Lords of Darkness is the name of two accessories for the fictional Forgotten Realms

Forgotten Realms

The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...

 campaign setting

Campaign setting

A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...

 for the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition

The first Lords of Darkness was written by Ed Greenwood

Ed Greenwood

Ed Greenwood is a Canadian writer and editor who created the Forgotten Realms. He invented the Forgotten Realms as a child, as a fantasy world in which to set the stories he imagined, and later used this world as a campaign setting for his own personal Dungeons & Dragons playing group...

, with Deborah Christian, Michael Stackpole

Michael A. Stackpole

Michael A. Stackpole is a science fiction and fantasy author best known for his Star Wars and Battletech books. He was born in Wausau, Wisconsin, but raised in Vermont...

, Paul Jaquays

Paul Jaquays

Paul Jaquays is a game designer and artist of table-top role-playing games and video games.Some of his notable works include the Dungeons & Dragons modules "Dark Tower" and "Caverns of Thracia" for Judges Guild; development and design of conversions on games such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong for...

, Steve Perrin

Steve Perrin

Stephen Herbert Perrin, born January 22 1946 and simply known as Steve Perrin, is a game designer and technical writer/editor.Perrin is probably best known for creating the role-playing game RuneQuest for Chaosium...

, Vince Garcia, and Jean Rabe

Jean Rabe

Jean Rabe is a fantasy and sci-fi author and editor who has worked on the Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, and BattleTech series, as well as many others.-Career:...

, with cover art by Jeff Easley

Jeff Easley

Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...

 and interior art by Karl Waller

Karl Waller

Karl Waller is an American artist whose work has appeared in comic books and roleplaying and collectible card games.-Early life and education:He graduated from the Pennsylvania School of Art in 1987, with a diploma in communication arts.-Career:...

, and was published by TSR in 1988 as a 96-page book. The book, with product code TSR 9240, was released for the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

Lords of Darkness is a collection of 10 miniscenarios set in the Forgotten Realms

Forgotten Realms

The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...

, all featuring undead monsters such as skeletons, ghouls, wights, shadows, mummies, vampires, and ghosts; the book also includes suggestions on how to role-play undead and a section on "A Mundane Guide to Wards vs. Undead, Spirits, and Other Entities".

The 96-page book features a two-page introduction by Ed Greenwood. It explains that, while this book is set in the Forgotten Realms setting, it can be used in different fantasy campaign settings. The introduction gives details on undead in the Forgotten Realms, advice for a Dungeon Master

Dungeon Master

In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Dungeon Master is the game organizer and participant in charge of creating the details and challenges of a given adventure, while maintaining a realistic continuity of events...

 to use undead in a campaign, alternatives to some of the more deadly powers of the undead, and information on non-evil types of undead.

Tales From Beyond the Grave (pages 4-75) presents 10 complete adventure scenarios, each one highlighting a "classic" undead

Undead (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, undead is a classification of monsters that can be encountered by player characters. Undead creatures are most often once-living creatures, which have been animated by spiritual or supernatural forces....

 type, with the challenges increasing from one scenario to the next. Creature notes accompany each adventure. The scenarios are from five to nine pages each, and include the following: Skeletons

Skeleton (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the skeleton is an undead creature, usually created by applying a template to another creature.-Dungeons & Dragons :...

by Deborah Christian, Zombies

Zombie (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the zombie is an undead creature, usually created by applying a template to another creature.-Dungeons & Dragons :...

by Michael Stackpole, Ghouls and Ghasts

Ghoul (Dungeons & Dragons)

For the generic mythological creature, see Ghoul.In the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game, ghouls are monstrous, undead humans who reek of carrion.-Dungeons & Dragons :...

by Paul Jaquays, The Tombs of Deckon Thar

Wight (Dungeons & Dragons)

A wight is an undead creature in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:The wight takes its inspiration from the barrow-wights in the world of Middle-earth created by J. R. R...

by Steve Perrin, Shadows

Shadow (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the shadow is an undead creature.-Publication history:The shadow was introduced to the game in its first supplement, Greyhawk ....

by Christian, Mummies

Mummy (Dungeons & Dragons)

A mummy, in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, is an undead creature whose corpse has been mummified and animated, often through the power of an evil god of the Egyptian pantheon such as Set.-Publication history:...

by Jaquays, Vampires

Vampire (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the vampire is an undead creature. A humanoid or monstrous humanoid can become a vampire, and looks as it did in life, with pale skin, haunting red eyes, and a feral cast to its features...

by Vince Garcia and Jean Rabe, Ghosts

Ghost (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the ghost is an undead creature. Like a Dungeons & Dragons vampire, it is achieved by applying a template to a base creature, of the races existing for playability within the canon.-Description:...

by Garcia, Oriental Spectres

Spectre (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the spectre is an undead creature.-Dungeons & Dragons :The spectre was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the Dungeons & Dragons "white box" set...

by Christian, and The Dread Lair of Alokkair

Lich (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the lich is an undead creature; a spellcaster who seeks to defy death by magical means.-Dungeons & Dragons :...

by Greenwood.

The Night Gallery (pages 75-84) details the main character or creature of each adventure, and can be used to plan a series of encounters. A Mundane Guide to Wards by Greenwood (pages 85-91) explores the magic and lore of dealing with undead. The Lords of Darkness by Greenwood (pages 92-96) presents new spells for necromancers.

Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition

The second Lords of Darkness was released for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The book was published in 2001, and was written by Jason Carl

Jason Carl

Jason Carl is a game designer who has worked on a number of roleplaying games, including the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.-Biography:...

 and Sean K. Reynolds

Sean K. Reynolds

Sean K Reynolds is a professional game designer who has worked on and co-written a number of D&D supplements for Wizards of the Coast, as well as material for other companies. He does not put a period after his middle initial.-Background:...

.

This 192-page accessory details 28 villainous groups, contains maps of evil strongholds, and details new spells, feats, and magic items

Magic item (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, a magic item is any object that has magical powers inherent in it. These may act on their own or be the tools of the character in whose hands they fall into. Magic items have been prevalent in the game in every edition and setting, from the...

. The book presents five prestige classes, including Darkmask, Entropist, Spur Lord, Thayan Knight, and Zhentarim Skymage. Monsters such as the Daemonfey appear in this book.