What Authors Have Most Inspired Your Campaign?

[demiurge1138]

Whether through direct homage, occasional subtle references or just tone and mood, just about everybody has some sort of inspiration for their D&D games. Which authors have influenced you?

My greatest influences were probably Tolkien, Lovecraft, and Terry Pratchett. Needless to say, my campaign gets a bit odd at times.

Demiurge out.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

Lord Dunsany. When I can make it happen, anyway. Not the most compatible with dungeoncrawling, though I sometimes manage to approach that kind of wonder.

 

[WayneLigon]

Fritz Leiber, for some of his descriptions and tone. Martha Wells, and Orson Scott Card Thieves' World stuff, for plot and adventure ideas. Depends on the tone I want, really.

 

[cdsaint]

Mercedes Lackey. I always loved the idea of a diety who reincarnated favored Heralds as "improved" horses to help out the newer Heralds. Of course the Shin'a'in, Tayledras, and of course the Kaled'a'in. What's not to love about intelligent Gryphons teamed up with exotic humans. I just wish there was a better way to model the magic.

Chris

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Among the authors not listed: Gies and other authors of historical non-fiction.

Randall Garret (Lord Darcy is one of my main inspirations for at least two campaigns)

Lois Mac Master Bujold (ditto)

Agrippa and other writers of occult works.

Saint Thomas Aquinas and other authors of Theology.

William Shakespear

Agath Christy and other mystery authors.

***
The Auld Grump

 

[dren]

Patricia McKillip.

She has put out more than a dozen stand-alone novels which are not apart of some ongoing campaign or epic story arc. Just simple stories of love, loss, sorrow, redemption and magic.

There are many writers (Harlan Ellison, Philip K Dick, Charles de Lint, William Gibson, HPL, Edgar Burrows) who I am in awe at their style and their provactive imagery, but McKillip has inspired me for my campaign. Everytime I read her, she transports me to another world.

 

[Corinth]

After Tolkien, my influences go out of fantasy and into history & philosophy.

 

[Lord Rasputin]

Lieber. I don't read much fiction, and his is about the only fiction that I find inspirational for my fantasy games. In a lesser vein, Weis/Hickman, Tolkein and HPL. Most gaming novels, especially those of Gygax and Greenwood, make great kitty litter liners.

 

[Drifter Bob]

Jack Vance DOOD. You gotta be kidding not to have his name on the list.

DB

 

[Blue]

For my current campaign, Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea was a big influence. Not directly, but definitely that are a lot os aspects swirled in.

Cheers,
Blue