Lord Soth appears to be a Darklord again in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within

Misanthrope Prime · Thursday at 1:44 PM

Weiley31 said:
Ah yes, Soth and his Banshee Harem return once more!!!

Weiley31 · Thursday at 1:55 PM

Misanthrope Prime said:
View attachment 435322

Strahd was a Finger Puppet last time with Ravensloft, so Pog Soth ACTUALLY tracks.

Mirrorrorrim · Thursday at 2:28 PM

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
Less cannibalism with the ewoks, though.

Is it cannibalism, though? Cannibalism is defined by eating one’s own species. With Earth humans being our only recognized sapient species, we never invented a word in English for eating other sapient species.

If Athasian halflings and Sithicus kender eat humanoids and get the "cannibal" title, is a dragon or other sentient monster a cannibal? Would we be looking for a word for sapients eating other sapients? Or just humanoids eating other humanoids?

After some casual online research, proposed terms include sapiophagy (eating sentient beings), xenophagy (eating foreigners/strangers), or anthropophagy (if the beings are humanoid)

Or ackshually, if I don't want to be pedantic, for fantasy purposes, cannibalism can be broadened into two definitions, eating one's own species, and eating sentient species.

Mirrorrorrim · Thursday at 2:40 PM

I am fine with the multiverse storyline of variant realms and personalities existing in alternate dimensions (Tiamat vs. Takhisis, Escaped Soth vs. Ravenloft Soth recreated/reborn into a new Sithicus by the Dark Powers because that is an entity worth torturing).

Isn't it true that Ravenloft is never truly free? Even if the heroes win and escape, it (and a variant of Strahd) eventually reforms? Kind of like an eternal damnation?

In my campaign, some personalities are so strong that they become spiritual templates that manifest differently based on how they are remembered by the cosmos.

A powerful villain or hero who dies may go on to their earned afterlife, but their legend may also manifest as a copy/variant/fractal in the Feywild/Shadowfell/Realm of Dreams/Memory/Time and further other legends. Like, why are there so many different stories about some guy named Jack? Or Tiamat?

Remathilis · Thursday at 2:55 PM

Maps
from last nights stream. Courtesy of Reddit.

Weiley31 · Thursday at 3:46 PM

Mirrorrorrim said:
I am fine with the multiverse storyline of variant realms and personalities existing in alternate dimensions (Tiamat vs. Takhisis, Escaped Soth vs. Ravenloft Soth recreated/reborn into a new Sithicus by the Dark Powers because that is an entity worth torturing).

Isn't it true that Ravenloft is never truly free? Even if the heroes win and escape, it (and a variant of Strahd) eventually reforms? Kind of like an eternal damnation?

In my campaign, some personalities are so strong that they become spiritual templates that manifest differently based on how they are remembered by the cosmos.

A powerful villain or hero who dies may go on to their earned afterlife, but their legend may also manifest as a copy/variant/fractal in the Feywild/Shadowfell/Realm of Dreams/Memory/Time and further other legends. Like, why are there so many different stories about some guy named Jack? Or Tiamat?

That's very Fate/Stay Night coded.

Dire Bare · Thursday at 3:58 PM

Mirrorrorrim said:
Is it cannibalism, though? Cannibalism is defined by eating one’s own species. With Earth humans being our only recognized sapient species, we never invented a word in English for eating other sapient species.

If Athasian halflings and Sithicus kender eat humanoids and get the "cannibal" title, is a dragon or other sentient monster a cannibal? Would we be looking for a word for sapients eating other sapients? Or just humanoids eating other humanoids?

After some casual online research, proposed terms include sapiophagy (eating sentient beings), xenophagy (eating foreigners/strangers), or anthropophagy (if the beings are humanoid)

Or ackshually, if I don't want to be pedantic, for fantasy purposes, cannibalism can be broadened into two definitions, eating one's own species, and eating sentient species.

We don't need new words. In fantasy and sci-fi stories, it's generally understood that "cannibalism" means "eating people". People who do not have to be human.

When a sentient species is not people-coded . . . like dragons . . . things can get weird. Because, of course, you're right! Why is it not okay to eat elves, but okay to carve up that dragon after the battle and cook up some steaks! Or make armor out of their fangs and scales?

I've always wanted to run a more modern or sci-fi fantasy setting (like Starfinder or DragonStar) and explore that disconnect. Have the PCs acquire some dragon-scale armor . . . only to run into trouble with the authorities for possession/smuggling of illegal goods.

Your armor is made from the scales and fangs of a sentient creature? You're sick, adventurer, and you're going to spend a long time in prison paying for your cruelty.

TorgoTheWhite · Thursday at 4:46 PM

As lo

Remathilis said:
I'm going to argue they are pulling some First World style retcon where they can use Soth in Ravenloft and in Dragonlance. Where either there will be timeline shinanigans (Did you really think we were going to release you just to die on Krynn, welcome back...) or echos or something. Or maybe it's that Weiss and Hickman can ignore It and their novels are no longer influenced by the settings and vice versa.

Personally, I didn't care a lot for Sithicus. It was very one note and since I didn't have any connection to Soth from DL, it was just elves, kender vampires, and a lot of continuity pron. Hopefully they are doing something interesting beyond Soth sits on his throne all day and night...

As long as you time-dilate you can do anything

.. ask The Lion, Witch, & Wardrobe. Time dilation is my favorite Faewild or Hells aspect.

I find time dilation to be a much less messy connective tissue to stories.. time travel loses my vested interest, time dilation will always be my sweet baby.

TorgoTheWhite · Thursday at 4:48 PM

So

TorgoTheWhite said:
As lo
As long as you time-dilate you can do anything .. ask The Lion, Witch, & Wardrobe. Time dilation is my favorite Faewild or Hells aspect.

I find time dilation to be a much less messy connective tissue to stories.. time travel loses my vested interest, time dilation will always be my sweet baby.

,
So, to articulate, if time plugs away differently between different realms. It isn't too difficult to connect storylines.

Remathilis · Thursday at 5:05 PM

Dire Bare said:
We don't need new words. In fantasy and sci-fi stories, it's generally understood that "cannibalism" means "eating people". People who do not have to be human.

If people who eat plants call themselves vegetarians, I prefer to call myself a humanitarian.