D&D 5E Is there a secret lore book WotC is hiding?

[Charlaquin]

Man, it'd be great if this thing got leaked.

For me, anyway. WotC would probably be thrown into absolute chaos.

I think it would be a far less interesting read than you think it would be. Again, we’re not talking about a professionally edited and laid-out DM’s guide here. We’re talking about a messy pile of notes shared across the creative team. There are certainly some people for whom seeing the sausage-making process is interesting, but I think the vast, vast majority of fans, if they got a look at it, would think “really? That’s the D&D bible? What’s the big deal?”

It most likely primarily represents a way of keeping their own storytelling consistent, so that they don't accidentally release an adventure which contradicts facts and events established elsewhere, including in materials not yet published, rather than any great roadmap of planned events.

Very much this, yes.

 

[HomegrownHydra]

I would be shocked if they didn’t have a setting bible. But such things aren’t really “lore books” like what you’re probably thinking of. Certainly it wouldn’t be in any kind of fit state for publication. More like a big ‘ol document of notes shared across the creative team.

Sounds like sensible behaviour. Most IP has a ‘bible’. It’s probably less a book, and more a massive bunch of (contradictory) notes. Not something you could ‘release‘.

If it were just a standard setting or IP bible I doubt Vincke would have thought it was worth mentioning or that Mearls would have been reluctant to talk about it. Mearls would have just called it that rather than struggling to describe it. It's not as if this is the first time either of them have used such a bible. So it seems it is somehow different.

 

[darjr]

I don’t know if it exists, but your very best chance of seeing any secret “book”, anytime soon, would be to become a contributor on a FR book. There is a path.

 

[HomegrownHydra]

It most likely primarily represents a way of keeping their own storytelling consistent, so that they don't accidentally release an adventure which contradicts facts and events established elsewhere, including in materials not yet published, rather than any great roadmap of planned events.

I think it would be a far less interesting read than you think it would be. Again, we’re not talking about a professionally edited and laid-out DM’s guide here. We’re talking about a messy pile of notes shared across the creative team. There are certainly some people for whom seeing the sausage-making process is interesting, but I think the vast, vast majority of fans, if they got a look at it, would think “really? That’s the D&D bible? What’s the big deal?”

Except this is not how Mearls described it. He said it would be "profound" or "even shocking" if fans were to see it.

 

[pukunui]

I’m pretty sure this isn’t a new thing. I remember reading about there being a secret story bible years ago. I recall at the time that Mearls and/or Perkins said they wouldn’t ever be publishing it.

 

[R_J_K75]

Probably a patchwork of notes, and anything published for D&D. This thing would be huge, boring and the equivalent of reading a phone book. Even if they did release it, which Im sure they wont, it would take too long to read to be of much use other than just reading for enjoyment which for me, no thanks.

 

[jgsugden]

Despite the description, it likely is a wiki type collection of notes and plans, incorporating things like Baldur's Gate 3, upcoming adventure paths, and filler materials that determine where important NPCs might end up after their most recent appearance - unless they decide to change it.

However, I dobt they'd hesitate to change anything that has not been published, and there are a variety of sources that cover as many details about all released materials as can be scavanged.

 

[dave2008]

Most of it isn't worth reading. It's not like there's some D&D Silmarillion. It's just going to be an outline. Bullet points of major events, major characters, motivations, design notes, etc.

Well, it is not like the Silmarillion is much more than that. it reads more like an outline than a story. Which of course it really is - it was never meant to be published

 

[dave2008]

I’m pretty sure this isn’t a new thing. I remember reading about there being a secret story bible years ago. I recall at the time that Mearls and/or Perkins said they wouldn’t ever be publishing it.

I recall that as well

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, it would be interesting to know more about their overall plans and ideas, but this isn't a product per se.