Wes Schneider Is the Product Lead for Ravenloft: The Horrors Within

Remathilis · 2026-03-24T15:20:15+0000

Stormonu said:
My feelings are mixed. There was some good, new material - but the retconning was annoying and in most cases would have been better handled as new domains instead of "oh, this domain? It was always like that."

My favorite bits of the book was the Masquerade ball, Cyre 1313 and alt Falkovia domain - Cyre was new and the other two should have been new realms as well instead of changing the old. Hazlik's domain was one that surprised me most and its changes "clicked" in a way I could see me running an adventure there now, whereas in the past I would have avoided it.

To me the changes to Lamordia (Frankenstein-based) and Har'Akir were just bad, though in the latter Har'Akir has been constantly changing and remolding over Ravenloft's published lifetime.

Also, I do like the domains being depicted without fixed routes/connections to each other so the DM can arrange a core (or not) as they choose fit. To me, it creates an uncertainty that is appropriate to the land of mists, where the PCs don't have reliable control where a certain road out of a domain may take them ("Hans, I don't remember this trail leading to a valley - wasn't there a pond around here somewhere last time - y'know, the one with the reeds that tried to suck our blood dry?")

I actually really like the new Lamordia. I prefer the "saving her lover" aspect of Mordenheim's origin (it adds revised Mr Freeze origin vibes) and I like the steampunk aesthetic rather than the "rationalist non-believers living next to a domain full of D&D tropes" elements. New Lamordia feels like the kind of place you could do a whole Curse of Strahd length adventure in, whereas the old just felt like you could follow the plot of Frankenstein and that's basically it.

I really do hope they flesh out some of those one paragraph older domains in the new book. I would love to see the new take on Souragne or Cyre 1313 done as full write ups.

Steampunkette · 2026-03-24T15:26:15+0000

I love Van Richten's Guide. I think the Nightmare Logic nods are a great way to ensure the Domains of Dread remain Dreadful even when players poke at the seams and plot holes.

While I don't particularly like the change of creating isolation rather than a Core, I just use both. The Core's still there, and the Nightmare Logic of the Mists is there. Sometimes you get to Mordent from Dementlieu, sometimes the path veers in the mists and you come out in Barovia.

But mostly it lays normal. It only changes when the Mists want you somewhere specific.

Remathilis · 2026-03-24T16:06:05+0000

Steampunkette said:
I love Van Richten's Guide. I think the Nightmare Logic nods are a great way to ensure the Domains of Dread remain Dreadful even when players poke at the seams and plot holes.

While I don't particularly like the change of creating isolation rather than a Core, I just use both. The Core's still there, and the Nightmare Logic of the Mists is there. Sometimes you get to Mordent from Dementlieu, sometimes the path veers in the mists and you come out in Barovia.

But mostly it lays normal. It only changes when the Mists want you somewhere specific.

My way of rectifying it was Mistways. There are known roads in the Mists that are somewhat reliable and connect two specific domains at specific points. For example, taking Traitors Road out of Barovia north will lead you into Darkon. Of course, the Mists are finicky and it doesn't always work right. The borders can close. Time on the road can fluctuate. The geography of the road can shift from one trip to the next. Rarely, you could end up in a very different location than the normal endpoint. And wandering off the road into the Mists is a good way to get hopelessly lost or worse. So not many people will brave the road. But it does allow some trade and travel between domains.

Of course, it's probably safer to hire a guide (either a Vistani or a wandering Pilgrim of Ezra known as an anchorite) and Mist Talismans are needed for people moving to domains without Mistways (such as Falkovia which has no known Mistways).

Retreater · 2026-03-24T20:45:08+0000

Stormonu said:
My feelings are mixed. There was some good, new material - but the retconning was annoying and in most cases would have been better handled as new domains instead of "oh, this domain? It was always like that."

I just don't like that WotC and modern D&D players view horror as an excuse to get "dope builds" and "mega powers" with a slight gothic veneer.

Henadic Theologian · 2026-03-24T20:46:23+0000

Stormonu said:
My feelings are mixed. There was some good, new material - but the retconning was annoying and in most cases would have been better handled as new domains instead of "oh, this domain? It was always like that."

My favorite bits of the book was the Masquerade ball, Cyre 1313 and alt Falkovia domain - Cyre was new and the other two should have been new realms as well instead of changing the old. Hazlik's domain was one that surprised me most and its changes "clicked" in a way I could see me running an adventure there now, whereas in the past I would have avoided it.

To me the changes to Lamordia (Frankenstein-based) and Har'Akir were just bad, though in the latter Har'Akir has been constantly changing and remolding over Ravenloft's published lifetime.

Also, I do like the domains being depicted without fixed routes/connections to each other so the DM can arrange a core (or not) as they choose fit. To me, it creates an uncertainty that is appropriate to the land of mists, where the PCs don't have reliable control where a certain road out of a domain may take them ("Hans, I don't remember this trail leading to a valley - wasn't there a pond around here somewhere last time - y'know, the one with the reeds that tried to suck our blood dry?")

What did you dislike about Har'Akir changes? Personally I'd have explicitly linked it to Mulhorand in FR. And I loved the Domain is constantly gaslighting adventurers with new ruin and relics from a contradictory history that never happened, like the Domain is aware and having a sick laugh at the expense of the Archeologists and historians trying to understand it's history, but also creating magic items and treasures with a fake history to them. The Domain should just wreck havoc with legend lore spells.

Chaltab · 2026-03-24T21:11:45+0000

Retreater said:
I just don't like that WotC and modern D&D players view horror as an excuse to get "dope builds" and "mega powers" with a slight gothic veneer.

I feel like you're making some assumptions that will make you and Umptions look like an ass.

WhatTheEyeSees · 2026-03-24T21:33:37+0000

Artamo said:
4. The domains are more tightly defined by the type of horror subgenre they represent. Domains that didn’t have a strong theme typically were changed to have one. Some domains were simply removed or destroyed, such as Sithicus due to the removal of Lord Soth (but who knows if that will stay the way it is…) There was a focus on getting more representation across genders and cultures in the mix. Sri Raji was completely rewritten by Ajit George to have a stronger South Asian inspiration.

I hope Lord Soth returns. His tragic story belongs in Ravenloft.

Paul Farquhar · 2026-03-24T22:07:49+0000

WhatTheEyeSees said:
I hope Lord Soth returns. His tragic story belongs in Ravenloft.

The PC’s tragic stories belong in Ravenloft. It’s the mistake 2nd edition Ravenloft kept making over and over again: tell someone else’s story and relegate the players to observers.

WhatTheEyeSees · 2026-03-24T22:14:30+0000

Paul Farquhar said:
The PC’s tragic stories belong in Ravenloft. It’s the mistake 2nd edition Ravenloft kept making over and over again: tell someone else’s story and relegate the players to observers.

People engage in D&D in different ways. I grew up reading the old novels including Knight of the Black Rose, which is a darn good story, so I strongly disagree with this.

I think Player Characters can have interesting stories and great adventures, but so can NPCs. D&D is more than rolling dice.

Parmandur · 2026-03-24T22:51:33+0000

Henadic Theologian said:
What did you dislike about Har'Akir changes? Personally I'd have explicitly linked it to Mulhorand in FR. And I loved the Domain is constantly gaslighting adventurers with new ruin and relics from a contradictory history that never happened, like the Domain is aware and having a sick laugh at the expense of the Archeologists and historians trying to understand it's history, but also creating magic items and treasures with a fake history to them. The Domain should just wreck havoc with legend lore spells.

Honestly it is kind of amazing, like Lost at it's peak: the land itself is gaslighting.