25
\$\begingroup\$

I'm likely fishing for a needle in a haystack but my daughter spotted a tabletop RPG book in a game store a while back and I'm trying to track it down as a possible Christmas gift. Unfortunately, I don't even know if it was D&D or some other system.

What my daughter remembers is that it had a picture of a "panther with blue swirls" on the cover.

I remember glancing inside and it seemed like a D&D "Adventure Book" like Candlekeep Mysteries or The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. It had lots of illustrations of maps or various creatures in that setting.

I've done lots of searching but haven't been able to track down this book.

Does anyone in the community know what this book might be?

\$\endgroup\$
4
  • 5
    \$\begingroup\$ Some thoughts to maybe narrow things down, if you happen to know any: Was this an old book, or new? (D&D is nearly 50 years old, but only a tiny fraction of the books for it are still in print. And among newer books, there are fewer systems to consider since so many have switched to digital-only.) Do you happen to remember if the art filled the cover, or if it was inset with solid color around it? (Might hint at the age of the book, if you don’t remember; if nothing else it will help weed out candidates.) \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Commented Nov 30, 2021 at 2:23
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Hardcover vs. softcover? Full (A4ish) size or a smaller size? Even things like "the paper was glossy" or "interior illustrations were B&W" can be very helpful. Oh, and welcome! It may be a needle in a haystack, but as the hundreds of product-identification questions attest to, we like those searches, too =) \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60
    Commented Nov 30, 2021 at 2:41
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks for the feedback. Here's what we remember. I think it was relatively new. Full (A4) size, I think. Glossy cover. Cost was $50-$60, I forget the exact value. I seem to think that it may have had something to do with fairies, but not sure on that account - may have just made that up. :D \$\endgroup\$
    – McGlone
    Commented Nov 30, 2021 at 3:16
  • \$\begingroup\$ Welcome to RPG.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Commented Nov 30, 2021 at 14:58

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
36
\$\begingroup\$

It is The Wild Beyond the Witchlight alternate cover.

enter image description here

Seems to to fit quite well with the “panther with blue swirls” description, and is consistent with the other info you’ve provided; it contains maps and creatures, is full size, glossy, $50, and has fairies. The product page can be found here, with this description of the alt cover:

On the Alt-Cover:

Hydro74 presents Star, a displacer beast kitten that loves adventuring in the Feywild. A wondrous magic item called the Witchlight vane graces the back cover.

The artist's webpage can be found here: Hydro74.

If this is correct, be advised this is an adventure book written for a dungeon master to run the game for a group of players. This will not tell you how to play the game. For some information on getting started with D&D 5e, see this Q&A: What resources are really needed to start 5e?

\$\endgroup\$
5
  • 12
    \$\begingroup\$ It may be worth noting that the creature on the cover is not, in fact, a panther, but rather a “displacer beast,” which is rather similar to a panther except it has eight limbs—four forelegs, two hindlegs, and a pair of tentacles coming off of its back. They’re known for the fact that they have a permanent, natural displacement effect—that is, they are actually several feet away from wherever they appear to be. Also featured in one of my favorite D&D pieces. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Commented Nov 30, 2021 at 2:52
  • 3
    \$\begingroup\$ Also, that’s some gorgeous cover art in its own right. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Commented Nov 30, 2021 at 2:53
  • 3
    \$\begingroup\$ Given the context of a gift and OP's apparent inexperience with RPGs, it is worth noting in your answer that this is not a standalone game. I imagine it is playable with OGL material, but I don't actually know. \$\endgroup\$
    – Joel Harmon
    Commented Nov 30, 2021 at 15:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ @JoelHarmon Ah, that's a really good point. \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Commented Nov 30, 2021 at 15:39
  • 9
    \$\begingroup\$ My daughter took one look at it and confirmed that this was the book. I had found the same book but with a different cover that I didn't recognize. After seeing this response, I found the answer here: dnd.wizards.com/products/wild-beyond-witchlight. Apparently, that's a version exclusively for game stores. Thank you all very much for helping to identify this book! \$\endgroup\$
    – McGlone
    Commented Dec 1, 2021 at 6:46

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .