Check Out This Early Ravenloft: The Horrors Within Artwork

As part of today's reveal of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, Wizards of the Coast also released several pieces of early preview artwork for the new book. You can check the artwork out in all its full glory below:

And here's the cover artwork (by Anna Podedworna) and alternate cover artwork (by Pam Wishbow):

Ravenloft: The Horrors Within was one of several products announced today. You can find a full rundown here.

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[Remathilis]

Yes, I do not play Fortnite myself, but I respect the heck out of what they are building.

Somebody showed me a Lego set of a Fortnite character. He said "its one of their original characters." My honest reaction was "they have original characters? I just thought it was the digital equivalent of dumping all your action figures on your bed and playing with them all at once."

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me

Right, it is the same reason Fortnite prints money: it is inherently desirable and appealing to people at large.

 

[Parmandur]

Somebody showed me a Lego set of a Fortnite character. He said "its one of their original characters." My honest reaction was "they have original characters? I just thought it was the digital equivalent of dumping all your action figures on your bed and playing with them all at once."

Lego is another good example.

 

[Charlaquin]

Right, it is the same reason Fortnite prints money: it is inherently desirable and appealing to people at large.

Well, no. It just casts a very wide net. For any given IP something like Fortnite or Universes Beyond crosses over with, the majority of the audience is probably indifferent about it. But, the portion of their audience that are also fans of that IP will like it. And if you do as many crossovers as possible, you will appeal to a lot of people. But most of your audience won’t be that interested in most of your crossovers. And everything gets a bit more bland. Everyone is settling for a wildly tonally incoherent property because sometimes it puts on a hat of something else you like more.

 

[Echohawk]

Heck yeah, they have barely begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities.

I mean, we do have a series of official D&D adventures which involve playing pieces of Nerds candy as characters, so there is that.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, no. It just casts a very wide net. For any given IP something like Fortnite or Universes Beyond crosses over with, the majority of the audience is probably indifferent about it. But, the portion of their audience that are also fans of that IP will like it. And if you do as many crossovers as possible, you will appeal to a lot of people. But most of your audience won’t be that interested in most of your crossovers. And everything gets a bit more bland. Everyone is settling for a wildly tonally incoherent property because sometimes it puts on a hat of something else you like more.

Sure, most people aren't going to get everything. But having the option is great, and fun.

 

[beta-ray]

Well, no. It just casts a very wide net. For any given IP something like Fortnite or Universes Beyond crosses over with, the majority of the audience is probably indifferent about it. But, the portion of their audience that are also fans of that IP will like it. And if you do as many crossovers as possible, you will appeal to a lot of people. But most of your audience won’t be that interested in most of your crossovers. And everything gets a bit more bland. Everyone is settling for a wildly tonally incoherent property because sometimes it puts on a hat of something else you like more.

Do you play Fortnite?

I actually don't but I do know a few people that are avid players. They mention to me that the Fortnite developers take great care in adding the different properties into the game. From what they describe, it does sound like they try to incorporate some of the spirit of the different IP into the game rather than simple skins or something (not sure for all properties but the ones they've described to me).

So maybe not always that bland. Not to all people anyway.

 

[Charlaquin]

Do you play Fortnite?

No

I actually don't but I do know a few people that are avid players. They mention to me that the Fortnite developers take great care in adding the different properties into the game. From what they describe, it does sound like they try to incorporate some of the spirit of the different IP into the game rather than simple skins or something (not sure for all properties but the ones they've described to me).

Oh, boy! Some of the spirit of the different IP?! When you put it like that, how could anyone ever ask for more?

 

[Older Beholder]

Imagine if someone had told Gary he couldn't mix together Tolkien, Lovecraft, Moorcock, Vance and anything else he came across that wasn't nailed down. Sorry buddy, owls and bears have their own qualities that are lost if you slop them together and call it an Owlbear.

IMO, there's no right or wrong with what you can do in D&D, only what's fun for your group and what isn't.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yeah the Yith from what I've read are one of the most belevant species of Lovecraftian lore.

They certainly have a strict moral code, which is why 1st edition made them lawful neutral. It doesn't mean they aren't weirdly alien who will happily experiment upon you, but they will try to do it without causing unnecessary suffering (as they understand it).