[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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[the Jester]

Really, though, I'd be unhappy about any setting that had taken over like the Realms has, even Greyhawk or Eberron, both of which I love. At its core, D&D should remain world agnostic.

Oh God yes. I totally agree. Give me an adventure I can insert into my own game without having to rejigger who the damn Harpers, Cult of the Dragon, Red Wizards et. al. are.

The idea that they plan to use non-setting books to detail the Realms vexes me. I don't want to buy crap for the Realms. I accept that most source books have something I'm not going to use, but it's usually at least a thematic match -- I didn't use Wu Jen, but it made sense to have it in the Complete Arcane. What do the Harpers have to do with PotA?

I agree with this so hard that it could break a diamond.

 

[Dire Bare]

I'm not ignoring anything. I'm showing that even though they claimed Greyhawk was the default setting for that edition, they did not support it. Technically, Fright at Tristor was originally only available through the RPGA Network so it wasn't even a book that was readily available at your local book store or a Barnes & Nobles, etc. As was mentioned, if you were not a subscriber to Dungeon Magazine, you really got 0 updates to Greyhawk during that edition. Where by comparison .... The Realms had TONS of 3rd edition support even though it was not stated it was the default setting for that edition.

You and I have different ideas of what adequate support means, I think. I feel Greyhawk got plenty of support during the initial launch of 3rd edition, and I very much count the Dragon and Dungeon magazines as they were official D&D products.

Overall, the Realms most certainly did get *more* support than Greyhawk did, but I don't see that as a lack of effort or care on WotC's part. See my "chicken-or-egg" comment a few posts up.

I really, honestly don't feel the Realms supremacy is one of quality products, amount of products, care and attention of the designers, or any sort of judgment call from fans or designers other than . . . more folks simply prefer the Realms as their "go-to" setting. I have some serious love for all of the older settings, including Greyhawk, but I don't begrudge WotC making the smart move with the Realms . . . of course, I love the Realms too!

 

[the Jester]

The closest we can compare is WotC's effort to use Greyhawk as the default setting for early 3rd edition. Classic D&D with a strong fanbase . . . but ultimately not popular enough to survive even until the end of the 3rd edition cycle. Some argue that's because WotC didn't try hard enough (put out tons of amazing products), but I think that's wishful thinking.

I'm sorry, I'm unclear- are you saying that WotC put out tons of amazing GH material in 3e, or that the notion that they would is wishful thinking?

I disagree with the first, but sadly, I agree with the second. But honestly, I'd settle for one or two awesome products that were set in Greyhawk; I'm not even really asking for that, since I run a homebrewed setting these days anyhow. I'm not asking for more GH support, so much as for even one adventure that is NOT set in the FR.

 

[Agamon]

The problem with this is when the new adventures make assumptions about events along the timeline. The astute DM can remove it, I am sure, but it becomes more and more work the further the setting gets removed from the base assumptions.

That could be a problem, in theory. But so far it isn't in practice. The adventures they've released so far have don't delve deep enough into setting details to make the timeline an issue. I'm sure that's purposeful.

 

[justinj3x3]

Yup Dire Bare is ignoring me so there's no point in responding to him....... (Greyhawk got crap support during 3e and the support it got in the mags are thanks to Mona NOT WOTC.)

 

[the Jester]

I enjoyed the Nentir Vale setting, although I enjoyed the larger "World Axis" cosmology even more! It was a quality setting that was coherent and a lot of fun . . . and very generic D&D. But I think it is telling that WotC did not bring the Nentir Vale forward into 5th edition (at least, not yet), did not create a *new* generic fantasy world for 5th, but instead put the focus of the core books on both *all* and *none* of the classic D&D settings and have chosen the Realms for their initial focus.

Well, there's the 4e tiefling and dragonborn, as well as the eladrin in the DMG. And the SF and FW made it in. So elements of the Nentir Vale made it, although not the setting itself.

On that subject, one thing that I thought was amazing in 4e and that I really hope gets brought forward officially (it's totally in my game) is Torog and the whole story of how he created the Underdark. OMFG, that's awesome.

 

[justinj3x3]

On that subject, one thing that I thought was amazing in 4e and that I really hope gets brought forward officially (it's totally in my game) is Torog and the whole story of how he created the Underdark. OMFG, that's awesome.

I forgot about that. That was some good lore!

 

[Mercule]

You have to give some credit to Ed Greenwood as well. He put a lot of work into the setting. I know it's derivative and has a lot Mary Sue's, but Ed put his heart and soul into the setting. He did some fun, creative things with it. He helped promote and develop it. He seemed to have a lot of fun doing so. It was his fantasy land he shared with the D&D community. Ed Greenwood's enthusiasm for The Realms was infectious and seemed to inspire a lot of fluff and crunch development for D&D. When people are hating on The Realms, they seem to forget that it was created by fellow gamer geek Ed Greenwood, a man passionate about fantasy, D&D, and world creation.

Yeah. I try not to cross the line to "FR suxxors" because I do get that Ed was/is very passionate about it. I only wish my home brew was half as richly detailed as the Realms.

Nothing is truly generic. Mystara comes closest, but even that has a personality. So do Greyhawk and the Realms. Some of it is very hard to verbalize, but it's there. I didn't really care for Mystara or the Realms. I like Greyhawk, but probably wouldn't have cared if I'd started with the "From the Ashes" instead of the gold and red box. My home setting could be considered generic, but it's different than those three. Sometimes, the devil really is in the details:

When I opened the original grey box, I found the maps to be aesthetically displeasing. The only thing I really remember is something about the giant glacier being next to the desert. My buddy said "that's the thing, this world is that magic-rich," and I think that one line, as much as anything turned me off the setting. And, yeah, I know he didn't know any more than I did.

I like elves, but I hate the physical description of the Realms elves. (Like I said, details.)

Caves, even stupidly large ones big enough to hold a city, are fine. The idea of the Underdark being a fully connected, fully realized subterranean "continent" turns me off.

Drow as long-lost, little known, evil cousins to the elves is kinda cool. Drow as the go-to boogy-man, not so much. Part of that is probably related to the whole Underdark thing, though.

Major, named NPCs are almost required for a setting to come alive. Generally they are regional or reclusive, though. Drizzt wasn't bad until every game I started had one (or more) players who wanted to clone him -- even if it was a sci-fi game. Also, Elminster was kinda cool when he was just an old wizard who penned articles for Dragon magazine.

 

[Wicht]

You and I have different ideas of what adequate support means, I think. I feel Greyhawk got plenty of support during the initial launch of 3rd edition, and I very much count the Dragon and Dungeon magazines as they were official D&D products.

You and I have different ideas of what "plenty of support" means, I think.

 

[JeffB]

Yup Dire Bare is ignoring me so there's no point in responding to him....... (Greyhawk got crap support during 3e and the support it got in the mags are thanks to Mona NOT WOTC.)

Lately it seems if you don't toe the Company line around here, several posters will B&M about years of whiners and whining, throw you into that camp, and eventually ignore you. You are better off, don't sweat it