An “Appendix N” is a D&D thing from the original Dungeon Master’s Guide. Here’s Gary Gygax’s introduction and explanation:

Inspiration for all the fantasy work I have done stems directly from the love my father showed when I was a lad, for he spent many hours telling me stories he made up as he went along, tales of cloaked old men who could grant wishes, of magic rings and enchanted swords, or wicked sorcerers and dauntless swordsmen…

The following authors were of particular inspiration to me. In some cases I cite specific works, in others, I simply recommend all of their fantasy writing to you. From such sources, as well as any other imaginative writing or screenplay, you will be able to pluck kernels from which will grow the fruits of exciting campaigns. Good reading!

And here’s my own list of inspirations.

I. When Running & Writing Games

– Sagas of the Icelanders edited by Örnólfur Thorsson
– Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser by Fritz Leiber
– Hav by Jan Morris
– The Night Battles by Carlo Ginzburg
– Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon
– Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino
– Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake

– Super Mario World, Super Mario Sunshine
– Planescape: Torment
– Fallout 2, Fallout: New Vegas
– Zelda: Link’s Awakening
– Dark Souls
– Elder Scrolls writing by Michael Kirkbride

– Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui
– Witchlight by Jessi Zbarsky
– Sophia Foster-Dimino, especially Tactical: 16 Classes from an Imaginary Tactics RPG
– Tom Fowler, especially D&D&D
– splendidland (Samanthuel Louise Gillson), especially Apple Quest Monsters
– Marras Vedenoja
– Trungles
– Disa Wallander

– False Machine
– From the Sorcerer’s Skull
– Goblin Punch
– Matt Colville
– The Adventure Zone
– Friends at the Table, especially “Marielda” and “Twilight Mirage”
– Campaign

– Apocalypse World by D. Vincent Baker
– The Veil by Fraser Simons
– Fiasco by Jason Morningstar
– The Quiet Year by Avery Alder
– Pasion de las Pasiones by Brandon Leon-Gambetta
– Blades in the Dark by John Harper

II. When Reading Comics

– Eleanor Davis
– X-Men by Chris Claremont
– Gaylord Phoenix by Edie Fake
– 2dcloud
– Walt Simonson
– X-Force/X-Statix by Peter Milligan, Mike Allred, et al
– Carta Monir
– Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai
– Darryl Ayo, Greg Hunter, Claire Napier, Charlotte Geater

III. Everything Else

– Tracks and The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich
– Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon
– How to be Both by Ali Smith
– Iceland’s Bell by Halldor Laxness
– To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
– Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed

– Slings & Arrows
– The Prisoner