Speculation: The plan of the DPs?

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Perfectly understood. FWIW, most of us feel the same way about the continuity-busting cheesefest that was Expedition to Castle Ravenloft ( ) as Planescape fans do about the Planar Handbook. The worlds of D&D have always been intended for gamers to build upon, customize, and enjoy, regardless of what corporate entity might claim the intellectual property-rights.

[Bluebomber4evr]

Couple things here:

Planescape fans can certainly object--Ravenloft fans don't like everything that was published, either (*cough*Champions of Darkness*cough*), however Die Vecna Die! is considered to be canon by WotC, for whatever that is worth.

*nods* And that doesn't surprise me. But, whatever WotC would like to think about their planes, and whatever fantasies they have about being the new Planescape, Manual of the Planes and Planar's Handbook are not Planescape (and the latter book was a bunch of nonsense anyway). They're WotC. WotC does have the rights to the Planescape license, but they are not publishing under it. Official non-profit creative rights have been given to the folks at Planewalker. It's sort of like how Ravenloft was in the hands of Kargatane, or how Dark Sun is under the folks at Athas.org. Sure, WotC can revoke those rights at any time, but until they do, and they start producing specifically under those titles (like they did with Forgotten Realms), then the side groups dictate what is canon development.

That's actually not quite accurate. WotC doesn't "have the rights" to Planescape, they own it lock, stock and barrel. Same with Dark Sun and Ravenloft. Sites like Athas.org are official fan sites, that doesn't necessarily mean anything they've produced is official canon. The only reason the Kargatane stuff became official is because the guys who wrote it ended up being hired to write the official 3rd edition Ravenloft books.

From Planewalker's FAQ:

We're all volunteer work here, and while WotC is ignoring the setting we have a bit of an informal nod to go ahead in development. We don't own the toys - we just play with them because no one else wants them. If someone buys the rights - that may change, and we can only hope that whoever that is a) Loves the setting as much as we do, and b) Would be kind and gracious enough to allow us to work with them on new products. (Especially in light of some story developments we have in the works.) I know what I'll be doing if I ever win the lottery - let me put it that way.

That doesn't say to me that they're dictating official canon.