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Ravenloft Campaigns: What’s the meta-point?
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<blockquote data-quote="gonzoron" data-source="post: 4663047" data-attributes="member: 31753"><p>Oh absolutely! But we all know the difference between <em>players</em> and <em>characters</em>, don't we? For a good, long-term Ravenloft campaign, you need players that are on board, and they need to know the genre they'll be playing in. (This is why I disagree with <strong>Moniker</strong>'s plan of tricking the player's into Ravenloft. If Ravenloft didn't have it's PC-meat grinder reputation, that wouldn't be necessary.) I tell my players up front that Ravenloft is a place where evil <em>seems</em> to be in charge, and being a hero is a struggle. But their characters don't know that.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Yes and no. For one, I think the potential for insanity has been a bit overstated. Not everyone in the demiplane is a raving looney. And though I like the "everyman thrust into hero" motif, you don't have to go that way either. You could have a campaign where all the PCs are members of a secret society like the Guardians or the Van Richten Society, or what have you, trained in monster-hunting and ready to go. I've seen successful Ravenloft campaigns based on Falkovnian special forces groups, University-backed Archaeology Expeditions, etc.</p><p></p><p> Again, "the Dark Powers always win" is akin to saying "Gravity always wins." They aren't there to be fought.</p><p></p><p>I would say there are many such places. Until they get to a certain level, PCs are beneath the notice of such darklords. Strahd doesn't care if the PCs wipeout a werewolf infestation in Krezk. He might even thank them personally. Misroi is arguably one of the most powerful darklords, but he doesn't take any interest in the events of Night of the Walking Dead. </p><p></p><p> I didn't address this before, but I think you'll be disappointed. the Red Death meddles even more with "his world" than the dark powers do. At least you can cast a magic missile in Ravenloft without making a powers check.</p><p></p><p>Well, let's see:</p><p>- heroes chained Malocchio in Invidia, preventing him from destroying the demiplane by freeing the darklords</p><p>- Van Richten (and his heirs, the Weathermay-Foxgrove Twins) have destroyed dozens of Ghosts, Vampires, Golems, Werebeasts, etc, etc...</p><p>- Gondegal and the Knights of the Shadows have kept Ebonbane imprisoned in his manor.</p><p>- Hermos led the Carnival out from the thumb of the Puppetmaster to freedom under the protection of Isolde</p><p>- Heroes killed darklords Radaga and Daglan Daegon.</p><p>- With the help of Dr. Dominiani, heroes killed Darklord Duke Gundar.</p><p>- The Tapestry of Dark Souls was destroyed by the Guardians.</p><p>- An Emordenung repented her evil ways and became the Bastion of the Chruch of Ezra in Mordent.</p><p>- Worship of (Lathander) Morninglord flourished in Barovia.</p><p></p><p>and that's just to name a few canon examples off the top of my head.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>And I say there is that hope, without reaching too far. Basically every module written for Ravenloft assumes some sort of triumph in the end, whether it be killing a darklord, or simply saving some people in trouble. </p><p></p><p> Sounds good to me. (though I'd replace Madness with "Darkness". Not every RL adventure deals with Madness.)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="gonzoron, post: 4663047, member: 31753"] Oh absolutely! But we all know the difference between [i]players[/i] and [i]characters[/i], don't we? For a good, long-term Ravenloft campaign, you need players that are on board, and they need to know the genre they'll be playing in. (This is why I disagree with [b]Moniker[/b]'s plan of tricking the player's into Ravenloft. If Ravenloft didn't have it's PC-meat grinder reputation, that wouldn't be necessary.) I tell my players up front that Ravenloft is a place where evil [i]seems[/i] to be in charge, and being a hero is a struggle. But their characters don't know that. Yes and no. For one, I think the potential for insanity has been a bit overstated. Not everyone in the demiplane is a raving looney. And though I like the "everyman thrust into hero" motif, you don't have to go that way either. You could have a campaign where all the PCs are members of a secret society like the Guardians or the Van Richten Society, or what have you, trained in monster-hunting and ready to go. I've seen successful Ravenloft campaigns based on Falkovnian special forces groups, University-backed Archaeology Expeditions, etc. Again, "the Dark Powers always win" is akin to saying "Gravity always wins." They aren't there to be fought. I would say there are many such places. Until they get to a certain level, PCs are beneath the notice of such darklords. Strahd doesn't care if the PCs wipeout a werewolf infestation in Krezk. He might even thank them personally. Misroi is arguably one of the most powerful darklords, but he doesn't take any interest in the events of Night of the Walking Dead. I didn't address this before, but I think you'll be disappointed. the Red Death meddles even more with "his world" than the dark powers do. At least you can cast a magic missile in Ravenloft without making a powers check. Well, let's see: - heroes chained Malocchio in Invidia, preventing him from destroying the demiplane by freeing the darklords - Van Richten (and his heirs, the Weathermay-Foxgrove Twins) have destroyed dozens of Ghosts, Vampires, Golems, Werebeasts, etc, etc... - Gondegal and the Knights of the Shadows have kept Ebonbane imprisoned in his manor. - Hermos led the Carnival out from the thumb of the Puppetmaster to freedom under the protection of Isolde - Heroes killed darklords Radaga and Daglan Daegon. - With the help of Dr. Dominiani, heroes killed Darklord Duke Gundar. - The Tapestry of Dark Souls was destroyed by the Guardians. - An Emordenung repented her evil ways and became the Bastion of the Chruch of Ezra in Mordent. - Worship of (Lathander) Morninglord flourished in Barovia. and that's just to name a few canon examples off the top of my head. And I say there is that hope, without reaching too far. Basically every module written for Ravenloft assumes some sort of triumph in the end, whether it be killing a darklord, or simply saving some people in trouble. [I][/I] Sounds good to me. (though I'd replace Madness with "Darkness". Not every RL adventure deals with Madness.) [/QUOTE]
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