Hi all, an update on how things are going on the H&M project
I'm slowing down the project overall, because I've gone over most of what I wanted to (1970-1978) and I always classified 1970-1985 as a lifelong project. I think getting six books out in 15 months is pretty good.
Book VI is in first draft form and will be out later this year. It's pretty unusual compared to the rest of the series, as it ends up focusing on the inspirational sources for the first seven TSR D&D modules (G1-G2-G3-D1-D2-D3-B1) and exploration of some side events. I was going to have that space devoted to a (dry) accounting of every rule source / inspiration in the
PHB that I could find, but that "chapter" ballooned into an appendix and then to over 350 pages, so it's now a future side project. I'm not sure if anyone is interested in hearing that Knock was inspired by Compleat Enchanter / Harold Shea anthology pg. 35, while Charm Monster is from pg. 180 and Simulacrum from pg. 201, ad nauseam x2,627, but I may get around to writing a book out of those notes later in life. (Say, for example, if I suffer a crippling injury ... or brain damage ...)
And now you know what I do while reading Appendix N books on the train.
Books I through V are receiving new material; especially I and V. This is just a side effect that occurs when I write a new book and find new quotes belonging to different years etc.
Due to complai### repeated popular requests, I've decided to share most of my Appendix N + movies + comic books + TV research. Much of this will be known to vets here, but I think it's nice to have some of what is known and some "new" discoveries all in one place. This is a working first draft, and I don't plan on updating this comment with corrections/further research. This will be going with a lot more stuff into the new revised edition of Book I (about 450 pages now), which will be out soonish.
Thanks to all for your interest as always. And to the people who give me bad reviews when I put 100 pages of new material in a book and charge the same cover price, yeah, I don't care.
**
A
[1]
ALIGHIERI, DANTE: Gygax once noted that he "did use a bit of Dante's Inferno (c. 1300-1315 AD) in developing the denizens of the Nine Hells." This is most clearly evident in the Monster Manual entry for horned devils.
~
[2]
ANDERSON, POUL: The three most influential novels by Anderson (from a D&D perspective) were Three Hearts and Three Lions (1953 / 1961), The Broken Sword (1954, perhaps enjoyed by Gygax in its Ballantine Adult Fantasy printing of 1971), and The High Crusade (1960).
~
[3]
ARIOSTO, LUDOVICO: Orlando Furioso (1516-1532 AD), particularly as illustrated by Gustave Dore, is a major source of lore for the hippogriff monster.
~
[4]
ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS (FILM): This 1957 movie may have partly inspired the inclusion of giant crabs in the D&D monster lists.
~
[5]
ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (FILM): This 1959 horror movie probably inspired the inclusion of giant leeches in the D&D monster roster.
 
B
[6]
BALLANTINE, IAN & BETTY: Gary was a devout reader of the highly influential Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, which (re-)popularized many oft-forgotten classic tales of speculative fiction. The series ran from 1969 to 1974, the exact period when Gary was tapping imaginative fiction for influences in his game designs. The series was spearheaded and edited by Lin Carter.
It may be useful to cite the dates of some of the most prominent books in this series, and these stories are generally recommended overall. I felt that it was important to classify these works under the Ballantine banner for the purposes of future research of Gary's influences.
~
The most important volumes (for D&D influences), to my mind, are:
Selections from the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series
Book 1: The Blue Star, by Fletcher Pratt (May 1969).
Book 2: The King of Elfland's Daughter, by Lord Dunsany (June 1969).
Book 6: Dragons, Elves, and Heroes, compiled by Lin Carter (October 1969). This anthology reads like a how-to manual of Gygaxian
RPG influences: it includes The Ogre (from Beowulf), Barrow-Wight (from The Grettir Saga), The Sword of Avalon (from Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur), The Lost Words of Power (from The Kalevala), Wonderful Things Beyond Cathay (from Mandeville's Travels), Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came (by Robert Browning), and much more.
Book 7: The Young Magicians, compiled by Lin Carter (October 1969). This anthology includes The Sword of Welleran (by Lord Dunsany), The Cats of Ulthar (by H. P. Lovecraft), Through the Dragon Glass (by A. Merritt), Turjan of Miir (by Jack Vance), The Dragon's Visit (by J. R. R. Tolkien), and more.
Book 10: Land of Unreason, by Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp (January 1970).
Book 13: At the Edge of the World, by Lord Dunsany (March 1970).
Book 14: Phantastes, by George MacDonald (April 1970).
Book 15: The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, by H. P. Lovecraft (May 1970).
Book 22: Golden Cities, Far, compiled by Lin Carter (October 1970). This reads like another ensemble of Gygaxian inspirations, including: The Descent of Ishtar to the Netherworld (from the Sumerian epic Angalta Kigalshe), Wars of the Giants of Albion (from Geoffrey of Monmouth), The Yellow Dwarf (by Madame d'Aulnoy) and The Palace of Illusions (from Orlando Furioso, by Ludovico Ariosto).
Book 24: The Broken Sword, by Poul Anderson (January 1971).
Book 25: The Boats of the ‘Glen Carrig,' by William Hope Hodgson (February 1971). This tale would inspire the Jungle of Lost Ships setting entry in the 1983 World of Greyhawk boxed set.
Book 26: The Doom That Came to Sarnath and Other Stories, by H. P. Lovecraft (February 1971).
Book 31: Vathek, by William Beckford (June 1971). I believe that this book was one of the inspirations for the early version of Lost Caverns of Tsojconth.
Book 36: The Spawn of Cthulhu (October 1971). An anthology which includes The Yellow Sign (by Robert W. Chambers), The Return of Hastur (by August Derleth), The Children of the Night (by Robert E. Howard), and Litany to Hastur (by Lin Carter).
Book 47: Beyond the Fields We Know, by Lord Dunsany (May 1972).
Book 52: Great Short Novels of Adult Fantasy I, compiled by Lin Carter (September 1972). Includes The Wall of Serpents (by Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp) and The Maker of Moons (by Robert W. Chambers).
Book 54: Orlando Furioso: The Rings of Angelica, Volume 1, by Ludovico Ariosto (September 1972).
Book 55: The Charwoman's Shadow, by Lord Dunsany (February 1973).
Book 58: Imaginary Worlds: The Art of Fantasy, by Lin Carter (June 1973). In some ways, reading this book gives the idea that Gygax's Appendix N was a collective critical opinion upon the Swords & Sorcery genre which was formed after taking Carter's volume into consideration. It is probably one of Carter's finest books.
Book 62: Hrolf Kraki's Saga, by Poul Anderson (October 1973).
Book 65: Over the Hills and Far Away, by Lord Dunsany (April 1974).
~
[7]
BATTLE BEYOND THE SUN (FILM): This 1959 movie is the likely inspirational source for the otyugh and roper monsters.
~
[8]
BAUM, FRANK L.: The Oz book Ozma of Oz (1907) was one of the inspirations for the svirfneblin (netherworld gnome) race featured in the D series of Dungeon Modules.
~
[9]
BELLAIRS, JOHN: Bellairs is known for The Face in the Frost, a comedic 1969 fantasy novel that informed Gary's conception of magic-users, the study and memorization of spells, and unpredictable magic. The story would partially continue in a little-known sequel fragment entitled The Dolphin Cross (2009).
~
[10]
BEWARE! THE BLOB (FILM): This 1971-1972 movie probably inspired the creation of other slime monsters beyond the black pudding, perhaps including the ochre jelly.
~
[11]
BIERCE, AMBROSE: The Death of Halpin Frayser (1891) (in addition to the Kothar writings of Gardner Fox, more directly) was probably an indirect inspiration for the lich monster.
~
[12]
BIRO, CHARLES: Gygax once stated that the shambling mound monster was inspired by the character known as the Heap, as featured in Biro's Airboy comics (1942-1950s).
~
[13]
THE BLACK SCORPION (FILM): This 1957 movie may have been one of the inspirations for the inclusion of the giant scorpion in the D&D monster roster.
~
[14]
THE BLOB (FILM): This 1958 movie inspired David Arneson's creation of the black pudding monster.
~
[15]
BORGES, JORGE LUIS: The 1969 English edition of Borges's Book of Imaginary Beings was a significant source of monster inspirations.
~
[16]
BRACKETT, LEIGH: Today, Brackett is remembered for working on the early script for The Empire Strikes Back (delivered to Lucas in 1978). In the 1940s and 1950s, she was a frequent contributor to the pulps which Gary loved, and wrote Sword & Planet stories in the vein of Edgar Rice Burroughs such as Queen of the Martian Catacombs (1949) and Enchantress of Venus (also 1949). "All my Mars stories came out of Burroughs," she once affirmed in an interview. She was also inspired by A. Merritt. In recommending Brackett, Gary may also have been thinking of the well-regarded anthology The Halfling and Other Stories (1973).
~
[17]
BRIDE OF THE MONSTER (FILM): This 1955 movie may have been one of the inspirations for the inclusion of the giant octopus in the roster of D&D monsters.
~
[18]
BROWN, FREDERIC: In recommending Brown, Gary was probably thinking specifically of the acclaimed gatherum of very short fantasy-horror "flash" fiction, entitled Nightmares and Geezenstacks (1961). The book has also been favorably recommended by Stephen King.
~
[19]
BUDGE, SIR ERNEST ALFRED THOMPSON (E. A.) WALLIS: Budge translated the Egyptian Book of the Dead, Rw Nw Prt M Hrw (c. 1550-50 BC), which is arguably an inspirational source for giant (Apshai) beetles, demons, and many Egyptian spells.
~
[20]
BULFINCH, THOMAS: In the 1970s (and for many decades earlier), Bulfinch's Mythology (1855-1863) was regarded as the finest popular collection of tales from the Greek and heroic mythos. It was almost certainly one of Gary's major sources.
~
[21]
BURROUGHS, EDGAR RICE: The prolific Burroughs was one of Gary's favorite authors from an early age. Gary enjoyed the lost world tale The Cave Girl (1913), but for D&D inspirations he specifically noted three series: Barsoom (aka John Carter of Mars), the Pellucidar "hollow world" tales, and the Carson Napier of Venus saga.
~
The Barsoom (John Carter of Mars) Series
Book 1: A Princess of Mars (1912-1917)
Book 2: The Gods of Mars (1913-1918)
Book 3: The Warlord of Mars (1913-1919)
Book 4: Thuvia, Maid of Mars (1916-1920)
Book 5: The Chessmen of Mars (1922)
Book 6: The Master Mind of Mars (1927-1928)
Book 7: A Fighting Man of Mars (1929-1931)
Book 8: Swords of Mars (1934-1936)
Book 9: Synthetic Men of Mars (1939-1940)
Book 10: Llana of Gathol (1941, 1948)
Book 11: John Carter of Mars (1940, 1943, 1964)
~
The Pellucidar Series
Book 1: At the Earth's Core (1914)
Book 2: Pellucidar (1915)
Book 3: Tanar of Pellucidar (1929-1930)
Book 4: Tarzan at the Earth's Core (1930)
Book 5: Seven Worlds to Conquer, aka Back to the Stone Age (1937)
Book 6: Land of Terror (1944)
Book 7: Savage Pellucidar (1942, 1963)
(See also HOLMES, JOHN ERIC.)
~
The Carson Napier of Venus Series
Book 1: Pirates of Venus (1932-1934)
Book 2: Lost on Venus (1933-1935)
Book 3: Carson of Venus (1937-1938)
Book 4: Escape on Venus (1941-1942, 1946)
Book 5: The Wizard of Venus (1941, 1964)
 
C
[22]
CALTIKI — THE IMMORTAL MONSTER (FILM): This 1959 film may have partly inspired the conception of slime monsters.
~
[23]
CARROLL, LEWIS (pen name of CHARLES LUTWIDGE DODGSON): Gary was inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865), which would receive direct tribute in Dungeon Module
EX1, Dungeonland; and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There (1871), which was mirrored (ahem) by
EX2, The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror. I also recommend the first draft of Wonderland, entitled Alice's Adventures Under Ground (1864), because it is fascinating in its own right (with Dodgson's handwriting and amateur illustrations) and it much more clearly depicts Alice's land of adventure as a netherworld.
In its ties with reality, by the way, Wonderland is conceived by Carroll as lying beneath the ruins of Godstow Nunnery on the River Thames in Oxford.
~
[24]
CARTER, LIN: Beyond his critiques, anthologies and collaborations, Gary also somewhat admired Carter's World's End series (sometimes called the Gondwane series). I recommend the following reading order, which some may disagree with:
Recommended Book 1: Giant of World's End (1969)
Recommended Book 2: Warrior of World's End (1974)
Recommended Book 3: The Enchantress of World's End (1975)
Recommended Book 4: The Immortal of World's End (1976)
Recommended Book 5: The Barbarian of World's End (1977)
Recommended Book 6: The Pirate of World's End (1978)
(See also BALLANTINE, IAN & BETTY and DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE.)
~
[25]
CHAMBERS, ROBERT W.: The comedic romance In Search of the Unknown (1904) gave its title to the later Dungeon Module
B1, by Mike Carr. Also, some of the scenes may have inspired Gygax's conception of the Kuo-Toa.
Chambers is today most admired for The King in Yellow (1895), which Gary was also familiar with.
(See also BALLANTINE, IAN & BETTY.)
~
[26]
COX, PALMER: In addition to the Teeny Weenies comics, Gary's ideas for the folkloric brownie monster were likely inspired in part by Cox's The Brownies: Their Own Book (1887, with numerous sequels).
~
[27]
THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (FILM): This 1954 movie is probably one of the partial inspirations for Gygax's Kuo-Toa race, and may have inspired the sahuagin as well.
 
D
[28]
DARK SHADOWS (TELEVISION SERIES): This long-running television series influenced the development of vampires (both as monsters and characters) in the Blackmoor campaign.
~
[29]
DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE: Gary mostly appreciated de Camp's collaborations with other authors (Lin Carter and Fletcher Pratt in particular). However, he also enjoyed de Camp's 1939 alternate history novel, Lest Darkness Fall.
More specifically in regards to D&D, Gary greatly enjoyed The Fallible Fiend (1972-1973). That tale is part of the Novarian series, which is cited here in full for future reference. Recommended reading order:
~
The Novarian Series
Recommended Book 1: The Emperor's Fan (1973)
Recommended Book 2: The Fallible Fiend (1972-1973)
Recommended Book 3: The Goblin Tower (1968)
Recommended Book 4: The Clocks of Iraz (1971)
Recommended Book 5: The Unbeheaded King (not published until 1983)
Recommended Book 6: The Honorable Barbarian (not published until 1989)
~
The Swords & Sorcery Tomes
De Camp also compiled and edited an important series of Swords & Sorcery anthologies, which are as follows:
Recommended Book 1: Swords and Sorcery: Stories of Heroic Fantasy (December 1963). Includes tales by Anderson, Dunsany, Howard, Leiber, Lovecraft, and others.
Recommended Book 2: The Spell of Seven (June 1965). Includes tales by Leiber, Dunsany, Moorcock, Vance, and Howard.
Recommended Book 3: The Fantastic Swordsmen (May 1967). Includes tales by Dunsany, Howard, Lovecraft, Moorcock, and others.
Recommended Book 4: Warlocks and Warriors (1970). Includes tales by Howard, Leiber, Dunsany, Zelazny, and others.
~
[30]
DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE & CARTER, LIN: The Lancer / Ace Conan anthologies are noteworthy for their collections of non-Howard tales. They are also noteworthy because they are frequently the versions which Gary and Dave had at hand during the development of Dungeons & Dragons. The books in the series (with the recommended reading order series numbers, as opposed to the actual chronological printing history), and the non-Howard tales specifically cited, are as follows:
Book 1: Conan. Published in 1967. Features The Thing in the Crypt, The Hall of the Dead, The Hand of Nergal, and The City of Skulls.
Book 2: Conan of Cimmeria. Published in 1970. Features The Bloodstained God, The Castle of Terror, The Curse of the Monolith, The Frost Giant's Daughter, The Lair of the Ice Worm, and The Snout in the Dark.
Book 3: Conan the Freebooter. Published in 1968. Features Hawks Over Shem and The Road of the Eagles.
Book 4: Conan the Wanderer. Published in 1968. Features Black Tears and The Flame Knife.
Book 5: Conan the Adventurer. Published in 1966-1967. Features Drums of Tombalku.
Book 6: Conan the Buccaneer. Published in 1971. Features the full novel.
Book 7: Conan the Warrior. Published in 1967. Features an introduction by de Camp, but otherwise focuses on Howard tales.
Book 8: Conan the Usurper. Published in 1967. Features The Treasure of Tranicos and Wolves Beyond the Border.
Book 9: Conan the Conqueror. Published in 1967. Features the Howard novel, preceded by a de Camp introduction.
Book 10: Conan the Avenger. Published in 1968. Features The Return of Conan (with Björn Nyberg).
Book 11: Conan of Aquilonia. Published in 1977. Features The Witch of the Mists, Black Sphinx of Nebthu, Red Moon of Zembabwei, and Shadows in the Skull.
Book 12: Conan of the Isles. Published in 1968. Features the full novel.
~
[31]
DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE & PRATT, FLETCHER: Gary cited the work The Carnelian Cube (1948) as a worthy predecessor work to Dungeons & Dragons. He also cited the Harold Shea stories (about a dimension-hopping magician from our own reality) as one of the most significant influences on the game of Dungeons & Dragons. The stories are as follows:
Book 1: The Roaring Trumpet (1940-1941)
Book 2: The Mathematics of Magic (1940-1941)
Book 3: The Castle of Iron (1941)
Book 4: Wall of Serpents (1953-1954)
Book 5: The Green Magician (1954)
~
[32]
THE DEADLY MANTIS (FILM): This 1957 film may have influenced Gary's reconception of Erol Otus's early anhkheg monster.
~
[33]
DERLETH, AUGUST: I recommend In Lovecraft's Shadow (1998). Mr. Derleth is primarily well-regarded for his (re-)popularization of the weird fiction of H. P. Lovecraft, despite some of his own additions to the Mythos being of questionable quality. This volume collects the Derleth Mythos works and is recommended to the casual reader.
Refer also to the noteworthy The Mask of Cthulhu (1958).
~
[34]
DOYLE, SIR ARTHUR CONAN: The "giant rat of Sumatra," as mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes tale The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire (1924), was one of the inspirations for the 1977 Monster Manual entry on "Sumatran" giant rats.
~
[35]
DRACULA (FILM): The portrayal of vampires in the Monster Manual is based on the Dracula movies (particularly the 1931 version starring Bela Lugosi) and the original novel by Bram Stoker. The 1958 film is also noteworthy for its cast, which included Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.
~
[36]
DUNSANY, BARON EDWARD JOHN MORETON DRAX PLUNKETT: Gygax's primary work may have been the collection Beyond the Fields We Know (1972), as collected by Lin Carter for the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series.
For a wider reading of what seem to be D&D influences, I recommend the Pegana books and a loose series of collections which I term the Books of Wonder.
~
The Books of Pegana
Book 1: The Gods of Pegana (1905)
Book 2: Time and the Gods (1906)
~
The Books of Wonder (aka The Dreamer's Tales)
Recommended Book 1: The Sword of Welleran and Other Stories (1908)
Recommended Book 2: A Dreamer's Tales (1910)
Recommended Book 3: The Book of Wonder (1912)
Recommended Book 4: Fifty-One Tales, aka The Food of Death (1915)
Recommended Book 5: Tales of Wonder, aka The Last Book of Wonder (1916)
Recommended Book 6: Tales of Three Hemispheres (1919)
Recommended Book 7: The King of Elfland's Daughter (1924)
(See also BALLANTINE, IAN & BETTY.)
 
F
[37]
FARMER, PHILIP JOSÉ: Dungeons & Dragons was inspired in part by the acclaimed World of Tiers series. The volumes are as follows:
~
The World of Tiers Series
Book 1: The Maker of Universes (1965)
Book 2: The Gates of Creation (1966)
Book 3: A Private Cosmos (1968)
Book 4: Behind the Walls of Terra (1970)
Book 5: The Lavalite World (1977)
Book 6: Red Orc's Rage (published in 1991)
Book 7: More Than Fire (published in 1993)
~
[38]
FELIX THE CAT (CARTOON): According to Rob Kuntz, the cartoon entitled The Magic Bag was the inspiration for the magical bag of tricks.
~
[39]
FFOULKES, CHARLES JOHN: Gary cited the 1909 book Armour & Weapons as one of the major influences on the topic for Chainmail and Dungeons & Dragons. The research in the work is outdated and has been at times refuted, but it does feature specific mentions of banded mail, bracers, cuir bouilli, falchions, holy water sprinklers, Lochaber axes, ranseurs, ring mail, scale armour, voulges, and much more.
~
[40]
FIEND WITHOUT A FACE (FILM): This 1958 movie may have been one of the inspirations for the reimagining of the intellect devourer monster for its appearance in the 1977 Monster Manual.
~
[41]
THE FIRST MEN IN THE MOON (FILM): The Harryhausen-animated moon cow in this 1964 movie was almost certainly an inspiration for the appearance of the carrion crawler monster.
~
[42]
FISCHER, HARRY OTTO: The life-long boon companion of Fritz Leiber, and the inspiration for the Gray Mouser. Of note is "The Childhood and Youth of the Gray Mouser," an approved article featured in The Dragon #18 (1978).
~
[43]
FORBIDDEN PLANET (FILM): This 1956 movie may have inspired the depiction of the invisible stalker monster.
~
[44]
FOX, GARDNER F.: In the Golden Age of comics, Mr. Fox was famed for his stories featuring Batman, the Flash, the Justice Society, and more. Later in life, he wrote the "Kothar" tales (which were basically inspired by Howard's Conan) and the "Kyrik" tales (which were probably inspired by Moorcock's Elric). In my opinion these later works are inferior, but Gary explicitly noted that they were to be strongly associated with Dungeons & Dragons as being influential.
~
The Kothar Series
Book 1: Kothar, Barbarian Swordsman (1969)
Book 2: Kothar of the Magic Sword (1969)
Book 3: Kothar and the Demon Queen (1969)
Book 4: Kothar and the Conjurer's Curse (1970)
Book 5: Kothar and the Wizard Slayer (1970)
~
The Kyrik Series
Book 1: Kyrik, Warlock Warrior (1975)
Book 2: Kyrik Fights the Demon World (1975)
Book 3: Kyrik and the Wizard's Sword (1976)
Book 4: Kyrik and the Lost Queen (1976)
~
[45]
FRANKENSTEIN (FILM): This 1931 movie, along with Mary Shelley's original novel, is the inspiration for the flesh golem monster.
~
[46]
FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN: Due to its Gothic horror and supernatural elements, and its Twin Cities air date of April 10th, 1971, I believe this is one of the movies which influenced David Arneson to create the Blackmoor campaign.
~
[47]
FROGS (FILM): I believe this 1972 horror movie may have been one of Dave Arneson's inspirations for the Temple of the Frog.
 
G
[48]
GAINES, WILLIAM & FELDSTEIN, AL: Gary once told readers that he dearly loved "Weird Science, Crypt of Horror, and all the rest of the EC Comics line." The following summary can help the reader to locate reprint compendiums and the like.
~
The "Horror" Trifecta
[1] The Haunt of Fear (comic book series). 28 issues, originally published from May 1950 to November 1954.
[2] Tales from the Crypt (comic book series). Early issues were also titled as The Crypt of Terror. 43 issues, originally published from October 1950 to March 1955.
[3] The Vault of Horror (comic book series). 29 issues, originally published from April 1950 to January 1955.
~
The "Weird" Trifecta
[4] Weird Fantasy (comic book series). 22 issues, originally published from May 1950 to December 1953.
[5] Weird Science (comic book series). 22 issues, originally published from May 1950 to December 1953.
[6] Weird Science-Fantasy (comic book series). 7 issues, originally published from March 1954 to June 1955.
~
[49]
GARGOYLES (TELEVISION FEATURE): I believe this 1972 made-for-TV movie (along with the sculptures of Notre Dame) may have influenced the early versions of the gargoyle monster which Gary included in the Castle of Greyhawk setting.
~
[50]
GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (FILM): This 1964 movie may have partly inspired the pyrohydra monster.
~
[51]
GODZILLA & GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (FILMS): These were favorite movies of Dave Arneson, and likely influenced his development of monsters and situations for the Blackmoor campaign.
~
[52]
GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (FILM): This 1971 movie may have been one (along with Lovecraft's shoggoths) one of the inspirations for Gygax's enigmatic demon lord, Juiblex.
~
[53]
THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (FILM): This 1974 movie may have partly inspired the D&D version of the folkloric centaur monster. The movie also depicts a griffon, a homunculus, and a creature similar to type V demon.
~
[54]
THE GREEN SLIME (FILM): This 1968 movie inspired the green slime monster, of course, and perhaps also the idea of gas spores.
~
[55]
GRIMM, JACOB & WILHELM: The Brothers Grimm are forever famed for their Grimms' Fairy Tales, earlier known as Children's and Household Tales, Volumes 1 and 2. The original 1812 edition is fascinating because it is a serious adult work of research; later volumes expurgated most of the offensive elements until today their work is regarded as a collection of children's stories. I recommend the earliest edition you can find; or, you may enjoy Grimm's Grimmest (compiled by Maria Tatar), which makes a deliberate point of highlighting the most lurid rarities.
The tales which I regard as being highly influential upon Dungeons & Dragons include:
~
Select Tales from the Brothers Grimm
[1] The haunted castle and dungeon tale, The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was.
[2] The netherworld faerie tale The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces (cited as a favorite by Gygax).
[3] The Water Nixie.
[4] The King of the Gold Mountain.
[5] The Griffin; and
[6] Blaubart (Bluebeard), which is typically missing from all but the earliest editions.
~
[56]
GYGAX, E. GARY: Gary wrote his own volumes of Swords & Sorcery tales set in Greyhawk, the Gord the Rogue series. The stories are derivative tributes to Leiber, Howard, Burroughs, and Lovecraft. The quality is uneven, but Saga of Old City is especially fine, and I sincerely believe that At Moonset Blackcat Comes is one of the greatest Swords & Sorcery tales ever written that I have experienced to date.
The Gord the Rogue Series
Book 1: Saga of Old City (1985)
Book 2: Artifact of Evil (1986)
Book 3: City of Hawks (1987)
Book 4: Night Arrant (1987)
Book 5: Sea of Death (1987)
Book 6: Come Endless Darkness (1988)
Book 7: Dance of Demons (1988)
And:
Adjuncts to the Gord the Rogue Series
At Moonset Blackcat Comes (in Dragon magazine, issue #100)
Evening Odds (1996) (in Tales of the Eternal Champion)
The Return of Gord (2006) (with K. R. Bourgoine)
 
H
[57]
HODGSON, WILLIAM HOPE: The excellent weird fiction novel The House on the Borderland (1908) inspired aspects of Dungeon Module
B2, including the title.
(See also BALLANTINE, IAN & BETTY.)
~
[58]
THE HOLE IDEA (CARTOON): According to Rob Kuntz, this obscure 1955 Looney Tunes short was the inspiration for the arcane magical known known as the portable hole.
~
[59]
HOLMES, JOHN ERIC: Dr. John Eric Holmes is well-regarded for his work on the 1977 Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set, which greatly popularized the game with younger audiences. He also wrote memorable pulp fantasy tales, such as The Maze of Peril. And, Gary also admired his two Burroughs-inspired Pellucidar books, which are cited here as potential influences on D&D.
~
The Continuation of the Pellucidar Series
Book 8: Mahars of Pellucidar (1976)
Recommended Book 9: Red Axe of Pellucidar (1980, 1993)
(See also BURROUGHS, EDGAR RICE.)
~
[60]
HOWARD, ROBERT E.: The excellent (yet repetitive!) Robert E. Howard tales have undergone a significant resurgence, and there are many collections available. (I recommend beginning with The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian, Del Rey, 2005.) Rather than list the many confusing collections, I will here list the Conan tales by Howard. Please note that this list is provided not in publication order, but rather in the tentative order of a timeline of Conan's life, thereby representing a chronological saga. This suggested order is based on the excellent and thoroughly detailed research by Amra the Lion represented online at conan.com.
~
The Conan Saga
[1] The Frost-Giant's Daughter
[2] The God in the Bowl
[3] The Tower of the Elephant
[4] (The Nestor Synopsis)
[5] Rogues in the House
[6] (The Yaralet Fragment)
[7] Black Colossus
[8] A Witch Shall be Born
[9] The Man-Eaters of Zamboula, aka Shadows in Zamboula
[10] Queen of the Black Coast
[11] (The Shumballa Typescripts)
[12] Xuthal of the Dusk, aka The Slithering Shadow
[13] Iron Shadows in the Moon, aka Shadows in the Moonlight
[14] The Devil in Iron
[15] The People of the Black Circle
[16] (The Tombalku Typescripts)
[17] The Vale of Lost Women
[18] The Servants of Bit-Yakin, aka The Jewels of Gwahlur
[19] The Pool of the Black One
[20] Red Nails
[21] Beyond the Black River
[22] The Black Stranger
[23] (The Wolves Beyond the Border Typescripts)
[24] The Phoenix on the Sword
[25] The Scarlet Citadel
[26] The Hour of the Dragon
(See also DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE & CARTER, LIN.)
 
I
[61]
ISLAND OF TERROR (FILM): This 1966 movie may have been one of the inspirations for the otyugh monster.
~
[62]
IT! (FILM): This 1966 movie inspired the portrayal of the folkloric clay golem monster.
~
[63]
IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA (FILM): This 1955 movie may have been one of the inspirations for the inclusion of the giant octopus in the roster of D&D monsters.
~
[64]
IT CONQUERED THE WORLD (FILM): Although it is tenuous, this 1956 movie may have been one of the inspirations for the appearance of the xorn monster.
~
[65]
IVANHOE (FILM): This is the 1952 movie that inspired Gary Gygax to engage in "melee" with a childhood friend.
 
J
[66]
JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (FILM): Talos the colossus, as depicted in this 1963 movie, was the inspiration for the iron golem monster. The movie is also the primary inspirational source for animated skeletons.
~
[67]
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (FILM): This 1959 movie may have partly inspired the inclusion of giant subterranean lizards in the D&D monster roster.
 
K
[68]
KING KONG (FILM): This 1933 movie inspired Gygax's Isle of the Ape setting, and also the Monkeying Around special level found in the dungeons of Castle Greyhawk.
~
[69]
KOLCHAK, THE NIGHT STALKER (TELEVISION SERIES): Gary was a fan of this series, due to its Chicago noir setting and supernatural subject matter. Episode 11 certainly inspired the rule that rakshasas can be slain by blessed crossbow bolts. Other episodes may have influenced the depiction of various monsters in the 1977 Monster Manual:
~
Selected Episodes from Kolchak, the Night Stalker
Episode 2, The Zombie (air date September 20, 1974): Zombies
Episode 3, They Have Been, They Are, They Will Be … (air date September 27, 1974): Invisible stalkers
Episode 4, The Vampire (air date October 4, 1974): Vampires
Episode 5, The Werewolf (air date November 1, 1974): Lycanthropes
Episode 6, Firefall (air date November 8, 1974): Dopplegangers and ghosts
Episode 9, The Spanish Moss Murders (air date December 6, 1974): Shambling mounds? (tenuous)
Episode 11, Horror in the Heights (air date December 20, 1974): Rakshasas
Episode 13, Primal Scream (air date January 17, 1975): Yeti
Episode 16, Demon in Lace (air date February 7, 1975): Succubi
Episode 17, Legacy of Terror (air date February 14, 1975): Mummies
Episode 20, The Sentry (air date March 28, 1975): Lizard men
 
L
[70]
THE LADY AND THE MONSTER: Due to its subject matter and Twin Cities air date of December 25th, 1971, I believe this is one of the movies that influenced the design of Arneson's dungeons beneath Castle Blackmoor.
~
[71]
LANG, ANDREW: Gary was fond of the Andrew Lang fairytale books, and for that reason I have provided a full list of the major works which comprise that series. Also, Lang may have been one of Gary's gatekeepers for the tales which are known as the Arabian Nights Entertainments. There are many different versions of the Arabian Nights (aka The Thousand and One Nights etc.), but I have here selected Andrew Lang's easily readable version which includes The Seven Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor. (See also however WIGGIN, KATE DOUGLAS et al.)
~
The Fairy Books of Many Colors
Book 1: The Blue Fairy Book (1889). This book includes the haunted castle and dungeon story, which is entitled The Tale of a Youth Who Set Out to Learn What Fear Was (also in Grimm). Also includes The Terrible Head, Blue Beard, The History of Jack the Giant-Killer, and The Red Etin.
Book 2: The Red Fairy Book (1890). Includes The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Soria Moria Castle, The Death of Koschei the Deathless, and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Book 3: The Green Fairy Book (1892). Includes The Golden Mermaid and The Three Dogs.
Book 4: The Yellow Fairy Book (1894). Includes The Dragon of the North, The Seven-Headed Serpent, and The Nixy.
Book 5: The Pink Fairy Book (1897). Includes How the Dragon Was Tricked, The Snow-Queen, The Troll's Daughter, and King Lindworm.
Book 6: The Grey Fairy Book (1900). Includes The Magician's Horse and The Ogre.
Book 7: The Violet Fairy Book (1901). Includes Schippeitaro, The Three Princes and Their Beasts, The Nunda, Eater of People, and The Princess Who Was Hidden Underground.
Book 8: The Crimson Fairy Book (1903). Includes The Prince and the Dragon, Niels and the Giants, and The Horse Gullfaxi and the Sword Gunnfoder.
Book 9: The Brown Fairy Book (1904). Includes Kisa the Cat and The Knights of the Fish.
Book 10: The Orange Fairy Book (1906). Includes The Two Caskets, The Three Treasures of the Giants, How the Stalos Were Tricked, and The Magic Book.
Book 11: The Olive Fairy Book (1907). Includes The Green Knight, The Prince and the Princess in the Forest, and The Boy Who Found Fear at Last.
Book 12: The Lilac Fairy Book (1910). Includes The King of the Waterfalls, The Three Crowns, The Groac'h of the Isle of Lok, and The Winning of Olwen.
~
[72]
LANIER, STERLING E.: Gary greatly enjoyed the book Hiero's Journey (1973), which inspired aspects of not only Dungeons & Dragons, but also Metamorphosis Alpha and especially Gamma World. In later years he also noted that he would have included the sequel, The Unforsaken Hiero (1983), in Appendix N if it had only been written earlier. Sadly, the series never progressed beyond those two significant volumes.
~
[73]
LEHNER, ERNEST & JOHANNA: A Fantastic Bestiary (1969) was one of the sources for the depictions of creatures featured in the Monster Manual.
~
[74]
LEIBER, FRITZ: Gygax was a devoted fan of the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser series, which continued long after the publication of Appendix N in the 1979 Dungeon Masters Guide. There is little doubt that he loved all of Leiber's fantasy writings, and so the entire series is considered here. The saga is told in a bewildering array of short stories, which can be intimidating for new readers.
The following recommendations include the more affordable collections of Leiber's Fafhrd and Gray Mouser tales in their order of publication. Readers who want to read the tales in the order which they occurred in the chronology of Nehwon, however, are on their own!
~
The Fafhrd and Gray Mouser Series
Recommended Book 1: Swords and Deviltry. A collection compiled in 1970, featuring tales originally written from 1957 to 1970.
Recommended Book 2: Swords Against Death. A collection compiled in 1970, featuring tales originally written from 1940 to 1970.
Recommended Book 3: Swords in the Mist. A collection compiled in 1968, featuring tales originally written from 1947 to 1968.
Recommended Book 4: Swords Against Wizardry. A collection compiled in 1968, featuring tales originally written from 1964 to 1968.
Recommended Book 5: The Swords of Lankhmar. A novel published in 1968, featuring material from 1961.
Recommended Book 6: Swords and Ice Magic. A collection compiled in 1977, featuring tales originally written from 1973 to 1977.
Recommended Book 7: The Knight and Knave of Swords. A collection compiled in 1988, featuring tales originally written from 1977 to 1988.
~
[75]
LEWIS, C. S.: The Silver Chair, in the Narnia series, was one of the inspirations for the svirfneblin race featured in the D series of Dungeon Modules.
~
[76]
LÖNNROT, ELIAS & CRAWFORD, JOHN MARTIN: The Kalevala, The Epic Poem of Finland into English, was a major inspiration for Gygax (especially in regards to his own favorite PC, Mordenkainen.)
~
[77]
LOVECRAFT, HOWARD PHILLIPS: Please note that selection collections of Lovecraft can be problematic, due to the extreme number of such collections in print and their variance in quality. (Arkham House tends to be the best.) Rather than list collections, this selection will list tales which are particularly resonant with D&D inspirational material.
~
The Dreamlands Cycle
These tales are recommended in chronological order of creation, not publication:
[1] Polaris
[2] Beyond the Wall of Sleep
[3] The White Ship
[4] The Doom That Came to Sarnath
[5] The Statement of Randolph Carter. Recommended due to the introduction of a key character, not necessarily for plot.
[6] The Cats of Ulthar
[7] Celephais
[8] Ex Oblivione
[9] The Quest of Iranon
[10] The Other Gods
[11] Hypnos
[12] What the Moon Brings
[13] The Silver Key
[14] The Strange High House in the Mist
[15] The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath
[16] Through the Gates of the Silver Key
~
The Mythos Cycle
The topic of what constitutes a "Mythos" tale can be argued to R'lyeh and back and throughout eternity, but to my mind the tales below form the essential core. These stories are recommended in chronological order of creation, not publication, because I believe Lovecraft's themes are best understood if the reader approaches them in the order which they were developed by the author.
[1] Dagon
[2] Nemesis (Poem)
[3] Nyarlathotep
[4] The Nameless City
[5] The Music of Erich Zann
[6] Azathoth
[7] The Hound
[8] The Rats in the Walls
[9] The Festival
[10] Under the Pyramids
[11] The Call of Cthulhu
[12] Pickman's Model
[13] The Colour out of Space
[14] History of the Necronomicon
[15] The Dunwich Horror
[16] The Mound
[17] Fungi from Yuggoth (Poetry)
[18] The Whisperer in Darkness
[19] At the Mountains of Madness
[20] The Shadow over Innsmouth
[21] The Dreams in the Witch House
[22] The Horror in the Museum
[23] Out of the Aeons
[24] The Thing on the Doorstep
[25] The Shadow out of Time
[26] The Haunter of the Dark
(See also BALLANTINE, IAN & BETTY.)
~
[78]
LUMLEY, BRIAN: The cover illustration for The Burrowers Beneath (but not the tale inside) was cited by Gygax as one of the inspirations for the mind flayer monster. The Star Spawn of Cthulhu in Lovecraft's writings, however, are almost certainly another inspirational source.
 
M
[79]
MACDONALD, GEORGE: The Princess and the Goblin partly inspired Tolkien's depiction of humanoid monsters in the Middle Earth tales, and may have also inspired Gygax as well.
~
[80]
MATANGO (FILM): This movie may have partly inspired the depiction of violet fungi and shriekers, although Hiero's Journey, Sign of the Labrys, and The Moon Pool are certainly stronger sources.
~
[81]
MERRITT, ABRAHAM: A. Merritt had several significant stories which Gygax drew heavily from in creating his environments, particularly for the D series of modules. The major works are: [1] The Moon Pool (originally published in two parts, with The Moon Pool and The Conquest of the Moon Pool); [2] The Face in the Abyss (again originally published in two parts); [3] Dwellers in the Mirage; and [4] Creep, Shadow! There are many other quality stories, but those are the ones which Gary drew most heavily from.
~
[82]
MODE, HEINZ: The book Fabulous Beasts and Demons is almost certainly a source work which informed the development of the Monster Manual.
~
[83]
THE MONOLITH MONSTERS (FILM): This 1957 movie may have partly inspired the depiction of earth elementals in Dungeons & Dragons (although Moorcock and Paracelsus are certainly stronger sources).
~
[84]
MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL (FILM): This film may have been one of the inspirations for the inclusion of giant wasps in the D&D monster roster.
~
[85]
THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD (FILM): The aquatic horror in this film may have been one of the inspirations for the carrion crawler monster.
~
[86]
MOORCOCK, MICHAEL: Mr. Moorcock has many, many books of worthy tales; but Gygax was most interested in the first two major collections of the Elric saga, and the stories of Dorian Hawkmoon. Due to the number of different editions and the various collections, I have broken down the title lists as follows:
~
The Early Elric Saga, First Phase: The Stealer of Souls
Novelette 1: The Dreaming City (1961)
Novelette 2: While the Gods Laugh
Novelette 3: The Stealer of Souls
Novelette 4: Kings in Darkness
Novelette 5: The Flame Bringers
~
The Early Elric Saga, Second Phase: Stormbringer
Novellette 6: Dead God's Homecoming
Novelette 7: Black Sword's Brothers
Novelette 8: Sad Giant's Shield
Novelette 9: Doomed Lord's Passing
~
Outside of the Elric saga, Gary's favorite Moorcock tale was "Dorian Hawkmoon," [9-61] by which he probably meant the saga beginning with the post-apocalyptic Hawkmoon novel The Jewel in the Skull (1967).
~
The Hawkmoon Saga, First Phase: The History of the Runestaff
Book 1: The Jewel in the Skull (1967)
Book 2: The Mad God's Amulet
Book 3: The Sword of the Dawn
(Gary specifically recommended the first three books in the Hawkmoon series, above. The implication is that the later books were deemed less influential.)
Book 4: The Runestaff
~
The Hawkmoon Saga, Second Phase: The Chronicles of Castle Brass
Book 5: Count Brass
Book 6: The Champion of Garathorm
Book 7: The Quest for Tanelorn
~
[87]
THE MUMMY (FILM): This 1932 movie, and the many sequels which followed, was the inspiration for mummies as they appear in the D&D roster of monsters.
~
[88]
MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (FILM): This movie may have inspired the inclusion of axe beaks and giant crabs in the monster lists.
 
N
[89]
THE NAKED JUNGLE (FILM): Rob Kuntz has noted that this film was likely one of the inspirations for the D&D portrayal of giant ants.
~
[90]
NIGHT GALLERY (TELEVISION SERIES): Rob Kuntz has noted that the episode The Caterpillar was the inspiration for the monster known as the ear seeker.
~
[91]
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (FILM): This movie was one of the main inspirations for the D&D depiction of zombies.
~
[92]
NORTON, ANDRE: Gygax's respect for Ms. Norton is a bit problematic, because she wrote a 1978-1979 novel entitled Quag Keep which used elements of the Greyhawk campaign with permission, but Gary was not privy to the working draft and was not allowed any significant input to the creative process prior to publication. Nevertheless he cited Norton as an admired favorite, and I believe his interest revolves primarily around the Witch World series.
Unfortunately, due to later collaborations over several decades, back-filling, and historical restructuring, a reading order of Witch World in the in-novel chronology would be confusing if it were to be cut off at 1979. Therefore, I list the early books in the approximated order of publication. (I am open to reinterpretation of this order by a reader who has mastered the entire series!)
~
The (Early, Non-Collaborative) Witch World Series
Book 1: Witch World (1963)
Book 2: Web of the Witch World (1964)
Book 3: Year of the Unicorn (1965)
Book 4: Three Against the Witch World (1965)
Book 5: Warlock of the Witch World (1967)
Book 6: Sorceress of the Witch World (1968)
Reading Order 7: Ully the Piper (1970 short story)
Reading Order 8: One Spell Wizard (1972 short story)
Reading Order 9: The Crystal Gryphon (1972)
Reading Order 10: Spell of the Witch World (1972)
(At this point, you may need to pick up the 1980 collection Lore of the Witch World to continue on with some of the novellas.)
Reading Order 11: Legacy from Sorn Fen (1972 story)
Reading Order 12: The Toads of Grimmerdale (1973 novella)
Reading Order 13: The Jargoon Pard (1974)
Reading Order 14: Spider Silk (1976 novella)
Reading Order 15: Trey of Swords (1977)
Reading Order 16: Sword of Unbelief (1977 novella)
Reading Order 17: Zarasthor's Bane (1978)
Reading Order 18: Sand Sister (1979 novella)
Reading Order 19: Falcon Blood (1979 short story)
 
O
[93]
OFFUTT, ANDREW J. (EDITOR): Gary specifically recommended the anthology volume Swords Against Darkness III as being an inspiration for elements of Dungeons & Dragons. For the sake of completely, I have listed all of the Offutt-edited anthologies in the series here.
~
The Swords Against Darkness Series
Book 1: Swords Against Darkness (I) (February 1977). Includes tales by Howard, Anderson, Wellman, and others.
Book 2: Swords Against Darkness II (September 1977). Includes tales by Norton, Wellman, Offutt, and others.
Book 3: Swords Against Darkness III (March 1978). Includes tales by David C. Smith (Descales' Skull), David Madison (Tower of Darkness), David Drake (The Mantichore), Wellman (The Guest of Dzinganji) and others, along with Anderson's essay On Thud and Blunder.
Book 4: Swords Against Darkness IV (September 1979). Includes tales by Anderson, Wellman, and others.
Book 5: Swords Against Darkness V (November 1979). Includes tales by Ramsey Campbell, Tanith Lee, and others.
~
[94]
ONE MILLION YEARS B. C. (FILM): This movie, along with many earlier lost world tales, is a likely inspiration for the inclusion of dinosaurs and giant lizards in the D&D monster roster.
~
[95]
THE OUTER LIMITS (TELEVISION SERIES): According to Rob Kuntz, the episode entitled The Bellero Shield was the inspiration for the cube of force.
 
P
[96]
PLINY THE ELDER: Naturalis Historia (the Natural History) was one of the sources for significant numbers of monsters of Greek mythology.
~
[97]
PRATT, FLETCHER: Besides his collaborative fiction and his influential wargaming rules, Gary recommended Pratt's novel The Blue Star (1969). I could also recommend the earlier novel The Well of the Unicorn (1948).
(See also DE CAMP, L. SPRAGUE & PRATT, FLETCHER.)
 
Q
[98]
THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT (FILM): This 1955 movie may have been one (along with Lovecraft's shoggoths) one of the inspirations for Gygax's enigmatic demon lord, Juiblex.
 
R
[99]
RALSTON, M. A.: Consider Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-Lore. I recommend this edition mostly for the tireless and extensive mentions of Baba Yaga (here regarded as a species of witches / ogresses), and the tale of Koschei the Deathless. Please note that Gary was probably introduced to these tales as a child from other sources (perhaps including Jack and Jill), including The Red Fairy Book of Andrew Lang (which features The Death of Koschei the Deathless).
~
[100]
THE RAVEN (FILM): This film was the source of many D&D spells, including magic missile and ray of enfeeblement.
~
[101]
ROHMER, SAX: Rohmer's 1913 novel The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu may have partly inspired Gary's inclusion of giant centipedes in the Dungeons & Dragons game.
 
S
[102]
SABERHAGEN, FRED: Gary specifically mentioned Changeling Earth as an inspiration upon D&D, which is known for its portrayal of Orcus, arch-mages, and an empire based on the ethos of lawful evil. However, Changeling Earth is actually part of an ongoing series:
~
The Empire of the East Series
Book 1: The Broken Lands (1968)
Book 2: The Black Mountains (1971)
Book 3: Changeling Earth, aka Ardneh's World (1973)
Book 4: Ardneh's Sword (but not published until 2006)
~
[103]
ST. CLAIR, MARGARET: Sign of the Labrys and The Shadow People were both strong influences on the development of the Gygaxian netherworld. Also, the 1951 short story The Man Who Sold Rope to the Gnoles (derived from a Lord Dunsany-scripted predecessor tale) inspired the depiction of gnolls in D&D.
~
[104]
SAMPO (AKA THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE) (FILM): This 1959 film was vaguely recollected by Gary in later years as being the inspiration for his fascination with the Kalevala (which includes Lemminkäinen, from which the name Mordenkainen was taken).
~
[105]
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (TELEVISION SERIES): Tim Kask's conception of the landshark, or bulette, monster was inspired in part by an SNL skit which began airing on November 8, 1975.
~
[106]
SHELLEY, MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT: Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus is the primary inspirational source for the flesh golem monster.
~
[107]
THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBARD (FILM): This 1958 movie inspired many monsters and scenes in the Greyhawk campaign, especially the roc.
~
[108]
SIGFUSSON, SAEMOND: Sigfusson was the author of the Elder Eddas. I recommend the fairly approachable version found on Project Gutenberg: The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson, Translated from the Original Old Norse Text into English, by Benjamin Thorpe; paired with The Younger Eddas of Snorri Sturluson, Translated from the Original Old Norse Text into English, by I. A. Blackwell.
(See also STURLUSON, SNORRI.)
~
[109]
SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER (FILM): This 1977 film, although a relatively late work, may have inspired some aspects of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
~
[110]
SLEEPING BEAUTY (FILM): The Goon minions which appear in this Disney movie were likely one of the inspirations for the portrayal of pig-faced and dungeon-dwelling orcs.
~
[111]
SPENSER, EDMUND: The Faerie Queene inspired aspects of the Harold Shea tales, as well as Tolkien's elves, and may also have affected Gary's depiction of gray elves and other races of faerie.
~
[112]
STAR TREK (TELEVISION SERIES): The 1967 episode Arena, featuring the Gorn race, is probably one of the inspirations for the lizard man monster.
~
[113]
STERANKO, JIM & LEE, STAN ET AL: Gary was apparently a fan of the Doctor Strange comic books, featuring (among many other series of tales) the occult magic-user, Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange. Doctor Strange debuted in Strange Tales issue #110 (July 1963). The character's self-titled comic book run began in 1974.
~
[114]
STOKER, BRAM: The portrayal of vampires in the Monster Manual is based on the Dracula movies (particularly the 1931 version starring Bela Lugosi) and the original novel by Bram Stoker, in addition to Dark Shadows.
~
[115]
STURLUSON, SNORRI: Sturluson was the author of the Younger Eddas.
~
[116]
THE SUPERMAN / AQUAMAN HOUR OF ADVENTURE (TELEVISION SERIES): The episode Menace of the Black Manta appears to be the chief inspiration for the ixitxachitl monster.
 
T
[117]
THEM! (FILM): Rob Kuntz has noted that this film was likely one of the inspirations for the D&D portrayal of giant ants.
~
[118]
THIS ISLAND EARTH (FILM): This 1955 movie appears to have directly inspired David C. Sutherland's "exposed brain" representation of the doppleganger in the Monster Manual.
~
[119]
THOMAS, ROY ET AL: Thomas is the master of the Marvel line of Conan comics. In particular:
~
The Conan the Barbarian Comic Book
Comic book series. 275 issues, running from October 1970 to December 1993. Please note that there are also 12 issues of the Conan Annual (1973 to 1987) and five issues of Giant-Size Conan (1974 and 1975).
Significant issues include:
Issue #4: The Tower of the Elephant (April 1971)
Issue #11: Rogues in the House and The Talons of Thak (November 1971)
Issue #14: A Sword Called Stormbringer, introducing Elric (March 1972)
Issue #58: Queen of the Black Coast (January 1976)
~
The Savage Sword of Conan Comic Magazine
A "magazine" series (oversized and to avoid the restrictions of the Comics Code Authority), featuring good artwork and a diverse series of tales. Issues #1 to 235 ran from August 1974 to July 1995.
Significant issues include:
Issue #2: Black Colossus (October 1974)
Issue #4: Iron Shadows in the Moon (February 1975)
Issue #5: A Witch Shall Be Born (April 1975)
Issue #15: The Devil in Iron (October 1976)
Issue #16: The People of the Black Circle (December 1976)
Issue #24: The Tower of the Elephant (November 1977)
Issue #26: Beyond the Black River (January 1978)
Issue #30: The Scarlet Citadel (June 1978)
Issue #34: The Lair of the Ice Worm (October 1978)
~
(And for the curious: One of the most telling instances which shows that the Conan the Barbarian comic was indeed on Gary's (and Rob's) mind in the early 1970s: the artwork featured on the cover of the Domesday Book, issue #12, is a direct copy of the cover art which had earlier been featured on Conan the Barbarian, issue #1.)
~
[120]
THE TIME MACHINE (FILM): This film, along with the original H. G. Wells novel, likely inspired some aspects of the Drowic netherworld featured in the D series of Dungeon Modules.
~
[121]
TOLKIEN, J. R. R.: Despite Gary's frequent downplaying of the obvious level of influence, the Professor's works are some of the most directly influential on the early design of Dungeons & Dragons. The important volumes are of course The Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which consists of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.
~
[122]
THE TROLLENBERG TERROR (AKA THE FLYING EYE) (FILM): This 1958 film seems suspiciously like an inspiration for Gary's reinterpretation of Terry Kuntz's beholder monsters, especially with their abilities of levitation and mind control.
 
U
[123]
ULTRAMAN: A SPECIAL EFFECTS FANTASY SERIES (TELEVISION SERIES): While likely not a direct Gygaxian inspiration, the monster featured in episode 9 (Operation: Uranium) likely inspired the "prehistoric beast" toy which Kask and Gygax later statted out as the bulette.
 
V
[124]
VANCE, JACK: Vance was Gary's favorite author. The most influential series were The Dying Earth, and Planet of Adventure.
~
The Dying Earth Series
Book 1: The Dying Earth (1950)
Book 2: The Eyes of the Overworld (1966)
Book 3: Cugel's Saga (not published until 1983)
Book 4: Rhialto the Marvelous (not published until 1984)
~
The Planet of Adventure Series
Book 1: City of the Chasch (1968)
Book 2: Servants of the Wankh (1969)
Book 3: The Dirdir (1969). The Dirdir was of course the inspiration for the "Dirdir level" adventures which branched off dimensionally from the dungeons beneath Castle Greyhawk.
Book 4: The Pnume (1970)
~
[125]
VERNE, JULES: The novel Journey to the Center of the Earth (original French title Voyage au Centre de la Terre) was one of the inspirations for the Drowic underworld, and of course lent its title in part to Dungeon Module
D1, Descent into the Depths of the Earth.
~
[126]
VAN VOGT, A. E.: Van Vogt's tale Black Destroyer (which became part of the novel The Voyage of the Space Beagle) inspired the displacer beast monster, and perhaps also the blink dog. Rob Kuntz has noted this is also the inspiration for Arneson's City of the Gods setting.
~
[127]
VINYCOMB, JOHN: The book Fictitious and Symbolic Creatures in Art appears to have inspired the depiction of various D&D monsters in illustrations made by David A. Trampier.
 
W
[128]
WALPOLE, HORACE: Although not a mentioned primary source of either Arneson or Gygax, Walpole's The Castle of Otranto is certainly the major inspiration for the much later cinematic interpretation of Gothic dramas by Hollywood. Which, of course, led to the classic monster movies, which in turn inspired Arneson and Gygax in developing monsters and other elements for Dungeons & Dragons.
~
[129]
WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (FILM): This 1955 movie may have been one of the inspirations for the inclusion of the giant octopus in the roster of D&D monsters.
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[130]
WEINBAUM, STANLEY: I have never been able to ascertain which stories by Mr. Weinbaum Gary had originally intended to recommend to fans of Dungeons & Dragons, but my best guess (at this time) is that he was found of A Martian Odyssey, and perhaps also Valley of Dreams.
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[131]
WELLMAN, MANLY WADE: In recommending Wellman's works to readers who would like to read tales associated with D&D, Gary may have been thinking in one of two directions. Firstly, he may have been recalling Wellman's tales which appeared in the early Swords Against Darkness anthology volumes. Specifically, Straggler from Atlantis, The Dweller in the Temple, and/or The Guest of Dzinganji. Secondly, he may have been recalling Wellman's acclaimed Arkham House anthology, entitled Worse Things Waiting.
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[132]
WELLS, H. G.: The classic Wells dystopian novel The Time Machine was an inspiration on the development of the Drowic underworld, as featured in the D series of Dungeon Modules.
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[133]
WEREWOLF IN LONDON: I believe that this movie influenced the conception of lycanthropes in Dungeons & Dragons.
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[134]
WIGGIN, KATE DOUGLAS & SMITH, NORA A.: I recommend The Arabian Nights: Their Best-Known Tales. Illustrated by Maxfield Parrish. This version includes The Story of the City of Brass, as well as The Story of Aladdin, The Story of Sinbad the Voyager, and others.
See also LANG, ANDREW.
~
[135]
WILLIAMSON, JACK: Although it remains a mystery, I believe that in recommending Mr. Williamson to fans of D&D, Gygax may have had the 1940 novel The Reign of Wizardry in mind. There are several other candidates, however, including Dragon's Island and The Power of Blackness.
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[136]
WILSON, COLIN: Rob Kuntz has noted that Wilson's novel The Mind Parasites inspired the creation of the brain mole, intellect devourer, thought eater, and cerebral parasite monsters.
 
Z
[137]
ZELAZNY, ROGER: Gary recommended the tale Jack of Shadows (1971) as well as, to a lesser extent, The Chronicles of Amber. The early volumes of The Chronicles are as follows:
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The Chronicles of Amber
Book 1: Nine Princes in Amber (June 1970)
Book 2: The Guns of Avalon (1972)
Book 3: Sign of the Unicorn (February 1975)
Book 4: The Hand of Oberon (1976)
Book 5: The Courts of Chaos (1978)
