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| Genre | Role-playing games |
|---|---|
| Publisher | TSR |
Publication date | 1991 |
Darklords is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, published in 1991.
The supplement focuses on "sixteen different Darklords spread out over thirteen chapters". [1] The Darklords are:
According to Gene Alloway, the character and background of each Darklord is well-developed, with "appearance, background, current sketch, the domain of the particular Darklord, and a section on confronting the entity" as well as other details included. [2]
RR1: Darklords is a 96-page Ravenloft accessory book published in 1991 for $10.95. [1] [3] It was written by Andria Hayday "with some additional design by William W. Connors, Bruce Nesmith, and James Lowder". [3] The cover art featuring a "dagger-wielding lich" is by Tim Hildebrandt, while the interior artwork is by Stephen Fabian. [2] David C. Sutherland III created the maps with 3D infrastructure views. [2] In 2013, it was rereleased as a PDF on the DNDClassics website for $9.99. [1] [4]
Gene Alloway reviewed Darklords in the May/June 1992 issue of White Wolf Magazine . He rated the sourcebook a 4 out of 5 overall, stating it as a "must for a Ravenloft campaign". [2] Alloway also stated that "It is a well-made and designed product, and one that has usefulness outside of Ravenloft and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons itself." [2]
The supplement was also reviewed in Windgeflüster #20 (November 1992). [4]
Alex Lucard, for DieHard GameFan , reviewed the PDF edition in 2013. On the various Darklords, Lucard stated, "I’m not happy with four of the sixteen, but that means there’s a 75% quality ratio here and that’s pretty darn good. As well, Darklords is a must own for anyone even casually interested in Ravenloft to see just how much depth and detail was put into even a C-level minor lord of the Dark Domain". [1] On the digital edition, he wrote, "this PDF rerelease is a bit pricey consider the physical copy was only a dollar more back in 1991, but D&D PDFs do tend to be a bit overpriced compared to their contemporaries. If you don’t already own a copy of Darklords, I would still strongly recommend the PDF version at this price as it’s very well done, but you might want to check Ebay for a physical copy first as you can undoubtedly get it cheaper". [1]
Kevin Kulp, game designer, highlighted that "a notable aspect of this book is that most of the darklords aren't particularly powerful, even by 2nd edition AD&D standards. [...] That makes this book useful as a low-level supplement, and significantly expands its utility. It's also a nice reminder that just because someone is evil and despicable, they aren't necessarily particularly tough or good at combat. They may have other abilities, assets, or assistance". [3]
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 called "domains", brought together by a mysterious force known only as the Dark Powers. Each domain is tailored to and mystically ruled by a being called a Darklord who is forever trapped and surrounded by magical mists surrounding the domain. Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire in the original AD&DRavenloft I6 module released in 1983, became the first Darklord, both ruler and prisoner of his own personal domain of Barovia. The story of how Count von Zarovich became Darklord of Barovia was detailed in the 1993 novel I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire. As originally established in the Ravenloft: Realm of Terror boxed set known as "the Black Box" released in 1990, the Ravenloft campaign setting was located in the Ethereal Plane. As a physical manifestation of that plane, lands, monsters and even people were created out of the mysterious mists, and the realm acted as a prison where one could enter or be transported, but means of escape were few. Other Ravenloft Domains and Darklords were eventually added in various AD&D 2nd edition products establishing a core continent attached around Barovia which could be traveled to by others if their respective lords allowed entering or leaving their borders; while some Domains remained isolated in the mists and were referred to as Islands.
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