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GURPS Discworld – Cover

You can find an index of all the GURPS bibliographies we have online here. If you spot any broken links or other problems with this page, please report them to webmaster@sjgames.com.


Bibliography for GURPS Discworld

This game represents a merger of two things: the Discworld chronicles and GURPS. Hence, its bibliography comes in two halves.

Discworld Books

The following novels, all by Terry Pratchett, make up the Discworld series at the time of writing. They're listed in publication order, which mostly also corresponds to the series' internal chronology.

The Colour of Magic (1983) introduces Rincewind, Twoflower, and the games of the gods, and visits Ankh-Morpork (at its most archaic), the Wyrmberg, and Krull.

The Light Fantastic (1986) continues the saga of Rincewind and Twoflower, and their tour of the Disc, taking in new lands and characters, including Cohen the Barbarian.

Equal Rites (1987) is the story of the only female student yet admitted to Unseen University, partly thanks to Granny Weatherwax, and includes much about both witchcraft and wizardry.

Mort (1987) is the tale of Death's apprentice, showing something of Disc metaphysics.

Sourcery (1988) sees the return of Rincewind, who gets to visit Klatch, and shows why sourcerers are a bad thing.

Wyrd Sisters (1988) reintroduces Granny Weatherwax, as she and the coven deal with a tyrant in Lancre.

Pyramids (1989) concerns Djelibeybi, Assassins, Ephebian philosophy, and excessive pyramid-building.

Guards! Guards! (1989) introduces Carrot Ironfoundersson to the Watch under Captain Vimes, and shows how Ankh-Morpork really works. It also features the only true noble dragon to appear on the Disc in recent times.

Eric (1990) is a shorter tale (also available in illustrated form) in which Rincewind returns from the Dungeon Dimensions and promptly takes his longest journey yet, involving both the Tezuman Empire and Hell.

Moving Pictures (1990) sees Ankh-Morpork under attack from the Dungeon Dimensions through the peculiar magic of motion pictures.

Reaper Man (1991) introduces Azrael and the Auditors of Reality, who force Death to retire. The plot also features an assortment of Discworld undead and the strangest alien invasion of all.

Witches Abroad (1991) sends the Lancre coven to Genua, and to a confrontation with a renegade fairy godmother and the power of voodoo.

Small Gods (1992) illustrates the secret truth about religion by telling the story of the reformation of the Omnian church.

Lords and Ladies (1992) brings the coven back to Lancre just in time to face an invasion of elves.

Men at Arms (1993) shows the Watch growing, changing, and dealing with an attack on the Patrician.

Soul Music (1994) features another invading alien idea, and introduces Susan Sto Helit as Death's occasional understudy.

Interesting Times (1994) brings Rincewind back so that he can be sent to the Agatean Empire and suffer reunions with Cohen and Twoflower.

Maskerade (1995) has Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg seeking a new member for the coven – backstage at the Ankh-Morpork Opera House.

Feet of Clay (1996) presents the much-improved Watch with a complex problem involving golems and heraldry.

Hogfather (1996) explains what Hogswatchnight is really all about, as various established characters deal with a very peculiar assassination.

Jingo (1997) sees Ankh-Morpork (briefly) going to war with Klatch, due to the emergence of the lost city of Leshp from the depths of the Circle Sea.

The Last Continent (1998) sends Rincewind to EcksEcksEcksEcks, where he once again, most unwillingly, stands in for a hero.

Carpe Jugulum (1998) has Lancre infiltrated by modern vampires, who present the coven with a very dangerous threat.

The Fifth Elephant (1999) sends Sam Vimes on a diplomatic mission to Uberwald, where he has to deal with werewolf and dwarf politics.

The Truth (2000) concerns the arrival of modern printing in Ankh-Morpork, the accidental invention of newspapers, and another plot against Lord Vetinari.

Thief of Time (2001) pits Death, Susan, and the History Monks against an attempt by the Auditors to put a stop to time itself.

The Last Hero (2001) is another illustrated story, in which the need to stop the Silver Horde from storming Dunmanifestin leads Leonard of Quirm to build the Disc's first spacecraft.

Night Watch (2002) sees Sam Vimes accidentally sent back in time 30 years, to a year when one Patrician is being replaced by another, and his younger self has just joined the Watch.

Monstrous Regiment (2003) is set in Borogravia, as its interminable wars with everybody else draw to their conclusion, and Polly Perks and others do what they can to save the situation.

Going Postal (2004) introduces Moist von Lipwig. After his execution, Moist is given the job of reviving the Ankh-Morpork Post Office, and hence of dealing with threats from and to the clacks system.

Thud! (2005) involves another case for the Watch, concerning dwarf culture and the dwarf-troll wars.

Making Money (2007) sees Moist von Lipwig take charge of the Bank of Ankh-Morpork, despite the objections of various people who have lots of money.

Unseen Academicals (2009) is about the transformation of football in Ankh-Morpork from a chaotic street brawl to a modern game, and features the first orc seen among other races in modern times.

Snuff (2011) sends Commander Vimes to the country, where he promptly discovers a crime involving the previously obscure goblin race.

Other Discworld Fictions

Some of Pratchett's stories about the Disc are in non-novel form.

A handful of short stories are available in various places. Three to note are "Troll Bridge" (1992), which isn't quite a Discworld tale, but can be squeezed in; "Theatre of Cruelty" (1993); and "The Sea and Little Fishes" (1998).

Nanny Ogg's Cookbook (1999), written with Stephen Briggs and Tina Hannan, is a cookbook and etiquette guide as penned by Nanny Ogg.

The Science of Discworld (1999), The Science of Discworld II: The Globe (2002), and The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch (2005) – all written with Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen – include chapters of fiction, in which the wizards of Unseen University create and monitor what appears to be our universe, combined with nonfiction commentary.

About the Disc

The Disc has also been the subject of other publications. The following may be especially useful for games.

The Discworld Mapp (1995), by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs, provides a view of the whole Disc.

The Compleat Ankh-Morpork (2012), by Terry Pratchett and the Discworld Emporium, is a trade directory, gazetteer, and comprehensive map of that city.

Turtle Recall (2012), by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs, is "The Discworld Companion . . . so far": a guide to people, places, and phenomena mentioned in the chronicles.

Even More

The Discworld has further inspired computer games, board games, diaries, music, figurines, posters, art books, academic studies, a Christmas ("Hogswatch") card, T-shirts, jewellery, the Unseen University college scarf, a microbrewery beer, and tattoos on more devoted fans. A few stories have been adapted into graphic novels, and several have become animated or live-action films for TV and video release; there have also been radio dramatisations and stage adaptations, the scripts of which have been published. Many of these things might offer additional ideas for games.

GURPS Publications

Steve Jackson Games supports GURPS with numerous books and electronic releases, many of them potentially useful in Discworld games. Using these is optional and should only be done with the GM's explicit permission, but many people like the idea. (Note: To convert prices, incomes, etc. from the "dollars" used in other GURPS books to Ankh-Morpork dollars, divide by 20.) The following may be of particular interest.

Dell'Orto, Peter and Punch, Sean. GURPS Martial Arts. Covers advanced combat training of all sorts, including fencing and boxing as well as kung fu and karate.

Hite, Kenneth. GURPS Horror. Relevant to some Discworld games; see A Touch of Horror (p. 368).

Jackson, Steve. GURPS Basic Set. The current (fourth) edition, developed by David Pulver and Sean Punch, comes in two volumes: Characters and Campaigns. It's the "long version" of the GURPS rules, with more character traits, more equipment, and more things to do with them.

Masters, Phil and Punch, Sean. GURPS Powers. Extended rules for exotic abilities, which might be useful for games involving characters with unique talents.

Pulver, David. GURPS Mass Combat. Rules for large-scale combat, for occasions when the Patrician's manipulations don't achieve enough.

Punch, Sean, et al. GURPS Dungeon Fantasy. A lengthy series of works that should appeal to fans of Cohen the Barbarian.

Riggsby, Matt. GURPS Fantasy-Tech 1. Gear that might have been created by Leonard of Quirm.

Stoddard, William H. GURPS Fantasy. A guide to creating fantasy settings in general.

Stoddard, William H. GURPS Social Engineering. Extensive guidelines and optional rules for social interactions of all sorts.

Stoddard, William H., with Peter Dell'Orto, Dan Howard, and Matt Riggsby. GURPS Low-Tech. A lot more detail about equipment available at TL0 to TL4: swords, armour, clothing, coaches, ships, survival gear, etc. The three GURPS Low-Tech Companion volumes by the same authors offer even deeper treatments of early technologies.

As well, a large number of books published in support of earlier editions of GURPS are available as PDFs from warehouse23.com. A lot of these dealt with historical eras or places that are reflected in parts of the Disc (GURPS China for the Agatean Empire, GURPS Arabian Nights for Klatch, and so on). The old-edition rules are similar enough to those in this game that conversions are rarely a problem; a free guide to the subject, GURPS Update, is available from Warehouse 23.

Software

GURPS Character Assistant, a program for Microsoft Windows computers, can be purchased as a download from warehouse23.com. It facilitates GURPS character creation and recordkeeping. Specific support for Discworld games will be available from the program's active online community.


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