Trivia / Shandril's Saga

• Executive Meddling: Tons.
  • Ed Greenwood's original version of the first two books were paired down considerably due to editorial mandates. Whole plotlines had to be excised.
  • The original books were meant to be Darker and Edgier with the Zhentarim as well as Cult of the Dragon shown to be genuinely menacing. Instead, they were told to be continually toned down until they were completely lacking in menace.
  • The original plan was for a 4 book series with the 3rd book to have Shandril safely arrive in Silverymoon and the 4th book deal with what happened to her there. Then Ed was told that he was only going to get one more book to tell her story and that she needed to die (3E was coming and spellfire wasn't something they wanted to deal with straight away). When he questioned this he was told that he could write it or they would get someone else to. He wrote it.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Ed wanted to do the books very differently. Both longer, more serious, and without the Downer Ending.
  • Ed got to restore a lot of content for Spellfire and Crown of Fire with the re-released versions of the first two books in 2005.