The Man Who Brought Dungeons & Dragons to Life: Keith Parkinson Appreciation Post

Looking at Keith Parkinson's artwork feels like opening a portal to another world—or maybe a portal to my past. It takes me straight back to the mid-90s, when my older brother was the Dungeon Master extraordinaire of our small but chaotic D&D group. I can still see him, sprawled out on the floor, surrounded by an explosion of graph paper, scribbled notes, and stacks of rulebooks. He was crafting an epic adventure, one trap-filled map at a time.

But it wasn't just the mechanics of the game that inspired him—it was the art. My brother is quite an artist himself, and Keith Parkinson's works were a constant source of awe and motivation for him. We'd sit together flipping through books and gazing at Parkinson's stunning landscapes, fierce dragons, and daring heroes. Even as a kid who barely understood the rules of D&D (and who mostly played as a chaotic dwarf warrior causing more problems than solutions), I could feel the magic in Parkinson's art. It didn't just illustrate the game—it brought the worlds of D&D to life.

Keith Parkinson's art captured the imagination of a generation of players, including me. It's more than just artwork; it's a window into forgotten realms, untold stories, and endless possibilities.

Author image for John Summers John Summers
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