[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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[Raunalyn]

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

I think Drizzt is secretly evil. He wanted Cattie Brie, so he was the one who staged the first of Wulfgar's many deaths. I also think he was the second gunman on the Grassy Knoll.

 

[Irennan]

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!

Don't forget that this time around the cultists will be some dimwitted, power hungry priestesses of Lolth/drow wizards, and that will totally make all the difference in the world (or perhaps it will be revealed that this is just another Lolth's plan to take over the world, when her previous one has just failed).

 

[steeldragons]

Dripp'z fandom notwithstanding, they are certainly taking a "Go big or Go home!" approach to these adventure paths. First we had the Dragonlancey Tiamat's Coming, let's do all things dragons. Then the homage to Hommlet/ToEE and all things earthy, windy, fiery & wet with Elemental Princes.

Now we're nodding to Descent to the Depths...and, no doubt, Queen of the Demon[inter]webs...not 1, but a BUNCH of D&D's biggest Demon Lords in the mix, Lolth has GOT to be making an appearance...in the Underdark, so count on Duergar, Derro, Drow, Mindflayers & Abolethy [...Beholder?...] goodness...and, apparently, demons, demons, demons (Baphomet and demonic mino's in a mega labyrinth, anyone? I'll take those odds.)

Seems like they are just saying, "Right. What are the biggest most dangerous and powerful things we have/have hinted at? Yeah. Let's use those. No. Not 'that', thooose. All of 'em. All at once. Hey Mikey! UA on demon-related/underdark stuff in the next 3 months."

[And complete aside/speculation for the undeniable upcoming "campaign in the Underdark" UA article: I will put money on "Duergar as a PC race" [though I don't agree they should ever be]. Maybe a "Demonologist" wizard tradition or magical feat...and/or demon/Abyssal Sorcerer subclasses (since it's the whine of the ages that there aren't enough sorcerers)...probably some rogue or ranger archetype as well. Maybe we'll see the "summoner" [gods I hate that word]/"pet" wizard some people have been crying about...some guy who just conjures up low level demons to do their fighting.

...not sure what else. I guess 1 race, 1-2 subclass, and a feat would be a solid article.]

 

[Jefferson Jim]

Did they announce who is writing the book(s)?

 

[Wicht]

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.

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.

It sure sounds like Drizzt is intended to be the primary hero with the PCs tagging along, aiding, and be with Drizzt. Really, from the marketing blurbs, it sounds like Drizzt, even more than the demons, is the focus of the campaign. That might just be marketing spin, but its their words.

And the primary paragraph about the RPG adventure has a whole sentence devoted to checking out the new novel about Drizzt to help you better prepare mentally for the adventure.

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

I don't "hate" Drizzt. But its bad adventure writing to have an NPC steal the show from the PCs and this just strikes me as having huge potential to do just that.

 

[Astrosicebear]

Sounds like a short story waiting to happen....

Memoirs of a Cultist

The exhilarating tale of a single man, three cults, and the struggle to survive.

 

[Kramodlog]

I think Drizzt is secretly evil. He wanted Cattie Brie, so he was the one who staged the first of Wulfgar's many deaths. I also think he was the second gunman on the Grassy Knoll.

The "magic bullet" wasn't magic. It was just Drizzt's uber dexterity at work! Spread the truth people!

 

[DEFCON 1]

Let's see. The Crystal Shard (and the debut of Drizzt) was released in 1988. Twenty-seven years ago. Most of the so-called Mary-Sueisms of him occurred twenty to twenty-five years ago, when all those players who did it were kids. It's now been a quarter-century later and people are *still* hung up on it? Drizzt is *still* the Antichrist to them? Jeez. Ordinarily I'd say "You know, it's been 25 years... maybe you should just let it go already, you'd probably feel better"... but I'm pretty sure that'd just fall on deaf ears.

Your annoying friend from high school insisted on playing a dual-wielding ranger dark elf, and you've held onto that anger and resentment of him and the character for a quarter-century. Yeah... that sounds about right for the average D&D fan.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

The presence of Drizz't is a complete turnoff for this storyline. I'll see about the player's companion, but this hold little interest so far because of the presence that character.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Wow, many of the things I dislike in D&D, tied up into a neat little package. I think I'll pass on this one.

I think I'm starting to acclimate myself to this new model. I'm getting the kind of stuff I'm interested in for free, subsidized by the people buying into WotC's "stories".