Here's an interesting idea for a campaign...
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AarronIkarus
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Here's an interesting idea for a campaign...
A few years back, before 2ed reall got going, I acquired the boxed set of Ravenloft. This set details the many realms of the demi-plane of dread, also known as Ravenloft, that being the oldest of the realms and home of the arguably most powerful of the plane's inhabitants. The set also mentions, although not specifically, several gates to other realms, among them Greyhawk, Kara-tur, the Forgotten Realms, and others, thus making the demi-plane of dread a sort of nexus between all the realms. It would be very interesting to see how a party of adventurers would handle having to travel through this nexus in order to get home...
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Cuchulain82
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I'm only familiar with the Ravenloft 2nd ed set. It is a very interesting idea for a way home, but it would have to depend on the party. If your party was good they simply couldn't stay in Ravenloft very long- the world itself is good, and good characters don't last long. Evil characters, on the other hand, might get a little too comfortable, and might decide to create their own world by walking into the mist.
The other big problem is that Ravenloft is pretty tough to get out of. The domain lord has to allow you to leave, otherwise you can't, period. Pretty nasty, huh?
The other big problem is that Ravenloft is pretty tough to get out of. The domain lord has to allow you to leave, otherwise you can't, period. Pretty nasty, huh?
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AarronIkarus
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That sounds like the same one. Yes...I think nasty is the word for it. Consider a paladin out to redeem a realm and bring it back to the light...so to speak. Perhaps the realm lord would like to enlist the characters to do some damage to his/her opponents in another realm, yes? Since the lords can't leave their own realms, it would be a perfect opportunity, IMO.
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There is actually a d20 version out now.-
Cuchulain82
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[QUOTE=AarronIkarus]That sounds like the same one. Yes...I think nasty is the word for it. Consider a paladin out to redeem a realm and bring it back to the light...so to speak. Perhaps the realm lord would like to enlist the characters to do some damage to his/her opponents in another realm, yes? Since the lords can't leave their own realms, it would be a perfect opportunity, IMO.[/QUOTE]
I had those thoughts myself, ie- "How cool would a Paladin in Ravenloft be?!?!", so I did some research. It turns out that Paladins in Ravenloft don't exist naturally, and when they do wander in they don't last long. Lemme 'splain:
The big problem is that the demi-plane is considered a malevolent, pseudo-conscious entity that is evil. The actual, physical realm is aware of all the creatures, PCs included. Furthermore, it is evil, so it rewards evil characters and works against good players. If my memory serves, Paladins were actually described in the 2nd ed. boxed set as akin to open, festering wounds on the skin of the realm. The realm was actually averse goody-goody paladins, and would try to kill them off.
The domain lords of Ravenloft had absolute control over their areas, but could never leave. It was possible to create your own domain and become a lord, but becoming a lord was a double-edged sword. First of all, they were never allowed to leave. Second, you became undead when you took control of your realm. Third, the realm always took whatever it was the individual wanted from them. Strahnd was cursed with recurring incarnations of a woman he loved, another domain lord was a particularly power-hungry type became a lich, and therefore was forever stuck at level 18, etc. Pretty messed up, huh?
Leaving Ravenloft was really tricky, as I said before. Spells like astral plane spells, dimension spells, and generally any other spell that would shift a person to somewhere beyond Ravenloft were all restricted. A character could only leave the realm if the domain lord and the realm allowed it to happen, and, as you can imagine, that didn't happen often.
All this said, Ravenloft is a great world because it is so different. It is where horror and doom thrive. I think you could have a great campaign there, expecially because you can drop Ravenloft into any other setting- all you need is to have the PCs wander into some mist, and they end up in Ravenloft. That is the way it works, whether you are from Kara-Tur, the Dark Sun setting, or Greyhawk. I had characters from Dark Sun and the Realms get yanked in, and it didn't end well for either of them. For a while it got to the point that when my characters saw a mist rolling in, they either teleported or ran away as fast as possible. Getting back is difficult too, so just make sure the DM knows the rules well (warning:gamer pun immanent) before the PCs are stranded with Strahnd.
I had those thoughts myself, ie- "How cool would a Paladin in Ravenloft be?!?!", so I did some research. It turns out that Paladins in Ravenloft don't exist naturally, and when they do wander in they don't last long. Lemme 'splain:
The big problem is that the demi-plane is considered a malevolent, pseudo-conscious entity that is evil. The actual, physical realm is aware of all the creatures, PCs included. Furthermore, it is evil, so it rewards evil characters and works against good players. If my memory serves, Paladins were actually described in the 2nd ed. boxed set as akin to open, festering wounds on the skin of the realm. The realm was actually averse goody-goody paladins, and would try to kill them off.
The domain lords of Ravenloft had absolute control over their areas, but could never leave. It was possible to create your own domain and become a lord, but becoming a lord was a double-edged sword. First of all, they were never allowed to leave. Second, you became undead when you took control of your realm. Third, the realm always took whatever it was the individual wanted from them. Strahnd was cursed with recurring incarnations of a woman he loved, another domain lord was a particularly power-hungry type became a lich, and therefore was forever stuck at level 18, etc. Pretty messed up, huh?
Leaving Ravenloft was really tricky, as I said before. Spells like astral plane spells, dimension spells, and generally any other spell that would shift a person to somewhere beyond Ravenloft were all restricted. A character could only leave the realm if the domain lord and the realm allowed it to happen, and, as you can imagine, that didn't happen often.
All this said, Ravenloft is a great world because it is so different. It is where horror and doom thrive. I think you could have a great campaign there, expecially because you can drop Ravenloft into any other setting- all you need is to have the PCs wander into some mist, and they end up in Ravenloft. That is the way it works, whether you are from Kara-Tur, the Dark Sun setting, or Greyhawk. I had characters from Dark Sun and the Realms get yanked in, and it didn't end well for either of them. For a while it got to the point that when my characters saw a mist rolling in, they either teleported or ran away as fast as possible. Getting back is difficult too, so just make sure the DM knows the rules well (warning:gamer pun immanent) before the PCs are stranded with Strahnd.
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Rob-hin
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The realm is interesting, I have never tried it, but it seems very hard to create an alive picture of the place.
Perhaps it's because I never played (and never probably will) Ravenloft but as a DM I'd have a hard time getting the creapy feeling across to my players.
Perhaps it's because I never played (and never probably will) Ravenloft but as a DM I'd have a hard time getting the creapy feeling across to my players.
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Cuchulain82
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[QUOTE=Rob-hin]The realm is interesting, I have never tried it, but it seems very hard to create an alive picture of the place.
Perhaps it's because I never played (and never probably will) Ravenloft but as a DM I'd have a hard time getting the creapy feeling across to my players.[/QUOTE]
No way- creating that creepy feeling is easy, just think outside the box. For example, have a session where you make all the players sit with their backs to wide open windows/doors without looking behind them. By the end they will be freaked out.
Ravenloft is cool, but it has a definate feeling to it, so you just have to be aware of that before hand. It isn't like the Realms, where there is so much variety that any idea will work somewhere. Ravenloft is very specific.
Perhaps it's because I never played (and never probably will) Ravenloft but as a DM I'd have a hard time getting the creapy feeling across to my players.[/QUOTE]
No way- creating that creepy feeling is easy, just think outside the box. For example, have a session where you make all the players sit with their backs to wide open windows/doors without looking behind them. By the end they will be freaked out.
Ravenloft is cool, but it has a definate feeling to it, so you just have to be aware of that before hand. It isn't like the Realms, where there is so much variety that any idea will work somewhere. Ravenloft is very specific.
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AarronIkarus
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One idea to set the mood would be to start reading some of Poe's works. The Fall of the House of Usher would be a good one. I'll have to admit, I've never played the campaign either, but then good players are hard to find around my place. Good DM's are even harder.
Live fast. Fight hard. Die in a blaze of glory.
Regarding the mention of domain lords having to be undead, I think that's inaccurate. I don't think Adam's creator (whatever his name is) is undead, and the two of them are joint lords of whichever the domain is.
Likewise the guy from Falkovnia or whatever it's called. The fellow who fills all the parks and squares of his city with people impaled on stakes. I don't think he's undead either.
Of course, Strahd, being a vampire, is, as well as Soth, being a death knight.
Likewise the guy from Falkovnia or whatever it's called. The fellow who fills all the parks and squares of his city with people impaled on stakes. I don't think he's undead either.
Of course, Strahd, being a vampire, is, as well as Soth, being a death knight.
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Cuchulain82
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[QUOTE=Aramant]Regarding the mention of domain lords having to be undead, I think that's inaccurate. I don't think Adam's creator (whatever his name is) is undead, and the two of them are joint lords of whichever the domain is.
Likewise the guy from Falkovnia or whatever it's called. The fellow who fills all the parks and squares of his city with people impaled on stakes. I don't think he's undead either.
Of course, Strahd, being a vampire, is, as well as Soth, being a death knight.[/QUOTE]
I'm pretty sure that you had to be undead to be a domain lord. In the case of Adam (that's the Frankenstein-esque character, right?), Adam was the actual domain lord, not the creator, so that is how the rule was skirted.
I don't know which other guy you're talking about, the one from Falknovia. Frankly, I'm pretty amazed I can remember any of this stuff about Ravenloft- it was a campaign world I played in maybe 3 times and read the boxed set 8 or 10 years ago.
Likewise the guy from Falkovnia or whatever it's called. The fellow who fills all the parks and squares of his city with people impaled on stakes. I don't think he's undead either.
Of course, Strahd, being a vampire, is, as well as Soth, being a death knight.[/QUOTE]
I'm pretty sure that you had to be undead to be a domain lord. In the case of Adam (that's the Frankenstein-esque character, right?), Adam was the actual domain lord, not the creator, so that is how the rule was skirted.
I don't know which other guy you're talking about, the one from Falknovia. Frankly, I'm pretty amazed I can remember any of this stuff about Ravenloft- it was a campaign world I played in maybe 3 times and read the boxed set 8 or 10 years ago.
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AarronIkarus
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