What if Drizzt Was Written by Someone Other Than R. A. Salvatore?

Happy Day of Might to any that observe!

The title says it all: what if Drizzt had been written by someone else, specifically after the series had several entries and was popular? Shores of Dusk by Mark Anthony was not meant to be. The novel was written, and ads had appeared for it, but it has never seen the light of day and likely never will. I won't spoil the whole thing for you, but will show you to a write-up written by Anthony about the doomed novel. I was made aware of it by this recent Facebook post.

It is interesting to contemplate the direction Drizzt could have taken if Salvatore had actually hung up his hat. I have not read Realms of the Underdark and can't guess at how well Anthony may or may not have done. What do you think?

Here it is and amarast!:

News: Another Novel is Coming

 On October 11, 2023 a new Forgotten Realms novel was announced. It is Dungeons & Dragons: The Fallbacks: Bound for Ruin by Jaleigh Johnson. It is set to be released on March 5, 2024. See the listing here. 

Here is the blurb:

Meet the newest Dungeons & Dragons party in the first epic adventure of The Fallbacks. To become renowned adventurers, this party needs to survive their first job. Tessalynde is an ambitious young rogue who dreams of leading Faerûn’s foremost adventuring party. While the crew she’s gathered isn’t the stuff of legend yet, she’s confident her guidance can get them there. The team: Anson, a fighter too stubborn to stay down, even when the odds are stacked against him. Cazrin, a self-taught wizard determined to test her theoretical mettle against the real world. Baldric, a cleric who refuses to tie himself to a single deity when he can trade favors with them all. Lark, a bard with as many secrets as songs. And, of course, Uggie, a monstrous pet otyugh who loves giving hugs and eating trash. Their first job: recovering a mysterious spellbook from a lost temple for a hefty payout. Tess hopes this assignment can turn her group of fledgling freelancers into a true team. But when their client is killed, their coin and his murderer both vanish, leaving the party to take the fall. Stuck with a sentient, bloodthirsty grimoire and pursued by mercenaries and the undead, this is hardly the mission Tess envisioned. Her crew must save the day, get the gold, and clear the party’s name—which they haven’t even agreed upon yet! With the threats against them mounting, a single mistake will see this party over before it even begins. Can this band of mismatched misfits stay together in the face of danger? Or are they bound for ruin?

As has been discussed previously, the novel line ended in 2016. Since then any publication has been through third party publishers, and has drastically limited the number of releases. We have gotten several Drizzt books, because of their continued popularity. We also have gotten the two Honor Among Thieves novels, of which Johnson wrote one: The Road to Neverwinter. That is it.

From the Realms novels I have read by Johnson, I'm not super excited. While not a bad writer, the new Realms feeling comes from a place of unsympathetic corporate overlords. I want the Forgotten Realms logo. I want Elminster or something recognizable beyond Sword Coast props. I will still read the novel to let you know if it is worth reading, but looking at the blurb, maybe cozy fantasy fans (or comedy) rather than heroic fantasy fans should note this announcement. I will remain cautiously optimistic and hope that since Johnson is somewhat of a Realms veteran that we will get more from someone like Greenwood, Cunningham, Kemp, or others some day.

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You can track my current progress here.

Community Spotlight: Religion in the Realms

 It is time to put another spotlight on the great Forgotten Realms community. This time we are looking at another podcast, this one sharing indispensable knowledge and lore. Those familiar with D&D in general and the Realms specifically will know that gods and goddesses do exist, it's not a question like it is in our world. They commune with their churches and give spells to their followers. 

BUT there are a lot of these deities. Religion in the Realms has you covered. The podcast started with going over the Pantheons themselves and the latest episode is about Loviatar, the maiden of pain. I highly recommend going through any of these that may pertain to a session you are planning or a character you are building. I even went through Kelemvor's for this post.

You can find the podcast in the usual places, they are all linked here. Follow the podcast to keep up to date on what's next on Twitter as well.

Amarast!

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You can track my current progress here.