Curse of Strahd - Can Borovia be situated in Forgotten Realms?

[Cap'n Kobold]

If you're considering a total conversion of the module to FR, then you can probably find a counterpart in the FR pantheon that matches the Dark Powers, don't you think?

As I understand it, not really. The Dark Powers are fairly central to the concept of Ravenloft, and are most definitely in charge of it, but are very different to deities in the FR.
They have no need to be worshipped as FR gods do, don't even reveal they exist in most cases, and don't grant spells.

They have a level of power over the Demiplane of Dread that pretty much no FR god has been shown to be able to exert on the material plane. They also interfere with some of its inhabitants in ways that I think FR gods are unable to or forbidden from doing.

In the Forgotten Realms, gods are just powerful NPCs. The Dark Powers of Ravenloft are almost direct stand-ins of the DM.

 

[infinitum3d]

As I understand it, not really. The Dark Powers are fairly central to the concept of Ravenloft, and are most definitely in charge of it, but are very different to deities in the FR.
They have no need to be worshipped as FR gods do, don't even reveal they exist in most cases, and don't grant spells.

They have a level of power over the Demiplane of Dread that pretty much no FR god has been shown to be able to exert on the material plane. They also interfere with some of its inhabitants in ways that I think FR gods are unable to or forbidden from doing.

In the Forgotten Realms, gods are just powerful NPCs. The Dark Powers of Ravenloft are almost direct stand-ins of the DM.

Isn't every NPC a direct stand in for the DM? The DM runs the Ravenloft Dark Powers just as they run the FR pantheon. I'm not as familiar with Ravenloft, but someone like Cyric or Mask or especially Shar would be a FR diety I would choose. FR gods are only forbidden to do what the DM chooses. The DM is the real person and can do whatever they like with the pantheon.

Vecna is originally from Greyhawk but I've played FR campaigns in search of the Eye and Hand. It's all make believe so you can do whatever you like. A simple change is just to switch names. Vecna becomes Bane, Lord Soth becomes Bhall, (yes I know those are both dead in FR, but maybe they've both just been reborn in Ravenloft). As far as I can tell from my limited reading, only two Dark Lords are even known, so just switch FR ones directly over and alter them to fit your needs, or even play them as you do in FR, just don't tell your players. Make them keep guessing. The best part ofRavenloft is the fear and mystery of the unknown.

Infinitum3D
Click here for a Solo Play module, no DM required!

 

[MrHotter]

I had already put Barovia in my world. I was already planning on running the I6 version when my party got to level 5 or 6. The updated Ravenloft is exactly the kind of adventure I wanted and right when I needed it.

The world at your table is yours, so make any changes that you feel would be right for your game. Be sure to write down your changes to the adventure and keep it with the book in case you end up running the adventure over a longer period of time than what you were originally planning.

At my table the mists have surrounded Barovia for as long as Strahd has been around. The fact that Barovia has some history in my world makes it easier for me to start a level 1 party that has interest in what is beyond the mists.

 

[Bruce Vistani]

At my table the mists have surrounded Barovia for as long as Strahd has been around. The fact that Barovia has some history in my world makes it easier for me to start a level 1 party that has interest in what is beyond the mists.

This is the direction I'm leaning. I don't really care for extra-planar travel as a concept, especially when its low level characters.

The goings-on of Dark Powers and Gods and all that don't interest me much. I like to keep my fantasy as grounded as possible.

 

[infinitum3d]

And you don't even have to call it Borovia. You can call it Shadowdale, or Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter, especially if you have new players who don't know anything about the world. The world is yours to affect and alter however you like. I was in a campaign once where Waterdeep was governed by a council of Dragon's and had become completely militarized, most of the NPCs were dragonborn and warforged, and it was played out very much in a Lovecraft style. It turned out to be fun because it was so different than was expected.

Have fun with it and good luck! Oh, and let us know how it goes!

Infinitum3D
Click here for a Solo Play module, no DM required!

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

IIRC, there's advice in Expedition to Castle Ravenloft on placing it in FR. I seem to recall it's somewhere in the Galena Mountains in Damara.

 

[MrHotter]

In the last Dragon+ there is a story where Volo thinks he can find Barovia by walking a path into the Woods of the Sharp Teeth from the western side. The woods are just to the southeast of Baldur's Gate.

http://www.dragonmag.com/5.0/#!/art...Fresh=true&title=06_08_Travel Talk: Ravenloft