Roll for Lore

What happens when you leave the Material Plane and venture into the raw building blocks of the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse?

In this episode of Roll For Lore, we're exploring the Elemental Planes of D&D: the Plane of Fire, Plane of Water, Plane of Air, and Plane of Earth. From the blazing City of Brass and its powerful efreeti rulers to the endless oceans of the marids, the floating kingdoms of the djinn, and the underground realms of the dao, we're taking a tour through some of the most dangerous and fascinating places in D&D lore.

We'll dive into the history of the Inner Planes, how D&D cosmology has changed from Gary Gygax's original Great Wheel through AD&D, Planescape, 3rd Edition, 4th Edition, and 5th Edition, and how ancient Greek philosophy, alchemy, mythology, and fantasy literature helped inspire these elemental worlds.

Along the way, we'll uncover the strange creatures, legendary locations, elemental rulers, and bizarre environments that make these planes so much more than just endless fire, water, air, and rock. We'll also touch on the Para-Elemental and Quasi-Elemental Planes, including Magma, Ooze, Smoke, Ice, and more.

Whether you're a Dungeon Master looking for planar adventure inspiration, a Planescape fan, or just someone who loves digging into the weird history of Dungeons & Dragons, join us as we explore the elemental foundations of the multiverse.

Roll For Lore is a Dungeons & Dragons lore podcast exploring the monsters, gods, locations, history, and mythology behind the world's greatest tabletop roleplaying game.

#DnD #DungeonsAndDragons #DnDLore #ElementalPlanes #Planescape #ForgottenRealms #RollForLore
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This week on Roll for Lore, we're diving into the chaotic world of Olidammara, the Laughing Rogue, the Greyhawk god of music, revelry, wine, humor, and thievery in Dungeons & Dragons.

Created by Gary Gygax, Olidammara is one of the most entertaining deities in the Greyhawk pantheon. While other D&D gods are busy waging divine wars and demanding worship, Olidammara is out drinking, stealing, playing music, and pulling elaborate pranks on mortals and gods alike.

We explore his origins in early D&D lore, his place among the gods of Greyhawk, his divine realm, his followers, and the real-world mythology that may have inspired him. Then we get into some of his greatest stories, including The Grand Illusion, where he inspires a rebellion against a tyrannical lich-king; The Grand Talisman, where he outsmarts a mysterious demon; and his legendary encounter with Zagig and the Godtrap beneath Castle Greyhawk.

We'll also discuss the bizarre fate of Andromalius, a thief who attempted to steal his own soul from Olidammara, and the slaad who managed to rob the god of thieves himself.

From the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer and Deities and Demigods to Dragon Magazine #342 and Tome of Magic, we're digging through decades of D&D history, Forgotten Realms-adjacent cosmology, and classic Greyhawk lore to uncover the stories behind one of Dungeons & Dragons' most mischievous gods.
So grab a drink, keep an eye on your coin purse, and join us as we explore the legend of Olidammara, the Laughing Rogue, on Roll for Lore, your Dungeons & Dragons lore podcast.
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Undermountain Explained: Halaster Blackcloak, the Yawning Portal & D&D's Deadliest Dungeon | Forgotten Realms Lore

Beneath the streets of Waterdeep lies Undermountain, one of the largest, deadliest, and most legendary dungeons in Dungeons & Dragons history. With 23 massive levels, ancient dwarven ruins, entire underground civilizations, and enough monsters to kill an army of adventurers, Undermountain is more than just a dungeon. It's an entire world buried beneath the Forgotten Realms.

In this episode of Roll for Lore, we dive into the history of Undermountain, from the ancient dwarven kingdom of Melairbode to the twisted creations of the Mad Mage, Halaster Blackcloak. We'll explore the infamous underground city of Skullport, the magical mysteries of Stardock, the monsters and villains lurking in the dungeon's deepest levels, and the legendary treasures that keep adventurers coming back for more.

We'll also uncover the history of the Yawning Portal tavern and its legendary owner, Durnan the Wanderer. How did Durnan and Mirt survive Undermountain and return with unimaginable wealth? Why did Durnan's descendants take over the tavern? And what happened when the original Durnan returned after nearly a century?

Drawing on Forgotten Realms sourcebooks from AD&D 2nd Edition through D&D 5th Edition, including The Ruins of Undermountain, Halls of Undermountain, and Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage, we break down decades of D&D lore, forgotten history, deadly creatures, and the secrets hidden beneath the City of Splendors.
Whether you're a Dungeon Master planning an Undermountain campaign, a player exploring Dungeon of the Mad Mage, or just a fan of Forgotten Realms history, this episode has everything you need to know about D&D's most infamous megadungeon.
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Floating on a forty-mile hemisphere of glowing brass above a sea of fire, the City of Brass is one of the oldest, strangest, and most dangerous cities in all of Dungeons & Dragons. This week, Sean and Jess take a trip to the capital of the efreeti empire on the Elemental Plane of Fire.

We start with the name's roots in One Thousand and One Nights, then follow the city through nearly fifty years of D&D, from a brief mention in the 1977 Monster Manual to its first full write-up in the 1987 Manual of the Planes, its glory days in Al-Qadim's Secrets of the Lamp, and its role in the 4th Edition Scales of War campaign.

Along the way we dig into the Grand Sultan's army, the strict curfews where breaking the rules can cost you a hand, and the slave markets that keep the whole place running. We look at the devils quietly doing business through portals to the Nine Hells, the archmage Tzunk who tried to conquer the city with the Codex of the Infinite Planes, and the time a shipwreck opened a portal and drained the Sea of Fallen Stars onto its streets.

We also ask a bigger question: do the efreet really rule the Plane of Fire, or is the Sultan just very good at bragging? And why did a city this famous barely show up in 5th Edition?

Grab a cold drink and hit play. You're going to need it.
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