The $30 million toe in the water

Dungeons & Dragons: Total Party Killers, a four-part series , is set to debut on July 22, 2026, with a brand-new Ravenloft-set story that brings fans back to the game's premier horror setting.

The series, written by Christopher Hastings, artist Denis Merdi, and colorist Dan Jackson, flips traditional D&D adventuring on its head by making monsters the party members.

Classic D&D monsters,including a lycanthrope, gelatinous cube, mind flayer,death knight, and baby beholder, will form their own adventuring party as they fight for their freedom and potentially to save Ravenloft from total collapse.

A major Forgotten Realms villain's Ravenloft debut

A major Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms villain is set to return this fall in a brand-new Ravenloft-set D&D sreies.

Valindra Shadowmantle, the moon elf who became a lich,is one of the Shadow Realms' most iconic and memorable villains.

Her blend of necromantic horror, intelligence, and political intrigue sets her apart from typical brute-force boss fights in campaigns, making her a fan favorite among players.

The $30 million question: What's next for Ravenloft?

Given that Valindra Shadowmantle is typically a Forgotten Realms character, it will be especially intriguing to see her make the transition into the Domains of Dread.

With this shift in setting for such an iconic villain, it will also be interesting to see whether the series uses the opportunity to expand Ravenloft lore rather than simply using it as a backdrop .

One of the key rules of Ravenloft is that the Mists are always active and always watching, meaning villains like Shadowmantle can be drawn into them and transformed into new Darklords, with entire Domains of Dread potentially forming around them.

The design is gorgeous

The official image of the lich has revealed that she is set to return on September 2 , 2026, in a brand-new Dungeons & Dragons series that brings fans back to the game's premier horror setting: Ravenloft.

The design is gorgeous, preserving the character's traditional look while adapting it for the comic medium.

As a result, Valindra Shadowmantle is on the verge of embarking on one of her most exciting Dungeons & Dragons chapters yet.