Shannon Appelcline 🌮
@shannonappelcline.bsky.social
Author of the DESIGNERS & DRAGONS series of RPG histories, including THIS IS FREE TRADER BEOWULF: A SYSTEM HISTORY OF TRAVELLER. Science-fiction, fantasy, comic, and RPG fan.
And the Designers & Dragons: Origins is over. Thanks so much for the support! We brought in just a hair short of a quarter-of-a-million dollars (wow!), which I believe puts us in the top-5 Evil Hat Kickstarters (OK, #5), so I'm super happy for the interest in history!
November 21, 2025 at 3:00 AM
And the Designers & Dragons: Origins is over. Thanks so much for the support! We brought in just a hair short of a quarter-of-a-million dollars (wow!), which I believe puts us in the top-5 Evil Hat Kickstarters (OK, #5), so I'm super happy for the interest in history!
Designers & Dragons: Origins has topped 1,500 backers, which means that 100+ people have joined since I woke up a bit more than 7 hours ago. (Don't judge! I'm in Hawaii, so that was 6.45am!)
Woot! This is why I've been writing history since I published a little article on WotC 19 years ago!
Woot! This is why I've been writing history since I published a little article on WotC 19 years ago!
November 21, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Designers & Dragons: Origins has topped 1,500 backers, which means that 100+ people have joined since I woke up a bit more than 7 hours ago. (Don't judge! I'm in Hawaii, so that was 6.45am!)
Woot! This is why I've been writing history since I published a little article on WotC 19 years ago!
Woot! This is why I've been writing history since I published a little article on WotC 19 years ago!
Did you know that TSR UK did products for Star Frontiers too? They're not in Designers & Dragons: Origins, though I have thought from time to time about delving into TSR's other product lines as a little coda to the D&D product histories!
November 20, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Did you know that TSR UK did products for Star Frontiers too? They're not in Designers & Dragons: Origins, though I have thought from time to time about delving into TSR's other product lines as a little coda to the D&D product histories!
As I wrote previously, this is more of a procedural history, with the prime points of interest being the discussion of Steve Marsh's input to the game and the discussion of how to design wilderness adventures.
November 20, 2025 at 5:40 PM
As I wrote previously, this is more of a procedural history, with the prime points of interest being the discussion of Steve Marsh's input to the game and the discussion of how to design wilderness adventures.
Our 180k stretch goal poll came in and the winner was the B/X D&D Expert Set, which will be added to the backers-only preview!
November 20, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Our 180k stretch goal poll came in and the winner was the B/X D&D Expert Set, which will be added to the backers-only preview!
I am thrilled to see that Designers & Dragons: Origins is in the black. @evilhat.bsky.social went out on a limb with an expensive full-color 4-book HC line, because I'm annoying and send a ton of books at once. And they paid $45k up front to produce the books, and *you* have made that work.
November 20, 2025 at 2:35 AM
I am thrilled to see that Designers & Dragons: Origins is in the black. @evilhat.bsky.social went out on a limb with an expensive full-color 4-book HC line, because I'm annoying and send a ton of books at once. And they paid $45k up front to produce the books, and *you* have made that work.
I'm surprised the black box (e.g. "Fifth Edition", believe or not) didn't get much love. It was a real bestseller for TSR. Does this mean that its players didn't go on to be long-term D&D fans? I dunno.
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
I'm surprised the black box (e.g. "Fifth Edition", believe or not) didn't get much love. It was a real bestseller for TSR. Does this mean that its players didn't go on to be long-term D&D fans? I dunno.
Battlesystem was the other box to break 10% and it's got the cool story of TSR's attempt to compete with GW, their failed miniatures aspirations, and a line that was doomed from the start, but that TSR nonetheless tried to prop up for a full decade.
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Battlesystem was the other box to break 10% and it's got the cool story of TSR's attempt to compete with GW, their failed miniatures aspirations, and a line that was doomed from the start, but that TSR nonetheless tried to prop up for a full decade.
I should have realized the BECMI Basic Rules would be highly rated too, because it's such an iconic design.
One of the things I enjoyed with each of the three Basic Sets was talking about the design goals each time, since all three authors have been explicit about them at various times.
One of the things I enjoyed with each of the three Basic Sets was talking about the design goals each time, since all three authors have been explicit about them at various times.
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
I should have realized the BECMI Basic Rules would be highly rated too, because it's such an iconic design.
One of the things I enjoyed with each of the three Basic Sets was talking about the design goals each time, since all three authors have been explicit about them at various times.
One of the things I enjoyed with each of the three Basic Sets was talking about the design goals each time, since all three authors have been explicit about them at various times.
The D&D Expert Set came in just a few percent below, and I'd thought it was the only possible upset. That's a more procedural history, but it talks about the forgotten designer of Expert and a bit about wilderness adventure design.
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
The D&D Expert Set came in just a few percent below, and I'd thought it was the only possible upset. That's a more procedural history, but it talks about the forgotten designer of Expert and a bit about wilderness adventure design.
I'm thrilled you get to see the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set history because IMO it's one of the best in the books. It has a long run-down of Ed Greenwood's history in gaming, the backstory of the Realms, and how it became a TSR product.
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
I'm thrilled you get to see the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set history because IMO it's one of the best in the books. It has a long run-down of Ed Greenwood's history in gaming, the backstory of the Realms, and how it became a TSR product.
We just closed out the poll for our sixth stretch goal, which continues to add content to the backer's only preview, to give you something to enjoy while the books are being proofed and printed.
I guessed this winner: the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.
I guessed this winner: the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
We just closed out the poll for our sixth stretch goal, which continues to add content to the backer's only preview, to give you something to enjoy while the books are being proofed and printed.
I guessed this winner: the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.
I guessed this winner: the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.
Getting close to watching that again.
I thin there are only two shows that I've watched front-to-back at least twice.
I thin there are only two shows that I've watched front-to-back at least twice.
November 18, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Getting close to watching that again.
I thin there are only two shows that I've watched front-to-back at least twice.
I thin there are only two shows that I've watched front-to-back at least twice.
The Basic D&D timeline page is here. It shows the entire Basic D&D and Mystara run:
timeline.designers-and-dragons.com/origins2.html
timeline.designers-and-dragons.com/origins2.html
November 18, 2025 at 5:56 PM
The Basic D&D timeline page is here. It shows the entire Basic D&D and Mystara run:
timeline.designers-and-dragons.com/origins2.html
timeline.designers-and-dragons.com/origins2.html
And of course there were connections between the Dragonlance Chronicles novels and adventures. 1984.
We know some characterization originated in adventures. You can also trace the novel room by room through some dungeons, but that's probably based on the adventure, not on the play.
We know some characterization originated in adventures. You can also trace the novel room by room through some dungeons, but that's probably based on the adventure, not on the play.
November 14, 2025 at 5:48 PM
And of course there were connections between the Dragonlance Chronicles novels and adventures. 1984.
We know some characterization originated in adventures. You can also trace the novel room by room through some dungeons, but that's probably based on the adventure, not on the play.
We know some characterization originated in adventures. You can also trace the novel room by room through some dungeons, but that's probably based on the adventure, not on the play.
But there's another early novel that might qualify: Gary Gygax ran a game for Andre Norton before she wrote Quag Keep. 1978.
November 14, 2025 at 5:48 PM
But there's another early novel that might qualify: Gary Gygax ran a game for Andre Norton before she wrote Quag Keep. 1978.
But if you want to talk about fiction based on RPG sessions as being Actual Plays, yes, there definitely were earlier ones.
You can start with Dave Arneson's Blackmoor reports in Corner of the Table Top, recently reprinted in Blackmoor Foundations. 1972 or so.
You can start with Dave Arneson's Blackmoor reports in Corner of the Table Top, recently reprinted in Blackmoor Foundations. 1972 or so.
November 14, 2025 at 5:48 PM
But if you want to talk about fiction based on RPG sessions as being Actual Plays, yes, there definitely were earlier ones.
You can start with Dave Arneson's Blackmoor reports in Corner of the Table Top, recently reprinted in Blackmoor Foundations. 1972 or so.
You can start with Dave Arneson's Blackmoor reports in Corner of the Table Top, recently reprinted in Blackmoor Foundations. 1972 or so.
Oh, and if you think the Poor Wizard's Almanac cover looks familiar, it's because it's a famous Forgotten Realms character, reused on a Mystara release.
November 14, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Oh, and if you think the Poor Wizard's Almanac cover looks familiar, it's because it's a famous Forgotten Realms character, reused on a Mystara release.
The first Poor Wizard's Almanac was the other book to break 10% in the polls Another bit of history since it was a total innovation of the gazetteers, focusing on yearly looks at the Known World, some of it in-game text. (But the books had troubles as a series as the histories discuss.)
November 14, 2025 at 6:52 AM
The first Poor Wizard's Almanac was the other book to break 10% in the polls Another bit of history since it was a total innovation of the gazetteers, focusing on yearly looks at the Known World, some of it in-game text. (But the books had troubles as a series as the histories discuss.)
As for my failed guess, AC4: The Book of Marvelous Magic, it's actually not a great bit of history except as TSR's first book of magic items. But that means it has my mini-history of industry equipment books. (There are mini-histories like that scattered throughout the articles.)
November 14, 2025 at 6:52 AM
As for my failed guess, AC4: The Book of Marvelous Magic, it's actually not a great bit of history except as TSR's first book of magic items. But that means it has my mini-history of industry equipment books. (There are mini-histories like that scattered throughout the articles.)
As for AC1: I've sung its praises before, as it was the first appearance of D&D's first really robust set of iconic characters: the original D&D action figures. (I hedge that because there were a few other recurring characters even earlier. They're talked about in various histories.)
November 14, 2025 at 6:52 AM
As for AC1: I've sung its praises before, as it was the first appearance of D&D's first really robust set of iconic characters: the original D&D action figures. (I hedge that because there were a few other recurring characters even earlier. They're talked about in various histories.)
REF3: The Book of Lairs was one of my choices because it was both innovative and memorable. A book of one-off encounters focused on the lairs of specific monsters? That was TSR trying new stuff in the late 80s. (And it was obviously successful by the number of follow-ups.)
November 14, 2025 at 6:52 AM
REF3: The Book of Lairs was one of my choices because it was both innovative and memorable. A book of one-off encounters focused on the lairs of specific monsters? That was TSR trying new stuff in the late 80s. (And it was obviously successful by the number of follow-ups.)
And that winner was the Dungeon Master's Design Kit, which is really a fine bit of history. First major DM's advice from TSR, 14 years into their production, and by the late, great Aaron Allston, who'd previously authored Strike Force, the first mass-market Actual Play.
November 14, 2025 at 6:52 AM
And that winner was the Dungeon Master's Design Kit, which is really a fine bit of history. First major DM's advice from TSR, 14 years into their production, and by the late, great Aaron Allston, who'd previously authored Strike Force, the first mass-market Actual Play.
Our fourth poll for Designers & Dragons: Origins is concluded. These polls are stretch goals determining what will go in the backer's-only preview.
@deadlyfredly.bsky.social had said there were three close vote-getters, and my guess for the 3 was: REF3, AC1, and AC4.
I got 2 and missed the winner!
@deadlyfredly.bsky.social had said there were three close vote-getters, and my guess for the 3 was: REF3, AC1, and AC4.
I got 2 and missed the winner!
November 14, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Our fourth poll for Designers & Dragons: Origins is concluded. These polls are stretch goals determining what will go in the backer's-only preview.
@deadlyfredly.bsky.social had said there were three close vote-getters, and my guess for the 3 was: REF3, AC1, and AC4.
I got 2 and missed the winner!
@deadlyfredly.bsky.social had said there were three close vote-getters, and my guess for the 3 was: REF3, AC1, and AC4.
I got 2 and missed the winner!