I exposed this group to Ravenloft, briefly. in an a partial run of "Feast of Goblyns". I wanted to start them in Ravenloft, as deizens, but opted to being them in as outlanders for ease of play. What thoughts would anyone offer to me in running this module. This is an experienced group of players. They all died in a TPK in "City of the Spider Queen". FR is ok, but like one internet person once said, it's Candyland.
1) NEVER tell PCs that they're in Ravenloft....I've found that PCs who think that things have suddenly gone all strange (ie, have been teleported, or gotten lost in the forest, etc) rarely think that they're in Ravenloft first. I've always tried to disguise the mists, either as sea-spray, shimmering heat waves, blinding blizzards, heavy banks of fog, or good-olld mist....i've always just kind of glossed over it though, never making a big thing about the transposition...the dark powers are subtle, if anything.
(I've even flat-out lied to players who directly asked me if they were in RL, but i don't recomend this unless your group is pretty trusting...though it did tend to keep them from immediately looking for a dark lord)
2) As much as I like language barriers in a native campaign, i usually ignore them in respect to the PCs short adventures from somewhere other than Ravenloft....the only exception was in the Web of Illusion module, where the language barrier REALLY made PCs feel lost and hopeless....and they protected their translator with their life
3) Hmmm...kind of a standard for ravenloft campaigns in general, but really hit home the startling differences between RL's beauty and its utter horroh....have *dazzling* sunsets, simple, pure, GOOD NPCs that the PCs can't help but like. At the same time, play up monsters big-time. Never use proper names for anything, or if ou do, use made-up names that the NPC's use to refer to their boogymen and the like. Nothing too difficult here, but a very important aspect nevertheless.
4) I never told PCs when i was making powers checks for them...one PC was convinced the magical sword he had found (and promply used to murder someone in cold blood) was cursed, and causing him to turn into a hulking brute....
Anyway, jsut read over this, and it seemed a little preachy, but oh well >.<
In general, as long as the PCs aren't 100%, or even 70%, sure that they know exactly what is going on, it adds alot, I think....don't deliberately hinder ther effforts at seeking the truth, but don't hand them the history of the domain lord either. And wait until their first domain disolves to mist around them....priceless
But I completely agree on the not letting them know they're in Ravenloft. If there is one thing I like it's messing with the PCs heads. BA-HAHA! BA-HAHA-HAHA!