"How would you re-envision Ravenloft for 4E?"

[Rotipher of the FoS]

The big idea for change always seems to be “the darklords should be able to leave their domains”. I’m almost tempted to dismiss it just because it’s so popular. But I agree with it. Darklords should be able to move between lands, but they should be weakened while doing so. Thus they usually stay at the centre of their power where they have the strongest tie to the land.

The main problem I see with letting the lords leave their domains, even if circumstances motivate them to stay put, is that people already complain that the darklords control far too much of what goes on in the setting. (This is mostly heard from people who last saw the setting in its 2E incarnation, and think that each darklord is the only interesting thing in his or her domain anyway. Still, an excessive harping upon lords is seen in recent products like LotB too.) The old 2E modules gave darklords far too much screen-time, even though they were confined to one spot; if they're able to go wherever they please, what's to keep them from hogging the spotlight everywhere, as shamelessly as the Council of Eight did in old-time Greyhawk storylines?

Limiting the darklords' mobility may not be popular, but it certainly has motivated plenty of DMs and writers to concoct tons of other, equally-interesting NPCs -- minions, rivals, organizations, etc -- to back up the lords and function as their hands and eyes, beyond their borders. If the darklords cease to be pinned down, that impetus to expand upon the setting's non-darklord villain-supply may abruptly evaporate, as DMs yield to the temptation to overuse the "big name" baddies merely because they're (in)famous.

[Pamela]

Ravenloft is often seen as the "world of evil" by many gamers. But if I were to bring Ravenloft to 4e I would remove that notion and instead present Ravenloft as the world of Fear, in its many manifestations.

This is an excellent point, Dion. Dread is a blend of awe and terror, but there often seemed to be a focus solely on the latter when I first heard about Ravenloft; that kept me away from the setting for years.

[Rucht Lilavivat]

No I am NOT advocating an entire revamp.

Jon Wake has however emphasized a few points that would make Ravenloft more introspective as a horror roleplaying game: that in-game-wise there is something inherently wrong with the world, and that it needs fixing.

Ravenloft is often seen as the "world of evil" by many gamers. But if I were to bring Ravenloft to 4e I would remove that notion and instead present Ravenloft as the world of Fear, in its many manifestations. I would present an angle to the Dark Powers, unknowable as they are, as perhaps "collectors" of the multiverse's fears, thus bringing forth Ravenloft. To negotiate a compromise between the hardline Ravenloft fans and the new fans who thin Ravenloft is too dark, I would remove the concept of Ravenloft as a "prison plane" but still keep its isolated and unreachable nature in the Shadowfell. I would remove the current restrictions on magic (such as on divination), and instead put in certain dangers and "dramatic failures" if for example a spell doesn't work properly or fizzles.

Jester has made good points about how Ravenloft could be presented in 4e, especially how domain lords could now travel across domain borders with severely diminished powers (maybe an effect of the seeming disappearance of the ethereal plane). Finding Strahd in Egertus doesn't seem like a bad idea, but here for example he needs the earth of Barovia to survive or to only drink the blood of a Barovian even quench his thirst. This would actually spawn interesting interactions between the politics of the domains themselves.

Perhaps the default alignment would be "unaligned" or "no alignment" for ALL player characters (even paladins and yes the domain lords themselves).

One maxim to the success of viable D&D worlds is "If it works in D&D, then it works in _________." This of course is unacceptable to hardcore fundamentalist Ravenloft fans, so I propose an alternative: Ravenloft in 4e could maybe be the mature D&D setting, catering to mature gamers (in the tradition of Book of Vile Darkness and Book of Exalted Deeds). Its focus would be on mature themes, giving for example Hazlik the room he needs to feel open about his sexuality. Making Ravenloft a mature setting would of course require a reconfiguration in mood, allowing for example in-game mature language and situations to be played, perhaps even mature art (not adult art, mind you there's a difference) to be created for it.

The impending release of 4e has greatly affected by the way my own release of the Player's Guide to Ravenloft and the current downtime of the Midway Haven site. The original concept for the Player's Guide (and Midway Haven as a whole) was to present the fact that yes, Ravenloft is a world controlled heavily by the DM, but that the players and their characters should also have a fair fighting chance to know something about the world around them. I am absolutely sick of people who think that "4e is gonna suck," "oh I'm gonna hate 4e" and such. These aren't even anxieties anymore: they're just plain and vile direct attacks.

Woo-hoo! I love it! I would definitely play in your Ravenloft.

Have you posted this at ENWorld?

[Ivana_Boritsi]

The main problem I see with letting the lords leave their domains, even if circumstances motivate them to stay put, is that people already complain that the darklords control far too much of what goes on in the setting.

Well, what you want, in my mind is the capacity for the Darklords to interact with each other - form alliance, bear children together, etc. Because you have all of these neat and interesting characters with no way for them to really interact.

I think all any of us are suggesting is for us to have Darklords have a limited capability to leave their domains and interact.

Once these characters can interact...think about all of the cool storylines that can emerge?

The problem that you are talking about...the Darklords dominating the spotlight...is created with the very notion of Darklords. As soon as you say, "these people control the land but are tortured by it in their own private hell" you sort of make them the nexus of the campaign. So, that's a Catch-22.

But you can't have Ravenloft without the Darklords, period. That's one of the major themes of Ravenloft. But just by having them, you're going to have spotlight hoggers.

The reason I don't think Darklords would be like the Circle of Eight in Greyhawk is because the Circle of Eight went around doing stuff - like righting wrongs, or what have you. Elminster goes around advising and helping out the good guys.

The Darklords don't do any of that. They don't right wrongs. They don't advise. They make things inexorably worse. And it's up to the PCs to stop them.

[Jester of the FoS]

The main problem I see with letting the lords leave their domains, even if circumstances motivate them to stay put, is that people already complain that the darklords control far too much of what goes on in the setting. (This is mostly heard from people who last saw the setting in its 2E incarnation, and think that each darklord is the only interesting thing in his or her domain anyway. )

This is Ravenloft's principle problem: people's perceptions. That it's only good for Weekends in Hell, that campaigns have to involve escape, that darklords have to be involved, that it's a land of pure evil, that it's a static land, that it's a place where DMs kill parties, etc.
Really, there's no way to 'fix' the setting to prevent all that.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

One concept that might help 'fix' the excessive attention to darklords, come to think of it, might actually have been dreamed up by (ironically) the in-game Fraternity of Shadows. IIRC, one of the articles about the Frat said that some of them believe that domains are built around specific evil individuals, but others believe they're built around specific aspects of evil -- tyranny, hatred, envy, etc -- and that darklords are merely the means to achieving that end. This idea might be worth taking seriously, if Ravenloft were being re-booted.

Invidia, for instance, is a realm where spite and festering hostilities break out into violence at the drop of a hat. Perhaps it's not because of Gabby that it's like that, but rather, because the DPs set up Invidia as a place to display precisely that kind of evil: an evil which first Bakholis, and then Gabrielle, merely exemplified rather than imposed upon the land. Sithicus was modeled to reflect Lord Soth, its first darklord -- hence, the gloomy elves and parallel to his castle on Krynn -- yet it could well be that the DPs meant it to showcase the brooding, glum, depressing aspects of an evil mindset: one that Inza's just as suited to illustrate as the death knight was. Darkon might embody the yearning to control taken to abusive extremes, a failing Azalin's psyche was an ideal match for; the fact that neither Death nor the various demilords displayed that particular character-flaw, in their own evil, might explain why none of them ever rose to supplant the lich during his absence. Nathan Timothy was a rapist and a brute, but over time his son became an even better illustration of evils driven by the "savage within", so he got canned.

The payoff for this would be that, while darklords would still be an unique element of the setting, they wouldn't be the keystones of creation, but more like holders of an appointed office: if a DM wants to remove the current incumbant, it wouldn't mean throwing out or re-engineering the domain altogether, because its basic nature would remain unchanged. Each domain would have its own theme to explore and favor its own type of scenarios, whether or not the darklord has any role to play in them. Yes, a domain's description (or at least the DM's version of its description) would still mention darklords, but the in-text emphasis would be on what kind of villainy and menaces a domain is designed for -- ghosts and mysteries in Mordent, weird science in Lamordia, etc -- not whose backstory the Dark Powers cribbed the local decor from.

[cure]

Rotipher is onto something that would be a valuable deepening of what we already have, rather than throwing out the baby with the bath water.

Hence, you want to replace Gaby, find someone that takes what she does further and deserves the office she currently holds.

As to this mobile Darklord stuff, frankly I think it is laziness. Darklords DO interact.

At the extreme there was the memorable confrontation between Lord Soth and Malaccio (standing in for Gaby). Neither quit their domain. They met on a bridge. Face to face. And Soth embarassed in a fight the upstart.

But let us be clear, Darklords are generals, not field troops. And generals do not meet in combat face to face. They send their forces at each other. As Azalin did to Strahd.

Now Strahd did find a way, after a fashion, to reach into Darkon in a very personal way, and he nearly paid with his existence for that.

Drakov has been been interacting with Azalin for decades, launching four wars against him. Which Azalin has met with the disdain befitting Drakov's curse.

Drakov also invaded Dementlieu, Richemulot and Invidia. No, not in person, but he is not fashioned to be merely an in the field barbarian at the head of rampaging mongols. He is a military strategist, plotting the conquest of Europe without so much as quitting Berlin (if I may mix my metaphors).

It is clear that Drakov and Jacqueline carry on a diplomatic correspondence that appears to be something of a chess game.

Drakov has an alliance with Lamordia. Hence negotiations between the heads of state.

And there is the League of Four Towers, hence negotiation between the heads of Dementlieu, Mordent, Richemulot, and Borca.

Ivan and Ivana attend each others parties.

Strahd has threatened Malaccio over territorial violations in respect to the pogrom against the Vistani.

I think that Harkon baits Timonthy from time to time for the pure fun of it.

Hazlik evidently receives embassies from Nova Vasa.

Azalin has commissioned at least one magic item from the Three Hags of Tepest.

Isolde has met with Hazlik, apparently to the latter's embarassment.

The Kargat is Azalin's claws throughout the Core and perhaps beyond. They have been active in particular in Falkovnia and Invidia.

Drakov plots actively in the future of Invidia.

Nova Vaasa treats Tepest to be its own backyard.

And there is probably much more that I have missed.

And certain much more that any one with a bit of creativity can invent.

PS Hazlik could probably cook up a simulacrum of himself for anyone inclined to have a roving Hazlik. I am not sure if undead Azalin could do likewise. But given his experimentaion with cloning, why not. And I have already cooked up an imposter Strahd who meets a sticky end. See the Nova Vaasa domain of the month thread for him.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

I think all any of us are suggesting is for us to have Darklords have a limited capability to leave their domains and interact.

Once these characters can interact...think about all of the cool storylines that can emerge?

Just out of curiosity, what are some specific examples of "darklord interactions" you think the game-setting could benefit from? I'm wondering what sort of things you think might be workable with mobile darklords, that really can't be done via intermediaries, Sending spells, faceoffs over the borders, etc.

[Ivana_Boritsi]

As to this mobile Darklord stuff, frankly I think it is laziness. Darklords DO interact.

I think your post showed something. Sure, the Darklords have interacted to some extent. But for one, do they have actual relationships with each other? And by relationships, I don't mean that they are best of chums or whatnot. I mean, so they relate to each other regularly, all the time?

For example:

Drakov has been been interacting with Azalin for decades, launching four wars against him. Which Azalin has met with the disdain befitting Drakov's curse.

This is really what I'm talking about. Do Drakov and Azalin have any kind of relationship at all? No. Dravok is an annoyance to Azalin, and Azalin is an unassailable goal for Dravok. Blah. That kind of relationship doesn't really produce storylines - more importantly it doesn't produce stuff for the PCs to do.

Here's the thing. We all know how Drakov feels about Azalin and how Dravok feels about Ivana. But what does Drakov think about Strahd? Or Hazlik? Having the Darklords slightly more mobile allows them to be able to reach out a little bit more and meet with more Darklords, creating a pan-core relationship with Darklords they normally don't interact with.

As far as what kinds of plots and storylines could be pursued with slightly more mobile Darklords? Well, one thing I thought of right away was romances between different Darklords. I think that would be a really neat springboard for storylines. Think about all of the terrible affairs they might have and how far out of control they could spiral?

Also, Darklords who were strong allies could actually meet. The League of Four is a neat idea. But how much cooler would it be if all of the Darklords of those domains could actually get into the same room together and plot?

Of course, these interactions would be pretty limited. A Darklord would have a giant glowing target on their back when they left their Domain, and they would get huge penalties, I would imagine. But still, the possibilities.

It really presents the same kinds of possibilities that you could have in DC's Villains United series or even in the good old Legion of Doom. When you have a whole bunch of bad, bad people who get together, it produces instant conflict and numerous problems for the PCs to fix.

[Ivana_Boritsi]

This is Ravenloft's principle problem: people's perceptions. That it's only good for Weekends in Hell, that campaigns have to involve escape, that darklords have to be involved, that it's a land of pure evil, that it's a static land, that it's a place where DMs kill parties, etc.
Really, there's no way to 'fix' the setting to prevent all that.

And let me be clear. I don't think that mobile Darklords would make Ravenloft so totally cool and the best thing out there!!!111!!!@12!!!!!)))!!!

Really, Jester hit it on the nose. The biggest problem that Ravenloft faces is the perception that most people have of it.

I think that most people who want a "reboot"...what they really want is the kind of Ravenloft game that I think most people would run here. And the perception is that a reboot would also give the setting a makeover so that everyone would be clear that Ravenloft isn't the setting where people get screwed over, where the bad guys win all of the time, or where all your cool stuff gets taken away.

[Jester of the FoS]

Drakov has been been interacting with Azalin for decades, launching four wars against him. Which Azalin has met with the disdain befitting Drakov's curse.

This is really what I'm talking about. Do Drakov and Azalin have any kind of relationship at all? No. Dravok is an annoyance to Azalin, and Azalin is an unassailable goal for Dravok. Blah. That kind of relationship doesn't really produce storylines - more importantly it doesn't produce stuff for the PCs to do.

This is the best example of the problem. It's a non event. Falkovnia can't invade because things would change so it seems like there's this built-in barrier to prevent war and conquest. He tries to attack Darkon and is repelled without effort. What changes? Nothing. Why doesn't he turn south and attack all the other vulnerable nations? Because that would change things (and make too much sense). So instead we have the Gazetteers adding a stop-gap solution of the Treaty of Four Towers and alliances.

[Scipion_Emilien]

I think that most people who want a "reboot"...what they really want is the kind of Ravenloft game that I think most people would run here. And the perception is that a reboot would also give the setting a makeover so that everyone would be clear that Ravenloft isn't the setting where people get screwed over, where the bad guys win all of the time, or where all your cool stuff gets taken away.

What made me fear for the future is that sadly it's not what I observed. Most people to who I talk that want a Ravenloft game consider Ravenloft as the uber ultimate test for their PC.

For them, they go into a land soak in evil and darkness, where the guy in charge is totally unreedemable and evil, and without backup because there is no others goodness or heroe in the setting. And now they will kill that bad guy and get out of there, they are so cool!

Sadly it's the perception I get from most people that know Ravenloft exist and this is what I read when people want to reboot the setting, they are lost by the fact that there is a third dimension to the whole conflict.

This is really what I'm talking about. Do Drakov and Azalin have any kind of relationship at all? No. Dravok is an annoyance to Azalin, and Azalin is an unassailable goal for Dravok. Blah. That kind of relationship doesn't really produce storylines - more importantly it doesn't produce stuff for the PCs to do.

You know, personnally, I always thought it was the fact that the Darklord couldn't met that were giving thing to do to the PC!

PC characters make the perfect agent to send to other darklord. Most of the time, they are outcast of the normal society and more importantly: they are powerful. A darklord have then competent agent, and by giving them a purpose, they are sending those potential treat to his power into the backyard of their opponent, and the worst that happen is that they died.

And it s alway priceless when the PC realise that their boss is as mush an asshole than the guy they are fighting and must make a choice of loyalty!


My fear too of having the Darklord encoutering others of their kind is that it become Forgotten Realmesque. Elminster facing Manshoon, Stradh facing Azalin, one kill the other, they respawn and the frag fest restart again. While im sure that most people on this forum and the author of the setting will not go to this extremity, I have seen enough people actually liking those encounter in Forgotten Realm novels to think that this kind of thing will probably become mainstream into the differents game and perhaps influencing back the authors.

What I found the most strange is that people like those encounter when their only goal is to point the focus on the setting character (Darklord, Elminster & the Simbule, etc.) and let the PC take the back seat...

As for being static in the time line, you know that Eberron timeline will remain the same as in 3.5?

One maxim to the success of viable D&D worlds is "If it works in D&D, then it works in _________." This of course is unacceptable to hardcore fundamentalist Ravenloft fans

And this is exactly why Greyhawk disappear as a published setting. If you are too much like D&D, you duplicate a purpose, divide the customer base and end up being redundant.

I think that what allow Ravenloft to survive this long is ironically what keep it at this third world place: it's a niche setting that cater to a slighly different crowd of people.

In my opinion, Ravenloft will have to strike a balance between being like D&D and being a niche setting. If the setting goes too much one way or the other, it will disappear.

[cure]

As to this mobile Darklord stuff, frankly I think it is laziness. Darklords DO interact.

I think your post showed something. Sure, the Darklords have interacted to some extent. But for one, do they have actual relationships with each other? And by relationships, I don't mean that they are best of chums or whatnot. I mean, so they relate to each other regularly, all the time?

Well, in the case of Ivana and Ivan yes. But that hardly makes the point.

Gabey is Drakov's daughter. She went on to overthrow and replace the Darklord of Invidia.

Mallaccio is Gabey's and the Gentleman Caller's daughter. Drakov, probably unwittingly so far as being the grandfather, is very actively and delibrately assisting the rise of Mallaccio with money, troops, and advice. All to the end of putting him in power and launching a pincher movement that crushes hopelessly divided Borca.

Azalin, who has taken an immense interest in the Gentleman Caller and his children, is at the very least a protector from the shadows of Mallacio. And if Strahd were ever to get entirely fed up with pogrom crazed troops of Mallacio chasing Vistani over the border into Barovia, Azalin would intervene to prevent Strahd from eliminating him.

Mallacio, in turn, was a principle driver in the fall of Lord Soth as the Darklord of Sithicus.

Evidently, Godfrey is not going to quit his house on the hill to attend to the business of the League of Four Towers. But Weathermay may well in person have negotiated it as a roving intermediary between the Council of Brilliance (Dominic), Jacqueline and Ivana/Ivan. And Jacqueline, Ivana and Ivan could meet for a signing ceremony on the frontier if one so wished. As could Jacquelin and the Council of Brilliance, if Dominic really needs to attend in person.

Azalin considers it beneath his dignity to mettle in the affairs of Lamordia, he has culled souls from Falkovnia, but otherwise considers it to be but a source for walking dead, save for one of the Gentlemen caller's sons lurking there.

Azalin seems to have given his blessing to a road to Nova Vaasa so that is at least some slight interest in the mundane affairs of others, much to the glee of Malken

Nova Vaasa, especially from the point of view of religion but crime and Malken can't be far behind, has had an immense influence upon Hazlin.

Gundarak and Kartakass were joined by a plot to assassinate there respective Darklords. The plotters were Harkon's daughter and Gunder's chief assistant who tricked Gundar into playing along to his ultimate destruction. And the domain of Delgia(?) was created and destroyed in the process.

Now it is true that Strahd and Harkon don't meet for blood tea but that is because Strahd considers Harkon to be a joke and Harkon has good reason to fear Strahd. Indeed Strahd considers most other Darklords to be a joke and would not meet with them if he could.

That is in the main the attitude of Azalin.

Now, what would Hazlik and Malken have to discuss? The merits of law verus chaos?

What would Jacqueline and Ivana have to discuss? The future of Dementlieuse fashion in a world overrun by wererats? I think not.

We know that the Darklord of Souragne doesn't want to be even in the general vicinity of other Darklords. A border to close for him is not enough. He wants the shroud of the Mists too.

Is Mallacio really itching to destroy in person the thing of shadows that has taken over Sithicus? Does he even know about it?

AND How many Darklords are aware of the existence of other Darklords or even of their own existence as Darklords?!?

Strahd, Azalin, Mallaccio, Hazlik, probably Ivana, maybe Harkon, maybe Gaby and maybe the shadow thing in Sithicus, at the extreme Jacqueline.

Sure others know that they have been cursed. But they don't know that their curse belongs to a unique class that shapes the very borders that divide the Core.

So before roving Godfrey, Dominic and Adam could even meet and discuss their shared passion for stamp collecting, since they have no other shared passions, Azalin would have to be kind enough to inform them of the existence of each other and of their shared status as Darklords.

Now if this is all driven by a desire to let Vlad out so he can rape some of his fellow Darklords, then I confess to not thinking that it is worth the bother, especially since Vlad has a very tenuous grasp on the fact that he is even cursed. Frankly, the Gentleman caller does a far better job of rape and at least to some intended, fell and insidious end.

Incidently, since the older Timothy has been set free to roam, did he suddenly become the ubber character whereof we have always dreamt? Or does the fact that he roams but does not have the title of Darklord somehow ruin his potential for 'interaction'? And as an aside, he should have been granted, and confined to, the domain of the Musarde River, which would solve the problem of Ivana closing the border and poisoning (with no chance of retreat and reprieve) entire ships entering Richemulot or Vebrek at that moment.

[cure]

Drakov has been been interacting with Azalin for decades, launching four wars against him. Which Azalin has met with the disdain befitting Drakov's curse.

This is really what I'm talking about. Do Drakov and Azalin have any kind of relationship at all? No. Dravok is an annoyance to Azalin, and Azalin is an unassailable goal for Dravok. Blah. That kind of relationship doesn't really produce storylines - more importantly it doesn't produce stuff for the PCs to do.

This is the best example of the problem. It's a non event. Falkovnia can't invade because things would change so it seems like there's this built-in barrier to prevent war and conquest. He tries to attack Darkon and is repelled without effort. What changes? Nothing. Why doesn't he turn south and attack all the other vulnerable nations? Because that would change things (and make too much sense). So instead we have the Gazetteers adding a stop-gap solution of the Treaty of Four Towers and alliances.

Mangrum has observed that an invader would crush Borca. And isn't Vlad's involvement in Invidia about putting together a pincher movement to do just that?

Of course Vlad won't be able to go and sit on the throne of Borca himself, nor Mallacio either, unless as with Gundarak or Arak (or after a fashion Il Aluk) the Darkpowers decide it should be annexable. If not, then like real world Europe and Napoleon, a brother, a son, a trusted general would be set on the throne. Whether his tyranny would merit him, rather than some other being in the domain, the Darklordship and hence independence would only become clear in the fullness of time.

But the curse will stop it from happening! Not at all. It will only prevent it from happening in such a way as to be a success for Vlad. Through some betrayal Mallaccio and his proxy will end up with the prize or perhaps instead it will be Vlad's own commander in the field. Or even Strahd! A brilliantly orchestrated plan by the King-Furher save for his catastrophic overconfidence in the loyalty to himself of his allies or his own men.

And as to the 'non-event' of the Deadman's Campaign, unlike with Vecna who the Darkpower's felt the need of distracting with war in their desperate bid to hold him, the Darkpowers believe that Azalin is going nowhere fast and find it more amusing/educational to have him scheming to escape than preoccupied with the threat from Falkovnia and the need to build in Darkon the military machine that could crush it once and for all by occupying and perhaps annexing it, and likely further binding Azalin to the Demiplane of Dread. Vlad's misfortune is that everybody around him has more pressing concerns than playing war and the Darkpowers deem that fitting in the case of Darkon and Richemulot at the very least.

Should the concerns of the flops running Borca be less worthy, then by all means script an adventure that crushes the country under the boot of military invasion. And as a warm up one can script an adventure or adventures that bring the civil war in Invidia to a crushing conclusion to the advantage of Malloccio without, however, making him the Darklord and hence further binding him to the Demiplane of Dread. Gabey's guilded prison might become very small and a lot less guilded.

If the adventures are compelling, then that would be a direction for us all to go. If not, then you have at least scratched in your version of Ravenloft an itch that would not go away.

And we all no doubt have itches. A particularly irksome one for me is Lyssa von Zarovich. But unless it is shared by everyone else and unless there is some very compelling resolution of it that doesn't change the tone of Strahd's entire tortured existence, I just will have to live with the fact that as far as everyone else is concerned the Godbrain didn't compel her to walk out into the sunlight yesterday morning and impale herself on a stake before tumbling over into running water and having her ashes spread by the Musard River across the whole of the Sea of Sorrows where the process of locking them away in sedimentry rock is advancing at an impossibly quick pace.

It is clear in many ways that Vlad is a problem. But I am not convinced that fixing him should involve feeding him Dementlieu, Mordent, Richemulot and Borca. Or having Azalin hurling fireballs at him from the towers of Inverness. Or Azalin leading legions into Falkovnia.

Give him Borca, make it a pyrrhic victory, and turn the domain into a massive insurgency against whoever ends up ruling it politically, with the strings being pulled by the actual Darklord, whoever he, she or it is.

Alternatively, give Vlad a heart attack (or have adventurers kill him) and turn Falkovnia into the war between ex-generals that was the Ancient World minus Alexendre.

After all, do we really want the twins fighting to liberate Mordentshire from Falkovnians rather than struggling with the legions of the night?

[Isabella]

RE Ravenloft's new position in the grand cosmos - Ravenloft sounds a lot like 4e's Shadowfell, conceptually: a dark "mirror" plane where everything familiar is twisted and the undead are far more dangerous. Do you think that's where they might be going with this?