New Domains

[Scarycount]

I thought we should have a thread for any domain ideas we think of. If you have a cool idea for a domain, darklord, or culture or movie you would like to see a domain for, and don't mind anyone staling it, this is the place. Let the brain storm begain!

[Igor the Henchman]

I've had this totally awesome domain concept floating in my mind for a long time now. Its sort of a "childish nightmare" sort of pocket realm, attached to the Shadow Rift. I think it was developed around a "nursery tale gone wrong" concept - a place to be dragged into for naughty children who either eat too much or don't finish up their plates.

And get this: the darklord is a talking cake.

An evil one.

...

What?

[Scarycount]

A talking cake?! That is qutie possibly one of the coolest ideas I've ever heard!

[Gemathustra]

Did the darklord look something like this?

[Rotipher of the FoS]

And another one for the Questions-I-Never-Imagined-I'd-Be-Asking file:

What, exactly, does a talking cake do, to get itself condemned as a Ravenloft darklord?

[Scarycount]

Perhaps it was once a nurse who realized the orphans she took care of were a strain on the hospitals funds, so she fed them poisoned sweets. One of the chilren discovered her crime, and cursed her in a very fitting way. The rest is history. I belive there are no darklords whose primary sin is greed, and what could be more greedy than killing kids to keep funds up.

[Nathan of the FoS]

That's even better than my domain with the parrot darklord.

It was actually kinda cool, as a domain, and the parrot darklord makes sense in context, but, well, I just felt like it would be too difficult to take seriously, which is fatal to the mood when playing Ravenloft, so I never developed it fully.

BTW, in "The Nutcracker" (the story, not the ballet) when they visit the Land of Sweets someone quells a riot that's about to break out by running to the middle of the street and yelling, "Pastrycook! Pastrycook! Pastrycook!"

Everyone flees, because Pastrycook is reputedly a notorious and deeply evil bogeyman who can be summoned by speaking its name.

How's that for an idea for a new fey?

Actually, I like that so well I'm claiming it. Dibs on the Pastrycook Fey!

...

[Jester of the FoS]

One idea for a domain I keep toying with was my original homemade that I submitted (and was rightly rejected) for various Book of S__. It's a bit of a blot on my record, a poorly written entry I came up with in high school when I was a far worse writer. I wince every time I look back at it; debating if I should even attempt a revision.

The lord was basicly a group. I was inspired by the Hellfire club, the historical society that has inspired references in Marvel comics and even an old Avengers episode (Emma Peel, mmMMmm). The idea being whomever lead the group ruled the domain and there was a continual power struggle in the club for leadership and, unwittingly, being the cursed lord.

[Igor the Henchman]

I don't know what disturbs me more, now: my talking cake idea, or the fact that there's people actually liking it.

The concept was born in my head several months ago, during a mental conversation I had with myself in one of those really bored evening moods. I was pondering the notion that, objectively speaking, any character or thing might be made to be scary with the right presentation. Suddenly, a thought sprung up: "can a talking cake be made frightening?" Woe is me, before I knew it, I had the whole domain concept fully developed in my head.

And another one for the Questions-I-Never-Imagined-I'd-Be-Asking file:

What, exactly, does a talking cake do, to get itself condemned as a Ravenloft darklord?

Some shadow fey enjoy mortals as tools or entertainment. An especially vicious sith named Kaekche Gobblegorge liked them as food. Especially human children, a delicacy he found best of all. He would wander about towns and villages, and looking into dining room windows, to spot those children who stuff themselves with sweets or refuse to finish their plates. These he would snatch at night, whispering softly in their ear: "Eat or be eaten, my little one. Eat or be eaten." Then he would devour them, and search anew.

Kaekche had a dark secret he hid even from other shadow fey: he was a traitor to both Seelie and Unseelie courts, one of a few treacherous shadow fey plotting to restore Gwydion's rulership over their kind. Unfortunately for him, Queen Maeve, always watchful for Gwydion's intrigues, managed to unmask him. She confronted him while he was kidnapping the spoiled daughter of an important human noble. "Eat or be eaten, is that what you always say, infidel Kaekche? she asked him. Henceforward, being eaten will be your every moment's fear." With that, she slew Kaekche and used powerful magic to transfer his essence in giant cake she commissioned for this purpose. She then imprisoned him inside one of Shadow Rift's Fractures. Now, Lord Cake is a shackled villain, forbidden of ever threading both in his home realm or the mortal lands.

Kitchen Realm is a small land inhabited by cooking-loving fey and changelings. Lord Cake rules his subjects from the safety of his Table Palace, rarely daring to show his current form in public, for he realizes well how delicious he looks and smells. Better than anyone, he knows his realm is a reflection of the duality between Eaters and Food, and he devours mercilessly any being in his realm who would challenge his authority. His most fearsome minions are Pot and Kettle, his two former sith servants, now transformed into charred metal constructs. Feared throughout the land, Pot and Kettle act as Lord Cake's assassins and enforcers. They are also often sent into kitchens of mortal households to kidnap naughty children: a delicacy Lord Cake hasn't lost taste for.

As a Fracture between the Shadow Rift and the mortal lands, Kitchen Realm can connect any kitchen inside the Rift to any other one outside it. Being one of the most flexible fractures, it acts as a popular passage for both mortals and fey, something Lord Cake has learned to exploit well in his ongoing schemes against the Faery Courts. Other Gwydion sympathisers still exist within the Rift, and Lord Cake aids their efforts as well he can, aided by his talent for gathering and using important information. Furious at his current condition, he entertains the fantasy of someday having Queen Maeve at his mercy, so he can devour her slowly, piece by piece.

I guess that to understand the domain's usability, you have to remember that, as with other Fractures, visitors passing through never remember the exact details of their sejourn there. With this in mind, the domain can be used to insert a bit of refreshing silliness in a campaign without spoiling the overall mood: as soon as they're out, the PCs forget everything they saw or did there. The players, however, remember.

I'm in no way responsible for any thrown dice or cheese puffs received from players during the game use of this domain.

[Igor the Henchman]

The lord was basicly a group. I was inspired by the Hellfire club, the historical society that has inspired references in Marvel comics and even an old Avengers episode (Emma Peel, mmMMmm). The idea being whomever lead the group ruled the domain and there was a continual power struggle in the club for leadership and, unwittingly, being the cursed lord.

Do you mean that they were *all* imprisoned in the club at the same time, but only one enjoying the darklord powers and curse at any one time? Or were the members free to come and go, only the current darklord being imprisoned?

[Scarycount]

What stats would a talking cake have? How would it attack? I think a fire breath wepon would be a nice touch. ie. birthday candles. If lord cake is afraid of being eaten, he must be fairly vulnerable. Amazing as it sounds, I am throughly intrugued by this idea.

[Glim]

This gives the Orc and Pie adventure some spice as well :O

[Igor the Henchman]

What stats would a talking cake have? How would it attack? I think a fire breath wepon would be a nice touch. ie. birthday candles. If lord cake is afraid of being eaten, he must be fairly vulnerable. Amazing as it sounds, I am throughly intrugued by this idea.

I never actually statted the thing, but I always imagined he'd have pseudopod slam attacks or something, and, of course, a swallow whole attack option. I also imagine he'd have a strong regeneration ability, but extremely susceptible to bite attacks. To destroy him for good, you'd have to kill him, then eat the remains to the last piece.

No clue as to his means of locomotion, though.

[Sorti]

And another one for the Questions-I-Never-Imagined-I'd-Be-Asking file:

What, exactly, does a talking cake do, to get itself condemned as a Ravenloft darklord?

It has been baked with HATE!!!!!!!111oneone

[Sorti]

Working in progress...

Lord Cake
Huge Fey (Delicious)(couldn't help...)

Hit Dice: 14d6+112 (161 hp)
Initiative: -3 (-3 Dex)
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares)
Armor Class: 5 (-2 size, -3 Dex), touch 5, flat-footed 5
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+22
Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d6 +7)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d6+10) and 4 pseudopod +7 melee (2d4+7)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 2d6+10, hunger aura 30 ft., improved grab, swallow whole
Special Qualities: No discernible anatomy, Blindsight 30 ft., Damage reduction 10/cold iron and slashing, low-light vision, regeneration 10, spells-like abilities, tremorsense 90 ft.
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +6, Will +11
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 4, Con 26, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 20
Skills: Bluff +22, Concentration +25, Diplomacy +22, Hide -11, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (local, Shadow Rift) +20, Listen +19, Spellcraft +20, Spot +19
Feats: Cleave,Great Fortitude,Power Attack,Weapon Focus(Bite)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 15-28 HD (Huge); 29-42 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: -

Combat:
Constrict (Ex): A creature with this special attack can crush an opponent, dealing bludgeoning damage, after making a successful grapple check. The amount of damage is given in the creature’s entry. If the creature also has the improved grab ability it deals constriction damage in addition to damage dealt by the weapon used to grab.

Hunger Aura (Su): .

Improved Grab (Ex): If a creature with this special attack hits with a melee weapon (usually a claw or bite attack), it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. No initial touch attack is required. Unless otherwise noted, improved grab works only against opponents at least one size category smaller than the creature. The creature has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the part of its body it used in the improved grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a –20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself; the creature does not lose its Dexterity bonus to AC, still threatens an area, and can use its remaining attacks against other opponents. A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature’s descriptive text). When a creature gets a hold after an improved grab attack, it pulls the opponent into its space. This act does not provoke attacks of opportunity. It can even move (possibly carrying away the opponent), provided it can drag the opponent’s weight.

Swallow Whole (Ex): If a creature with this special attack begins its turn with an opponent held in its mouth (see Improved Grab), it can attempt a new grapple check (as though attempting to pin the opponent). If it succeeds, it swallows its prey, and the opponent takes bite damage. Unless otherwise noted, the opponent can be up to one size category smaller than the swallowing creature. Being swallowed has various consequences, depending on the creature doing the swallowing. A swallowed creature is considered to be grappled, while the creature that did the swallowing is not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light slashing or piercing weapon (the amount of cutting damage required to get free is noted in the creature description), or it can just try to escape the grapple. The Armor Class of the interior of a creature that swallows whole is normally 10 + 1/2 its natural armor bonus, with no modifiers for size or Dexterity. If the swallowed creature escapes the grapple, success puts it back in the attacker’s mouth, where it may be bitten or swallowed again.

Blindsight (Ex): This ability is similar to blindsense, but is far more discerning. Using nonvisual senses, such as sensitivity to vibrations, keen smell, acute hearing, or echolocation, a creature with blindsight maneuvers and fights as well as a sighted creature. Invisibility, darkness, and most kinds of concealment are irrelevant, though the creature must have line of effect to a creature or object to discern that creature or object. The ability’s range is specified in the creature’s descriptive text. The creature usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures within range of its blindsight ability. Unless noted otherwise, blindsight is continuous, and the creature need do nothing to use it. Some forms of blindsight, however, must be triggered as a free action. If so, this is noted in the creature’s description. If a creature must trigger its blindsight ability, the creature gains the benefits of blindsight only during its turn.

Regeneration (Ex): No kind of attack deals normal damage to Lord Cake. (so that he can be freely eaten piece by piece?)

Spells-like Abilities (Sp): (as Sith plus something hunger-related, like Suggestion (only ["eat nearest creature"]).