Wizards of the Coast released additional details about their year-long event "The Sundering." The company is focusing on their fantasy world Forgotten Realms, a setting for Dungeons and Dragons, with a mix of novels, games, and more. "During the Sundering, powerful forces both mortal and divine are being set in motion and D&D fans all over the world are being given the opportunity to take part in this epic event to help shape the fate of the Forgotten Realms forever," said Laura Tommervik, Brand Marketing Manager for D&D.

The Sundering is actually a huge event that will change the established fantasy world. The actual event will unfold in a series of six novels from established D&D writers. The first book was released Tuesday. The Companions by bestselling author R.A. Salvatore features his signature character, Dark Elf Ranger Drizzt Do'Urden. Future novels in the series, being released every two months, include The Godborn by Paul Kemp, The Adversary by Erin M. Evans, The Sentinel by Troy Denning, The Reaver by Richard Lee Byers, and The Herald by Ed Greenwood, the original creator of Forgotten Realms.

The year-long event also includes D&D Encounters, roleplaying sessions with official adventures for Dungeons and Dragons fourth edition that are held at local gaming stores. There will be five adventures, starting with "Murder in Baldur's Gate" on August 20. Wizards is releasing an app called "The Sundering Adventurer's Chronicle" to help track the adventure campaign and to interact with other players engaged in the Sundering.

Beyond actual roleplaying, there is also the previously announced "Arena of War" mobile game, which much like the Adventurer's Chronicle, will influence the outcome of the Sundering. There are also a line of miniatures depicting the characters from the novels, from Gale Force Nine, and a comic book series named "Thieves of Calimport."

"The Forgotten Realms has seen many events and changes throughout its history and it will be returned to what it once was before the Spellplague while simultaneously ushering in a new era," said Tommervik. "With the events of The Sundering, heroes will ultimately shape the fate of the Realms. The end result will be a new narrative that sets the landscape for future D&D product and program offerings."

This initiative is perfectly designed for the future. Later this month Gen Con, the huge annual hobby gaming convention, is being held in Indianapolis. And when the Sundering event finishes next year, it will likely result in a re-imagining of the Forgotten Realms just in time for the release of D&D Next, the future version of Dungeons and Dragons currently in playtesting.

Tommervik said, "This year-long event is setting the stage for the future of the Forgotten Realms. The rules are one part of the massive D&D brand but no matter what the expression, we will be using fantastic stories to tie fans experiences together across novels, video games, adventures, comics, events, and more."