Ravenloft: The Horrors Within Announced, Release Date Scheduled for June 2026

[Kurotowa]

However the DL modules were themselves widely played, and it is interesting finding stories of tables that ran them off-script. Lots of classic dungeon design in there.

Maybe it's a generational thing. I started playing D&D at a young age in 1990. Those DL modules originally came out across '84-'86. So it was the AD&D 1e crowd that really caught those, while I came in just as 2e was getting going. We never really went back and played the old modules. And since I've always skewed more as an elderly Millennial than a very young Gen X, I never hung out with people older than me who would have played them either. But a lot of us did read the DL novels, because they were still a hot thing in the 90's.

 

[Parmandur]

Maybe it's a generational thing. I started playing D&D at a young age in 1990. Those DL modules originally came out across '84-'86. So it was the AD&D 1e crowd that really caught those, while I came in just as 2e was getting going. We never really went back and played the old modules. And since I've always skewed more as an elderly Millennial than a very young Gen X, I never hung out with people older than me who would have played them either. But a lot of us did read the DL novels, because they were still a hot thing in the 90's.

Yeah, I started playing in the Aughts with 3E.so it is all ancient history for me. But I have read some accounts from the OSR community about folks who took the modules as the modules and were not just lavishly following the novels.

 

[Remathilis]

Most people buying stuff today are entirely unfamiliar with the Dalnmodukes, just as with the material in Infinite Staircase. Makes it good fodder for a fresh update.

Yes but the Infinite Staircase modules aren't an AP. They are a handful of very generic modules that has a frame device IF you want to use it. The DL modules aren't. They are hard to drop into another setting as they are so keyed to DL specifics (such as the Dragon Armies and draconians).

I feel like I'm blue in the face, so I'll just leave it at this: I don't think that the DL series is coming this December. The evidence for it is flimsy. The evidence against it is better. Could it happen? Sure. We could also get another Media Tie-In, another MTG setting, or a My Little Pony Monster Compendium too, and I give them all about equal chance.

 

[Parmandur]

Yes but the Infinite Staircase modules aren't an AP. They are a handful of very generic modules that has a frame device IF you want to use it. The DL modules aren't. They are hard to drop into another setting as they are so keyed to DL specifics (such as the Dragon Armies and draconians).

I feel like I'm blue in the face, so I'll just leave it at this: I don't think that the DL series is coming this December. The evidence for it is flimsy. The evidence against it is better. Could it happen? Sure. We could also get another Media Tie-In, another MTG setting, or a My Little Pony Monster Compendium too, and I give them all about equal chance.

I think it is likely Dark Sun...bit there are definite signs of Dragonlance activity.

 

[Artamo]

However the DL modules were themselves widely played, and it is interesting finding stories of tables that ran them off-script. Lots of classic dungeon design in there.

I’ve never really looked at the DL maps before but those ones posted earlier are beautiful

 

[Parmandur]

I’ve never really looked at the DL maps before but those ones posted earlier are beautiful

Yeah, people tend to talk about the novels and the cross media scene, or latter day 2E stuff...but the original modules are distinct game pieces ripe for an update to modern sensibilities.

Heck, the first season this year is based on the ongoing legacy of another module by the same designer that is one of the modt successful 5E campaigns (I6 appears in Curse of Strahd in full as one of the chapters).

 

[FitzTheRuke]

The issue is, gladiators are slaves. So if you are Champion of the Arena, you must be a slave.

Aside from that, gladiators exist in most D&D settings, it’s far from a unique feature or primary focus of the Dark Sun setting.

I don't think that's the kind of slavery that WotC would be shy of, in particular if they made leading a revolt a big part of the plot.

I know you're against the idea, but I really, really think that "Season of Champions" is referring to Gladiators from Dark Sun. Whether that means they'll also make a push toward a PvP-style module, or some other way to bring out the word "Champion" to make it fit DS better than say, an AP-plot where you're lost in the Athasian Desert, or not, I couldn't say.

But I don't disagree that Dragonlance is a possibility, just not, IMO, as likely as DS. I don't think the placement of Soth in the Seasons mock-up is supposed to mean that he falls under the Champions banner.

I could be wrong, though!

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Short answer: no.

We got storm heard and spirit barbarian, cavalier, intoxicated Monk and oathbreaker. All redos. No new ones. If it is a martial book, we got five subclasses that are all just updates. Doesn't seem a lot to fill a book unless you are going to load it with feats and backgrounds.

Or there are more, but it is stuff that is barely changed from first release and thst was popular. Not thst much comes to mind.

Or stuff they already tested that didnt maje it in time for earlier books or even the phb, but still has demand, like Swashbuckler.

 

[Parmandur]

I don't think that's the kind of slavery that WotC would be shy of, in particular if they made leading a revolt a big part of the plot.

I know you're against the idea, but I really, really think that "Season of Champions" is referring to Gladiators from Dark Sun. Whether that means they'll also make a push toward a PvP-style module, or some other way to bring out the word "Champion" to make it fit DS better than say, an AP-plot where you're lost in the Athasian Desert, or not, I couldn't say.

But I don't disagree that Dragonlance is a possibility, just not, IMO, as likely as DS. I don't think the placement of Soth in the Seasons mock-up is supposed to mean that he falls under the Champions banner.

I could be wrong, though!

Thing about the Soth bit...

It does not mean Dragonlance is coming in Q4, but...why is he there?

Is Soth going to be in Ravenloft? Entirely possible.

Is Soth going to be in Unearthed Arcana, either the Adventure or the Supplement? Extremely doubtful.

Is Soth going to be in Dark Sun. Absolutely no way.

So what is he doing there with fresh art...? And literally right next to the TBA product?

I do not think it is Dragonlance, it is probably Dark Sun...but honestly if it isn't Dragonlance I am confused as to what they are doing there, unless he is back in Ravenloft.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Thing about the Soth bit...

It does not mean Dragonlance is coming in Q4, but...why is he there?

Is Soth going to be in Ravenloft? Entirely possible.

Is Soth going to be in Unearthed Arcana, either the Adventure or the Supplement? Extremely doubtful.

Is Soth going to be in Dark Sun. Absolutely no way.

So what is he doing there with fresh art...? And literally right next to the TBA product?

I do not think it is Dragonlance, it is probably Dark Sun...but honestly if it isn't Dragonlance I am confused as to what they are doing there, unless he is back in Ravenloft.

I would bet that as potentially disappointing as it might be, he's simply "back in Ravenloft".

... I find that we can often come up with cool and believable theories, only to find that the simplest answer is the correct one: He's in Ravenloft.