The TTRPG game masters among us know that behind all the epic moments and fun is a lot of work—preparing characters, setting up the fantasy world, and then you’ve got to set up the story of the campaign after that.
To celebrate the release of Christopher Buehlman’s The Daughters’ War, we’re bringing back this list of epic fantasy novels with worlds ready-made for your next DnD campaign!
opens in a new window
opens in a new windowThe Daughters’ War by Christopher Buehlman
Galva — Galvicha to her three brothers, two of whom the goblins will kill — has defied her family’s wishes and joined the army’s untested new unit, the Raven Knights. They march toward a once-beautiful city overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind. The road to victory is bloody, and goblins are clever and merciless. The Raven Knights can take nothing for granted — not the bonds of family, nor the wisdom of their leaders, nor their own safety against the dangerous war birds at their side. But some hopes are worth any risk.
opens in a new window
The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
Guilds of thieves, brutal goblin wars, fallen cities, and of course, the gods! The world of The Blacktongue Thief is a prime setting for fast-paced campaigns where characters (and players) have ample opportunity to quip and react quickly to ever-escalating situations. Aren’t the best TTRPG moments the ones that spiral indelibly out of hand? Set your next campaign within the realms of The Blacktongue Thief to maximize the chance of such beautiful moments.
opens in a new window
Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald
This brilliant fantasy first-in-series about how a single choice can change a universe has every element your TTRPG-playin’ heart could yearn for. Forbidden magic, an order of warrior-magi, and ancient evils fighting against the chains of the past that hold them there—that’s a recipe for tabletop greatness if I’ve ever heard one. We’re also running a sweepstakes for a chance to win your opens in a new windowvery own custom Daughter of Redwinter-inspired game master’s screen!
opens in a new window
In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan
Brian McClellan has a new fantasy series and it could be the setting of your next TTRPG campaign! Magic is running out in the world of In the Shadow of Lightning, and the violent struggles between factions makes stability as rare a commodity as the empowered Godglass they’re fighting over.
opens in a new window
Fate of the Fallen by Kel Kade
Okay so this book. Basically all the rich and noble adventure-types have fled the world to the doom that they decided they just weren’t up to stopping. Who does that leave? Well, opens in a new windowThe B Team! Set your campaign in this world if you wish every class had a little mix of rogue. DnD for delightful scoundrels, if you will!
opens in a new window
The First Binding by R. R. Virdi
The setting of The First Binding takes inspiration from our world’s Silk Roads, and in this expansive series opener, R. R. Virdi takes us on a journey along a bustling fantasy trade route that spans a broad and diverse wealth of cultures. It’s kind of the perfect setting for a tabletop campaign! No coincidence that traditional DnD-style games begin in places like taverns—this is where travelers from different backgrounds meet! But the world of The First Binding is a world of travelers, where unfamiliar folks mesh at every point along the long, long road.
