Welcome to Tharendell

Thank you for taking a few moments to read this. I’ll try to keep it brief, though there’s quite a bit to share.

Who Am I?

I’m a few semesters shy of completing my graduate degree at East Texas A&M, where I’m pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science with a focus on Artificial Intelligence. As part of my program, I’m required to develop a thesis project that showcases what I’ve learned over the past few years.

What Is Tharendell?

For my thesis, I chose to explore how domain-specific large language models (LLMs) can power an online role-playing world. My first prototype was a small LoRA-tuned model I called DM42 — “DM” for Dungeon Master, and “42” because, well, it’s the meaning of life.

As DM42 evolved, I realized it needed a world to inhabit — a place where the AI could truly come alive. That’s how Tharendell was born.

Building the World

I’ll admit, this has been a massive undertaking. I’ve spent many late nights shaping the lands, the lore, and the people of Tharendell. Currently, there are nine NPCs who serve as guides and companions throughout the realm. Each one is a fully fine-tuned LLM designed to embody its own unique personality and role.

I won’t dive into the technical details of the fine-tuning process here, but if you’re curious, you can visit my portfolio site — babblebaz.com — to meet the NPCs and explore more of my work.

The Engine Behind Tharendell

The rules that drive Tharendell are based on the Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game system. If you’ve never checked out Basic Fantasy, I highly recommend it — especially if you’re nostalgic for the old-school days of tabletop gaming and want an alternative to the more commercialized modern systems.

What to Expect

This project is a long-term journey. Building Tharendell the right way — implementing the AI logic, expanding the world, and creating a true solo-adventure experience — will take time. My goal is to have the full version of Tharendell completed by the end of 2026, coinciding with my graduation.

How You Can Help

On the site’s menu bar, you’ll find a link labeled “Help Build.”
That’s your gateway to shaping the world. You can submit ideas for new towns, add locations within existing ones, and soon, you’ll be able to create your own static NPCs to populate the land. Each contribution becomes part of Tharendell’s growing history.

In Closing

Thank you again for visiting. Take some time to explore the NPCs, check out my portfolio, and if you’d like to contribute, I’d love to hear from you.

May your sword stay sharp —
Babble Baz