[UPDATED] RAGE OF DEMONS! New D&D Storyline Features Drizzt, Underdark, & Demon Lords!

Following Elemental Evil this fall, Rage of Demons will launch a new storyline featuring Drizzt Do'Urden, the Underdark, and various demon lords from the Abyss including old favourites like Demogorgon, Orcus and Graz’zt. This will feature on tabletop, console, and PC. "The demon lords have been summoned from the Abyss and players must descend into the Underdark with the iconic hero Drizzt Do’Urden to stop the chaos before it threatens the surface." It begins with the adventure Out of the Abyss, which releases on September 15th for $49.95, and is being designed for WotC by Green Ronin Publishing. (Thanks to Charles Akins for that last scoop!)

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Drizzt? WotC's Chris Perkins says: "Drizzt's role in the RoD story varies depending on the platform. In the TRPG adventure, the PCs are the stars."

Inspiration: "My inspirations for RAGE OF DEMONS were Lewis Carroll's Wonderland stories and EXILE, by R.A. Salvatore." [Perkins] So this is the Alice in Wonderland inspired story that's been previously alluded to.

Here's the full announcement.

"Today, Wizards of the Coast announced Rage of Demons, the new storyline for Dungeons & Dragons fans coming in Fall 2015. The demon lords have been summoned from the Abyss and players must descend into the Underdark with the iconic hero Drizzt Do’Urden to stop the chaos before it threatens the surface. Rage of Demons is the story all D&D gamers will be excited to play this fall, whether they prefer consoles, PCs or rolling dice with friends.

Following on the critically-acclaimed Tyranny of Dragons and Elemental Evil stories, Rage of Demons will transport characters to the deadly and insane underworld. Rumors of powerful demon lords such as Demogorgon, Orcus and Graz’zt terrorizing the denizens of the Underdark have begun to filter up to the cities of the Sword Coast. The already dangerous caverns below the surface are thrown into ultimate chaos, madness and discord. The renegade drow Drizzt Do’Urden is sent to investigate but it will be up to you to aid in his fight against the demons before he succumbs to his darker temptations.

Dungeons & Dragons fans will have more options than ever to enjoy the Rage of Demons storyline. The themes of treachery and discord in the Underdark are in Sword Coast Legends, the new CRPG (computer role-playing game) coming this fall on PC from n-Space and Digital Extremes. The epic campaign that drives Sword Coast Legends' story forces players deep into the Underdark and continues well after launch with legendary adventurer Drizzt Do'Urden.

For fans of Neverwinter, the popular Dungeons & Dragons-based MMORPG will bring a new expansion – tentatively titled Neverwinter: Underdark – in 2015. The update will see adventurers travel with Drizzt to the drow city of Menzoberranzan during its demonic assault as well as experience a unique set of quests written by the creator of Drizzt, R.A. Salvatore. The expansion will initially be released on PC and will come out on the Xbox One at a later date.

Players of the tabletop roleplaying game can descend into the Underdark in Out of the Abyss, a new adventure which provides details on the demon lords rampaging through the Underdark. Partners such as WizKids, GaleForce 9 and Smiteworks will all support Rage of Demons with new products to help bring your tabletop game to life. To really get in the mind of Drizzt, fans will have to check out Archmage, the new novel by R.A. Salvatore, scheduled for release in early September.

“Rage of Demons is a huge storyline involving all expressions of Dungeons & Dragons, and we’re excited to bring players this story in concert with all of our partners,” said Nathan Stewart, Brand Director at Wizards of the Coast. “I can’t wait to see everyone interact with one of the world’s most recognizable fantasy characters: Drizzt Do’Urden. Descending into the depths won’t exactly be easy for him, and D&D fans will get their mettle tested just like Drizzt when they come face-to-face with all the demon lords.”

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[Kramodlog]

The Dark Elf trilogy is the more iconic Drizzt trilogy. The first book is actually fun.

 

[BoldItalic]

Drizzt dies in chapter three. You get to pick up his magic swords. You are the new Drizzt. Enjoy!

 

[IchneumonWasp]

So, I guess this means we can expect to not get much player options out for this? (Not that I am unhappy with what we are getting now in Unearthed Arcana. I'm very happy in fact.)

 

[Remathilis]

He'll be moved into FR, but they'll keep his name.

(They'll probably pitch it as some sort of planar incursion - suddenly the mists have cleared and where before there was a mountain range there now stands... Castle Ravenloft! Of something of that sort.)

You're overthinking it; Ravenloft in 5e is pretty much independent domains in the mists of the shadowfell. Would not be hard to have the "mists" swallow up a group of PCs and release them home at the end.

It's going to be more Expedition to Castle Ravenloft than Realms of Terror.

 

[delericho]

So, I guess this means we can expect to not get much player options out for this?

I don't think they've said anything, but my best guess is that we'll see something much like the free PDF associated with PotA - a couple of new races, maybe some backgrounds, and a bunch of spells. Some of this may well be reprints (in particular, I'd expect Deep Gnomes to recur).

You're overthinking it; Ravenloft in 5e is pretty much independent domains in the mists of the shadowfell. Would not be hard to have the "mists" swallow up a group of PCs and release them home at the end.

They've been tending towards "save the world" adventures, so I'd still expect an attack on FR rather than just the PCs being pulled into the Shadowfell.

'course, it would be a welcome surprise if I were proven wrong.

 

[God]

Struggled to find an appropriately onomatopoetic word to describe the violent puking prompted by this announcement. Please, me, can we have something other than FR?

 

[halfling rogue]

And, just throwing it out there, WotC ( I know they're listening)... everyone seems to have LOVED LmoP. LOVED it. No world-eating demon lords, no sprawling epic doin's, just a tightly written, enjoyable regional adventure, and everybody LOVED it. Just a thought. You could sticky-note that, put it on the office fridge...

Yes! I want to keep beating this drum too. More adventures like Lost Mine are what I'm looking for. I think the APs out now look cool, but they are simply outside of my needs. Most of my campaigns can only go as far as something like Lost Mine, and since that is the case a $50 book (or even 35 on amazon) is simply more than I'd rather spend. It's not that I don't think it is worth the value, it's just not valuable for me. I don't need it so I'm not going to spend it. But if you give me some Lost Mine-esq adventures at, say, $10-15 a pop, then I'm all over it every. single. time. If you want my money, that's how you're going to get it.

 

[Kramodlog]

So, I guess this means we can expect to not get much player options out for this? (Not that I am unhappy with what we are getting now in Unearthed Arcana. I'm very happy in fact.)

As much as ou got in PotA.

Since no Adventurer Handbook seems to be in the works, they might not have a cancelled book to scavange some material to produce a 25 pages PDF this time around.

 

[mykesfree]

Did anyone see the plot description for the "Out of the Abyss" Module on the WOTC website? I don't think our Dark Elf Ranger will have a prominent role in the RPG version.

http://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/outoftheabyss

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[h=3]SYNOPSIS[/h]Dare to descend into the Underdark in this adventure for the world’s greatest roleplaying game!
The Underdark is a subterranean wonderland, a vast and twisted labyrinth where fear reigns. It is the home of horrific monsters that have never seen the light of day. It is here that the dark elf Gromph Baenre, Archmage of Menzoberranzan, casts a foul spell meant to ignite a magical energy that suffuses the Underdark and tears open portals to the demonic Abyss. What steps through surprises even him, and from that moment on, the insanity that pervades the Underdark escalates and threatens to shake the Forgotten Realms to its foundations. Stop the madness before it consumes you!
A Dungeons & Dragons adventure for characters of levels 1–15
[h=3]ITEM DETAILS[/h]Price: $49.95 C$63.95
Release Date: 15 September, 2015

 

[SilverfireSage]

Did anyone see the plot description for the "Out of the Abyss" Module on the WOTC website? I don't think our Dark Elf Ranger will have a prominent role in the RPG version.

wow, it doesn't even mention Drizzt at all, and people are getting so up in arms about it? This sounds exactly like PotA, an adventure that anyone can transport to whatever setting they want. Almost like they've done this before or something.