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Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft: An In-Depth Review
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<blockquote data-quote="jgsugden" data-source="post: 8273733" data-attributes="member: 2629"><p>Consider the type of Horror Ravenloft represents.</p><p></p><p>Gothic Horror.</p><p></p><p>It isn't about gore, necessarily. It isn't about violence, necessarily. It is about Dread and Fear. It is about Terror. It is about people dying unjustly with tragic consequences. It is about being haunted. It is lingering pain that won't go away.</p><p></p><p>While this can involve gore and rated R (or X) materials, it is absolutely not necessary. You can make truly terrifying and dread inducing tales with materials that are as innocent as fallen snow - the contrast makes it more strident when done properly. This book attempts to take a broad approach to dread and fear. It comes from many cultural origins, and uses a lot of different tools. </p><p></p><p>If you think it doesn't appeal because it isn't what you are thinking, I'd offer it might be everything you are thinking <em>and so much more.</em></p><p></p><p>My Ravenloft Domains, which have existed since 3E and only undergone 'administrative changes' include domains inspired by many different episodes of the Twilight Zone, Hellraiser, game events (a massive massacre, the Death of a God that was obsessed with their duty, etc...), the Bible, Cthulhu mythos, Stephen King, The 7 Deadly Sins, The Killing Joke, etc... Technically, Barovia is in there as well, but I have never used it. The elements I stole from these inspirations stuck out to me because they were situations that just suuuuuuuuucked for the people involved and could haunt them forever - and that is what rises to the level of a Ravenloft Domain for me. A major event that will Haunt a Key player forever. There are a lot of ways to get there.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jgsugden, post: 8273733, member: 2629"] Consider the type of Horror Ravenloft represents. Gothic Horror. It isn't about gore, necessarily. It isn't about violence, necessarily. It is about Dread and Fear. It is about Terror. It is about people dying unjustly with tragic consequences. It is about being haunted. It is lingering pain that won't go away. While this can involve gore and rated R (or X) materials, it is absolutely not necessary. You can make truly terrifying and dread inducing tales with materials that are as innocent as fallen snow - the contrast makes it more strident when done properly. This book attempts to take a broad approach to dread and fear. It comes from many cultural origins, and uses a lot of different tools. If you think it doesn't appeal because it isn't what you are thinking, I'd offer it might be everything you are thinking [I]and so much more.[/I] My Ravenloft Domains, which have existed since 3E and only undergone 'administrative changes' include domains inspired by many different episodes of the Twilight Zone, Hellraiser, game events (a massive massacre, the Death of a God that was obsessed with their duty, etc...), the Bible, Cthulhu mythos, Stephen King, The 7 Deadly Sins, The Killing Joke, etc... Technically, Barovia is in there as well, but I have never used it. The elements I stole from these inspirations stuck out to me because they were situations that just suuuuuuuuucked for the people involved and could haunt them forever - and that is what rises to the level of a Ravenloft Domain for me. A major event that will Haunt a Key player forever. There are a lot of ways to get there. [/QUOTE]
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