Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd Cover, Synopsis Revealed

The cover and synopsis for Penguin Random House's new Dungeons & Dragons novel has been revealed. This week, Penguin Random House revealed the official title and cover for Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd, a new novel by Delilah S. Dawson. The new novel is due for release in April 2025. The new novel follows a group of adventurers who arrive in Barovia under mysterious circumstances and are summoned to Castle Ravenloft to dine with the infamous Count Strahd. This marks the first Ravenloft novel released in 17 years.

Penguin Random House has slowly grown its line of novels over the past few years, with novels set in Spelljammer, Dragonlance, and the Forgotten Realms released over the last year. Characters from The Fallbacks novel by Jaleigh Johnson also appears in art in the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide.

The full synopsis for Heir of Strahd can be found below:

Five strangers armed with steel and magic awaken in a mist-shrouded land, with no memory of how they arrived: Rotrog, a prideful orcish wizard; Chivarion, a sardonic drow barbarian; Alishai, an embittered tiefling paladin; Kah, a skittish kenku cleric; and Fielle, a sunny human artificer.

After they barely survive a nightmarish welcome to the realm of Barovia, a carriage arrives bearing an invitation:

Fairest Friends,

I pray you accept my humble Hospitality and dine with me tonight at Castle Ravenloft. It is rare we receive Visitors, and I do so Endeavor to Make your Acquaintance. The Carriage shall bear you to the Castle safely, and I await your Arrival with Pleasure.

Your host,
Strahd von Zarovich

With no alternative, and determined to find their way home, the strangers accept the summons and travel to the forbidding manor of the mysterious count. But all is not well at Castle Ravenloft. To survive the twisted enigmas of Strahd and his haunted home, the adventurers must confront the dark secrets in their own hearts and find a way to shift from strangers to comrades—before the mists of Barovia claim them forever.

 

[Distracted DM]

My cynical self says that while it doesn't seem at all Ravenloft to me, it does seem incredibly appropriate to the current DnD vibe. That's gonna be personal preference.. it does not fit mine
But hey, we're judging a book by its cover

 

[sevenbastard]

a sunny human artificer.

Artificer confirmed in 2025!!!!

At least in literary form

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I would say the story seems more action-horror than the classic and fatalist gothic horror. This is not about the group being decimated until only the final girl survives. But they are going to suffer a true weekend in the hell. Maybe there will be some touchs of dark comedy.

Do we bet about a future action-live adaptation? But animation could be other option 2D or CGI?

Maybe the possible Strahd's heir isn't a member of the group but the true antagonist. Knowing how Strahd is maybe there will be something like a battle royal, and then we could see the rivals dropping as flies. My suspect is one of these rivals would be the winner of the test, and the adward would be to be Strahd's public relations, working in his name facing the public but in Barovia this may be a true poisonous gift.

Other theory is we are goig to read the flashbacks of the main characters and maybe here there is some bloodbath.

 

[Chaltab]

Other than the central character looking like a human in orc cosplay I'm not sure what the issue is.

 

[MarkB]

Those characters shouldn't look that happy to be trapped in Barovia with Strahd!

Nobody sharing a party with that cute li'l familiar could stay sad for long.

 

[Gambit42]

An orc, a drow, a tiefling, and a birdman walk into a rustic human village...

 

[EthanSental]

I’m guessing the novel will base the kenku on Mordenkainen’s version where they can read, write and speak common….and not the Volos guide where they can only speak by using mimicry trait cause that would get old fast if it was the mimicry trait, to me at least.

The cover wasn’t what I was expecting but since I’m usually buying audible version due to my work commute, I’ll see how the performer does when it is released and see how it goes.

 

[Echohawk]

This marks the first Ravenloft novel released in 17 years.

Minor nitpick: That's not quite right. The last Ravenloft novel released in print was Mithras Court in November 2008 and the last Ravenloft novel released was Black Crusade which was released on the WotC website on 5th June 2009.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I’m guessing the novel will base the kenku on Mordenkainen’s version where they can read, write and speak common….and not the Volos guide where they can only speak by using mimicry trait cause that would get old fast if it was the mimicry trait, to me at least.

The cover wasn’t what I was expecting but since I’m usually buying audible version due to my work commute, I’ll see how the performer does when it is released and see how it goes.

I hated the Volo's version, the only mimicry thing was a dumb retcon, 4e Kenku never had that issue. It caused all kinds of problem like by raw they couldn't actually cast spells.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Over/Under on the number of bird(man) related jokes in the book?

6.5

I’ll take the over.