Early Life

Born in Monticello, Arkansas in 1967 to Stephen Chenault, an officer in the U.S. Army serving in Vietnam and Judy Carol Chenault. Named after his father, Stephen grew up on army posts throughout the southern United States. He eventually settled in Jonesboro, Arkansas and attended Arkansas State University. After which he spent three years in the army during the 1st Gulf War. Completing his enlistment, he returned to school and received his Masters Degree in History from the University of Arkansas with a thesis entitled Austrian Foundations: The Austrian Influences on Architectural Expressionism in Weimar Germany. In 1996 he married Kathryn Turner.

Chenault became acquainted with role playing games when his brother, Davis, received a set of the Dungeons & Dragons books (small brown books) in the mid 1970's. After many years of play he attempted to publish material in the Dragon and Dungeon magazine then published by TSR. These early works were rejected but later became the basis for the product line that launched Troll Lord Games.

In 1999, Chenault and longtime friend Mac Golden, founded Troll Lord Games. Later joined by Davis Chenault, the trio launched their first series of adventures and a campaign world setting, Erde, at Gencon 2000. The company was picked up by ACD at Gencon that year, and this launched the company. In 2001 Troll Lord Games signed Gary Gygax, becoming his primary publisher for both the Lejendary Adventure line and the Gygaxian Fantasy Worlds. Chenault developed a close working relationship with Gygax, producing a wide variety of RPG supplements together.

Chenault took over management of Troll Lord Games in 2002 when Mac Golden stepped down and Davis removed himself from the company. At Chenault's direction the company was reformed as Chenault & Gray Publishing, LLC. d/b/a Troll Lord Games.

In 2005 Chenault and the original partners teamed up to create the Castles & Crusades RPG. [6] The rules and mechanics of the game were designed and developed by Davis Chenault and Mac Golden, whereas the "how-to" content was left to Stephen. While managing CG and TLG, Chenault continued to write and work on projects such as the Castle Keepers Guide, Monsters & Treasure, a several adventures and his campaign world of Aihrde (previously Erde).

At GenCon 33, in 2000, Mac Golden gave the first four books that Troll Lord Games published to Gary Gygax at his booth with Hekaforge. Later that year Chenault contacted Gary to discuss the possibility of publishing some of his previous work. This in turn led to a working relationship that lasted until Gygax's death in 2008. Chenault worked with Gygax to bring out the Gygaxian Fantasy World series, as well as adventures such a The Hermit and Hall of Many Panes, the latter of which Gygax dedicated to Stephen Chenault. After Gencon moved to Indianapolis, Chenault launched a series of conventions, Winter's Dark and the Lake Geneva Gaming Convention in Lake Geneva Wisconsin, for Gary. Chenault developed a close relationship with Gygax. Gygax joined in the development of Castles & Crusades, being the final arbiter for rules, judging whether they would meet the needs of Castle Zaygyg: Upper Works, published later in 2008.

Chenault joined Luke Gygax, James M. Ward and Harold Johnson for the eulogy at Gygax's funeral.

In 2005, Chenault expanded Troll Lord Games, adding print facilities to the companies' publishing arms. This reduced the companies' overall expenses, and diversified its revenue streams, allowing it to better survive the turbulent RPG market.

In 2008 he began working closely with James M. Ward on a series of adventure and supplements.

Chenault continued to work on adventures and source material for the Castles & Crusades game, and the world of Aihrde. He expanded the latter by re-releasing the Codex of Aihrde, the Monsters & Treasure of Aihrde and the Players Guide to Aihrde. He also was the primary contributor and overall editor to the Castle Keepers Guide. A series of C modules came out slowly over the years, exploring the Darkenfold Forest, his admitted favorite place in his own world.

He is a regular attendee at Garycon where he runs a game for 20+ players.

In 2015 Chenault wrote the script for an advertisement for Castles & Crusades, To the End and it was released as a YouTube short and was entered into Gencon's Film Festival as a finalist that year. Though it didn't win, it spurred him on to co-found with longtime friend Tim Burns, Ends Meet Productions. That companies first release was Emma later in 2016.

Chenault continues as the head of Chenault & Gray, LLC.