[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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[Sunsword]

So no... the fact the Realms have dealt with the potential return of Tiamat, the Elemental Lords, and Demon Princes all in the span of like 2 years in the Realms timeline is pretty much par for the historical course.

Its more than 2 years in the Realms time line, Out of the Abyss is set several years AFTER Elemental Evil.

 

[Mirtek]

Its more than 2 years in the Realms time line, Out of the Abyss is set several years AFTER Elemental Evil.

If it's in the current Drizzt novel timeline that remains to be seen. The last Drizzt novels happened before ToD and I don't think that the drow will sit idle for years

 

[Dire Bare]

When I came in and saw 10 pages already, I was thinking, "Thanks Drizzt".

Perhaps "Thanks Drizzt!" should be the tabletop version of the (satirical) "Thanks Obama!"

 

[Dire Bare]

Or, you know, instead of being shallow twits, maybe Drizzt haters hate Drizzt not because they think it makes them cool, but because Drizzt is a perfect example of what they perceive of as the worst of D&D- the Mary Sue, never-gonna-die-cuz-DM-fiat, special-snowflake-Underdark-evilbadrace-good-guy, the uberNPC that dominates the game. Instead of having anything to do with "cool", Drizzt hate is, simply put... Drizzt hate.

Not to say that Drizzt lovers are in the wrong; it's a matter of personal taste. But claiming that Drizzt-haters are just trying to be cool is absolutely ridiculous.

Sorry, but no. Drizzt-hate is simply one of the many examples of fan-negativity rampant on these boards and elsewhere on the intertubes. It's tiring for those of us who don't feel the need to bring "hate" into our hobby lives.

Now, I'm not saying everybody has to "love" Drizzt or that your dislike of a fictional character isn't legit. But Drizzt-hate goes way beyond, "I don't care for that character and how he is used in D&D fiction."

And, like most irrational hate, the "crimes" attributed to our poor dark elf go beyond truth and rationality. And is equally tiring.

 

[YourSwordIsMine]

What saddens me, is that Drizzt is the most popular and more importantly most well known...

Where is the love for Morgan Ironwolf? Black Dougal? Sister Rebecca? Aleena Halaran? Bargle? Warduke?

There are far more characters in D&D than just Elminster and Drizzt, and yet no one remembers them...

 

[Celtavian]

Sorry, but no. Drizzt-hate is simply one of the many examples of fan-negativity rampant on these boards and elsewhere on the intertubes. It's tiring for those of us who don't feel the need to bring "hate" into our hobby lives.

Now, I'm not saying everybody has to "love" Drizzt or that your dislike of a fictional character isn't legit. But Drizzt-hate goes way beyond, "I don't care for that character and how he is used in D&D fiction."

And, like most irrational hate, the "crimes" attributed to our poor dark elf go beyond truth and rationality. And is equally tiring.

Makes you wonder if D&D fans would avoid a D&D movie based on Drizzt. I know people that don't even play D&D that know about Drizzt. A Drizzy movie would have a way better chance of succeeding than some no name D&D movie.

 

[Mephista]

I'm not a fan of Drizzt. That said...?

There's the promise of tieflings in the first expansion, and I'm totally a Brimstone Angels fangirl. I'd be excited about a Farideh cameo, so, hey. To each their own.

 

[TwoSix]

What saddens me, is that Drizzt is the most popular and more importantly most well known...

Where is the love for Morgan Ironwolf? Black Dougal? Sister Rebecca? Aleena Halaran? Bargle? Warduke?

There are far more characters in D&D than just Elminster and Drizzt, and yet no one remembers them...

Yea, I have no idea of who any of those people are, except I think I've seen Bargle referenced here a few times. No idea who he (or she) is.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

What steps through? Strahd and his hellish minions.

 

[raphaelus]

Some are expressing concern, but others are out right narrating the pitfalls that the design and story WILL have. Insane (and pretentious). This especially considering the great track of current releases.
The few mentioned elements could be worked on dozens of ways.**

The thing with "Drizzt hate" is that is a good revealer of the delusional fabricated sense of self coolness of many nerds. Man are pop hatreds lame. You can be sure that there will be some people around complaining that have never followed Drizzt media, and their dismissive "reasons" are repeated from comments they've read.

Friends, if you want to play a drow or a dual weilding ranger and the DM or fellow player scoffs at the idea, RUN. Consider it a red flag of the dark side of dorkiness.