[UPDATED] RAGE OF DEMONS! New D&D Storyline Features Drizzt, Underdark, & Demon Lords!

Following Elemental Evil this fall, Rage of Demons will launch a new storyline featuring Drizzt Do'Urden, the Underdark, and various demon lords from the Abyss including old favourites like Demogorgon, Orcus and Graz’zt. This will feature on tabletop, console, and PC. "The demon lords have been summoned from the Abyss and players must descend into the Underdark with the iconic hero Drizzt Do’Urden to stop the chaos before it threatens the surface." It begins with the adventure Out of the Abyss, which releases on September 15th for $49.95, and is being designed for WotC by Green Ronin Publishing. (Thanks to Charles Akins for that last scoop!)

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Drizzt? WotC's Chris Perkins says: "Drizzt's role in the RoD story varies depending on the platform. In the TRPG adventure, the PCs are the stars."

Inspiration: "My inspirations for RAGE OF DEMONS were Lewis Carroll's Wonderland stories and EXILE, by R.A. Salvatore." [Perkins] So this is the Alice in Wonderland inspired story that's been previously alluded to.

Here's the full announcement.

"Today, Wizards of the Coast announced Rage of Demons, the new storyline for Dungeons & Dragons fans coming in Fall 2015. The demon lords have been summoned from the Abyss and players must descend into the Underdark with the iconic hero Drizzt Do’Urden to stop the chaos before it threatens the surface. Rage of Demons is the story all D&D gamers will be excited to play this fall, whether they prefer consoles, PCs or rolling dice with friends.

Following on the critically-acclaimed Tyranny of Dragons and Elemental Evil stories, Rage of Demons will transport characters to the deadly and insane underworld. Rumors of powerful demon lords such as Demogorgon, Orcus and Graz’zt terrorizing the denizens of the Underdark have begun to filter up to the cities of the Sword Coast. The already dangerous caverns below the surface are thrown into ultimate chaos, madness and discord. The renegade drow Drizzt Do’Urden is sent to investigate but it will be up to you to aid in his fight against the demons before he succumbs to his darker temptations.

Dungeons & Dragons fans will have more options than ever to enjoy the Rage of Demons storyline. The themes of treachery and discord in the Underdark are in Sword Coast Legends, the new CRPG (computer role-playing game) coming this fall on PC from n-Space and Digital Extremes. The epic campaign that drives Sword Coast Legends' story forces players deep into the Underdark and continues well after launch with legendary adventurer Drizzt Do'Urden.

For fans of Neverwinter, the popular Dungeons & Dragons-based MMORPG will bring a new expansion – tentatively titled Neverwinter: Underdark – in 2015. The update will see adventurers travel with Drizzt to the drow city of Menzoberranzan during its demonic assault as well as experience a unique set of quests written by the creator of Drizzt, R.A. Salvatore. The expansion will initially be released on PC and will come out on the Xbox One at a later date.

Players of the tabletop roleplaying game can descend into the Underdark in Out of the Abyss, a new adventure which provides details on the demon lords rampaging through the Underdark. Partners such as WizKids, GaleForce 9 and Smiteworks will all support Rage of Demons with new products to help bring your tabletop game to life. To really get in the mind of Drizzt, fans will have to check out Archmage, the new novel by R.A. Salvatore, scheduled for release in early September.

“Rage of Demons is a huge storyline involving all expressions of Dungeons & Dragons, and we’re excited to bring players this story in concert with all of our partners,” said Nathan Stewart, Brand Director at Wizards of the Coast. “I can’t wait to see everyone interact with one of the world’s most recognizable fantasy characters: Drizzt Do’Urden. Descending into the depths won’t exactly be easy for him, and D&D fans will get their mettle tested just like Drizzt when they come face-to-face with all the demon lords.”

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[HonorBoundSamurai632]

Almost assuredly not going to happen, at least for the big transmedia storylines. No other setting has anywhere close to the presence of the Realms in the video game D&D universe.

That doesn't mean we can't have adventures that aren't FR, just that the big adventures that are tied to other products probably will be FR for a while. Maybe in a few years, if this relaunch of the brand works out and they want to expand the IP.

Just to counter this, as I said earlier, the only reason why The Realms has the presence is because since the debut of the grey box set in '87 .... this is the ONLY setting to receive this much attention. 2nd Edition Ravenloft did have a ton of support, but still not as close as The Forgotten Realms.

Once Gygax left TSR, there was 0 new Greyhawk material released. There was pretty much nothing until the Queen of Spiders mega-adventure ... which wasn't new, it was just reprinted older adventures all put into one nice, shiny, package. The only new one to come out, was 1st edition's lackluster Castle Greyhawk (which IMO was a dig at Gygax.) 2nd Edition Greyhawk only went to about 1995 until it was cancelled before WoTC purchased TSR, (which is why the supplement Ivid The Undying is a free download .... it was completed. It just needed the maps put in it, but the line was cancelled before that could happen.) When they brought back Greyhawk after the WoTC purchase in 1997, (again ... IMO) it was only because 3rd edition had Greyhawk as it's default setting (according to my 3.5 Player's Handbook.) The last big adventure for 2nd Edition was Die, Vecna Die ... so they need to get people familiar with Greyhawk again. But look how well that was supported in 3rd edition. Granted, everything was pretty much through the RPGA Network, but most of that material is now impossible to get your hands on. Basically, 3rd edition Greyhawk only had 4, (well 5) books for it .... and it was the DEFAULT setting for that edition. Living Greyhawk Folio, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, The Fright at Tristor, Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, and Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk. That's it. Look at everything that came out for The Realms in 3rd edition.

It's now really easy to say that The Realms is the only setting to make any money .... when it's the ONLY setting WoTC puts out on the market.

 

[TwoSix]

It's now really easy to say that The Realms is the only setting to make any money .... when it's the ONLY setting WoTC puts out on the market.

But that's what happened. It's in the past. And now things like Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter are known IPs, and the other settings simply aren't. Why would WotC spend the effort to make Greyhawk become a recognizable name when they already have other better-known names that they've barely begun to leverage?

 

[shadowdemon]

I personally don't mind the releasing of various campaigns for D&D 5e,but it would be nice to see actual supplements for the new edition.
Perhaps the FR campaign setting or a Psionic's handbook.Something is better than nothing. Don't get me wrong,the campaigns look really good and all,and i understand WOTC not wanting to release books for the sake of releasing books,but really.Not every DM has time to design their own setting or such.As much as i enjoy 5e,i feel like we have a defective bag of holding.A lot goes into it,but very little comes out.Until then,i'll enjoy the campaigns as they release.Other than Tyranny of Dragons,i'll eventually get to them at some point.

 

[the Jester]

Where would you like the AP's set? Dark Sun? Ravenloft? Spelljammer? Nentir Vale? Generic Mapvania untied to any world? Please, where would you like these adventures set?

I would like it if each adventure was set in a generic fantasy environment easily inserted into any given milieu, preferably without a lot of things that tie to the existing world. Better still would be simply not setting every adventure in the FR- I have no issue with FR fans getting stuff aimed at them, but give us FR-haters something, too. Princes of the Apocalypse was chock full of Greyhawk themes shoehorned into FR; it could have been set in WoG. And yes, I recognize that the ties to the FR can be snipped with a little work. But the reverse is true- give us a Mystara module, and it's just as easy to insert it into the Realms.

I realize that there are practical reasons that WotC is mostly sticking to the FR, but it doesn't make me happy.

 

[the Jester]

Ignoring the disparity of numbers, I wonder how Paizo avoids such complaints with setting all their APs on Golarion (and a fair amount walking distance from Sandport).

Well, it's different in that Pathfinder has built Golarion as its only setting since day one- since BEFORE day one, actually! Of course nobody is clamoring at Paizo to release stuff set in its other settings; to the best of my knowledge, they don't have any. (And if they do, well, then obviously they've set something there, since otherwise it wouldn't exist.)

 

[the Jester]

I care. They say vote with your dollars. So I'm voting by not buying.

Exactly what I was saying.

Though, as I posted upthread a bit, I don't know if I'll be able to resist those sweet, sweet demon prince stat blocks.

 

[Wicht]

Once Gygax left TSR, there was 0 new Greyhawk material released. There was pretty much nothing until the Queen of Spiders mega-adventure ... which wasn't new, it was just reprinted older adventures all put into one nice, shiny, package. The only new one to come out, was 1st edition's lackluster Castle Greyhawk (which IMO was a dig at Gygax.) 2nd Edition Greyhawk only went to about 1995 until it was cancelled before WoTC purchased TSR, (which is why the supplement Ivid The Undying is a free download .... it was completed. It just needed the maps put in it, but the line was cancelled before that could happen.) When they brought back Greyhawk after the WoTC purchase in 1997, (again ... IMO) it was only because 3rd edition had Greyhawk as it's default setting (according to my 3.5 Player's Handbook.) The last big adventure for 2nd Edition was Die, Vecna Die ... so they need to get people familiar with Greyhawk again. But look how well that was supported in 3rd edition. Granted, everything was pretty much through the RPGA Network, but most of that material is now impossible to get your hands on. Basically, 3rd edition Greyhawk only had 4, (well 5) books for it .... and it was the DEFAULT setting for that edition. Living Greyhawk Folio, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, The Fright at Tristor, Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, and Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk. That's it.

Both true and depressing. I've been wanting more Greyhawk material since first buying the old yellow and red campaign setting box way back when, and its been a long, dry wait... When 3e was first published, and they had the little Greyhawk folio they released, I thought - "this is it, they're going to rerelease Greyhawk!" and then... well... nothing...

 

[justinj3x3]

Exactly what I was saying.

Though, as I posted upthread a bit, I don't know if I'll be able to resist those sweet, sweet demon prince stat blocks.

Yeah I hear that. I'm still resisting Princes because it is clearly Greyhawk based material. But I'm sticking to my guns because I'm stubborn like that.

 

[the Jester]

The best post-1e Greyhawk support was in 3e... in Dungeon Magazine.

Which is pretty sad, especially since it wasn't even WotC producing it at the time. (Sad that there wasn't more actual GH stuff published, not that the Dungeon stuff was sad- it was, almost entirely, excellent!)

 

[Dire Bare]

Just to counter this, as I said earlier, the only reason why The Realms has the presence is because since the debut of the grey box set in '87 .... this is the ONLY setting to receive this much attention. 2nd Edition Ravenloft did have a ton of support, but still not as close as The Forgotten Realms.

Once Gygax left TSR, there was 0 new Greyhawk material released. There was pretty much nothing until the Queen of Spiders mega-adventure ... which wasn't new, it was just reprinted older adventures all put into one nice, shiny, package. The only new one to come out, was 1st edition's lackluster Castle Greyhawk (which IMO was a dig at Gygax.) 2nd Edition Greyhawk only went to about 1995 until it was cancelled before WoTC purchased TSR, (which is why the supplement Ivid The Undying is a free download .... it was completed. It just needed the maps put in it, but the line was cancelled before that could happen.) When they brought back Greyhawk after the WoTC purchase in 1997, (again ... IMO) it was only because 3rd edition had Greyhawk as it's default setting (according to my 3.5 Player's Handbook.) The last big adventure for 2nd Edition was Die, Vecna Die ... so they need to get people familiar with Greyhawk again. But look how well that was supported in 3rd edition. Granted, everything was pretty much through the RPGA Network, but most of that material is now impossible to get your hands on. Basically, 3rd edition Greyhawk only had 4, (well 5) books for it .... and it was the DEFAULT setting for that edition. Living Greyhawk Folio, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, The Fright at Tristor, Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, and Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk. That's it. Look at everything that came out for The Realms in 3rd edition.

It's now really easy to say that The Realms is the only setting to make any money .... when it's the ONLY setting WoTC puts out on the market.

It's like you are ignoring the facts in your own post in order to make a point.

WotC did try to put Greyhawk forward as THE core D&D setting at the beginning of 3rd edition, as a part of the first nostalgia wave of design and marketing. It didn't work out. By the end of the 3rd edition line, Greyhawk really wasn't the default setting anymore, as many of the RPG products and novels were set in Generistan rather than Oerth. Greyhawk doesn't sell. Sorry.

WotC pushes the Forgotten Realms for one simple reason . . . IT SELLS! It is the most popular and beloved D&D setting despite the constant negativity and whining of the "FR-haters" who just can't accept that their own favorite setting isn't also the most popular. Get over it.

If you don't care for the Realms, fine. If you have another setting you prefer, fine. Just stop the constant whining that WotC has ONCE AGAIN (oh noes) used the Realms as the setting for a new product. Jeesh!