Accompanying the Brown Player PHBR option series, and the corresponding Blue DMGR Dungeon Master guides, TSR released the lesser-known Green HR Historical Campaign series. I’ve already delved deeply into the first two – links following – so now it’s time for the third.
My original impetus for the Brown “Complete” reference page was to make sense of the bewildering number of variations in that very popular series. TSR did a shoddy job of noting printings, and Wizards of the coast, picking up the torch after TSR’s demise, did no better.
It took me years to get around to referencing in photos the Blue books, as I assumed they had no subsequent printings. Not the case, as I discovered.
With the Green books, that belief is almost true. I’ve confirmed exactly one case of a 2nd printing. (There might be more, and I’ll post updates as needed). However, unlike its brethren, each book in the HR series has a poster map! They were attached in the back, detachable along the perforation. (Because many prior owners did exactly that, many HR books will be missing maps in the used market.)
The Historical Reference series opened up 7 real world settings for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Each modified AD&D rules to better fit those realms, dropping character classes, and offering new ones. Likewise with character races and other aspects of traditional AD&D play. Typically the HR books proffer “realistic” and “fantasy” versions of those settings.
“TSR very cleverly (and purposefully) paired its first two Historical releases, so that the vikings of the first book could be antagonists for the characters of HR2: Charlemagne’s Paladins Campaign Sourcebook (1992). HR3 and HR5 (covering Celts and Romans, respectively) were similarly paired, though they appeared over a year apart from one another. It’s seems possible that Historical References 1, 2, 3, and 5 were all commissioned at the same time, which would have matched how the PHBR series was launched, with simultaneous work on its first four books.” (Be sure to see Shannon Appelcline’s commentaries; visit any one of the DriveThruRPG links below for more)
I’m a student of history as well as a gamer, so these HR books are imagination fuel for me. Let’s dive in!
Vikings Campaign Sourcebook (HR1)
1991 … David “Zeb” Cook … 96 pages + map … TSR 9322 … ISBN 1560761288
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“Now you can take your campaign and player characters into the realms of the Northmen. This is no mere fantasy world – this sourcebook is set in the historical world of Viking legend. Included in this sourcebook are new character classes, new magic, new spells, new monsters, new treasures and the necessary background information on the life and times of the Vikings. Numerous floorplans and a full-color map of the Viking world give you a complete role-playing package.”
Hey, here we have our two printings, side by side. They actually color-shifted the 2nd print (April 1991) from blue to green inside. Way cool. The rest of the HR series maintained that format.
The map is also folded differently.
Based on what I’ve seen over the years, the 2nd printing is much less common than the 1st.
The map is great. Rather than being “realistic”, the map conveys (I presume) the Vikings’ understanding of the world. They were outstanding mariners.
Charlemagne’s Paladins Campaign Sourcebook (HR2)
1992 … Ken Rolston … 96 pages + map … TSR 9323 … ISBN 1560763930
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“Charlemagne – conqueror, statesmen, lawmaker, the greatest medieval king of Europe. His reign lasted forty-four years, but his influence was felt for a thousand. From the chaos of the dark ages he forged a kingdom that rivaled Roman Byzantium in its power and prestige. Join the noblest heroes of the age – mighty Roland, Bradamant the warrior maiden, arch-bishop Turpin, and Malagigi the wizard – on royal quests and wars against the Lombards, Moors, Saxons, and Vikings.”
“The Frankish Empire of Charlemagne, Lord King of the Franks and Emperor of the Western World”
Celts Campaign Sourcebook (HR3)
1992 … Graeme Davis … 96 pages + map … TSR 9376 … ISBN 1560763744
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“Celts – from these powerful barbarians who ruled Europe for centuries and challenged the might of Rome came the Druids, bards, and even the original legend of King Arthur. They ranged from Scotland to Greece and from Spain to Asia Minor, trading, raiding, and establishing a culture that is still alive today.”
“Lands of the Celts”
A Mighty Fortress Campaign Sourcebook (HR4)
1992 … Steve Winter … 96 pages + map … TSR 9370 … ISBN 1560763728
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“From 1550 to 1650, Europe was torn apart by constant warfare. Social order collapsed under countless religious and civil wars. This was the age of Elizabeth, Francis Drake, Cromwell, Richelieu, D’artagnan and Captain Blood. Bold mercenaries carved kingdoms out of the chaos; inquisitions and witch hunts raged; brazen pirates plundered the Spanish Main.”
“Europe, ca. 1610”
The Glory of Rome Campaign Sourcebook (HR5)
1993 … David Pulver … 96 pages + map … TSR 9425 … ISBN 1560766735
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“One-thousand years of history are woven around the story of Rome. With this AD&D game supplement, PCs can stand fast before a mass of charging Gauls with Julius Caesar, vie for the emperor’s attention in the coliseum, bellow oratory in the senate, or dispense the pax romana to the ends of the earth in the name of emperor Hadrian. The Glory of Rome describes Roman character kits, magic, equipment, culture, and settings”
“The Roman Empire at its height, ca. AD 117”
Age of Heroes Campaign Sourcebook
1994 … Nicky Rea … 96 pages + map … TSR 9408 … ISBN 1560768142
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“Their names were Achilles, Odysseus, Jason, Heracles, and Alexander. Their deeds pitted them against monsters, men, and the known world. They were Greeks, and theirs was the age of heroes. Age of Heroes transforms this epic time of myth and history into an exciting AD&D setting, with details on spells, magical items, new character kits, maps, pictures of ancient Greek life, and a starting adventure.”
TSR stopped using the letter/number codes in 1994. This would presumably be HR6.
“Greece in the Age of Heroes”
The Crusades Campaign Sourcebook
1994 … Steve Kurtz … 96 pages + fold-out map … TSR 9469 … ISBN 1560768584
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“Nine hundred years ago, the Dark Ages ended. But a new and terrible age then began, one of brutality and heroism, terror and courage, glorious victory and disastrous defeat. Western Europe turned its eyes eastward toward the Holy Land, and moved to take it from the Saracens. But the forces of Islam would have none of this, and under the call of jihad they arose to meet the invaders. The Crusades presents the land of Outremer as a powerful AD&D setting, with historical background, maps, new character kits, details on strange magic and fantastic beasts, and adventures.”
The Christian Mythos would pair up well with this sourcebook!
“Outremer: The Holy Land During the Crusades, 12th Century AD”
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