D&D Enthusiasts Miss Out on a Potentially Epic Abandoned Adventure

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D&D fans, we were robbed.

In a recent interview, former D&D creative director Chris Perkins shared that an epic adventure was in the works for the franchise, but it’s now lost to us. This adventure was set to conclude a storyline that had been developing for a decade in one of the best tabletop RPGs.

According to Perkins, the shift in direction occurred when different designers took over. He noted, “when I walked away from the day-to-day adventure creation, we sort of lost the plot.”

If you’ve been playing D&D since the fifth edition launched in 2015, you’ve likely noticed the mysterious obelisks appearing throughout the game—enigmatic relics with an unknown purpose. In Perkins’ adventure, Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden, it was revealed that these were created by ancient beings known as the ‘Weavers.’ More intriguingly, they possessed time-bending abilities that could allow players to travel back in time. One of D&D’s most notorious villains, Vecna, also discovered this and claimed one for himself.

If you haven’t experienced Rime of the Frostmaiden yet, it comes highly recommended. It’s arguably one of the best adventures in the fifth edition, second only to Curse of Strahd. You can grab it for $44.64 on Amazon right now, down from $50.

These narrative threads were meant to lead to a grand adventure exploring the lost civilization of Netheril, a significant part of D&D lore. Perkins expressed excitement about the potential for a time travel adventure, stating, “it would feel very different from the other campaigns we had done up to that point […] we could do some really fun things with Netheril and explore a style of magic that felt different.”

Instead, the storyline was scrapped, and we received Vecna: Eve of Ruin instead. While I don’t want to diminish the latter—crafted by different designers with their own vision—it was intended as a celebration of D&D’s beloved settings, allowing us to confront one of its greatest villains once more. Still, I can’t help but feel disappointed that we missed out on the original concept. The obelisks served as tantalizing hints that ultimately went nowhere, and Netheril is a captivating aspect of the Forgotten Realms lore. This advanced magical society met its demise due to its own arrogance, leaving behind countless treasures for adventurers to uncover. Exploring it would have been an incredible experience.

What Francesco Cacciatore suggests in the interview is even more intriguing. They propose an opening where Vecna’s plan has succeeded, plunging the world into chaos. You know the drill; to quote a wise man, “human sacrifice! Dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!” We would then need to use the obelisks to travel back and reverse his actions, Avengers: Endgame-style. Now that’s a mission worthy of concluding a D&D edition.

Of course, there’s nothing stopping the community from crafting that adventure themselves. It seems unlikely we’ll see it from D&D, so which of you brave souls will take on the challenge? I’d be grateful.

Looking for something new to play that can help ease this disappointment? I’d recommend checking out the best board games or the best card games.