... The Calamities foretold in prophecy had all come true. And it was even worse than anyone had imagined. And the disasters I'd faced, along with the account of poor Gagné's latest tribulations, had landed me in the "care" of the Dr. Heinfroth's asylum. In my fever dreams there, I'd caught a glimpse of girl with a promising future, knowing full well she'd meet a terrible end... a painter, whose past caught up to him... a band of heroes protecting their land, betrayed by their liege lord himself. Their personal calamities amplified my own, until the burden .... broke something... within me. I peered deeper, deeper than thought, deeper than dream, deeper than a mind was meant to go... past these lands, past the mists, past reality itself, to other worlds. Some very like ours, some quite different. There was Darkon, but not Darkon, Sithicus but not Sithicus, and Arlington... now Harrington. These glimpses showed me that there was more than a world of suffering. That surely if there were other versions of our world, there might be a version that was better, that was healed. My catatonia lifted, I had renewed purpose. First, to escape this so-called hospital, and then to escape... this so-called world. It was time to visit the lands that could have been. Meet the people that lived a different path. To learn What Might Have Been...
The Fraternity of Shadows is now accepting submissions for the 28th installment of Quoth the Raven, the annual Ravenloft netbook that endures even in the darkest of times. The theme for the 2021 issue will be What Might Have Been.
False History, Alternate Reality, Parallel Worlds, Variant Domains, Reimagined Characters. Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft has given us a new take on our beloved demiplane, but it's not the first such take. Since Ravenloft began, we have twisted its lands, stories, and people to our own purposes, for what works best in our own games. And Quoth the Raven and other netbooks have been a home for these variant spins on the canon. Let your imagination run wild, free of the bounds of what has come before. Give is us stories set in the old continuity with The Core and S and Victor Mordenheim, or the new one with Saidra d'Honaire and Chakuna and the land of Klorr, or your own version that blends the two, or re-reimagines either or both of them. Nothing is set in stone. Ravenloft is what you make it.
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, 2021, but feel free to send your articles in early, especially if you're looking for feedback.
And remember, anything is possible, even the thing you fear most....
