International intrigue used to be a big deal in the setting. Plots going between darklords and secret societies that crossed borders. Lots of Darklords had networks of spies and agents that could get information and take actions in domains they could not go to.
Falkovnia was the big military threat but there was also the undead armies of Darkon that clashed with Barovia in the novels.
International intrigue used to be a big deal in the setting. Plots going between darklords and secret societies that crossed borders. Lots of Darklords had networks of spies and agents that could get information and take actions in domains they could not go to.
Falkovnia was the big military threat but there was also the undead armies of Darkon that clashed with Barovia in the novels.
Plots between dark lords and secret societies make 100% sense, but massed military action is a bit less necessary, amd the nature of the plots are likely to be less military and more mystical or personally vengeful.
if I was going to do military in my variant of the setting above, with Falkovnia out of the picture I’d have Lamordentia and Borca backing different factions in Darkon, with a low-level multi-cornered proxy war continually going on here as the various Darkon lords ally and backstab each other and the Lamordentian and Borcan who are trying to put their thumbs on the political scales. A sort of Hot-and-Cold War that makes the life of everyday darkonese miserable while two-faced Borcan and Lamordentian diplomats smile and lie at each other in elegant rooms.
Darkon and Barovia haven’t been anywhere near each other since the earliest days of the setting, so it’s hard to make them war against each other now. Especially since Azalin is gone.
International intrigue used to be a big deal in the setting. Plots going between darklords and secret societies that crossed borders. Lots of Darklords had networks of spies and agents that could get information and take actions in domains they could not go to.
Falkovnia was the big military threat but there was also the undead armies of Darkon that clashed with Barovia in the novels.
Odd. 90% of my 2e Ravenloft experience had little to do with international politics. Most dark lords are too self absorbed to notice the lands beyond thier realm, Drakov the exception that proves the rule. Strahd harbors grudges against other darklords, but it's not like he even wanted to annex Gundark and mostly oppressed it when it became his. Azalin cared more about escape than other realms, save swatting that annoying fly that buzzed his border. Who else cared? Godrey? The Hags? Apblanc? Hiregard? Hell, Soth couldn't even be bothered to care about HIS realm much less anyone elses.
I assume most of the inter-domain drama began in the 3e era. There was some elements in the 2e DoD (like secret societies) that I liked, but most of that works fine in 5e's setup.
He has presented Akriel with a grand scheme in which they will cause a war to break out between Harkon of Kartakass and Duke Gundar of Gundarak. While the two leaders are concentrating on the war, these two will slip in and assassinate them, thus taking over both of their domains. Akriel has gladly agreed to help her lover in his schemes.
What Akriel does not know, however, is that Duke Gundar is in on the affair and is working with Dr. Dominiani on an ever more subtle and nefarious plan. While events will take place according to the original plan for a time, it changes at the point where the lords are to be assassinated.
At this point, Dominiani will meet with Akriel at a pre-arranged place and time. After informing her that Duke Gundar is dead, the couple will travel to Harkon Lukas' estate and kill him. With this powerful figure out of the way, Dominiani will dispose of Akriel and rule Kartakass by himself. For his part in this scheme, Gundar is rewarded with a loyal ally for a neighbor.
Realms of Terror page 36 says: "In return for the Count's cooperation, Vistani inform Strahd of the activities in other domains, and act as spies for him in his own."
The greater mummy description says: "A number of these creatures are believed to serve Anhktepot in his domain, acting as his agents in other lands he wishes to learn what is transpiring in other portions of Ravenloft."
The ermordenung description says "On rare occasions, they are sent on missions outside of Borca to further the interests of their mistress."
From the Shadows was all about a Darklord sending the PCs into a different domain for one of his plots.
"War is rare but not unknown in Ravenloft. Although lords cannot leave their domains, their minions are under no such restriction. A lord might choose to wage war to gain indirect control over greater territory, or just to cause trouble and misery. These wars meet with little success. A lord has great power, not only over his or her land, but often over its creatures and those who enter it. An invading army can quickly become soldiers for the domain they intended to assault. (The legions of Falkovnia that repeatedly assaulted Darkon are now among Azalin's minions, for example.)
Powerful, evil forces that are not lords are most likely to wage war in Ravenloft, but this type of war is usually fought with stealth and intrigue rather than military might."
Death Unchained is all about a Dark Lord's plot in another domain.
Domains of Dread has the Unholy Order of the Dead "Directed by the hand of Death from the heart of Necropolis, this elite group of undead travels the Demiplane doing their master’s bidding."
