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Ravenloft Campaigns: What’s the meta-point?
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<blockquote data-quote="gonzoron" data-source="post: 4665701" data-attributes="member: 31753"><p>I can't believe anyone living in this world would really fear black people or Jews or homosexuals, but it happens.</p><p></p><p> I'm not going to get into a huge historical weapons technology debate, but just based on rules alone, the early firearms depicted in Ravenloft are in no way inherently superior to traditional weapons. It makes perfect sense to see those traditional weapons and armor hanging on.</p><p></p><p>The Barovian language of Balok is spoken as a primary language in Borca, and Invidia, and as a secondary in Kartakass, NV, and Hazlan, (which share Vaasi as a primary), and also secondary in Sithicus, where Sithican is primary. Forlorn is "uninhabited," and the Shadow Rift is "a big pit." Looks like Barovian merchants will do fine. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> Seriously, Vaasi, Mordentish, and Balok will get you the vast majority of the core. You only need a 14 Int or a few skill points in 3e to know all 3 at 1st level. And to look back at the real world or gothic earth, do you find it equally silly that Europe doesn't have a common tongue?</p><p></p><p>Hala and Belenus are both good. (regardless of how Belenus worship has been twisted in Nidala and Tepest). Ezra herself is LN, but since worshippers can drift by one step from her, there is an LG branch of the church. Most of the source material for the genre is based in a heavily Christian part of the real world, with other religions being hardly noticed. Having one major analogue of Christianity in Ezra, and some other religions at the fringes works really well for Ravenloft, I think.</p><p></p><p></p><p> This is a personal taste issue. I and some others happen to like the other-world references, since they give a richer backstory to some PCs. (Reading up on Gondegal's past in Cormyr really helped me roleplay him when he showed up in my game.)</p><p></p><p></p><p> Really? I didn't think I put forth anything too upsetting there. What was it specifically that turned you off? The discussion of Barovia without Strahd, or the "natives don't know any better" arguement? </p><p></p><p> Well, I didn't really get into why the artificiality is <em>good</em>, in that post, more addressing why it's not obvious to the natives. I'll spare everyone another long-winded post on the matter, but summarize what I think is great about Ravenloft remaining an artificial demiplane:</p><p></p><p>* If a DM doesn't like a particular domain, throw it out. It's still Ravenloft.</p><p>* If a DM has a great idea for a new domain, throw it in. It's still Ravenloft.</p><p>* If the plot requires going from point A to point B, but the places in between are boring, use the Mists to whisk the PCs away and get on with the story. (Use sparingly of course)</p><p>* "Weekend in Hell" adventures are supported by allowing the Mists to grab people and places from non-Ravenloft campaigns for a while.</p><p>* The Misty Border surrounding every scrap of land in the world makes the world feel claustrophic. There are no vast oceans to be explored, simply an oppresive, scary nothingness, with a few scraps of something drifting in it. Mist travel, even via Mistway, is a scary and unique experience you can't get in a regular world.</p><p></p><p>In brief, like we said before regarding the Dark Powers, making the world artificial gives the DM the excuse to tinker without feeling as shackled to canon as he might in another setting. DMs can of course change any setting as they see fit, but Ravenloft gives them the justification. In a MERP campaign, if your DM says there's no Shire to visit, you'd cry foul. But a Ravenloft DM can simply say Godefroy was killed long ago and the sea flooded Mordent Bay. (i.e. Mordent went back to the plane it came from).</p><p></p><p>You may choose not to use these tools in your ideal Ravenloft, but I like that they are there, and I like the flexibility they give the DM to tailor his Ravenloft to his liking without just saying "Rule 0".</p><p></p><p><em><span style="color: Orange">Discover </span></em>Gothic Horror <em><span style="color: Orange">and oppose its plans?? </span></em>That doesn't parse real well, does it? <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="gonzoron, post: 4665701, member: 31753"] I can't believe anyone living in this world would really fear black people or Jews or homosexuals, but it happens. I'm not going to get into a huge historical weapons technology debate, but just based on rules alone, the early firearms depicted in Ravenloft are in no way inherently superior to traditional weapons. It makes perfect sense to see those traditional weapons and armor hanging on. The Barovian language of Balok is spoken as a primary language in Borca, and Invidia, and as a secondary in Kartakass, NV, and Hazlan, (which share Vaasi as a primary), and also secondary in Sithicus, where Sithican is primary. Forlorn is "uninhabited," and the Shadow Rift is "a big pit." Looks like Barovian merchants will do fine. :) Seriously, Vaasi, Mordentish, and Balok will get you the vast majority of the core. You only need a 14 Int or a few skill points in 3e to know all 3 at 1st level. And to look back at the real world or gothic earth, do you find it equally silly that Europe doesn't have a common tongue? Hala and Belenus are both good. (regardless of how Belenus worship has been twisted in Nidala and Tepest). Ezra herself is LN, but since worshippers can drift by one step from her, there is an LG branch of the church. Most of the source material for the genre is based in a heavily Christian part of the real world, with other religions being hardly noticed. Having one major analogue of Christianity in Ezra, and some other religions at the fringes works really well for Ravenloft, I think. This is a personal taste issue. I and some others happen to like the other-world references, since they give a richer backstory to some PCs. (Reading up on Gondegal's past in Cormyr really helped me roleplay him when he showed up in my game.) Really? I didn't think I put forth anything too upsetting there. What was it specifically that turned you off? The discussion of Barovia without Strahd, or the "natives don't know any better" arguement? Well, I didn't really get into why the artificiality is [I]good[/I], in that post, more addressing why it's not obvious to the natives. I'll spare everyone another long-winded post on the matter, but summarize what I think is great about Ravenloft remaining an artificial demiplane: * If a DM doesn't like a particular domain, throw it out. It's still Ravenloft. * If a DM has a great idea for a new domain, throw it in. It's still Ravenloft. * If the plot requires going from point A to point B, but the places in between are boring, use the Mists to whisk the PCs away and get on with the story. (Use sparingly of course) * "Weekend in Hell" adventures are supported by allowing the Mists to grab people and places from non-Ravenloft campaigns for a while. * The Misty Border surrounding every scrap of land in the world makes the world feel claustrophic. There are no vast oceans to be explored, simply an oppresive, scary nothingness, with a few scraps of something drifting in it. Mist travel, even via Mistway, is a scary and unique experience you can't get in a regular world. In brief, like we said before regarding the Dark Powers, making the world artificial gives the DM the excuse to tinker without feeling as shackled to canon as he might in another setting. DMs can of course change any setting as they see fit, but Ravenloft gives them the justification. In a MERP campaign, if your DM says there's no Shire to visit, you'd cry foul. But a Ravenloft DM can simply say Godefroy was killed long ago and the sea flooded Mordent Bay. (i.e. Mordent went back to the plane it came from). You may choose not to use these tools in your ideal Ravenloft, but I like that they are there, and I like the flexibility they give the DM to tailor his Ravenloft to his liking without just saying "Rule 0". [I][COLOR=Orange]Discover [/COLOR][/I]Gothic Horror [I][COLOR=Orange]and oppose its plans?? [/COLOR][/I]That doesn't parse real well, does it? ;) [/QUOTE]
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