How Much Do They Know?

[stormwell]

Interesting thought came to mind; How much do the inhabitants of Ravenloft actually know about their plane of existence?

Do they think its still a traditional world? Or do they think its something akin to a pocket dimension?

I'm running a campaign with Outlander characters, so curious whether much more than be said beyond "You're not in Kansas any more..."

[Joël of the FoS]

Interesting thought came to mind; How much do the inhabitants of Ravenloft actually know about their plane of existence?

Do they think its still a traditional world? Or do they think its something akin to a pocket dimension?

I'm running a campaign with Outlander characters, so curious whether much more than be said beyond "You're not in Kansas any more..."

In medieval times, most people knew about their region in a 20-30 miles radius. Outside was too far away, people didn't travel much.

IMC, people know about their own area, and of other known places in the domain (or neighboring domains) if it is not too far.

The concept of "world" or "pocket dimension" is something they would never think of.

But they would tell many folk lores, bard tales and legends (of some monsters, Strahd, other famous/infamous persons, people who disappear in the night, haunted places), which could be true or not. Because most people never experience the surnatural with their own eyes.

That said, a select few more knowledgeable persons might have a more global opinion (adventurers, S, Van Richten, the Weathermay-Foxgrove twins, the FoS, some open-minded university teachers, the vistani, ...)

[High Priest Mikhal]

Basically what Joel said is true for my campaign as well. With some qualifiers.

Common folk and even most educated scholars do not know about or they don't believe in multiple realities/worlds beyond some vague idea of an afterlife. Either because they don't care or they're unwilling to entertain the idea.

Most of those scholars who do know about or believe in multiple planes of existence do not accept the idea that the Realms of Dread is a demiplane, nor have many heard of such a thing. Aside folks who have some insight into the true nature of Ravenloft (Azalin, the Fraternity of Shadows, Strahd, etc.); i.e., those who possess ranks in the Knowledge (the planes) skill or its equivalent in post-3.x editions and have gained ranks while both inside and outside Ravenloft. Those who learned the skill only while outside Ravenloft wouldn't know much about the Land of Mists, while those who studied only while inside would only know things as they pertain to the demiplane.

Outlanders, unless they have ranks in Knowledge (the planes), would likely be unaware of other planes or the idea of a demiplane in any sense beyond folklore unless they've done some planar traveling themselves or are native to a planar city like Sigil. Even in the latter case what they believe may not be what's actually true, which is where that Knowledge skill comes in.

[Five]

I like to leave my options open, so it really boils down to what kind of story I want to either tell, or, be a part of.

As I am Black Box-bred I like the idea behind the "weekend in hell". Strangers in a strange land; what is real and what is almost illusion?; is this behind the wall of sleep?; are the characters inside themselves, or, trapped in some sort of dream dimension (or the realm of Madness)?; have they really physically been transported to another physical reality?...that sort of thing.

Yet, on the other hand, I like the idea of a "native" RL, that gel factor/infrastructure of 3E. It's a full-out campaign world, rich with A's, B's, and C's, and rife with X's, Y's, and Z's. Sometimes the meta-mental needs to be pushed aside and a campaign or one-shot needs something a little different under the hood. Something more grounded.

So, yeah. Both character knowledge and lack of character knowledge of the truth behind RL is a hook to me. Nothing more, nothing less.

That grubby madman that the church-going townspeople cross the street to avoid? You know, that guy that smells like his guts are rotting; that old bastard that the kids keeps knocking the piss out of...? He's the only one who gets it. Seriously. How mucked is that?

That mental patient that screams obscenities during every half moon (before she invariably gets sedated by those jaded gronk orderlies)? Yup. She's the avatar of Truth. And here sages of our time think they're all that. Ha.

Nobody knows nothing. Much like us, IRL, as we rocket our egos out into the Void, eyes fixed firmly on our reflection in the rearview mirror...

Anything goes, IMO, when it comes to Ravenloft. It's vastly different editions is, seemingly, designed to be the perfect sandbox for DMs who like sand. No other campaign setting comes close to being so pleasantly...undefined.

[brilliantlight]

For me, it depends largely on education and experience, which is highly related to class. The average peasant or grunt worker know nothing farther than 20 or so miles from his house. The other side of the domain, not talking core, might as well be Mars. The average craftsmen or merchant know a bit more as they deal with people outside of their area as raw materials have to be delivered to them and they talk to those sellers. A blacksmith will know at least the iron ore trader. Nobles know a bit more and the traveling merchants know even more than that. Nobles have to keep an eye on their neighbors and traveling merchants move all over the core. The Dark Lords, Vistani and scholars, as a rule, know the most. There are exceptions but this is how it normally holds out.