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. "

 

[Mistwell]

We make skyscrapers now. When was the last time you heard a tent called primitive? A log cabin? A castle?

I have absolutely heard both a tent and a cabin which had no electricity described as primitive. I've seen the word used by Burning Man camps to help burners understand the level of structures they're allowed to erect in camp, as opposed to on display. I've even seen primitive used in modern times in the law when a court is trying to decide if "any" structure is enough to declare adverse possession or it if needs to be advanced enough for someone to occupy it for some useful purpose for a longer period of time.

 

[Mistwell]

I’ve looked a few times at the text (albeit on Roll20). I can only see the word used once... to describe the temporary shelters. Is the text different on D&DBeyond or the hard copy?

I only see it used once on DNDBeyond as well, not twice. Just the ramshackle temporary shelters.

 

[Greg Benage]

If anything, the idea of comparing their architecture to real-world human history is even more absurd.

What if the word is describing their temporary, makeshift, ramshackle--rudimentary!--structures and not "their architecture"? Do you parse it any differently?

Never mind. I understand this goes round and round and never ends, and I'm just fanning the flames by making jokes. That's not cool.

 

[DM Magic]

I have absolutely heard both a tent and a cabin which had no electricity described as primitive. I've seen the word used by Burning Man camps to help burners understand the level of structures they're allowed to erect in camp, as opposed to on display. I've even seen primitive used in modern times in the law when a court is trying to decide if "any" structure is enough to declare adverse possession or it if needs to be advanced enough for someone to occupy it for some useful purpose for a longer period of time.

Let's put it another way: WotC wanted to highlight new voices. One of those voices specifically calls out colonialist-language and would never use that word and would never want his brand associated with it. WotC inserted that word into his text. Anything else is irrelevant.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Wow, this episode of Dragon Talk goes into a lot of detail about the "extensive" cuts made in the development of Candlekeep. This was a really prescient episode (since it was filmed last week -- I listen to it as a podcast).

 

[Charlaquin]

What if the word is describing their temporary, makeshift, ramshackle--rudimentary!--structures and not "their architecture"? Do you parse it any differently?

If it’s rudimentary, call it rudimentary. There’s no inherent value in describing them as primitive and a lot of inherent baggage, so just use a different word. It’s not hard.

 

[Charlaquin]

Wow, this episode of Dragon Talk goes into a lot of detail about the "extensive" cuts made in the development of Candlekeep. This was a really prescient episode (since it was filmed last week -- I listen to it as a podcast).

Ooh, good to know. I’ll have to check it out when I have time.

 

[Greg Benage]

If it’s rudimentary, call it rudimentary.

"Rudimentary" as in "rudimentary intelligence," right?

 

[MichaelSomething]

"Primitive" can trigger some people like the words "Gnome" "Hit points arn't meat points" "alignment" and "Come and Get it" can trigger some people

 

[Justice and Rule]

"Rudimentary" as in "rudimentary intelligence," right?

Nah, there isn't the same sort of cultural assumption. Not that you shouldn't be careful in the usage, but saying someone has set up a "rudimentary basecamp" doesn't have the same implications as "primitive basecamp".