D&D 5E Icewind Dale Preview: The Panopticon

A tidbit from the upcoming book from Chris Perkins -- "The Panopticon of Revel’s End, where the Lords’ Alliance keeps its most dangerous criminals. More info on this maximum security prison can be found in Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden."

 

[Malcolm Serabian]

I was thinking since we’ve been told there’s a bit of The Thing being referenced with this book, perhaps this is an homage to another John Carpenter Classic - Escape from New York!

 

[ccooke]

I was thinking since we’ve been told there’s a bit of The Thing being referenced with this book, perhaps this is an homage to another John Carpenter Classic - Escape from New York!

If nothing else... A prison like this would be a "great" place to be locked inside with, say, a mysterious eldritch body-horror shapeshifter...

 

[MarkB]

If nothing else... A prison like this would be a "great" place to be locked inside with, say, a mysterious eldritch body-horror shapeshifter...

I'm eager to find out how the PCs become trapped there. Just passing through, making a delivery, or are they themselves inmates?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Unless the prisoners' cells are in the outer wall (in which case, they won't be prisoners for long when they freeze to death), yeah. I would assume that either it's set up inside the tower or they just liked the sound of the word.

The illustration sure doesn't look like a panopticon design, does it? But I suppose we need to wait for the plans to be sure.

 

[Yenrak]

Some additional information from the artist.

 

[MarkB]

Some additional information from the artist.

The close-up provides a lot more detail, and a bit of a cutaway. I hadn't noticed that the prison effectively extends through the base of the outcrop.

 

[Laurefindel]

The close-up provides a lot more detail, and a bit of a cutaway. I hadn't noticed that the prison effectively extends through the base of the outcrop.

It was harder to see because the picture in the OP is slightly different. The cliff is coming further into the sea in the OP pic

 

[Wishbone]

Some additional information from the artist.

Home to a certain night hag, perhaps?

 

[MarkB]

It was harder to see because the picture in the OP is slightly different. The cliff is coming further into the sea in the OP pic

Yeah, I'm not sure if that's different versions, or if it's effectively cut away in the closer picture in order to provide a better view.

 

[Laurefindel]

Yeah, I'm not sure if that's different versions, or if it's effectively cut away in the closer picture in order to provide a better view.

The cutaway looks like a preliminary version or colour rendering sketch. The second is almost identical to the (finished?) version of the OP, with a slightly shorter cliff.