D&D 5E [Merged] Candlekeep Mysteries Author Speaks Out On WotC's Cuts To Adventure

In an event which is being referred to as #PanzerCut, one of the Candlekeep Mysteries authors has gone public with complaints about how their adventure was edited.

Book of Cylinders is one of the adventures in the book. It was written by Graeme Barber (who goes by the usernames PanzerLion and PoCGamer on social media).

Barber was caught by surprise when he found out what the final adventure looked like. The adventure was reduced by about a third, and his playable race -- the Grippli -- was cut. Additionally, WotC inserted some terminology that he considered to be colonialist, which is one of the things they were ostensibly trying to avoid by recruiting a diverse team of authors for the book.

His complaints also reference the lack of communication during the editing process, and how he did public interviews unknowingly talking about elements of an adventure which no longer existed.

"I wrote for [Candlekeep Mysteries], the recent [D&D] release. Things went sideways. The key issues were that the bulk of the lore and a lot of the cultural information that made my adventure "mine" were stripped out. And this was done without any interaction with me, leaving me holding the bag as I misled the public on the contents and aspects of my adventure. Yes, it was work-for-hire freelance writing, but the whole purpose was to bring in fresh voices and new perspectives.

So, when I read my adventure, this happened. This was effectively the shock phase of it all.

Then I moved onto processing what had happened. ~1300 words cut, and without the cut lore, the gravity of the adventure, and its connections to things are gravely watered down. Also "primitive" was inserted.

Then the aftermath of it all. The adventure that came out was a watered down version of what went in, that didn't reflect me anymore as a writer or creator. Which flew in the face of the spirit of the project as had been explained to me.

So then I wrote. Things don't change unless people know what's up and can engage with things in a prepared way. So I broke down the process of writing for Wizards I'd experienced, and developed some rules that can be used to avoid what happened to me."

He recounts his experiences in two blog posts:

• What happened? Writing for Wizards Part 1
• What Happened? Writing for Wizards Part 2

The author later added "Wizards owns all the material sent in, and does not publish unedited adventures on the DM Guild, so there will be no "PanzerCut". I have respectfully requested that my name be removed from future printings. "

 

[Zaukrie]

This thread!

 

[The Glen]

This thread!

I'm going to guess the Panzer cut ran into a hard page count imposed by the editor.

 

[Weiley31]

I too was actually surprised at seeing the Grippli in it with NO player data or stats to play them as a race as well.

Since each adventure lists the new monsters and equipment in the pages of their specific adventures, instead of the usual appendix or section for new stuff usually, it seem like that there should've been a spot for all the player data for em.

I really hope the PanzerCut is either released as a DM Guilds material or it gets offered as a free upgrade add on digitally on DNDBeyond. Or something.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

Probably, but it seems like they chose poorly on what to cut/simplify. They should have consulted with the author first.

Yeah, this is definitely a huge part of the issue, especially since the professed intent of WotC on this book was to showcase the work of freelance writers in the industry. And according to Barber, some of the contributors to the book did get that second round of feedback and consultation on what to cut or change, so what happened here?

 

[RSIxidor]

I'm going to guess the Panzer cut ran into a hard page count imposed by the editor.

That doesn't explain them inserting "primitive" in the adventure when the author never used that word, it doesn't explain them removing backstory context to the degree that the writer says they did. They seemed to have removed all of the culture from the frog-people in the adventure, removed context of why Yuan-Ti are doing things, etc. Edits have to happen but should they go that far?

 

[Weiley31]

Now we're gonna need a #PanzerCut. Because if WoTC was trying to make a step forward, they just seem to take two steps backwards.

 

[Weiley31]

That doesn't explain them inserting "primitive" in the adventure when the author never used that word, it doesn't explain them removing backstory context to the degree that the writer says they did. They seemed to have removed all of the culture from the frog-people in the adventure, removed context of why Yuan-Ti are doing things, etc. Edits have to happen but should they go that far?

Sounds like WoTC's attempts at letting players/DMs fill in the world building details went a bit to far. That is one of the main themes of 5E and its nature of being an Evergreen.

 

[Morrus]

That doesn't explain them inserting "primitive" in the adventure when the author never used that word, it doesn't explain them removing backstory context to the degree that the writer says they did. They seemed to have removed all of the culture from the frog-people in the adventure, removed context of why Yuan-Ti are doing things, etc. Edits have to happen but should they go that far?

Generally yes, that is what happens when you turn in your manuscript. They're not publishing you, you're writing to spec for them.

However, it does become awkward when you're not just a contributor to a book, but are publicly credited as the author of a specific identifiable section of it, and your name is publicly part of the marketing, and your words are dramatically altered to say something else. I don't know what the answer to that is. I guess you stay quiet or you go 'Alan Smithee' on it. I'm surprised they only found out after the book was published.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

This thread!

Oh dear.

I think if there was one author you were going to cut down the adventure off, add a somewhat offensive word to, and... not tell him about it... Panzer was the wrong person to do it to. He's being pretty polite but like jesus WotC pay some attention.

I'm surprised they only found out after the book was published.

Yeah that's particularly concerning. Like, why not just say what you did? It's not like it's a small cut. It may be necessary - fine (though adding "primitive" never will be) - but just like, tell the author.