This is the Battle Royale Domain of Dread. It’s an unending war between evil factions. What’s interesting about this Domain of Dread is that it involves multiple factions at war for control, including multiple Darklords trying to take control. This is a Domain inspired by Indian folklore and mythology, which immediately raises some eyebrows, but looking at the writer list for this book is one of the most diverse crews yet–and WotC has said they’re working with sensitivity consultants heavily this time around, so we’ll see.

There’s a new Darklord, Ladesca Drakov, who is somehow responsible for the outbreak. It once was kind of Barovia-lite, home to Vlad Drakov, who was basically just like a slightly different vampire like Strahd.

Falkovniaįalkovnia is one of the OG Domains of Dread. If you’re looking for a mix of the Feywild, Aristocracy, and the Shadowfell, this is the one you’ll want. This is as White Wolf a Domain of Dread as it gets. Dementlieuįirst up is Dementlieu, a dark faerie tale style realm full of regal courts and elegant dresses, alongside ghoulish footmen and so forth. But more information has dropped about some of the Domains of Dread in the book, let’s take a look at what you’ll find. As mentioned before, we’ll see the return of some old favorites from 2nd Edition, but we’ll also find some brand new Dread Domains inspired by more modern horror stories, including, as you’ll see here, a Zombie Apocalypse one and a Battle Royale inspired one. The one thing that connects them all are the Mists of Ravenloft, which act as a barrier to exit–once you’re in, you’re in until you do whatever the dark powers around Ravenloft want you to do.Īnd in the newest book, Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, thirty of these Domains of Dread are being brought to 5th Edition for the first time. These are self-contained ‘demiplanes’ that can encompass an area as small as a castle and its village, or might span a continent. Instead it’s made up of semi-related pocket dimensions, called Domains of Dread. Ravenloft is a unique setting from among D&D in that it isn’t a contiguous world like Faerun or Eberron. The upcoming Ravenloft book will feature 30 different “Domains of Dread” what’s a Domain of Dread, and what’s in the book? Take a look for yourself.

Ravenloft novels