False Histories?
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 6:24 pm
I've wondered this for a long time, but never bothered to ask. Has anyone written anything on the "false" histories of each domain? Obviously, each domain, especially those of the Core, have both a real history (e.g. "created in 694 B.C. from the Mists) and a false one (founded by Charles the Conquerer when he drove back the Horde, etc...).
But what would a character know about his own domain's history? In the case of some domains, there are inhabitants of the domain who are "older" than the domain itself. For example, many domains were formed in the 690's B.C. What would natives to those domains who are older than 70 years "remember?" What would they teach about their domain's "ancient history?" Would other domains include them in their histories? Thus, would Borca (which is "older" than Richemulot) have written histories including Richemulot predating 684, or would their history books simply say: "694 B.C. - A new land has suddenly appeared north of us."
On a related subject, considering that Barovia is not the most economically, militarily, scientifically, or even socially powerful domain of Ravenloft, why do characters from Ravenloft use the Barovian Calander? Yeah yeah, I know, it's the heart of Ravenloft, big deal. The players know that, but do the characters realize it? Wouldn't it make more sense to use a Dementlieu calander, or even one from Darkon?
Heh, I hope all that was more or less understandable...
I have my own thoughts on all this, but I want to ehar everyone else's opinion first...
But what would a character know about his own domain's history? In the case of some domains, there are inhabitants of the domain who are "older" than the domain itself. For example, many domains were formed in the 690's B.C. What would natives to those domains who are older than 70 years "remember?" What would they teach about their domain's "ancient history?" Would other domains include them in their histories? Thus, would Borca (which is "older" than Richemulot) have written histories including Richemulot predating 684, or would their history books simply say: "694 B.C. - A new land has suddenly appeared north of us."
On a related subject, considering that Barovia is not the most economically, militarily, scientifically, or even socially powerful domain of Ravenloft, why do characters from Ravenloft use the Barovian Calander? Yeah yeah, I know, it's the heart of Ravenloft, big deal. The players know that, but do the characters realize it? Wouldn't it make more sense to use a Dementlieu calander, or even one from Darkon?
Heh, I hope all that was more or less understandable...
I have my own thoughts on all this, but I want to ehar everyone else's opinion first...