D&D 5E Everything We Know About The Ravenloft Book

Here is a list of everything we know so far about the upcoming Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft.

Art by Paul Scott Canavan​

• May 18th, 256 pages
• 30 domains (with 30 villainous darklords)
• Barovia (Strahd), Dementlieu (twisted fairly tales), Lamordia (flesh golem), Falkovnia (zombies), Kalakeri (Indian folklore, dark rainforests), Valachan (hunting PCs for sport), Lamordia (mad science)
• NPCs include Esmerelda de’Avenir, Weathermay-Foxgrove twins, traveling detective Alanik Ray.
• Large section on setting safe boundaries.
• Dark Gifts are character traits with a cost.
• College of Spirits (bard storytellers who manipulate spirits of folklore) and Undead Patron (warlock) subclasses.
• Dhampir, Reborn, and Hexblood lineages.
• Cultural consultants used.
• Fresh take on Vistani.
• 40 pages of monsters. Also nautical monsters in Sea of Sorrows.
• 20 page adventure called The House of Lament - haunted house, spirits, seances.

​

D&D 5E - Full Wraparound Cover Art For Ravenloft

We've seen the cover already, but here's a look at the full wraparound art by Anna Podedworna. https://www.enworld.org/threads/updated-with-cover-the-d-d-book-is-van-richtens-guide-to-ravenloft.678411/ https://www.enworld.org/threads/heres-the-ravenloft-alternate-cover.678414/...

www.enworld.org

D&D 5E - Here's the Ravenloft Alternate Cover!

As usual, there is an alternate hobby-store exclusive cover for the upcoming Ravenloft book. Here's a look at it! And here's the full wraparound art. https://www.enworld.org/threads/updated-with-cover-the-d-d-book-is-van-richtens-guide-to-ravenloft.678411/...

www.enworld.org

D&D 5E - [Updated with cover!] The D&D Book Is.... Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft!

Yesterday's hints that a new D&D book would be announced today have born fruit -- we now have a product description and a title! It's a Ravenloft setting book, with tools and new rules for horror-themed games, and new horror-themed character options. I'll update this post with a product image as...

www.enworld.org

 

[Remathilis]

 

[Ash Mantle]

Here's another more in-depth first look into Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft

Be warned though, it's basically a flip through of the book through to the end, so if you don't want spoilers it's probably best to skip this video.

It's really looking like it's a must-buy for me, the book is just chock-a-block full of inspiration and general coolness.
A big spoiler for the monsters, though it probably comes as no surprise, is that Proficiency is listed but Alignments are not listed.

 

[JEB]

A big spoiler for the monsters, though it probably comes as no surprise, is that Proficiency is listed but Alignments are not listed.

Didn't watch the whole video (because spoilers) but the above made me curious enough to check out Strahd's writeup: no alignment there either. (Possibly no statblock, either, but that could be on a page I missed.) If that's standard for NPCs in the book, looks like Candlekeep Mysteries may have been the last gasp of alignment in D&D. But I guess we'll see in a few weeks for sure.

 

[Remathilis]

Dark Gifts spoiled

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Now I notice the werebats weren't mentioned in the bestiary. There was a weretoad as nPC in a Dungeon Magazine.

I guess Tharizdum's cult is not welcome in Ravenloft because the Dark Powers have got a different goal, but cultists could be abducted or sent to the demiplane, to cause troubles to the Dark Lords, to be destroyed by these, or with rewritten memories and then they can cast divine magic, but their summoning rituals can't work at all, but for dread elementals (blood, pyre, tomb and mist). Without direct contact with the outer deities schisms and teologic conflicts can start between the different sects. It is perfect for cosmic horror stories, only you replace aberrations with elementals.

The new Ravenloft has got some changes, but it hasn't rejected its roots. Let's say this restaurant still serves the speciality of the house, but also different dishes have been added to the menu because this is necessary for the business.

I miss the core, but the geography was too "square and boring". I mean I would add more peninsules to the coast zones. These were too much as flat lines. If there is a new "core" after a new "grand conjuction" event, I guess the geography will be according most popular domains and dark lords. Other idea is dark powers creating new domains as floating islands as bait for spelljammers what want to mine that carvorite ( = antigravity mineral used to construct skyships). Other idea is "floating" domains, sometimes appears next to the material plane as haunted places for little times. One of them is ruled by a dark lady who is like the classic villain of soap operas and romantic novels, a true toxic person. Her curse is when she loves somebody, male or woman (it hasn't to be a romantic relation, but a simple fraternal friendship), this finds the true love and goes to a far place with this.

Picture from "Haunting Ground", a forgotten survival horror videogame.

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The Shadowhunters' Wiki

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Soul Sacrifice

Template:Infobox Game/Draft Soul Sacrifice (ソウル・サクリファイス Souru Sakurifaisu) is an action role-playing video game developed by Marvelous AQL and Japan Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation Vita. Soul Sacrifice is a video game developed by SCE Japan Studios for the...

soulsacrifice.fandom.com

 

[darjr]

 

[Urriak Uruk]

If you don't want to go through these videos (I certainly don't) but do want a muted preview to peek at while at your desk job... the Newbie DM has you covered! His previews have always been my favorite.

 

[darjr]

Good old NewbieDM!

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Maps of Borca and Darkon!

 

[darjr]

The tweet thread may be broken for some so here is another link. @Urriak Uruk awesome find!