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.

​

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

 

[darjr]

Another.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Would be the Witcher one of the last and most famous examples of dark fantasy?

 

[tetrasodium]

Would be the Witcher one of the last and most famous examples of dark fantasy?

Probably more dim than dark but yes.
Berserk claymore &goblin slayer were dark fantasy same with game of thrones, the first dragon age went hard on it at times

 

[Parmandur]

Another. View attachment 135896

Interesting if an in-depth discussion of genre distinctions is in the book.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Another. View attachment 135896

This confirms that the "coins" represent subgenres - so anyone who called that should get a cookie.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Would be the Witcher one of the last and most famous examples of dark fantasy?

Definitions are hard to pin down, but IMO no. It doesn't have enough horror tropes.

Grimdark =/= horror.

On the other hand, Nightmare on Elm Street fits this description to a tee.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Another week, another Lore You Should Know... this time, on the mummy-themed Har'Akir!

Dragon Talk | Official D&D Podcast | Dungeons & Dragons

Each week, the D&D team sits down with celebrities and personalities from across gaming and pop culture to discuss the world's greatest roleplaying game.

dnd.wizards.com

Some notes:

• They wanted to go a little beyond normal Hammer-mummy tropes, and more into themes of D&D fantasy
• Is a vast desert, with very few settlements; large sandstorms and dangerous predators.
• The Children of Ankhetop (animal-headed mummies) exert a tyranny of sort-of religious rulership over the realm
• Ankhetop killed/betrayed the original gods of the realm and installed a new pantheon with himself at the head.
• Ankhetop is searching for a missing part of his soul, hidden by the Dark Powers.
• Ankhetop is tired of immortality and seeks his soul to end his own existence.
• Not all the Children are loyal, and some work to depose Ankhetop.
• There is a vast undercomplex of dungeons beneath of tombs of Har'Akir.

 

[Remathilis]

Another week, another Lore You Should Know... this time, on the mummy-themed Har'Akir!

Dragon Talk | Official D&D Podcast | Dungeons & Dragons

Each week, the D&D team sits down with celebrities and personalities from across gaming and pop culture to discuss the world's greatest roleplaying game.

dnd.wizards.com

Some notes:

• They wanted to go a little beyond normal Hammer-mummy tropes, and more into themes of D&D fantasy
• Is a vast desert, with very few settlements; large sandstorms and dangerous predators.
• The Children of Ankhetop (animal-headed mummies) exert a tyranny of sort-of religious rulership over the realm
• Ankhetop killed/betrayed the original gods of the realm and installed a new pantheon with himself at the head.
• Ankhetop is searching for a missing part of his soul, hidden by the Dark Powers.
• Ankhetop is tired of immortality and seeks his soul to end his own existence.
• Not all the Children are loyal, and some work to depose Ankhetop.
• There is a vast undercomplex of dungeons beneath of tombs of Har'Akir.

Sounds like the pulled some influence from Amoneket. I approve. Less of a revision and more of an expansion.

EDIT: so if we were wondering if the Real World pantheons would be a part of the setting, signs point to no.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Also this;

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Also this;

Sumer Is Icumen In