I meant that TSR's Code of Conduct when they began publishing the Realms, prohibited evil winning and all mention of fratricide, torture, rape, incest or any darker moment of human behavior; everything had to be "brightened up." I did NOT mean that FR life was grim. #realmslore
Bǝn@DungeonNoir
Feb 25
Would love to know what @TheEdVerse meant by "his own version of the Forgotten Realms, as run in his personal campaign, is much darker than published versions." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgot…

Feb 25, 2026 · 12:54 AM UTC

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For instance, the King Lear plot Chris Perkins echoed in STORM KING'S THUNDER would have been impossible back then. Or even mentioning that Lancelot and Guinevere had a fling while she was married to King Arthur; I had a DRAGON article killed for that very thing. #realmslore
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
Loved your works I remember being a teenager reading the 2nd edition FR books back and forth even though I didn't had a group to play with. Does this code of conduct has something to do with the infamous Comics Code Authority? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comics…

Comics Code Authority - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org
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It was TSR's version. Back then, what Jim Ward called "Angry Mothers From Heck" loudly calling for the banning of D&D as "Satanic" was a real thing that the company was afraid of. So there had to be nothing in the game to give real ammunition to the would-be banners.
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
Interesting. Was that a company wide mandate that was later relaxed when Dark Sun was published just a few years later or was it specific to The Forgotten Realms?
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
Ngl, if you released the amended version of FR to uncensor it, that would be worth getting ngl 😂 Having it darker and not so brightened up, possibly on levels of Warhammer Fantasy is something I always wanted 😅 Oddly enough, the people I ran DnD for, in FR, also liked it darker
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Replying to @TheEdVerse @DungeonNoir
Always very appreciative of the willingness to discuss things with fans.
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
And this is one of several reasons that D&D doesn’t make for a good horror setting 😆
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
So how did Krystin’s (14f) ‘romance’ with Ord (19m) make it past the TSR code of conduct in Harpers 4 (The Night Parade)? Especially after he hit her and her forgiving him was portrayed as ‘a good thing’? As a kid reading the book I thought the horror was awesome but that … nope.
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
why can't evil win?
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Replying to @TheEdVerse @DungeonNoir
So basically the equivalent to the Hay's code and the Comic Code Authority?
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
> “fratricide, torture, rape, incest or any darker moment of human behavior” I do believe there might be a market for such a supplement.
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
How are the Realms at your table, then? If you don't mind telling.
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
Sure wish they’d have let you go full George R.R. Martin.
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
The darker the evil, the brighter the heroes’ light when it vanquishes the dark.
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Replying to @TheEdVerse
That's not true. I was encouraged to submit content that was dark. What was not allowed was KKK being paid to glorify their crimes in my fantasy world. They're still inbreeding & looting my payroll. They had people follow me tonight they tried to hire to kill me before.
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