Radical changes in Ravenloft in your campaign

[Mistmaster]

That was a Vlad the Impaler trait, but Vlad the Impaler used to that with turkish embassadors and other enemies as an intimidation act. Not out of gratuitious cruelty. I have modeled my Vlad Drakov with that in mind. I already have a petty and sadistic ruler, Nharov Gundar. I do not need another one.

[Mistmaster]

Well that view is, IMO, a change in Ravenloft.

One already done by Neo-Tiamat thought in his article on QtR.

[Isolde]

That was a Vlad the Impaler trait, but Vlad the Impaler used to that with turkish embassadors and other enemies as an intimidation act. Not out of gratuitious cruelty. I have modeled my Vlad Drakov with that in mind. I already have a petty and sadistic ruler, Nharov Gundar. I do not need another one.

Those things he learned from the Ottomans.

[Mistmaster]

That was a Vlad the Impaler trait, but Vlad the Impaler used to that with turkish embassadors and other enemies as an intimidation act. Not out of gratuitious cruelty. I have modeled my Vlad Drakov with that in mind. I already have a petty and sadistic ruler, Nharov Gundar. I do not need another one.

Those things he learned from the Ottomans.

Yes exactly.

[Isolde]

So much sadism was spread among the various rulers and officials in the Ottoman empire that we would have a Ravenloft with too many Ottoman-derived darklords if we started reading their history.

[Mistmaster]

True enought. That said sadism was not rare among feudal rulers and aristocracy worldwide.

[Isolde]

Was there some dimension in AD&D 1e Manual of the Planes that was Ravenloftish or a precursor?

[brothersale]

IIRC there was a Demiplane of Imprisonment which was poorly described and contained some nebulous entity/entities, why do you ask?

[Isolde]

Was a there an evil mirror dimension of the prime material plane that was the precursor of sorts for Ravenloft? Some Ravenloft stuff could take place there.

[alhoon]

First time I hear of a precursor to Ravenloft. Perhaps a layer of hell? Or Hades that was also a trap-plane that you couldn't escape easily?

[Mistmaster]

Well, while they are bad there are salvagable bits in it.

[Strahdsbuddy]

https://www.fraternityofshadows.com/Lib ... meline.pdf

My radical change to Ravenloft has to do with its history. I believe the Core formed in six main conjunctions and the domains broke off from one another from there. Barovia, Arak, Mordent, Darkon, Gundarak, and Nova Vaasa all came in much larger and then domains broke off from them later. I also believe the formation of Clusters during the Domains of Dread era indicates the entire demiplane was congealing and each Island of Terror and Cluster would eventually be revealed in a fixed position rather than floating in the Mists. Vechor had already proven this by the time it was discovered on the far shore of the Nocturnal Sea. I'm a history and geography nerd, so this is a bit of a hobby of mine

[Solan]

First time I hear of a precursor to Ravenloft. Perhaps a layer of hell? Or Hades that was also a trap-plane that you couldn't escape easily?

Neither. It is an Etheral Demiplane. "The Demi-Plane of Imprisonment is only hinted at in the legends of those who are themselves legends. Legend says that a dark and chaotic force, evil beyond the pits of the Nine Hells, once dominated this region of the dimensions. The forebears of the beings known as the Great Powers of all alignments defeated this creature and its servants and sent them in huge chunks of matter spiraling into the Negative Material Plane. But the destruction was not complete, and legend says that far beyond the realms traveled by sentient beings, there are large demiplanes still ruled by the irreparably evil creatures. The color of this plane's curtain is unrecorded-travelers are strongly cautioned against investigating vaporous curtains that do not match known colors." Manual of the Planes, page 21.

If you assume the Dark Powers to be "irreparably evil", this certainly could be referring to Ravenloft.

[IanFordam]

Nice bit of lore archaeology, Solan! Thanks for digging up the citation.

[Solan]

Nice bit of lore archaeology, Solan! Thanks for digging up the citation.

You're welcome! Always glad to put my 2nd edition D and D books to use !