Learn the basics of the ravenloft setting as a whole?

[DenilCartel]

I’m a dm currently running curse of strahd and was wondering if there’s a good place to learn about the other aspects of ravenloft outside of the CoS campaign, any help is appreciated!

[Mephisto of the FoS]

I am sending you two links for two Ravenloft setting Core maps one before and one after a cataclysmic event named the Grand Conjuction (or Great Upheaval) that happened in 740 BC. Curse of Strahd is set up in 735 BC the timeline of the Ravenloft Campaign Setting when t was first created in 1990 but with many inconsistencies compared to the 2e and 3e setting. The Ravenloft setting had officially reached 758 BC before being rebooted in 5e and almost erasing 23 in-world years or 15 years of real-world official material.

Pre-740 BC
http://www.fraternityofshadows.com/Port ... lution.png

Post-750 BC after the Nocturnal Sea is formed in the West of the Core.
http://www.fraternityofshadows.com/Port ... lution.png


There is also this link with maps by the Mordent Cartographic Society (Core domains, Cluster Domains, Island of Terror, Pocket Domains,
http://www.fraternityofshadows.com/Gryp ... /maps.html


More info can be found in Mistipedia by writing the names of the domains.
http://fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Main_Page


You can also find the unofficial timeline of the setting here having a lot of historical information taken from official and unofficial products and netbooks.
http://fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Timeline

[Jack of Tears]

What you want is the 'Domains of Dread' sourcebook for 2E. It gives you an excellent entry point into Ravenloft, detailing the lords, the domains, and the special rules for the setting. You can find it at this link on Drivethrurpg, which has it in pdf or pod:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/17 ... f-Dread-2e

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Depending on your needs, you'll either want the recently released Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft or one of the earlier campaign settings. (2nd edition's "Black Box" Realm of Terror, "Red Box" Ravenloft Campaign Setting, or the previously mentioned hardcover Domains of Dread, 3rd Edition's hardcover Ravenloft Campaign Setting or 3.5's Ravenloft Players Handbook. All of which are available on DriveThruRPG)

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/70 ... andbook-35
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2478/Ravenloft-30
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/17 ... -Terror-2e
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/28 ... xed-Set-2e

Alternatively/Additionally, take a look at our FAQ, which probably needs an overhaul in light of VRGtRavenloft http://fraternityofshadows.com/FAQs.html

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Or take a walk around the Mistipedia! ^_^

[onmyoji]

Or take a walk around the Mistipedia! ^_^

That's the way I did it when I first got here three or so years ago and was hungering for what existed outside of Curse of Strahd.

— onmyoji

[alhoon]

I’m a dm currently running curse of strahd and was wondering if there’s a good place to learn about the other aspects of ravenloft outside of the CoS campaign, any help is appreciated!

I ... I will be a heretic.

I actually suggest you get the new 5e Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. Start there. Simple and effective. Nowhere as professional as Curse of Strahd but good for what it attempts.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I’m a dm currently running curse of strahd and was wondering if there’s a good place to learn about the other aspects of ravenloft outside of the CoS campaign, any help is appreciated!

I ... I will be a heretic.

I actually suggest you get the new 5e Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. Start there. Simple and effective. Nowhere as professional as Curse of Strahd but good for what it attempts.

No Heresy there. I suggested it too.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

I’m a dm currently running curse of strahd and was wondering if there’s a good place to learn about the other aspects of ravenloft outside of the CoS campaign, any help is appreciated!

I ... I will be a heretic.

I actually suggest you get the new 5e Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. Start there. Simple and effective. Nowhere as professional as Curse of Strahd but good for what it attempts.

No Heresy there. I suggested it too.

R-E-P-E-N-T!!!!

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

I’m a dm currently running curse of strahd and was wondering if there’s a good place to learn about the other aspects of ravenloft outside of the CoS campaign, any help is appreciated!

I ... I will be a heretic.

I actually suggest you get the new 5e Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. Start there. Simple and effective. Nowhere as professional as Curse of Strahd but good for what it attempts.

I mean, if you start at the bottom things can only get better. At least when they get to Champions of Darkness they won't be disappointed.

[alhoon]

Drinnik, it is not the bottom just because it is different than what it is already in our libraries. It is certainly nowhere near as professional as Curse of Strahd, it is certainly not the product of love like the gazeteers, it has lost much of its Gothic Horror elements but it is not bad. It is just...different. Compare it to the Ravenloft monster manual of 3.5e, that I don't even remember the name of, where even the mechanics were wrong (8d12+5d8 hp for mummy clerics etc).

[Mephisto of the FoS]

(8d12+5d8 hp for mummy clerics etc).

That was wrong?...
Oops...

I guess the d8's are turned to d12's is the answer.

[Resonant Curse]

(8d12+5d8 hp for mummy clerics etc).

That was wrong?...
Oops...

I guess the d8's are turned to d12's is the answer.

No, the cleric level hd would supercede using undead racial hit die as far as I'm aware, otherwise things like kobolds with their dragon hd would be ridiculous as spellcasters. I'd have to look at the entry to see what is wrong with it, but racial hd for mummy and then class hd would be correct.

[Resonant Curse]

Wizards is hardly known for making products with correct stating either. Their collector's edition of the D&D cartoon came with a short adventure and stst blocks for the heroes and their weapons as well as Venger. Excper Venger's build doesn't qualify for the archmage prestige class he has.

[alhoon]

(8d12+5d8 hp for mummy clerics etc).

That was wrong?...
Oops...

I guess the d8's are turned to d12's is the answer.

No, the cleric level hd would supercede using undead racial hit die as far as I'm aware, otherwise things like kobolds with their dragon hd would be ridiculous as spellcasters. I'd have to look at the entry to see what is wrong with it, but racial hd for mummy and then class hd would be correct.

Unlike other things, undead in 3e and 3.5 had d12 for everything and no con. As such whether it was a 12th lvl sorcerer or 12th lvl barbarian, the mummy would have 12d12 hp with no bonuses (except if it had toughness or other abilities).
Mummies in Ravenloft are a template though. Not Gnoll-like etc. I.e. you are not "8th lvl mummy and 5th lvl cleric, 3rd magnitude mummy" in Ravenloft 3e.
Noooope. You take the living 5th lvl cleric and apply the mummy template with appropriate magnitude.

It was a very very glaring mistake.