Predictions: The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
As I mentioned in my last blog, I wanted to discuss my thoughts and predictions on the newly announced Dungeons and Dragons Adventure Storyline: The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. Unlike the newly announced Strixhaven campaign setting, I am super excited about this book and it can’t come out soon enough! Warning! There will be heavy speculation in this post, but that’s half the fun! The only information we have confirmed at this time about the story is that the story will take place in the Feywild and that it will be “A wickedly whimsical adventure for the world’s greatest roleplaying game.” Only the scribes at Wizards of the Coast truly know the contents and story at this time and they are keeping details pretty tight; however, more details are scheduled to be announced July 19th on G4! Until then, we can only guess, but I do have some speculations that I think hold water. Time will tell how many will be correct.
Prediction 1: The Wild beyond the Witchlight will not be a horror module.
The past two Adventure Storylines, Descent into Avernus, and Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden both contain heavy horror themes so it would follow that it is time for a break from horror in The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. While I think that The Wild Beyond the Witchlight may contain some horror elements, I don’t think it will be the main focus.Also, last time Dungeons and Dragons 5e doubled up on the horror with Out of the Abyss and Curse of Strahd it was followed shortly after by Storm Kings Thunder: a sprawling trot across the lands of the Forgotten Realms. Which Leads me to Prediction 2.
Prediction 2: The focus will be on Roleplaying and Exploration.
The past few Adventure Storylines have focused on survival in hostile environments and have leaned more towards combat than other modules I have run. This leads me to believe that The Wild Beyond the Witchlight will focus on the other legs of RPGs: Exploration and Roleplaying. I believe this for two reasons. First, I think Wizards of the Coast wants to reward and reach those players who want to roleplay in a whimsical setting. Second, I think there is a ton of cool stuff to explore while in the Feywild--flora, fauna, and locations to visit!
Prediction 3: The players will start the game trapped in the Feywild.
Through some machination or another, I have a feeling that the players will find themselves trapped in the feywild, trying to find something. I believe this for a couple of reasons. First, portals to the Feywild just appear and disappear semi-randomly which means the players could fall into one one day and it could shut behind them. Second, from a purely metagaming standpoint, having the players be able to wander wherever they please is problematic for a narrative.
Prediction 4: There will be a section in the book about how to make your game more whimsical and magic will work differently in the Feywild.
Many of the other Adventure Storylines have contained tips and tricks on how to evoke a horror feeling or how to make your game feel like it is happening on another plane of existence. Also, in previous Adventure Storylines that take place on different planes, magic has worked differently, even if only aesthetically. This would be a great way to make the feywild feel especially unique.
Prediction 5: The main storyline will interact with the whimsical conflict between the Seelie and Unseelie Fey.
One of the most interesting things about the Feywild are the courts of the summer and winter fey. The fairies of legend have been classified in a variety of ways but one of the most well-known is the Scottish division of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. With the Unseelie being the more dangerous or mal-intentioned of the two. William Shakespeare was inspired by this division and, in turn, the Feywild was greatly inspired by one of his most famous plays: “A Midsummer Night's Dream,” which features the court of Queen Titania. She is a key character in both the play and in the Feywild of Dungeons and Dragons 5e and is spoken of by name in the 5e Dungeon Master's Guide. It would seem a fairly big miss for the players to visit the Feywild and not encounter the two fey factions and their conflict.
Prediction 6: The Adventure Path will tie into at least one of the other adventure paths.
This prediction is pretty outlandish, but it has some merit because almost all of the other adventure paths have tied into other published adventures in one way or another. If I had to guess it would be Out of the Abyss, as it has the most whimsical inspiration with many of the story points being influenced by Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.” It may be difficult to tie the two together but I think this link makes the most sense.
So what do you think of my predictions? Do you have some predictions of your own? Join the conversation in our Friends of Open Heart Games Facebook Group!
‘Til next time!
Take Heart!
Karington Hess
Game Master and Founder of Open Heart Games
