Steven Schend
Encyclopedia
Steven E. Schend is a game designer and editor who has worked on a number of products for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
from TSR
throughout the 1990s.
in 1967. Schend grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and started gaming in high school; he attended college in Madison, and graduated with a degree in English in 1989. He previously worked as a teacher, a street sweeper, a curb builder and a landscaper before gaining employment in fantasy. TSR
hired Schend as a Games Department editor in early 1990, and he also managed the original Marvel Super Heroes
RPG line: "I started working on Marvel pretty much the day I walked in the door".
At TSR, Schend also worked on the Forgotten Realms
setting. "Most of all, I'm proud of my body of work within the Realms. So much of it ties together that it's hard to pick favorites. If I had to, I'd choose the... Sea of Fallen Stars accessory as the most original world-building I've ever done." Schend and Julia Martin
served as the continuity monitors for the Realms, and Schend also served as the assistant manager to the Realms product group for three years before returning to full-time design work in 1998. Schend then began working on the Alternity
game line and the Star*Drive setting.
As a game designer and editor he has worked for TSR, Inc., Wizards of the Coast
, Bastion Press, Green Ronin, and Goodman Games
. He later worked as an adult instructor of World Building for Writers and Game & Adventure Design workshops/seminars; also teaching college classes at various venues, including Kendall College of Art & Design. He claims his favorite role is as spokesperson for the denizens of the Forgotten Realms.
He has also worked on a novel in his "Vanguard" universe and a non-fiction World-Building book for writers.
line, such as City of Splendors (1994), Lands of Intrigue (1997), Hellgate Keep (1998), Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves (1998), Wyrmskull Throne (1999), Skullport (1999), Sea of Fallen Stars (1999), and Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark, (1999). Schend also did some work for Bastion Press and Green Ronin Publishing
.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
from TSR
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
throughout the 1990s.
Biography
Steven Schend was born in Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
in 1967. Schend grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and started gaming in high school; he attended college in Madison, and graduated with a degree in English in 1989. He previously worked as a teacher, a street sweeper, a curb builder and a landscaper before gaining employment in fantasy. TSR
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
hired Schend as a Games Department editor in early 1990, and he also managed the original Marvel Super Heroes
Marvel Super Heroes (role-playing game)
Marvel Superheroes , aka "the FASERIP system," is a role playing game set in the Marvel Universe, first published by TSR under license from Marvel Comics in 1984. In 1986, TSR published an expanded edition, entitled the Marvel Superheroes Advanced Game. Jeff Grubb designed both editions and Steve...
RPG line: "I started working on Marvel pretty much the day I walked in the door".
At TSR, Schend also worked on the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
setting. "Most of all, I'm proud of my body of work within the Realms. So much of it ties together that it's hard to pick favorites. If I had to, I'd choose the... Sea of Fallen Stars accessory as the most original world-building I've ever done." Schend and Julia Martin
Julia Martin
Julia Martin is a game designer and editor who has worked on a number of products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.-Career:Julia Martin worked for Game Designers' Workshop until she left in 1991 to work for TSR...
served as the continuity monitors for the Realms, and Schend also served as the assistant manager to the Realms product group for three years before returning to full-time design work in 1998. Schend then began working on the Alternity
Alternity
Alternity is a science fiction role-playing game published by TSR in 1998...
game line and the Star*Drive setting.
As a game designer and editor he has worked for TSR, Inc., Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
, Bastion Press, Green Ronin, and Goodman Games
Goodman Games
Goodman Games is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Goodman Games is best known as the publisher of the Dungeon Crawl Classics series of adventure modules, as well as the Dragonmech and the award-winning Etherscope role-playing games, and has...
. He later worked as an adult instructor of World Building for Writers and Game & Adventure Design workshops/seminars; also teaching college classes at various venues, including Kendall College of Art & Design. He claims his favorite role is as spokesperson for the denizens of the Forgotten Realms.
He has also worked on a novel in his "Vanguard" universe and a non-fiction World-Building book for writers.
Works
Steven Schend worked on several Dungeons & Dragons game products from 1990-2001. His design work includes several products for the Forgotten RealmsForgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
line, such as City of Splendors (1994), Lands of Intrigue (1997), Hellgate Keep (1998), Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves (1998), Wyrmskull Throne (1999), Skullport (1999), Sea of Fallen Stars (1999), and Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark, (1999). Schend also did some work for Bastion Press and Green Ronin Publishing
Green Ronin Publishing
Green Ronin Publishing is an American company based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 2000 by Chris Pramas, they have published several role-playing game–related products...
.