Deities in Ravenloft - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Deities in Ravenloft

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
May 24, 2004 19:20:14 After reading through the Player's Handbook and some online sources several times, I find myslef left with a singular, unanswered question. Just how powerful are the Gods in Ravenloft? From my understanding, the PHB plays down the influence of the Gods to a limited degree. It seems that the Darklords and Evil forces that control and regulate Ravenloft are more powerful than the Gods themselves. I was wondering if anyone else has more knowledge about the nature of Gods in Ravenloft and their true influence on the world. My understanding of fantasy oreinted Gods is that the are all powerful. If this is true, then couldn't they just destroy the darklords or even remove Ravenloft from its plane of existence? Clearly there's something I'm missing. Any information would be appriciated. Thanks.
#2
zombiegleemax
May 24, 2004 23:40:14 The "pantheon" of ravenloft is purposely left vague.

The "all powerful" entity(ies) of Ravenloft are the dark powers. There is nothing known about them.

When clerics come from another realm they feel an emptiness like their deity not being close to them anymore.

There are plenty of religions and clerics in Ravenloft. The actual physical representation os said gods are never seen. Vecna is an exception...but Vecna wasn't a Ravenloft god...but a god from elsewhere.

How do clerics get their spells?

The dark powers, their divine insight, force of will, from the combined power of the worshippers of the god, of the god itself...it is up to you to decide.

A lot of Ravenloft is up to you to decide.

Its quite a mysterious demi-plane.
#3
zombiegleemax
May 25, 2004 3:47:54 Every time I see "Why don't the gods destroy Ravenloft?," it makes me ask in reply "Why don't the gods destroy the hells and abyss?"

Well, because there's other gods protecting them, from one.

Not to mention that Ravenloft is a prison - the Darklords are being punished. The Dark Powers, or whoever, are very possible gods of good. It's doubtful that they are, but based on what little hints there are of the Dark Powers nature, they seem to be neutral in nature, as opposed to good or evil, punishing the wicked while testing the righteous in extremely harsh ways that are still meant to make them stronger.

The Dark Powers are purposely ambiguous. But there is an extreme amount of evidence to show that they're weaker than the gods, or quite possibly gods themselves, as well as ample reason for why the place is still allowed to exist, much the same as places such as the Gray Wastes or any evil realm on the Prime Material Plane is.
#4
malus_black
May 25, 2004 4:46:01 It is also important to remember that the gods aren't neccessarily real... just look at the Eternal Order. Azalin created the religion, basing it on the old myths of Darkon, using the Order to control the population. And still, the clerics gain spells. How? Well, the way I look at it, the Dark Powers pose as gods for those who truly believe, and are as such the gods.

There are many other examples of this. Just look at the Morninglord; Martyn Pelkar (it was him, right?) saw Jander Sunstar, and believed him to be an avatar of a god he called the Morninglord. Is there any real god in this case? No, but the clerics still receive spells.

Similarly, clerics from other worlds are cut off from their gods upon entering Ravenloft, their place being taken by the Dark Powers, at least the way I see it.
#5
gloom_of_the_night
May 25, 2004 11:11:34 I dont think incoming clerics are 'cut off' but that they feel removed and distant, and possibly can not commune or use anyother spell that directly contacts the god.

-Gloom
#6
malus_black
May 25, 2004 13:07:32
Originally posted by Gloom of the Night
I dont think incoming clerics are 'cut off' but that they feel removed and distant, and possibly can not commune or use anyother spell that directly contacts the god.

Exactly. We know that commune and other such spells don't work in Ravenloft, which, in my opinion, means that the clerics are cut off from their gods for their stay. In their absence the Dark Powers move in, posing as the cleric's god(des), resulting in the feeling of distance. The cleric never feels cut off, as the Powers are quite skilled at the imitation, easily masquerading as said cleric's deity.

At least, that's the way I interpret it and do it in my campaigns.
#7
zombiegleemax
May 25, 2004 18:05:49
Originally posted by Malus Black
It is also important to remember that the gods aren't neccessarily real... just look at the Eternal Order. Azalin created the religion, basing it on the old myths of Darkon, using the Order to control the population. And still, the clerics gain spells. How? Well, the way I look at it, the Dark Powers pose as gods for those who truly believe, and are as such the gods.

There are many other examples of this. Just look at the Morninglord; Martyn Pelkar (it was him, right?) saw Jander Sunstar, and believed him to be an avatar of a god he called the Morninglord. Is there any real god in this case? No, but the clerics still receive spells.

Actually, yes, there is. The Morninglord is Lathander, from the Forgotten Realms. Altered slightly by the disconnection suffered in the Dread Realms, but Lathander nonetheless. It's in Vampire of the Mists. Just like the Lawgiver is Bane.

And those myths surrounding the Eternal Order? I'd bet they integrate figures such as Nerull and Wee Jas and the like.

A good example of false gods would be Zhakata and the Wolf God, neither of whom are real.

And if anything can "pose" as a god, it's as good as a god. Then again, I put gods at the top of the food chain - and don't indulge in any such silliness as overgods or the like...eck.
#8
rotipher
May 25, 2004 18:11:13 The gods could well have their own reasons for leaving Ravenloft alone, that have nothing to do with how powerful they or the DPs are. Perhaps there really *is* an "unspoken pact" of some kind, that keeps deities from intervening directly in the Land of Mists; or perhaps the gods consider the DPs outcasts, and deliberately shun contact with everything and anything the latter are involved with ... even if this means they have to leave a handful of mortals (and it IS only a handful, by deities' standards; RL just ain't that big a place) with less divine support than normal.

Heck ... you might as well ask why the gods from FR or GH don't just up and manifest right HERE, and start recruiting followers on our own IRL Earth, given that both worlds have had "crossover" storyline involving Earth natives in the past (e.g. Greenwood's old "Wizards Three" articles), and Earth's local deity (?) seems reluctant to make such personal appearances! Not every world is open for divine proselytizing, and not every group of mortals necessarily merits -- or would even *benefit* from; imagine how much worse the Tepestani inquisition might get, for example, if Belenus dropped in for a week and then went back to his other responsibilities! -- constant and intimate contact with the deities, themselves.
#9
zombiegleemax
May 25, 2004 21:35:57 I see gods as being another form of life. Made up of the wills of the mortals.

being "cut off" from could mean that since ravenloft is a prison all the followers on the other plane that the character was from couldn't empower the god there.

I see gods as gaining their power from being worshipped. And clerics are the ultimate worshippers. Even though distanced as long as they stay true to their faith then they will receive the benefit of it.

There are a number of examples of mortals becoming gods after they died because other mortals worshipped or believed them to be gods.

I think its a very plausible explanation for what gods are and why they exhibit the plethora of human(oid) characteristics.

I see gods as that worshipping power made into a sentient being.

But of course in Ravenloft there is no sentient being representing a cleric's faith...but he still draws power from the divine well so to speak, even w/o a physical represenation to guide him.

It makes the whole faith thing...and staying on the path so much more challenging, b/c there is no one there to tell them not to stray.

Thats what the dp do really...they test the goodness in people.
#10
cyrus_hunter
May 26, 2004 1:30:35 Nah, it's nothing that complicated. It's simply a combination of some stronger deities being able to break the prison of Ravenloft to the extent that they can grant some minor spells and the dark powers granting some spells to clerics of particularly strong faith so the clerics will either create a massively destructive cult or come to rely on the spells so its even funnier when they are removed totally when they are truly needed.

There might also be the possibility that the combined faith in a made up god (such as the sun and moon deities in the Shadowborn Cluster) has spontaneously created a lesser deity, but then again, it's probably the dark powers simulating a god to both inspire violence and cause reliance on an unstable foundation.
#11
zombiegleemax
May 26, 2004 1:52:50 My conception of the deities and their powers in the Land of the Mists is, that Ravenloft actually is a very big laboratory for gods, their testing site.
Why?
Because mortals began to grow too fast both in strenght and knowledge, like parasites. Even the goodest and purest starts to fear for him/herself. But as you fear only what you don't know, thorough research about the capabilities of humans and other races was imperative to gain some knowledge, how far can mortals actually develop, and how can gods protect themselves?

That's the main reason why this demiplane draws evil in it, evil is resourceful, cunning, evil acts and therefore provides useful data to gods about earthly beings end their powers. And besides it works as a good prison for the vilest, these who are unpredictable and threaten the "government" the most.

So why do clerics feel abandoned in Ravenloft? You don't pat a labrat, do you;)
#12
cyrus_hunter
May 27, 2004 1:24:50 I have a feeling that this discussion can't be resolved without knowing definitively what the nature and identity of the dark powers is. That's a shame.
#13
zombiegleemax
May 27, 2004 2:54:46
Originally posted by Cyrus_Hunter
I have a feeling that this discussion can't be resolved without knowing definitively what the nature and identity of the dark powers is. That's a shame.

You're absolutely right that it can't be resolved "officially" but think how less mysterious RL would be with an official answer. There is nothing stopping anyone from concocting their own theories for their own game.

My pet theory has always been based out of VanRichtens guide to the Vistani...that the DP are their exiled "King" who mastered space and time and challenged the gods (you might think of him as the original, most dangerous Dukar). According to some Vistani legends he was banished beyong space and time. In my view RL is a beach head into our reality from elsewhere andd the dark lords are just miniature versions of his storry (ie. they're created in his image). He still can't quite get out...but the outside dieties can't quite get in either.

Getting back to the power of RL gods it seems to me that 1) the outside dieties can't manifest avatars or any other direct intervention regardless of greater or lesser status, though I do believe they send spells to the devote 2) Some religions of RL were created as "fictions" in 1st and 2nd edition, empowered by the DPs themselves who granted spells to the "faithful" (eg. the Wolf God) 3) Some of the devote to outside powers stray from the core of their religious dogma and still get spells leading me to conclude either a) the DPs sometimes empower "heritics" who twist a faith more to their liking or b) the outside gods can't percieve their worshippers well enough to realise they have gone astray. 4) Finally Ezra (and perhaps Hala) seems to have somehow originated from within RL. To me it seems they have the greatest potential to provide "spectatcular divine miracles" but for whatever reason still seem play by the rules above.

-Eric Gorman
#14
zombiegleemax
May 27, 2004 18:54:14
Finally Ezra (and perhaps Hala) seems to have somehow originated from within RL. To me it seems they have the greatest potential to provide "spectatcular divine miracles" but for whatever reason still seem play by the rules above.

I agree, it seems that only these two deities (and possibly Belenus as well) are the only "unique and independent" (free of the influence of the darkpowers or some other aspect of godhood) of all the deities in RL. Ezra even has her own domain spell list with which the anchorites can draw from. It certainly seems to me that its really only these deities who have any real power and ability to influence and affect the world of RL itself. As to the nature and extent of power of the other deities we can only speculate, but it wouldn't surprise me if the darkpowers exercised some element of control over them as well.
#15
zombiegleemax
May 28, 2004 1:46:47 Belenus is actually a Celtic sun god. Listed as "neutral good" in past editions.
#16
malus_black
May 30, 2004 14:13:41
Originally posted by TricksterGod
Actually, yes, there is. The Morninglord is Lathander, from the Forgotten Realms. Altered slightly by the disconnection suffered in the Dread Realms, but Lathander nonetheless. It's in Vampire of the Mists.

Ah, yes, but that raises two questions:

1) Was the Morninglord worshipped by Martyn Pelkar the same Morninglord who is worshipped on Toril, or simply Martyn's idea of a Morninglord?

2) If we say that Martyn did indeed worship Lathander Morninglord of Toril, how can we be sure that this was the entity which answered his prayers and granted him spells? And, if it was, does the Morninglord remain Lathander, or has he been substituted? After all, we know that gods can be substituted by the Powers without clerics or paladins noticing it, just look at Elena Faith-Hold and her corruption of Belenus.

A good example of false gods would be Zhakata and the Wolf God, neither of whom are real.

Better yet, the Overseer in Martira Bay, which is completely fabricated.

And if anything can "pose" as a god, it's as good as a god.

Which is why I play the gods of Ravenloft as fabrications of (demi)humanity's imagination, made "real" by their beliefs and the Dark Powers' interventions.

I really hope I make any sense, although I doubt it.
#17
zombiegleemax
May 30, 2004 22:15:13
Originally posted by Cyrus_Hunter
I have a feeling that this discussion can't be resolved without knowing definitively what the nature and identity of the dark powers is. That's a shame.

Why? It gives the DM the liberty to set the moral guidelines that the "supreme powers" adhere in the Ravenloft setting as whatever the heck he wants.

Not that you don't have that liberty anyway... but some of you out there are more loyal to RPG rulebooks than you are to the Ten Commandments....
#18
zombiegleemax
May 30, 2004 22:18:22 For what it's worth, I've always taken the approach that the dark powers supply all magic, priestly or otherwise, within the Demiplane of Dread.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax May 24, 2004 19:20:14	After reading through the Player's Handbook and some online sources several times, I find myslef left with a singular, unanswered question. Just how powerful are the Gods in Ravenloft? From my understanding, the PHB plays down the influence of the Gods to a limited degree. It seems that the Darklords and Evil forces that control and regulate Ravenloft are more powerful than the Gods themselves. I was wondering if anyone else has more knowledge about the nature of Gods in Ravenloft and their true influence on the world. My understanding of fantasy oreinted Gods is that the are all powerful. If this is true, then couldn't they just destroy the darklords or even remove Ravenloft from its plane of existence? Clearly there's something I'm missing. Any information would be appriciated. Thanks.
#2 zombiegleemax May 24, 2004 23:40:14	The "pantheon" of ravenloft is purposely left vague. The "all powerful" entity(ies) of Ravenloft are the dark powers. There is nothing known about them. When clerics come from another realm they feel an emptiness like their deity not being close to them anymore. There are plenty of religions and clerics in Ravenloft. The actual physical representation os said gods are never seen. Vecna is an exception...but Vecna wasn't a Ravenloft god...but a god from elsewhere. How do clerics get their spells? The dark powers, their divine insight, force of will, from the combined power of the worshippers of the god, of the god itself...it is up to you to decide. A lot of Ravenloft is up to you to decide. Its quite a mysterious demi-plane.
#3 zombiegleemax May 25, 2004 3:47:54	Every time I see "Why don't the gods destroy Ravenloft?," it makes me ask in reply "Why don't the gods destroy the hells and abyss?" Well, because there's other gods protecting them, from one. Not to mention that Ravenloft is a prison - the Darklords are being punished. The Dark Powers, or whoever, are very possible gods of good. It's doubtful that they are, but based on what little hints there are of the Dark Powers nature, they seem to be neutral in nature, as opposed to good or evil, punishing the wicked while testing the righteous in extremely harsh ways that are still meant to make them stronger. The Dark Powers are purposely ambiguous. But there is an extreme amount of evidence to show that they're weaker than the gods, or quite possibly gods themselves, as well as ample reason for why the place is still allowed to exist, much the same as places such as the Gray Wastes or any evil realm on the Prime Material Plane is.
#4 malus_black May 25, 2004 4:46:01	It is also important to remember that the gods aren't neccessarily real... just look at the Eternal Order. Azalin created the religion, basing it on the old myths of Darkon, using the Order to control the population. And still, the clerics gain spells. How? Well, the way I look at it, the Dark Powers pose as gods for those who truly believe, and are as such the gods. There are many other examples of this. Just look at the Morninglord; Martyn Pelkar (it was him, right?) saw Jander Sunstar, and believed him to be an avatar of a god he called the Morninglord. Is there any real god in this case? No, but the clerics still receive spells. Similarly, clerics from other worlds are cut off from their gods upon entering Ravenloft, their place being taken by the Dark Powers, at least the way I see it.
#5 gloom_of_the_night May 25, 2004 11:11:34	I dont think incoming clerics are 'cut off' but that they feel removed and distant, and possibly can not commune or use anyother spell that directly contacts the god. -Gloom
#6 malus_black May 25, 2004 13:07:32	Originally posted by Gloom of the Night I dont think incoming clerics are 'cut off' but that they feel removed and distant, and possibly can not commune or use anyother spell that directly contacts the god. Exactly. We know that commune and other such spells don't work in Ravenloft, which, in my opinion, means that the clerics are cut off from their gods for their stay. In their absence the Dark Powers move in, posing as the cleric's god(des), resulting in the feeling of distance. The cleric never feels cut off, as the Powers are quite skilled at the imitation, easily masquerading as said cleric's deity. At least, that's the way I interpret it and do it in my campaigns.
#7 zombiegleemax May 25, 2004 18:05:49	Originally posted by Malus Black It is also important to remember that the gods aren't neccessarily real... just look at the Eternal Order. Azalin created the religion, basing it on the old myths of Darkon, using the Order to control the population. And still, the clerics gain spells. How? Well, the way I look at it, the Dark Powers pose as gods for those who truly believe, and are as such the gods. There are many other examples of this. Just look at the Morninglord; Martyn Pelkar (it was him, right?) saw Jander Sunstar, and believed him to be an avatar of a god he called the Morninglord. Is there any real god in this case? No, but the clerics still receive spells. Actually, yes, there is. The Morninglord is Lathander, from the Forgotten Realms. Altered slightly by the disconnection suffered in the Dread Realms, but Lathander nonetheless. It's in Vampire of the Mists. Just like the Lawgiver is Bane. And those myths surrounding the Eternal Order? I'd bet they integrate figures such as Nerull and Wee Jas and the like. A good example of false gods would be Zhakata and the Wolf God, neither of whom are real. And if anything can "pose" as a god, it's as good as a god. Then again, I put gods at the top of the food chain - and don't indulge in any such silliness as overgods or the like...eck.
#8 rotipher May 25, 2004 18:11:13	The gods could well have their own reasons for leaving Ravenloft alone, that have nothing to do with how powerful they or the DPs are. Perhaps there really is an "unspoken pact" of some kind, that keeps deities from intervening directly in the Land of Mists; or perhaps the gods consider the DPs outcasts, and deliberately shun contact with everything and anything the latter are involved with ... even if this means they have to leave a handful of mortals (and it IS only a handful, by deities' standards; RL just ain't that big a place) with less divine support than normal. Heck ... you might as well ask why the gods from FR or GH don't just up and manifest right HERE, and start recruiting followers on our own IRL Earth, given that both worlds have had "crossover" storyline involving Earth natives in the past (e.g. Greenwood's old "Wizards Three" articles), and Earth's local deity (?) seems reluctant to make such personal appearances! Not every world is open for divine proselytizing, and not every group of mortals necessarily merits -- or would even benefit from; imagine how much worse the Tepestani inquisition might get, for example, if Belenus dropped in for a week and then went back to his other responsibilities! -- constant and intimate contact with the deities, themselves.
#9 zombiegleemax May 25, 2004 21:35:57	I see gods as being another form of life. Made up of the wills of the mortals. being "cut off" from could mean that since ravenloft is a prison all the followers on the other plane that the character was from couldn't empower the god there. I see gods as gaining their power from being worshipped. And clerics are the ultimate worshippers. Even though distanced as long as they stay true to their faith then they will receive the benefit of it. There are a number of examples of mortals becoming gods after they died because other mortals worshipped or believed them to be gods. I think its a very plausible explanation for what gods are and why they exhibit the plethora of human(oid) characteristics. I see gods as that worshipping power made into a sentient being. But of course in Ravenloft there is no sentient being representing a cleric's faith...but he still draws power from the divine well so to speak, even w/o a physical represenation to guide him. It makes the whole faith thing...and staying on the path so much more challenging, b/c there is no one there to tell them not to stray. Thats what the dp do really...they test the goodness in people.
#10 cyrus_hunter May 26, 2004 1:30:35	Nah, it's nothing that complicated. It's simply a combination of some stronger deities being able to break the prison of Ravenloft to the extent that they can grant some minor spells and the dark powers granting some spells to clerics of particularly strong faith so the clerics will either create a massively destructive cult or come to rely on the spells so its even funnier when they are removed totally when they are truly needed. There might also be the possibility that the combined faith in a made up god (such as the sun and moon deities in the Shadowborn Cluster) has spontaneously created a lesser deity, but then again, it's probably the dark powers simulating a god to both inspire violence and cause reliance on an unstable foundation.
#11 zombiegleemax May 26, 2004 1:52:50	My conception of the deities and their powers in the Land of the Mists is, that Ravenloft actually is a very big laboratory for gods, their testing site. Why? Because mortals began to grow too fast both in strenght and knowledge, like parasites. Even the goodest and purest starts to fear for him/herself. But as you fear only what you don't know, thorough research about the capabilities of humans and other races was imperative to gain some knowledge, how far can mortals actually develop, and how can gods protect themselves? That's the main reason why this demiplane draws evil in it, evil is resourceful, cunning, evil acts and therefore provides useful data to gods about earthly beings end their powers. And besides it works as a good prison for the vilest, these who are unpredictable and threaten the "government" the most. So why do clerics feel abandoned in Ravenloft? You don't pat a labrat, do you;)
#12 cyrus_hunter May 27, 2004 1:24:50	I have a feeling that this discussion can't be resolved without knowing definitively what the nature and identity of the dark powers is. That's a shame.
#13 zombiegleemax May 27, 2004 2:54:46	Originally posted by Cyrus_Hunter I have a feeling that this discussion can't be resolved without knowing definitively what the nature and identity of the dark powers is. That's a shame. You're absolutely right that it can't be resolved "officially" but think how less mysterious RL would be with an official answer. There is nothing stopping anyone from concocting their own theories for their own game. My pet theory has always been based out of VanRichtens guide to the Vistani...that the DP are their exiled "King" who mastered space and time and challenged the gods (you might think of him as the original, most dangerous Dukar). According to some Vistani legends he was banished beyong space and time. In my view RL is a beach head into our reality from elsewhere andd the dark lords are just miniature versions of his storry (ie. they're created in his image). He still can't quite get out...but the outside dieties can't quite get in either. Getting back to the power of RL gods it seems to me that 1) the outside dieties can't manifest avatars or any other direct intervention regardless of greater or lesser status, though I do believe they send spells to the devote 2) Some religions of RL were created as "fictions" in 1st and 2nd edition, empowered by the DPs themselves who granted spells to the "faithful" (eg. the Wolf God) 3) Some of the devote to outside powers stray from the core of their religious dogma and still get spells leading me to conclude either a) the DPs sometimes empower "heritics" who twist a faith more to their liking or b) the outside gods can't percieve their worshippers well enough to realise they have gone astray. 4) Finally Ezra (and perhaps Hala) seems to have somehow originated from within RL. To me it seems they have the greatest potential to provide "spectatcular divine miracles" but for whatever reason still seem play by the rules above. -Eric Gorman
#14 zombiegleemax May 27, 2004 18:54:14	Finally Ezra (and perhaps Hala) seems to have somehow originated from within RL. To me it seems they have the greatest potential to provide "spectatcular divine miracles" but for whatever reason still seem play by the rules above. I agree, it seems that only these two deities (and possibly Belenus as well) are the only "unique and independent" (free of the influence of the darkpowers or some other aspect of godhood) of all the deities in RL. Ezra even has her own domain spell list with which the anchorites can draw from. It certainly seems to me that its really only these deities who have any real power and ability to influence and affect the world of RL itself. As to the nature and extent of power of the other deities we can only speculate, but it wouldn't surprise me if the darkpowers exercised some element of control over them as well.
#15 zombiegleemax May 28, 2004 1:46:47	Belenus is actually a Celtic sun god. Listed as "neutral good" in past editions.
#16 malus_black May 30, 2004 14:13:41	Originally posted by TricksterGod Actually, yes, there is. The Morninglord is Lathander, from the Forgotten Realms. Altered slightly by the disconnection suffered in the Dread Realms, but Lathander nonetheless. It's in Vampire of the Mists. Ah, yes, but that raises two questions: 1) Was the Morninglord worshipped by Martyn Pelkar the same Morninglord who is worshipped on Toril, or simply Martyn's idea of a Morninglord? 2) If we say that Martyn did indeed worship Lathander Morninglord of Toril, how can we be sure that this was the entity which answered his prayers and granted him spells? And, if it was, does the Morninglord remain Lathander, or has he been substituted? After all, we know that gods can be substituted by the Powers without clerics or paladins noticing it, just look at Elena Faith-Hold and her corruption of Belenus. A good example of false gods would be Zhakata and the Wolf God, neither of whom are real. Better yet, the Overseer in Martira Bay, which is completely fabricated. And if anything can "pose" as a god, it's as good as a god. Which is why I play the gods of Ravenloft as fabrications of (demi)humanity's imagination, made "real" by their beliefs and the Dark Powers' interventions. I really hope I make any sense, although I doubt it.
#17 zombiegleemax May 30, 2004 22:15:13	Originally posted by Cyrus_Hunter I have a feeling that this discussion can't be resolved without knowing definitively what the nature and identity of the dark powers is. That's a shame. Why? It gives the DM the liberty to set the moral guidelines that the "supreme powers" adhere in the Ravenloft setting as whatever the heck he wants. Not that you don't have that liberty anyway... but some of you out there are more loyal to RPG rulebooks than you are to the Ten Commandments....
#18 zombiegleemax May 30, 2004 22:18:22	For what it's worth, I've always taken the approach that the dark powers supply all magic, priestly or otherwise, within the Demiplane of Dread.