“The dreamer whose dreams are non-utilitarian has no place in this world. In this world the poet is anathema, the thinker a fool, the artist an escapist, the man of vision a criminal.” (Henry Miller)
The Fraternity of Shadows is now accepting submissions for the next Quoth the Raven, our annual Ravenloft netbook.
This year's issue will be #32 and the theme is...
Anathema
※ the curse
※ can describe a person or thing that is cursed
※ "disfavour of God"
※ shunning, ostracism
※ anathema sit ("let him be anathema"), the excommunication within an ecclesiastical community
※ can describe something or someone which/who is being hated or avoided
※ a votive offering
※ (obsolete) a pile of stones thrown by passersby at the scene of a crime, saying "curse" (tribute)
Anathema derives from Ancient Greek: ἀνάθεμα, anáthema, meaning "an offering" or "anything dedicated", itself derived from the verb ἀνατίθημι, anatíthēmi, meaning "to offer up". In the Old Testament, חֵרֶם (chērem) referred to both objects consecrated to divine use and those dedicated to destruction in the Lord's name, such as enemies and their weapons during religious wars. Since weapons of the enemy were considered unholy, the meaning became "anything dedicated to evil" or "a curse".
By the 6th century, the liturgical meaning evolved again to mean a formal ecclesiastical curse of excommunication and the condemnation of heretical doctrines, the severest form of separation from the Christian church issued against a heretic or group of heretics by church officials.
In 1526, the word anathema appeared in modern English for the first time and was used in the sense of "something accursed". The "consecrated object" meaning was also adopted a short time later, but is no longer widely used.
Its most common modern usage is in secular contexts, where it is used to mean something or someone that is detested or shunned.
From Pharaoh Anhktepot the living dead anathema of the Akiri Gods, to the rats infesting the streets of Pont-a-Museau.
From the calibans of Tepest and the heretics of Nidala, to the ceremony of Zhakata's Taking and the leader of the Red Vardo Traders.
The Land of Mists is full of stories, objects and people that fit the description of anathema.
As always, we are looking for anything related to Ravenloft, Masque of the Red Death, or horror in general. The theme is deliberately open ended, but still a suggestion, not a restriction. If you have something great that doesn't fit in with the theme, send it in anyway!
Ruleset doesn't matter! We accept articles using any edition of D&D rules, or even other systems. Some of the best articles don't have any rules text at all! And if you're interested in having your rules converted to another system, let us know. There are lots of volunteers eager to help.
See our submission guidelines for official rules.
Submit your articles to QTR@fraternityofshadows.com. The deadline is September 30th, 2025, but feel free to send your articles in early, especially if you're looking for feedback.
