Where is Ravenloft in Greyhawk?

[M.L. Martin]

Heh, in my not so humble opinion the idea of making it intentionally vague was far better than declaring it the prison of Tharizdun. That way, someone who would think it cool if it was (such as yourself Aaron) could then tweak it appropriately and make it so in their own campaign world without making it canon for the entire campaign setting and ruining the setting for some DM who thought the idea of it simply being a planar prison was silly. This way more people are satisfied.

That was the thinking of one of the folks who advised on the design of the Guide to the Ethereal Plane, too--namely, John W. Mangrum, later author on one of the last 2E supplements and the 3E Ravenloft core book. The idea was that conflating the two results in the Dark Powers--the Ravenloft setting's pre-eminent mystery--being defined as "Tharizdun". The book thus moves away from that opinion, but keeps it open, saying that, as far as scholars know, the Demiplanes of Dread and Imprisonment are two completely different places.

Matthew L. Martin

 

[grodog]

As Merric mentioned, with some slight tweaking, you could place Castle Ravenloft just about anywhere. I find the parallels between RL's gypsies and the Rhenne compelling, so placing the castle somewhere around the Nyr Dyv would be reasonable to me. Heck, if you wanted to, you could even place it on the location of Castle Greyhawk, and then place additional dungeon levels deeper than the ones detailed in I6. You could also tweak Strahd's race to Flan or Suel, or whatever, too....

 

[MerricB]

As Merric mentioned, with some slight tweaking, you could place Castle Ravenloft just about anywhere. I find the parallels between RL's gypsies and the Rhenne compelling, so placing the castle somewhere around the Nyr Dyv would be reasonable to me.

I'd use Attloi, Allan, not Rhennee.

Cheers!

 

[Angel Tarragon]

It occurs to me that Strahd and Barovia environs seems to have a bit of Russian flavor. the naming convention and countless other details points me in that thought process.

 

[trollwad]

put me in the camp of placing barovia in a side valley in the yatils not far from the main pass connecting perrenland to ket. in this way, strahd could be much like the real world vlad tepes, the model for dracula. his ruthlessness was tolerated because he killed so many turks/kettites. plus it keeps barovia both out of the way and important at the same time

 

[Joël of the FoS]

It occurs to me that Strahd and Barovia environs seems to have a bit of Russian flavor. the naming convention and countless other details points me in that thought process.

The mountainous regions of Romania is a better choice IMHO

Joël

 

[Endur]

I'm actually thinking about the Valley of the Mage now.

 

[grodog]

I'd use Attloi, Allan, not Rhennee.

A better call, Merric

 

[Trickstergod]

Quite right. In fact, there are many, many places for Castle Ravenloft in Greyhawk. In an unremarked barony of the Great Kingdom, in a borderland of the Sheldomar Valley, etc.

Well, it can't just be any old place. A barony is right out, what with Strahd being a count and all.

 

[haakon1]

In the mists . . .

When the mists rise on certain ill-fated nights, the players enter Ravenloft -- which is, for all intents and purposes, mid-19th century rural backwoods Romania in my campaign -- firearms and printing presses, but no locomotives or gas light to telegraphs yet.

When it's over, the mists part, and the players are back in Greyhawk . . .