D&D 5E Ravenloft NPC reactions to the various PC races

[Z. H. Darkstar]

I know next to nothing about Ravenloft. It was brought to my attention that the ecology of Ravenloft is vastly different from the FR in terms of sentient races.

As part of my preparation for the upcoming season, I'm asking for help in figuring out how the NPCs of Ravenloft will react to the various PC races and subraces.

 

[iserith]

It would depend on which domain in Ravenloft we're talking about. But, as a rule of thumb, they react exactly as required to either be a fun, memorable challenge or facilitate the PCs getting to one.

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

Barovia. This is prep for Curse of Strahd.

I get the basic principle of creating a memorable experience. I'm more wondering about races that would stick out like sore thumbs within Barovia.

For example, I know that there are no Orcs there, so Half-Orcs are going to be looked at with wonder.

 

[iserith]

I would suggest that any non-human probably gets the stink-eye. It's just a matter of making this more fun than annoying for anyone playing a non-human.

 

[Remathilis]

It really depends on which version of the canon they're using.

In 2e-era, anything non-human was considered a freak. You had to hide your appearance, or you'd get door shut on you, merchants overcharging you, or mobs waiting to hunt you (depending on the exact nature of your race). This sorta carried over into the Arthaus era RL, but it was a little less overt; it came in large penalties to all non-Intimidate-based Charisma checks ranging from -1 (elf, halfling) to -5 (caliban or weirder).

WotC's only 3e/4e era Ravenloft stuff took a different take; non-humans weren't feared or hated. In Expedition, several NPCs are non-human (including Vistani halflings, a dwarven vampire, elven werewolves, and a half-celestial paladin) and the humans of the Village of Barovia and Strahd himself seem to bear no racial animosity. In 4e, one of the Domains of Dread was based around tieflings and Vistani again could be halflings racially.

My guess is WotC will opt for their 3e/4e version of Barovia and the Domains of Dread and have the races not be singled out for stigma. You could argue maybe some of the more mostrous ones (goliath, tiefling, dragonborn, drow, half-orc) might suffer the minor stigmas that 2e-era elves and halflings endured (overcharging or rude comments) but I don't imagine it will be the same kind of problems 2e demihumans suffered.

 

[iserith]

My guess is WotC will opt for their 3e/4e version of Barovia and the Domains of Dread and have the races not be singled out for stigma.

A solid guess in my view. If anything, have NPCs be suspicious or hateful of "Outsiders," which is probably all of the PCs regardless of race.

 

[Unwise]

I picture any place where people don't leave their village for fear of the lurking horrors of the unknown eating them, or worse, will be xenophobic to say the least. I would say that any traveller will be looked on with great suspicion. Anything different about that stranger at all will be viewed with extra dread, their odd style of dress, their race, their strange new religion, the fact they use magic. All of these things are problems to a xenophobic people.

I imagine the towns of Barovia to be the type where windows slam shut when you come to town and the only people to greet you are the local sheriff and the crazy old people on the rocking chairs outside the front of the uninviting inn. As such, it is only the truly desperate people that reach out to adventurers for help. Even then, every village has its secrets, that no stranger can know. If their scarecrows sometimes come to life and drag away a child, well, that is the way it has always been. Nothing good can come of involving strangers in village business.

 

[Shasarak]

When you are ruled by a Vampire with a bunch of Gypsies running around, Tieflings and Dragonborn are the least of your worries!

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

When you are ruled by a Vampire with a bunch of Gypsies running around, Tieflings and Dragonborn are the least of your worries!

I have a different interpretation: I'd say that when you already have a vampire liege and a bunch of gypsies running around, the last thing you want is some horned/scaled freak bringing attention to your neighborhood.

In 3e, WotC decided that roleplaying disadvantages could not be balanced against mechanical advantages, and that was a good thing, in my opinion. The next thing, though, was outright removing roleplaying related disadvantages from the game, and I believe that was a wrong move. A game where a dragonborn is treated as a human with scales is easier to adjudicate, probably, but it's not very interesting, in my view.

 

[Shasarak]

I have a different interpretation: I'd say that when you already have a vampire liege and a bunch of gypsies running around, the last thing you want is some horned/scaled freak bringing attention to your neighborhood.

"Those Tieflings are as ugly as Sin and the breath of a Dragonborn can stun an Ox at ten paces but at least they aint no Gypsies" Spit.