The Forgotten Realms were purchased from Ed Greenwood for $5,000
26
17
386
8,443
Weirdly, that low sale price probably means he'll go down in history as a legend of transmedia fantasy production, whereas if he'd asked a lot more nobody would likely know who he is. Strange conundrum.
2
11
389
Man at the time I wonder if he could have asked for more. It probably seemed like a lot
1
8
335
It was a pure passion project for the guy. It's like being a garage band and you're offered to open for some big name band and being offered some small sum... You're probably not going to refuse unless they pay you more money - you're just happy to get the big audience and recognition. Ed did the type of creative work that almost never gets recognized despite its depth, scope, and quality - but for every Ed who does get recognized, there are probably dozens who don't... Heck, how many long-term homebrew campaigns could be fantasy settings fit to make movies, comics, video games, and write novels in - but nobody will ever hear of them? Probably quite a few. Glad Ed got recognized in any case... It's a win for the passion project going big - even if they payday wasn't huge!
1
1
7
171
Replying to @SJNB_Poesy @DungeonNoir
That's it exactly. Mike Dobson later told me I could have asked for a LOT more...but I didn't care: I just wanted TSR to say "yes" so I could get colour maps of the Realms that didn't have my pencil crayon strokes visibly in all the seas. #realmslore

Jul 26, 2025 · 12:21 AM UTC

2
3
10
845
Replying to @TheEdVerse @DungeonNoir
Wow, how did I miss this comment! Well, I'm kind of gratified that I'd read that situation right. And, Mr. Greenwood, thanks for all you've done with this over the years, and what you continue to do. Honestly, for me as a kid, your work and the work of people like Salvatore and Weis/Hickman are the things which motivated me to becoming a lover of reading. Now, much later in life, I still have a stack of decades old D&D source materials in my house, I am re-reading your novels (along with Salvatore's and Weis/Hickman's), I have two kids that are interested in fantasy creatures and I'm reading them entries from D&D sourcebooks to fill them in... And I'm quoting you in my PhD dissertation! Passion is infectious - and yours spread like a bad rash. (horrible metaphor to end on, but thank you Mr. Greenwood!)
1
15
Replying to @TheEdVerse @SJNB_Poesy @DungeonNoir
Absolute legend
1
26