Overview
Lords of Darkness (LoD) is a 192-page perfect bound, soft cover book. It has full-color cover and interior art and a cover price of $29.95 US ($41.95 CAN). LoD is designed as a Third Edition D&D accessory for use with the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. It is also a 'web-enhanced product' that includes additional information that can be found on the Wizards of the Coast website.
Lords of Darkness takes a detailed look at a number of major and minor evil organizations that can be found in the Forgotten Realms. The book is divided into four sections, an Introduction, Major Organizations, Minor Organizations and an Appendix: Tools of Evil.
A Detailed Look
The Introduction provides an overview of how the information for each organization is broken down, as well as suggestions on introducing those organizations into a campaign as either one shot villains or as reoccurring foes. A very useful section lists equivalent monsters from the Monster Manual that some of the organizations can use if the DM does not have access to Monsters of Faerun (You mean I can actually get by without being forced to buy another supplement - egad!)
The biggest section of the book is devoted to detailed descriptions of seven evil organizations that can be found in the realms. They are The Church of Cyric, The Cult of the Dragon, The Drow, The Nightmasks, Red Wizards of Thay, The Shades and The Zhentarim. Of course, all of these were covered in some fashion in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book, but LoD provides substantially more detail.
The section for each organization lists its history, organization, hierarchy, deities, motivation and goals, recruiting practices, enemies and allies. In addition to that is a list of encounters for the organization (most from EL 4 - EL 16) that includes combat tactics, weapons and equipment and more. Also, tables similar to those found in the DMG list NPCs from 1st to 10th level. Some organizations also have a special prestige class that is described. Finally, a map and detailed description is provided of a lair/headquarters/hideout for each organization.
As an example of what kind of information is provided for an organization, the listing for The Zhentarim lists the major figures found in the organization (including level and their position within the organization). A sidebar describes the appearance and personality of a typical Zhentarim member. Two NPC tables are included, one for Zhentarim Fighters and one for Zhentarim Wizards. Included with the NPC tables are detailed equipment lists. The Zhentarim Skymage prestige class is described. Finally, a map and detailed description of a Zhentarim outpost is included.
Twenty minor organizations each get a briefer treatment of from one to six pages of information. Each listing includes the history, organization, hierarchy, deities, motivation and goals, recruiting practices, enemies and allies of each organization, but only some get encounter lists and/or lair maps. Not being terribly familiar with the realms, I only recognized a few of these organizations like The Church of Bane.
The appendix lists several new magic items and artifacts for your campaign as well as a new weapon special ability (smoking). A section entitled Drugs in Faerun lists thirteen drugs that can be found in the Realms, as well as information on drug smuggling and addiction. Seventeen new spells are listed (six from Magic of Faerun). Three new feats are described (one from Tome and Blood) and the section is rounded out with six new alchemical items (all but one from Tome and Blood). I don't mind the reprinted material here since it saves having to reference (and purchase) two other supplements and the material itself doesn't account for a significant portion of the book's page count.
Opinion
My favorite RPG supplements are the ones that give me useful staff that I can plug into my campaign with a minimum of effort. Lords of Darkness provides DMs running the Realms with a veritable basketful of goodies that they can use in their campaigns with little preparation.
For example, a party of four 6th level characters is traveling across Anauroch and you decide to introduce them to the friendly Zhentarim. No problem, just whip out your copy of LoD, flip to page 99 and jot down the info on an EL 6 Zhentarim caravan - instant encounter. If you need more information on its Wizard leader, just flip over to page 101 and grab the info off the NPC chart.
I really can't praise Lords of Darkness enough. It takes a huge amount of time to create NPCs and encounters for a regular campaign and LoD should help take at least some of that load off a busy DM.
Should you buy it?
If you are running a campaign in the Forgotten Realms, it's very simple, you need this book. If you are running a Third Edition D&D campaign and want an excellent resource to mine for creating your own groups of bad guys, you need this book. Even if you just want to use the maps, prestige classes, NPC tables and/or sample encounters, you will still find it a worthwhile purchase.
My hat is off to Jason Carl and Sean Reynolds for a job well done. This is easily the best Third Edition D&D product I have seen since the Manual of the Planes. It almost makes me want to start up a campaign in the Realms…
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