Innsmouth added as new Ravenloft Domain of Dread, bringing Lovecraft to D&D

Deset Gled · Monday at 7:08 PM

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
Literal, actual Innsmouth feels like a cop-out to me, since unless they also put in a ton of 20th century tech -- which I can't imagine they will -- it's going to be a D&D late-Renaissance/early modern era version of the setting. And once we've done that, why not just make a new town, remixing all of the classic stuff into a more natural fit for D&D?

I don't know if "cop out" is the right word, but I was having similar thoughts about compatibility. Traditional Innsmouth from the Lovecraft setting doesn't seem like a great match. It's relatively modern, but also not a good match for magitech at all (too blue-collar vibey). I could still see this being good, but if it were up to me I'd be tempted to do a Outsfoot or Tavernsbutt ersatz instead of trying to force the Innsmouth name.

Christian Hoffer said:
Assumably, its Darklord will be Cthulhu, who was previously confirmed to be in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, complete with a statblock.

Um, Actually... Chthulhu doesn't reign over Innsmouth. It's controlled by Dagon and inhabited by the Deep Ones, thankyouverymuch.

occam · Monday at 7:11 PM

Reskinned versions of Innsmouth have been done before; I don't see the setting as difficult to adapt to the pre-20th-century assumed setting of D&D. (Especially not in Ravenloft, which already incorporates 19th-century locales.)

But Cthulhu as a Darklord? I wouldn't get that. Aren't Darklords supposed to be tragic figures, trapped in their roles by their natures and ill-fated decisions? There is nothing tragic about Cthulhu. He doesn't wish he were or had done anything different. (Presumably, to the extent one can claim to understand anything about such a being's thoughts.)

Marc17 · Monday at 7:14 PM

occam said:
But Cthulhu as a Darklord? I wouldn't get that. Aren't Darklords supposed to be tragic figures, trapped in their roles by their natures and ill-fated decisions? There is nothing tragic about Cthulhu. He doesn't wish he were or had done anything different. (Presumably, to the extent one can claim to understand anything about such a being's thoughts.)

Maybe Cthulhu is tragic, but it is tragic in a way that your feeble mind and its concept of reality cannot comprehend.

Not just cosmic horror, but a fair bit of body horror also. The Innsmith look, does your character have it? Perhaps that grandfather of yours wasn't quite truthful about why he arrived in town with your father as a baby but your grandmother couldn't make it. Perhaps she is still here in Innsmouth waiting for you. Can you hear the call of the waves?

Kobold Avenger · Monday at 7:25 PM

If it's in the early 1900s that's even beyond Masque of the Red Death which is like 1890

occam · Monday at 7:45 PM

Kobold Avenger said:
If it's in the early 1900s that's even beyond Masque of the Red Death which is like 1890

Nothing essential in The Shadow over Innsmouth requires 20th-century technology. It's set in a decrepit fishing village; you could find such a thing on any inhabited coastline over the last 5000 years or so. The rest is cultural details.

billd91 · Monday at 7:51 PM

occam said:
But Cthulhu as a Darklord? I wouldn't get that. Aren't Darklords supposed to be tragic figures, trapped in their roles by their natures and ill-fated decisions? There is nothing tragic about Cthulhu. He doesn't wish he were or had done anything different. (Presumably, to the extent one can claim to understand anything about such a being's thoughts.)

Yeah, that struck me as weird as well. Maybe it's an Innsmouth patriarch like one of the Obed Marsh or something. Otherwise, they'll kind of have to redefine what a Domain of Dread can be a little bit.

Whizbang Dustyboots · Monday at 7:54 PM

Marc17 said:
Maybe Cthulhu is tragic, but it is tragic in a way that your feeble mind and its concept of reality cannot comprehend.

Cthulhu spends a lot of time dreaming about how he screwed up his relationship with his college girlfriend.

abazaba · Monday at 7:54 PM

You had me at "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn".
(In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming).

Kobold Avenger · Monday at 7:58 PM

occam said:
But Cthulhu as a Darklord? I wouldn't get that. Aren't Darklords supposed to be tragic figures, trapped in their roles by their natures and ill-fated decisions? There is nothing tragic about Cthulhu. He doesn't wish he were or had done anything different. (Presumably, to the extent one can claim to understand anything about such a being's thoughts.)

There was a 2e fanon theory about Ravenloft being the Prison Demiplane that Tharizdun was imprisoned in. It would almost be like that.

And in 5e it's very possible that it could be a Domain of Dread too