https://youtu.be/oNITNlxQvFU

Join me as I review Spectre of the Black Rose by James Lowder and Voronica Whitney-Robinson, live! Share your thoughts on this sequel to Knight of the Black Rose, the novel about Lord Soth in the Ravenloft campaign setting. This is the twentieth book in the Ravenloft The Covenant series.

You can pick up Spectre of the Black Rose here: https://amzn.to/3oEOQ70

About Spectre of the Black Rose

This chilling sequel to Knight of the Black Rose reunites readers with the iconic Dragonlance-turned-Ravenloft villain, Lord Soth

Factions vie for control of Sithicus as Lord Soth—darklord and former knight from the Dragonlance world—fights to keep his reign from crumbling. Even as he struggles to defeat his enemies, rumor reaches him that the White Rose haunts the land. Has Kitiara finally returned to Soth, or is this another spectre from the death knight's tragic past?

Dark, atmospheric, and featuring one of the most beloved Dungeons & Dragons villains, Spectre of the Black Rose is another stunning work of Gothic horror about the masters and monsters of the Ravenloft dark fantasy setting.

Transcript

Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. It is Misham, Gildember 14th, my name is Adam and today I am going to give you my Spoiler review of Spectre of the Black Rose. I will be spoiling the story, so if you don’t want to know it, stop watching now! I would like to take a moment and thank my collaborator patrons, the Heroes of the Lance, and invite you to consider becoming a patron or member of this channel by visiting the links in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate link. This is my perspective only, and if you have any thoughts or disagree with mine, I invite you to share them in YouTube chat.

The novel opens with Gesmas Malaturno traveling to Sithicus on behalf of his master Malocchio Aderre. He is a spy who gathers information, and Aderre wants to know the history of Lord Soth. He has been traveling in Sithicus, speaking to elves, humans, and even paid off a Vistana to gather information. He then starts heading toward the mists to leave as Azrael, Lord Soth’s senechal appears before him. Panicked, as Azrael’s reputation precedes him, Gesmas tries to escape, but alas, Azrael is too quick, and Lord Soth’s undead Knights aid in preventing his escape. He is taken before Soth who has been in a statuary state on his throne for years. As his memory fades, Sithicus grows more and more dangerous, with sickness and plagues spreading, wars being fought and scheming by all of its denizens. 

Soth revives at Gesmas’ arrival and asks what he is doing in Sithicus. Gesmas tells the truth that he is a spy for Lord Aderre, and Soth asks him to tell him the tales he has gathered in his domain. He tells many takes with lies or half truths, and Lord Soth confirms truths to him, retelling portions. Lord Soth realises he has been derelict in his ruling of Sithicus and demands Gesmas to be sent to the mines to work off his debt with other prisoners. On the way to the mines, the wagon is attacked, and The Bloody Cobbler murders him.

We cut to a shop where the Vistani led by an aging Magda is trading carpet for salt and Azrael walks in preceded by Lord Soth. Soth wants to know who Gesmas got his tale from, and Magda denies it was her. That elves and humans across his domain have been spreading tales. The truth is that a member of her tribe sold the knowledge, and Magda outcasts him for it later.