How D&D Dropped the Ball On One of Its Biggest Storylines

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Over the past decade, Dungeons & Dragons fans may have noticed Wizards of the Coast often included the same strange item over and over again: Giant Black Obelisks. While in most cases these were minor plot points, Wizards of the Coast has hinted several times over the years that they also were part of a planned multiverse-shattering event featuring the arch-lich Vecna that would be finally wrapped up before the new D&D 2024 edition came out. They were essentially meant to be the D&D equivalent of Thanos and the Infinity Stones from the Marvel Cinemaitc Universe: something that rewarded sharp-eyed fans and would pay off as a larger storyline.

Unfortunately, that never happened. And despite their constant appearance, the Black Obelisks were largely forgotten by both fans and Wizards of the Coast. In a recent Polygon interview former D&D Creative Lead Chris Perkins, however, we now know more about what happened and why the Black Obelisk storyline never really went anywhere.

What are the Black Obelisks in D&D lore?

** SPOILERS AHEAD **

In official D&D lore, the Black Obelisks are massive, ruin-covered monoliths that were first discovered by the Netherese Empire in the Forgotten Realms and were designed to battle a mysterious species known as The Weavers. While little is known about how the stones were created or how they can be effectively used, we do know they can alter both time and reality itself.

Notably, the black obelisks appear in the following campaign sourcebooks:

• Princes of the Apocalypse: One of the obelisks appears in the Temple of Black Earth in a large hall with a pit in the center. It has no bearing on the plot and has only the briefest description.
• Out of the Abyss: Another obelisk appears in the Whorlstone Tunnels beneath the duergar city of Gracklstugh. While it’s purpose is not explained and it has no impact on the campaign, it’s noted that it radiates alien magic and may be tied to madness and corruption in the Underdark.
• Tomb of Annihilation: A moss-covered black obelisk stands near the Tomb of the Nine Gods in Chult. It has no active role in the plot and is presented only as a relic of a long forgotten civilization.

• Dungeon of the Mad Mage: A broken black obelisk is found in Shadowdusk Hold on the 22nd level of Undermountain. It’s noted that the object is inert and it has no real bearing on the campaign.
• Rime of the Frostmaiden: An intact black obelisk lies in the buried Netherese city of Ythryn. This is the first time the obelisk’s true purpose is revealed as the book describes how it can rewrite history, with players potentially able to use it to travel back in time. The campaign also mentions that at some point the arch-lich Vecna has acquired one of the obelisks as part of a larger unknown plan to reshape the multiverse.
• Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk: One of the ancient relics is buried beneath Phandalin, with fragments scattered throughout the region. Its pieces cause psionic corruption and warp reality itself.

** END OF SPOILERS **

Why was the Black Obelisk storyline dropped from D&D?

While it was expected that the black obelisks would play a major role in the 2024 campaign book Vecna: Eve of Ruin, that was not the case. Vecna’s nefarious plan that was hinted at in Rime of the Frostmaiden was essentially abandoned and there was no mention of the obelisks at all.

In the recent February 2026 Polygon interview, with Chris Perkins, he explains why this was the case, noting: “The reason it was dropped was that different people were in charge of the adventure design. I had rolled off a lot of my hands-on product work to help out with other parts of the business. And so, when I creatively walked away from the day-to-day adventure creation, we sort of lost the plot.”

Perkins also explains that: “The original plan, in my mind, was that we would actually culminate the story by going back in time to fight the Netherese Empire. It was always on our radar to bring Netheril back in some way. And this was the way I envisioned it happening, because the only way you could really fight Netheril again is to travel back in time. We actually did some concept artwork on Netheril in anticipation of ending the obelisk story there, and it never coalesced.”

Notably, this concept did appear in the recent November 2025 Forgotten Realms D&D Beyond supplement Netheril’s Fall, although it does not mention the Black Obelisks in any of the materials.

Final Thoughts

The Black Obelisks should have been one of the most rewarding long-term mysteries in modern D&D: a slow-burn, decade-long storyline that paid off years of subtle hints and rewarded fans who paid close attention across multiple campaigns. Instead, they became emblematic of a broader issue with D&D 5e’s narrative approach: big, ambitious ideas introduced without a satisfying endgame.

Chris Perkins’ recent reflections, hwoever, make it clear this wasn’t the result of indifference, but a case of shifting leadership and creative focus. With D&D 2024 now ushering in a new era, it’s unlikely the Black Obelisk plot line will ever fully be completed. Instead, these artifacts remain a cautionary reminder that when it comes to D&D some mysteries actually need follow-through or they risk becoming real-world forgotten relics.

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