In 2014, Wizards of the Coast released the first of what would be, so far, three boxed sets aimed at getting people to try out Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition. The adventure included within, “Lost Mine of Phandelver”, has since gone on to become a modern classic that’s been the gateway for millions of players to the world of role-playing games. But starting in September, heroes old and new will discover there are much bigger problems to solve and darker evils to slay.
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk returns players to the location of the first Starter Set for the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Part remaster, part sequel, this book offers a fresh take on a classic adventure location while expanding the story to last much longer than the original tale. This new adventure takes parties from level 1 to 12. The original boxed set ran from firth through fifth levels; this version takes players all the way up to 12th level before the tale is told.
“In Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk, players are immersed in a story that gets stranger and becomes more ominous as the adventure goes on,” said Amanda Hamon, Senior Designer for D&D Studio and the book’s lead designer. “Once the nature of the threat to Phandalin becomes clear, the characters must race against the clock to save this beloved town against classic D&D villains we’ve given a fresh, terrifying twist.”
The adventure features 20 creatures that showcase psionic magic. The new monsters reflect the over all plotline about how the region of Phandelver is being corrupted by some powerful force. As the players play through the storyline, they will see their allies and enemies change because of this powerful presence.
“The corruption doesn’t appear only in the story’s characters and locations, it is a part of how the book’s art and visual design shifts, too,” says Bree Heiss, Art Director in the D&D Studio. “We wanted to create an immersive and thoughtful experience for the players that was as visually compelling as the story is exciting.”
The new story ties in many of the dangling plot threads left in the original boxed set. It also winds through the mysterious obelisks that have appeared in every official D&D adventure since then. While Hamon and Heiss didn’t want to discuss spoilers, the sickly green of the limited edition book and the discussion of how classic monsters have been changed bring to mind horror films like Annihilation where a powerful presence radiates energy that changes everyday things in abnormal ways.
The first section of the book serves as a more in-depth look at the Phandalin region. It offers multiple options not just for spin-off stories from the main narrative but also ideas for characters returning to the areas might reconnect with allies and enemies from the original boxed set. It also features advice for players who already played the original adventure and how playing through this version with new characters might be different.
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is available as a digital only product through D&D Beyond, as a physical book at local game stores, or as a digital/physical product bundle. Digital purchases go live on September 5th while physical books are due out on September 19th.
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