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Dungeons & Dragons Worlds & Realms: Adventures from Greyhawk to Faerûn and Beyond Hardcover – October 29, 2024
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“A wonderful collection. This incredible journey through the fantastical realms that inspired countless tables to roll dice together is both an educational and a visual treat!”—Matt Mercer
Worlds & Realms is an illustrated, story-driven retrospective celebrating the immersive worldbuilding of D&D since the iconic game’s inception in 1974. Legendary mage Mordenkainen takes adventurers on a fantastical journey through the multiverse, delving into memorable and fascinating lore and locations across all five editions of the game.
With Mordenkainen’s guidance, readers will revisit worlds that have come to define D&D over the decades, from the familiar realms of the Material Plane to lands beyond the Astral Sea. Mordenkainen’s philosophical musings provide a mage’s-eye view of the worlds’ unique features, creatures, and characters, captivating readers’ imaginations as they learn more about the history and mysteries of the multiverse. Additionally, readers will join adventuring parties with inhabitants of each realm through exclusive short stories by award-winning contributors Jaleigh Johnson, Jody Houser and Eric Campbell, Jasmine Bhullar, and Geoffrey Golden.
Full of exciting and enchanting artwork showing fifty years of gameplay evolution from vintage D&D through the present, with original cover and chapter-opener illustrations, Worlds & Realms is a spellbinding tour of the strange and wonderful worlds of the multiverse, appealing to both new and long-standing fans alike.
- Print length368 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherTen Speed Press
- Publication dateOctober 29, 2024
- Dimensions9.3 x 1.2 x 12.2 inches
- ISBN-100593835506
- ISBN-13978-0593835500
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
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Art by Goodname Digital Art Studio LLC

Art by Adam Paquette, Dungeon Master’s Guide, 2014

Art by Tyler Jacobson
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Worlds & Realms is a masterwork of in-universe storytelling and organic worldbuilding that narratively unifies the D&D multiverse for the first time in its history. It is for everyone who skips the stats and tables to devour the narrative details of the campaign setting and the legendary heroes who define them.”—Wil Wheaton
“A love letter to the fantastical fabric of Dungeons & Dragons itself . . . beside each lush illustration, from well-known to nigh-forgotten, and beneath the florid prose of Mordenkainen himself is author Adam Lee . . . [whose] credentials with Wizards of the Coast speak for themselves, and he’s the true beating heart behind this book.”—GeekDad
“D&D’s multiverse is extremely vast and complicated, and Worlds & Realms seems to fill a much-needed gap to help both newcomers and long-time players make sense of its fantastical realms. . . . But this is no dry, matter-of-fact history book. Instead, readers will explore these settings through the narration of the archmage Mordenkainen, who shares his personal experiences of these locations and thoughts on the legendary characters who’ve lived there.”—Polygon
“Worlds & Realms will take us on a journey deep into the art, history, and tales of many of D&D’s most popular locations . . . in true Dungeons & Dragons fashion, we’ll receive an immersive experience as the legendary mage Mordenkainen guides us through the locations and weaves a brilliant story around us.”—Nerdist
“Worlds & Realms is an incredible triumph for the D&D brand. . . . It’s impressive simply as an artbook but to an aspiring dungeon master, it could serve as inspiration for hundreds of exciting campaigns. For a D&D novice, this book will answer all the questions they didn’t even know they had.”—The Fandom Post
“Along with being an epic tome of endless knowledge on lore and locations all throughout the multiverse, this book is a visual masterpiece filled with breathtaking artwork that will transport readers on adventures they’ve only ever seen in their dreams.”—CBR
About the Author
Dungeons & Dragons launched the great tradition of roleplaying games in 1974 with an unprecedented mix of adventure and strategy, dice-rolling, and storytelling. Wizards of the Coast continues to honor that tradition, bringing to market a diverse range of D&D game and entertainment experiences and influencing numerous writers, directors, and game designers by tapping into an innate human need to gather with friends and tell an exciting story together.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
I am Mordenkainen, Lord Mage of Greyhawk, architect of myriad spells and walker of worlds. You have in your hands a collection of observations and insights gleaned from my extensive travels throughout the multiverse.
As a scholar of the arcane and a wizard of renown, my fascination with magic at first compelled me to discover how magic works and whether its ultimate purpose can even be known. Although my love of magic has never waned, my path has expanded my view to encompass the workings of the natural world and the Great Cosmic Wheel: I have come to realize that despite the presence of gods and beings of immense power whom some may look to for salvation, there is no guarantee that the multiverse will continue to evolve and exist. There are powerful forces at play that believe their way—whether it be Law or Chaos—should be the way of all beings. This, I have seen, is sheer folly and would cause the Great Wheel of the multiverse to tip out of what I call the Balance and spin into catastrophe.
The Balance is something that I have come to understand as I watched the forces of Law and Chaos battle for supremacy on every world and within every heart and mind. I have seen that these polarities are like two sides of the same coin, and if either Law or Chaos is allowed to grow and dominate unchecked, it will inevitably and inexorably lead to its most extreme expression—stagnation or destruction—either of which is death to living, sentient beings.
There was a time when I thought my powers were sufficient to grapple with and ward off these forces that pulled the multiverse toward lopsided madness, and that these powers that caused major imbalances were relegated to several key worlds and a handful of misguided beings. But I now know that keeping Law and Chaos in equilibrium—maintaining the Balance—is a quest that I cannot by my own powers fulfill. I must reach out and inform other adventurers of this in the hope that they are inspired to drop their small-minded pursuits of glittering loot, carousing, and fame to join me on this greater quest of protecting the multiverse, to one day perhaps reach beyond the boundary of their own world, venture through Wildspace, and be wardens against all forces that would tip the Balance. As an archmage, I have no greater task than to snuff out these fires of doom, and as a scribbler of words, I hope this humble tome will ignite the heart of a hero or two who dreams of a life with a higher purpose—to create a world free from tyranny.
The Mysteries of the Multiverse
Though I have confounded archdevils, banished lich lords, thwarted tyrant kings, and refused many a stern command from the haughty hosts of Mount Celestia, some still fear and revile me, and many more think me mad. Despite all the wrath and indignation, I maintain my duty to the Balance. My guidance comes from the beacon of my curiosity, which pursues above all else the mystery of the multiverse. Gods have immense power, yet I feel their power pales in comparison to the magnificence of the multiverse. I have directly observed with my own arcane eye the organic geometry of how a flower grows, the spiral of a snail’s shell, the shapes of the modrons, how ice forms into crystalline patterns—all of these speaking to some magic-infused equation that is woven into the fabric of the multiverse. Are these the fingerprints of the greatest of all the gods? The signatures of the architects of the multiverse? Or are they artifacts of randomness and chance or the artifice of some infinite machine?
Without interference from a force such as a demon lord or mad demigod, this weaving of the multiverse continues in a seemingly perfect balance of Law and Chaos, creating a masterpiece of life in its wake that can be investigated, and perhaps even decoded and read like deciphering the most cryptic book in the greatest of all libraries. To this mysterious ordering principle of the multiverse, I as an archmage of some renown am its most devoted scholar.
Visualizing the Planes
Plenty of seers and visionaries have tried to explain how the planes are arranged in ways that our minds can comprehend. Some fashioned exquisite orreries, and others drew elaborate maps, but how the planes intersect and are organized is quite beyond our ability to visualize, at least in our present state of consciousness. The best maps are from the great elven mystics, who did their best to translate the inscrutable vastness and complexity into a two-dimensional representation that most minds can grasp, and from these source maps, the druids and wizards have created a workable representation that has become known as the Great Wheel.
But how did I learn about the multiverse? What put me on this path to encountering the cosmos?
Defending Oerth
I was first exposed to the mysteries of the arcane as a youth. On my home world of Oerth, I witnessed the various forms of tyranny and how they all led to bondage of mind and body. Had I not, I might have—like so many others—fallen into lockstep with any number of so-called authorities and saviors that professed to know, in their very loud and dogmatic manner of speech, that they and their ideals must be followed. The ascendance and defeat of these tyrants is a tedious, repetitive process, I must add, which has been happening for untold millennia without any qualitative change.
But some godlike power put a strange spark within me—a facility with magic, a desire for justice, and a keen, discerning mind that set me on the path of independence and epic adventure. The more I walked this path, the more I believed that I could bring peace and order to my troubled home world of Oerth. I sought a solution through increasing my own powers and gathering other wizards and adventurers to my side. Together we were known as the Circle of Eight. With my companions, I sought to save Oerth from all the catastrophes that were poised to devour it, and through studying magic, I felt we could win.
Awakening to the Multiverse
Driven by purpose, I increased my understanding of magic with such fervor that I pushed through the boundaries to ever larger realities in hopes of finding that one item, that one word of power, that could defeat evil and restore harmony. But this search for answers culminated in breaking through the boundary of Oerth to behold an interconnected cosmos of worlds spinning around one another in an endless dance, influenced by forces greater than the gods themselves—the multiverse.
As I beheld in awe this immense chaos of perfection, I also realized that each world was in danger of being corrupted. The forces of Law and Chaos were being manipulated in every corner of the multiverse, whether by leading the gullible, fearful masses into a deathly stasis of law-bound autocracy or dividing and provoking them into never-ending cycles of aggression and war. It was then I knew that my wizard’s work would not only be for Oerth, but for all other worlds as well. I would have to grapple with the foundations of reality, inspire companies of heroes, and invent new spells to help all sentient beings become champions of the Balance.
Do these words ring true or are they ravings of a madman? Find out! I can only hope that they light a fire in your heart, and that you join me in this heroic quest to maintain the Balance and defeat evil in all its guises.
Product details
- Publisher : Ten Speed Press (October 29, 2024)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 368 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0593835506
- ISBN-13 : 978-0593835500
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 9.3 x 1.2 x 12.2 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #4,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2 in Science Fiction & Fantasy Art (Books)
- #3 in Dungeons & Dragons Game
- #7 in Pop Culture Art
- Customer Reviews:
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Customers find the book provides useful information about various topics. They appreciate the high-quality art and illustrations throughout. The content is described as engaging and fun, with an entertaining style. Readers enjoy the depth of the settings covered, including Greyhawk, Mystara, Eberron, and Forgotten Realms. Overall, it's a great collection of new and classic artwork.
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Customers find the book has useful information about a variety of subjects. They describe it as a great resource and a solid overview. The book is well-organized and has a good study binding.
"...Production-wise this is a large oversize hardcover, study binding, and good quality paper and reproductions. Feels like a top quality art book...." Read more
"...It’s rich with information and detail, paired with incredible art from page to page. By far, this has to be my favorite of the D&D ‘books...." Read more
"...For someone who's new to dnd, I find it very useful in learning about the game's settings and more." Read more
"...It's beautifully illustrated, well organized, and full of useful information about a variety of subjects...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and enjoyable. They appreciate the entertaining writing style and illustrations throughout. The content is great and the narrative progresses logically.
"...Overall this is a fun book and highly recommended for both new and old players alike. I hope this review helps!" Read more
"Good read thus far and worth buying. For someone who's new to dnd, I find it very useful in learning about the game's settings and more." Read more
"...Visually and narratively it tells a story and shows a logical progression. Not just the art but the layout and presentation...." Read more
"great if you like these books" Read more
Customers appreciate the art quality of the book. They find the information and detail paired with incredible artwork from page to page. The art is solid, colorful, and there are numerous illustrations throughout. The book feels like a top-quality art book with good paper and reproductions.
"...-wise this is a large oversize hardcover, study binding, and good quality paper and reproductions. Feels like a top quality art book...." Read more
"...It’s rich with information and detail, paired with incredible art from page to page. By far, this has to be my favorite of the D&D ‘books...." Read more
"...It's a literal wikipedia with stunning art of lore...." Read more
"Beautiful, Heavy, Hardback, and very colorful!" Read more
Customers appreciate the artwork style. They say it's a great collection of new and classic artwork.
"...It's nice to see a mix of vintage artwork along with the current style of art...." Read more
"360 pages or some great art and great lore. If you are interested in lore than I’d suggest this book." Read more
"...The art gathers pieces old and new from about 50 years of published campaign material, though Ive never really seen it printed in such vivid quality..." Read more
"This book is a great collection of new artwork and classic artwork...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's depth. They find it provides an overview of various D&D settings, like Greyhawk, Mystara, Eberron, and Forgotten Realms. The book is rich with information and detail, paired with incredible artwork. Some settings are treated better than others.
"...It's like an overview of many of the different settings featured in the many adventure books...." Read more
"...It’s rich with information and detail, paired with incredible art from page to page. By far, this has to be my favorite of the D&D ‘books...." Read more
"...It really dives in depth into the various campaign settings: Greyhawk, Mystara, Eberron, Forgotten Realms, Spelljammer, Dragonlance, including the..." Read more
"...Some settings are treated slightly better. The chapter on Krynn, home of the Dragonlance series, provides a more coherent overview...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book collection. They find it a nice piece of art, with new and old artwork. Some say it's their favorite of the D&D books.
"...By far, this has to be my favorite of the D&D ‘books. I couldn’t recommend it enough...." Read more
"Great Collecttion of New and Old Art, but bad narritive...." Read more
"Nice collection piece..." Read more
Customers enjoy the storyline. They appreciate the lore, history, and stories from across the in-game multiverse. The book includes great art and lore.
"360 pages or some great art and great lore. If you are interested in lore than I’d suggest this book." Read more
"...& Realms would be complete with lore, history and stories from all across the in-game multiverse, I was sold...." Read more
"...that have made D&D popular throughout the years while telling the story of the game and how it got to where it is today. Great buy. Zero regrets." Read more
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Beautiful collection
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2024For anyone playing or just interested in D&D this is a wonderful book. It's like an overview of many of the different settings featured in the many adventure books. It's written in an entertaining style and there are numerous illustrations throughout. It's nice to see a mix of vintage artwork along with the current style of art. The book covers quite a lot and since I'll never get to play all of the different adventure books this is a fun way to get a sense of the different areas in The Forgotten Realms. Does it cover everything you could possible want to know about D&D lore? No, but that's okay. This is a solid overview. If you want to get into something very specific I personally enjoy seeking out vintage novels, setting books and modules. Production-wise this is a large oversize hardcover, study binding, and good quality paper and reproductions. Feels like a top quality art book. The design layout of the pages could be more elegant but it's functional. Overall this is a fun book and highly recommended for both new and old players alike. I hope this review helps!
For anyone playing or just interested in D&D this is a wonderful book. It's like an overview of many of the different settings featured in the many adventure books. It's written in an entertaining style and there are numerous illustrations throughout. It's nice to see a mix of vintage artwork along with the current style of art. The book covers quite a lot and since I'll never get to play all of the different adventure books this is a fun way to get a sense of the different areas in The Forgotten Realms. Does it cover everything you could possible want to know about D&D lore? No, but that's okay. This is a solid overview. If you want to get into something very specific I personally enjoy seeking out vintage novels, setting books and modules. Production-wise this is a large oversize hardcover, study binding, and good quality paper and reproductions. Feels like a top quality art book. The design layout of the pages could be more elegant but it's functional. Overall this is a fun book and highly recommended for both new and old players alike. I hope this review helps!
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2025360 pages or some great art and great lore. If you are interested in lore than I’d suggest this book.
360 pages or some great art and great lore. If you are interested in lore than I’d suggest this book.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2024I don’t just read rule/sourcebooks for reference when I’m in campaigns. I read them because I absolutely love the world of Dungeons & Dragons. This unending canvas of fantasy fun has followed me since I was in high school. When I heard that Worlds & Realms would be complete with lore, history and stories from all across the in-game multiverse, I was sold. I rarely ever pre-order books, but I made an exception this time and I do not regret it for a second. It’s rich with information and detail, paired with incredible art from page to page. By far, this has to be my favorite of the D&D ‘books. I couldn’t recommend it enough. If you’re into the lore and diverse settings of D&D like I am, you’ll be head over heels in love with Worlds & Realms.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2025Good read thus far and worth buying. For someone who's new to dnd, I find it very useful in learning about the game's settings and more.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2024without doubt, this is a book made with a lot of love for D&D's many campaign worlds. It really dives in depth into the various campaign settings: Greyhawk, Mystara, Eberron, Forgotten Realms, Spelljammer, Dragonlance, including the inner, outer planes, the transitive planes (astral) which is essentially Planescape. It's a literal wikipedia with stunning art of lore. One unfortunate omission is Athas, the world of Dark Sun, though I imagine it's due to the controversial nature of the setting. The art gathers pieces old and new from about 50 years of published campaign material, though Ive never really seen it printed in such vivid quality and color, the pages are thick glossy stock, binding is very solid, this book is meant to last many decades. Overall if you have a Dungeon Master in your life, this is the perfect book to get them.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2024Beautiful, Heavy, Hardback, and very colorful!
- Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2024As someone new to D&D, I frequently want to learn more about the world's and realms of the multiverse. I'm not quite ready to create my pen world, and maybe never will be. This book provides a lot of valuable insight and information told from the perspective of a D&D legend. It's beautifully illustrated, well organized, and full of useful information about a variety of subjects.
The book does look like it was dropped on one corner, damaging the binding slightly. The book is whole though and I'm satisfied with the product! I look forward to creating adventures for my table using this as a tool to provide insight into the worlds of D&D.
4.0 out of 5 starsAs someone new to D&D, I frequently want to learn more about the world's and realms of the multiverse. I'm not quite ready to create my pen world, and maybe never will be. This book provides a lot of valuable insight and information told from the perspective of a D&D legend. It's beautifully illustrated, well organized, and full of useful information about a variety of subjects.Beautiful collection
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2024
The book does look like it was dropped on one corner, damaging the binding slightly. The book is whole though and I'm satisfied with the product! I look forward to creating adventures for my table using this as a tool to provide insight into the worlds of D&D.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2024First pass review: When this book shares the presentation style and indeed, the title even suggests it is part of a series or collection like the excellent book Art & Arcana it becomes nearly impossible to not compare the two. After several days with this book, I felt disappointed. Initially, I couldn't put my finger on it. The art was solid as D&D art always is but I was left feeling like the book had a lack of cohesiveness. It didn't flow or give me much of a feeling of each realm we were visiting. It felt like someone said, "I visited a bunch of places, here are a few random snapshots of each." And truthfully, the flavor text did very little to help. I thought, amid all the recent D&D turmoil am I just over D&D as a whole? (WOTC yes, but D&D is not really theirs, no matter how much their lawyers tell me otherwise). So I grabbed my copy of Art & Arcana, and BAM just as good as I remembered! Visually and narratively it tells a story and shows a logical progression. Not just the art but the layout and presentation. Worlds & Realms does NOT have that and does not feel that way. And dare I say it's basic presentation (or lack thereof) is distracting from the otherwise fantastic art. I really hope Adam Lee's vision was not realized, whether due to time restraints, budget, access or other factors because if it was, I'm not seeing it and I'm getting it. 3 stars for the art alone. Now it sits on my shelf. I am going to give it a month or two and pick it up again and reevaluate. We'll see....
Top reviews from other countries
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on January 23, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars great
great book amazing pictures
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Israel M ZReviewed in Brazil on November 27, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Espetacular
Livro maravilhoso, chegou em perfeito estado. Uma excelente adição para colecionadores.
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UchujinReviewed in Italy on January 6, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Bello!
"Dungeons & Dragons Worlds & Realms: Adventures from Greyhawk to Faerûn and Beyond" è un vero gioiello per ogni appassionato di D&D e dei suoi vasti mondi. Questo libro esplora in profondità i reami più iconici, da Greyhawk a Faerûn, offrendo un viaggio epico attraverso ambientazioni leggendarie. Perfetto per i Dungeon Master in cerca di ispirazione o per i giocatori che vogliono conoscere meglio i contesti delle loro avventure, arricchito da splendide illustrazioni e dettagli che catturano la magia e il mistero di ogni ambientazione. Una celebrazione imperdibile per chi vive e respira D&D.
- Hugo PettyReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 16, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous
If you are a DnD fan, want lore from the beginning to date, that features original artwork and material this is for you. If you just want some lore and an interesting read covering the 50 years of DnD this is also for you.
- JonnymithrandirReviewed in Germany on November 23, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice!
The book is lovely. Very pleased.