(re: QFG 3: Shadows of Darkness???)
When the Coles originally came up with the Quest for Glory series idea, they wanted four games, each having to do with the elements and the seasons. The first one was spring and earth. Trial by Fire was summer and fire. Shadows was autumn and air. And Dragon Fire was winter and water. However, as the first response to your question stated, the Coles realized that there needed to be a bridge for the games. They didn’t feel the hero was ready to just jump into Mordavia and rid it of the Dark One, and anything else that happened to be haunting the valley. So they created Wages of War as a bridge, but didn’t plan on it until after Trial by Fire was completed.