Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings
Dave Arneson created Blackmoor in 1971 for personal games using the Chainmail rules set. This setting existed before Greyhawk and even before Dungeons & Dragons itself was published. The D&D Blackmoor supplement arrived in 1975, bringing Arneson's vision to a wider audience. In 2004, Arneson and Zeitgeist Games republished Blackmoor again. It also ran as a massively multiplayer role-playing game or MMRPG. Gary Gygax developed Greyhawk as his original campaign that eventually became an official supplement. Sections of Greyhawk appeared in articles during the 1970s and 1980s. Many concepts came from ideas generated during Gygax's own gaming sessions. Several characters were based on people created by Gygax's partners. The first official edition of Greyhawk reached print in 1980. Oerth served as the medieval fantasy world where these campaigns took place. The region of Flanaess formed the center of this action-packed continent. An Oeridian Empire pushed away barbarian tribes and became decadent. Smaller states competed for power amidst wildlands filled with monsters.
Ed Greenwood created the Forgotten Realms as his personal campaign. He detailed it through a long series of articles in Dragon Magazine. This setting became the most popular D&D option from the late 1980s onwards. Sean Patrick Fannon praised its scope and ambition in The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible. He considered it possibly the most widely played-in game setting in RPG history. The main focus was the region of Faerûn, published in 1987 by TSR. Faerûn contained rough analogues of European, African, and Middle Eastern cultures. Other areas included the Underdark, Maztica, and Kara-Tur. The planet Abeir-Toril shared lands between humans, dwarves, elves, goblins, orcs, and dragons. Technologically, the world resembled pre-industrial Earth of the 13th or 14th century. Strong magic presence added power to societies. Highly successful video games like Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights were based on this setting. Popular characters included Drizzt Do'Urden, Artemis Entreri, and Elminster. Over the years, the setting expanded into literature, comics, and video games. It remains the default setting for most adventures released for the 5th edition.
Dark Sun diverged from conventional medieval fantasy when TSR released it in 1991. The campaign drew heavy inspiration from novels like Dune and the Barsoom series. Athas was a harsh desert world once lush but stripped of fertility by defiling magic. Civilization retreated to city-states controlled by god-like Sorcerer-Kings. Psionics dominated the setting as commonly as magic elsewhere. Native psionic abilities existed in all humanoid races. Wizards who drained life force became discriminated against as defilers. A minority called preservers worked to restore primeval lushness. Playable races included Thri-Kreen mantis people and Half-Giants. Elves became nomadic desert dwellers while halflings turned savage jungle cannibals. Planescape crossed numerous planes of existence with Victorian era trappings. Artist Tony DiTerlizzi created unique visual aspects that won acclaim. Ravenloft arrived as Module I6: Ravenloft in 1983 before expanding into a full campaign setting. Tracy and Laura Hickman originally created this gothic horror setting for their own game system. The Realm of Terror boxed set began expansion in 1990 for AD&D 2nd edition. Dark Sun, Ravenloft, and Spelljammer broke away from standard tropes to offer unique flavors.
TSR released Conan modules in 1984 as licensed tie-ins with Conan the Destroyer film. CB1: Conan Unchained! took place in the Vilayet Sea while CB2: Conan Against Darkness! occurred in Aquilonia. Red Sonja Unconquered appeared in 1986 on the Zaporoska River. These three AD&D modules contained two-page settings called The Hyborian World. Magic: The Gathering planes first adapted for D&D through free PDF releases called Plane Shift. James Wyatt wrote these articles between 2016 and 2018. Six Plane Shift articles covered Amonkhet, Dominaria, Innistrad, Ixalan, Kaladesh, and Zendikar. Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica arrived in 2018 as a full hardcover setting guide. This high-magic world featured a single city spanning an entire planet controlled by ten competing guilds. Theros originated as part of a Magic: The Gathering block released in 2013. Mythic Odysseys of Theros introduced this plane to Dungeons & Dragons in 2020. Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos reached players in June 2021. The university divided into five colleges founded by different Elder Dragons. Warcraft campaign settings published by White Wolf Publishing via Sword & Sorcery Studios completed the ecosystem. Five other books supported the initial Warcraft product before updating it to World of Warcraft The Role Playing Game.
Keith Baker won a contest held by Wizards of the Coast in 2003 with his Eberron setting. Additional design came from Wizards creative department before release in 2004. Eberron took place in a world of pulp action and fantasy noir with steampunk influences. Fantasy versions of steam trains, airships, and robots replaced traditional medieval knights. Matthew Mercer created Exandria for personal campaigns in 2012. Green Ronin Publishing released Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting in 2017 written by Mercer and James Haeck. An updated edition titled Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn arrived in 2022 moving the timeline forward twenty years. Academic Emily Friedman noted that Exandria serves as many folks' intro setting. In 2019, Exandria first appeared in Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. Explorer's Guide to Wildemount officially made Exandria part of Dungeons & Dragons in 2020. This book added dunamancy magic focusing on time and space manipulation. Dwendalian Empire drew inspiration from 15th century Russia and Prussia. Xhorhas reflected 13th-century Romania while edges showed 14th-century Spain. Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep explored the continent of Marquet in 2022.
Many settings are no longer published or officially licensed though all have active fan bases. Al-Qadim appeared under its own label but is now regarded as part of Forgotten Realms. Kingdoms of Kalamar remains unsupported by Wizards of the Coast despite Kenzer & Company continuing use. Lankmar rights hold with Goodman Games who released it for Dungeon Crawl Classics. Rokugan development ceased when Oriental Adventures went out of print. AEG decided to focus solely on Legend of the Five Rings based supplements. The Savage Coast sub-setting rebranded multiple times between 1985 and 1996. Thunder Rift module transitioned players from boxed set to full Rules Cyclopedia. Pelinore articles ran until Imagine magazine cancellation at issue #30. Game Master Publications series ended at issue GM5 in 1987. Mystara support became sparse during mid-1990s TSR attention shifts toward advanced editions. Ravenloft rights returned to Wizards of the Coast in early 2006 after White Wolf Publishing tenure. Warcraft game is no longer published following five supporting books. Spelljammer elements included in supplement materials without standalone support through 4th edition. Spelljammer: Adventures in Space finally arrived as a sourcebook for 5th edition in 2022.
Common questions
When did Dave Arneson create the Blackmoor campaign setting?
Dave Arneson created Blackmoor in 1971 for personal games using the Chainmail rules set. The D&D Blackmoor supplement arrived in 1975, bringing Arneson's vision to a wider audience.
What is the main focus of the Forgotten Realms setting created by Ed Greenwood?
The main focus was the region of Faerûn, published in 1987 by TSR. This planet shared lands between humans, dwarves, elves, goblins, orcs, and dragons with strong magic presence adding power to societies.
How does the Dark Sun campaign diverge from conventional medieval fantasy?
Dark Sun diverged from conventional medieval fantasy when TSR released it in 1991 as a harsh desert world once lush but stripped of fertility by defiling magic. Civilization retreated to city-states controlled by god-like Sorcerer-Kings where psionics dominated the setting as commonly as magic elsewhere.
Who won the contest held by Wizards of the Coast in 2003 with his Eberron setting?
Keith Baker won a contest held by Wizards of the Coast in 2003 with his Eberron setting. Additional design came from Wizards creative department before release in 2004 for a world of pulp action and fantasy noir with steampunk influences.
When did Explorer's Guide to Wildemount officially make Exandria part of Dungeons & Dragons?
Explorer's Guide to Wildemount officially made Exandria part of Dungeons & Dragons in 2020. This book added dunamancy magic focusing on time and space manipulation while Dwendalian Empire drew inspiration from 15th century Russia and Prussia.