Brian R. James
Encyclopedia
Brian R. James is a freelance game designer and software engineer
. He is a senior software developer by day. In the evenings, he is an active member of the Forgotten Realms online community and an eager student of Realmslore. His writing credits include online and print works for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
published by Wizards of the Coast
. Brian lives in Seattle with his high school sweetheart Toni and their four children.
developers, was purchased by the company then published in a print form: The Grand History of the Realms. Since then, Brian has gone on to co-author (and contribute) to many 4th Edition D&D products, including: Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale (2011). He continues to contribute to Dragon
and Dungeon
magazines; providing exclusive Forgotten Realms content for 4th Edition D&D.
Brian and his younger brother Matt James
have teamed up to produce additional content for the Forgotten Realms as well as D&D as a whole. They can be found at http://www.loremaster.org, a website used for the advancement of gaming ideas and the nurturing of creativity.
Software engineer
A software engineer is an engineer who applies the principles of software engineering to the design, development, testing, and evaluation of the software and systems that make computers or anything containing software, such as computer chips, work.- Overview :...
. He is a senior software developer by day. In the evenings, he is an active member of the Forgotten Realms online community and an eager student of Realmslore. His writing credits include online and print works for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
published by Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
. Brian lives in Seattle with his high school sweetheart Toni and their four children.
Career
Brian got his first big break with the creation of his "Grand History of the Realms" timeline compilation that started in the late 90s. Utilizing his website at the time, he compiled lore from many disparate sources into easily referenced PDFs documents that allowed fans to reference each of his entries. This work eventually caught the eye of senior Wizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
developers, was purchased by the company then published in a print form: The Grand History of the Realms. Since then, Brian has gone on to co-author (and contribute) to many 4th Edition D&D products, including: Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale (2011). He continues to contribute to Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
and Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
magazines; providing exclusive Forgotten Realms content for 4th Edition D&D.
Brian and his younger brother Matt James
Matt James
Matt James is a Welsh international rugby league player for the Barrow Raiders in the Co-operative Championship. He usually plays as a . He has previously played for Super League sides Harlequins RL and Bradford Bulls.He has made great progress since joining the Bulls from Eastmoor on the advice...
have teamed up to produce additional content for the Forgotten Realms as well as D&D as a whole. They can be found at http://www.loremaster.org, a website used for the advancement of gaming ideas and the nurturing of creativity.
Honors
- 2008: Grand History of the Realms is nominated for Non-Fiction Publication of the Year by the 34th Annual Origins AwardOrigins AwardThe Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
s. - 2009: Brian's article Playing Dhampyr (Dragon MagazineDragon MagazineDragon Magazine may refer to:*Dragon , an American magazine for Dungeons & Dragons players*Dragon Magazine , a Japanese light novel magazine...
#371) is selected to be published in the 2009 Dragon Magazine Annual
Dungeons & Dragons Sourcebooks
- Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale (2011), designer
- Demonomicon (2010), designer
- UnderdarkUnderdarkThe Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in Dungeons & Dragons role-playing campaigns and Dungeons & Dragons-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore...
(2010), contributor - Dragon Magazine Annual (2009), contributor
- Open Grave: Secrets of the Undead (2009), designer
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide (2008), designer
- Grand History of the Realms (2007), lead designer
Dungeons & Dragons Insider
- Chessenta, Dungeon #178 (2010)
- Deities & Demigods: Torog, Dungeon #177 (2010)
- Vaasa, Dungeon #177 (2010)
- Monument of the Ancients, Dungeon #170 (2010), co-author
- Sarifal, DragonDragon MagazineDragon Magazine may refer to:*Dragon , an American magazine for Dungeons & Dragons players*Dragon Magazine , a Japanese light novel magazine...
#376 (2009) - Ecology of the Sharn, DragonDragon MagazineDragon Magazine may refer to:*Dragon , an American magazine for Dungeons & Dragons players*Dragon Magazine , a Japanese light novel magazine...
#373 (2009) - Playing Dhampyr, DragonDragon MagazineDragon Magazine may refer to:*Dragon , an American magazine for Dungeons & Dragons players*Dragon Magazine , a Japanese light novel magazine...
#371 (2009) - Hall of the Frostmaiden, DragonDragon MagazineDragon Magazine may refer to:*Dragon , an American magazine for Dungeons & Dragons players*Dragon Magazine , a Japanese light novel magazine...
#367 (2008) - Cormyr, DragonDragon MagazineDragon Magazine may refer to:*Dragon , an American magazine for Dungeons & Dragons players*Dragon Magazine , a Japanese light novel magazine...
#365 (2008) - Spellplague: The Wailing Years, DragonDragon MagazineDragon Magazine may refer to:*Dragon , an American magazine for Dungeons & Dragons players*Dragon Magazine , a Japanese light novel magazine...
#362 (2008) - Grand History of the Realms: The Moonshaes, DragonDragon MagazineDragon Magazine may refer to:*Dragon , an American magazine for Dungeons & Dragons players*Dragon Magazine , a Japanese light novel magazine...
#362 (2008) - Ironfang Keep, DragonDragon MagazineDragon Magazine may refer to:*Dragon , an American magazine for Dungeons & Dragons players*Dragon Magazine , a Japanese light novel magazine...
#361 (2007)
Podcasts
- The Tome Show 178 Monster Vault - Threats to the Nentir Vale (06/30/2011)
- The Tome Show 143 Demonomicon (07/28/2010)
External links
- Realmspace Geonomicon Brian's D&D website
- Loremaster Brian's brother's (Matt James) website that he frequents often.
- Spotlight Interview with Brian R. James regarding the Grand History of the Realms
- Questions for Brian R. James message board thread hosted by Candlekeep.com