Ideas on Duke Gundar's Death?

[RavensCall]

Forgive me if this has been discussed before. I'm currently running a 5e Ravenloft campaign which I started in the time of the Black Box and I am running through the various Grand Conjunction modules. I'm not sure where I originally saw this information, but when the Red Box set was introduced and the various loose ends that happened with the conjunctions aftermath were somewhat tied up, I was always led to believe that Dr. Dominiani had made a move with Akriel Lucas, to kill Duke Gundar and thus he became the temporary ruler of Gundarak. However, he was never powerful enough of a being to keep the domain for himself, thus he was given his island domain and Barovia and other areas around the domain absorbed the lands. Has anyone explored actually how this was accomplished? I know that later on in the Carnival supplement, Gundar's staked skeleton is discovered and he eventually returns to walk the domains. But how did his death actually occur and by whom? As I approach the Feast of Goblyns adventure, I wanted to incorporate Gundar's death into the story. I'm assuming the PC's would have a hand in this, or did the good Doctor do the deed? In the end, I understand it's whatever I want it to be, but killing such a powerful vampire seems like such a daunting task, even for the PC's. Perhaps the Crown of Souls was instrumental in this? Maybe I should alter some of its powers? Any thoughts or ideas would be welcome as I'm just brainstorming and have plenty of time before this adventure. Thanks in advance.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

Gundar's staked skeleton is discovered and he eventually returns to walk the domains. But how did his death actually occur and by whom? As I approach the Feast of Goblyns adventure, I wanted to incorporate Gundar's death into the story. I'm assuming the PC's would have a hand in this, or did the good Doctor do the deed?

First it is important to decide which version of Duke Gundar, do you prefer

• A) the Chaotic Evil male human Eminent Nosferatu Vampire fighter 13 (netbook-canon Book of Secrets)

• B) Neutral Evil male human Eminent Vampire Ari6/Ftr10 (Potential-canon revealed by the creators from never-published sources)

Personally I would go for the regular Vampire version, but I believe that in 736 BC Duke Gundar was still an Ancient vampire so I would change his stats to be an age category lower than what he is in after being revived. You can find his 3.5e stats for Duke Gundar (a combination of version A and B) in the A Calling from Verbrek adventure https://www.fraternityofshadows.com/Library.html
I would personally add some one or two vampire salient abilities (as dark gifts) to him such as

Frightful Presence (Vampire)/Fear Aura
Vampiric Rage
Blood Lust
Extra Feeding

Duke Nharovs Gundar's assassination is described in Red Box Domains and Denizens p.62

VIEW CONTENT:

Dominiani was once a vassal of Duke Gundar, vampire lord of Gundarak. Secretly he plotted to kill his master and usurp his place, and eventually he succeded. Gundar was furious with a group of heroes who defeated his bid to conquer Kartakass and annex its lands, so he rendered himself vulnerable to their attacks in order to lure them into a deadly trap. Dominiani's part wasto hypnotize their warrior before the confrontation and convice her to pull a cord that would draw a heavy tapestry across a window, blocking off the sunlight that would render Gundar helpless at the crucial moment. The doctor reported complete success, but actually did nothing whatsoever to the fighter. As a result the sunlight held Gundar helpless while the heroes did their work.

I actually had written a follow up after the events of Feast of Goblyns following the events described above. But I never actually ever played it as the party I was playing with was disbanded. The crucial thing for me for the follow up adventure is the motive to go and assassinate Duke Gundar.

VIEW CONTENT:

Following the destruction of the Crown of Souls and being swept by the misty vortex in Homlock/Homloch/Homlack the adventurers are taken by the Mists in Gundarak. Knowing that they are trapped in the domain belonging to the one whose plot to annex Kartakass they just destroyed along with the artifact they have to go underground maybe even meeting with some of the rebels, not the nationalist rebels of Ardonk Szerieza (they appear years after the Grand Conjunction, and this is still 736 BC), but rather the anti-authoritarian rebel movement that has a history of revolting, there are three "known" Unwise Rebellions in Gundarak's false history and there is also the Peasant's Revolt described in the Black Box (Realm of Terror p. 72).

A large mob once killed Gundar's tax collectors and stormed the Castle in a peasant's revolt. That night all leaders of the rebellion were gruesomely slaughtered. Gundar suspended their corpses from the treetops in the orchards to set an example. To this day, no peasant can bear to eat the fruit of those trees.

The PC's decide that the only way out of Gundarak is actually sneaking in Castle Hunadora and destroying Gundar. They decide to do this either because

• A) They feel cornered and see it as the only way out

• B) They hear stories about the magical portal in Castle Hunadora's main hall (see Knight of the Black Rose novel) that can be activated only with the blood of Gundar or his children (which are both dead).

• C) One of their own PCs or NPCs has been sucked by the magical vampire coffin in Dominiani's Dark Keep and slowly transforms into a vampire. Dr. Dominiani convinces them either himself or by planting this idea to them either by hypnotism, gaslighting them or by planting false information, that the only way for their party member to survive is to kill Duke Gundar (which is false and even if they do kill the Duke the party member still may become a vampire).

• D) Gundarak is a foul place of oppression, possibly even worst than Falkovnia, to contrast Duke Gundar's rebel hero past (as described in The Book of Secrets the Gundar article). Brave adventures may want to destroy Nharov Gundar to free the people of Gundarak from his oppression (only to suffer under Strahd's opression a few years later). Another source of information on Gundarak and its oppressive society is in Tapestry of Dark Souls novel.

I had made my adventure with option C but option B was on the table as well since some adventurers were outlanders.

Since no one has made the floor plans or imagery for Castle Hunadora you are free to use whichever castle floorplan suits your adventure. The only info on Castle Hunadora is from the Knight of the Black Rose novel
It describes some of the rooms inside as well as a secret passage to the castle. Lord Soth criticises the Duke as a possible idiot for having trees so close to the castle walls.

Since the Spectre of the Black Rose novel wasn't written when I wrote this adventure scenario, if I did it again I would include the Wanderers.

The Wanderers consisted of nearly two dozen Vistani of different tasques and tribes who had escaped destruction at the hands of Duke Gundar and were cobbled together by Magda Ilyanova Kulchevich. Magda served the tribe, named in honour of the fabled Vistani hero Kulchek the Wanderer, as raunie. Under her strong leadership and with the swelling of their ranks, a situation that had been desperate for the Wanderers became manageable.

I would have the PC's assist the pregnant Magda in the beginning of the adventure and possibly even witnessing the killing of Magda's husband by Duke Gundar's men. Then later in the end of the adventure if for some reason the portal doesn't work or they don't manage to use it they escape Castle Hunadora they bump on the Wanderers camp while fleeing the domain. Thus they are present during the birth of Inza Magdova Kulchevich who was born on the night of Duke Gundar's assassination. The storm that hit that night causes Gundarak to tremble, almost as if to lash out for Gundar's death and touch new-born Inza's soul, while the new born's cry summon monsters and other dangers to the Vistani camp, that the PC's have to face. How many PCs have assisted to the birth of a (future) darklord?

[Mephisto of the FoS]

I know that later on in the Carnival supplement, Gundar's staked skeleton is discovered and he eventually returns to walk the domains.

For anyone interested this is actually in the Children of the Night: Werebeasts supplement/series of adventures not in the Carnival supplement.

[RavensCall]

Thank you so much for all this info in one place. I had been away on vacation, but really appreciate this. Hmm, gives me some good ideas to tweak around. Will surely put my own spin on some of this, but these are great starting points. Much appreciated.

[alhoon]

I know that later on in the Carnival supplement, Gundar's staked skeleton is discovered and he eventually returns to walk the domains.

For anyone interested this is actually in the Children of the Night: Werebeasts supplement/series of adventures not in the Carnival supplement.

Honestly, the return of Gundar should be something more interesting than finding him buried in someone's closet.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

Honestly, the return of Gundar should be something more interesting than finding him buried in someone's closet.

If you think about it the FoS Dominia is inspired by The Cabinet of Dr. Calligari so it is somehow appropriate.

Well he appears in a Call from Verbrek...