D&D 5E March's D&D Book To Be Announced On January 9th

A mysterious entry has appeared on Amazon! With a product title of "Dungeons & Dragons March Release Book (Title announced January 9th)" and a release date of March 17th, 2020, this $49.95 hardcover release will be revealed in under a week!

The description reads "Your first look at the next D&D title comes on January 9th! Keep an eye on wherever you get your D&D news for a preview of the book."

Could there be a clue in the dice being released on the same day? Laeral Silverhand's Explorer's Kit is described as "Dice and miscellany for the world's greatest roleplaying game" for $29.99. We'll find out on Thursday!

Who's Laeral Silverhand? She's a prolific creator of magic items from Waterdeep, and one of the most powerful wizards in the Forgotten Realms. She's one of the Seven Sisters, introduced in 1987's Forgotten Realms boxed set, although Laeral herself wasn't described in that product. Ed Greenwood'sThe Seven Sisters supplement fully detailed them in 1995. Laeral and Khlben 'Blackstaff' Arunsun led a group called the Moonstars. In 5th edition, she appears in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Yah you probably nailed it!

I'm reaaaaally hoping this book mostly skips the Sword Coast... there are actually a lot of interesting places in FR that we mostly hear nothing about, this would go a long way to adding some fantastical cultures we don't get to see often in D&D.

Plus seeing Laeral play dress-up in different cultural clothes better be there, otherwise why did they even bother making this??

 

[EthanSental]

I’ll buy the dice set IF it’s better than the Avernus dice set...man that was some cheap dice.

I’m hoping it’s a setting nook as well but with the current 5e trend, have it be a mixed book with new spells or options for certain geographical areas that ties in thematically.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'll add that this does align with some hints of future content looking at non-European inspired fantasy continents.

So I expect this book to be written much like Mordenkainen's/Volo's where it is from the POV of Laeral Silverhand, but giving background on areas like Kara-Tur and Al-Qadim.

Yup, she is based in Waterdeep, and that region has been done to death. But Waterdeep is a major port.

Personally, I wouldn't be interested in a "gazetteer" type overview of those regions. Unless it comes with lots of setting specific crunch (AKA Oriental Adventures) it's no use to me.

It does seem to be too soon for the crunch content in the recent UAs. Even the best of that stuff needed more work, if only to clarify loose wording.

Alternatively, maybe the book deals with the Waterdeap Space Program....

"Waterdeep: Above and Beyond"

 

[gyor]

No I think it might be... it reminds me of this of the below images, that repeat the naming even though they're just dice/miscellaneous.

Interesting that it is named "Explorer's Kit." Very well may not be just a book but a boxed set.

My guess, new setting book or boxed set named "Forgotten Realms: Laeral Silverhand's Explorer's Kit" that is a broader setting book for the greater FR setting, going deeper into areas beyond the Sword Coast.

Someone call @gyor he'll lose his mind.

View attachment 117227
View attachment 117226

My mind is so lost right now. I was shoveling snow off industrial walk ways and salting. It's hard to shovel snow when you vibrating from a mix of utter joy and the flu.

See kids if you whine long enough and hard enough for something, I mean for years on end, eventually your dreams can come true, if only to get you to stop badgering the developers!

 

[gyor]

Yup, she is based in Waterdeep, and that region has been done to death. But Waterdeep is a major port.

Personally, I wouldn't be interested in a "gazetteer" type overview of those regions. Unless it comes with lots of setting specific crunch (AKA Oriental Adventures) it's no use to me.

It does seem to be too soon for the crunch content in the recent UAs. Even the best of that stuff needed more work, if only to clarify loose wording.

Alternatively, maybe the book deals with the Waterdeap Space Program....

"Waterdeep: Above and Beyond"

She is recently in Waterdeep, but she is I believe centuries old, so she has been almost everywhere and anywhere she hasn't her sisters, Elminster, her late husband Khelban, or her spies have been. Oh not to mention Mystra her Goddess literally is everywhere, in the form of the Weave. And divination magic. Oh and Candlekeep isn't far away either.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

She is recently in Waterdeep, but she is I believe centuries old, so she has been almost everywhere and anywhere she hasn't her sisters, Elminster, her late husband Khelban, or her spies have been. Oh not to mention Mystra her Goddess literally is everywhere, in the form of the Weave. And divination magic. Oh and Candlekeep isn't far away either.

Sure, she has been pretty much everywhere, but she would be describing those places from the perspective of someone who lives "in the West", similar to Marco Polo describing China.

 

[Azzy]

No I think it might be... it reminds me of this of the below images, that repeat the naming even though they're just dice/miscellaneous.

Interesting that it is named "Explorer's Kit." Very well may not be just a book but a boxed set.

My guess, new setting book or boxed set named "Forgotten Realms: Laeral Silverhand's Explorer's Kit" that is a broader setting book for the greater FR setting, going deeper into areas beyond the Sword Coast.

I'm not convinced that the book will have the same name as the accessory—"Explorer's Kit" just doesn't sound like a book title. I'm sure the book will be related (the accessory will likely have maps from the book), but I just can't buy the name.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'm not convinced that the book will have the same name as the accessory—"Explorer's Kit" just doesn't sound like a book title. I'm sure the book will be related (the accessory will likely have maps from the book), but I just can't buy the name.

Well, Explorer's Guide does. OR "Silverhand's Guide to the Realms Beyond" etc. I.e. not the exact title, but a related title.

 

[Azzy]

Well, Explorer's Guide does. OR "Silverhand's Guide to the Realms Beyond" etc. I.e. not the exact title, but a related title.

I coud see that much more easily.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I think I've actually just worked it out! What is Laeral Siverhand best known for? Faction Politics! She is associated with two (Lords of Waterdeap, The Harpers), and I'm sure keeps tabs on all the others.

"Silverhand's Guide to the Factions of the Realms" could adapt the stuff on group patrons from ERFTLW and guilds from GGTR to the FR setting. That would lead organically to player run strongholds and guilds for higher level play.


It might also be worth noting that she serves as patron in the Warriors of Waterdeep mobile game.