[an unfinished sandbox]
The in-story origin of the D&D role-playing game, from the 1983 World of Greyhawk boxed set:
"...The Savant-Sage is known to have lived in the city of Greyhawk during Oerth's Epoch of Magic. Evidence suggests that this was not the first age in Oerth history, hut nothing exists to indicate how many ages preceded it, or intervened between it and the present. Late in this period, the Savant-Sage compiled his "Catalogue of the Land Flanaess, being the Eastern Portion of the Continent Oerik, of Oerth." Out of this epic seven-volume work, only the third volume survives: "A Guide to the World of Greyhawk". The topics discussed in the other six volumes are unknown, but the complete encyclopedia is believed to have covered almost every aspect of life in the Flanaess."
"The Sage's work was not widely circulated during his lifetime. It disappeared completely after his death, and did not reappear until several centuries later, when a copy was discovered in an Illithid's lair in the Riftcanyon. This copy eventually found its way to the Royal University at Rel Mord, where it was examined by Pluffet Smedger, the Elder, a scholar and historian. Despite the fact that the encyclopedia was by this time several centuries out of date, Smedger was impressed by its freshness and thoroughness."
"Smedger spent several decades compiling glossographies for each volume, detailing facts and information overlooked by the Savant-Sage, or too recent to have been included in the original. When Smedger's work was finished, the Encyclopedia became a standard reference catalogue in universities and libraries throughout the civilized areas of the Flanaess."
"To aid his study of the Sage's books, Smedger the Elder created mathematical models, or games, that he used with his students at the university to recreate and examine historical events and political interactions described by the Sage. During Smedger's time, magic was not a lost art, but, apparently, a fading one. Happily, Smedger the Elder's curiosity and genius preserved a priceless relic from a world that no longer exists..."
"Is D&D Next a translation of the 5th iteration of Pluffet Smedger's proto-rpg?"
The name of D&D in Oerth:
Savants & Sages mathematical modelling game (mmg)?
Events & Interactions?
Mathematics & Models?
History & Politics mmg?
Guides & Glossographies mmg?
Like JRRT's "fictive frame" of The Red Book of Westmarch
"Greyhawk Meta-Text Onomastics" by tzelios is a great resource, but the link is dead. If I were in charge of D&D, I'd have meta-texts for all the D&D rulebooks and worldbooks. All D&D books would be considered to be translations of books from Pluffet Smedger, Elminister, and other key figures from beyond the Plane of Shadow. All D&D game designers would have alter-egos who actually wrote the book in Oerth (or whichever world the book came from).
"Greyhawk Modern" timeline (from https://planejammer-setting.obsidianportal.com/wikis/greyhawk-2000)
598 Last year of the Living Greyhawk campaign.
644 The dwarf hero Borgazdin Broadhammer begins a reunification of scattered dwarven houses that will become known as the Dwarven Resurgence. Under his guidance, the dwarves make the first technological breakthroughs that lead to the Age of Industry. (Dragon #277)
963 Pluffet Smedger the Elder examines a centuries-old copy of volume 3 of Catalogue of the Land Flanaess, being the Eastern Part of the Continent of Oerik, of Oerth, by the Savant-Sage of Greyhawk. This volume, entitled A Guide to the World of Greyhawk, is discovered in the library of the Royal University of Rel Mord. Smedger is impressed by the Guide’s freshness and thoroughness. (Glossography 2)
In this era, magic is not a lost art, but apparently a fading one. (Glossography 2)
998 Pluffet Smedger the Elder publishes his Glossography for the Guide to the World of Greyhawk at the Royal University of Rel Mord. (Glossography cover)
1605 Countess Belissica and Duke Karll marry, uniting the County of Urnst and the Duchy of Urnst into the United Counties of Urnst, also known as the U.C.U. Eventually this nation expands to encompass the Domain of Greyhawk, the Shield Lands, the Adri Forest, the Bright Desert, the Celadon Forest, Rel Deven, and Nyrond. (Dragon #277)
1917 The dwarven Citicar is introduced, becoming the bestselling automobile on Oerth that year and every subsequent year. (Dragon #277)
1932 The dwarven empire known as House Broadhammer joins the Southern Alliance. (Dragon #277)
The United Counties of Urnst join the Southern Alliance. (Dragon #277)
1946 The dimensional accelerator rifle is manufactured throughout the human lands of the New Flanaess. (Dragon #277)
1969 The United Counties of Urnst leaves the Southern Alliance. (Dragon #277)
1970 House Broadhammer leaves the Southern Alliance. (Dragon #277)
1975 Gavveen of Maure publishes his A History of the Oeridian-Speaking Peoples. (Dragon #277)
1998 A mishap with a dimensional accelerator chute results in a crash, killing 20 of the 115 people aboard. (Dragon #277)