The Snake Pit

Chapter 14 - In the aftermath of Lorraine's coup, Gary struggles to regain his footing. But as the years pass, and D&D’s popularity grows, Gary and Dave Arneson become folk heroes to a new generation of role playing gamers. From humble beginnings, their legacy endures.

Chapter 13 - While Gary moves to improve the company’s finances as its new CEO, President, and Board Chairman, a second battle gathers momentum. Unbeknownst to Gary, his worst and fiercest enemy has been lurking in the background, masquerading as his greatest ally.

Chapter 12 - Gary races back to Lake Geneva, dead-set on restoring his royalty payments. As retribution, Gary blames all the company’s failures on Kevin and convinces the Board to replace him.  Kevin and Brian are out - but refuse to resign from the Board until TSR buys out their shares. With the help of a new ally, Gary outmaneuvers Kevin and Brian to become the majority shareholder for the first time since he founded the company. 

Chapter 11 - Gary escapes to Hollywood, rents a mansion, and embraces a life of excess as he pursues movie and TV deals. Meanwhile, Kevin strategizes ways to limit the impact of Gary’s royalties on TSR. But Gary takes notice, and takes aim at Kevin. 

Chapter 10 - Gary, Brian, and Kevin are forced to reckon with the failures of over-expansion. Between the “Satanic Panic” and market saturation, sales of the game begin to plateau. Continued corporate mismanagement leads to a crisis that puts hundreds of people out of work and sends TSR into a tailspin. Gary’s marriage collapses.

Chapter 9 - With Gary distracted, TSR’s lack of corporate leadership and vision creates a vacuum for Kevin Blume to assume even more control. What he lacks in experience, he makes up with confidence. Flush with money and the promise of future sales, Kevin, Brian, and Gary focus on acquisitions and ambitious expansion.

Chapter 8 - As sales of D&D continue to skyrocket, tensions between the designers and upper management reach a boiling point. The employees turn to Gary for help, but find him missing in action. With his marriage on the rocks and exhausted by the company in-fighting, Gary looks for new opportunities to expand the D&D brand in Hollywood. 

Chapter 7 - New divisions emerge within the company. Gary’s camp includes his wife, his kids, and a cadre of executives and freelance designers known as “The Friends of Gary.” The Blume camp includes more than a dozen relatives and in-laws. The employees caught in the middle become cogs in a gaming factory, punching a clock at the direction of Kevin Blume, seeking to mold TSR into the kind of efficient enterprise he learns about in books. 

Chapter 6 - When James Dallas Egbert goes missing, the press and concerned parents start to question the influence D&D holds over impressionable young minds. As a result: the game explodes into the national consciousness and Gary Gygax becomes a multi-millionaire.

Chapter 5 - To keep up with growing product demand, TSR hires a new crop of young designers, developers, and editors. Wages are low, but it’s a chance to work with their hero in a brand new industry. On the management side, Brian Blume's older brother Kevin joins the company and rises through the ranks.