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Which parts of D&D came from Tolkien?
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<blockquote data-quote="Onussen" data-source="post: 7264369" data-attributes="member: 6795903"><p>D&D would exist absent Tolkien's influences. There are many more influences than just the good professor. I do not get the idea that Dave Arneson, who started the fantasy RPG genre ( and took something from Gygax's and Perrin's Chainmail game) had a whole lot of interest in Tolkien. Someone who knows more about Arneson can comment to this.</p><p></p><p>Those of you who are old enough ought to remember that there was a resurgence in the interest in Professor Tolkien's books in the late '60s and early '70's. Heck, for example, even Led Zeppelin referenced his writings ( "Ramble On", in 1969.) It was part of the zeitgeist at the time. I suspect that if D&D were formulated today, it would have a high GoT influence to it. </p><p></p><p>Anyway, to the original question: I'm certain that it is impossible to identify just how many parts of D&D come from Tolkien. His influences pervade the game, as do the influences of Jack Vance, and Robert Howard, and Fritz Leiber, and Poul Anderson, to name the major influences of which I am aware. Everything is intertwined, and ultimately comes from the same sources of Inspiration, Western European Folk-lore, mainly Germanic (including Scandinavian).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Onussen, post: 7264369, member: 6795903"] D&D would exist absent Tolkien's influences. There are many more influences than just the good professor. I do not get the idea that Dave Arneson, who started the fantasy RPG genre ( and took something from Gygax's and Perrin's Chainmail game) had a whole lot of interest in Tolkien. Someone who knows more about Arneson can comment to this. Those of you who are old enough ought to remember that there was a resurgence in the interest in Professor Tolkien's books in the late '60s and early '70's. Heck, for example, even Led Zeppelin referenced his writings ( "Ramble On", in 1969.) It was part of the zeitgeist at the time. I suspect that if D&D were formulated today, it would have a high GoT influence to it. Anyway, to the original question: I'm certain that it is impossible to identify just how many parts of D&D come from Tolkien. His influences pervade the game, as do the influences of Jack Vance, and Robert Howard, and Fritz Leiber, and Poul Anderson, to name the major influences of which I am aware. Everything is intertwined, and ultimately comes from the same sources of Inspiration, Western European Folk-lore, mainly Germanic (including Scandinavian). [/QUOTE]
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