D&D 5E So, anyone else think we might be getting an Undermountain module soon?

[Charlaquin]

First we got Tales From the Yawning Portal, which sounds from the title like an Undermountain book. Turned out just to be a bunch of dungeons converted to 5e, with the Yawning Portal as a framing device. Now we’ve got Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, a book of players’ and DMs’ options with commentary by The Xanathar, one of the major players in the Undermountain/Waterdeep political climate. And in retrospect, Volo’s Guide to Monsters had ties to Waterdeep too, with Volo’s field guide having been published by Waterdeep Limited in-universe. Sure seems like they’ve been using elements connected to Waterdeep and Undermountain as framing devices a lot lately. Could they be leading up to an eventual 5e Undermountain module?

 

[Ezequielramone]

Halaster's guide to dungeons
Ekminster's guide to the planes/cosmos
Cyric's guide to the realms

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Two years ago, the D&D Open at Origins resurrected Halaster Blackcloak. Heck, I thought that what ended up being Tomb of Annihilation was going to be Undermountain. I think they’re definitely considering it, but it sounds like something extraplanar (huzzah!) and/or psionic-themed (alas) will be coming first.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

Two years ago, the D&D Open at Origins resurrected Halaster Blackcloak. Heck, I thought that what ended up being Tomb of Annihilation was going to be Undermountain. I think they’re definitely considering it, but it sounds like something extraplanar (huzzah!) and/or psionic-themed (alas) will be coming first.

I thought exactly the same thing. I still think it's coming. I really want an 'official' 5e megadungeon and Hallaster is just the kind of villain you need running around again.

 

[pukunui]

Isn't the movie they're working on going to be set in Waterdeep/Undermountain? My guess is that, if so, any Undermountain adventure book will be released to coincide with the movie.

 

[Charlaquin]

Isn't the movie they're working on going to be set in Waterdeep/Undermountain? My guess is that, if so, any Undermountain adventure book will be released to coincide with the movie.

That makes a lot of sense, I keep forgetting about the movie.

 

[pukunui]

That said, using the Yawning Portal as a framing device for a bunch of unrelated dungeons does feel like a missed opportunity. One can't help but wonder if they were originally going to do an Undermountain book and then changed their plans but decided to still make use of the intro they'd cooked up.

It's a bit rich of them to say, "Hey look, here's an inn with this super-interesting entrance to a mega-dungeon it. We're going to tell you all about the inn's proprietor, and the fact that he charges a gold coin to let people go down into the dungeon, but we're not actually going to let you go down there. You're just here to pick up the hooks for some other dungeons that are far away."

 

[Parmandur]

That said, using the Yawning Portal as a framing device for a bunch of unrelated dungeons does feel like a missed opportunity. One can't help but wonder if they were originally going to do an Undermountain book and then changed their plans but decided to still make use of the intro they'd cooked up.

It's a bit rich of them to say, "Hey look, here's an inn with this super-interesting entrance to a mega-dungeon it. We're going to tell you all about the inn's proprietor, and the fact that he charges a gold coin to let people go down into the dungeon, but we're not actually going to let you go down there. You're just here to pick up the hooks for some other dungeons that are far away."

Well, it certainly seems that Perkins got slammed hard by having to do Curse of Strahd and Sky King's Thunder back-to-back, in addition to the decision that they didn't need to release so much adventure material ever year. Wouldn't shock me if you are right about what went down.

It'll be interesting to see what books they release in the next couple of years. Just in terms of adventures, it seems they have heavily seeded a couple in particular:

- Great Modron March keeps getting brought up in the books, lots and lots of seeds planted: serious Modron obsession in 5E, and a great opportunity for Planar exploration

- Gates of Firestorm Peak gets namechecked in both the PHB and DMG, and Volo's has some really intriguing hooks for Mindflayers: everyone loves Cthulu, right?

- Demons got their big show in OotA, maybe Devil's will get their time (maybe also in a Great Modron March, who knows?)

- Undermountain is getting mentioned a lot, don't forget the Xanathar is also in Volo's Guide Beholder chapter and the cover of the Monster Manual: probably movie related plans.

- Genies, and Genie politics, get some fair amount of attention in the MM. Would expect the City of Brass to end up related to something, somewhere along the way.

- Deep sea adventuring, with details of underwater societies and ruins, would seem plausible: maybe a bit of return for the Kraken Society

- Something Goblinoid related, a war campaign perhaps, bringing in a lot of the hooks from Volo's

Any other plausible candidates?

 

[pukunui]

Well, it certainly seems that Perkins got slammed hard by having to do Curse of Strahd and Sky King's Thunder back-to-back, in addition to the decision that they didn't need to release so much adventure material ever year. Wouldn't shock me if you are right about what went down.

It wouldn't be the first time. I know they denied the existence of an Elemental Evil Adventurer's Guide, but as an alpha tester, I can tell you that there was a lot more that they were looking at than just the few races and spells that ended up in the EEPC.

- Great Modron March keeps getting brought up in the books, lots and lots of seeds planted: serious Modron obsession in 5E, and a great opportunity for Planar exploration

Yes, modrons do keep popping up everywhere, don't they? And yes, following the march would be a great way to show off the planes.

Gates of Firestorm Peak gets namechecked in both the PHB and DMG, and Volo's has some really intriguing hooks for Mindflayers: everyone loves Cthulu, right?

Yep!

- Undermountain is getting mentioned a lot, don't forget the Xanathar is also in Volo's Guide Beholder chapter and the cover of the Monster Manual: probably movie related plans.

The Xanathar is also in the DMG in the building NPCs section. He's glaring at some guy who was trying to rob him.

- Genies, and Genie politics, get some fair amount of attention in the MM. Would expect the City of Brass to end up related to something, somewhere along the way.

I would love to have a proper write-up for the City of Brass.

- Deep sea adventuring, with details of underwater societies and ruins, would seem plausible: maybe a bit of return for the Kraken Society

It does feel like we haven't seen the last of Slarkrethel and the Kraken Society yet.

- Something Goblinoid related, a war campaign perhaps, bringing in a lot of the hooks from Volo's

It would be great to have something that actually builds on all that extra lore they put in the book.

 

[Wrathamon]

last thing I want is a mega dungeon. I just dont find undermountain interesting, or any gigantic literal dungeon something I desire.

But, I know it's a popular thing to want but I dont really understand the appeal.