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EltonRobb
Learned Scribe
USA
238 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Nov 2025 : 22:40:22
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Hi everyone.
So, you all either going to hate me or rejoice. For I'm going up to Wizards of the Coast to buy the following Intellectual Properties in the near future:
a. Birthright.
b. Eberron.
c. Forgotten Realms.
d. Greyhawk.
e. Strixhaven.
f. Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition.
g. Complete Arcane.
h. Tome and Blood, Defenders of the Faith, Sword and Fist, Song and Silence, and Masters of the Wild.
i. The original 3e modules starting with Sunless Citadel.
Yes, I'll be buying the Forgotten Realms copyrights and trademarks in the near future. So yes, a lot of you are going to hate me, be jealous of me, or love me. I know this move might cause some hiccups with certain future projects (Balder's Gate IV for example). I will be the sole writer of your beloved Realms, though. With an excellent editor overseeing my work.
However, I'm one mortal man. So after the buyout, I'll be looking at low cost licensing options. I won't be reviving the DM's Guild, though. One thing I am looking to revive is DUNGEON Magazine.
I guess this is it.
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8035 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2025 : 23:05:42
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This is an extraordinary claim.
Do you have any extraordinary evidence to support it?
Wizbro has made no statements at all about this extraordinary news.
Nor has Wizbro made any statements about intending to sell their cash cow. It's a fairly valuable brand to them. It would also be a fairly valuable brand to many others, so openly announcing the intention to sell or auction the brand(s) would likely generate a great deal of attention and command a higher price, failing to openly announce it would be contrary and less profitable.
Incidentally, Wizbro is a partner of DM's Guild but it is not the owner of DM's Guild. It is not their place to directly kill or revive DM's Guild, it might indeed by a legal (and practical) impossibility if the actual owners/operators of DM's Guild should choose to ignore Wizbro's directives.
If this is a joke then it's in bad taste.
If it's not a joke then perhaps you may need to take some meds. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4258 Posts |
Posted - 02 Nov 2025 : 02:17:59
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quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
Hi everyone.
So, you all either going to hate me or rejoice. For I'm going up to Wizards of the Coast to buy the following Intellectual Properties in the near future:
a. Birthright.
b. Eberron.
c. Forgotten Realms.
d. Greyhawk.
e. Strixhaven.
f. Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition.
g. Complete Arcane.
h. Tome and Blood, Defenders of the Faith, Sword and Fist, Song and Silence, and Masters of the Wild.
i. The original 3e modules starting with Sunless Citadel.
Yes, I'll be buying the Forgotten Realms copyrights and trademarks in the near future. So yes, a lot of you are going to hate me, be jealous of me, or love me. I know this move might cause some hiccups with certain future projects (Balder's Gate IV for example). I will be the sole writer of your beloved Realms, though. With an excellent editor overseeing my work.
However, I'm one mortal man. So after the buyout, I'll be looking at low cost licensing options. I won't be reviving the DM's Guild, though. One thing I am looking to revive is DUNGEON Magazine.
I guess this is it.
It is November 1st...not April 1st... |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3766 Posts |
Posted - 02 Nov 2025 : 05:30:54
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| -Well, uhhhhhh, good luck with that. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know) |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4490 Posts |
Posted - 02 Nov 2025 : 19:14:18
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I'll take "things that will never happen for $300, Alex."
On a more serious note, what credentials do you have in writing, setting design, or even gaming design. What have you already published and with what publisher? What makes you think YOU have the best interest in the Realms over someone else?
What would happen to EVERYONE who's currently playing in the 1490s (5e) Realms or 1480s Realms (4e)?
Lastly, you don't need to buy 3e D&D as the SRD still applies to it, and Im assuming you mean 3.0 and not 3.5. But....why? 3.0 is RIFE with mechanical issues and even WORSE class balance than 3.5.
Fun read though, I appreciated the chuckle. |
Diffan's NPG Generator: FR NPC Generator
E6 Options: Epic 6 Campaign |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6447 Posts |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
735 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2025 : 07:08:53
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Anyone, to any corporation ever: Hi, I'm here to buy [any IP].
Any corporation ever: No.
Anyone, to any corporation ever: I'll pay you a gazillion gazillions.
Any corporation ever: Still no.
Corporate internal: There's a schmuck here who thinks we have something that's worth a gazillion gazillions. Find out how he plans to monetise it. And then do it ourselves! |
Edited by - Thauramarth on 03 Nov 2025 07:09:44 |
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Scots Dragon
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
119 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2025 : 11:19:55
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| The genuinely serious future of the Forgotten Realms is going to be something that exists with the fans and developers keeping it alive through netbooks and unofficial material, with stuff like Under Illefarn Anew being a good model. |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3254 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2025 : 13:39:46
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quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
Hi everyone.
So, you all either going to hate me or rejoice. For I'm going up to Wizards of the Coast to buy the following Intellectual Properties in the near future:
a. Birthright.
b. Eberron.
c. Forgotten Realms.
d. Greyhawk.
e. Strixhaven.
f. Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition.
g. Complete Arcane.
h. Tome and Blood, Defenders of the Faith, Sword and Fist, Song and Silence, and Masters of the Wild.
i. The original 3e modules starting with Sunless Citadel.
Yes, I'll be buying the Forgotten Realms copyrights and trademarks in the near future. So yes, a lot of you are going to hate me, be jealous of me, or love me. I know this move might cause some hiccups with certain future projects (Balder's Gate IV for example). I will be the sole writer of your beloved Realms, though. With an excellent editor overseeing my work.
However, I'm one mortal man. So after the buyout, I'll be looking at low cost licensing options. I won't be reviving the DM's Guild, though. One thing I am looking to revive is DUNGEON Magazine.
I guess this is it.
Oh, you're serious. |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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HighOne
Learned Scribe
242 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2025 : 14:46:46
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I have decided to sell the Forgotten Realms to forum-user EltonRobb. It is time that I, Wizards of the Coast, stepped aside and handed the reins off to a dedicated fan.
Personally, I would have preferred to sell the setting to one of you instead, but none of you made an offer, so I assumed you were not interested. Oh well. |
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Zeromaru X
Great Reader
Colombia
2539 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2025 : 16:03:27
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quote:
Originally posted by HighOne
I have decided to sell the Forgotten Realms to forum-user EltonRobb. It is time that I, Wizards of the Coast, stepped aside and handed the reins off to a dedicated fan.
Personally, I would have preferred to sell the setting to one of you instead, but none of you made an offer, so I assumed you were not interested. Oh well.
What if I make you a counter offer, and give you a turnip? |
Instead of seeking change, you prefer a void, merciless abyss of a world... |
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Delnyn
Master of Realmslore
USA
1077 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2025 : 21:14:19
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I don't regard this announcement seriously. Otherwise, was the Elton Robb account hacked by a troll?
My two cp. |
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1304 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2025 : 23:13:14
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WHat an odd post (unless on April 1st).
If this is true, please take good care of our baby. You'd be hard pressed to do worse than WotC/Hasbro.
If this is a joke...it's not funny? |
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EltonRobb
Learned Scribe
USA
238 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2025 : 17:29:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
I'll take "things that will never happen for $300, Alex."
On a more serious note, what credentials do you have in writing, setting design, or even gaming design. What have you already published and with what publisher? What makes you think YOU have the best interest in the Realms over someone else?
What would happen to EVERYONE who's currently playing in the 1490s (5e) Realms or 1480s Realms (4e)?
Lastly, you don't need to buy 3e D&D as the SRD still applies to it, and Im assuming you mean 3.0 and not 3.5. But....why? 3.0 is RIFE with mechanical issues and even WORSE class balance than 3.5.
Fun read though, I appreciated the chuckle.
Well, I guess I know who my friends are.
EDIT:
* Here is the City of Phaeselis. A full campaign write up set in the time of Alexander the Great. https://phaeselis.fandom.com/wiki/Phaeselis_Wiki
* I wrote the Elementalism article in Occult Lore.
* I have written two articles yet to be published on the Canonfire site.
* I have written a third article for the Geyhawk Journal.
That's not including the extensive works I wrote under the pen name of Nigel Findley.
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Edited by - EltonRobb on 05 Nov 2025 18:47:36 |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4258 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2025 : 19:31:15
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Its just hard to grasp/accept EltonRobb.
I mean, WotC paid 25 Million for TSR back in 1997...and buying the IP you are talking about would be far more than that today. FAR more.
Also, there have been zero announcements...zero.
That is why the heavy skepticism mate. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3766 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2025 : 21:48:56
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quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
EDIT:
* Here is the City of Phaeselis. A full campaign write up set in the time of Alexander the Great. https://phaeselis.fandom.com/wiki/Phaeselis_Wiki
-That's actually pretty cool. I've been doing a lot of work on my own setting the last couple of weeks, it is very Roman Mediterranean/Parthian Central Asian-infused and looking to mine ideas, I've noticed there really aren't that many settings or anything in that wheelhouse. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know) |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3254 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2025 : 01:47:39
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quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
That's not including the extensive works I wrote under the pen name of Nigel Findley.
NOW you've done pissed me off. Nigel Findley was a great author and passed away WAY too young. By using his name and claiming his works you have made an enemy for life, joke or no. |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4490 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2025 : 05:41:24
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quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
Well, I guess I know who my friends are.
You made an extraordinary, some might say ridiculous, claim that you're going to purchase multiple IPs from a multi-billion dollar corporation. IPs that are currently making said Co. hundreds of millions of dollars or more if they get the brand even bigger. Not to mention that none of that is currently for sale. I find it....improbable that one here at Candlekeep has capital in the billions for such an venture.
quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
EDIT:
* Here is the City of Phaeselis. A full campaign write up set in the time of Alexander the Great. https://phaeselis.fandom.com/wiki/Phaeselis_Wiki
* I wrote the Elementalism article in Occult Lore.
* I have written two articles yet to be published on the Canonfire site.
* I have written a third article for the Geyhawk Journal.
While I recognize the 3e 3PP supplement Prenumbra: Occult Lore (and its designers such as you and Keith Baker), Im not convinced that a publisher like Atlas Games, or a publisher in similar vein, is big enough for a monumental task such as you're saying. That particular supplement got ENnie Award honorable mention (which, kudos to you and the team), but.....we're talking about the Forgotten Realms.
I just don't see why a billion dollar industry leader is going to sell some of their mort profitable elements to one individual or even a small competitor? Not to mention the vast amount of people who currently like the direction of the Realms and 5e/5.5e.
quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
That's not including the extensive works I wrote under the pen name of Nigel Findley.
This is just in poor taste. Do better.
[/quote] |
Diffan's NPG Generator: FR NPC Generator
E6 Options: Epic 6 Campaign |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4258 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2025 : 14:43:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
That's not including the extensive works I wrote under the pen name of Nigel Findley.
NOW you've done pissed me off. Nigel Findley was a great author and passed away WAY too young. By using his name and claiming his works you have made an enemy for life, joke or no.
Ohhhh...wow. 
I didn't actually recognize who Nigel Findley was until after reading Ashe's post.
Now, I'm just filled with revulsion...not going to lie.
I think the moderators should eliminate this scroll all together.
EDIT: or at least lock it to prevent any more harm coming. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
Edited by - Dalor Darden on 06 Nov 2025 15:26:25 |
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Topic |
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Future of the Forgotten Realms
