''Expedition to Castle Ravenloft'' is a
module
Module, modular and modularity may refer to the concept of modularity. They may also refer to:
Computing and engineering
* Modular design, the engineering discipline of designing complex devices using separately designed sub-components
* Mo ...
for the ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. (TS ...
'' (''D&D'')
role-playing game, released in October 2006 by
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games. It is currently a subsidia ...
.
Contents
''Expedition to Castle Ravenloft'' is a 226-page
hardcover book, released as an updated and expanded version of the original ''
Ravenloft
Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a ''pocket dimension'' or demiplane, called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land pieces ...
'' module for the
''D&D'' v3.5 ruleset. This returned the adventure to its roots, stripping the demiplane setting of the Ravenloft campaign. This expanded version was designed to be able to run a mini-campaign for about 20 sessions taking characters from level 6 to 10, with options for instead running long (8 session), short (4 session) or single session adventures.
It includes suggestions for incorporating the adventure into an existing generic,
Forgotten Realms
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the '' Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as ...
,
Eberron
Eberron is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') role-playing game. The game is set primarily on the continent of Khorvaire following a vast destructive war. Eberron is designed to accommodate traditional ''D&D'' elements a ...
or
d20 Modern
''d20 Modern'' is a modern fantasy role-playing game system designed by Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, and Charles Ryan. The system's core rulebook was published by Wizards of the Coast on November 1, 2002; by 2006, ten additional supp ...
campaign, but makes no mention of doing so in a Ravenloft
campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A '' campaign'' is a series of individual adventures, and a ''campaign setting'' is the world in which such adventures and c ...
.
Publication history
The module was designed by
Bruce R. Cordell and
James Wyatt
James Wyatt (3 August 1746 – 4 September 1813) was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical and neo-Gothic styles. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1785 and was its president from 1805 to 1806.
Early life
W ...
. It was published in October 2006. Cover art was by
Kev Walker
Kevin Walker is a British comics artist and illustrator, based in Leeds, who worked mainly on '' 2000 AD'' and ''Warhammer'' comics and the collectible card game '' Magic: The Gathering''. He is now working for Marvel Comics.
Biography
Walker ...
, with interior art by
Dave Allsop
Dave Allsop is a Scottish game designer and artist for role-playing games and video games.
Career
Dave Allsop developed the role-playing game ''SLA Industries'' (1993); the Scottish company Nightfall Games was founded solely to publish the game. ...
,
Kalman Andrasofsky,
Ralph Horsley,
William O'Connor,
Lucio Parrillo
Lucio Parrillo (born 30 January 1974) is an Italian artist, known for comic books, role-playing game covers, and ''Magic: The Gathering'' cards.
Early life
Lucio was born in Catanzaro, southern Italy, where he attended art school in Catanzaro. ...
,
Anne Stokes and
Eva Widermann
Eva Widermann (born June 6, 1978) is an illustrator and concept artist whose work appears in role-playing games.
Education
She went to the Scholastic of Graphic & Design, Munich.
Career
Widermann started her graphic design career in 1998 and wo ...
.
It is a reimagining of the original ''Ravenloft'' module, and does not pull in additional Ravenloft material from sources other than new design from Bruce Cordell and James Wyatt that complements the original.
Legacy
In his 2011 book, Shannon Appelcline discussed how, 3.0 had only lasted three years, and that by 2006 people were beginning to wonder if Wizards of the Coast might be preparing a fourth edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons'': "The release of ''Expedition to Castle Ravenloft'' (2006) might just have offered another clue to the changing winds that lay ahead. First, it was a new line for 3.5e, suggesting that their original series of 3.5e books was coming to an end. Second, it was a fond look back at one of the most notable adventures from the ''AD&D'' days, just the sort of thing that Wizards published in the waning days of 2e. More ''Expedition'' books followed the next year, including ''
Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk
''Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk'' is an adventure book for the 3.5 edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. The adventure is set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting, specifically in and around Castle ...
'' (2007), a long-awaited return to the most famous dungeon in roleplaying."
Appelcline later noted that, once fourth edition was officially announced: "The ''Expedition'' books that had begun publication in 2006 were revealed to indeed be part of Wizard's slow slide into 4e."
Reviews
References
{{D&D topics
Dungeons & Dragons modules
Ravenloft
Role-playing game supplements introduced in 2006