When it comes to classic Dungeons & Dragons designers, names like Gygax and Arneson tend to hog the spotlight. But if you delve a little deeper into the history of RPGs, one name stands out as a master of adventure design, world building, and sheer creativity: Jennell Jaquays. If you’ve ever enjoyed a dungeon crawl that was more than just a series of disconnected rooms filled with monsters waiting to be looted, you may have Paul Jaquays to thank.

The Early Years: From Miniatures to Modules

Paul Jaquays (who later changed her name to Jennell Jaquays) first made a name in the world of gaming not through Dungeons & Dragons, but through fantasy miniatures and wargaming. Before jumping into RPGs, she was already an established artist and game designer, creating for the burgeoning table top scene. But it wasn’t long before she made a lasting impact on the world of roleplaying games.

One of Jaquays’ earliest contributions was in the pages of The Dungeoneer, a magazine she founded in 1976. This wasn’t just any old fanzine, it was a place where independent designers could showcase adventures, monsters, and creative rules expansions. In an era when D&D material was still largely being figured out, The Dungeoneer gave a platform to innovative dungeon crawls and alternative takes on how the game could be played. TSR eventually acquired the magazine, folding it into Dragon and Dungeon magazine later on, but the influence remained.

Caverns, Castles, and Chaos: The Hallmarks of Jaquays’ Design

If you’ve ever played an old school dungeon crawl and thought, “Wow, this layout actually makes sense,” you were likely experiencing what RPG designers now call “Jaquaysing” a dungeon. What does that mean? Simply put, it’s the opposite of a linear, railroaded adventure. Jaquays-designed dungeons featured non-linear paths, multiple entry points, vertical movement, hidden connections, and meaningful choices.

One of the best examples of this is Dark Tower (1980), a Judges Guild adventure that is widely considered one of the best ever written. Unlike many dungeons of the time, which often functioned like a series of hallways with rooms bolted onto them, Dark Tower was an intricate, multi layered environment filled with factions, intrigue, and challenges that changed depending on how players approached them. It was an adventure that rewarded clever thinking rather than just brute force.

Another masterpiece is Caverns of Thracia (1979), another non linear dungeon masterpiece that still influences modern game designers. This adventure featured an interconnected, multi level underground world teeming with ancient civilizations, warring factions, and secrets that could be uncovered in numerous ways. If Gygax’s Tomb of Horrors was the gold standard for meatgrinder style adventures, then Caverns of Thracia was the blueprint for organic, living dungeons.

Beyond Dungeons & Dragons: A Career of Creativity

Jaquays didn’t just stop at pen and paper RPGs. Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, she worked in the burgeoning video game industry, contributing to titles such as Quake II, Age of Empires II, and Halo Wars. She was one of the pioneers in translating the freeform creativity of table top RPGs into digital spaces, working as a level designer and world builder at a time when video game storytelling was still in its infancy.

Her work in the video game industry reflected the same design principles that made her table top RPG work so compelling. Rather than treating levels as linear shooting galleries, her maps encouraged exploration, strategic thinking, and a sense of discovery, just like her table top dungeons.

A Lasting Legacy

Jaquays’ influence can be seen in countless modern table top RPGs and video games. Designers today still strive to “Jaquays” their dungeons, ensuring that players aren’t simply trudging from one room to the next but rather engaging with an environment that feels like it has a history, a purpose, and multiple paths to victory.

For old school D&D fans, her work represents some of the best adventure design ever put to paper. For video game fans, her contributions to level design helped shape the way modern games are structured. And for RPG historians, she remains one of the most important (and sometimes underappreciated) figures in the hobby’s development.

So next time you’re playing a well designed adventure and you find yourself marvelling at how well the dungeon flows, how many different choices you have, and how alive the world feels, tip your dice to Jennell Jaquays. She helped define what makes a great RPG experience, and her influence will be felt for years to come.