Darklords Origins.
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 8:09 am
I searched for a similar thread, but the search results kept saying that the terms I'm using are to generic and couldn't be used as a search term. I hope there isn't something similar/same in the very recent past.
So, most (if not all) of you, apparently, know what was the inspiration behind the Darklords that roam Ravenloft's plans and islands. Or do you? I will try to add all the inspirations I know off along with the one that are only speculations. Basically, these are mainly speculations over the years, and as my knowledge of the world around me was growing, I realised what was the background for each Darklord was. I will try to add as many as possible, but please, feel free to correct and add your own here. Who knows, it might become a collaborative work. It will be a huge task, that I don't expect to finish in one post. I will add more and more as time goes by.
Stahd Von Zarovich (Barovia): The TV inspired Dracula from the Christopher Lee period, peppered with some elements from Bram Stocker's Dracula novella (the war against the Tergs, is the war against the Ottoman Turks).
Vlad Drakov (Falcovnia): The historical figure of Vlad Tepes (or Dracula) from history. The Impaler, even shares the same facial characteristics with Vlad Tepes. Snubbed by his surrounding Darklords even in the face of the worst atrocities and wars (Germany, Austria-Germany-Holy Roman Empire), he tries to invade the "Ottoman Empire" (Darkon) repeatedly, and fails.
Vladislav Mircea (Sanguinia): The folklore vampire (vrykolakas/vothrolakas) of the Balkans/Romania/Greece/Eastern Mediterranean Island. Coincidentally (not), his surname is Vlad Tepes' eldest brother name (Mircea II of Wallachia).
Frantisek Markov (Markovia): Inspired by the book "The Island of Dr Moreau. A doctor somewhere in the Southern Pacific Ocean who conducts experiments on humans and animals alike, creating, well, broken things.
Bonus non-darklords character: Jacqueline Montarri (Darkon): A fictional character (yeah, like all the previous ones were actual characters...) that was taken from the movie "Return to Oz". In the movie, an evil sorceress, Mombi, who wanted to live forever, stole all the heads of the women in the city of Oz, and King Nom gave her the way to stay alive forever, by using a different head every day. She did kept her own head though in her personal chambers along with a magical dust that brought inanimate objects back to life.
So, most (if not all) of you, apparently, know what was the inspiration behind the Darklords that roam Ravenloft's plans and islands. Or do you? I will try to add all the inspirations I know off along with the one that are only speculations. Basically, these are mainly speculations over the years, and as my knowledge of the world around me was growing, I realised what was the background for each Darklord was. I will try to add as many as possible, but please, feel free to correct and add your own here. Who knows, it might become a collaborative work. It will be a huge task, that I don't expect to finish in one post. I will add more and more as time goes by.
Stahd Von Zarovich (Barovia): The TV inspired Dracula from the Christopher Lee period, peppered with some elements from Bram Stocker's Dracula novella (the war against the Tergs, is the war against the Ottoman Turks).
Vlad Drakov (Falcovnia): The historical figure of Vlad Tepes (or Dracula) from history. The Impaler, even shares the same facial characteristics with Vlad Tepes. Snubbed by his surrounding Darklords even in the face of the worst atrocities and wars (Germany, Austria-Germany-Holy Roman Empire), he tries to invade the "Ottoman Empire" (Darkon) repeatedly, and fails.
Vladislav Mircea (Sanguinia): The folklore vampire (vrykolakas/vothrolakas) of the Balkans/Romania/Greece/Eastern Mediterranean Island. Coincidentally (not), his surname is Vlad Tepes' eldest brother name (Mircea II of Wallachia).
Frantisek Markov (Markovia): Inspired by the book "The Island of Dr Moreau. A doctor somewhere in the Southern Pacific Ocean who conducts experiments on humans and animals alike, creating, well, broken things.
Bonus non-darklords character: Jacqueline Montarri (Darkon): A fictional character (yeah, like all the previous ones were actual characters...) that was taken from the movie "Return to Oz". In the movie, an evil sorceress, Mombi, who wanted to live forever, stole all the heads of the women in the city of Oz, and King Nom gave her the way to stay alive forever, by using a different head every day. She did kept her own head though in her personal chambers along with a magical dust that brought inanimate objects back to life.