Arneson left TSR at the end of 1976,[2][3][4] and immediately started working to produce role-playing material.

One was the self-published Dungeonmaster's Index (1977);[5] the other was The First Fantasy Campaign, a book published by Judges Guild in which Arneson described details of his world of Blackmoor.

Time has not permitted me to study every detail, but the booklet is brimful of ideas ranging from farm management to the cost and labour of building roads.

"[11] Patrick Amory reviewed First Fantasy Campaign for Different Worlds magazine and stated that "Many of the guidelines are oriented towards wargames and miniatures play, as that is what Blackmoor developed from.

It was written as part of his attempt to get back into the RPG business following his departure from TSR — a brief renaissance where he also worked with Heritage Models to produce the Dungeonmaster’s Index (1977).