• New articles, features, and adventures will roll out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and then the entire month’s content will be collected into a full-sized digital magazine.
• D&D Insider’s free beta period coincides with the launch of 4th Edition. You get to try out the first digital components without paying the subscription fees.
• When the initial beta period comes to an end, subscription rates will go into effect. Initially, we’re going to roll out a special, limited-time introductory pricing offer.

The town of Winterhaven stands watch over a ruined keep that was once a bastion of good in the realm. This keep overlooks the Shadow Rift, a dark scar in the world that was once a gateway to the Shadowfell but has been dormant for many years. Now, an evil cleric of Orcus, Demon Lord of the Undead, seeks to re-open the gate, and the only thing standing in his way is a small yet determined band of heroes.

Wizards of the Coast: H1: Keep on the Shadowfell comes out this May… with the “H” standing for the Heroic Tier, as the adventure is set for levels 1-3; so for many folks, this will formally kick off their 4th Edition campaigns. But before we talk about the adventure itself, let’s talk about the fact that Keep on the Shadowfell will be the first 4th Edition product for sale—why release the adventure in May before the core rulebooks in June?

Bruce Cordell: D&D is about adventuring. What better way to get players introduced to the new edition than with an adventure they can jump right into? This first adventure has quick-start rules and pre-printed character sheets that’ll allow DMs a minimum of trouble in getting their game off to a great start.

Mike Mearls: You can also think of the adventure as a test drive before getting the full game. When you play through the adventure, you have a chance to learn all the rules, then you can leap right into a full blown campaign when the three core rulebooks come out. Since you already know the basics, there's not much of a learning curve for the full game.

Wizards: As the first official 4E adventure for many folks (aside from those who attended D&D Experience), what types of threats and challenges were you interested in presenting? In other words, what do you want players and DMs to learn and experience in 4th Edition through this adventure?

Bruce: I’m most interested in displaying how well the rules suit the kind of play people want to experience, both fighting and roleplaying. I want players to be thrilled when they realize just how their characters and the powers available to them work, and I want DMs to have the same kind of thrill when they realize how much easier it is to run an encounter with 4E monsters already sorted and designed to fill specific roles.

Mike: I really wanted to show off how the flavor of kobolds or goblins comes through in their new mechanics and custom-made variants we included in the Monster Manual. I hope that players feel like the fight with the goblins feels more like how a goblin fight should than ever before.

Wizards: A three-part question rolled into one: As a 4th Edition adventure, in what ways does Keep on the Shadowfell differ from a 3rd Edition adventure—first, in terms of playing through it as a player? Second, in terms of running it as a DM? And finally, in terms of designing it?

Bruce: First off, it’s a new adventure and a new story. It launches the first loosely-connected story path of the edition. As a player and DM, I touched above on the mechanical differences—however, those used to playing D&D will find much that’s familiar, too. The same is true on the design side. There is a lot of familiarity when it comes to writing the story of an adventure. However, the thing that really makes it easier for a DM is also the same thing that makes it easier for a designer—the monsters come in such a plethora, each one suited to a particular role in a melee, that it would be hard not to design a balanced encounter.

Wizards: As for the adventure itself, what can you tell us about it—beyond the introduction above, what should players prepare themselves for? And which parts of the adventure did you each design, or was it more of a collaborative effort all the way through?

Bruce: The adventure design was very collaborative. We kicked off the process months ahead of time in a meeting where we roughed out the general idea of the story, how we wanted to use battle maps (and how those battle maps would tie into the story). Then we each took various chunks when the time to write came ‘round.

Mike: Players should be ready for a full blown adventure, not a simple dungeon crawl. We designed encounters that take place back at the “home base” to give the adventure a good story and a good flow. While exploring the dungeon is an important part of the adventure, we wanted to give a complete package, not just a series of connected rooms.

Wizards: The first adventure for 3rd edition, Sunless Citadel—penned by no other than Bruce Cordell—featured kobolds as one of the monsters that adventurers would face. Kobolds make a return in Keep on the Shadowfell, but indicative of 4th Edition monsters, how are these 4th Edition kobolds different from 3rd Edition kobolds?

Bruce: In 3E, a kobold was a kobold. You could apply templates or classes with some effort, and distinguish different kobolds by personality (hello Meepo, I’m looking at you). In 4E, right off the bat you get several pre-designed kobolds handed to you, of different power levels. Saved are the nitpicking hours of coming up with new stat-blocks—now personality can be focused on exclusively, if that’s the way you want to go (no, Meepo will stay with Sunless Citadel). Of course, there are customization possibilities still available; they just aren’t required right out of the starting blocks.

Wizards: While Sunless Citadel gave us Meepo, who is this Splug character in Keep on the Shadowfell (already a popular NPC among internal playtesters)?

Mike: Splug is an iconic character I've used in dozens of D&D adventures over the years, and in keeping with the idea of making this more than just a dungeon, I added him in to give roleplayers someone with whom to interact. Splug should be a fun character for DMs who like playing borderline outrageous NPCs. He provides some comic relief, but he's also not the kind of guy you want to leave in position to stab you in the back.

Wizards: Orcus happened to be the codename for 4th Edition, back in its early stages. Was it happy coincidence that followers of Orcus appear in this adventure, or was it indeed a conscious nod?

Bruce: Conscious decision.

Wizards: As the title is Keep on the "Shadowfell", what can you tell us about Shadowfell? We’ve seen an introduction in Worlds and Monsters, but how does the Shadowfell factor into the adventure, and how does it interact with the game’s setting?

Bruce: This is from the intro: “Realms, both wondrous and dire, border the world. One such realm is the Shadowfell. Although not inherently evil, the Shadowfell is fraught with dangers, and the barrier between worlds can be thin. Sometimes the darkness breaks into the light.”

I think you can see where this is going ;-). Anyhow, one of the goals of this adventure is to foreshadow potential later adventures related to this one.

Wizards: Finally, this is but part 1 in the H series. Following Keep on the Shadowfell, where can we expect the series to take players next, if you’d be able to set up H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth (Mike, we notice your name as one of H2’s designers as well!)?

Mike: For H2, and as you'll see in H3, we tried to come up with a central concept for the adventure that the plot and story could hang on. In H2, we created an Underdark trading post of sorts, a tense neutral ground that draws some cues from Skullport in the Forgotten Realms. That's the jumping off point for a series of expeditions into an underground, ruined minotaur city.

• Weapon Categories: Just like in 3E, weapon categories tell you how a weapon is used. We retained the 3E concepts of the simple to exotic gamut (albeit with different names), because they’re very useful concepts for defining the broad levels of proficiency most characters classes have. Whether a weapon is melee or ranged matters for using powers. We also used whether a weapon is one-handed or two-handed to help define how weapons function for Small characters. Size matters, but not enough to overcomplicate the weapon rules.
  
• Weapon Groups: We created these broad groups, which also function as keywords, to interact well with other game elements. It’s easier if a designer can rely on a group keyword to say, “This feat does X if you’re wielding an axe,” or “If you’re wielding a light blade, this power also does X.” You’ll care about these groups when you’re selecting feats and powers. The preview tells you that some powers and feats require a weapon from a certain group. However, other powers simply function better when you’re using a weapon from the appropriate group. This fact helped us create thematic feats and powers based on how we imagine weapons functioning in heroic fantasy.
  
• Weapon Properties: If you try throwing this melee weapon, what are the considerations? Can that weapon be used in your off-hand? How long does it take to load this projectile weapon? What happens when you use that one-handed weapon with two hands? We created weapon property keywords to help answer such questions at a glance. For instance, the thrown weapon properties allow a weapon to cross the line between melee and ranged. The words light or heavy defines whether you use Dexterity or Strength, respectively, to throw the weapon. All that information is stored in two words.
  
• Proficiency: The truism that skill matters met the idea that just about anyone can swing a sword and hurt someone. These combined with the 4E philosophy (unlike older versions of the D&D) that—whenever possible—lack of skill doesn’t penalize your roll; skill enhances your effectiveness instead.

• Wolfgang Bauer's Open Design is tentatively planning to support 4th Edition with a 4E Adventure entitled "Wrath of the River King." Thanks to Admiral Caine for the scoop.
• In addition, Goodman Games has released a preview of the covers of its first three 4E Dungeon Crawl Classics modules.

In recent days there have been a flurry of blog-posts by the WotCies:

Greg Blissard blogs about Adventurers’ Vault, Manual of the Planes, alchemical items, adapting Keep of the Shadowfell and Thunderspire Labyrinth to the Realms and Ebberon, getting the new books, and (more on) what he listens to in play.

Logan Bonner also got the books, and blogs on epic destinies

Andy Collins covers best supers movies, music he listens to while working, and the 4E campaign he will be co-dming.

Bruce Cordell blogs about making maps and the honor of being nominated for an origins award

Mike Mearls has a number of posts on his Temple of Elemental Evil inspired 4E campaign.

Peter Schaefer’s halfling rogue encounters a leaderly half-orc.

Rodney Thompson blogs, among other things, about his time-traveling wizard using some fighter options from the Martial Power Sourcebook

Jonathan Tweet has posts on Wandering Star (his 4E campaign), the opposite of magic, and an inside joke in his game.

Rich Baker, among other things, blogs about his warlock doing 95 points of damage to a dracolich on a critical

All of the above except Rich Baker have moved their blogs here.

Included Pregens
Dwarf Fighter: Maul (2-handed), dagger, Scale mail
Halfling Rogue: Daggers, leather
Human Wizard: Quarterstaff, wand
Half-Elf Cleric: Mace, crowwsbow, Chain Mail
Dragonborn Paladin: Longsword, javelin, Heavy Plate, Heavy Shield

Components
The adventure is an 80 page book, including front cover. Full color throughout, includes small shots of poster maps as encounter keys. Also includes a couple of non-tactical maps (like a map of the area, map of a walled village.)

The 3 double-sided poster maps cover dungeon and wilderness encounter areas.

The Quick-Start Rules booklet is 16 pages, including front cover. Ten pages are the pregens, which include level-up info for 2nd and 3rd levels. The other 5 pages are pretty much what we have seen from the DDXP demos.

• Dreamscarred Press has released High Psionics: Power Sources, a 14-page supplement giving ten different sources of power for psionic characters.
• Goodman Games has announced details on its Free RPG Day release. They are giving away Punjar: The Tarnished Jewel, a mini-gazetteer of the city in which several of their upcoming DCC modules will be set, giving readers a chance to see the new 4E look for Dungeon Crawl Classics. For more information, visit Goodman Games.
• Wolfgang Baur's Open Design has launched three patron-supported projects: Court of the Shadow Fey, Lords of Lost Arbonesse, and Tales of Zobeck. The most popular one will be written with patron input and released as a limited edition for patrons this fall. Baur is also gearing up his 4E adventure design project, Wrath of the River King. Details can be found here, and discussion of the various projects here.

• Paizo fan Moonseolnyeo has put together The Pathfinders of Golarion, a tribute to the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting using art from Pathfinder and GameMastery products. It's quite the visual feast and brings the excellent art work to life. Thanks to Dendread for the scoop.

• Malhavoc Press has released Bloody, Bold, and Resolute, the second in their Experimental Might series written by Monte Cook.
• Blackdirge Publishing has released Blackdyrge's Templates: Greater Half-Dragon, a template that presents the potent offspring of ancient, wyrm, and great wyrm dragons.

• Kenzer and Company has revealed the table of contents, editorial PDF, and strip preview PDF for Knights of the Dinner Table magazine #139.

• RPG Resource has reviewed the Kingdoms of Kalamar supplement, Dijishy: the City of History.

Significant changes include:

• Added "How to Read a Power" excerpt.
• Added "Multiclassing by Feats" excerpt and edited feats table.
• Added Justiciar Paragon Path prayers
• Removed +1 Reflex from Paladin, added +1 Reflex to Halfling (still subjective, but the evidence is weighing heavily towards this)
• Updates to the Ranger: removed +1 Will defense from Ranger (added +1 Will defense to Eladrin), added Prime Shot to the Ranger as a class ability, updated the Skills lists.
• Removed suggestion that Humans might possibly get +2 to 2 abilities altogether

Other minor changes (see the Update History)

Q. Does the so-called "poison pill" non-compete clause apply to ALL OGL, or only D&D-based fantasy? (i.e. what if it's based on d20 Modern, d20 Future, or a non-d20 source?)

A. It’s not a “poison pill.” It’s a conversion clause. The D&D 4E GSL applies to fantasy-based products. The d20 GSL, which will come out at an undetermined point in the near future, will be for non-fantasy genres such as Modern, Future, etc. Publishers will be able to decide on a product line by product line basis which license will work best for them.

Q. Does the GSL contain provisions to prevent a secondary, sister or subsidiary company being created in order to distribute products under the OGL?

A. There are no restrictions prohibiting the formation of partnerships or subsidiaries, however companies will be bound by the product line declaration under the Game System License.

Q. How much of WotC's IP is made available via the GSL? Creatures such as beholders and illithids were not available under the old licensing structure. Will they be available under the new structure?

A. All of those details will be released when the license becomes available on June 6.

Q. What products would WotC like to see come out of the third party publishers that they are not currently interested in producing themselves?

A. The easy answer is we want to see quality products that support 4th Edition D&D. I’m guessing you want specific examples, right? The GSL is designed for publishers to make Adventures, “Fluff,” Campaign settings, Alternate Classes, Races, Monsters, Paragon Paths, Epic Destinies, and other creative supplemental products.

Q. What are WotC’s main goals regarding the GSL? Do you believe that third-party products will drive sales of the D&D core rulebooks?

A. The goals with the GSL include supporting our product line, growing the industry, and supplying consumers with a rich offering of RPG products meant to be used with the 4th Edition of D&D . And, of course, we want to drive sales of the D&D core rulebooks.

On behalf of Russell Morrissey and all of EN World, thank you for the opportunity to hold this interview.

Q) Many questions have been raised since the announcement last week. I think the one question everyone wants to know is: is the limitation the GSL places on publication of OGL based products limited on a "per company" basis or a "per product" basis? That is, is the effect merely to limit re-issuing the same product, or is a company that publishes a GSL product thereafter limited in their ability to publish any OGL products?

A. The restriction is on a per product line basis.

Q) How does this pertain to a company's catalog of existing OGL-based products? For example, if Necromancer Games publishes a Tome of Horrors 4e, would they have to stop selling their existing 3e OGL products via RPGnow?

A. Publishers will be able to continue to sell their backlist under the OGL. If those products had the d20 system logo on them there will be a 6-month sell off period after which they will not be able to use the d20 system logo.

Q) Can existing OGL products be updated to the GSL and what are the restrictions, if any?

A. Existing OGL products can absolutely be converted to 4e GSL products, so long as they adhere to the terms of the GSL. In fact, we want to see publishers update their popular product lines to 4e.

Q) What branding opportunities does the GSL offer publishers? Does it allow use of the new d20 logo; or does it allow access to Dungeons & Dragons specific branding?

A. There will be a compatibility logo. Embedded in this logo is a version of the new D&D logo and copy stating compatibility. This compatibility logo is permissible for use on product and marketing materials. There will be restrictions on placement and maximum size allowed.

Q) A six-month "sell-off" period has been mentioned with reference to stock carrying the old d20 logo. Is the d20 STL actually going away, or does this sell-off period apply only to those who adopt the GSL?

A. The d20 STL will be terminated. There will be a sell-off period of six months for products produced under the d20 STL. This is true for both pdf and print products. We’re estimating our own backlist stock to be sold through within 3 to 4 months, so allowing six months to other publishers feels fair. Allowing 6 months for pdfs is really pretty generous and we are already in conversations with publishers and PDF sellers like DrivethruRPG.com and RPGNow on how they can make these changes as easy as possible.

Q) Is the new GSL an open license?

A. We are not classifying the GSL as “open” as defined under the open source movement. It is a royalty-free license for permissible usage of specific D&D 4th Edition content including terms, tables, and templates. There is a significant amount of “openness” to the license and we wanted to provide ease of use and low barriers to entry while still maintaining control over things like the D&D Trademark. The GSL is designed to work with the 4th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

Q) Is WotC planning on providing an easily available, downloadable copy of the rules available both online and off without a fee?

A. No. Anyone wishing access to the rules will need to purchase the core rulebooks. The GSL SRD will have a list of the terms, tables, and templates available for use under the GSL and will be available for download at no charge with the GSL itself.

Q) Are there any "types" of product prohibited by the GSL? For example, the old d20 STL prohibited the inclusion of character generation or advancement, meaning that a standalone game could not be created, while the OGL alone did not. Does the GSL contain these restrictions? Are any other types of product restricted?

A. Most of what was in the d20 STL has been pulled into the GSL. For example, no product can describe a process for creating a character or applying the effects of experience to a character. The new license is meant to work with the core D&D rules. The final details will be announced when the license is released in June.

Q) Are products required to adhere to any 'community standards' clause, or anything similar?

A.. Yes. The community standards that were in the d20 STL are now wrapped up into the GSL’s.

Q) Is the GSL a perpetual license, or is it revocable by WotC for reasons other than violation?

A. The Game System License Is revocable as it is tied to the D&D trademark and other intellectual property. Because of this Wizards needs to maintain control of the license.

Q) Why is October 1st the selected date for release of third-party materials, as opposed to, say, GenCon, which would be a far more useful launch date?

A. Our initial intention was to have third-party materials ready for release at GenCon, however there is no way that anyone could develop a true quality product in the short time between now and GenCon. We think that October 1st is more reasonable, and will also allow publishers to take advantage of holiday sales.

Q) Will any third-party publishers be permitted to release product under the GSL prior to October 1st?

A. No. October 1st is the permissible on-sale date for all third party publishers.

Q) Is there anything that you wished we’d asked that we haven’t?

A. You didn’t ask about my 4E character.

• Pete Apple has written a report on Paizocon, which includes details on the upcoming Drow Adventure Path, Second Darkness, The Pathfinder Gazetteer, Golarion, the Pathfinder setting, Pathfinder RPG and Pathfinder Society.
• Bradford Ferguson has opened 4ereviews.com, a resource for independent reviews, interviews, and opinion pertaining to 4th Edition D&D, Pathfinder, 3.5 OGL, and d20 RPGs. The first article is a review of the new D&D Miniatures Game Starter Set.
• Recent update at RoleplayingTips.com: Why Use Inns, Taverns, and Restaurants?. Plus Readers' Tips: Ways To Slow Down Plot Progression, Language In Fantasy Roleplaying, Google Parchment For Props, Craft "What You Know" Handouts.

• Greywood Publishing and Hogshead Publishing have joined forces to sell items under the Greywood banner.
• Reality Deviant Publications has announced they are to publish True20 Call of Cthulhu products.

• Dundjinni Enterprises has announced that it is opening up the Dundjinni software’s license to permit users to create and publish maps and adventures for commercial purposes. This license extends to all Dundjinni artpacks except for those licensed from third parties.