publisher song of the saurials
Fantasy is a fiction genre set in an imaginary universe , often but not always without any locations , events , or people from the real world . Most fantasy uses magic or other supernatural elements as a main plot element , theme , or setting . Magic and magical ___MASK26___ are common in many of these imaginary worlds . Fantasy is generally distinguished from the genres of science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of scientific and macabre themes , respectively , though there is a great deal of overlap between the three , all of which are subgenres of speculative fiction . Jeff Grubb ( born August 27 , 1957 ) is an author of novels , short stories , and comics and a computer and role - playing game designer in the fantasy genre . Grubb worked on the " Dragonlance " campaign setting under Tracy Hickman , and the " Forgotten Realms " setting with Ed Greenwood . His written works include " The Finder ' s Stone Trilogy ", the " Spelljammer " and " Jakandor " campaign settings and contributions to " Dragonlance " and the computer game " Guild Wars Nightfall " ( 2006 ). Ed Greenwood ( born July 21 , 1959 ) is a Canadian - born fantasy writer and the original creator of the " Forgotten Realms " game world . He began writing articles about the Forgotten Realms for " Dragon " magazine beginning in 1979 , and subsequently sold the rights to the setting to ___MASK20___ , the creators of the " Dungeons & Dragons " roleplaying game , in 1986 . He has written many Forgotten Realms novels , as well as numerous articles and " D & D " game supplement books . Guild Wars Nightfall is a fantasy action role - playing game and the third stand - alone campaign in the " Guild Wars " series developed by ArenaNet , a subsidiary of ___MASK55___ corporation . " Nightfall " was released worldwide on October 27 , 2006 after beginning in development in November 2005 . Guild Wars is a competitive online role - playing game series developed by ArenaNet and published by ___MASK55___ . Because it deviated from traditional MMORPG norms in a number of areas , like instancing all the gameplay areas , and that it focused more on player vs . player ( PvP ) than most online RPGs , it was marketed as competitive online role - playing game . It provides two main modes of gameplay  a cooperative role - playing component and a competitive PvP component  both of which are hosted on ArenaNet ' s servers . Three stand - alone episodes , one major expansion pack , and several " mini "- expansions were released in the series from April 2005 to April 2013 . The games depict the history of the fictional fantasy world of " Tyria "; each campaign focuses on events in disjointed sections of the world at roughly the same time . A player creates an avatar to play through the cooperative storyline of a campaign , taking on the role of a hero who must save Tyria from episode - specific antagonists . Players can group with other players and non - player characters , known as " henchmen " and " heroes ", to perform " missions " and " quests " found throughout the game - world . PvP combat is consensual , team based , and limited to areas designed for such combat . Players are allowed to create characters at maximum level and with the best equipment specifically for PvP play , which is unusual for MMORPGs . ArenaNet hosts official " Guild Wars " tournaments where the most successful players and guilds may compete for the chance to play live at gaming conventions and win prizes up to US $ 100 , 000 . Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the " Dungeons & Dragons " (" D & D ") fantasy role - playing game . Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as " The Realms ", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories . Several years later , Greenwood brought the setting to the " D & D " game as a series of magazine articles , and the first Realms game products were released in 1987 . Role - playing game products have been produced for the setting ever since , as have various licensed products including sword and sorcery novels , role - playing video game adaptations ( including the first massively multiplayer online role - playing game to use graphics ), and comic books . The Forgotten Realms is one of the most popular " D & D " settings , largely due to the ___MASK22___ of novels by authors such as R . A . Salvatore and numerous role - playing video games , including " Pool of Radiance " ( 1988 ), " Eye of the Beholder " ( 1991 ), " Baldur ' s Gate " ( 1998 ), " Icewind Dale " ( 2000 ) and " Neverwinter Nights " ( 2002 ). Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman , and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of ___MASK20___ , Inc . into a series of fantasy novels . The Hickmans conceived " Dragonlance " while driving in their car on the way to ___MASK20___ for a job interview . At ___MASK20___ Tracy Hickman met Margaret Weis , his future writing partner , and they gathered a group of associates to play the " Dungeons & Dragons " role - playing game . The adventures during that game inspired a series of gaming modules , a series of novels , licensed products such as board games , and lead miniature figures . Neverwinter Nights is a third - person role - playing video game developed by BioWare . ___MASK6___ was originally set to publish the game , but financial difficulties led to it being taken over by Atari . It was released on Microsoft Windows on June 18 , 2002 . BioWare later released a free Linux client in June 2003 , requiring a purchased copy of the game to play . MacSoft released a Mac OS X port in August 2003 . Song of the Saurials is a fantasy novel by Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb set in the Forgotten Realms . Pool of Radiance is a role - playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations , Inc ( SSI ) in 1988 . It was the first adaptation of ___MASK20___ ' s " Advanced Dungeons & Dragons " (" AD & D ") fantasy role - playing game for home computers , becoming the first episode in a four - part series of " D & D " computer adventure games . The other games in the " Gold Box " series used the game engine pioneered in " Pool of Radiance ", as did later " D & D " titles such as the " Neverwinter Nights " online game . " Pool of Radiance " takes place in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting , with the action centered in and around the port city of Phlan . Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the " Dungeons & Dragons " roleplaying game . It is an alternate time - space existence known as a " ___MASK82___ dimension " called the Demiplane of Dread , which consists of a collection of land pieces called " domains " brought together by a mysterious force known only as " The Dark Powers ". Each domain is mystically ruled by a being called a " Darklord ". Icewind Dale is a role - playing video game developed by ___MASK91___ and originally published by ___MASK6___ for Windows in 2000 and by MacPlay for OS X in 2002 . It takes place in the " Dungeons & Dragons " Forgotten Realms campaign setting , and is based on the 2nd edition ruleset . The player begins the game by creating an adventuring party , which becomes enlisted as a caravan guard in the wake of strange events . As the story progresses , the player learns of a demonic feud that threatens the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale . A role - playing video game ( commonly referred to as role - playing game or RPG , and in the past was also known as computer role - playing game or CRPG ) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character ( and / or several party members ) immersed in some well - defined world . Many role - playing video games have origins in pen - and - paper role - playing games ( Including " Dungeons & Dragons ") and use much of the same , settings and game mechanics . Other major similarities with pen - and - paper games include developed story - telling and narrative elements , player character development , complexity , as well as replayability and immersion . The electronic medium removes the necessity for a gamemaster and increases combat resolution speed . RPGs have evolved from simple text - based console - window games into visually rich 3D experiences . Since the 1980s , Role - playing is the most commercially viable video game genre in ___MASK99___ , and has more market share of any other genre in the japanese gaming industry , although in the 2010s first - person shooters and western iOS and Android games were becoming rapidly and increasingly popular in that country . Baldur ' s Gate is a fantasy role - playing video game developed by BioWare and published in 1998 by ___MASK6___ . It is the first game in the " Baldur ' s Gate " series and takes place in the Forgotten Realms , a high fantasy campaign setting , using a modified version of the " Advanced Dungeons & Dragons " (" AD & D ") 2nd edition rules . The game received critical acclaim and was credited for revitalizing the computer role - playing game genre . The game allows development of the player character through choice of companions , dialogue choices , exploration , and battle . " Baldur ' s Gate " uses a reputation system and rewards the player depending on the choices made in the game . Kate Novak grew up in Pittsburgh , where she graduated from the ___MASK86___ with a BS in Chemistry . She is a fantasy author primarily published in the " Forgotten Realms " and " Ravenloft " shared worlds . She is married to writer and game designer Jeff Grubb . Novak and Grubb are co - authors of the best - selling " Finder ' s Stone Trilogy ", and collaborated on the book " Azure Bonds ". The success of the book resulted in the creation of the computer game , " Curse of the Azure Bonds ". Tracy Raye Hickman ( born November 26 , 1955 ) is a best - selling fantasy author who has written , or co - written dozens of novels . He is best known for his work as a writer on the " Dragonlance " novels . He is also known for authoring role playing games while working for ___MASK20___ . Curse of the Azure Bonds is a role - playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations , Inc ( SSI ) in 1989 . It is the second in a four - part series of Forgotten Realms " Advanced Dungeons & Dragons " Gold ___MASK41___ adventure computer games , continuing the events after the first part , " Pool of Radiance ".