Gamelords was an American game company that produced

tabletop role-playing games A tabletop role-playing game (typically abbreviated as TRPG or TTRPG), also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a form of role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech. Participa ...

and game supplements.

History

Kerry Lloyd Kerry David Miles Lloyd (September 29, 1941 – August 27, 1988) was a game designer who worked primarily on role-playing games. Career Kerry Lloyd got his first book, a "generic fantasy" adventure called '' The Mines of Keridav'' (1979), publi ...

founded the company, with three friends - Richard Meyer, Janet Trautvetter, and

Michael Watkins Michael or Mike Watkins may refer to: * Michael D. Watkins, American author * Michael M. Watkins, American engineer and scientist * Michael W. Watkins, American television producer * Mike Watkins (rugby union) (born 1952), Welsh rugby union playe ...

in 1980. Gamelords was centered in

Gaithersburg, Maryland Gaithersburg ( ), officially the City of Gaithersburg, is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. At the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, Gaithersburg had a population of 69,657, ...

. Gamelords published the role-playing game '' Thieves' Guild'' in 1980. Looking to produce more group-oriented products for ''

The Fantasy Trip ''The Fantasy Trip'' (''TFT'') is a tabletop role-playing game designed by Steve Jackson (American game designer), Steve Jackson and originally published by Metagaming Concepts. In 2019, ''TFT'' was republished by Steve Jackson Games as ''The F ...

'', Howard M. Thompson of

Metagaming Concepts Metagaming Concepts, later known simply as Metagaming, was a company that published board games from 1974 to 1983. It was founded and owned by Howard Thompson, who designed the company's first game, ''Stellar Conquest''. The company also invente ...

signed an agreement in 1982 with Gamelords to create a campaign world for the game, but he terminated the agreement after only two campaign books were published. When

FASA Fasa ( fa, فسا, Fasā, also Romanized as Fassa) is a city and capital of Fasa County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its population was 110,825, in 33,379 families. Fasa is the fourth most populous city of the province. The city date ...

ended its support of '' Traveller'',

William H. Keith, Jr. William H. Keith (born August 8, 1950) is an American author mainly contributing to military science fiction and military fiction and related game design, who writes also under several pen names, such as Ian Douglas, Robert Cain and H. Jay R ...

and

J. Andrew Keith John Andrew Keith (August 31, 1958 – August 7, 1999) was an American author and games developer. Career J. Andrew Keith, and his brother William H. Keith Jr., responded to ads in ''Journal of the Travellers Aid Society'' for authors to wri ...

moved their ''Traveller'' writing to Gamelords. The Keith brothers wrote seven ''Traveller'' supplements for Gamelords, including ''

The Mountain Environment ''The Mountain Environment'' is a 1983 tabletop role-playing game supplement, written by J. Andrew Keith, with a cover by William H. Keith, for '' Traveller'' published by Gamelords. ''The Mountain Environment'' is a book that details using moun ...

'' (1983), ''

The Undersea Environment ''The Undersea Environment'' is a 1983 role-playing game supplement, written by J. Andrew Keith for '' Traveller'', and published by Gamelords. ''The Undersea Environment'' is a book that details alien oceans, including factors such as pressure, ...

'' (1983), and ''

The Desert Environment ''The Desert Environment'' was written by J. Andrew Keith and William H. Keith Jr. for Game Designers Workshop's ''Traveller'' role-playing game, and published under license by Gamelords in 1984. The book provides ''Traveller'' gamemasters with i ...

'' (1984). Gamelords was sold to

Tadashi Ehara Tadashi Ehara is a game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games. Career Tadashi Ehara, the buyer for the San Francisco game store Gambit, became the second employee of Chaosium. ''Different Worlds'' magazine was launched in 1979 ...

in 1986.

Publications

* '' Duel Arcane'' (1980) * '' The Compleat Tavern'' (1981) * '' The Phantastical Phantasmagorical Montie Haul Dungeon'' (1982)

Thieves Guild

see '' Thieves Guild Publications''

Traveller

* ''

Lee's Guide to Interstellar Adventure ''Lee's Guide to Interstellar Adventure'' is a 1983 role-playing game supplement for ''Traveller'' published by Gamelords. Contents ''Lee's Guide to Interstellar Adventure'' is a book that provides a planetary description and adventure scenarios ...

'' (1983) * ''

The Drenslaar Quest ''The Drenslaar Quest'' is an adventure, written by J. Andrew Keith, and William H. Keith, and published under license by Gamelords in 1983 for Game Designer's Workshop's science fiction role-playing game '' Traveller''. It utilized the rules ...

'' (1983) * ''

Ascent To Anekthor ''Ascent To Anekthor'' is a 1984 fantasy role-playing game adventure, written by J. Andrew Keith, and published by Gamelords for '' Traveller''. Plot summary ''Ascent To Anekthor'' is an adventure in which the player characters join the mount ...

'' (1984) * ''

Startown Liberty ''Startown Liberty'' is a 1984 role-playing game supplement, written by J. Andrew Keith under the pen-name of John Marshal for '' Traveller'' published by Gamelords. Contents ''Startown Liberty'' is a supplement which provides encounters and ev ...

'' (1984) * ''

Duneraiders ''Duneraiders'' is a 1984 fantasy role-playing game adventure published by Gamelords for '' Traveller''. Plot summary ''Duneraiders'' is an adventure set on the desert world of Tashrakaar involving rival off-world mining companies. It utilized t ...

'' (1984) * ''

A Pilot's Guide to the Drexilthar Subsector ''A Pilot's Guide to the Drexilthar Subsector'' is a 1984 role-playing game supplement, written by J. Andrew Keith for '' Traveller'' published by Gamelords. ''A Pilot's Guide to the Drexilthar Subsector'' is a supplement that covers one subsect ...

'' (1984) * '' Wanted: Adventurers'' (1984)

References

Role-playing game publishing companies {{Rpg-stub