Café de Nuit

As my review and revision of the Core continues, I have reached Verbrek...

I have reviewed the canon version of this domain, along with those revisions that people have put forward in QTR and on the forum, but Alfred Timothy as the Darklord just doesn't do it for me, nor reinstating Nathan Timothy.

Nathan Timothy is a more interesting character, but I feel that he's better suited as a roaming NPC, rather than tied to a specific domain. And I also feel that Kartakass does werewolves (or Wolfweres) better than Verbrek.

Now, I like the idea of a domain of untamed wilderness, which the surrounding domains sending fur trappers and lumberjacks in to take these resources for themselves, but having it as a domain where ALL the natives are werewolves just didn't feel right.

So, if Alfred Timothy is not the Darklord, who is? Having done some RL research, I was partially inspired by the Alfred Packer, the "guide" who robbed and ate those he was supposedly guiding to the gold fields of Breckenridge in 1874, as well as the German serial killer and alleged werewolf Peter Stumpp.

With a little creative twisting we get the following...

Pierre Emballeur was born in Mortigny, Richemulot in 700BC. Although possessed of a low cunning, his intelligence was not great enough to allow him to indulge in the collation of rumours and gossip that are the main currency of Richemuloise society, so when he heard that fortunes could be made in the neighbouring domain of Arkandale, he packed his belongings and crossed the border.

Being of a rugged constitution and above average strength, the lifestyle of a trapper appealed to him, although he proved to not be particularly good at it. Rather than blame his own shortcomings, Emballeur blamed the other trappers, believing that they were taking the prey he believed was rightfully his.

As rumours abounded that Arkandale was rife with werewolves, Emballeur hatched a cunning plan, where he would waylay and murder other trappers, taking their spoils and making it look like they had fallen prey to the attack of the werewolves that everyone believed roamed the domain. This proved to be easier than he had anticipated and as his murders mounted up, he gained a degree of renown as a trapper who could succeed where others had failed, having supposedly fallen prey to the werewolves of the domain. The Dark Powers had taken note and granted him a small degree of power, so that he was overlooked by the werewolves of the domain, setting their own snare for Emballeur.

However, Emballeur became complacent, as the ease in which he was able to get away with his crimes made him careless. A close friend of one of trappers he had murdered recognised a distinctive hunting knife that had belonged to his friend in the possession of Emballeur and his suspicions were raised. He quietly brought this to the attention of his colleagues and they decided to trail Emballeur, to see whether the claims he made regarding his hunting prowess were justified.

The group surreptitiously followed him and were therefore witness to his stalking and killing of another trapper, then watched as he carefully tore into the body of his victim, making it appear as if the man had been the victim of a werewolf attack.

Once Emballeur had completed his grisly work, the group confronted him, with the intention of stringing him up from the nearest tree for his rash of crimes. Emballeur, outnumbered and at bay, fled into the trees, not realising that his path would lead him to the edge of the domain bordered by the Mists. The group gave chase, finally catching up with him at the border. Given the choice between certain death at the hands of his pursuers and a possible escape into the Mists, Emballeur cursed his pursuers and fled into the Mists.

After wandering for what seemed like days within the Mists, cursing all those who had interfered with his plans, the Mists rose and a heavily forested land was revealed to him, more untamed than the land he had fled. After some time, he chanced upon the camp of a trapper, pelts piled upon a wooden sled, ready for transport. As he had lost the majority of his supplies and equipment in his flight, Emballeur decided to take everything he saw for himself and quickly fell upon the lone trapper, savagely tearing him apart in his fury.

As night fell and snow began to fall, Emballeur wrapped himself in one of the wolf pelts to keep himself warm, then ransacked the camp, looking for food. However, there was nothing. Starting a fire, Emballeur crouched in the mouth of the tent, his stomach rumbling. His eyes kept being drawn back to the corpse of the man he had killed, the remains still steaming in the cold air. Eventually, he could resist no longer and approached the corpse. It was only meat after all and who was around to judge him?

And with his first mouthful, his fate was sealed...

Pierre Emballeur preyed upon his fellow men, taking all that they had for himself and passing the depredations off as the work of unnatural predators. And now the pretence is the reality, as Emaballeur has been transformed by the Dark Powers into a Loup du Noir, the pelt he was wearing when he consumed his first victim now the agency of his transformation. His greed was his downfall and is now his curse, as he can only gain sustenance from consuming intelligent humanoids when in the form of a wolf and is always, always hungry. He believes that if he devours enough people, he will assuage his hunger, but this will never happen.

Verbrek is a realm of untamed wilderness, visited by hardy folk from the neighbouring domains - prospectors, lumbermen, fur trappers - all seeking their fortune, as Emballeur had before. However, those that prosper soon find that the reward for this is to gain the deadly attention of the Domain's Darklord, as he seeks to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his.

And that's my Dread Alternative...

Which, upon further reflection, is pretty naff - hence the overwhelming response to this post.

Obviously, this needs some more thought...

I will not be defeated! From the ashes of canon and crappy first draft revised Verbrek will arise a new Verbrek...

Hang on... New Verbrek? Hmmm, if Arkandale and Verbrek were combined after the GC, then the whole are could be described as New Verbrek... there's a kernel of something there, just need to nail it down.

I actually think you have a solid backstory here. And how you looked into historic figures to help make it is a big plus in my book. All my Darklords have been based off other media.

You hit Verbrek's theme pretty well. That Domain does not belong to humans. It was made for werewolves and humans can only claim small gaps and likely only temporary ones.

I personally feel that Verbrek and Kartakass are two sides of the same coin, dealing with the beast within. One wants to embrace it, and it reflects in their domain but they are prevented from achieving that. The other wants to be human and rule, but can't escape their base nature. These cover the main avenues werewolves in fiction tend to go.

Now, this is just my opinion so take it as you wish. When I write Domains or Darklords I just add to the setting than replace anything. Your werewolf seems to be the human who indulged in primal acts as a beast and now cannot escape what he has become. Another avenue of a human becoming a werewolf, thus Loup du Noir. This, to me, is an inversion of what Verbrek was pictured as. It is in no way a human Domain because the Darklord was never human in the first place and it shows with how wild Verbrek is. Your Darklord here is a human who struggles with his new animal side and tries to remain human so Verbrek as we know it might not be the perfect fit, although it's a good starting point.

Your Darklord suffers from human flaws, mainly desiring wealth and reputation. Let the forest be wild and untamed, but there to be small, but potentially thriving trapping, logging, or even farming settlements. The settlements are small, but they are dug in. The people are constantly on the back foot, especially with Pierre hunting anyone he thinks is stealing from his bounty or his hunger overtakes him. Still, the people persevere

I can see this Domain being packed next to Verbrek and being a thorn in Alfred Timothy's side, seeing humans thriving so close to his own borders. Werewolves can cross in their religious hunts for the Wolf God, but find Pierre and any Loup du Noir he's collected not taking kindly to intruders on their turf. It's one more aspect to his suffering as a Loup du Noir, forcing him to think and react like an animal to keep them out.

Anyway, these are my thoughts and ideas. Hope they can help develop what you envision for your game's version of Verbrek.

As a canon fan, I can't understand why people dislike Alfred Timothy. He was raised in an abusive patriarchal family and being frail in human form, constantly debased by his father he grew up to despise his human side. Although he managed to unite the werewolves under the worship of the Wolf God he is unable to indulge in the things that brings him closer to his animal side and he constantly has to find ways to keep his hold on the pack without them realising his weakness, which would make him a pariah among his subordinates. I believe if a novel had been written involving him and his cunningness as well as his moonshadow dimension door ability

Since we cannot speak about Verbrek without mentioning Arkandale I will mostly write about Arkandale (since I am satisfied with the 3e version of Verbrek, except clothing as they appear in the illustrations)

I had read a really interesting take on Arkandale, I think it was posted in the Kargatane site, years ago, but I found something similar here https://ravenloft-shadowfallen.obsidian ... arkandale inspired by colonial era (and later) states around the Mississippi River, but since that version closely resembles Souragne I have visualised it a bit different.

My take of Arkandale is similar to canon (Realm of Terror), a mixture of Pilgrim and colonialist Arkansaw. With forts and posts along the river similar to "New France" Louisiana which Arkansas once was part of.

Arkandale's population is a mix of Mordentish settlers and the native population, similar to colonists from French Canada mixing with the local Iliniwe (Illinois) peoples. Alfred Timothy began believing in the Wolf God inspired by tales told by villagers (or ex-slaves) in Arkandale (as written in Realm of Terror), perhaps a dark version of Native-American oral myths as told in Ravenloft Gazetter IV.

So I would make Arkandale's culture similar to early American settlers, more closely resembling a flamboyant version of New England Pilgrims with independent congregations. Most of these congregations are of the Mordentish Sect who could not reconcile with the idea of Camille Dillisnya poisoning her brother and bribing the Church, when the Home Faith and the Mordentish Sect made peace in 707 BC. Since they were a danger to the peace made, after the Great Schism, they were banned from making services and so moved to the newly formed Arkandale in 708 BC. Camille Dillisnya hated them and made a few efforts to eradicate them (I could add a dark gothic venomous version of "Thanksgiving" here or the writers of Catalogue of the World Entire) before her own death in 711 BC. There is still a rivalry between the two sects and congregations often compete with each other.

I visualise the culture of Arkandale similar to the Plymouth Colony, they have a strict work ethic that emphasizes that diligence, discipline, and frugality are a result of a person's subscription to the values espoused by their faith. Living in trade posts/settlements along the river, most Arkandalers are traders (having no connection with nature) and focusing on their work. A few hunters do exist although they usually die young or are werewolves themselves. Although farming exists, after the ban of slavery, it is viewed as a communal activity than a profession, with a few small farms for subsistence farming existing around each settlement of which all villagers are responsible of, the only exception to this is cotton which is mass produced in large private plantations as well as the production of cotton fiber spun into yarn or thread using mechanical hydropower cotton engines, that are exported to be used to make a soft, breathable, and durable textiles across the Core, especially Dementlieu. Cotton industry used to be the most profitable enterprise in Arkandale before the arrival of Nathan Timothy. There are no settlements inland and only one, Alyssum, exists that is not on the banks of the Musarde River but on the Noisette River, as the few inland settlements that were built, when Arkandale first appeared, had been ransacked by werewolves.

Arkandalers depend so much on river trade that they have the saying "Thank Ezra for the Musarde".

Because of the settlers mixing with the native population and slaves from various domains (and hypothetically Prime Material Worlds) as well as being an important trading centre, in spite of it's small population Arkandale is one of the most multicultural places in the Demiplane, although Ezra's faith and work ethics are still dominant within their communities. Power in Arkandale is measured in fortune and since most people were employees or slaves before the formation of the domain a small elite mostly of Mordentish descent exists. Most of them are plantation owners and cotton fabric manufacturers but a few have close ties with Nathan Timothy and The Musarde Trading Company.

The most reputed and powerful family in Arkandale are the Timothys, descendants of the patriarch Cain Timothy, a werewolf in Prime Material Mordent. The Timothys also have ties through matrimony with another powerful family, the Dilisnyas/Boritsis. Ivana Botitsi's uncle Richtor Dilisnya (who died in the Dinner of Death) was married with Nathan Timothy's aunt Ester Timothy. Ester Timothy's granddaughter Winifred Ratcliff is married with her distant cousin Alfred Timoth, Lord of Verbrek.

Another notable Arkandale family are the Vhorishkovas, who unlike the other wealthy Arkandale families have made a fortune as foresters and hunters, most notable for selling fur.

All churches of Ezra in Arkandale practice congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs, including jurisdictional law in some. Although the church of Ezra is dominant in Arkandale, there are a few people who offer sacrifices to a deity known as the Wolf God, to protect themselves against the forces of nature. These offerings are deemed an anathema for the followers of Ezra and those worshiping the Wolf God (usually ex-slaves and surviving full blooded natives) are viewed as pagans, it could be that in some settlements the congregation is comprised of fanatics who hunt down pagans, allies of the Legions of the Night, trying to redeem them, similar to the inquisition of Viktal. The worship of Hala is almost nonexistent, limited to a few families in each large settlement.

Arkandale's False History could be inspired by the story of Spanish explorer/conquistador/ mass murderer Hernando de Soto as well as a disease eradicating most of the natives (called White Fever?) and something similar to King Philip’s (aka Metacomet, Pometakom) War.

In 708 BC after a controversy over forbidding slavery in the territory, initiated by Nathan Timothy, slavery was "banned". Nathan used this ban to weaken the control of plantation and cotton fabric industry owners on Arkandale's settlements while at the same time increasing the revenue for slavers/smugglers such as himself. Since then, cotton production has decreased and the cotton fiber industry is in decline, the once powerful families of Arkandale live in decadent wooden mansions in the centre of those plantations.

The Musarde Trading Company
Ii is the main trading company operating along the Musarde and was initiated by Nathan Timothy and formed after contacting Borcan and Richemuloise merchants. Nathan forced this trading alliance on the other merchants by offering a monopoly of trading goods south of Richemulot. For some reason most traders who do not work with Nathan or who do not pay a monthly fee to him have their shipment, ships or crew vanish before reaching Invidia or Richemulot. The Boritsi Trading Company without support by Camille or Ivana could not compete with The Musarde Trading Company and became a shareholder. Sulo Boritsi removed his family (save for his eldest children) from Borca to Bergovitsa, Nova Vaasa. The Musarde Trading Company has raised the costs of trading in the Musarde River area south of Richemulot, forcing all Arkandaler traders and ship owners to lower their employee's wages. Although slavery was abolished with the formation of the domain, it seems as if things have changed only in appearances as the wealth of a few is carried on the backs of many. Wealthy ship owners and merchants still behave as they used to, they can beat an employee to death with no consequences other than having to bribe the local magistrate and jury to be deemed innocent or in rare cases call false witnesses or create false evidence to accuse the deceased of attempting murder.

I like the conclusion of that article on Verbrek (Ravenloft: The Shadow Fallen) so I will post it here too.

"While Arkandale may seem like a poor fit for the Forest of Beasts, it mainly exists here as a counterpoint to the vast wilderness, treating man as the real animal. Humans metaphorically prey on each other in Arkandale, turning civilization into a sham—a thin veneer on top of a “dog eat dog” world. Arkandale is the “proof” to the Cult of the Wolf God’s claims that humans are worse than animals; wolves don’t keep slaves, after all."

Nathan Timothy's personality echoed in his domain is seen by the Arkandaler's fixation with trade, the lush forests contradicted with the settlements along the river reflects Nathan's beastial nature contradicting with his love of traveling the rivers. The church of Ezra suppressing that of the Wolf God, may be reflections of his oppressive character as well as the suppression of his beastial nature to pose as a genial enterprenour. While the “dog eat dog” aspect of the domain reflect his ruthlessness. As for the false history it reflects his love of exploring and traveling.

There is an inconsistency between the maps of Verbrek and Arkandale in Realm of Terror (Black Box) and post-Grand Conjunction maps. The Circle used to be in the center of Verbrek, while in later maps it appears in what was Northern Arkandale. Fortunatelly there is always the excuse of the Grand Conjunction changing the landscape and moving the Circle to where Alfred's father domain was, indicating the change of power.

Also in 3e Verbrek there are no ex-Arkandale settlements mentioned along Musarde river, this can be explained as

-The settlements were destroyed by the werewolves after Arkandale's lands were passed from father to son

-They were abandoned

-They became insignificant small walled posts along the river to protect river trade.

-After Nathan lost control of his domain the Musarde Trading Company began to lose it's hold south of Richemulot, thus it could be that some people revolted against their employers. In others it could be that family members and friends of employees who died off exhaustion due to working too much, or died by the hands of their employers, retaliated and took judgment on their own hands punishing those who had wronged them and taking over a settlement.

In The Mordent Cartograpic Society map of Verbrek by Gomaz has the following settlements in Arkandale:
Amoria, Rolling Fork, Seil, Thoslow, Gylsburg, Alyssum (mentioned in Ravenloft Gazetteer IV).
Most are taken from the Lonesome Road website (Rolling Fork and the other towns at the Musarde). Amoria is an abandoned village and were I place Duskpeace Lodge when Arkandale becomes part of Verbrek.

The one I remember from the 90's had other names, I' try to find a printed map I have of it and add it here later.

Massacre of the Vhorishkovas
In 741 BC George Weathermay's investigations of Natalia Vhorishkova's identity, lead him to Verbrek (in where was formerly Arkandale), where the trail led to the Vhorishkova clan. He slew all of Natalia's relatives, down to the last helpless elderly.

The Avatar of the Wolf God (from the Book of Sacrifices)
The Avatar of the Wolf God is an animal mummy fueled by the misbegotten faith of a faction of the Cult of the Wolf God. This faith is enough to appeases and sustains it, but it will become violent should this faith die down. Kaywen is trying to convert the people of Tricco into worshiping the Wolf God through the so-called Avatar.

Thanks for all the responses on this - it has caused me to rethink my take on Verbrek and restore Alfred Timothy as the Domain's Darklord, but revise him so that his curse now reflects his crime...

My main problem with Timothy as Darklord was that I didn't feel that his curse reflected his crime. He gained Darklordship due to his betrayal of the Vistani who saved him, which in comparison to others who have crossed the Vistani, didn't really seem to warrant Darklordship. I mean, Jacqueline Montarri killed Madam Eva and she didn't become a Darklord, so why did Timothy?

That's by the by however.

Timothy's crime was betrayal of those who sought to help him and he also considers himself an Apex Predator, thinking that the "Beast" is better than his human aspect. So, let's tailor his curse to give him what he wants, but also take away what he desires...

So, Timothy is a cult leader. Whether the "Wolf God" exists or not is irrelevant, as long as his followers believe that that it is real and flock to him and his domain, because without his followers, Timothy cannot be what he wants.

Timothy's curse is that when he betrayed the Vistani, they paralysed him and skinned him. Timothy is still a werewolf, but because his pelt has been magically removed, he cannot assume hybrid or wolf form unless he takes the skin of another werewolf. Therefore, Timothy has started the Cult of the Wolf God to gather followers and once a month selects one of his followers to take part in a special ritual to determine their worthiness. So far, no-one selected has survived, due to the fact that Timothy chooses the strongest werewolf amongst his followers, takes them into isolation for the "ritual" and then paralyses them with a herbal mixture, then skins them alive, so he can take their pelt for himself. This allows him to take on his other forms, but because the skin is not his, it never lasts, so he has to take another. And another. And another...

Wolves are pack animals, but Alfred Timothy is selfish, thinking only of himself and his needs. He wanted to prove that werewolves were the apex predator, better than their human aspect and the Dark Powers granted his wish. However, whilst he publicly promotes the hunting of "lesser" races, HIS prey is his own kind.

Of course, he could stop betraying and killing his own kind, IF he could recover his own skin... but this was carried off by the Vistani and is currently beyond his reach.

I feel this revision makes him more evil, as previously he was just acting like a typical werewolf (and Natalia Vhoriskova does werewolf better than Alfred Timothy). This way the façade he promotes is the same as previously written, but the underlying reason for the Cult of the Wolf God is to gather more followers (i.e. victims) for Timothy himself. His crime was betrayal and now he perpetuates this by betraying his own kind.

I would have his pelt dangled over him maybe wore by an heroical L/G Loup de Noire Ranger.

I think that is a very interesting revision of his curse, and I like the mechanics of it.

It is very close in operation to Jacqueline Montarri's curse, which does threaten her uniqueness. I would be wary of implementing this version in a world that already has her.

Then again, since both were cursed by the Vistani, the common theme may make sense. There must be some reason the Vistani keep performing curses of this sort. I would think that Alfred and Jacqueline might not be the first, which begs the question of what purpose these stolen parts serve in the greater scheme of things.

Wolfglide of the Fraternity wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 12:07 am There must be some reason the Vistani keep performing curses of this sort. I would think that Alfred and Jacqueline might not be the first, which begs the question of what purpose these stolen parts serve in the greater scheme of things.

Emil Bollenbach's next super-golem

Carrion Crow wrote: ↑Tue Jul 12, 2022 11:32 am My main problem with Timothy as Darklord was that I didn't feel that his curse reflected his crime. He gained Darklordship due to his betrayal of the Vistani who saved him, which in comparison to others who have crossed the Vistani, didn't really seem to warrant Darklordship. I mean, Jacqueline Montarri killed Madam Eva and she didn't become a Darklord, so why did Timothy?

This is a good revision of Alfred's curse but I agree that it is really close to Jacqueline Montarri's curse.
On another note I have to say that NPC darklordship mechanics probably work differently than PC power check mechanics. It is not the act of betrayal per se that makes Alfred a darklord but the evil of his soul as well as the influx of evilness gathered at that very moment, similar to a sinkhole of evil. Don't forget that Alfred crossed path at that very moment with Isabella Aderre and her daughter with Vlad Drakov, future darklord Gabrielle Aderre. The same holds true for Harkon Lukas escaping in the Mists after a confrontation with Strahd. Sometimes stepping into the Mists is enough for a very evil person to become darklord as it has happened with Azalin, Hazlik, Lord Soth and Urik Von Kharkov. So I would add it is not the crime (betrayal) that gives Alfred his domain but it is his evil "father complex" generated character as well as his father's evil in his bloodstreem that cause Verbrek to form.

PS
I know that a few of you here disagree with the evil seed, evil blood concept but this is gothic horror fantasy not reality after all. Also Alfred was abused by his father so it also an environmental thing along with his predisposition as a natural werewolf. But I will add that if the concept of the evil seed didn't exist we wouldn't have movies like The Omen (1976), horror novels like Rosemary's Baby (1967) by Ira Levin etc. On the other hand as the Mordentish sect of Ezra preaches there is the possibility of redemption for the creatures belonging to the Legion of the Night, this is also a possibility even for fiends as written in 2nd edition planescape accessory Faces of Evil: the Fiends

Mephisto of the FoS wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 2:03 am

Carrion Crow wrote: ↑Tue Jul 12, 2022 11:32 am My main problem with Timothy as Darklord was that I didn't feel that his curse reflected his crime. He gained Darklordship due to his betrayal of the Vistani who saved him, which in comparison to others who have crossed the Vistani, didn't really seem to warrant Darklordship. I mean, Jacqueline Montarri killed Madam Eva and she didn't become a Darklord, so why did Timothy?

This is a good revision of Alfred's curse but I agree that it is really close to Jacqueline Montarri's curse.
On another note I have to say that NPC darklordship mechanics probably work differently than PC power check mechanics. It is not the act of betrayal per se that makes Alfred a darklord but the evil of his soul as well as the influx of evilness gathered at that very moment, similar to a sinkhole of evil. Don't forget that Alfred crossed path at that very moment with Isabella Aderre and her daughter with Vlad Drakov, future darklord Gabrielle Aderre. The same holds true for Harkon Lukas escaping in the Mists after a confrontation with Strahd. Sometimes stepping into the Mists is enough for a very evil person to become darklord as it has happened with Azalin, Hazlik, Lord Soth and Urik Von Kharkov. So I would add it is not the crime (betrayal) that gives Alfred his domain but it is his evil "father complex" generated character as well as his father's evil in his bloodstreem that cause Verbrek to form.

PS
I know that a few of you here disagree with the evil seed, evil blood concept but this is gothic horror fantasy not reality after all. Also Alfred was abused by his father so it also an environmental thing along with his predisposition as a natural werewolf. But I will add that if the concept of the evil seed didn't exist we wouldn't have movies like The Omen (1976), horror novels like Rosemary's Baby (1967) by Ira Levin etc. On the other hand as the Mordentish sect of Ezra preaches there is the possibility of redemption for the creatures belonging to the Legion of the Night, this is also a possibility even for fiends as written in 2nd edition planescape accessory Faces of Evil: the Fiends

I prefer Good Omens take of that story. But I am a believer in the Act of Ultimate Darkness as the ultimate refused opportunity for a Darklord to avoid its fate. So while he was already evil up to that moment, when he decided to betray his benefactor was the straw which broke the donkey's back. Also, I have removed all always evil alignement for not fiend creatures.

Mistmaster wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 10:08 amSo while he was already evil up to that moment, when he decided to betray his benefactor was the straw which broke the donkey's back.

Let me rephrase that...
So I will add it is not only the crime (betrayal) that gives Alfred his domain but it is his evil "father complex" generated character as well as his father's evil in his bloodstream that cause Verbrek to form.

Mistmaster wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 10:08 amAlso, I have removed all always evil alignment for not fiend creatures.

Every DM does what they want in their campaign and use whatever rule they find more appropriate for their game, it is good to have different views in this forum of how we play the game, as to inspire others to do what they feel suits their game best. I am happy that people like Mistmaster are regulars in this forum, and I am looking forward for the Mistworlds next domain/s description and what your take will be on it or them.

Well of course, you do not become dark lord living a perfectly good life and one single crime. So I agree.

Speaking of Omen, I recently rewatched. The scene in Omen 3 (with Sam Neill) denouncing Jesus the Nazarene in a prayer to Satan is a great villainous scene. Something like this wouldn't fly in a normal Ravenloft campaign, but perhaps if you had a homebrewed Christian themed domain, this monologue would make for great supporting media content.

A bit late to the party but still: I don't like Verbek. Sure, it's a domain of wolfmen. Okaaaay... why it needs to be a domain? It's a big forest with monsters. It could be absorbed in Richemulot in my opinion. Invidia has its own thing (although a part of Verbek could be there). Richemulot and Valachan both have shapechangers and forests but they also have civilization. So, add Verbek to Richemulot with the wererats holding the settlements and werewolves in the forests and ... nothing really changes aside of the fact that now there are powerful factions (Wererats) that could be interested in exploiting Verbek or opposing the werewolves + there are areas the werewolves could actually menace.

I believe it is based on these two concepts from https://ravenloft-shadowfallen.obsidianportal.com/

Verbrek
Verbrek is the trackless wilderness, the savage forest that tests humanity against nature. In Verbrek, however, nature usually wins—and it is only at the end that those who contested with nature realize that the game was rigged against them the entire time. In many ways, Verbrek is the archetypical domain of werewolves and beast spirits, a place where humans are the minority and what few bastions of civilization exist do so at the sufferance of the wolves.

Arkandale
Humans metaphorically prey on each other in Arkandale, turning civilization into a sham—a thin veneer on top of a “dog eat dog” world. Arkandale is the “proof” to the Cult of the Wolf God’s claims that humans are worse than animals; wolves don’t keep slaves, after all.