The very first Forgotten Realms novel ever published—and an exciting introduction to the kingdom of Corwell in the Moonshae Isles The evil beast Kazgaroth wages war against the peaceful balance of the Earthmother, goddess of the Isles of Moonshae. The beast’s relentless army of giant Firbolgs, dread Bloodriders, and other vicious creatures are a force to be reckoned with—and only young Tristan Kendrick, heir to the legacy of the High Kings, can stand in their way. However, Tristan is more interested in hunting, drinking, and revelry than heroism, and the realms are in grave danger. Can Tristan rise to the mantel of his legacy to unite forces of good and to save his home from evil?

With the Moonshae Isles facing grave danger, the daughter of King Tristan Kendrick must uncover her own divine destiny and save her home For twenty years, King Tristan and druid Queen Robyn have maintained the peace between the rival groups of Ffolk. But when Talos, the vengeful god of storms, corrals an army of monsters and servitors to destroy the Moonshae Isles, the hard-won peace starts to crack under the pressure of constant chaotic weather. Soon, the Ffolk forsake their goddess, the Earthmother, turning to new gods for protection and survival. Now, one of the new lords has turned the worship of the Ffolk against them. It falls to Alicia, one of the royal daughters, to confront the evil that now threatens their land. Meanwhile, her younger sister has designs of her own, striking a dangerous bargain that will wreak disastrous consequences . . .

Role-playing game historian Ben Riggs unveils the secret history of TSR— the company that unleashed imaginations with Dungeons & Dragons, was driven into ruin by disastrous management decisions, and then saved by their bitterest rival. "Ben Riggs manages to walk the fine line between historical accuracy and fun about as well as anyone and SLAYING THE DRAGON is equal parts historical accuracy and entertainment. It was an essential read for me while directing and producing the Official D&D documentary but I’d recommend it to anyone regardless of the subject material. It’s a wild and fun ride through the turbulent history of one the most influential brands in our lifetime." - JOE MANGANIELLO Co-created by wargame enthusiasts Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, the original Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game released by TSR (Tactical Studies Rules) in 1974 created a radical new medium: the role-playing game. For the next two decades, TSR rocketed to success, producing multiple editions of D&D, numerous settings for the game, magazines, video games, New York Times bestselling novels by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, and R. A. Salvatore, and even a TV show! But by 1997, a series of ruinous choices and failed projects brought TSR to the edge of doom—only to be saved by their fiercest competitor, Wizards of the Coast, the company behind the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. Unearthed from Ben Riggs’s own adventurous campaign of in-depth research, interviews with major players, and acquisitions of secret documents, Slaying the Dragon reveals the true story of the rise and fall of TSR. Go behind the scenes of their Lake Geneva headquarters where innovative artists and writers redefined the sword and sorcery genre, managers and executives sabotaged their own success by alienating their top talent, ignoring their customer fanbase, accruing a mountain of debt, and agreeing to deals which, by the end, made them into a publishing company unable to publish so much as a postcard. As epic and fantastic as the adventures TSR published, Slaying the Dragon is the legendary tale of the rise and fall of the company that created the role-playing game world.

Sinister forces once again threaten the Isles of Moonshae in this classic Forgotten Realms tale of adventure and magic A council of evil sorcerers has overpowered the High King. Among them is Bhaal, a mysterious and vicious figure who stands for death and destruction and commands an army of zombies and ogres. The Forgotten Realms are under attack, and it falls to the young druid Robyn and prince Tristan to assume their birthrights. As they struggle to comprehend their new powers, the two join forces with the mystical children of the Goddess to protect their home from the darkness.

The gods may have been restored to their rightful seats of power—but the end of the Time of Troubles does not mark the end of all strife Although the gods have regained their powers and no longer walk in the mortal world, there is still little peace between them. When their deeply engrained power struggles erupt once more, ex-comrades Mystra—formerly known as Midnight and recently elevated to godhood—and Cyric are bound together in conflict. Cyric, now the god of strife, murder, and the dead, has become even more obsessed with power and revenge. No longer content with just the Tablets of Fate, he wants the Forgotten Realms all to himself—and to rule them in the name of evil. Only Mystra, the new goddess of magic, has the ability to defeat him and restore the balance that has been lost.

A richly illustrated, encyclopedic deep dive into the history of roleplaying games. When Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson released Dungeons & Dragons in 1974, they created the first roleplaying game of all time. Little did they know that their humble box set of three small digest-sized booklets would spawn an entire industry practically overnight. In Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, Stu Horvath explores how the hobby of roleplaying games, commonly known as RPGs, blossomed out of an unlikely pop culture phenomenon and became a dominant gaming form by the 2010s. Going far beyond D&D, this heavily illustrated tome covers more than three hundred different RPGs that have been published in the last five decades. Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground features (among other things) bunnies, ghostbusters, soap operas, criminal bears, space monsters, political intrigue, vampires, romance, and, of course, some dungeons and dragons. In a decade-by-decade breakdown, Horvath chronicles how RPGs have evolved in the time between their inception and the present day, offering a deep and gratifying glimpse into a hobby that has changed the way we think about games and play. The deluxe edition will include a foil-stamped cover and slipcase with a cloth binding, a ribbon, gilded edges, and an 8.5x11-inch card stock poster of the regular edition.

A richly illustrated, encyclopedic deep dive into the history of roleplaying games. When Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson released Dungeons & Dragons in 1974, they created the first roleplaying game of all time. Little did they know that their humble box set of three small digest-sized booklets would spawn an entire industry practically overnight. In Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, Stu Horvath explores how the hobby of roleplaying games, commonly known as RPGs, blossomed out of an unlikely pop culture phenomenon and became a dominant gaming form by the 2010s. Going far beyond D&D, this heavily illustrated tome covers more than three hundred different RPGs that have been published in the last five decades. Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground features (among other things) bunnies, ghostbusters, soap operas, criminal bears, space monsters, political intrigue, vampires, romance, and, of course, some dungeons and dragons. In a decade-by-decade breakdown, Horvath chronicles how RPGs have evolved in the time between their inception and the present day, offering a deep and gratifying glimpse into a hobby that has changed the way we think about games and play.

Far beyond the shores of the Moonshae Isles, Princess Alicia and Queen Robyn battle the vicious undersea race that holds King Tristan prisoner Talos, the god of storms, continues his attack on the Moonshae Isles—and now King Tristan Kendrick has become the newest pawn in his vengeful game. Captured and held in the faraway Coral Kingdom, the king’s fate now lies in the hands of his daughter, high princess Alicia, and his druid wife. So begins a dangerous fight against the Claws of the Deep . . . Alicia and Queen Robyn’s journey takes them first to the elven kingdom of Synnoria, where they call upon the services of an old and faithful friend: Brigit Cu’Lyrran, captain of the kingdom’s mighty, all-female cavalry company. With their forces bolstered by the Sisters of Synnoria, Alicia and her mother march onwards, traveling next to the island nation of Evermeet. There, they seek the aid of the native elves, whose magical gifts may just tip the odds of the looming undersea battle in their favor. With nautical magic, trained warriors, and the Evermeet elves behind them, can the Kendrick women save their beloved patriarch from Talos and his evil minions?

The Kendrick family’s reign continues—but the Moonshae's era of peace is threatened by unseen forces Restored to his throne, a crippled King Tristan Kendrick must confront the fearful costs of his rescue from the Coral Kingdom. His younger daughter, Deirdre, suffers tragically from the curse of an evil god, while Alicia faces a decision that will chart the destiny of the kingdom. At the same time, near the heart of Gwynneth, a new evil stirs . . . An army of trolls and giants wage war against the Ffolk villages, manipulating a magical artifact to suit their violent whims. Now, it is up to Moonshae’s royal defenders, their allies, and their Goddess to put an end to the scourge before the God of the Firbolgs can be resurrected—and the Isles torn down.

Cloaked in mist and layered in magic, the denizens of Moonshae Isles move in secret circles as capricious rulers vie for power. High Lady Ordalf wanted her niece, the princess known as the Rose of Sarifal, dead. Instead, the young regent was secreted away by the high lady’s opponents. For years the eladrin queen of Gwynneth Isle has searched for evidence of her niece’s death, and word has finally come in the form of a castaway’s tale. The princess lives on the island of Moray—a mad beauty who leads a nation of lycanthropes. As long as her niece is alive, Lady Ordalf cannot rest secure in her claim to the throne. Enlisting a band of adventurers to seek out the princess is the first step toward stemming the Rose of Sarifal and her tide of wolves. Will those heroes see the same threat the queen sees in the beautiful young maiden?