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| A lone vampire. |
CURRENT EVENTS
October 1, 755 - Invasions
by the barbaric Brahms from the north continue on a daily basis throughout the land. They have more forces than Red
Fang military strategists dug in among us than was first realized...
October 2, 755 - Falkovonian Lord
visits Lord Protector LaForge in Brogue in a planned four day peace talk.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT RAVENLOFT
Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, which combines elements of the basic
D&D game with the trappings of gothic horror. To quote from the original Ravenloft Black box set:
"Dark, gloomy castles, desolate landscapes, black clouds racing against the moon - these are the trappings of the Gothic
tradition. Early Gothics were stories of mystery,, and desire - of heroines imprisoned in a fortress, their purity and sanity
assaulted by the evil lord of the manor. Later novels, such as 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein', toss the heroine to the sidelines,
and "evil" takes center stage. This is the classic horror in which Ravenloft has its roots."
If 2nd Edition D&D is still being used then the most recent (and some say best) campaign setting is Domains
of Dread (released by TSR/WotC in 1997). That’s what Sam’s campaign
uses.
Back in 1st edition, two adventures inspired the Ravenloft setting: the original I6: Ravenloft module published
in 1983 and its sequel, I10: The House on Gryphon Hill in 1986. Both were written by Tracy & Laura Hickman. This
led to the first Ravenloft setting the Realm of Terror Boxed Set (nicknamed “The Black Box” by the fans),
which was released in 1990 and defined the basics of the gothic setting. This first set of rules was written by Bruce Nesmith
with Andria Hayday. More then 90 Ravenloft adventures, accessories, games and novels followed in the 90’s, all using
second edition D&D rules. The last book with any Ravenloft content in 2nd edition is Die Vecna Die, a cataclysmic
adventure where the D&D multiverse is threatened.
Click
here to get the complete list of Ravenloft products in 1st or 2nd
edition D&D. This author chooses to ignore third edition.
Ravenloft is ruled by the darklords, also known as domain lords, people or creatures so tragic and evil that the dark
powers of Ravenloft have granted them power and domain over a region. Typically there is but one darklord in each land, they
do not share power well. These individuals posses great power in their own domain but the Dark Powers also torment them and
burden each darklord with a terrible price for their power. Each endures a curse designed to frustrate their most basic desires.
Strahd, the lord of Barovia, suffers an endless search for his lost love Tatyana; this is the classic and most famous example
of the Dark Powers’ touch.
The Core is the main group of nations that makes up the major continent in Ravenloft. It is considered the "heart"
of the setting. Land that fit the traditional European style of gothic horror were designed to be part of the Core, while
the others more exotic lands are generally Islands or part of a Cluster. Large bodies of water are located on the Core’s
East and West coasts. In each of these seas many islands are found, most of them being small domains, each with their own
darklords.
An Island domain
(also known as an Island of Terror) is a single land, completely surrounded by the Mists (note that the
islands located in the two seas surrounding the Core are not usually considered Islands of Terror as they are not isolated
and surrounded by mists). They are not bordered by any other lands and are isolated from the rest of the world. Clusters are
small groups of domains that have joined together, Islands that border other islands instead of simply being separated. The
lands within Clusters usually share a cultural, climate or thematic link. Clusters can be thought of as much smaller versions
of the Core.
7. What are Pocket domains?
Pocket domains are small domains that are completely
contained within another larger domain but are able to move around changing their position. This may be shifting around a
region or radically moving across the entire continent without warning. Pocket domains should be differentiated from smaller
island domains such as Castle Island, which is entirely contained within another land (see Ravenloft Gazetteer
V), and true Pocket domains. Castle Island and the like are rooted on place and have never moved from their position;
they are as much a part of the land as Barovia. Pockets however move from land to land even if they very seldom do so, such
as the House of Lament. Pocket domains are diverse and come in many shapes from a small theatre to a land contained entirely
within a dagger to a place that exists only within a sleeper’s mind.
Many! About Fifty.
Stick around. Sam will come up with some.
In Manual of the Planes terms, Ravenloft is a demiplane on the Deep Ethereal (as presented as an option on
pg. 55 of MotP). The Deep Ethereal is a transitive plane connecting the Ethereal Planes of the multiverse. Essentially it
is tucked away in a dark and unremarkable corner of the universe where no one can see it. What the Manual of the Planes
calls the Ethereal Plane Ravenloft names the Near Ethereal, to differentiate it from the Deep Ethereal. The Near Ethereal
is the part of the Ethereal Plane that is coexistent with other planes. In second edition, Domains of Dread offered
that the Ravenloft pocket-plane is "a self contained pocket dimension that hangs suspended in the ethereal plane".
At the edge of any land not directly bordered by another land the Mists rise up. A pale whiteness so thick it is almost
impossible to see through. The misty borders of domains are nebulous boundaries stretching back and forth, sometimes moving
inward by miles and other times pulling back revealing previously obscured features. Legends speak of people who have walked
into Mists only to find themselves moved elsewhere, emerging dozens miles from where they entered or even in a different time.
Rarer still are the rumours of people being moved out of the Dread Realms, but this is so rare it is almost unheard of.
The Mists of Ravenloft, like the Dark Powers, are a Dungeon Master tool and complete subject to their whims. They can
be as mysterious or real as the story dictates. In some distant and faraway lands the Mists take on other appearances appearing
as thick blizzards, blistering sandstorms or flickering waves of heat.
You walk across the border. As long as two domains
touch each other there is nothing preventing someone from walking from one to the other. This can be done on the Core and
on Clusters. On Islands one must simply step into the bank of the Misty Border and eventually
it will lead to another land. Eventually. It should be noted that some darklords have the power to magically close the borders
of their realm and prevent anyone from leaving (or sometimes even entering).
No. All darklords and all but beyond redemption. They have done horrible and hideous deeds to earn their power and
the powers that grant it do not reward nor punish those of light hearts with such power. Even if one becomes a darklord by
killing the previous lord that individual must still be evil.
The Grand Conjunction FAQ
The Grand Conjunction was a devastating event that occurred in the year 740 (on the Barovian calendar, the usual reference
for time in Ravenloft). The Vistani seer Hyskosa foresaw this in a hexad of prophecies. Over the five years the verses were
fulfilled until the wizard-king Azalin (in an attempt to leave the Demiplane of Dread) forced the Conjunction to occur early.
For a brief time the darklords were freed from their curses and prisons in the mists before the Conjunction collapsed - but
not before many changes were made to both the lands of the Core and the Islands of Terror.
The changes during the Grand Conjunction are detailed in the second boxed Campaign Setting (the "Red Box", published
in 1994). To quickly summarise:
- Dr.
Dominiani, lord of Gundarak since the assassination of the former ruler, was given his own land. This left Gundarak to be
conquered and absorbed by surrounding lands.
- Borca
and Dorvinia united into a single nation (retaining the name Borca).
- Valachan
moved and now lies west of Sithicus and Verbrek.
- Arak, Arkandale, Vechor, Farelle, and
Sanguinia disappeared. Arak was absorbed into Darkon. Arkandale was absorbed into Verbrek).
- G'Henna,
Bluetspur and the Nightmare Lands became Islands of Terror.
- Markovia
was wrenched out of the Core and into the Sea of Sorrows.
- The
domains of Dominia and Rokushima Taiyoo formed
- The
Sea of
Sorrow
gained a darklord.
- The
space left by G'Henna and Markovia became the mysterious "Shadow Rift."
- The
domain of Zherisia shrunk to become only the city of Paridon.
In 1997, Domains of Dread revealed that "aftershocks" of the Grand Conjunction had continued to reshape the
demiplane in following years. This is most notable in the appearance of Clusters. Briefly:
-
Vechor reappeared
after a decade as a Core domain.
-
The domains of
Saragoss, Sri Raji, and the Wildlands merged to become the Verdurous Lands.
-
Har'Akir, Sebua,
and Pharazia became the Amber Wastes.
-
The domain of
Zherisia (renamed Paridon) joined with Timor to form the Zherisia Cluster.
-
Sanguinia and
Vorostokov merged to become the Frozen Reaches.
-
And the domains
of Nidala, Avonleigh, and Shadowborn Manor merged into the Shadowlands.
There were 6 adventures leading up to, and detailing, the Grand Conjunction (in order of release):
These Grand Conjunction adventures have been released online, and can be downloaded for free at the Wizards of the
Coast Web Site. Also, many DMs have noticed that if they run the adventures in the order written, they end up needing PCs
of level 8-10 for the second hexad, yet PCs of level 3-5 for the third hexad (etc.). The solution to this continuity problem
is to simply change the order of the hexad to suit the levels. This results in the adventure order being:
-
Night of the
Walking Dead - Levels 1-3
-
Touch of Death - Levels 3-5
-
Feast of Goblyns - Levels 4-7
-
Ship of Horror - Levels 8-10
-
From the Shadows - Levels 9-12
-
Roots of Evil - Levels 9-12
Just change the order of the hexad verses to match this, and you will be able to run a Grand Conjunction campaign without
this problem. It should be noted that the hexad and notion of the Grand Conjunction was started after the first few modules
had already been published and the prophecy was retroactively applied to those.
The Grim Harvest FAQ
The Grim Harvest was the result
of another one of the wizard-king Azalin's grand schemes - this time to escape the Demiplane by attaining a higher state of
evolution. While the effects were not as far-reaching as the Grand Conjunction Darkon was significantly changed. After Azalin’s
disappearance a figure known only as Death ruled over all Darkon. During the reign of Death the entire land was renamed Necropolis
and several quasi-lords fought over territory. After five years, Azalin returned and Death's dominion was shrunk to just the
former capital city of Darkon, Il-Aluk, which still retains the name Necropolis.
At the time of the event, no one knew; Azalin might have achieved his goal, but he might equally have been destroyed
in the process. The novel Lord of the Necropolis provided some details about Azalin's fate, however much of this
novel has been declared "non-canon", due to many inconsistencies with established Ravenloft lore. After his return it was
revealed Azalin had indeed survived although the wizard-king’s memories and essence had been scattered across the land.
There were 3 products leading up to, and detailing, the Grim Harvest:
Death Undaunted was to be the forth and final Grim Harvest adventure, produced and published strictly online by the
Kargatane and would detail Azalin’s resurrection and return to the throne. People and Places FAQ
Earlier books have the main landmass of the
Core at around 180 miles by 200 miles. The Sea of Sorrows and the Nocturnal
Sea add about 80 and 90 miles respectively (based onDomains of Dread).
Using this size on the inside cover maps in the Ravenloft Campaign Setting and the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook
puts the scale at 20-25 miles per inch. However, this is prone to change as the mists that border the known land ebbs in and
out. Distance is quite relative in the Land of the Mists. In short the size of the Core and most Domains has been purposely
left out to allow Dungeon Masters to set the size to fit their Campaigns; the Core can be left small for a more claustrophobic
feel or enlarged to whatever size is deemed appropriate. The populations can be adjusted accordingly.
Outlanders are anyone who enters Ravenloft from the outside. The Mists can snatch them up at random or they could have
been too close to a person of great darkness when they are drawn in. Newcomers could also have accidentally entered via magical
spells gone awry, stepping through a one-way portal, or sometimes even entered on purpose. Outlanders are not always believed
by the locals and often spend most of their time looking for a way back home. Earlier RAVENLOFT adventures presumed the party
was composed entirely of Outlanders who were brought in for a single session of horror. This was known as a “weekend-in-hell”
adventure.
Van Richten's Guide to the Vistani introduced the Dukkar, a legendary foe of the Vistani. The Dukkar is said to be a
male Vistana born with the Second Sight, who -if allowed to live- is fated to destroy his people. He is also rumoured to be
able break the curses of the darklords and possibly destroy the land. Malocchio Aderre who emerged in the adventure The
Evil Eye, is currently the only known living Dukkar. The seer Hyskosa, author of the hexad prophesising the Grand Conjunction,
was retroactively identified as an earlier Dukkar.
Co-Created by Steve Miller, the Gentleman Caller is a mysterious fiendish individual wandering the Mists of Ravenloft.
For many years, virtually nothing was known about this character, beyond allusions to his possible inhuman nature and the
appearance that he was carrying out some dire plan far beyond the comprehension of any mortal.
The Gentleman Caller would simply set his plans in motion and move on, never waiting to see the results of his efforts.
By the time the player character could come on the scene, the Gentleman Caller is long gone.
There are seven products so far where the Gentleman Caller definitely appears, and a couple inconclusive references.
Note, however, that he is seldom more than a catalyst for the story - by the time the PCs get involved in the adventure, the
Gentleman Caller is typically long gone. However, in more recent products, he has been slowly edging towards the limelight...
-
The Evil Eye
-
Bleak House
-
Children of
the Night: Vampires
-
Forged of
Darkness (Pipes of Mordent entry)
-
Servants of
Darkness
-
Carnival
-
Van Richten's
Monster Hunter's Compendium Vol III
-
Gazetteer
II (Darkon and Falkovnia entries)
-
Gazetteer
IV (Invidia Entry)
-
Gazetteer
V (Tepest entry)
It is worth noting the reference to the “mysterious gentleman” Tavelia planed to marry in the Darkon entry
of Gazetteer II is NOT the Gentleman Caller as was once speculated.
This topic is hotly debated one on the various Message Boards dedicated to Ravenloft. Only two, Malocchio of Invidia
and Beast of the Hills (from Gaz I whose Dread Possibility was edited out for space), are confirmed, while Vigo Drakov (Gazetteer
II) is a very a good suspect. The Jongleur of Borca is heavily suspected
Originally, the Kargatane planned to have one child in each of the (proposed thirteen) Gazetteers. Plans went awry
with Gazetteer III when Borca was delayed and thus does not have a child of the Caller while Gaz IV has two.
It is known that the children are all reputed to have Vistani mothers and the proof of their fiendish ancestry –physical
or mental- is a reflection of their personality.
Doctor Van Richten was a healer until a familial tragedy prompted him to put down his medical instruments and pick
up a sword and a pen. Van Richten published eight works on identifying, hunting, and slaying monsters that stalk the Land
of the Mists. Included were Van Richten’s Guide to: Vampires, Ghosts, the Created, Werebeasts, Liches, Ancient Dead,
Fiends/Demons, and Vistani. These were later re-published by his ‘nieces’ (see below) as the Monster
Hunter Compendiums volumes 1-3 including an unpublished tome, Van Richten’s Guide to Witches.
The adventure Bleak House possibly killed-off the good doctor. However, it contains several endings, so Van
Richten is not necessarily dead depending on which of these outcomes occurs in your campaign. It has not been revealed which
ending is considered "official," and no answer is likely to be revealed for in the near future. All outcomes, though, do result
in Van Richten being trapped or staying within Bleak House, in preparation for the dark days to come. However, it is worth
noting that all of these options provide for a situation when Van Richten (alive or dead) can be around in 25 years time to
help deal with the Time of Unparalleled Darkness.
Laurie and Gennifer are young adventurers determined to follow in the footsteps of both their uncles. They view their
friend, mentor and adopted-uncle Rudolph Van Richten as a great champion and have vowed to continue his reputed work. Their
blood-uncle is George Weathermay a renowned hunter of monsters and champion of the people.
Like van Richten they believe that the greatest weapon a hunter can have is not a big sword but knowledge. They continue
his chronicling the nature of evil as well as educating fellow heroes on how to hunt creatures of darkness. The pair republished
Van Richten’s various guides along with an unpublished one detailing hags. Since then they have started writing new
guides in the name of Van Richten, their first was the Guide to Walking Dead and this is has been followed by the
Guide to the Shadow Fey.
S is the unnamed and mysterious writer of the Doomsday Gazetteers, published as the Ravenloft Gazetteers.
Little is know about her save that she is a female and presumably a wizard of some skill. Her patron, whose identity is only
hinted at -albeit strongly- in Gazetteer 1 is revealed in Gazetteer II to be Azalin, the wizard-king of
Darkon.
Tristen Hiregaard has the worst continuity of any character in the RAVENLOFT setting. There are no less than three
versions of the character’s history, from the Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix II, the novel The
Enemy Within, and the various campaign sets (such as Domains of Dread). Even the domain itself has had a chequered
history, at one point being said to have five moons (The Awakening). The official word is that the version of
Hiregaard presented in Domains of Dread and Gazetteer V is the correct version of Hiregaard; The Enemy
Within and the RMCA II entries are non-canon. But, of course, if you prefer any of the other versions of Tristen's
history for your campaign, you should feel free to use it!
When Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman (creators of the DRAGONLANCE® Saga) returned to TSR, there were reports of them
saying that, as far as they were concerned, Soth never left Krynn for Ravenloft. To make their point, they even made Soth
an "extra" in the novel Dragons of Summer Flame, released in 1995. This created a lot of (useless) confusion as to
where Soth really is.
The official word from Wizards of the Coast is that Soth definitely did enter Ravenloft after the events of the novel
Test of the Twins. And he definitely returned to Krynn in the autumn of 752 BC, during the events of the novel Spectre
of the Black Rose, written by James Lowder. The in-game reasons behind Soth's escape, however, are nebulous and open
to reader interpretation. Many interpreted it as a consequence of the fact that Soth was no longer feeling imprisoned and
the dark power decided to let go of their dull toy.
Also, although Soth definitely left Ravenloft in 752 BC, it has not been definitively stated when he reappeared on
Krynn. Time flows strangely in Ravenloft when compared to other worlds and Soth could easily have reappeared in Dargaard Keep
mere moments after he left it. Since then Soth briefly appeared in other DRAGONLANCE novels before the authors of that setting
eventually killed him off. In Third Edition products, you find reference to this character when the name "The Black Rose"
is mentioned.
Jander Sunstar is a several hundred year old outlander vampire and possibly one of the oldest vampires in Ravenloft.
He is from the world of Faerûn, home of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. He is featured prominently in the first Ravenloft
novel, Vampire of the Mists. When the dark powers find a toy that they like, they do not let go of it that easily!
Although Jander wanted to die in rays of the sun, the Mists of Ravenloft snatched him away before he could be burned, determined
to keep him alive in his tortured existence. You can find out more about Jander's current status in Children of the Night:
Vampires.
The Shadow Rift is where Markovia and G’henna existed before the Grand Conjunction wrenched them from the Core.
It is a deep chasm filled with thick swirling mist that obscures the bottom from sight. The edges are steep and reputed to
be impossible to scale. In fact, the Mists only conceal the land below and the cliffs do in fact have a bottom. There, far
below and shaded by the Mists, is a sunless realm of dark fey. It is ruled by a trapped, unknowable entity called Gwydion.
While the Second Edition RAVENLOFT line refers to them as “shadow elves” the Third Edition line refers
to the inhabitants of the Shadow Rift as "shadow fey" to clarify their nature and prevent any confusion with the Shadow Elves
of Mystara.
The names of both the days and the months are the same in Ravenloft as they are in the ‘real’ world.
There are twelve months and 365 days per year. The standard calendar in the Core is the Barovian Calendar currently at the
year 755. Isolated lands such as Clusters or Islands may have separate calendars and date names or even their method to measuring
the passage of time. Forlorn in particular is noted for having its own list of years although, as the name suggests, there
is precious little communication between that land and its neighbours. A calendar for the year 758 is available for download
in the Mausoleum (look next to the Barovian plum brandy).
There is no common tongue or trade language in Ravenloft. While there is a limited overlap between some nations, such
as Mordent and Dementlieu, most land have their own separate and distinct language. The Ravenloft Player’s Handbook
has more detail on this, including lists of languages. Alternately, the Ravenloft Gazetteers give information of
the most commonly known dialects in the details lands and even include samples of the predominant language(s).
Here is a list of some instances of domains being based off of a real world lands and cultures.
-
Abber nomads –
Native American/ Australian Aboriginals
-
Al-Kathos –
Arabia/ Persia
-
Richmulot –
Rural France
-
Barovia –
Transylvania/ Romania
-
Borca –
Italy
-
Blaustein –
France
-
Darkon –
Generic Fantasy World
-
Dementlieu –
Urban France
-
Demise –
Greece
-
Falkovnia –
Part Hitler's Germany, part Stalin's Russia, part Wallachia
-
Forlorn –
Scotland
-
Har'akir –
Egypt
-
Hazlan –
Turkish/Hindi blend
-
Kartakass: Scandinavian
and German with the Native American Narrulve’s legends on coyote lore
-
Lamordia –
German & Swiss influence
-
Mordent –
Rural English countryside
-
Odiare –
Gothic Earth's Italy
-
Paridon –
part Paris, mostly London
-
Pharazia –
Arabia/ Persia
-
Rokushima Taiyoo
– Japan
-
Saragoss is a
take-off of the Bermuda Triangle and the Sargasso Sea
-
Sebua –
Egypt
-
The Shadowlands
– Arthurian England?
-
Sourange –
Louisiana/ Haiti
-
Sri Raji –
India
-
Tepest –
Ireland
-
I'Cath –
China
-
Valachan –
loosely based off of the Haida Indians of the Pacific Northwest & Norway
-
Vorostokov –
Siberian Russia
-
Wildlands –
Africa
Here is a list of some of the langauges of Ravenloft that are based on real world dialects.
-
Akiri (Har’akir)
– Egyptian
-
Avergnite (Staunton Bluffs) – Probably English
-
Balok –
Romanian
-
Darkonese –
Latin
-
Dwarven –
German
-
Elven –
Welsh
-
Falkovnia –
German
-
Forfarian (Forlorn)
– Gaelic (Scottish)
-
Gnomish –
Greek/ Latin
-
Heldannic (Graben Island, Nocturnal Sea) – Nordic
-
Lamordian –
Swiss
-
Mordentish, High
– French
-
Mordentish, Low
– English
-
Patterna –
any and all
-
Pazarian –
Arabic
-
Rajian (Sri Raji)
– Hindi
-
Tepestani (Tepest)
– Gaelic (Irish)
-
Vaasi –
Nowegian/ Danish
-
Vos (Vorostokov)
– Russian
The common people of Ravenloft have a limited understanding of the world they live in. The mists have the ability to
manipulate the minds of most of the inhabitants of Ravenloft, and to implant false memories. For example, when a domain is
first created, the mists create a "false history", a fake past that is believed by all the people who were created with the
domain. As such, common people will not understand the concepts of "domains", "Darklords" or the demiplane itself.
The Dungeon Master should adjust commoner knowledge to fit his or her campaign, but in general, the following are examples
of what a common person would know:
-
The name of their
"realm" and neighboring "realms", and the most important rulers of those lands.
-
Magic is unfamiliar,
dangerous thing that is best left to those magic-using types, whom should be avoided.
-
Many dangerous
creatures lurk outside their village; they will know some of the details of the most common animal nearby, and some details
about a species of monster if it commonly preys upon humans.
-
Of the many dangerous
creatures out in the world, there are a few that look like men. Some are called dwarves, elves, gnomes or halflings; though
the differences between them aren't really clear. Some folk trade with these queer folk, but its safer to avoid them.
-
The land has always
been they way it is now. Any talk about Grand Conjunctions or demi-planes is just a lot of nonsense - mostly from those magic-using
types.
-
No one knows what's
beyond the Mists, and no one wants to know.
-
From time to time,
strange people might appear with strange clothes and languages, who might claim to be from some land far away. Its best to
keep your distance from these type; they're often magic-using types, and always trouble.
-
The Vistani are
a strange type of nomads who wander all over the land. Sometimes they put on shows outside of town. Some are thieves and conmen,
and others can tell the future, but all have eerie powers.
Common knowledge varies from domain to domain; certain peoples have more experience with phenomena such as magic and
divine clerics, while others do not. The following is a short list of exceptions to general knowledge:
-
The Vistani know
a great deal about the demi-plane, including information about domains, darklords, magic, curses and many species of monsters.
They will not, however, speak with the same terminology familiar to players.
-
The people of
Darkon have more experience and comfort with demi-human races.
-
The people of
Hazlan have more experience with arcane magic due to the number of wizards retained by their lord Hazlik.
-
Merchants and
sailors may know a great deal about traveling through the mists, as well as the mistways that link domains.
-
The people of
Lamordia do not believe in the supernatural, nor do they believe in gods of any kind. They are aware of many scientific phenomena.
-
-
-
-
-
The Dark Powers are the mysterious force that has –presumably- created the demiplane of Ravenloft and both empowered
and cursing the darklords. They It has been declared that the Dark Powers will never be defined by the Kargat or writers of
the line. They are provided simply as a rationale for the existence of Ravenloft, and as a tool for DMs to individualise their
Ravenloft campaigns. Simply, the Dark Powers are whatever you need them to be for your campaign style. The novel Lord
of the Necropolis, saw fit to define the nature of the Dark Powers. However, this act of defining the Dark Powers (and
other incongruous aspects of it) greatly contributed to the decision to label the novel non-canon.
The mysterious Vistani are Ravenloft's version of the gypsies found in Gothic fiction like Bram Stoker's Dracula. They
are an exaggeration and interpretation of the gypsies of literature and folklore with the magical powers and shadowy powers.
Only full-blooded Vistani are considered Vistani, those with even a drop of mixed blood are considered Giomorgo, or Half-Vistani.
Almost all non-Vistani are called Giorgo. Those few Giorgo who prove that they are worthy of the friendship of the Vistani
are awarded the title of Giogoto. They are neither friends nor foes to the player characters (but can be both depending, according
to their own interests).
The Vistani are in no way intended to be a reflection of the real Romani people. For more information on the Vistani
see Van Richten’s Guide to the Vistani (published separately or in the Monster Hunter’s Compendium
vol 3. The 3E campaign settings also contain condensed information on the Vistani as well as rules for playing a Half-Vistani
character.
When a domain is created, it is generally either:
-
Copied from a
prime material location, e.g. Barovia. When Strahd made his pact, a replica of the Prime Material world Barovia was apart
of was created in Ravenloft. (We know a Prime Material Castle Ravenloft still exists from Roots of Evil.)
-
Physically wrenched
from the prime material, e.g. Forlorn. Once Castle Tristenoira was taken into Ravenloft it no longer existed in the prime
world it came from.
-
Completely new,
e.g. Dementlieu. Its founder was already a resident of Ravenloft when Dementlieu was created, so no Prime Material world was
used as a basis. Presumably, all buildings, streets, and even people are created along with the domain (perhaps even with
false memories of the history of the domain). Richemulot is another example as the buildings and structures predate its creation
although it was not created with people.
Generally one of three things:
-
The domain disappears
(most likely with smaller Island-type domains).
-
A nearby domain
absorbs the land (as occurred with Gundarak during the Grand Conjunction).
-
Some other evil
being in the domain takes over the Lordship. (as occurred in Richemulot and Invidia). This is not necessarily the most evil
or powerful person, but the person with the most potential for evil deeds who has also succumb to temptation
The Dark Powers appear to be able to create entire cities' worth of people who seem as real as you or I, and who possess
complete memories; this leads to the populations of some domains having "false histories" of events which took place before
their land ever existed. This presents one of the deepest metaphysical conundrums of the RAVENLOFT setting: Are the people
there real, or just manifestations of the Mists? This mystery becomes even more puzzling when one takes into account that
several founders and darklords are also native to the world.
Differing theories have compared the population of the Demiplane of Dread to "dreams within dreams" or "holodeck simulations."
Taken to its most extreme, this comparison can lead to the decision that the denizens of Ravenloft are merely illusions; therefore,
there should be no more moral compunction in killing them than in killing enemies in a video game. Opposing theories have
postulated that all people and places in Ravenloft are drawn in from other worlds. If these people have no memory of a life
elsewhere, it is merely because the Dark Powers have altered their memories to suit their purposes.
The ultimate truth has been long debated, but will likely never be known. However, regardless of their origin, the
residents of the Demiplane of Dread are as demonstrably "real" as anyone who enters the demiplane from another world (or who
has the memory of doing so, at any rate).
Since Ravenloft is infamous as a place of imprisonment there is a question whether even the souls of the dead can escape
to pass on to their final rest. There is no official answer for this, nor is there any consensus among the Kargat or among
the fans. Some believe that the souls of the truly dead are free to drift off to their destinations in the outer planes; others
believe the souls of the dead remain trapped in the demiplane, or even worse are devoured by the Dark Powers (or perhaps merely
recycled back into the Mists, depending on one's view). The final truth is left to the judgement of the DM.
Apart from the known Mistways (somewhat reliable
paths of travel) any party that intentionally enters the Mists as a way to travel (without a Vistani escort) is dooming itself
to wandering for quite a while. Possibly even meeting up with a few nasty creatures, and most-likely running adrift on an
Island of Terror. Using the Mists for travel between Core domains is foolish at best; it is faster and safer just
to hitch up a wagon and ride, unless you have pressure to quickly cross a domain with closed border. Be careful too, as the
mists can sometimes become a passage way through time…
Religion in Ravenloft is just as important as
in other campaign worlds, but there are marked differences. Given the difficulty that Divine Powers have in reaching the Demiplane
of Dread there are a far higher numbers of priests who are unable to cast spells. The gods also do not communicate directly
with their followers in Ravenloft; it is unknown if they have truly abandoned their followers or if they cannot penetrate
the Mists. Outlanders often feel cut off from their gods or ignored as their prayers go unanswered.
It has been foreseen that there will come a Time of Unparalleled Darkness to Ravenloft that will reach a climax in
the year 775 (on the Barovian calendar). This concept is alluded to in The Evil Eye in relation to the Gentleman Caller
as well as in the introduction to Domains of Dread. It is first mentioned by name in one of the endings to Bleak
House. Van Richten is clearly going to be involved, but at the moment little else is known about what might occur during
this period.
It was rumoured that at one point there was a definite plan among the Kargat for the ToUD, but in reality no one expected
the product line to last long enough to reach the year 775. It was always meant to be a shadowing event in the far future.
A ToUD module was proposed as the final RAVENLOFT product and was to involve travel through time with the heroes journeying
to the year 775 before returning with the foreknowledge and the possibility of changing things. However, this proposal was
rejected. Any plans they did have ended with the line as well as the change in publishers and developers.
For now, the Time of Unparalleled Darkness remains a nebulous event in the far future. Like the dark powers and the
Gentleman Caller's ultimate plan, the ToUD is a tool for DMs to develop as they see fit.
Ideally, the sky and celestial bodies remain the same between "groups" of domains in the Mists. That is, the sky above
the Core looks the same regardless of what domain you are in, though this may be different to the sky above the Amber Wastes.
However, a couple of anomalies do exist. For example, until the events of Spectre of the Black Rose, Sithicus only had the
black moon Nuitari, while Nova Vaasa may have five moons (as mentioned in The Awakening, but neither Domains
of Dread or Gazetteer V confirm this).
According to the Complete Spacefarer's Handbook, no. Any spelljammer flying up to the stars quickly enters
the Mists. To quote from this book:
“Ravenloft is a demiplane. As such, it is fundamentally different from any spelljamming world. Ravenloft
lies within no crystal sphere. It cannot be reached by traveling through the phlogiston. A spell-jamming ship sailing into
Ravenloft's night soon enters the mists at the border of the demiplane and is quickly turned back.
Although spelljamming provides no escape from Ravenloft, outside spelljammers are not safe from the Demiplane of Dread.
The Mists of Ravenloft can appear even in wildspace, where they take the form of a jet-black cloud that arises before the
victim vessel. Ships that sail into Ravenloft through the Mists are as trapped as any other entrant to the demiplane. Only
in the phlogiston, which blocks all planar travel, can one remain safe from the reaching tentacles of the Demiplane of
Dread.”
Ravenloft being a prison at the bottom of the tornado of evils of the multiverse, its domains got many tenants from
other D&D settings. Just a few have been developed in their former setting, while most are new inventions for Ravenloft.
The following is a short list of the most well-known of these borrowings, for trivia purpose and for possible adventures hooks
with outsiders PCs. Most of the sources are from Domains of Dread and/or the Black Box, unless otherwise corrected.
To submit additional information for consideration in the Brogue
Gazeteer, contact the dungeonmaster.
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