Estarion "Appendix N"

In the tradition of the AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide, I present my literary influences on Estarion, the current campaign I am running.

Literary Major Influcences

• Leiber, Fritz: Swords and Deviltry, Swords Against Death, Swords in the Mist, Swords Against Wizardry, Swords of Lankhmar, Swords and Ice Magic, Knight and Knave of Swords.
• Asprin, Robert, ed.: Thieves' World, Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn

History

• Some of the geography and background is very, very, very loosely inspired by Constantinople, while other elements of it are inspired by the role of Egypt or the Levant in terms of its relation to Greece and Rome.
• While one reader has said that he saw Prince Lucius Gallus Martellus as a young Mark Antony, he's about 75% a smarter Prince Kadikithus from Thieves' World.

Gaming Campaigns: a huge chunk of the background for Estarion is mixed in with two city supplements from my youth, and one more recent book

• Chaosium: Pavis
• Judges' Guild: City State of the Invincible Overlord
• Lamentation of the Flame Princess: Vornheim

Mood and Inspiration: While Estarion does not directly emulate these sources, they are a major part of my sense of mood and style:

• Mosely, Walter: Devil in a Blue Dress, A Red Death, White Butterfly, Black Betty, A Little Yellow Dog, Gone Fishin', Bad Boy Brawley Brown, Six Easy Pieces, Little Scarlet, Cinnamon Kiss, Blonde Faith
• Vachss, Andrew: Flood, Strega, Blue Bell, Hard Candy
• Moore, C.L.:  Northwest of Earth (2007 collection by Paizo), plus her Jirel of Joiry stories.
• Brackett, Leigh: her Mars stories, the most recent of which are Paizo's printings of novels/novellas such Sword of Rhiannon, Secret of Sinharat, The Ginger Star, the Hounds of Skaith, The Reavers of Skaith
• Burroughs, Edgar Rice: A Princess of Mars, Gods of Mars, The Warlord of Mars
• Howard, Robert E.: his Conan stories, in particular.
• Grell, Mike: His 1970s/1980s run of The Warlord
• AMC's series "The Killing"
• The godawful but somehow compelling film "Krull".
• The art of Frank Frazetta, Jack Kirby, Erol Otus, and anyone else who wanders through my head.