Forgotten Realms
The "Campaign Set" (often referred to as the "Grey Box") was later released in 1987 as a boxed set of two source books ("Cyclopedia of the Realms" and "DM's Sourcebook of the Realms") and four large maps, designed by Greenwood in collaboration with author Jeff Grubb. The set introduced the campaign setting and explained how to use it, and reserved space on the map for SSI's Gold Box computer role-playing games set in the Forgotten Realms.
Forgotten Realms
Ed Greenwood began writing stories about the "Forgotten Realms" as a child, starting around 1967; they were his "dream space for swords and sorcery stories". Greenwood came up with the "Forgotten Realms" name from the notion of a multiverse of parallel worlds; Earth is one such world, and the Realms another. In Greenwood's original conception, the fantastic legends of Earth derive from a fantasy world, the way to which has been lost. Greenwood discovered the "Dungeons & Dragons" game in 1975, and became a serious role-playing enthusiast with the first "AD&D" game releases in 1978. The setting became the home of Greenwood's personal campaign. Greenwood began a Realms campaign in the city of Waterdeep, then started another group known as the Knights of Myth Drannor in Shadowdale. Greenwood felt that his players' thirst for detail made the Realms what it is: "They want it to seem real, and work on ‘honest jobs’ and personal activities, until the whole thing grows into far more than a casual campaign. Roleplaying always governs over rules, and the adventures seem to develop themselves." Greenwood has stated that his own version of the Forgotten Realms, as run in his personal campaign, is much darker than published versions.