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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Founders of Roleplaying: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman



My first introduction to the world of fantasy and role-playing was through Dragonlance. It was the first series to truly capture my imagination and heart, and it eventually opened up the greater world of literature to me.

Margaret Weis was born in Missouri in 1948 and Tracy Hickman was born Utah in 1955. They are the co-creators of the Dragonlance world. There first three books released in 1985, started a whole line of books and expanded by other authors. The campaign setting that they created grew and became the 4th Campaign Setting of the Dungeons and Dragons world. Since then they have collaborated many times expanding their original creations as well creating other worlds. The Deathgate Cycle, Starshield, Dark Sword, Rose of  the Prophet, and the Dragonships of Vindras are another popular line of novels designed by them both. Together they also brought to life Larry Elmore's Sovereign Stone Trilogy and RPG.

Separately, Tracy Hickman and his wife Laura, created a few independent adventures for Dungeons and Dragons in the early 80's. In 1983 they created Ravenloft, which has been a beloved horror campaign setting that has touched almost every campaign world ever since! Tracy Hickman continues to create new worlds and continues to bring new ideas to fantasy ans sci-fiction literature. 

Magaret Weis has continued to write in her own way and now owns a publishing company that produces some RPG systems for many popular TV Dramas such as; Battlestar Galactica, Leverage,Smallville, Serenity, and Supernatural.

 I had the privilege of meeting them both back in 1996 at a booking signing in Brea, CA. It was one of the greatest moment of my life as I got to meet Mrs. Weis, Mr. Hickman, and Mr. Perrin.

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