The New D&D Adventure Is - Tomb of Annihilation!

Tomb of Annihilation is in the Forgotten Realms set in the Lost Continent of Chult - Away from the Sword Coast (the hosts of the live stream are very interested with undead dinosaurs). Acererak is, as many predicted, the source of this plotline as the Archlich is more or less "eating" resurrection magic from the rest of the Forgotten Realms and causing a zombie apocalypse. Pendleton Ward from Adventure Time is a creative consultant on this adventure.

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More updates will be coming through the Dungeons & Dragons marathon live stream live on Twitch throughout the weekend.

 

[Barolo]

I know it has been pointed out already, but I would like to somehow add to the choir: Why is Acererak being carelessly thrown on the realms? I mean, there are some quite interesting liches, evil archmages or über-priests of evil deities already on the realms that could easily fulfill the role, aren't they?

It does not matter much, as if I bother to buy and run the adventure I can just adjust whatever to my tastes, but I would definitely find it more thoughtful if the adventure would be designed in the realms with a villain from the realms, and Acererak would be referred on that section that has been usually included in the books regarding adapting the material for other settings.

 

[jasper]

I know it has been pointed out already, but I would like to somehow add to the choir: Why is Acererak being carelessly thrown on the realms? I mean, there are some quite interesting liches, evil archmages or über-priests of evil deities already on the realms that could easily fulfill the role, aren't they?
....

Um the others did not return WOTC phone calls? Um the others want to much percentage of sales? Um the others were busy with poker night.

 

[KeithL]

I can't lie I am definitely stoked about an adventure in Chult!

 

[JeffB]

I know it has been pointed out already, but I would like to somehow add to the choir: Why is Acererak being carelessly thrown on the realms? I mean, there are some quite interesting liches, evil archmages or über-priests of evil deities already on the realms that could easily fulfill the role, aren't they?

It does not matter much, as if I bother to buy and run the adventure I can just adjust whatever to my tastes, but I would definitely find it more thoughtful if the adventure would be designed in the realms with a villain from the realms, and Acererak would be referred on that section that has been usually included in the books regarding adapting the material for other settings.

I don't know Realms canon so well but I agree.

Larloch is a Lich, no?

And Allokair?

For my campaign* ending/group going away adventure, Allokair and Acererak are one and the same, and he also goes by other names depending on the time in realms history. He was an advisor to Pharoahs in my version of Netheril and banished from Toril by powerful magics. Since I was a kid, I decided for my games he exists in all worlds with many different names. Over the years my players have accidentally allowed him back into the world.


*Keep in mind, my Realms are very different in ways than published Realms . the OGB is my rough starting point, albeit, nothing is set in stone from that work, either. Netheril is not Phaerim and Shades. Mulhorand in it's Glory is a poor imitation of Great Netheril (and where most survivors from magic blasted Netheril ended up).

Ok, that's enough "In my campaign" nerd spew.

My point is- FR can and does have some big name Liches of it's own. Perkins should flex his creativity more.

 

[GarrettKP]

I don't know Realms canon so well but I agree.

Larloch is a Lich, no?

And Allokair?

For my campaign* ending/group going away adventure, Allokair and Acererak are one and the same, and he also goes by other names depending on the time in realms history. He was an advisor to Pharoahs in my version of Netheril and banished from Toril by powerful magics. Since I was a kid, I decided for my games he exists in all worlds with many different names. Over the years my players have accidentally allowed him back into the world.


*Keep in mind, my Realms are very different in ways than published Realms . the OGB is my rough starting point, albeit, nothing is set in stone from that work, either. Netheril is not Phaerim and Shades. Mulhorand in it's Glory is a poor imitation of Great Netheril (and where most survivors from magic blasted Netheril ended up).

Ok, that's enough "In my campaign" nerd spew.

My point is- FR can and does have some big name Liches of it's own. Perkins should flex his creativity more.

The answer is pretty simple: Name Recognition.

Everyone who knows anything about D&D knows who Acererak is, even if they only know his most famous work (the Tomb of Horrors.) But most people that play do not know who Larloch and Allokair are. Realms fans do, but for the players not familiar with the Realms? They have no idea. But even newbies know of or are quickly made aware of the Tomb of Horrors and it's resident Demilich.

The goal for every single one of 5e's adventure releases has always been to replicate the shared experiences feeling that AD&D had. Back then everyone played through the great adventures like Tomb of Horrors, Temple of Elemental Evil and Against the Giants. Everyone who played during those days have shared stories about their time with those Modules. WotC wants that to be the case for 5e as well, and a great way to do it is to use recognizable names like Acererak and Tiamat and Strahd.

And you know what? It is working. 5th edition is one of the most successful editions the game has ever seen. The games growth in terms of sales, the player base, and the cultural awareness the game has received since 5th editions release is all tied back to how Wizards has handled this editions content.

It may not scratch some people's particular itch, but it has done so much to help this games growth that it isn't likely to change any time soon.

 

[Chaosmancer]

And another thing, since we are griping and that levels 1-11 thing still bothers me. For all the people where the APs and AL are their primary source of DnD, shouldn't we have an adventure that hits level 20 by now?

We are three years into 5e, and if all you play are the adventure paths the highest level you have likely gotten is 15 and that was to fight Juliblex or some other Demon Lord in a weakened state in the Underdark.

A plane hopping lich with a trap filled lair and centuries of experience preparing for adventurers to come and wreck his stuff would be the perfect time to have at least one adventure that pops those last five levels.


And man, what kind of expectations they are building for if they ever do drop a level 20 adventure. Players have fought Gods, Demon Lords, the Vampire Master of a Plane of Existence, stopped a plane hopping lich, did whatever it was the climax of SKT was.

And never were they as powerful as they could possibly be. Most of the time they were only at the half way point. They are kind of writing themselves into corners aren't they?

 

[GarrettKP]

And another thing, since we are griping and that levels 1-11 thing still bothers me. For all the people where the APs and AL are their primary source of DnD, shouldn't we have an adventure that hits level 20 by now?

We are three years into 5e, and if all you play are the adventure paths the highest level you have likely gotten is 15 and that was to fight Juliblex or some other Demon Lord in a weakened state in the Underdark.

A plane hopping lich with a trap filled lair and centuries of experience preparing for adventurers to come and wreck his stuff would be the perfect time to have at least one adventure that pops those last five levels.


And man, what kind of expectations they are building for if they ever do drop a level 20 adventure. Players have fought Gods, Demon Lords, the Vampire Master of a Plane of Existence, stopped a plane hopping lich, did whatever it was the climax of SKT was.

And never were they as powerful as they could possibly be. Most of the time they were only at the half way point. They are kind of writing themselves into corners aren't they?

Chris Perkins said their data shows there is not a high demand for high level APs, and that most DM's prefer to run their own Homebrew for high level games. He said they would happily make a high level AP if and when the data shows that the demand is high enough.

 

[Azzy]

Hiya.



Except Acererak isn't a plane hopper...he's a dead lich. He's dead. He had his minions build him his "final resting spot" (#33), destroyed them, then pretty much just waited for his lich body to crumble...leaving only his skull. Acereraks soul then went on to the planes and whatnot...but all dead people do that; you don't have to be a lich. IF his 'final resting spot' is breached (keys), his soul is brought back...in the form of a "demi-lich". But he's still dead and not going to get any better.

So...Acererak isnt' doing "bad stuff" because, again, he's dead. I have no idea what Chris Perkens was smoking when/if he said that...and if he did, then much of my contention stands; WotC is just trying to use an iconic name to sell stuff.

No matter how you slice it, it's still not a thing for me or my group. And me ranting about this annoyance can be chalked up to "Just one of those old coots, rambling on about how much better it was back in ye olden days...".

^_^

Paul L. Ming

Somebody missed Return to the Tomb of Horrors from 2e.

 

[JeffB]

The answer is pretty simple: Name Recognition.

Everyone who knows anything about D&D knows who Acererak is, even if they only know his most famous work (the Tomb of Horrors.) But most people that play do not know who Larloch and Allokair are. Realms fans do, but for the players not familiar with the Realms? They have no idea. But even newbies know of or are quickly made aware of the Tomb of Horrors and it's resident Demilich.

The goal for every single one of 5e's adventure releases has always been to replicate the shared experiences feeling that AD&D had. Back then everyone played through the great adventures like Tomb of Horrors, Temple of Elemental Evil and Against the Giants. Everyone who played during those days have shared stories about their time with those Modules. WotC wants that to be the case for 5e as well, and a great way to do it is to use recognizable names like Acererak and Tiamat and Strahd.

And you know what? It is working. 5th edition is one of the most successful editions the game has ever seen. The games growth in terms of sales, the player base, and the cultural awareness the game has received since 5th editions release is all tied back to how Wizards has handled this editions content.

It may not scratch some people's particular itch, but it has done so much to help this games growth that it isn't likely to change any time soon.

I.understand all the business reasons for 5his.

As someone who has seen all of this since the beginning ( i was playing around the time of G1's release) and seen it done over and over again for each edition I cannot fathom why fandom wants it this way. Nor can I understand a creative type who wants.to ride on others coat-tails, unless it is purely, like WOTC proper makes it, a financial decison.



:shrug:

 

[briggart]

The New D&D Adventure Is - Tomb of Annihilation!

The answer is pretty simple: Name Recognition.

Everyone who knows anything about D&D knows who Acererak is, even if they only know his most famous work (the Tomb of Horrors.) But most people that play do not know who Larloch and Allokair are. Realms fans do, but for the players not familiar with the Realms? They have no idea. But even newbies know of or are quickly made aware of the Tomb of Horrors and it's resident Demilich.

The goal for every single one of 5e's adventure releases has always been to replicate the shared experiences feeling that AD&D had. Back then everyone played through the great adventures like Tomb of Horrors, Temple of Elemental Evil and Against the Giants. Everyone who played during those days have shared stories about their time with those Modules. WotC wants that to be the case for 5e as well, and a great way to do it is to use recognizable names like Acererak and Tiamat and Strahd.

And you know what? It is working. 5th edition is one of the most successful editions the game has ever seen. The games growth in terms of sales, the player base, and the cultural awareness the game has received since 5th editions release is all tied back to how Wizards has handled this editions content.

It may not scratch some people's particular itch, but it has done so much to help this games growth that it isn't likely to change any time soon.

I'm not sure I totally agree that the adventure path approach is the main driver for D&D resurgence. I think that a large part is due to external factors. It's anecdotal evidence, but we our 20 something years old group had an influx of 3 separate new players that wanted to learn the game because they are fan of the Big Bang Theory. WotC has been good at taking advantage of this, and 5e is a great game for new players, but I don't think that it would have enjoyed as much success if it had come out right after 3.5.