I have been slowly working on a project over on /r/Ravenloft which I call Core 788. It's a project that has already required a tremendous amount of research and theory crafting, and I'm hoping through discussion that we can tie together some loose threads.
Here's the idea behind it:
My intent is to tell the stories of the Ravenloft setting one Domain at a time, wrapping up the plot threads of the original canon and seamlessly transitioning into the the lore of 4th and 5th edition. I aim to do this with as few compromises to the lore of any edition as is possible. I have been delving into sourcebooks, netbooks, and everything in between - searching for all the little connecting threads that I can use to tie together these disparate interpretations of the setting.The true Hour of Ascension has come. The Grey is reclaiming the realm; Azalin Rex is no more.
This time of unparalleled darkness brings great change to the Demiplane of Dread. The Core is shattered, and Dark Lords have passed on their mantles.
The Domains now belong to a second generation. These are their stories retold.
Core 788 is a short series which aims to merge Core Canon with NuCanon.
The pitch is that it is 788 BC, thirteen years after the Time of Unparalleled Darkness - which prophesied the breaking up of the Ravenloft campaign setting. We are thirty years post Ravenloft 3e, giving us plenty space to bring in a new generation of the mists.
I've set myself a high bar for cohesion. Unless sources contradict each other in a way that's impossible to combine, I need to treat every piece of lore written as canonical regardless of edition. This is except where it relates to the current year and character ages in the case of modern sources.
For example: Kas the Betrayer goes from Tovag in 2e to Monadhan in 4e, back to Tovag in 5e. In the Core 788 timeline, he has to have ended up in Monadhan when Vecna destroyed the Burning Peaks, only to have his domain reformed sometime later. In contrast: VGR says Madam Irena survived Van Richten's attack, but since there is no way to make that work with Bleak House I can ignore it.
I have written one entry into Core 788 so far: Lamordia. (That was nine months ago; I did say I was slow!)
I'm making this post now because I am currently working on Part 2: Darkon. It has been quite the undertaking already - given how far reaching Darkon's metaplot is.
I've written all the way up to the Doomsday Gazetteers, so now I am in theory-crafting mode. I've been thinking not only about how to narratively go about translating Magrum & co's lore intentions for the later Gazetteers, but also how to resolve the war in the core, cover the Time of Unparalleled Darkness, cover the King's Tear, and cover Azalin splitting up into his two aspects again.
That's in addition to all of the big periphery questions that sort of need to come up at some point: The Vestiges / Dark Powers, the Demiplane being dragged into the Plane of Shadow, and - of course - the Grandfather Paradox which is Vecna in the Amber Temple.
To that end, I have written another post covering all of my theories on the Vestiges / Dark Powers - based on what we know from all of the Ravenloft books (And some non-Ravenloft books).
I'd really appreciate your thoughts on that post. There are still a few loose ends that need to be explained - such as how the Dark Powers benefit from Klorr.
That post also contains a list of all the other Darkon metaplot stuff, which I am still mulling over in my head. If anyone has any ideas or insight regarding how some of those elements fit together, I'd love to hear your thoughts. First on the list is simply: How does Azalin finding all the Gentleman Caller's kids translate to Irik being reincarnated? I don't see how those two things narratively come together.
So yeah - this was a long post. If you've made it to the end and read the material I've linked to, I'm guessing you're the type who'd have a lot to contribute to this. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
