Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Nov 06, 2003 14:11:55	i don't get it. is it supposed to be resident evil meets d&d? or maybe a d&d+anne rice? someone help me before the confusion makes my head explode.
#2 zombiegleemax Nov 06, 2003 14:15:04	I'm going to kill you.
#3 zombiegleemax Nov 06, 2003 14:24:54	Hah, hah, hah. No seriously. I think it can be boiled down to LoTR meets Dracula. It's still D&D at its core. NOT Masque or CoC.
#4 scipio Nov 06, 2003 14:49:24	The easiest way to explain Ravenloft is as a DnD setting based off of stories such as Dracula. Picture a world ruled over by mysterious powers which the average villager is unaware of. These powers reward evil, but at the same time give the person responsible for that evil an equally powerful curse. This all adds to a setting whose main theme is human evils and the battle betwen the forces of Light and Dark.
#5 scipio Nov 06, 2003 14:50:56	I would've pointed you to the official FAQ, but the site it was on closed down. I'm currently writing one, I'll post it on my site when I'm done.
#6 keg_of_ale Nov 06, 2003 15:03:07	Ravenloft is a D&D take on Gothic Horror genre. Imagine yourself playing Dungeons and Dragons on a dark evening, by candle-light, in a frightening setting filled with ghosts, vampires, werewolves and frightened villagers. The players play the heroes that fight the monsters of the night, while the DM uses Ravenloft's atmosphere to scare the players. The world of Ravenloft is greatly inspired by the gothic horror litterature genre from 19th-century and earlier. Think Bram Stocker's Dracula instead of Anne Rice, Faust instead of The Exorcist. It is a world of dark forests, old haunted mansions, cursed families, and monsters that are courteous and vile at once. Ravenloft creates horror from atmosphere and the player's expectation of evil. It also relies on subtelty. Pools of blood will not increase tension as well as a few red stains on the white bed sheets that are revealed at an effective moment. The zombies rushing in the house killing everyone is not as frightening as having them roam around, the wind carrying their earrie song... The world itself is a great demiplane, lost somewhere in the Ethereal. It is composed of political regions called "domains", each with its special horror flavor. The whole is surrounded by Mists. All sane people fear the Mists, for they can rise at any time, carrying you to another location, or brigning new horrors to your door. Every domain is ruled by a figure called a Darklord, either publically, or from the shadows. This evil individual is at the same time the true master of the realm and its prisoner. Every one of the Darklords was once a mortal seduced by evil, corrupted by its call. Being evil is not enough to be Darklord, however. Only the most intriguing, interesting villains end up with the title. What is more, each Darklord has forged his damnation by his evil deeds, and Ravenloft is now its hell. Though many Darklords are granted special powers to reward their sins, they are forever prisoners of their realms, and granted a terrible curse destined to enrage them and prevent them from ever attaining happiness, as well as constantly remind them of their crimes. It may be that should a Darklord sencerely repent for the evil things he has done, the Mists will free him from his torment. Unfortunately, this has never happened up to now. Darklords are blind to their own failures, instead blaming other people, dark magic or imaginary foes. many Darklords struggle to escape, but are forever doomed to fail. The domains of Ravenloft present a wide range of cultures and epochs. Many are remniscient of real-world places, such as medieval Transilvania, Victorian London, or Renaissance France. The more primitive domains house xenophobic, supersticious people, while more advanced realms revel in new scientific wonders, such as firearms or pocket watches. Ravenloft has some new game mechanics specific to it. Most important are the Powers Checks. Whenever a PC willingly commits an act of evil in Ravenloft (an evil act for a good cause is still considered an evil act), the DM rolls a d% to determine if the Mists take notice. If they do, the PC is "rewarded" by beginning to turn into a monster. The more Powers Checks you fail, the more twisted and evil you become, until such time that you become a creature of the night, or, worse, a Darklord of your own domain. When this happens, the character immediately becomes a villain, as well as a NPC under the DM's control.
#7 scipio Nov 06, 2003 15:36:05	He explained it better than I did. /\
#8 zombiegleemax Nov 06, 2003 17:54:00	Ravenloft? Hmmm.... I like to think of it as Darkness Incarnate. And I MEAN Darkness.
#9 zombiegleemax Nov 06, 2003 18:27:55	Originally posted by Scipio I would've pointed you to the official FAQ, but the site it was on closed down... If only we still had access... It would have said this... Section One: The Basics 1.1 What is Ravenloft? Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, which combines elements of the basic D&D game with the trappings of gothic horror. To quote from the original Ravenloft boxed set: "Dark, gloomy castles, desolate landscapes, black clouds racing against the moon - these are the trappings of the Gothic tradition. Early Gothics were stories of mystery, fear, and desire - of heroines imprisoned in a fortress, their purity and sanity assaulted by the evil lord of the manor. Later novels, such as 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein', toss the heroine to the sidelines, and "evil" takes center stage. This is the classic horror in which Ravenloft has its roots." The Ravenloft setting is often also referred to as the Demiplane of Dread or the Land of Mists. It is standard to refer to the RAVENLOFT product line in caps; if Ravenloft is merely capitalized, it refers to the setting itself. ;) And I always take issue with Ravenloft being all evil & darkness, all the time. There has to be goodness, light, & hope to provide contrast, and make the setting one of dread, not outright doom.
#10 scipio Nov 06, 2003 18:33:53	You saved the FAQ? Catman Jim, you are a god!
#11 zombiegleemax Nov 06, 2003 18:51:10	Now, now, the closest I can claim to that is by having an avatar, and we all have one or more of those. :D
#12 zombiegleemax Nov 06, 2003 18:53:19	Anyone who compares the trash that is Resident Evil to the sheer godliness that is Ravenloft should be subjected to becoming a prisoner of the mists.
#13 keg_of_ale Nov 06, 2003 21:45:39	Originally posted by Tadelin Anyone who compares the trash that is Resident Evil to the sheer godliness that is Ravenloft should be subjected to becoming a prisoner of the mists. Now now. Let's not start a war on the subject of resident evil, which, like all things, is subject to personal judgement.
#14 zombiegleemax Nov 06, 2003 23:21:09	Originally posted by Keg of Ale Now now. Let's not start a war on the subject of resident evil, which, like all things, is subject to personal judgement. Fair enough. In my opinion, Resident Evil is trash. But you have to admit, anyone foolish enough to make the comparison obviously hasn't played enough games set in Raevnloft.
#15 zombiegleemax Nov 07, 2003 4:28:47	And I always take issue with Ravenloft being all evil & darkness, all the time. There has to be goodness, light, & hope to provide contrast, and make the setting one of dread, not outright doom. [/b] Hey, who said that darkness is all evil anyway? It can be comforting you know... ;)
#16 william_cairnstone_dup Nov 07, 2003 7:06:09	Originally posted by Scipio You saved the FAQ? Catman Jim, you are a god! Yes... :-) I have it too... actually, I have two different versions of the FAQ, plus some reviews that at the time interested me most. And the netbooks, of course. W.C.
#17 trebor_minntt Nov 07, 2003 7:13:37	To me Ravenloft is a setting driven by primal desires and the consiquences of acting upon them. It is a setting driven by tragedy and love. Mistaken judgements made by otherwise noble people; a realm where great and powerful leaders, people respected by their subjects and followers, fall from grace. It is a place where evil is preyed upon by evil and darkness is rewarded with darkness. Ravenloft is a realm where great heroes rise as beacons of light sacrificing almost everything to protect the innocent and holdback the night. Oh and my personal opinion is that Resident Evil rocks, as do games like Silent Hill and Project Zero, but i like survival Horror, though I don't think that Ravenloft can be compared to Resident Evil except that they both contain zombies.
#18 zombiegleemax Nov 07, 2003 7:49:48	C'mon Resident Evil 1 was not THAT bad now, was it? In its own way it was kinda cool and scary.(Especially when I was 15). I would never compare it to Ravenloft though. Rarely have I seen the drama that characterizes Ravenloft elsewhere.
#19 zombiegleemax Nov 07, 2003 8:51:10	I personally like to think of Ravenloft as the D&D version of all those old black and white horror films. There's just something about old black and white horror movies that you just don't get today. It could be the darkness of the fact they are black and white. Think of role-playing with all the "classic" monsters such as vampires, werewolves, and zombies and then give it all a twist of tragedy.
#20 b4real Nov 07, 2003 10:55:15	Originally posted by Raistlin-Uber-Mage i don't get it. is it supposed to be resident evil meets d&d? or maybe a d&d+anne rice? someone help me before the confusion makes my head explode. Resident Evil?......NO. [u]WHAT IS RAVENLOFT?[/u] RAVENLOFT IS A WORLD UNLIKE OTHER WORLD. IT IS A CONSTRUCT, AN ARTIFICIAL POCKET REALM ENDLESSLY PROWLING THE TRACKLESS ETHEREAL PLANE. THE IMPLACABLE DARK POWERS CRAFTED THEIR REALM FROM THE HIDDEN FEARS OF THE INNUMERABLE WORLDS OF THE MATERIAL PLANE, AND SHAPE REALITY TO REFLECT THEIR SINISTER SENSIBILITIES.-The RavenLoft Campaign Setting book ~B4Real
#21 zombiegleemax Nov 07, 2003 15:44:43	Originally posted by Lildog7 I personally like to think of Ravenloft as the D&D version of all those old black and white horror films. There's just something about old black and white horror movies that you just don't get today. It could be the darkness of the fact they are black and white. Actually, I'd say the Roger Corman Poe films with Vincent Price and the Hammer horrors fit Ravenloft very well-- and they're in warm, red-saturated color... :D
#22 scipio Nov 07, 2003 16:02:07	The new Ravenloft FAQ is up. You can find the answers to any questions you may have at www.geocities.com/scipio0421/newfaq.htm
#23 The_Jester Nov 07, 2003 16:19:23	He is just pimping that board like no one's buisness... Ravenloft is more of a challenging world that others. In that evil has a heads up on good from day one. Champions are few and allies are scarce. While there are groups that fight against the darkness they are less well informed and less forces of nature than the Harpers or Knights of Solomania. There is no balance between good and evil that must be maintained, evil has the scales tipped. There are no gods that walk among me, no mage guilds that can open doorways to worlds, and no dragons raining death and fire from the skies.
#24 jinntolser Nov 07, 2003 20:37:03	Originally posted by The_Jester [b]He is just pimping that board like no one's buisness... With good reason. It's much closer to home than this place or the S&S board. Note: Yes, I have a vested interest in "pimping" the board too. *Proudly displays Moderator badge*
#25 zombiegleemax Nov 08, 2003 12:57:00	Ravenloft is a cosmic prison for the worst scum the Material Plane has to offer. The demiplane is controlled by a mysterious group called "the dark powers," whose very existence is only whispered conjecture. I view the dark powers as very dark good guys, as they seem interested in punishing evil. But still, the existence of these "dark powers" is total conjecture. It could very well be that Ravenloft itself is alive and sentient, or that every god in every cosmology helps run it. But the simple fact remains: Ravenloft is the ultimate prison for mortal evil. --me Ravenloft NB
#26 b4real Nov 10, 2003 7:20:25	Originally posted by The_Jester He is just pimping that board like no one's buisness... Ravenloft is more of a challenging world that others. In that evil has a heads up on good from day one. Champions are few and allies are scarce. While there are groups that fight against the darkness they are less well informed and less forces of nature than the Harpers or Knights of Solomania. There is no balance between good and evil that must be maintained, evil has the scales tipped. There are no gods that walk among me, no mage guilds that can open doorways to worlds, and no dragons raining death and fire from the skies. ..And when I clicked on the link it says PAGE COULD NOT BE FOUND . ~B4Real
#27 zombiegleemax Nov 10, 2003 11:15:17	Originally posted by Trebor Minntt but i like survival Horror, though I don't think that Ravenloft can be compared to Resident Evil except that they both contain zombies. As does "Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town"!!! A great Troma movie...
#28 scipio Nov 10, 2003 17:50:40	Originally posted by B4Real ..And when I clicked on the link it says PAGE COULD NOT BE FOUND . ~B4Real Sorry, I had to take the FAQ down for the time being. It's undergoing some revisions/updates then it'll be back up.
#29 trebor_minntt Nov 10, 2003 18:49:13	Originally posted by Drinnik Shoehorn As does "Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town"!!! A great Troma movie... Recorded it last week. Didn't know it was a Troma movie.
#30 zombiegleemax Nov 10, 2003 19:11:48	Originally posted by Nero's Boot But the simple fact remains: Ravenloft is the ultimate prison for mortal evil. Paradoxically, it also makes it one hell of a proving ground for heroes. Perhaps the most telling feature of Ravenloft is that its mightiest hero is not a powerful wizard beloved of at least one goddess, but an ordinary man who, in the face of a terrible tragedy, felt he had to rise above mere revenge and help spare others the grief he'd suffered.
#31 zombiegleemax Nov 12, 2003 7:44:00	thanks for the help. i am now quite interested in this setting. what kind of characters can you be? i mean, if it is like a creepy old horror movie, i doubt a wizard flinging fireballs will be to common.
#32 zombiegleemax Nov 12, 2003 8:00:21	Yes you can be a fire wielding mage but you must be careful that your fireballs aren't witnessed by superstitious peasants that will burn you for witchcraft.
#33 zombiegleemax Nov 12, 2003 8:56:56	Originally posted by Raistlin-Uber-Mage thanks for the help. i am now quite interested in this setting. what kind of characters can you be? i mean, if it is like a creepy old horror movie, i doubt a wizard flinging fireballs will be to common. Since it is based around D&D rules you can still play whatever class/race you want (DM can use their own discretion) but there are other factors, which would come into play such as being hunted as a witch (as was already pointed out). There are also a couple new races. one other factor that could come into play is an outcast rating. Depending on race and other factors a players character can be seen as in outcast. Case in point the party I have (which started with another DM who switches off from time to time with me) has a huge blue skinned ogre magi. He's already caused an uproar of peasants to chase the party as witches and he is often told he can not enter shops because "pets" are not welcome. As you read more about Ravenloft you'll learn many of the realms within the world were taken over by the mists (which control the land) from other domains so having characters taken in from other D&D settings is the norm rather then exception. My suggestion is look for the book Ravenloft Campaign setting or download the set of modules that make up the Grand Conjunction (which Wizards has up as free downloads) and read up. Either would be a good introduction to the world of Ravenloft. The stories, which make up the modules are what helps add realism to the realm in my opinion. They flesh out many of the Lords who control the different areas and help both the DM and the players understand the factors at play in each setting they come across. Actually the more I think about it maybe you should start by downloading the adventures first. Read them all and ask questions back here as you do. From that I think you’ll get a much better feel for what Ravenloft really is.
#34 zombiegleemax Nov 12, 2003 11:23:32	Get the core rulebook, and Denizens of Darkness. Also get the GM Screen, as it has all the darklord stats. Those three books are all you really need. Everything else is just pure icing on a rather delicious cake! --willing prisoner of the Demiplane NB
#35 b4real Nov 12, 2003 12:07:45	Originally posted by Charney Yes you can be a fire wielding mage but you must be careful that your fireballs aren't witnessed by superstitious peasants that will burn you for witchcraft. LoL....Definitely! ~B4Real
#36 MidwayHaven Nov 13, 2003 2:54:43	Yes you can be a fire wielding mage but you must be careful that your fireballs aren't witnessed by superstitious peasants that will burn you for witchcraft. Or the DM might let you roll percentile dice, if you cast it recklessly. Percentile dice for what, you ask? Ask the others
#37 zombiegleemax Nov 13, 2003 12:13:02	Originally posted by Brandi Paradoxically, it also makes it one hell of a proving ground for heroes. Perhaps the most telling feature of Ravenloft is that its mightiest hero is not a powerful wizard beloved of at least one goddess, but an ordinary man who, in the face of a terrible tragedy, felt he had to rise above mere revenge and help spare others the grief he'd suffered. That's probably one of the best summaries of the Ravenloft Ethos I've ever seen... *cut, paste*
#38 zombiegleemax Nov 13, 2003 17:30:14	Gosh, thanks! Contrasting someone like Elminster (I was reluctant to use the 'E' word lest the thread turn into a round of 'let's mock FR') with Van Richten gives, I think, the sharpest examples of what Ravenloft is and isn't compared to more well-known D&D worldsettings. There's probably similar comparisons for Greyhawk and Dragonlance but I don't know them myself (all I remember from reading old Greyhawk is stuff is that most of the really powerful types, Zagyg and Tenser and all that, often have a few screws loose even if they aren't outright threats, and all I know of Dragonlance is that it's responsible for the creation of kender and Soth).
#39 ninjaboy007 Nov 14, 2003 18:05:13	"Yes you can be a fire wielding mage but you must be careful that your fireballs aren't witnessed by superstitious peasants that will burn you for witchcraft." And THAT is the best summary of Ravenloft ev-ar.
#40 zombiegleemax Nov 14, 2003 18:55:28	Originally posted by ninjaboy007 "Yes you can be a fire wielding mage but you must be careful that your fireballs aren't witnessed by superstitious peasants that will burn you for witchcraft." And THAT is the best summary of Ravenloft ev-ar. Thanks!
#41 zombiegleemax Nov 15, 2003 16:16:48	Originally posted by Trebor Minntt Recorded it last week. Didn't know it was a Troma movie. Sometimes I wonder about you tieflings, lol. Seriously though, one of the first things to appear on the screen at the start of the movie is the mention that it is a Troma movie, lol. All Troma movies are great though
#42 zombiegleemax Nov 19, 2003 8:15:30	wait a seccond. they make dm screens for settings other than "rotten" realms and generic d&d? cripe, i hate my hobby shop. *is spitey*
#43 zombiegleemax Nov 19, 2003 8:18:49	Originally posted by Raistlin-Uber-Mage wait a seccond. they make dm screens for settings other than "rotten" realms and generic d&d? cripe, i hate my hobby shop. *is spitey* Well it was included in a book (Secrets of the Dread Realms) that will be rendered completely obsolete in a few months (by the Gazeteers that will have covered all the Darklords).
#44 william_cairnstone_dup Nov 19, 2003 8:21:59	Originally posted by The_Lost_Hedgewitch Sometimes I wonder about you tieflings, lol. Seriously though, one of the first things to appear on the screen at the start of the movie is the mention that it is a Troma movie, lol. All Troma movies are great though Sorry to ask, but what are Troma movies ?
#45 zombiegleemax Nov 19, 2003 9:06:46	Movies made by the film studio "Troma".
#46 william_cairnstone_dup Nov 19, 2003 9:21:55	Originally posted by Drinnik Shoehorn Movies made by the film studio "Troma". Never heard, thanks. Is there anything that sets them apart ? Is it a British studio ?
#47 zombiegleemax Nov 19, 2003 9:36:35	It's American. Most famous films are "The Toxic Avenger" and "Tromeo and Juliet." Also did "Class of Nukem High" where some dope gets tainted with Radioactive wast and starts mutating kids. Fun. You might wanna check outBadmovies.org. Here's Nuke 'em High and here'sTromeo and Juliet. Enjoy.