The Thief series was almost Ravenloftian

[doctornecrotic]

I saw a thread on an old forum ages ago, I want to say the old forums for Thief even. Despite Garret still having Keepers potential, he seems to always get caught up in faction chaos, the seedy underworld, and a general lack of peace. Whose to say he isn't a Darklord and this strange city isn't his domain? Lots of weird things seem to pop up in order to drag down any attempt at a hopeful contact, relationship, or just sense of proper closure. Though, perhaps his own skills have been heightened in response to being doomed. And just under his nose, there are instances of dark magic, foul spirits, and other horrors lurking in the City's depths. This could be a fun exercise, no?

[Pizza]

It struck me as strange as how even though we knew a world existed outside the City there really didn’t seem to be much to it. There were other cities they traded with, but that seemed to be all they existed for. Similarly maybe there were some farms and towns outside the City, but it seemed to become virgin wilderness very quickly.

[alhoon]

For the uninitiated... what are the thief series? What do you refer to? The game series? some other series?

[brothersale]

personally i always pegged Gamall aka the Hag from the third game as a darklord, as she had comitted act of darkness in the aim of gaining the all knowledge of the glyphs.

[Pizza]

For the uninitiated... what are the thief series? What do you refer to? The game series? some other series?

The video game series

[alhoon]

Played only one of them... for the tutorial. Stealth games are not my cup of tea.

[Pizza]

I played the third one until it got too stealthy. I really liked the world building and lore.

[alhoon]

Honestly, I didn't see it as Ravenloftian. I didn't see the gradual corruption by evil forces that turn your sins to monstrous traits, I didn't see mists keeping isolation, I didn't see "sins of the father" or irredeemably evil people trapped in existential torment that reflects their acts of ultimate darkness.
Some of these may be there, but I didn't see them.

[doctornecrotic]

Honestly, I didn't see it as Ravenloftian. I didn't see the gradual corruption by evil forces that turn your sins to monstrous traits, I didn't see mists keeping isolation, I didn't see "sins of the father" or irredeemably evil people trapped in existential torment that reflects their acts of ultimate darkness.
Some of these may be there, but I didn't see them.

That may be true, but I see spades of things. There are vile forces at work, weaving people to heinous corruption. That creepy eye gouging cult rings a little true. Likewise, the hag in the third game is drenched in deep sin. And, no mists? Perhaps, but where does the city actually go? Perhaps more Dark City than Ravenloft, but there's something deeply uncanny about the setting. I did say *almost*, after all. I can't also speak on the reboot game, as I've only played the original trilogy.

[alhoon]

Ohhhhhh... I see what you mean by "Almost Ravenloftian" now!
That it does things in a similar way like Ravenloft!

Lock the "area" in a ring of impenetrable mist, give a corruption trait to the character that gives curses/powers and you can keep the story / major characters similar, but Ravenloft.
Is that what you mean?