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A thread of random thoughts about the Ravenloft setting for D&D.
My personal history with Ravenloft actually starts before ever seeing the original module, the setting, or even D&D. What I mean is, Ravenloft had an influence on things beyond D&D that I encountered first.
For instance, the Castlevania video games are inextricably linked to Ravenloft for me, not just because of their themes and design but because they blatantly copied it at times:
Castlevania II, a childhood game for me, would then go on to strongly influenced how I ran Ravenloft, especially in the way that the night was much worse than the day.
I'm of the opinion that daytime in a Ravenloft domain should feel and look as pleasant as possible so that the horror elements contrast more starkly. The fact that many domains in the core Ravenloft setting can't pull this off because they are so thoroughly unpleasant to live in is a big strike against them.
I also indirectly experienced Ravenloft before the real thing through the Fighting Fantasy books that clearly took a few notes from the original module:
This one's sort of infamous for its technical issues, as discussed in this review:
The first true Ravenloft product I acquired was the French version of the original boxed set, picked up while studying abroad in Paris.
I loved the interior art, the "portraits" of darklord families, and the nice isometric maps of various lairs provided in the set, but I'll have to share those later. I wasn't too fond of how detailed the new rules were though. The long lists of effects for horror and madness, the little moving parts for Dark Powers checks, they were a bit of a turn off for my minimalist preferences.
I ultimately never got to run those rules, running my first Ravenloft campaign in 3rd edition. More on that later.
In the meantime, share your thoughts on the setting.
My personal history with Ravenloft actually starts before ever seeing the original module, the setting, or even D&D. What I mean is, Ravenloft had an influence on things beyond D&D that I encountered first.
For instance, the Castlevania video games are inextricably linked to Ravenloft for me, not just because of their themes and design but because they blatantly copied it at times:
Castlevania II, a childhood game for me, would then go on to strongly influenced how I ran Ravenloft, especially in the way that the night was much worse than the day.
I'm of the opinion that daytime in a Ravenloft domain should feel and look as pleasant as possible so that the horror elements contrast more starkly. The fact that many domains in the core Ravenloft setting can't pull this off because they are so thoroughly unpleasant to live in is a big strike against them.
I also indirectly experienced Ravenloft before the real thing through the Fighting Fantasy books that clearly took a few notes from the original module:
This one's sort of infamous for its technical issues, as discussed in this review:
#58: Revenge Of The Vampire
REVENGE OF THE VAMPIRE Keith Martin Reviewed by Mark Lain If watching Hammer horror movies taught us only one thing then it...
ffreviewermalthusd.blogspot.com
The first true Ravenloft product I acquired was the French version of the original boxed set, picked up while studying abroad in Paris.
I loved the interior art, the "portraits" of darklord families, and the nice isometric maps of various lairs provided in the set, but I'll have to share those later. I wasn't too fond of how detailed the new rules were though. The long lists of effects for horror and madness, the little moving parts for Dark Powers checks, they were a bit of a turn off for my minimalist preferences.
I ultimately never got to run those rules, running my first Ravenloft campaign in 3rd edition. More on that later.
In the meantime, share your thoughts on the setting.