In this episode I discuss the precursors to Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games.  Two examples are independent of the company that owns Dungeons and Dragons.  The first independent game was created by Keith Abbott and was a massive campaign setting called Loera that he outlined in Dragon Magazine #5 in 1977.  The Second is what is considered to be the Longest Running D&D campaign by Robert Warbaugh in a setting he calls the Realm of the Greyhawk.  

Keith Abbott may have had a hand in the official evolving Big Campaign for DnD starting with the RPGA.  The Role Playing Game Association created an official Living Campaign around the Living City of Raven's Bluff.  This idea later moved to the Living Greyhawk campaign during 3rd Edition D&D.  The RPGA ended after 4th Edition and essentially became the Adventurers League with the advent of 5th Edition.

I also outline one of my favourite game sessions with the the Pickled Dragon and the Arcane Library which took place at Gary-con.