Daclaud Heinforth

[Jeremy16]

Hi All,

Just a quick question about our favorite vampire/doctor. How much of his personal history is widely known to the general populace? Was he known as the new darklord after the death of Duke Gundar, or did he wield power behind the scenes? What is the story behind his disappearance and re-appearance in the Sea of Sorrows?

Sorry if this post is redundant, I just don't seem to have the reference material in my collection. Any help would be appreciated!

[Don Fernando]

I'm getting old and my memory fails me sometimes , so please if I get it wrong feel free to correct me.

Dr. Dominiani was an escential part in the killing of Duke Gundar, this is described in "Feast of Goblyns". If I am not mistaken, he already was the head of the clinic for mad men, where he already conducted hiddeous experiments with the inmates. (I guess you can find this bit of information in The Red Box).
Because he was such an evil man, sorry, cerebral vampire, the dark powers decided to give him his very own island of terror. This part is described in "Bleak House", where you also learn his curse and what he does to the poor souls that land in his island.

So, his biography can be found in Bleak House, and Feast of Goblyns. Additional info about him can be found in the Red Box.

Hope that helps

... now .... where did I put my walking stick?? ....

[HuManBing]

I think the Red Box also retcons him into having a much bigger role to play in the killing of Gundar.

Feast of Goblyns merely has him doing stuff to undermine Gundar. The Red Box said something about Dominiani actually being present when the PCs kill Gundar (which does NOT happen within the adventure Feast of Goblyns) and purposely withholding his help so Gundar dies under the stake.

[cure]

I believe he opened the curtail to let the sunshie in, as planned, but failed to close it, contra to plan.

[Darkknight]

Bleak House give the best info on the good Doctor, but to answer your question.... He was known, or at least his hospital was known. Amazing things and cures were found. Again from the outside looking in the world was wonderful but no one heard the inmates screaming and dying.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

How much of his personal history is widely known to the general populace?

Heinfroth maintained his cover-identity as "Dr. Dominiani" for some time before he vanished from Gundarak, even publishing some papers under that name. To the populace at large -- at least, those who haven't been committed to his asylum and become his victims -- "Dominiani" is just a human physician who specializes in treating the insane.

If he ever held political power in Gundarak at all, during the four years between Gundar's fall and the Upheaval, it was probably more by default than anything. He was known as one of Gundar's retainers, and was a lot more organized than the Duke's usual thugs, so might've taken control to "hold chaos in check until the line of succession is re-established". As Gundar's son had been killed earlier by Azrael Dak, there was no official heir to his dukedom on record; Heinfroth/Dominiani might've claimed to be searching for possible illegitimate offspring of Gundar's, to find another potential successor for whom "Dominiani" would be regent. However, he lacked the Duke's age-based strength or experience, and couldn't keep Gundar's other vassals in line long enough to solidify his hold over the disintegrating government.

As his new asylum in the Sea of Sorrows was still receiving new patients as of 750, it's unlikely anyone suspects the terrible truth about Heinfroth's nature or wickedness; certainly, Van Richten would never have let himself be placed in a mad scientist's care, let alone a vampire's! The world at large probably believes "Dr. Dominiani" left Gundarak to get himself, and his patients and staff, away from the civil unrest and invasion that struck in the wake of the Upheaval.

Was he known as the new darklord after the death of Duke Gundar, or did he wield power behind the scenes?

Harkon Lukas and the re-animated Gundar certainly know the full scope of his involvement, as would Strahd (who was right next door) and Azalin (who snoops on all of the other darklords). Very few others would know the complete story; however, the (mis)information on the "Gundarakite Conspiracy" that S relates in Gaz I shows that there are plenty of rumors about "Dr. Dominiani's" complicity in Gundar's death and Lukas's near-assassination. It's unlikely that these tales would be well-known outside the southern Core, given the low opinion most northern and Renaissance Core nations hold for such "backward" countries' constant squabbling.

Note that barely anybody who lives in Ravenloft knows there are such things as "darklords", so the general populace wouldn't even know what that term means, let alone that Heinfroth used to be Gundarak's or is now Dominia's.

[Sylaire]

Yes, to the public at large, Daclaud Heinfroth is only known as "Dr. Dominiani"; only a few selected individuals (Baron Metus, Akriel, Gundar, probably certain other evil correspondents) know him as Heinfroth-the-cerebral-vampire.

It's doubtful that anyone in Gundarak realized that he was their new Darklord, since to the average Gundarkite power sprang from the centralized political authority and Heinfroth/Dominiani lost most of the domain because he couldn't be bothered with it, focusing instead on his researches within the walls of his sanitarium. I can only imagine how things could have turned out if his reaction had been "Bwa ha ha ha ha! Now I have an entire country of people to experiment on! I shall plumb the very depths of insanity on their quivering minds and souls!" So probably, the ordinary Gundarkite perceived a major political vacuum on the Duke's death, while certain high-ranking (probably vampiric) lackeys knew that Heinfroth was attempting to step into the Duke's shoes but may not have accepted it or him...

[brothersale]

the Domains of Dread (the black book) indicates the he became the Darklord, but expressed so little interest beyond his asylum that during the GC he was demoted to an island of terror, and later rose once more to the core.

Also its seems more likely that Gundar did not know Heinfroth's real name. otherwise one seriously peeved vampire would have already paid him a visit (lets face it from all descriptions of him Gundar is not the sharpest tool in the box). And Heinfroth involment in Gundar's 'death' was more likely due to an effort to spend more time curing himself than curing Gundar's affliction (if you use his background in one of the BoS_ series) than any real need for more subjects

[Jeremy16]

Okay, to wrap up, here's the story I'm going with:

To the outside world, Dr. Domiani simply ran an asylum in Gundarak, but after the death of Duke Gundar and all the political upheaval there he decided to get away to an island out in the Sea of Sorrows where he moved his entire operation.

Behind the scenes, however, he was somehow involved in the plot to kill Duke Gundar. After his death, Domiani became the next darklord but was too preoccupied with his asylum to take much notice of anything else. The Dark Powers then removed him to his island domain while Strahd took over Gundarak.

Thanks for all your help guys. It is much appreciated!

[Bluebomber4evr]

Actually if I remember correctly, as of Bleak House he dropped the "Dominiani" identity and now goes by his real name, thereby most people would not know that Heinfroth and Dominiani are the same person.

[Sylaire]

You remember rightly...and wrongly, too. They're inconsistent. Darned Dark Powers...it's probably all false history anyway.

Seriously, though, he's largely "Dr. Heinfroth" throughout the adventure (although the domain is Dominia, a nod towards his former alias). The only reference to Whom He Used To Be is on p.19 of the Settings book, in the Dominia entry: "Dr. Dominiani, whose real name is Daclaud Heinfroth..."