind the ruined manor house the same way again. The concepts have amazing gaming potential and the descriptions are inspiring and worth plundering.

Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea books, at least the first 3

Patrica McKillip's - Riddle Master trilogy is one of the best fantasy series I've ever read. It is filled with magic and life.

Elizabeth Moon's Paksnarrion Trilogy - Just the first trilogy. The writing is a little rough but it is a solid fantasy series based on AD&D.

Talbot Mundy - His historical fiction series about Tros of Samothrace is wonderful pulp style action adventure set in the days of Rome.

Terry Pratchett - Great books, mostly, but the Death of Rats all by itself was a great addition to a campaign I was running.

Phillip Pullman's Golden Compass (Perhaps the trilogy) - I know it is for children or young adults or whatever, but there are some excellent concepts that can be brought into a campaign.

Keith Taylor - His Bard books (at least the first 3) are excellent fantasy adventures.

Thieves World shared universe - The series gets pretty murky past the first few books but there are also several good spin-off novels.

Karl Edward Wagner's Kane series. - If you haven't read these, you need to.

Evangeline Walton's modernized retelling of the Welsh Mabinogion is another series (4 short books) that should be in any fantasy gamers reading list.

Lawrence Watt-Evans - The first books in his Ethsar series are a lot of fun, The Misenchanted Sword especially. They are a bit clunky but are good reads and have some good gaming concepts in them.