Urriak Uruk
Gaming is fun, and fun is for everyone
So I've been reading Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, and as someone with only passing familiarity with the lore in past editions, I was surprised when I learned that both Barovia and Borca were originally from the same world on the Material Plane.
Now, after a bit of research, apparently this was always the case in previous editions. But it does appear that this new book changes a few things (retcons), and as someone who is generally curious about what Barov-World could be like, I've decided to try and sort out the various details I could find.
So, from these collected details, we learn that this world has lost not one but two locations to the Mists, but that it still seems to reside in some form on the Material Plane. Is it ruled over in its entirety by the Ulmist Inquisition at Malitain? Or are there other nations that still remain? As time kept going on, so they have much more advanced tech than Barovia did when it disappeared?
Anyway, it's kind of a fun idea that there is a world where all of these concepts originate from, but we don't know much about.
Now, after a bit of research, apparently this was always the case in previous editions. But it does appear that this new book changes a few things (retcons), and as someone who is generally curious about what Barov-World could be like, I've decided to try and sort out the various details I could find.
- Barovia is the very first of the Domains of Dread to form, and Strahd von Zarovich is the multiverse's first vampire.
- Borca is from the same world as Barovia, but became a Domain ages later (Borca is therefore from the "future" of their same world).
- Members of the Dilisnya family were present at Castle Ravenloft on the night of Strahd's ascension to vampire, and were presumably all killed.
- The first Vistani also originate from the same world as Borca and Barovia.
- On the world of Barovia-Borcan, the man Osybus became a devotee of the Dark Powers, and became a lich of nearly godly power.
- Strahd von Zarovich took up arms against Osybus, but only achieved victory because Osybus was betrayed by his priests.
- Osybus' physical form was destroyed, but he cursed his ex-followers and became one of the Dark Powers himself.
- Strahd fought his war against Osybus and his unnatural armies alongside his friend Ulmed, who founded the Ulmist Inquisition (his friends Cosima, Ansel, and Tristian formed each of its three branches).
- The Ulmist Inquisition was founded on the Barovia-Borcan world (Barovcan?) and originate in the cult-infested city of Malitain. This is a vast city-state that lies to the north of where Bariva once was.
- The Ulmist Inquisition no longer fights monsters but also hunts down those they think have been corrupted; they send their agents all across the Multiverse.
So, from these collected details, we learn that this world has lost not one but two locations to the Mists, but that it still seems to reside in some form on the Material Plane. Is it ruled over in its entirety by the Ulmist Inquisition at Malitain? Or are there other nations that still remain? As time kept going on, so they have much more advanced tech than Barovia did when it disappeared?
Anyway, it's kind of a fun idea that there is a world where all of these concepts originate from, but we don't know much about.