D&D General The Purple Dragon Knights are tied to an Amethyst Dragon (confirmed)

[Remathilis]

While valid, it's only valid at your table. The official version is the default starting point.

The default is just that: default. It itself means nothing because nothing remains the default once play has begun. TSR used to try to have one correct "cannon" version of events and it ruined gameplay because it shackles the DM and players into events playing out a certain way. Lord Neverember can never be replaced by a PC because the books says he's still Mayor. The players cannot kill Artemis because he's important to the next Drizzt novel. Silverymoon will not be destroyed no matter how badly the PCs fail. The world cannot change from the default.

I now reject that sort of entrenched Metaplot for that exact reason, it created plot lawyers who argued changing things was breaking cannon. I say break cannon. It's more of a suggestion than a law. If you want to shackle your game to whatever events the next novel or module will force on you, more power to you. But I refuse to be told MY version is lesser because I step beyond the default.

 

[Scribe]

Well I suppose we know why background and lore has degraded.

 

[Remathilis]

Well I suppose we know why background and lore has degraded.

To be fair, doing your own thing is one of the driving spirits of D&D.

 

[Scribe]

View attachment 413876
To be fair, doing your own thing is one of the driving spirits of D&D.

Of course. I just don't pretend my version matters beyond my table, it's not as valid as official lore, I don't get to claim drizzt is a murderer in the wider space.

 

[Remathilis]

Of course. I just don't pretend my version matters beyond my table, it's not as valid as official lore, I don't get to claim drizzt is a murderer in the wider space.

And I never did either. All I said was my version isn't invalid, wrong or somehow lesser because I did. It's a shot across the bow to those who claim I'm doing it wrong for not following the cannon. There is room in the D&D Multiverse for multiple takes on the same setting.

 

[Scribe]

And I never did either. All I said was my version isn't invalid, wrong or somehow lesser because I did. It's a shot across the bow to those who claim I'm doing it wrong for not following the cannon. There is room in the D&D Multiverse for multiple takes on the same setting.

The point is, who is going to know or care?

Your table.

Drizzt is not a murderer however, official.

 

[TwoSix]

The point is, who is going to know or care?

Your table.

Drizzt is not a murderer however, official.

That we know of.

 

[Scribe]

That we know of.

Well, until we get another stupid retcon I suppose.

 

[Remathilis]

The point is, who is going to know or care?

Your table.

Drizzt is not a murderer however, official.

I assume you have never argued with a cannon purist who tried to correct you with "ackshually..." When your discussing your campaign. You're doing it right now. You're literally claiming my version of Drizzt is wrong.

That's why "official = correct" needs to die in a fire.

 

[TiQuinn]

The default is just that: default. It itself means nothing because nothing remains the default once play has begun. TSR used to try to have one correct "cannon" version of events and it ruined gameplay because it shackles the DM and players into events playing out a certain way. Lord Neverember can never be replaced by a PC because the books says he's still Mayor. The players cannot kill Artemis because he's important to the next Drizzt novel. Silverymoon will not be destroyed no matter how badly the PCs fail. The world cannot change from the default.

I now reject that sort of entrenched Metaplot for that exact reason, it created plot lawyers who argued changing things was breaking cannon. I say break cannon. It's more of a suggestion than a law. If you want to shackle your game to whatever events the next novel or module will force on you, more power to you. But I refuse to be told MY version is lesser because I step beyond the default.

This was a headache that TSR jumped into with both feet. From the Dragonlance adventures that were literally a railroad retelling of the novels to the Waterdeep trilogy of adventures - they loved to make sure that PCs were never quite as powerful or important as the precious IP characters.