Scholar of Decay

[Hamiclar]

The missing people may have moved on. People come and go from the city which is always going similar to Vegas, thinking of the remake of Fright Night movie. People dissapearing is common in cities let alone all crime related deaths of the cities syndacate. The ratt families are differant, I think back of secret of nimh the children book with mutant ratts as a good source to how they act, especially to those not of them the mouse charectors for instance. Having a city of humans to mimic to travel beyond Richmolout and possibly see them as amusements to play with and discard or eat when the given items becomes boring or bothersome.

On a further note I totally agree with an earlier post that the land is better to one livlihood to where other came from. Mordent also would not be bad place to go to if one were to rise to purchase property and move away starting as the mysterious rich land owner. Even Borca would be hell thugs and starving taxes would cause serfs to flee and whose owners would place a bounty for their recovery.

[alhoon]

Curious as to the statistics of the town now....? How populated is it? I though the town was rather large so you'd meet new people at the time because everyone here is an immigrant. (some who wouldn't stay long on their continued move) Maybe the Baker and his wife decided to move on?

It's big by Ravenloft standards and very small by modern standards. 16500 people IIRC.
500 times smaller than the metropolitan area of Chicago.

By comparison, 1-2 murders/month in Pont-a-Musseau (which is what more or less I expected) is like 6K-12K murders/year in Metropolitan Chicago. There are unfortunately a few places in the world (like very bad neighborhoods) that have as many murders per capita.

15-20 murders per month in a town of 16500 people is more or less 1500-2000 murders per month in a city of 1.65Millions like Damascus of Syria. Even in the battle of Damascus last summer, death ratio didn't hit that much.

[Zilfer]

Curious as to the statistics of the town now....? How populated is it? I though the town was rather large so you'd meet new people at the time because everyone here is an immigrant. (some who wouldn't stay long on their continued move) Maybe the Baker and his wife decided to move on?

It's big by Ravenloft standards and very small by modern standards. 16500 people IIRC.
500 times smaller than the metropolitan area of Chicago.

By comparison, 1-2 murders/month in Pont-a-Musseau (which is what more or less I expected) is like 6K-12K murders/year in Metropolitan Chicago. There are unfortunately a few places in the world (like very bad neighborhoods) that have as many murders per capita.

15-20 murders per month in a town of 16500 people is more or less 1500-2000 murders per month in a city of 1.65Millions like Damascus of Syria. Even in the battle of Damascus last summer, death ratio didn't hit that much.

Not sure about that battle but now a days there is a lot less deaths because we could save more people with modern medicine than before.

I still say it wouldn't be that noticeable at 1-2 murders a month. Just watching american news where almost every month theres some sort of killing, murder, bomb threat, ect going on. Now that's across the whole US. It's save to say some "disappearing person" never show up again and don't get reported as a "murder" in a city death ratios. I mean in Las Vegas I don't know if you know the city here in the USA but if you go missing there no one will probably jump to the assumption that you died. It's Sin City, and you probably are just blowing all your cash or getting lost in the wild life of Vegas. (the party end of it that is, there's sections that are like normal towns/city)

Especially when in that same city Immigrants are coming in all the time from other places. I doubt you'd notice the baker went missing if you saw his shop closed for a day. First assumption would be maybe he's taking a day off, or something happened to his family or he's taking a vacation. Hell maybe he closed shop because he gave one of the Renier's a bad look and they literally can run people out of business with rumors. Let alone since rumors and knowledge is power and worth gold in Richemulot if you know someone died that's currency and you won't spread it around. Might try to black mail a lower Renier that did it or you'll keep quite because if you ask to many questions well then the Renier's remove YOU as well. Could be self preservation that they aren't observant to the fact that people go 'missing.'

It's not like most of the commers can actually fight wererats very easily. It's probably not common knowledge of their weaknesses and this place is full of rats everywhere. The "Enemy" seems to know a lot of secrets (thanks to rats in the walls). So if they need dirt it's not TOO hard to get into people's houses and out without anyone seeing.

I believe a good amount of people for crime are relatively unobservant. Most recent case hitting the media in the US at least was about 3 women as it? Locked in a house that this man lived in, and there were visitors to this place and people that lived nearby. How could this go on for YEARS?!?! It baffles my mind, though I could see any strange noises being shuffled of as trying to be ignored because that's what a lot of people do. They don't get involved or investigate into matters that doesn't concern their life.


Though I realize everyone has different opinions and you have a right to yours. I'm just saying I don't think it would be THAT noticeable. To tell you the truth I'd probably want to live in Mordentshire first pick or Richemulot second pick maybe third behind Dementlieu but i'm not sure about that....

[alhoon]

I still say it wouldn't be that noticeable at 1-2 murders a month.
...
Now that's across the whole US.

Well, 1-2 murders per month in a town of 16500 people is a huge number. I don't know where you live. If you live in a small town or suburb consider how your life would be if there were 2 murders/month in the community. If you live in a large city, consider how your life would be if there were 2 murders/month in a radius of 10 city blocks from your house.
There are such places in the world, and people still live there. They try to find a better job and move out to better neighborhoods however. We're talking murder ratio of a Harlem here.

As for disappearences... in the opening chapter, the moment the sun sets, there are screams from the town as people start getting attacked by wererats.

HOWEVER my biggest problem is not the above it is...

Hell maybe he closed shop because he gave one of the Renier's a bad look and they literally can run people out of business with rumors. Let alone since rumors and knowledge is power and worth gold in Richemulot if you know someone died that's currency and you won't spread it around.

That! You hit the nail on the head!

In the book, what you described is not happening. In the book, if you give a Renier a bad look, 6 wererats transform and attack you. Your blood on the walls and all. No rumors. And most people know that and bend in half for the Reniers as if it's Falkovia.
In the opening chapter, a boatman insults by accident a noble and when he notices it, he expects to be killed, not that nobody would ride his boat. I won't spoil on what happened or anything, but I'll say that the boatman was increadibly gratefull that he would survive the night.
Those that "disappear" are usually powerful nobles.

I much, MUCH prefer the Richemulot where a bad look results in bad gossip and you have to leave town, than a Falkovia 2 where a bad look means you're eaten alive and you know it.

About the number of killed-by-wererats per night in a town of 16500 people, I can just sigh and say "Oh well, another author that didn't do enough research on how many people die per day even in a besieged city".
About the fact that wererats actually control Pont-a-mussaeu not being a secret? Wererats nearly flaunting they are wererats and boasting "We have very keen ears and we have very keen smell!"? About a bad look earning a grizzly death instead of bad rumors? That's just not the Richemulot I had in mind.

Still: Very nice book, even if I disagree with the author on how Richemulot is portraied.

[Zilfer]

oh gotcha. Sorry I may be combining bits of knowledge from the Book with the Gaz I got them around the same time so xD my bad! xD

[alhoon]

Yeah, as I said, despite what message my posts may have passed, the book is nice, I just have a different approach on Richemulot than the book.

[Zilfer]

indeed.

[Hamiclar]

plagues also were a common cause of pop destablization. Second cent bc is perfect example cites in greece were ghost towns or quater popuation. Looking at dark age Roman cities after the Fall of Rome, the populations were fraction of the original poputaion. Rome for instance was literrally unhiabitated people leaving or taken as slaves. Nova Vassan or Borcan slave trades may take some people, let alon

[alhoon]

Oh, I have no problem with the mostly empty cities of Richemulot. Those are right there in the Domains of Dread descriptions, and every description of Richemulot I've ever read.

[Hamiclar]

I view Richmolout as the Roman cities which were left by previous populations, Roman for instance relied on Catacombs for strong holds the others moving in would be succeptable to those dangers of the night. The Ratts would totally thrive in cities being the original humans and adapting to or replacing those who come, and like the Romans stealing or making do with what works. Another thing i love about the RV pop is that it does not take in account creatures which pass or humans, which could be vampyre clans which would thrive much like they do in Falkovia.

[alhoon]

Interesting take on the Richemulot and their empty cities... I don't see Richemulot IMC that way, but I may add a domain or something in CL5 era with that in mind; the previous population living in catacombs and certain neighborhoods of cities and town, pale etc while the immigrants are different and live in the empty houses.
Because you see, if I go by "the old people transformed to wererats and the feed on the immigrants and lord over them as they come" is too close to Richemulot.

[alhoon]

At page 70 now. The book (aside of the things I described earlier) shapes up very, very nicely. Family intrigue mixed with adventure. Very nice book so far. A bit too fantasy IMO for Ravenloft, but still very nice. There are few, if any, slow passages. The pace is fast. Things happen intrigue-wise.

Some discussions I loved and are not spoily:

Jaquiline: "You're in a good mood today. Your fits of pique usually last longer"
Louise: "I found a diversion"
J: "I see. Will he be joining us for breakfast?"
L: "I don't think that's necessary. There's plenty of food here already"



Yves Milette: "Yes Louise but we thought you were interested in the other one"
Louise: "Don't think, you'll live longer"

And then, some spoilers. Dmitri is dense as Sansa Stark... (page 90 so far)

VIEW CONTENT:

He didn't know his brother was a wizard. He haven't got the hints until Louise told him about it. And then, he had to see his brother flying to be sure.

Also Chanelle, the albino wererat, seems interested in Dmitri. Well, more like she's jealous of Louise barging in and stealing him. But it still counts.
And of course, the following exchange:
"I don't understand why everyone says this city is dangerous. Standing here, with you, I feel perfectly safe" Dmitri, to Louise. I was laughing for some time.

Another note of discontent from me for the murders/capita in Richemulot:
In Port-a-Musseau there are SINGERS that sing at nights and all, to cover the screams.

[Zilfer]

xD if they get a chance to scream.

[alhoon]

Nearing the end. Pieces are falling into place. So far, aside on a different view on the Reniers (I imagined them as manipulators, they're brutes and bullies) and a way different view on how many murders per week a town of 16500 people can sustain before order breaks appart...

It's a very, very nice and enjoyable book. I have to literally fight to put it down every time.

[alhoon]

Finished it.

I have to say that it was a very, very enjoyable reading. I also kinda disagree with the "it has a bad/sad ending!" reviews.

That's because:

VIEW CONTENT:

- Everybody lives.
- The bad guys get a thrashing. 3 wererats dead, Louise in trouble and Jaquiline having lost a bit of power
- Louise in a way liberates Aurek by breaking the statue of his wife. Now he can grieve of her... and get over it. Live his life. Perhaps even love again.
- The brothers reconsile
- Nobody gets irrevocably mad
- Both Aurik and Dmitri find redemption in my eyes, paying a price for their choices

By some of the reviews saying "awful ending!" and "OMG! I want to see the good guys winning! Not tragic defeats!" I expected an ending like an evil Aurik laughing histerically holding a sacrificed Dmitri's heart or a wererat Dmitri showing to Aurik his steaming entrails before he devours them, as Louise/Jaquiline/both hold down Aurik or something as bad.