[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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[TwoSix]

I have a hard time seeing how this plays out well on the table top... Either 1) Drizzt just can't do it without the PCs, which undercuts him as a character and is a weak marketing move (and sorta a transparently pandering story-line). 2) The PCs get to trot along and fight behind Drizzt which undercuts them as characters and seems a bad idea. or 3) Drizzt is just window dressing and doesn't figure much into the adventure; which raises the question of why include him?

Yeah, color me skeptical... Maybe they can pull it off, and if they do, they have props from me; but that just sounds like a bad idea on so many levels.

I imagine that Drizz't will be a more constant presence in Sword Coast Legends and Neverwinter, but only window dressing in the TT adventure. I didn't see Drizz't actually mentioned in the three sentence blurb specifically about the TT adventure. It did make note of more details about Demon Lords, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that being the specific focus of the adventure.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Sounds a little generic...but whatevs, all the storylines have been pretty generic so far. They haven't been able to hook me yet.

 

[Kramodlog]

So, on a side note, PCs defeating summoned cosmic beings again? Add cultists and I see a pattern of laziness.

 

[Wulfang]

Not sure why everyone is hating on Drizzt's presence.

In every setting I run whether in Forgotten Realms or my own world, their are powerful "Gandalf" and "Drizzt" like NPCs to interact with. He's just an NPC that will take part of the story, its still YOUR story.

So much negativity lol I for one am looking forward to this one more-so then that last two released.

 

[Rod Staffwand]

Do not want.

FR setting? Blech. Demons? Meh. Underdark? Yeah, okay, maybe. Drizzt? Most definitely not.

The whole vibe of this project is early DL adventures with prescribed storylines and sacrosanct NPCs. I'm picturing a DM sidebar entitled "What To Do If Drizzt Dies: Thou Shalt Not Kill Off D&D's Most Iconic Character Even In a Home Game".

Can WotC avoid all the obvious pitfalls and produce a decent or even great adventure? Sure. Will I buy it if they can? Nope. Still not interested.

 

[Raunalyn]

Why would Drizzt need the help of the PCs? He's such a Gary Stu that he can clear it out all on his own. No need for other adventurers to help him.

If I decide to purchase this one (big if...I am *not* a fan of Drizzt), I will gut him entirely from the campaign.

 

[Obvious_Ninja]

Not sure why everyone is hating on Drizzt's presence.

In every setting I run whether in Forgotten Realms or my own world, their are powerful "Gandalf" and "Drizzt" like NPCs to interact with. He's just an NPC that will take part of the story, its still YOUR story.

So much negativity lol I for one am looking forward to this one more-so then that last two released.

*Ninja-ed!* Just to add to this. My thought was, Drizzt would approach the PC's and pull the ol' "You guys go this way while I take care of this thing over here..." and depending on the results of the PC's action will react to what Drizzt pulls off...

 

[Kramodlog]

Not sure why everyone is hating on Drizzt's presence.

In every setting I run whether in Forgotten Realms or my own world, their are powerful "Gandalf" and "Drizzt" like NPCs to interact with. He's just an NPC that will take part of the story, its still YOUR story.

So much negativity lol I for one am looking forward to this one more-so then that last two released.

Some hate goes toward those DMs who made Drizzt a NPc in there game that upstaged the PCs. Some hate goes toward the Drizzt fanboys. Some toward those players who wanted to play always wanted to play a Drow to emulate their hero. Some of it toward bad novels who are somehow popular. Some of it toward Drizzt's omnipresence and Mary Sue qualities.

Some, like me, feel he unjustly upstaged D&D's true heroic character. Sorak. Sorak would kick Drizzt's butt! #teamsorak

 

[TerraDave]

This is going to involve cultist, right?

I actually like demons lords, including with stats, and underdark is alright. I could certainly use some of it, depending on what it is.

 

[delericho]

So, on a side note, PCs defeating summoned cosmic beings again? Add cultists and I see a pattern of laziness.

Nah.

In the first one, there's a summoning going on that you can stop.

In the second one, there's several summonings going on, you can stop some of them, but at least one will complete.

In the third one, all the summonings have already been completed.

See? Completely different!