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Awesome Sword & Sorcery

Curated collection of fantasy and sword & sorcery resources. Epic fantasy, grimdark, pulp classics, tabletop RPGs, video games, wikis, communities. From Tolkien's Middle-earth to Martin's Westeros, from Conan to Kvothe. Roll for initiative.

By Crom!

"I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content." - Conan the Cimmerian

Fantasy & Sword & Sorcery Literature

Start Here: The Reading Path

Fantasy literature spans from ancient epic poetry to modern sagas. Classical mythology laid the foundation, pulp magazines defined sword & sorcery, Tolkien revolutionized epic fantasy, and modern authors continue pushing boundaries. Start with what speaks to you.

Ancient Epic Poetry & Classical Mythology

The Foundation of All Fantasy

Where it all began - epic poetry, gods, heroes, and monsters that inspired every fantasy story that followed.

Essential Works:

  • Homer - The Iliad, The Odyssey (Greek epic poetry, heroes, gods, monsters - 8th century BCE)
  • Virgil - The Aeneid (Roman epic, Aeneas' journey)
  • Beowulf - Anonymous Anglo-Saxon epic (dragon slaying, monsters, heroism)

Classical Mythology Collections:

  • Edith Hamilton - Mythology (accessible introduction to Greek/Roman myths)
  • Ovid - Metamorphoses (Roman mythological transformations)
  • Norse Mythology - Poetic Edda, Prose Edda (Thor, Odin, Ragnarök)

Free Resources:

Why They Matter:

  • Epic heroes' journeys (Odysseus, Achilles, Aeneas, Beowulf)
  • Gods interfering with mortals (Zeus, Athena, Odin)
  • Legendary weapons (Achilles' armor, Excalibur)
  • Monsters and creatures (Cyclops, Medusa, Grendel, dragons)
  • Direct inspiration for D&D, Tolkien, and all modern fantasy

Communities:

Classic Pulp Sword & Sorcery (1930s-1980s)

The Pulp Era - Where Sword & Sorcery Was Born

Barbarians, sorcerers, demons, and adventure. The original grimdark before grimdark had a name.

The Big Three:

  • Robert E. Howard - Conan the Barbarian, Solomon Kane, Kull of Atlantis (original barbarian, 1930s pulp)
  • Fritz Leiber - Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser (definitive S&S duo, seven volumes)
  • Michael Moorcock - Elric of Melniboné, Eternal Champion (albino anti-hero with soul-drinking sword)

Other Pulp Masters:

  • Clark Ashton Smith - Zothique, Hyperborea, Averoigne (dying Earth, weird fantasy)
  • Jack Vance - The Dying Earth, Lyonesse (inspired D&D magic system)
  • C.L. Moore - Jirel of Joiry (first female S&S protagonist, 1930s)
  • Karl Edward Wagner - Kane (immortal anti-hero, underrated gem)

Free Resources:

Epic Fantasy Foundations

The Revolution - Tolkien & The Classics

These authors transformed fantasy from pulp magazines into literary epics. Middle-earth changed everything.

J.R.R. Tolkien (The Foundation):

  • The Lord of the Rings - The trilogy that defined modern fantasy
  • The Silmarillion - Middle-earth creation mythology and First Age
  • The Hobbit - Where it all began
  • Tolkien Gateway - Comprehensive Tolkien wiki
  • r/tolkienfans - Lore-focused community (600k+ members)

Other Foundations:

  • Ursula K. Le Guin - Earthsea Cycle (coming-of-age wizard saga)
  • Terry Pratchett - Discworld (40+ books, satirical fantasy, Death, Rincewind, the Watch)
  • R.A. Salvatore - Legend of Drizzt, Forgotten Realms (Drizzt Do'Urden, dark elf ranger)
  • Terry Brooks - Shannara (post-apocalyptic fantasy)
  • Raymond E. Feist - Riftwar Saga (portal fantasy classic)
  • r/discworld - Discworld community (400k+ members)
  • r/Forgotten_Realms - Forgotten Realms lore

Modern Epic Fantasy

Contemporary Masters - The New Guard

Modern fantasy pushing boundaries with complex magic systems, morally grey characters, and epic scope. Kvothe, Westeros, and the Cosmere await.

Major Authors:

  • George R.R. Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire (grimdark politics, no plot armor)
  • Patrick Rothfuss - The Kingkiller Chronicle (Kvothe, Name of the Wind)
  • Brandon Sanderson - Cosmere Universe (Mistborn, Stormlight Archive, hard magic)
  • Joe Abercrombie - The First Law (dark humor, no heroes)
  • Steven Erikson - Malazan Book of the Fallen (10-book epic)
  • Robin Hobb - Realm of the Elderlings (Farseer, character-driven)
  • Brent Weeks - Lightbringer, Night Angel
  • Mark Lawrence - Broken Empire, Red Queen's War
  • N.K. Jemisin - Broken Earth trilogy (Hugo winner)
  • Scott Lynch - Gentleman Bastards (heist fantasy)

Grimdark & Horror Fantasy

No Heroes Here - Where Dark Meets Darker

Brutal, unforgiving, morally ambiguous. Cosmic horror meets grimdark.

Grimdark:

  • Glen Cook - The Black Company (original grimdark)
  • Richard K. Morgan - The Steel Remains
  • Anna Smith Spark - Empires of Dust
  • r/grimdark - Grimdark community

Horror Fantasy:

  • H.P. Lovecraft - Cthulhu Mythos (public domain) | Mythos Wiki
  • Clive Barker - Hellbound Heart
  • China Miéville - Perdido Street Station

General Fantasy Resources

Communities:

  • r/Fantasy (2M+) - General fantasy community
  • r/books (22M+) - General books community
  • r/PrintSF (200k+) - Speculative fiction

Lists:

YouTube:

General Sword & Sorcery Resources

Tools, Communities & Resources for the Genre

OSR gaming, art, podcasts, random generators, and communities. Everything you need to run campaigns and discover content.

Communities:

Podcasts:

Random Generators:

Maps & Art:

OSR Resources:

YouTube Channels:

Dungeons & Dragons

The Game That Started It All

Dungeons, dragons, dice, and destiny. The tabletop RPG that launched a thousand campaigns and changed gaming forever.

YouTube Channels:

Tools & Generators:

Free Adventures:

Magic: The Gathering

Legendary Card Game - 30 Years of Magic

Planeswalkers, spells, and legendary creatures. The collectible card game that revolutionized strategy gaming.

Official:

Wikis & Databases:

Communities:

  • r/magicTCG - Main MTG subreddit (900k+ members)
  • r/EDH - Commander format (400k+ members)
  • r/spikes - Competitive MTG

YouTube:

Warhammer

Grimdark Tabletop - In the Grim Darkness...

Warhammer 40K and Age of Sigmar. Miniatures, lore, video games, and endless war.

Official:

Wikis:

Communities:

Video Games:

Tabletop RPGs:

YouTube:

Elder Scrolls

Open-World RPG Phenomenon

Tamriel awaits. Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim - epic open-world adventures with deep lore and endless modding.

Wikis:

Official:

Communities:

Modding:

YouTube:

Tabletop RPG:

Free Adventures & Modules

Free Content - Zero Cost, Maximum Adventure

Free adventures, modules, one-page dungeons, and complete RPG systems. Legal, high-quality content at no cost.

Complete Free RPGs:

One-Page Dungeons:

Adventure Sites:

Zines:

Free Resources:

Other Fantasy Tabletop RPGs

Beyond D&D - The Rich Tapestry

Pathfinder, OSR classics, modern innovations, and indie gems. Endless variety for every playstyle.

Pathfinder:

Modern Systems:

Core OSR:

Communities:

Indie Hits:

Communities & Stores:

Open Source & Copyright

Awesome lists, RPG tools on GitHub, and legal considerations for public domain content.

GitHub Awesome Lists:

Legal Notice:

Many fantasy classics are entering public domain (Conan stories pre-1928, early pulp fiction). Always verify copyright status in your jurisdiction. When in doubt, support living authors and publishers. Libraries and legal archives preserve our shared fantasy heritage.

Last Updated: 2026-08-20 | Vibe Check: Steel and sorcery from ancient epics to modern grimdark. Public domain gold, passionate communities, OSR renaissance. Roll for initiative.

Tags: fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, dungeons-and-dragons, warhammer, tolkien, martin, rothfuss, pratchett, drizzt, conan, elric, magic-the-gathering, elder-scrolls, pathfinder, tabletop-rpg, osr, grimdark, epic-fantasy