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.

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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

 

[UngeheuerLich]

A 30 odd year old product, 20 years since a full write up. Society has changed, the audience has changed, the writers have changed, the genre has changed, the game has changed, the industry has changed, morals have changed. There was never going to be any amount of yelling at clouds that would of gotten a person a version of Ravenloft similar to what was produced 20-30 years ago. Wanting products from 30+ years ago to be produced today is only going to land a whole heap of disappointment and a whole heap of "Ok Boomer" (or should I say Ok Grognard?).

That is exactly what I wanted to write myself.
DnD is nearly 50 years old. Some things that were (thought to be) ok and/or exciting back then is not ok today. And vice versa.

 

[Necrozius]

Got my copy yesterday. Overall I'm quite impressed. It's a solid book.

Interesting thing about the art. It's very diverse. I wouldn't have noticed anything if I hadn't read some of the past tweets by one of the main writers. Essentially, there are very, very few representations of Caucasian white guys in this book's art as adventurers (or stand-ins for PCs). I could only find one: the Dhampir, and it's a small illustration. Villains, victims and monsters, sure. A few NPCs, but even in the one depiction of the famous Van Richten the focus of attention is more on his ghostly, rainbow-lighted son.

That IS progress, I suppose, after years of the polar opposite in game books.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

There are a lot of contemporary references in this book - I'm pretty sure the writers aren't expecting them to still be relevant if a 6E Ravenloft ever comes around!

I already mentioned the Kardashians, representing celebrity culture. There is also COVID in Richemulot, the X-Files in Bluetspur, Black Panther meets The Hunger Games in Valachan, Flerkens all over the place, and more.

 

[HawaiiSteveO]

I'd like to hear a bit about the adventure, any good?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Interesting thing about the art. It's very diverse.

If you look at the domain maps, each one is done in a different style.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'd like to hear a bit about the adventure, any good?

Average. They are obviously taking advantage of Hasbro owning Weeja.

There is some creepier stuff in Candlekeep Mysteries though.

 

[Necrozius]

If you look at the domain maps, each one is done in a different style.

LOL, I meant more about representation of different types of people. There are a LOT of people of color, and the vast majority (like 99%) or heroes are depicted (or at least named as) women.

Again, I'm fine with that, but it is interesting.

 

[HawaiiSteveO]

Average. They are obviously taking advantage of Hasbro owning Weeja.

There is some creepier stuff in Candlekeep Mysteries though.

Perhaps summary of it (with spoiler tags of course)?

 

[Stefano Rinaldelli]

Average. They are obviously taking advantage of Hasbro owning Weeja.

There is some creepier stuff in Candlekeep Mysteries though.

Anybody knows if they plan to produce a ravenloft themed ouija board?

 

[ChaosOS]

Anybody knows if they plan to produce a ravenloft themed ouija board?

Technically there's an image of one in the appendix. I haven't seen anything about a physical product though.