The Excellent Prismatic Spray is a magazine devoted to the fantasy role-playing game Dying Earth and the author Jack Vance on whose works the game is based. The magazine is published intermittently by Pelgrane Press and is named for one of the spells used by various wizards in the Dying Earth stories.
From 1950 to 1984, the science fiction and fantasy author Jack Vance wrote four Dying Earth books, all set in the distant future when the sun is almost exhausted and magic has asserted itself as a dominant force. In 2001, Pelgrane Press published a licensed role-playing game based on Vance's setting. To provide supplementary material for the game, Pelgrane published the first issue of The Excellent Prismatic Spray in December 2000. Two issues followed in 2001, a double issue in 2003, Number 6 in 2004, and after a four-year hiatus, another double issue in 2008.
In the 2014 book Designers & Dragons, game historian Shannon Appelcline noted that Pelgrane provided good support for The Dying Earth Roleplaying Game through 2008: "That support began with eight issues of Pelgrane's Dying Earth magazine, The Excellent Prismatic Spray (2000-2008), which featured articles by RPG luminaries like Keith Baker, Monte Cook, Ed Greenwood, Gary Gygax, and Phil Masters. One or two Dying Earth supplements also appeared every year, except 2004 and 2005. This included plenty of setting books and some books intended to support the higher levels of play: Turjan's Tome of Beauty and Horror (2003) and Rhialto's Book of Marvels (2006). Starting in 2005, Pelgrane also began publishing PDFs for the game, which allowed them to produce more adventures — which previously appeared mostly within The Excellent Prismatic Spray." [1] : 71
In a review of The Dying Earth Roleplaying Game in Black Gate , John ONeill said "Much of the content of the magazine and the additional support material were written in studied imitation of Vance's witty and erudite style, and made terrific reading." [2]
Writing for The Guild Companion, Nicholas Caldwell reviewed the third issue of the magazine, published in 2001, and was impressed by it, calling it "a masterful addition to the series and well worth the terces." He liked the tongue-in-cheek "in-character advertisements for goods and services for sale or sought on the Dying Earth" and also found both the artwork and the writing style struck the right note, saying that it was "handsomely illustrated by fine cover and interior artwork, and with respectful emulation of the Vancian prose style and humor." He concluded, "Instruct your factor to purchase a copy before the sun goes out!" [3]
Chaosium Inc. is a publisher of tabletop role-playing games established by Greg Stafford in 1975. Chaosium's major titles include Call of Cthulhu, based on the horror fiction stories of H. P. Lovecraft, RuneQuest Glorantha, Pendragon, based on Thomas Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur, and 7th Sea, "swashbuckling and sorcery" set in a fantasy 17th century Europe.
Dying Earth is a fantasy series by the American author Jack Vance, comprising four books originally published from 1950 to 1984. Some have been called picaresque. They vary from short story collections to a fix-up, perhaps all the way to novel.
Ares was an American science fiction wargame magazine published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI), and then TSR, Inc., between 1980 and 1984. In addition to the articles, each issue contained a wargame, complete with a foldout stiff paper map, a set of cardboard counters, and the rules.
Robin D. Laws is a Canadian writer and game designer who lives in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of a number of novels and role-playing games as well as an anthologist.
Mongoose Publishing is a British manufacturer of role-playing games, miniatures, and card games, publishing material since 2001. Its licenses include products based on the science fiction properties Traveller, Judge Dredd, and Paranoia, as well as fantasy titles.
The Dying Earth is a collection of science fantasy/fantasy short fiction by American writer Jack Vance, published by Hillman in 1950. Vance returned to the setting in 1965 and thereafter, making it the first book in the Dying Earth series. It was retitled Mazirian the Magician in its Vance Integral Edition (2005),.
Pelgrane Press Ltd is a British role-playing game publishing company based in London and founded in 1999. It is co-owned by Simon J Rogers and Cat Tobin. It currently produces GUMSHOE System RPGs, 13th Age, the Diana Jones award-winning Hillfolk RPG, The Dying Earth Roleplaying Game, and other related products. It publishes fiction under the Stone Skin Press imprint.
Powers & Perils (P&P) is a role-playing game written by Richard Snider and published by Avalon Hill in 1983 as a boxed set.
The Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia is a 1991 book published by TSR, Inc., as a continuation of the basic edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, which ran concurrently with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Its product designation was TSR 1071.
Trail of Cthulhu is an investigative horror role-playing game published by Pelgrane Press in 2008 in which the players' characters investigate mysterious events related to the Cthulhu Mythos. The game is a licensed product based on the horror role playing game Call of Cthulhu published by Chaosium, which is itself based on the writings of H. P. Lovecraft.
A gamemaster's screen, also called a GM's screen, is a gaming accessory, usually made out of either cardboard or card stock, and is used by the gamemaster to hide all the relevant data related to a tabletop role-playing game session from the players in order to not spoil the plot of the story. It also hides any dice rolls made by the gamemaster that players should not see. In addition, screens often have essential tables and information printed on the inside for the gamemaster to easily reference during play.
Free RPG Day is an annual promotional event by the Tabletop role-playing game industry. The event rules are fairly simple: participating publishers provide special free copies of games to participating game stores; the game store agrees to provide one free game to any person who requests a free game on Free RPG Day.
Phil Masters is a British role-playing game designer and author.
The Dying Earth Roleplaying Game is a tabletop role-playing game published by Pelgrane Press in 2001.
Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan is an Irish game designer and novelist who has worked primarily on role-playing games.
Simon J Rogers is a software developer and publisher who has worked primarily on cartography software and role-playing games.
The First Fantasy Campaign is a supplement for fantasy role-playing games written by Dave Arneson and published by Judges Guild in 1977.
The Book of Monsters is a supplement for fantasy role-playing games published by Little Soldier Games in 1976.
Houses of Hermes is a supplement published by Wizards of the Coast in 1994 for the third edition of the fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica.
The Kingdoms of Kalamar is a fantasy role-playing game campaign setting published by Kenzer & Company in 1994 that is compatible with the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons published by TSR.