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Gamemastering Secrets
The Gamemaster's Bookshelf
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The following books are those which Grey Ghost Press and others have
found to be excellent resources for gamemasters and other gamers. Many
of them are permanent residents in Grey Ghost Press's reference
library.
A Word from Amazon.com
Cities
- Medieval Cities, by Howard Saalman (part of the Planning and Cities
series from Columbia University)
Unfortunately, this book is listed as "out of print"
and, unlike many other out-of-print books listed at Amazon.com,
apparently not subject to their search through their network of used
book dealers. If you can find this book, and you like historical maps
and/or medieval cities, buy it! Or borrow it from a library! - The
City in History: Its Origins, Its Tranformations, and Its Prospects,
by Lewis Mumford
A bit of a dry read, perhaps, but absolutely packed with
information. Originally published in 1961, this is the
"classic" book on the origins of cities and the societal and
environmental forces that shaped the development of cities from
prehistoric times to the present. - Great
Cities of the Ancient World: From Thebes to Constantinople With 150
Photographs, Drawings and Maps, by L. Sprague de Camp
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.)
Castles
- Castles
: Their Construction and History, by Sidney Toy
Lots of plans, architectural details, and historical notes. - Castles,
An illustrated guide through 80 castles of England and Wales, by Charles
William Chadwick, Sir Oman
Lots of photos, some drawings, some plans. The descriptions
include information about the castles' histories, including historical
people associated with them.
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.)
Castles and castle towns of Great Britain, by David MountfieldLots of photos, plans, information on the towns around the castles as
well as the castles themselves. Lovely book.
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.) - The
Castle in Medieval England and Wales, by Colin Platt
Lots of photos, some plans.
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.) - Forts
and Fortresses : From the Hillforts of Prehistory to Modern Times-The
Definitive Visual Account of the Science Fortification, by Martin
Brice
A history of fortifications, with lots of photos and some plans. The
first half leads up to the Renaissance; the latter half covers the age
of exploration, the industrial age, and modern fortifications.
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.)
Other Architecture
- Monasteries
of Western Europe: The Architecture of the Orders, by Wolfgang
Braunfels
250 pages packed full of plans, photos, and histories of monastic
architecture in Western Europe. There are 4 pages devoted to Mont
St. Michel, a castle abbey perched atop a rocky island that was the
setting for "Mayhem at Mont St. Michel," a Musketeers
adventure we've run at several conventions. The book's a bit pricey, but
well worth it if you're looking for a good source of inspiration for
adventures involving religious orders in pseudo-medieval fantasy
worlds. - The
Landscape of Man: Shaping the Environment from Prehistory to the
Present Day, by Geoffrey Jellicoe, Susan Jellicoe
This book presents the development of landscape architecture for
three major civilization groups: Central (springing from Mesopotamia and
including later Islamic influences), Eastern (India, China, Japan, and
Pre-Columbian American), and Western (Egypt, Greece, and Rome, with
Europe and Russia later). Whereas a lot of architectural plans involve
just the buildings, the plans presented in this book show the landscape
as well. And there are a lot of plans in this book. Now in its
3rd Edition (Grey Ghost has the second edition). - Unknown
Catacomb: A Unique Discovery of Early Christian Art, by Antonio
Ferrua
A beautiful book about the fourth century Via Latina catacomb beneath
Rome. Most of the book focuses (in detail, with lots of photos) on the
art decorating the "unknown catacomb," but there is a complete
plan of the catacomb, with detailed descriptions of the galleries and
chambers, in the first quarter of the book.
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.)
Magic
- The
History of Magic and the Occult, by Kurt Seligmann
A reprint edition of a 1948 book covering the history of
magic. Chapter titles include Mesopotamia, Persia, The Hebrews, Egypt,
Greece, Gnosticism, The Roman Empire, Alchemy, The Middle Ages, The
Devil, Witchcraft, Diabolic Rites, Cabala, Magical Arts, Reformers, and
the Eighteenth Century. With illustrations from original
manuscripts. - The
Magic Arts in Celtic Britain, by Lewis Spence
A Dover Publication of the comprehensive study of the history of
magic and the Occult in Celtic Britain. Loaded with inspirations for
magic potions, spells, rituals, and enchantments. (Grey Ghost Press has
the hardcover 1993 Barnes & Noble Books edition, but the paperback
Dover publication is much less expensive.) - The
21 Lessons of Merlyn: A Study in Druid Magic and Lore, by Douglas
Monroe
"The Complete Course in Authentic Celtic Druidism." Rather
than a history or study of magic, this is a "how-to" book with
a New Age feel to it. Great inspiration for a Celtic- or Arthurian-based
magic system for your fantasy world, but don't expect unbiased scholarly
information from it. Information is presented as
"story-lessons" depicting the training and initiation of
Arthur by Merlyn. - Llewellyn's Magical Almanacs
Although "full of fluff" (as some Amazon.com reviewers have
pointed out), these annual publications are a great source of
inspiration for magic systems, spells, rituals, and festivals. There are
recipes, articles, calendars that include moon phases and festival days
and more. Even the advertisements are interesting. Grey Ghost Press has
the 1994 almanac, which is now out of print. Still in print:
- Street
Magic: An Illustrated History of Wandering Magicians and Their
Conjuring Arts, by Edward. Claflin
Just what the title says. Good reference for building NPC (or PC)
magic-users (and charlatans).
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.) - The
Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology, by Rossell Hope Robbins
A detailed examination of the history of the Occult.
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.) - Zolar's
Encyclopedia of Ancient and Forbidden Knowledge, by Zolar
Zolar is "The Dean of American Astrology" and author of a
lot of occult-related books. This one delves into "Ancient and
Forbidden Knowledge" (the Kabbalah, mysteries of sex, mortality and
immortality, mediumship, etc.) and "The Art of Prophecy"
(astrology, numerology, the tarot, etc.). The book's full of language
such as "It is known to many persons who are not Occult students
that the Tarot is a method of divination by means of seventy-eight
symbolical picture cards, to which great Antiquity and high importance
are attributed by several expositors." It's an interesting read,
and a great source of inspiration for "magical treatises"
written by fantasy mages.
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.)
History
- Writers Digest
"Everyday Life" Series
Grey Ghost Press has the Byzantium and Middle Ages books from this
series, but there are lots more. Here they are:
- The Cultural Atlas of the World Series
From Facts on File. Chock
full of maps, pictures, and interesting historical facts. Grey Ghost
Press has the Stonehenge Press/Time Life Books edition, now out of
print. This is a continuing series with Facts on File; not all of the
below books are actually on Grey Ghost's shelves yet. A couple of the
books are available directly from Facts on File, but are not listed with
Amazon.com. These books are pricey, you may be better off cruising
on-line auctions for a set....
Atlas
of Africa, by Jocelyn Murray (Editor) Atlas
of Ancient America, by Michael Coe, Dean Snow, Elizabeth Benson Atlas
of Ancient Egypt, by John Baines, Jaromir Malek Atlas
of Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific, by Richard Nile,
Christian Clerk Atlas
of the Bible, by John Rogerson Atlas
of China, by Caroline Blunden, Mark Elvin Atlas
of France, by John Ardagh, Colin Jones (Contributor) Atlas
of the Greek World, by Peter Levi Atlas
of India, by Gordon Johnson Atlas
of Japan, by Martin Collcutt, Marius Jansen, Isao Kumakura Atlas
of the Jewish World, by Nicholas De Lange Atlas
of Medieval Europe, by Donald Matthew Atlas
of Mesopatamia and the Ancient Near East, by Michael Roaf, Nicholas
Postgate (Editor) Atlas
of the Roman World, by Tim Cornell, John Mathews, Jim Cornell, John
R. Matthews Atlas
of Russia and the Former Soviet Union, by R. R. Milner-Gulland,
Nikalai Dijeuski, Robin Miner-Gulland, Nikolai Dejevsky Atlas
of Spain and Portugal, by Mary Vincent, R. A. Stradling Atlas
of the Viking World, by Colleen E. Batey (Editor) - The Timetables of History: A Horizontal Linkage
of People and Events, by Bernard Grun, Daniel J. Boorstin
A great date/event resource. Now into the "New Third Revised
Edition;" Grey Ghost has an older edition. - The Timetables of Science: A Chronology of the
Most Important People and Events in the History of Science, by Alexander
Hellemans, Brian Bunch, Bryan Bunch (Contributor)
Want to know what was invented or discovered or debunked when? Look
here! - The
People's Chronology, by James Trager
A timeline for all of history. A thick book which has a capsule
summary of key events as well as scientific and sociological trends for
years throughout history. An excellent resource for would-be time
travel gamemasters.
(Out of print, but Amazon.com sometimes has used copies
available.)
Science and SF
- Aliens
and Alien Societies (Science Fiction Writing Series), by Stanley
Schmidt, Stan Schmidt, Ben Bova (Editor)
An excellent guide to designing aliens and alien societies. Writers Digest Books, of
course. - How
to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy (Genre Writing Series), by
Orson Scott Card
A good introduction to lots of aspects of worldbuilding and story
creation for science fiction or fantasy campaigns. Also good tips on
writing well if you're interested in fiction writing. Writers Digest Books, of
course. - How
to Write Tales of Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction, by
J. N. Williamson (Editor)
Another Writer's Digest
Book of use to campaign creators. - Time
Travel (Science Fiction Writing Series), by Paul J. Nahin
Solid science gives you a theoretical basis for "real" time
travel. Writers Digest
Books, of course. - World-Building
(Science Fiction Writing Series), by Stephen L. Gillett, Ben Bova
(Editor)
Helps you create believable star systems and planets from the ground
up.Writers Digest Books, of
course. - The
Writer's Guide to Creating a Science Fiction Universe, by George
Ochoa, Jeff Osier, Jeffrey Osier
This book starts out with "The Basics" (characteristics of
space) and launches into Spaceships and Space Stations; The Sun and the
Planets; Starships; Around the Galaxy; Designing a Planet; A Case Study
of a Lifebearing Planet; Aliens; Galactic Civilizations; Nanotechnology
and Virtual Reality; Designing a Future; Intelligent Machines;
Remodeling Humans; Future Shocks; and Alternate Universes. Writers Digest Books, of
course. - The
Starflight Handbook: A Pioneer's Guide to Interstellar Travel, by
Eugene F. Mallove, Gregory L. Matloff (Contributor)
A guide to scientifically feasible propulsion systems for
interstellar travel; suspended animation; interstellar communication;
and more. - The
Extraterrestrial Encyclopedia; Our Search for Life in Outer Space,
by Joseph A. Angelo
An encyclopedia covering real-world space exploration. A Facts on File publication.
Miscellaneous
- Armed
and Dangerous : A Writer's Guide to Weapons (Howdunit Series), by
Michael Newton
Mostly firearms, but useful nonetheless. Writers Digest Books, of
course. - Cause
of Death : A Writer's Guide to Death, Murder and Forensic Medicine
(Howdunit Series), by Keith D. Wilson
A good resource for modern-day mystery or espionage campaigns. Writers Digest Books, of
course. - Scene
of the Crime : A Writer's Guide to Crime-Scene Investigations
(Howdunit Series), by Anne Wingate
Another good resource for modern-day mystery or espionage
campaigns. Writers Digest
Books, of course. - Deadly
Doses : A Writer's Guide to Poisons (Howdunit Series), by Serita
Deborah Stevens, Anne Klarner
Everything you ever wanted to know about poisons. Writers Digest Books, of
course. - Gaia
Atlas of Planet Management
An atlas of the Earth with ecological information, including
population growth and density, habitat destruction, and more. A
must-read for any concerned inhabitant of this planet, plus useful for
GMs creating believable worlds and ecologies in their campaigns.
Writing
Although the following books were written for fiction authors, the
advice in them is easily applicable to RPG character creation, world
design, and adventure design.
- Plot
(The Elements of Fiction Writing Series), by Ansen Dibell
An inspiration for adventure design. Writers Digest Books, of
course. - 20
Master Plots (And How to Build Them), by Ronald B. Tobias
More inspiration for adventure design. Writers Digest Books, of
course. - The
Writer's Digest Character Naming Sourcebook, by Sherrilyn Kenyon,
Hal Blythe, Charlie Sweet
A step above the standard "Name Your Baby" book, the
Character Naming Sourcebook splits names out by origin (your usual
Anglo-Saxon, French, German, Italian, etc., but extended to many more
heritages; plus "Arthurian Legend Names"). There's even a bit
of information about surnames in each section, although not enough to
really be helpful in populating a richly designed campaign setting. For
surnames, the local telephone book is probably still your best bet. Writers Digest Books, of
course. - The
Fiction Writer's Silent Partner, by Martin Roth
"Thousands of ideas, facts, possibilities and 'what ifs' on
topics ranging from characters to vivid and unusual locales that will
help you generate solid fiction ideas and develop your
imagination." (The blurb on the cover says it all.)
(Out of Print, but possibly available through used
bookstores. Amazon.com will do a search for you.) - Creating
Characters: How to Build Story People, by Dwight V. Swain
A book about creating characters for stories- how to describe
them, how to motivate them, and more. It is designed for writers, but
some gamers have found the book useful for creating both NPCs and
PCs.
The Publishing Business
- The
Complete Guide to Self-Publishing: Everything you need to know to
write, publish, promote and sell your own book, by Tom Ross, Marilyn
J. Ross (Contributor)
What it says. Good introduction to the process of book
publishing. - The
Complete Guide to Eco-Friendly Design, by Poppy Evans
An examination of the ecological harm publishing can do -- and ways
to reduce and eliminate waste and polution in the publishing
process. - Looking
Good in Print, Fourth Edition, by Roger C. Parker (Editor), Patrick
Berry
An excellent introduction to good layout and page design. Includes a
section on print advertising. Grey Ghost has an older edition. - Advertising
from the Desktop: The Desktop Publisher's Guide to Designing Ads
That Work, by Elaine Floyd, Lee Wilson
A useful source of advice and inspiration for designing ads. - Kirsch's
Handbook of Publishing Law: For Authors, Publishers, Editors and
Agents, by Jonathan Kirsch
A must-have for any publisher. - The
Writer's Legal Companion: The Complete Handbook for the Working
Writer, by Brad Bunnin, Peter Beren
Covering contracts, copyrights, and more. - The
Desktop Publisher's Legal Handbook, by Daniel Sitarz
Out of print, but worth tracking down. Covers copyrights, privacy,
publishing rights, taxation, legal forms, and more.
And now, a word from Amazon.com:
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service for orders we receive through special links on Grey Ghost
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Amazon.com associates list selected books in an editorial context
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Thank you for shopping with an Amazon.com associate.
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Jeff Bezos
President
Amazon.com
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