Rafael's Teufeldorf Thread

[cure]

For what ever it is worth, the 'official' take, or at least Mangrum's take which is good enough for me at least, is that there are, at absolute most, a handful and probably less Kargatane is Barovia:

"John W. Mangrum

Well, the first problem with the "Sheriff" is that he's extraneous -- he essentially fills a role already filled by Vasili van Holst (I hope I'm remembering that name correctly), Strahd's "representative" when he doesn't want to be seen as being personally involved. On top of that basis they've laid aspects of the (purposely) overtly brutal and faceless Talons of Falkovnia, so this one character manages to bleed away distinctive elements of two domains.

Another problem is the Gargoyles -- presented as being an army created to root out the Kargat. Azalin has about 200 Kargat, total, and considering that their primary purpose is to grease the wheels of Darkonian law, at most, maybe, half of them may be posted beyond Darkon's borders. In the end, it's probably highly generous to assume that there's more Kargat in Barovia than you could count on one hand. Rooting out five guys requires an army? And if so, why not use, say, the army? Barovia does have one...

But the question is how to make the Sheriff and the Gargoyles fit into Barovia's atmosphere. Well, at the very least, I would look up the correct name for a "sheriff" in a country with Barovia's territorial system. I also have no idea why the guy's named "von Zarovich." As for the Gargoyles, there was a secret society that served the same role in Andrew Wyatt's original draft of the Barovia gazetteer -- a covert group of giorgio informants who kept tabs on their neighbors in return for payoffs. Same goals, but with the added bonus of subtlety in a domain of subtleties. Sadly, I cut the group (in my role as shadow developer), primarily due to space, but also because I felt that Strahd already had an extremely effective network of spies who could cross borders for him -- they're called the Vistani. However, in 20/20 hindsight, knowing that the concept of a giorgio secret spy ring in Barovia was inevitable, boy did I make the wrong call. I have, honestly, felt bad about cutting out Andrew's good idea, inadvertantly making room for a bad idea, ever since.

I don't remember the name of Wyatt's group, but I'll check when I get home from the office. I think it was the Vespertines, come to think of it. Even the name was more thematically appropriate. (Andrew Cermak: It was the Vespertine. I remember because I've always felt that name was cool as hell)

Here's another problem with the Sheriff and the Gargoyles -- outlawing sale of the Vistani remedy is actually counter-productive to Strahd's goals. Strahd's many things, but stupid isn't one of them. As it is, the ring of fog encasing the Svalich Pass creates a natural chokepoint for trade and information. For now, the Svalich Pass is the only route through the Balinoks; the mountains to the north and south are exceptionally treacherous, without a single reliable secondary route to fall back on (at least since the severing of the Timori Road). As it is, going through the Village of Barovia is onerous but not outrageous. Everyone who wants to go through Barovia has to pass through the fog, be they trader carvan or adventuring party. To get out, they have to deal with the Vistani -- and the Vistani report all their dealings to Strahd, as part of their pact. End result: Strahd knows exactly who's snooping around.

Now, we have Strahd outlawing sale of the remedy. This would not be difficult to enforce -- just have some wolves and bats hang out near the gates and watch for giorgios trying to get out. So, giorgios quickly figure out that there's no way out of the Svalich Pass for them. No way out at all. The Svalich Pass has now been severed as effectively as the Timori Road. Just as is happening up north, it becomes worthwhile for others in power to find new ways around the Balinoks that bypass Strahd and his fog entirely. This path would either have to carve through the Barovian Balinoks or, possibly, cut through the extreme southern lowlands slipping between Kartakass and Hazlan along the razor's edge between Forlorn and the Dead Hills.

Unlike the north, there's no conveniently located superpower with the will and ability to create that new road, but it *would* happen eventually, what with the relationship between necessity and invention, after all. In the long run -- which, as a centuries-old vampire, Strahd would certainly be looking at -- he loses his chokehold entirely. Having severed the route passing literally under his shadow, he no longer gets the trade (less trade means less taxes means less coin in his coffers means less soldiers and magical experiments), and he loses an extraordinarily convenient way of spying on roaming do-gooders.

And he ticks off the Vistani, since he denies them their ability to collect the "captive tax."

It's just ill-considered, and that's before we get into the high-magic town of lebendtod and whatnot.

I agree with what some other posters have said -- from what I'm seeing, among the people who do use the Sheriff, what most of them actually seem to like about him are actually the new ideas they've created to make him palatable -- they're giving the book credit for the product of their own imaginations."

[Le Noir Faineant]

Thanks, Sir Cure! That text will come in handy!

No worries, Joel, you'll see when the article is complete.
- The biggest change I want to make so far is that I will have the city have no walls - Strahd supposedly let them be torn down as a punishment tfor the Gundarakite rebels. (IMC, no Barovian city is allowed to have walls, and I somehow wanted to have this in the text.)
But apart from that, I think nothing spectacular will be changed. - Though I think it is my right as a writer to add details where spaces were left free in earlier descriptions, of course. Now, really, it is not my intention to derail to much from canon.

Basically, apart from giving Teufeldorf a new burgomaster (in Gaz I,it was hinted that the adminstration would change soon), I'll keep the main setting and just add and change some details.
From all I can tell now, a well-known member of the Zarovich family will have a small cameo, as will the Sarcophagus of Ran.

Now there are still some things I simply don't understand about the recent history of Barovia:

- How far can Strahd travel? *House of Strahd* seems to indicate that he is looking for a way to extend the range of his travels. Does he have secret hideouts all over his domain, or does he return to Castle RL every dawn?

- How does Strahd maintain order in Barovia, if his range of travel is limited?

[Le Noir Faineant]

Another very important thing, as I am currently heating up to write on: Which was the current year of the Barovian Calendar again? (In the counting that the FoS keeps.)

BTW, I'll send you the article as soon as it's done, Joel, so you can check how canon-conform it is. My biggest fear right now is that, with the quantity of RL material that is out there, I might miss some important detail about Teufeldorf...

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I haven't yet read my copy of House of Strahd, but based on the Strahd novels, IIRC he's got safe houses with spare coffins all over the domain. He's pretty mobile in I, Strahd I & II getting all the way out to the borders. And anyway, I don't think there's really anywhere in Barovia that's all that far from the castle as the bat flies.

I seem to remember something in "Caretaker" from Tales of Ravenloft mentioning the rare occurrence that he couldn't get back home in time for sunrise. But I could be misremembering.

In any case, he's always got the backup contingency spell to teleport him home if exposed to daylight, and he should have teleport on his spell list anyway. I don't think his range is really an issue at all.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Another very important thing, as I am currently heating up to write on: Which was the current year of the Barovian Calendar again? (In the counting that the FoS keeps.)

Good question. At the moment, we're kind of stuck in 760, as two of the current netbooks (NS Gaz and VRF:D) have wound up being researched simultaneously with the Zherisia Survey. It was either that, or send our narrators down to the southern Nocturnal Sea to freeze like popsicles in the depths of winter.

So my guess is that sometime from late 760 to early 761 would be the best period to aim for, if you need to put an in-character date on things.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

I seem to remember something in "Caretaker" from Tales of Ravenloft mentioning the rare occurrence that he couldn't get back home in time for sunrise. But I could be misremembering.

Yes, he crashed in a cave for the day. One of his darklord abilities is that he can sleep anywhere in his domain, as long as it's adequately sheltered from the sun. In effect, all of Barovia qualifies as his "coffin".

Of course, he doesn't want to get staked either, so he maintains a bunch of hideouts all over Barovia with traps and other daytime defenses. But if he really had to, he could zonk out in somebody's cellar.

[Joël of the FoS]

I believe others answered better than me about Strahd's grasp on his realm. Indeed, the novels have him very active. Also, do not forget the vistani and the burgomaster, who informs Strahd of all threats and newcomers to his realms. He can react quickly the next night.

He is far from being passively waiting in his castle!

Another very important thing, as I am currently heating up to write on: Which was the current year of the Barovian Calendar again? (In the counting that the FoS keeps.)

Ravenloft setting year convention 101:

The RLCS was released in 2001 and in game it was 755 (actually this convention goes back to the Black Box but it follows the same pattern:)

Add one year for every year that passes:

2001 - 755
2002 - 756
2003 - 757
2004 - 758
2005 - 759
2006 - 760
2007 - 761

Voilà,

BTW, I'll send you the article as soon as it's done, Joel, so you can check how canon-conform it is. My biggest fear right now is that, with the quantity of RL material that is out there, I might miss some important detail about Teufeldorf...

No problem. Other the Gaz I info, I don't think of much.

Joël

[Nathan of the FoS]

But if he really had to, he could zonk out in somebody's cellar.

*sudden vision of Barovian peasant coming upstairs from the root cellar, his face pale*

"Er...no potatoes for the stew today, everyone."

[Le Noir Faineant]

Thank you for the load of info!

Then I'll add a small hideout for Strahd to the city, maybe give some details when he visited the city for the last time. WHat do you think about Strahd holding court, btw? - Will he charm everyone so noone objects his blue skin?

I'll then set the article in Winter 761... No idea if I get that part done, but I would like to build a small narrative around the article, similar to what the Kargatane did with S and the Gazs...

[The Giamarga]

The Ba'al Verzi I will describe are more or less a mafia-like group, that regulates daily life in the areas where Strahd's iron grip softens. I see them a bit like the Assassins Guild in the Oblivion video game. In my version, Nicu will be the only vampire of the guild, and maybe not even the most important member or leader.

Mafia-like? I see them quite differently. The Ba'al Verzi are a force that should be a shadow. They are a rumour, a dark tale fom a bygone era to frighten even the toughest soldier. It is hard and dangerous to get into contact with them. Oftentimes such an endeavour ends in tragedy. But when they strike they strike decisively. Anyone could be the assassin, often it is a close relative.

In the old times maybe the Ba'al Verzi where more numerous. But I think it had more to do with their recruitment and spying prowess. Perhaps also with a curse. Give the right person at the right time a Ba'al Verzi knife and watch him become an assassin. Of course in the new times with one or more nosferatu among them, the domination power comes into play. Now it can really be anyone who does the kill.

They are only a handful but their power and the fear they generate reaches far...

They do certainly not regulate daily life in Barovia anywhere!

Which brings me to another question: How does Strahd at all administer Barovia - I mean, Gundarak was supposedly attacked by Strahd's armies... But from which garrisons? What are his soldiers doing now? Who controls them? Etc...

That is a good question. But there are not that many people in Barovia to administer, what with a few villages only. Strahd has his alter ego - I forgot the name Von Holtz? - check on the burgomasters from time to time. Those will have in their employ a few clerks and maybe a "sheriff" and some "deputies" . (The names should be changed to a more transylvanian flavour of course).

As for soldiers, I'm stumped. Levies from the towns? Undead? Where does it say he has soldiers at all?

[The Giamarga]

Then I'll add a small hideout for Strahd to the city, maybe give some details when he visited the city for the last time. WHat do you think about Strahd holding court, btw? - Will he charm everyone so noone objects his blue skin?

IIRC he uses the Von Holtz persona to interact with his subjects mostly. I seem to recall that his visit as Strahd (together with Jander) in Barovia in Vampire of the Mists is quite unusual. As for his blue skin, or his elf-pirate look: meh!

[Brandi]

His skin isn't actually blue; it's just the dramatic lighting of that portrait.

I figure he's either bloodlessly white, or, after he's had a feed, pale enough for the paleness to be noted but not enough to make you wonder what happened to him.

[Le Noir Faineant]

They are only a handful but their power and the fear they generate reaches far...

They do certainly not regulate daily life in Barovia anywhere!

Thinking of "I, Strahd" again, I think that you're right. The Ba'al Verzi described in there are certainly more than a street mafia.

Now, maybe I'll insert a street gang using red daggers and calling themselves the Ba'al Verzi, much to the real assassins' discontent...

As for soldiers, I'm stumped. Levies from the towns? Undead? Where does it say he has soldiers at all?

Gaz I states that Strahd relied on the power of his boyars to conquer Gundarak. Now, apart from that, as far as I recall, no info is ever given on Barovia's armies. I suppose, however, that Strahd commands a small troop at least that is always in arms.

IIRC he uses the Von Holtz persona to interact with his subjects mostly. I seem to recall that his visit as Strahd (together with Jander) in Barovia in Vampire of the Mists is quite unusual. As for his blue skin, or his elf-pirate look: meh!

I'll place a Von Holtz Manor House in the city, then - or better not: If Strahd's not sure about the Ba'al Verzi's loyality, I doubt that he would do openly camp in the city, even if the Von Holtz thing is still his secret.

His skin isn't actually blue; it's just the dramatic lighting of that portrait.

I figure he's either bloodlessly white, or, after he's had a feed, pale enough for the paleness to be noted but not enough to make you wonder what happened to him.

Really? - Wasn't it said somewhere else explicitely that he has that blue skin...? - Maybe I am confusing things here, but I was pretty sure that this wasn't just the light reflections...

BTW, found a viable picture of FR's twisted tower here:



I think I'll desrcibe Teufeldorf's tower accordingly...

[Le Noir Faineant]

BTW, In case I didn't express that earlier in an adequate way:

A BIG thank you to all who give me ideas on this!
This helps me so much!

[The Giamarga]

Street gang ?!? How very un-gothic. Also I´m not sure if a gang that claims to be Ba´al Verzi would survive "the real assassins´discontent" very long. And surely not in Teufeldorf, with the head of Ba´al Verzi next door, a fairly strong religious society, and the town itself run by the captain of the guard, a high level fighter and adamant about preserving law and order in Teufeldorf. Now rampant beggars and pickpockets are another thing, but openly organized crime is just to obvious and un-sublte imho.


As for the soldiers, Gaz 1 notes that in 740 Strahd ordered the western boyars (landholders) to annex Gundarak and that conscription was called down on the Barovian commoners for the first time since the Terg occupation. Interestingly one of those boyars could already have been Nicu Moldonesti. He is described as "a wicked boyar from the southern edge of the Dreadmount" and a nosferatu in 697. (But not yet a Ba´al Verzi)


Another tidbit from Gaz 1, p. 143: Inajira has no permanent abode and cannot maintain any mortal facade for longer than a year or two. He remains within Barovia or a neighoring domain to stay abreast of Strahd Von Zaroviche´s affairs. As of early 756 BC, Inajira is masquerading as local magistrate and amateur alchemist in Teufeldorf, dwelling in a grim manor filled with moldy books and arcane paraphernalia



What do you make of the passage in Gaz 1 that says that the Twisting Tower is used to train a handful of Barovian soldiers in miliary tactics and intelligence ? ...and what about the story of the tower that supposedly once housed a cabal of black magicians ? What is your take on those..