Introduction This began as a personal project wherein I updated the Ravenloft setting for Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition in order to prepare for a future campaign. Very little needed to be done, in my mind. Races needed to be defined, backgrounds tailored, and religions needed to match current domains. Beyond this, all that was necessary to run a Ravenloft game was already in existence, found in the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual that are all finally now published for D&D 5th. As I began working, looking over old sourcebooks and new rules, I realized how much nostalgia I had for the old setting. Ravenloft always captured my imagination. I experienced Light fighting an impossible war against nearly all-powerful Darkness. There were tragic villains with more substance than the cackling madmen of so many other game modules. The setting itself was so different than the medieval fantasy that dominated the landscape of Dungeons and Dragons. This document I’ve put together is meant to put Ravenloft back in the minds of my fellow gamers out there. It is not meant to be definitive and the new concepts are no more than one DM’s view of what this world could be. I’ve compiled the useful rules for the setting out of the 5th edition books and done some of the legwork for those that read on so that they can put their mind to storytelling and playing. Included in this document are stolen pictures and more than a few plagiarized words. In a perfect world I’d cite them all and give credit where it is due, but as I am seeking no profit from this I don’t see the need. What I’d like to say is a giant thank you, to the artist, writers, and fans who have carried the torch through the darkness in the past years. This world I love would be less rich without you. This document alone will not allow for the artful running of a Ravenloft game. First, 5th edition rules are absolutely necessary. At least the Player’s Handbook. If you haven’t bought them yet, you should, as it’s the best edition of Dungeons and Dragons in some time. You will also need to know Ravenloft itself, and for that I say simply turn to the past. One of the benefits to 5th edition is that it’s quite easy to take any old module or setting (from D&D to AD&D to 3rd edition or 4th) and simply overlay the new rules. The most useful books to me have been the Ravenloft Campaign Setting and the Ravenloft Gazetteers put out by the Sword and Sorcery label for edition 3.5. You can buy them used on Amazon or find them online on file sharing sites. Perhaps the greatest resource for players and DMs might be fraternityofshadows.com which serves as the preeminent collection of Ravenloft materials in my opinion. After stumbling upon them I thought to include more of their work in this, but thought it would be doing them a disservice, so check out the site. I hope this is of use. -
Darkesthour
Races of Ravenloft
Humans Humans are the standard by which all other races must be measured. They form such a vast majority of Ravenloft's population that many humans know the nonhuman races only through rumor or legend. Humans fill every niche in society and represent a wide spectrum of cultures and ethnic groups. Some sages have pondered why humans are so prevalent in the Land of Mists. Are the Dark Powers drawn to some inherent spark in the human spirit that other races lack? If so, it may be this: every human holds the potential to perform great good or to commit great evil and can choose which path to follow. Humans are the masters of their own nature; it is both their greatest strength and their most fatal flaw. Humans vary greatly depending on the Dread Realm that they inhabit. Barovians are based off of old Hungarian, Romanian, and Germanic peoples of a vaguely defined era. Falkovnia is based on medieval Germanic military states. Humans from Borca seem based on Renaissance era Italians. Darkonians are a feudalistic fantasy culture that doesn’t correspond to any one place or time. Human Player Characters Ability Score Increase. Your ability scores each increase by 1. Age. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century. Size. Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Humans typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues: Gnome curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish military phrases, and so on. Optional: Human Variant
Races of Ravenloft
Ability Score Increase. Raise any two ability scores by 1. Skills. Choose Proficiency in any one skill and any one tool of your choice.* Feats. Choose any one feat of your choice. Design Note: This is a matter of simple disagreement between myself and the source materials. I think that the human increase to all abilities of +1 stacks up fairly against other races. I do not think that the Human variant can quite make that claim. It comes down to the point buy system benefitting non-variant humans enough to make up for the lack of impressive racial abilities. I could expound, but do the math yourself and think of what the average player might do. So I added an additional tool proficiency to reflect jobs picked up over the years or familial labor.
Dwarves Dwarves are a stout race, built as solidly as the mountains they call home. Their skin, typically a light tan or dark umber tone, is coarse and often streaked with ore dust or soot, as dwarves take pride in displaying the efforts of their labors. Hair and eye color, ranges from rust red to browns to black; dwarven hair often turns silver or slate gray by adulthood. Dwarves prefer the same somber, earthen tones in their clothing, often adorned with precious metals. The dwarven mindset centers on the forge and family. They respect dedication in all forms — to hard work, to their clan, and to codes of honor. A dwarf holds nothing so precious as her family and nothing so beautiful as finely worked steel. Dwarves have little time for frivolity. Their music consists entirely of dirges for their ancestors or anthems of clan tradition. Other races often view dwarves as dour and humorless creatures but retain high praise for dwarven craftsmanship. Dwarves claim a spiritual kinship with the earth itself. Some humans have distorted this, believing that dwarves are actually elemental spirits. Many human folktales speak of dwarves who require a diet of gold and gems or who turn to stone if touched by sunlight. Dwarven Player Characters
Races of Ravenloft
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1. Your Constitution score increases by 2. Age. Dwarves mature at the same rate as humans, but they’re considered young until they reach the age of 50. On average, they live about 350 years. Alignment. Most dwarves are lawful, believing firmly Size. Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and average about 150 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor. Darkvision. Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it w ere bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Dwarven Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage (explained in chapter 9 of DnD 5e). Dwarven Combat Training. You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, throwing hammer, and warhammer. Dwarven Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level. Tool Proficiency. You gain proficiency with the artisan’s tools of your choice: smith’s tools, brewer’s supplies, or mason’s tools. Stonecunning. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin o f stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Dwarvish. Dwarvish is full of hard consonants and guttural sounds, and those characteristics spill over into whatever other language a dwarf might speak.
Elves Two seemingly unrelated elven societies exist in Ravenloft. The elves of Darkon tend to have dark hair and eyes of green, violet, or gray. Elves from the domain of Sithicus all share the traits of silvery hair and amber eyes. Both groups share the elven traits of pointed ears, vulpine features, and lithe builds. Elves prefer to dress in light, fine fabrics like silk or satin. Sithican elves prefer drab colors, but the fashion of Darkonian elves is set by season: pastel greens and blues are worn in the summer, followed by
Races of Ravenloft
yellows, oranges, and reds as the trees turn color in the autumn. During the winter months, the Darkonian elves restrict themselves to black, white, or gray tones, to be replaced by an explosion of colors with the coming of spring. The "fair folk" are children of nature, respected by some humans but quietly feared by others. They measure their lives in centuries and lack the sense of urgency that seems to drive humans. In times of need, elves can react as quickly as any other race, but they see nothing wrong with dedicating months or years to perfecting a sonnet, observing beauty, or engaging in the pursuit of pleasure. Humans often call elves hedonistic and claim that they have only a bystander's understanding of death. In fact, in some lands, elves are commonly thought — however erroneously — to be fey creatures, immortal nature spirits merely aping the human form. More than one unfortunate elf has had her immortality tested by the inquisitors of Tepest. Elven Player Characters Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2. Age. Although elves reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old. Size. Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Races of Ravenloft
Trance. Elves don’t need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such meditation is “trance.”) While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Elvish. Elvish is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Elven literature is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires. Subrace. There are two primary types of Elves within Ravenloft. Though in other game settings, sub races are largely based on cultural divides, that isn’t the case here. Two types of elves from vastly different worlds were brought to Ravenloft in large numbers, and though their descendants have spread out through the dread realms, they retain just enough of their ancestry to possess certain affinities. Outside of Sithicus and Darkon, however, there are few large communities of elves. There also may be other slight variations in other domains (such as Athasian Elves floating on an island well away from the Core). Sithican Elves Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1. Elf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the longsword, short sword, short bow, and longbow. Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spell casting ability for it. Extra Language. You can speak, read, and write one extra language of your choice.
Darkonian Elves Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1. Elf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the longsword, short sword, short bow, and longbow. Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet. Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Races of Ravenloft
Gnomes Gnomes are spindly humanoids with tanned skin and wizened faces. They have fair hair and large, sparkling blue eyes. Most humans find gnomes less threatening than other Non-humans simply due to their small size, but humans remain wary of gnomes' reputed inborn magical powers and eccentric personalities. Gnomes prefer to wear comfortable clothes in bright, primary colors, decorated with gem-encrusted jewelry that would be gaudy by anyone else's standards. Gnomes possess intense intellectual curiosity. They are fascinated by intricate details, be they riddles or the fine cogs of a pocket watch. Gnomes enjoy nothing so much as solving a difficult puzzle — building patterns out of chaos. Gnomes often work as alchemists, gem cutters, engineers, or clockmakers. Many gnomes also possess a wicked, morbid sense of humor. Gnomes often pass the time by telling macabre tales laced with irony, and they enjoy playing practical jokes, particularly on anyone they consider too dour. Gnomish practical jokes are usually remarkably elaborate but are virtually never intended to cause the recipient any true harm. Gnome Player Characters Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2. Your Constitution score increases by 1. Age. Gnomes mature at the same rate humans do, andmost are expected to settle down into an adult life byaround age 40. They can live 350 to almost 500 years. Size. Gnomes are between 3 and 4 feet tall and average about 40 pounds. Your size is Small. Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Darkvision. Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it w ere bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Gnome Cunning. You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throwsagainst magic.
Races of Ravenloft
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Gnomish. The Gnomish language, which uses the Dwarvish script, is renowned for its technical treatises and its catalogs of knowledge about the natural world. Artificer’s Lore. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to magic items, alchemical objects, or technological devices, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply. Tinker. You have proficiency with artisan’s tools (tinker’s tools). Using those tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning), or when you use your action to dismantle it; at that time, you can reclaim the materials used to create it. You can have up to three such devices active at a time. (Device Options are listed under Gnome in the DnD 5e Player’s Handbook).
Half-Elves Half-elves are the product of rare love affairs between elves and humans. Although half-elves inherit most traits from their human parent, they often retain faint elven traits: pointed ears, angular features, and green or violet eyes. Half-elves have no communities of their own and tend to adopt the prevailing human fashions of their homeland. Although half-elves are at risk in a few domains, such as Falkovnia and Tepest, they do not face the same level of animosity many other nonhumans do in human lands. Half-elves are generally pitied by both humans and elves; some even consider half-elves mildly cursed by their heritage. It is said that half-elves are doomed to outlive their human loved ones and to grow old and die before the eyes of their elven kin. Half-elves find it difficult to maintain long-term relationships. Forced into the life of an outsider halfelves often pride themselves on their iconoclastic nature. Many pour their alienation and anguish into artistic pursuits, becoming musicians or wandering bards. A few even reject their given names, adopting dramatic titles like the Wind Haunter or the Deathseeker.
Races of Ravenloft
Half-Elf Player Characters Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1. Age. Half-elves mature at the same rate humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20. They live much longer than humans, however, often exceeding 180 years. Size. Half-elves are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. Thanks to your elf blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it w ere bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep. Skill Versatility. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and one extra language of your choice.
Halflings Halflings are tiny humanoids, easily mistaken at first glance for human children. Halflings do possess a childlike curiosity about the world around them, which often expresses itself as wanderlust. Halflings prefer simple, comfortable garb and avoid ostentation. Halfling hair and eye color is usually dark brown. Halflings are lucky enough to avoid most of the animosity that other nonhumans face. With their small size and lack of supernatural powers, halflings present humans with little to fear. Humans respect halflings' courage and general good nature — sometimes to a fault. Humans often treat halflings with goodintentioned condescension, believing that all halflings are as innocent and harmless as the young children they resemble.
Races of Ravenloft
Some human bards claim that halflings were created when a powerful hag tried to purify a human as an experiment, driving all the evil from his body. The experiment was a success, but the victim was reduced to half his former size, the "evil half” vanishing to none-knows-where. Halflings pay this legend very little mind. Halfling Player Characters Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2. Your Charisma score increases by 1. Age. A halfling reaches adulthood at the age of 20 and generally lives into the middle of his or her second century. Size. Halflings average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small. Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Lucky. When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. Naturally Stealthy. You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you. Brave. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. Halfling Nimbleness. You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Halfling. The Halfling language isn’t secret, but halflings are loath to share it with others. They write very little, so they don’t have a rich body of literature. Their oral tradition, however, is very strong. Almost all halflings speak Common to converse with the people in whose lands they dwell or through which they are traveling.
Half-Vistani Half-Vistani (or giogoto, in the Vistani patterna [see below]) are the result of a union between a Vistana and a giorgio (any non-Vistani human). Unlike the other special races of Ravenloft, halfVistani are entirely human. However, the traits they inherit from their Vistani blood separate them from normal men. Love affairs between giorgio and the Vistani are often torrid and brief. The cultural rift cuts deeply, so precious few giogoto ever grow up knowing both of their parents. Frequently, the Vistana parent
Races of Ravenloft
moves on in the night, abandoning the child to the giorgio. Sometimes, a giogoto child is raised by the tribe of its Vistana parent. In either case, the child may be cared for but is never truly accepted. The giogoto's giorgio family may fear that the child will develop the peculiar talents of her Vistani kin, and since the giogoto is not fully "of the blood," she finds herself unable to share entire worlds of Vistani experiences. Half-Vistani resemble their Vistani parents, often inheriting their angular and aquiline features, eyes and hair of deep brown or black, and dusky or olive complexions. Of course, giogoto often exhibit traits of their Giorgio heritage as well. A giogoto can conceal her Vistani heritage, fooling giorgio with a successful Disguise check (considered minor details only). Such tricks fail against true Vistani, however, who can identify those who are "of the blood" with but a glance. Giogoto are caught between two worlds; giorgio treat them like Vistani, and the Vistani treat them like giorgio. A giogoto's outlook toward nonhumans usually mirrors that of his homeland. It is not uncommon, however, for half-Vistani to be more accepting toward other "unwelcome" creatures. Player Note: It is not recommended that players unfamiliar with Ravenloft select a Half-Vistani for play. The Vistani have a rich culture and mythology within the setting. If a player wants to go ahead anyway, and the Half-Vistani is embracing their Vistani side, it is best to consider these people semi analogous with our own Gypsy myths. Why can’t you play a full blooded Vistani? They are as linked to Ravenloft in some ways as the Darklords themselves, with many strange abilities brought on by their tie to the land. This makes them a bit too powerful and unique to be played.
Half-Vistani Player Characters Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1. Two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1. Age. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.
Races of Ravenloft
Size. Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Awareness. Half-Vistani gain a free proficiency in Insight or Perception. Between Two Worlds: Half-Vistani gain advantage on saving throws versus Divination magic. Vistani Sight: Vistani blood carries with it great power that manifests in varied ways (visions, curses, and more arcane abilities). In humans that can only claim partial heritage there seems to be an oddly common link to divinatory powers. You gain the Guidance cantrip. At 3rd level you gain the Augury spell. At 5th level you gain the Divination spell. Both Divination and Augury recharge after a long rest and both yield false answers on occasion (25% odds whenever the GM wishes). These abilities are linked to Wisdom should a designation be required. (Uses of these abilities should be counted separately from use of the spell itself in the case of Half-Vistani casters) Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. This extra language may be Vistani, which involves pattema (spoken language) and tralaks (trail symbols). Half-Vistani typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects. Design Note: Attempting to recreate the Vistani using 2nd, 3rd, or 3.5 rules within 5e didn’t seem right, nor did all earlier descriptions seem to fit the human sub-race. Using other races as a template (as suggested by the DMG) I came up with something that seems balanced. Only the Between Two Worlds ability seemed to go above and beyond in terms of the amount/power balances of various races. I felt it was warranted given the general infrequency with which it might come up, but you may choose to remove it for your campaign.
Cultural Basis for Ravenloft Domains What must have been one of the more fun parts of writing for Ravenloft was its lack of great anchor worlds. Everything was small focus and there was little need to concern yourself with a larger world than a single domain if you did not wish to. The domains themselves could be whatever an author required. Below is a list, not compiled by myself, but rather on various sites through the internet. If, after so long, I could remember if there was a single person responsible I would give them their due credit. This list details the best possible guess for the culture that each domain is based off of. This isn’t set in stone. I personally like to imagine that information does travel across domain borders along with merchants and Vistani, making all but the most isolated or unforgiving countries at least very close to the early Renaissance level (that way gunpowder isn’t a given). Some of you may find this useful, however, when crafting games and so I present it intact as I found it. Cultures that go unmentioned are more than likely from those isolated, strange domains that are difficult to define. The Core Barovia – Medieval Transylvania / Romania Borca – Renaissance Italy
Races of Ravenloft Darkon – Feudal Fantasy Dementlieu – Renaissance France Falkovnia – Medieval militaristic Germany Hazlan – Medieval Middle-East Invidia – Early Renaissance Italy (?) Kartakass – Medieval Ireland Lamordia – Renaissance Germany Markovia – Magical Isle of Dr. Moreau Mordent – Renaissance Scotland Nova Vaasa – Medieval Poland Richemulot – Late Medieval France
The Sea of Sorrows – Pirates
Sithicus – Fantasy (Krynn; Dragonlance) Tepest – Medieval Ireland Vechor – Ancient Greece Verbrek – Medieval Wales
The Clusters Har’Akir – Ancient Egypt Pharazia – Medieval Palestine
The Frozen Reaches Sanguinia – Medieval Greenland Vorostokov – Dark Ages Russia
The Shadowlands
Races of Ravenloft Nidala – Medieval Spain Sri Riji – Medieval India Zherisia (Paridon & Timor) – Renaissance England + Victorian England w/o technology
The Islands of Terror Bluetspur – Cthulhuian Rokushima Taiyoo – Dark Ages Japan Souragne - Haitian Voodoo
Languages of Ravenloft This is a simplified list of the languages of Ravenloft. There may be other variations in varying domains, but these have actually spread beyond borders. If DMs wish to use “Ravenloft” languages as opposed to what is suggested in the PHB these provide an option. Also keep in mind that the Gnomish, Dwarven, and Elven races all have their own tongues as well. My recommendation would be to allow players to start with the language of the realm they are in, common, and one other language of their choice if they are human. Races with their own languages start with this knowledge, the language of the domain they are in, and common. If a background or something provides them with another language they can select it from this list as well. Common (Most other Places) –English Balok (Barovian) – Romanian Darkonese – Latin Falkovnia – German Forfarian (Forlorn) – Gaelic Lamordian – Swiss Mordentish– French Patterna – Vistani (a mix of languages) Pharazian – Arabic Rajian (Sri Raji) – Hindi Vaasi – Nordic Vos (Vorostokov) – Russian
Backgrounds
5th Edition Backgrounds for Ravenloft Some Backgrounds (found on page 126 of the 5th Edition Player’s Handbook) translate well enough to Ravenloft. Backgrounds were always meant to be general rather than specific at any rate, thus the concept of “variant backgrounds”, so they can be molded easily into any setting. However, with Ravenloft it is important to talk to your DM about whether or not a Background is appropriate for a particular setting. All the realms of Ravenloft are quite unique and some professions may simply not exist. For example, Guild Artisan may work in a Ravenloft culture that is Renaissance or Late Middle Ages, but would be inappropriate to other settings. Beyond cultural differences, the type of rule found in a domain might change what Backgrounds are available. Entertainers are well loved and numerous in Kartakass, but they’d probably have short lifespans in places like G’Henna. The following Backgrounds should be okay for most Ravenloft Campaigns: Charlatan
Sage
Criminal
Urchin
Entertainer Folk Hero Hermit The following Backgrounds might need to take into consideration the character’s starting Domain: Guild Artisan
Sailor
Noble
Soldier
Outlander The missing background: Acoloyte. Priests are very different in Ravenloft and require a reworked background specific to the setting. Acoloytes as they stand should not be used in a campaign that starts in Ravenloft and intends to stay there. The reason is mostly one of flavor. The ability nor the personality traits are completely problematic, but the assumption that faiths are large with huge clerical bodies to serve doesn’t work as well in this setting. Though faiths are shared and can be broad in base, all religion is at a local level. There is no administrative body that governs a religion. It mostly comes down to one priest, with one church, in one town. If you’re starting in a town and you’re a cleric? You’re probably the only one or you the student of an elder member of the faith. A modified version of the Acolyte, the Disciple, has been provided.
Backgrounds
Background Variants Outlander: Solitary Outcast Sometimes a person's soul is bound to a lonely life. The solitary outcast lives on the borders look. ing into a world he cannot join always the observer and often the only one able to perceive and understand. All solitary outcasts were marked in some fashion by past events. Solitary outcasts have a purpose in their journeys: they may hunt a deadly foe or seek a certain something they hope will end a terrible curse. Often. They begin life abandoned and reared by creatures of the wild or denied a home by virtue of their race or some warped feature that marks them as different. Shunned by their fellows, they yearn for acceptance, with the taste of bitterness and resentment sharp on their tongues.
Charlatan: Manipulator Only the most suave and seductive of nobles play me chess game of feudal politics like a true master. Most often, a manipulator is a bard or aristocrat who has turned using other people into an art form. Insidious and insightful, a manipulator can make for a great behind-the-scenes player whose fingers are in every proverbial pie. Manipulators often become masters of discovering the secrets of others to be used for blackmail, gaining an awareness of the contingencies of rivals, and spotting assassins in their homes. Criminal: Highway Rider Dashing, romantic, dangerous - the highway rider embodies the echo of pounding hooves along a moonlit forest and the mocking laughter or charming smile behind a silken mask. No mere brigand or thug, a highway rider knows etiquette, style, and the rules of elegance. She gathers jewels from the necks and fingers of nobility while charming them with poise and wit, steals important documents from mounted messengers left in the dust, and sends fear into the hearts of the greedy. A master with the pistol on horse or off, she is at one with her steed in fight or flight. In the ballroom, at court, or in the shadows, she performs her tasks with uncanny grace. Sage: Metaphysician The student of metaphysics seeks not only to heal the body and mind, but also the spirit of her patients. She struggles to master magic and the study of the supernatural as scientific endeavors. The mysteries of the human mind, the physical sciences, and even reality itself are laid bare by the metaphysician's insight. The metaphysician aspires to be more than human (or "more than a mere
Backgrounds
humanoid”), holding himself to a higher standard of morals and ethics than those who do not pursue his obscure studies. Metaphysicians are eager to share what they have learned with other scholars, but sadly, the esoteric, pseudo-scientific, nature of their studies makes their discoveries unfathomable to the common man.
Modified Backgrounds
Veteran (Soldier) The veteran does not currently owe fealty to a feudal lord. Often they roams a domain finding it difficult to settle down or return home from battles fought never quite able to fit in. Generally speaking these are ex-soldiers who are currently outside of any rank, though they might be the squire of a disbanded adventuring group or a former deputy to a sheriff. Regardless, they have left the service of an employer, completed a tour in war, or have been dismissed by their lord. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Intimidation Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, vehicles (land) Equipment: A trophy taken from a fallen enemy (a dagger, broken blade, or piece of a banner), a set of bone dice or deck of cards, a set of common clothes, worn wetstone, small tinderbox and a belt pouch containing 10 gp. Feature: Grit The veteran has been in a fight or two in his day whether as part of an army or in some other martial endeavor. The veteran can generally tell the quality of weapons and armor with a good look. He knows where martial items are stored (where a lord may keep their armory for example). The veteran will also have allies who were his brethren in arms that might provide him lodging or a hiding place. Veteran Personality Traits: Use the Soldier Table from page 140 of the Player’s Handbook. Tweak results as needed.
Disciple (Acolyte) A Disciple has found truth in one of the religions of Ravenloft and has chosen to live her life in its service. She may not be a cleric or a paladin, but merely an adherent of any type of ability. In some cases she may be more of a cultist, someone who is a complete zealot or utterly convinced of what
Backgrounds
the religion can do for them at the very least. Depending on the domain as Disciple is in, the faith may be common, state sponsored, extremely private, or even banned. A disciple knows how to perform all the religious rites of their faith and has great knowledge of the tenets of the faith. A disciple is likely to be able to quote any religious text or idea they’ve been taught over the years. From the Priestess of Ezra at a small church in a backwater region of Barovia to a vicious tax collector for the Church of the Lawgiver, Disciples can take many forms in the Domains of Dread. Skill Proficiencies: Religion and one skill prized by your faith Skills by Religion: Ezra (Insight), Hala (Nature), The Morninglord (Perception), The Lawgiver (History), The Ancestral Choir (Performance), The Celtic Pantheon (Nature), Divinity of Mankind (Medicine), Rajian Pantheon (Insight), The Eternal Order (Arcana), The Wolf God (Survival), Zhakata (Intimidation), Erlin (Deception) Languages: Two of your choice Equipment: A holy symbol, a prayer book or prayer wheel, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp. Wisdom of the Gods Every Disciple has a mentor or ally who taught them of the faith or learned beside them. This mentor would do nearly anything for their disciple, even those among religions with less good aligned doctrine. Provided it is not foolhardy one of these allies can be called upon to assist the disciple in nearly anything. Faiths in Ravenloft are so localized and small, that every disciple has a strong knowledge of the religious history of a region (even among other faiths). A disciple should be able to find holy ground, no matter how ancient, and would recognize religious artifacts (and know their rumored abilities) on sight. This ability is limited to regions that the Disciple is familiar with, therefore this also comes with a slight bit of general area knowledge especially as it relates to the faith. Disciple Personality Traits: Use the Acolyte Table from page 127 of the Player’s Handbook. Tweak results as needed.
Backgrounds
New Backgrounds
Investigator Archaeologists, freelance spies, bounty hunters, and law men are all types of Investigators. Unable or unwilling to seek their answers in musty tomes like a Sage, an Investigator has to get as close as possible to the information he seeks. The Archaeologist actually needs to be at an ancient site with a relic in his hand. Bounty hunters must bring their targets in to their employers. Domains that represent a pre-Enlightenment era might even have dedicated police forces with specialized detectives who use their techniques to find the perpetrators of a crime. Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Investigation Tool Proficiencies: Calligrapher’s Supplies Languages: One of your choice Equipment: a set of calligrapher’s supplies, traveler’s clothes, a map of the region, manacles or 50 feet of hempen rope, and 2 belt pouches (one of which contains 10gp). Feature: Investigative Contacts An Investigator always knows other people in their field or even contacts directly linked to their area of investigation. A detective might a fellow law enforcement officials that may help, an archeologist might know a local near where he is looking for artifacts, and a bounty hunter may know a chatty innkeeper or two. These contacts are always able to provide the investigator with a clue or two that helps them on their way.
d8 Personality Trait 1. I’ve seen the evil that lurks in the heart of society and it haunts me. 2. I’m often insensitive to the emotions of others. 3. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it hasn’t killed me yet. 4. I believe that the punishment should fit the crime. 5. I pick things up and analyze them with the thoughtlessness of a child in a toy store. 6. I’m always looking for the true intent of others, never believing it’s on the surface.
Backgrounds 7. I’m not one for etiquette, as bluntness is often more efficient. 8. I’ll break many rules to attain the information I require.
d6 Ideal 1. Knowledge. There is no situation in which learning and knowledge does not benefit the individual or society. (Neutral) 2. Justice. A justice and order are signs of a great society. (Lawful) 3. Responsibility. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. (Good) 4. Freedom. No restrictions should be placed on knowledge or how it is gained. (Chaotic) 5. Power. Knowledge of a thing gives me power over it. Information is a key to all I desire. (Evil) 6. Dedication. I have found my purpose in life and I find meaning in it. (Any)
d6 Bond 1. I am strongly tied to the place I consider home and I try to hold on to its memory when I’m not there. 2. Someone I know paid the price for my lack of insight and I struggle to make sure it never happens again. 3. I have unanswered questions that I will go to great lengths to have explained. 4. There are those in my life who have assisted me at great personal cost to whom I owe a debt that I may never be able to repay. 5. There is a rival I’ve not yet bested and it gnaws at me. 6. I come from a noble family, but the path I’ve chosen in life has caused them to disinherit me.
d6 Flaw 1. I don’t easily let things go and what I leave unfinished plagues my mind. 2. I can never fully trust anyone, as I’ve seen what society is capable of. 3. I don’t suffer fools easily and my disdain is palpable. 4. I can’t resist demonstrating my insight and knowledge. 5. I’ve felt such frustration and pain in my life that indulging a vice is my favored means of escape. 6. People who eschew reason, logic, and knowledge get what they deserve.
Religions of Ravenloft
Religions of Ravenloft Religion in Ravenloft is an interesting subject. Gods are brought in from other worlds and times. Some of them catch on, and others do not. Below are religions that, while they may have an origin in another faith, are quite unique to the setting.
Ezra (Life, Trickery) The Church of Ezra was born almost ninety years ago, when a son of the notorious Dilisnya dynasty claimed that a divine entity, Ezra, Our Guardian in the Mists, had given him a message to spread to all the world. According to most traditions in the church, Ezra was a virtuous mortal woman who, despairing of the evils of the world, forever surrendered her mortality to the Mists to become an eternal guardian of mankind. However, the fractious sects of the Church of Ezra have been debating the true nature and teachings of their ascended patron for decades. The original, lawful neutral sect, also called the Home Faith, is centered in Borca. It appoints Ezra's faithful clerics, called anchorites, to the task of protecting and healing her faithful, keeping them safe from the forces of evil. The lawful good sect in Mordent also teaches that anchorites must convert as many souls to Ezra's flock as possible for their own good. The mystical, neutral Dementlieu sect claims that Ezra was a goddess who abandoned her callous fellow gods to offer mortals succor, and spends its time studying the true nature of their goddess. They believe she controls the Mist and protects humanity using wit and cunning. Lastly, the lawful evil sect centered in Nevuchar Springs prophesies an imminent Time of Unparalleled Darkness, when the unfaithful will be consumed by darkness. All anchorites agree that Ezra cannot protect those who do not accept her into their hearts.
Hala (Tempest, Nature) According to Hala's holy text, Tales of the Ages, nine gods created the world from the roiling mists of Chaos. The gods then withdrew, intending to allow mortals to fill their world with acts both good and evil. But the mortals lacked wisdom, and the world was soon filled with pain and anguish. Just one of the Nine Gods, the goddess Hala, returned to the world to ease its suffering. She gathered together thirteen women and thirteen men and taught them the secrets of the Weave, an ancient form of magic.
Religions of Ravenloft
Unfortunately, this brand of magic is also known as witchcraft and provokes widespread, superstitious fear. Witchcraft's wretched reputation is largely due to hags, the most infamous practitioners. Although witchcraft is not inherently evil, it is thought to be rife with occult dangers. The Church of Hala is a secretive and highly mystical faith. Her clerics — who call themselves witches — operate a number of hospices scattered throughout Ravenloft where they offer rest and healing to anyone who comes to their door. The church does not actively seek new followers, however, and nowhere is the Church of Hala the predominant religion. Hala's witches often face hostility when beyond the doors of their hospices. Any witch of Hala unwise enough to encounter the inquisitors of Tepest, for example, should count herself lucky to escape with her life.
The Morninglord (Light) The Cult of the Morninglord was born late in the fifth century, when the faith's founder claimed that when he was a young boy, the Morninglord appeared to him in physical form and protected him from the roaming menaces of the Barovian night. Based on this singular encounter, the Morninglord is usually depicted as a luminous, sylvan humanoid. Although he is formed of soft, golden light, his face is smeared with blood. The cult teaches that this strange detail may be a sign that even the greatest good may hold some evil stain, and even the most depraved evil may yet contain a spark of good. The Morninglord is the god of the rosy dawn that marks the end of every night. The deity asks little of his followers, save that they treat each other with kindness and retain hope in their hearts. This humble faith holds great appeal for those who have little more than hope and kindness to offer, and the cult is spreading rapidly among the downtrodden Gundarikites of Barovia. Its simple teachings conceal a message of intense hope. No matter how bleak the future may seem, no matter how dark the night, the dawn will come. Many of the Morninglord's followers follow a prophecy that, someday, the Morninglord will return once again to lead the world into the daylight. The cult may hide more than its optimistic message. One of the cult's founders was a cleric who secretly hunted the undead by night. It is possible that even to this day, the cult's clerics are trained in the methods of battling vampires.
Religions of Ravenloft
The Lawgiver (War, Knowledge) This god is referred to by many titles, including the Iron Tyrant and the Black Lord. The Lawgiver's clerics claim that the revelation of their god's true name would strike a mortal dead. His religion rewards blind obedience and asserts the divine providence of kings. Those born into wealth and power deserve to rule; those born into poverty deserve only what they earn through dutiful service to their masters. The Lawgiver is the state religion in Hazlan and Nova Vaasa. In the latter, Prince Othmar uses it to justify his own regime. The Lawgiver's clerics attempt to enforce the rigid stratifications of Vaasi culture wherever they go. Clerics drawn from different social classes do not mix, and the Church forbids marriage between different ethnicities or races. All rites must be performed in Vaasi, and all sacred texts must use its script. There is a splinter sect among the church of the Lawgiver that actually follow a neutral (or sometimes good) path instead of lawful evil. Often this “sect” amounts to little more than singular individuals, often paladins or knights, who have come to the same opinion of the Lawgiver: that he exists only as a guardian of order. This allows for a more open interpretation of this deity where he is not a tyrant, but instead an impartial judge or even noble lord. Strangely enough, these followers (cleric and paladin alike) receive spells just as the more traditional followers do. This either lends credence to the splinter faith or proves what some scholars have asserted: the Dark Powers themselves grant the power based on the will of the petitioner.
The Ancestral Choir (Life, Tempest, War) This Kartakan cult believes their revered ancestors not only watch over their descendants, but can intervene on their behalf as well. Ancestors are called upon to aid one in battle and to protect the home. Homes of worshippers of the Ancestral Choir often have small shrines to their predecessors as well as extensive genealogies going back centuries. Marriages between believes are seen as the joining of Ancestral houses and so some care is put into determining if such a union is acceptable to the families. Offering proper respect to one’s ancestors earns one divine favor in life and secures a place in the Ancestral Choir after death. All cult members must have clear singing voices and are expected to sing praising songs called “mora,” dedicated to their ancestors, once a week. Worshippers of the Ancestral Choir must include some sort of musical aspect to their devotion as well as saying prayers at their ancestral shrines or over small figurines carried in a special pouch meant to serve as sort of a portable shrine. Often storms and strong weather are seen as the “voice” of the ancestors or a sign from them.
Religions of Ravenloft
Ancestor Worship has caught on outside of Kartakass in many forms, but the Ancestral Choir is one of the more popular religions of its kind. The fact that the religion seems to offer more hope than most others, save perhaps the Morninglord’s faith, is often a balm to the soul in a dark world. Combine that with the fact that many people see this faith as more tangible (you may have met the people you’re praying to) and one can see the appeal.
The Celtic Pantheon (Varied; See Chart) It’s said that something wild lurks in the heart of every soul, a space that thrills to the sound of geese calling at night, to the whispering wind through the pines, to the unexpected red of mistletoe on an oak—and it is in this space that the Celtic gods dwell. They sprang from the brook and stream, their might heightened by the strength of the oak and the beauty of the woodlands and open moor. When the first forester dared put a name to the face seen in the bole of a tree or the voice babbling in a brook, these gods forced themselves into being. In Tepest and Nidala, Belenus is worshipped exclusively over other gods of the pantheon, while in Forlorn all the gods are worshipped. Tepest and Nidala are known to be intolerant; Tepestanis are intolerant of everything they deem to be “fey,” including elves, half-elves, calibans, and even sorcerors, and execute them in holy inquisitions; Nidalans view Belenus as their “one true god,” and persecute all other religions. The Forfarians hold both Belenus and Daghda as important, and are served by druids. Forfarians believe that after death the souls of the good and just pass westward to the Isles of the Blessed, while wicked souls descend through the Maw of Arawn into the bleak islands of Anwnn.
Religions of Ravenloft
Other Religions and Cults These religions are either very uncommon, limited to single Domains, or unsuitable for most Player Characters in a Good/Neutral Campaign. Their use by PCs should be discussed with the GM to make sure they fit with his setting. The Divinity of Mankind is a likely exception. Very likely it would be the only religion in Ravenloft to produce Monks, at least of the classical variety. Any Monk PC would probably be from this order.
The Divinity of Mankind (Life, Light, Knowledge) This is the dominant religion of Paridon. All members of the clergy are referred to as "celebrants of humanity." Most clergy members are monks, while a few become clerics. Monks focus on releasing untapped potential, while clerics focus on releasing the spiritual power flowing from all humans. Clerics of the Divinity of Mankind are asthetics, and believe that deities are purely mythical fabrications of humans who are unprepared to accept their ascendancy. As can be guessed, only humans are allowed into the clergy. Nonhumans are seen as lesser beings. Monks, generally a rarity in Ravenloft, almost exclusive belong to some branch of this order. Adherents are often lawful neutral, though lawful good and evil are present at times as well.
The Eternal Order (Death, Knowledge) Azalin, the ruler of Darkon, constructed this religion around the fearful folklore of his subjects as a tool for societal control. Darkonian tradition holds that their land originally belonged to the dead. The living stole this world, banishing the unliving to the Gray Realm, but someday, in a prophesied event called the Hour of the Ascension, the vengeful dead will return to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. The clerics of the Eternal Order worship a patchwork pantheon of death gods borrowed from other religions. Worship focuses on performing countless rituals intended to appease the dead and continually postpone the Hour of the Ascension.
Religions of Ravenloft
The Wolf God (Nature, War) The Wolf God is worshipped in the primordial forests of the southwestern core. Outsiders know only scattered tales concerning this savage and predatory entity. These stories claim that the Wolf God is worshipped by demonic wolves that walk like men, and these man-wolves honor their patron through frenzied and carnal rites, drenched in sacrificial blood, performed under the light of the full moon. Followers of the Wolf God hold that wolves are divine creatures. All other predators — and humans in particular — are abominations, pathetic rivals that must be slain or a herd that must be thinned.
The Rajian Pantheon (Kali – Death, Life, Trickery | Tvashtri – Knowledge, Light) Sri Rajians worship a wide variety of deities with such complex relationships that it is often difficult for outsiders to understand their religion. One of the most basic tenets of the Rajian belief structure is reincarnation. They believe that the mortal world is one of pain and suffering to be endured by countless births, deaths, and rebirths until one’s permanent soul has achieved perfection and can escape to eternal paradise. The two most significant gods of the pantheon are Kali and Tvashtri. Kali, the Black Mother, is goddess of both destruction and creation. She revels in the destruction she causes, yet creates life from death. Her cult, the Dark Sisters, offer up a human sacrifice to her on a daily basis, the ritual overseen by their leader, Arijani. Tvashtri, the god of industry and invention, has both a city and a university named after him. His namesake university may be the greatest center of learning in the Land of Mists, and also the most remote.
Zhakata (War, Death) The stony wastes of G'Henna are littered with towering statues of the beastgod Zhakata, who is always depicted as a monstrous creature squatting atop a pile of bones. Zhakata is not worshipped; he is appeased. The people of G'Henna believe that Zhakata exists in two aspects: the Devourer and the Provider. Sadly, G'Henna has experienced only the Devourer. Zhakata demands endless sacrifice, usually of foodstuffs but occasionally of living creatures. The Devourer is a god of cruel austerity; all crops must be
Religions of Ravenloft
donated to the priests of the great Temple of Zhakata, who deduct Zhakata's share, then dole out the rest back to the starving populace in meager portions. Buying or selling food is a religious of-fense. Obesity is an act of sacrilege. The people of G'Henna continue to make their painful sacrifices to Zhakata in the desperate hope that someday they will indeed appease him. On that legendary day, Zhakata will walk G'Henna in physical form and transform himself into Zhakata the Provider. Generations of G'Hennans have starved themselves to death in the hopes of someday earning the era of plenty that would follow. In G'Henna, people observe no difference between civil and religious law. Clerics of Zhakata eat well, taking the best of the daily dole, and their word is law. However, all clerics must still deferto the commands of Zhakata's high priest, Yagno Petrovna. Erlin [Nerull] (Death, Trickery) This Gundarakite death god was both sanctioned and encouraged by Duke Gundar when he ruled the lands that were once Gundarak. He is believed to be a very ancient deity, perhaps a corruption of Irlek-Khan, the demonic entity worshipped by the Neureni hordes who once conquered Barovia eons ago. He is portrayed as a trickster who created death as a deception, and delegated his duties to a host of demons. His neglect of his duties allows the dead to escape, thus creating the undead. Worship of Erlin nearly disappeared when Strahd von Zarovich annexed Gundarak in the aftermath of the Great Upheaval, but has recently been cast by the Gundarakite rebels as just one more element of Gundarakite culture being systematically crushed by Barovian oppression. Erlin might have only served as a political symbol if not for the rebel Emanuel Maryszkas who, in 754 BC called upon the power of Erlin to save him from the Barovian militiamen giving him chase. His calls were answered when waves of unholy fear swept over his pursuers. Emanuel is now the leader of the cult of Erlin in Barovia, and is seeking an alliance with the greater Gundarakite rebellion movement.
The Unspoken Pact At its inception, Ravenloft was a campaign world that would serve as an interlude from other settings. The mists would roll in at certain times, take unsuspecting heroes away, and they would awaken in a new realm. Only by solving the mystery of the Domain did the heroes escape (and perhaps not even then). In circumstances such as this, faiths are often imported from other worlds. Prayers still find answers, however. This was detailed best in a body of work called “The Unspoken Pact”, which also has value in explaining the experience of the faithful within Ravenloft’s own “native” religions. This work was originally found in the 3.0 and 3.5 Ravenloft Campaign Settings.
Religions of Ravenloft
When a cleric enters Ravenloft from another world, she immediately feels a hollowness slip into her heart, a void that the strength and compassion of her deity once filled. Although clerics continue to receive the blessings of their divine patrons, they no longer feel their gods at their side. This absence often causes clerics new to the Land of Mists to suffer crises of faith or pass through periods of deep depression. For natives of the Land of Mists, this remoteness is perfectly normal; they expect the gods to be distant and inscrutable as a matter of common sense. Some clerics in Ravenloft claim to be the direct vessel of their respective deities, but these folk are widely regarded as madmen and false messiahs. Without the gods' watchful eyes to monitor all that is said and done in their name, many imported religions experience a "theological shift." As godly legends are passed from one mortal to another, religious teachings often adapt to their new homelands, or even evolve to suit the specific needs of powerful clerics. Tales even exist of clerics who betrayed the core beliefs of their faith yet kept their divine powers. As an example, rumors insist that the grand religion of the Shadowlands, dedicated to the neutral good deity Belenus, is actually steeped in evil practices. Why are the gods withdrawn? Why do they watch in silence as mortals slowly twist their teachings? It may be that the Dark Powers intervene between a deity and its faithful, warping the flow of divine magic. Ravenloft's theologians have identified one belief that appears in many forms, across many faiths. This belief, which strains mortal comprehension, claims that the gods respect an unspoken pact with the faceless masters of Ravenloft. The gods are not to directly interfere in the ways of Ravenloft's mortals, and the Dark Powers are not to meddle in the ways of the gods. Of course, these collected slivers of a legend fail to explain how the Dark Powers could enforce this pact — surely they are not as powerful as the combined might of all the gods of the worlds. One final theory is even more extreme. It holds that the Dark Powers have severed their realm from the ministrations of the gods entirely. According to this theory, when mortals in the Land of Mists pray t their gods, it is the Dark Powers that reply. Some madmen and heretics claim that a few gods worshipped in Ravenloft — gods who continue to answer the prayers of their clerics — are long since dead. They even insist that some of these gods simply do not exist and never did.
Rules
RULES As I begin to detail new rules that may help with this system, it’s important to speak of my methods. First and foremost, this is done with 5th Edition in mind. For those of you that have looked at these rules one thing should be clear: simplicity is the key. Charts and tables have always been a part of Dungeons and Dragons. Complex rules for new scenerios and settings have been as well. Things have changed. Those who wrote 5th edition DnD have paid close attention to what “indie” games have been doing…and that’s mostly putting Roleplaying (capital R) back into the RPG. So, when DnD finally puts out their new edition of Ravenloft (here’s hoping) or the next fan comes along and writes a guide like this, maybe you’ll see some real crunchy mechanics. Not here. As a matter of fact, in addition to keeping things quite simple, I’ll address some old notions about Ravenloft and explain why they might just bog your game down and how they can be addressed.
Making the Domains of Dread…Dreadful (New Rules and Concepts)
The Case against Massive Class Modification The current classes are way less than over the top. Fifth edition has made playing a character more about style than rules. I don’t see a lot of reason to modify existing classes as previous editions of Ravenloft might have. For example, often in a Ravenloft campaign guide you might read talk of replacing a Ranger’s companion or a Wizard’s familiar with a “Dread Companion”. If you really feel a need to do that, it’s as easy as description or changing one or two things. Dungeon Masters don’t need rules here, just come up with whatever works. Earlier Ravenloft concepts did things to alter magic or hamstring divine classes. Likewise, I don’t think it’s necessary. In some of the sections that follow I’ll just devise some hard and fast rules that cover the basics of modifying play for the setting.
Basic Setting Rule Concepts
I.
The Divine Early editions felt a need to take abilities away from clerics and paladins (who would be extremely rare in Ravenloft anyway). One idea that was constantly brought up was the concept that such faithful individuals “shined like a beacon in the darkness” and pretty much alerted entire domains to their presence. There is an easy way to simulate this without going over the top. When a player character uses Channel Divinity for any of the classes that provide the
Rules ability, allow any being native to the domain with a strong tie to the Dark Powers (such as a Dark Lord) a Perception test to notice and have a general idea where the wielder of divine power might be. Use any difficulty number you like, but 25 – Character Level seems like a good idea to me. If the creature is within a 300 ft. radius feel free to give it advantage on the roll. If it is in the middle of something else (like eating someone or performing a dark ritual) or far away, give them disadvantage on the roll.
II.
Magic is Alignment Blind Detect Evil was always a big no-no in Ravenloft. It was like using a metal detector in a hardware store. There is so much background “radiation” for evil that in my mind it would throw off nearly any spell that detected any sort of alignment in my mind. Therefore Detect Evil/Good/Etc, just shouldn’t work. Likewise Protection from Evil/Good/Annoyance can’t be used to determine who the enemy is passively. Don’t make such spells useless if you don’t want to though. I’d encourage just making the Protection spell specific. If a cleric memorizes Protection, upon casting he can decide if it works against Zombies, Goblyns, or Mosquitos. Let’s just go ahead and say that there is no Protection from Dark Lord spell that anyone could memorize (Ancient scroll? Maybe). The same logic should apply to any magic that relies on alignment. What I like about doing it this way? It makes it impossible for evil beings to do the same to good guys. Too much background noise.
III.
Superstition and Hedge Magic have Power First of all, I advise against allowing players just to make up superstitions. I know some that would pull something like “eating watermelons makes your blood taste terrible to vampires” out of their butts. However, allow use of superstitions that are established by the DM for the domain or even by any real world mythology you choose to assist the player. The best way is to use advantage/disadvantage. Brick dust keeps evil at bay? Maybe not, but it will give your foe disadvantage on initiative as he pursues you. Wolfsbane hurts werewolves? That may have potent use in forthcoming rules, but for now maybe it just gives a player advantage on a single attack while using it. Yet how do players find the superstitions that work? Easy. Just have it come down to an appropriate skill roll that’s as hard as you desire. Religion, History, Arcane, and Nature are all excellent skills for this. (Addendum: Using superstition a little adds SO much flavor, but like salt…if you add too much it can just ruin everything. When at all possible have it superstition/hedge magic use make sense, be story driven, and be acceptable to the DM. Need a rule for that? Relegate the ability to benefit from superstition to once per game or once per game per character).
IV.
The Dark Powers I’m personally not a fan of having the Dark Powers waiting to pounce and bequeathing powers when a player character performs evil acts. Most Ravenloft games should stay away from this and
Rules players themselves should know that seduction by the Dark Powers, no matter what short term benefits it has, eventually leads to them losing control of their character who will likely then become an enemy to the rest of the party. Still, nearly since its inception, Ravenloft materials have provided a method (usually in the form of a chart and “powers points”) to handle the temptation of evil and the power it can provide. I will attempt to do the same. 1. Only acts of great evil that are far departed from the morality of the character’s alignment should draw the attention of the Dark Powers. This means that good characters would be noticed by the powers more easily than neutral characters and evil characters would have to complete the most terrible of acts (see many of the descriptions of Dark Lords). Full investiture (and loss of character) should only take place after multiple acts or if you prefer, one extreme, unthinkable act. 2. The character should have a chance to maintain a grip on their moral virtues. Have the player make a madness check. They may spend Inspiration to simply succeed with no roll if they prefer. If they succeed there is not investiture. If they fail, their alignment shifts toward evil by one. A lawful good character becomes lawful neutral (and lawful evil should they perform another heinous act worthy of the Power’s attention). A chaotic good character becomes chaotic neutral becomes chaotic evil. Evil characters do not shift any further, instead they gain a running tally of failures. At three they lose control of their character and gain full investiture, likely becoming a Dark Lord. If you want to be more dramatic, feel free to have it simply be that first failure when evil and then bam…a great or full investiture of powers. (Rules for madness checks are found below in the Ravenloft Toolkit section or in the 5th Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide) 3. Power comes with a price. Each shift or failure gives the player an investiture from the Dark Powers. There’s no table here, just simple ideas. Go to the DMG or the Monster Manual and look at Monster abilities (tremorsense, fly, innate spells, natural armor, etc). The DM chooses an ability he thinks is fitting and invests the character with it. Once this is done then impose a Vulnerability (rules in DMG, MM, and PHB) on the character. You may also choose to place a limitation of your own (must feed on humanoid flesh once per day, etc). Feel free to follow a “track” by looking at the rules for vampires, werewolves, ghosts and others in the MM. You can just hand out the abilities, vulnerabilities, and limitations that each specific creature haves. Maybe the character gains full investiture when they collect them all, should you desire. 4. No player should ever be allowed to keep a character that is fully invested. Such characters are usually Dark Lords. DMs, it’s your game and you can do as you please, but I’d just flat out not allow it. Being a Dark Lord, while a cool, tragic story should never be desirable.
Rules
Ravenloft Toolkit (Rules reprinted for convenience from existing sources including the 5th Edition Player’s Guide, Dugeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual)
FIREARMS Firearms are of course optional, but many of the Domains in Ravenloft are at a Renaissance level of advancement, if not just barely Pre-Enlightenment. Though Darklords are able to control so much of their realms over the centuries, technology and thought slowly cross the borders from one land to another. This is why, for example, Barovia is stated to be a late-medieval domain, but so much of it feels like a more gothic version of a renaissance domain. Nevertheless, Firearms will be completely dependent upon your current setting of play and the will of the GM. They can just as easily be ignored as included. If you wish to add them, here are a few rules. PROFICIENCY It's up to you to decide whether a character has proficiency with a firearm. Generally, it may be best to keep the idea that no one begins play proficient in these weapons. During their downtime, characters can use the training rules in the Player's Handbook (5th Edition) to acquire proficiency, assuming that they have enough ammunition to keep the weapons working while mastering their use. PROPERTIES Firearms use special ammunition, and some of them have the burst fire or reload property. Ammunition. The ammunition of a firearm is destroyed upon use. Renaissance and modern firearms use bullets. Reload. A limited number of shots can be made with a weapon that has the reload property. A character must then reload it using an action or a bonus action (the character's choice). GUNPOWDER (Eventually if you allow for gunpowder, a character might acquire enough to make a bit of noise. Here are some rules for the inevitable use of gunpowder explosives. Though keep in mind, gunpowder is as rare as the GM wants it to be. Just because the players have the coin doesn’t mean their location has the surplus.)
Rules
Gunpowder is chiefly used to propel a bullet out of the barrel of a pistol or rifle, or it is formed into a bomb. Gunpowder is sold in small wooden kegs and in water resistant powder horns. Setting fire to a container full of gunpowder can cause it to explode, dealing fire damage to creatures within 10 feet of it (3d6 for a powder horn, 7d6 for a keg). A successful DC 12 Dexterity saving throw halves the damage. Setting fire to an ounce of gunpowder causes it to flare for 1 round, shedding bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES CHARTS
DERANGEMENT AND DELIRIUM (No journey into Ravenloft can ever be complete without the possibility of losing your fragile grip on sanity.)
FEAR When adventurers confront threats they have no hope of overcoming, you can call for them to make a Wisdom saving throw. Set the DC according to the circumstances. A character who fails the save becomes frightened for 1 minute. The character can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of his or her turns, ending the effect on the character on a successful save.
Rules
HORROR Horror involves more than simple fright. It entails revulsion and anguish. Often it arises when adventurer see something completely contrary to the common understanding of what can and should occur in the world, or upon the realization of a dreadful truth. In such a situation, you can call on characters to make a Charisma saving throw to resist the horror. Set the DC based on the magnitude of the horrific circumstances. On a failed save, a character gains a short-term or long-term form of madness that you choose or determine randomly. MADNESS In a typical campaign, characters aren't driven mad by the horrors they face and the carnage they inflict day after day, but sometimes the stress of being an adventurer can be too much to bear. If your campaign has a strong horror theme, you might want to use madness as a way to reinforce that theme, emphasizing the extraordinarily horrific nature of the threats the adventurers face. GOING MAD Various magical effects can inflict madness on an otherwise stable mind. Certain spells, such as contact other plane and symbol, can cause insanity, and you can use the madness rules here instead of the spell effects in the Player's Handbook. Diseases, poisons, and planar effects such as psychic wind or the howling winds of Pandemonium can all inflict madness. Some artifacts can a lso break the psyche of a character who uses or becomes attuned to them. Resisting a madness-inducing effect usually requires a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw.
MADNESS EFFECTS Madness can be short-term, long-term, or indefinite. Most relatively mundane effects impose s hortterm madness, which lasts for just a few minutes. More horrific effects or cumulative effects can result in long term or indefinite madness. A character afflicted with short-term madness is subjected to an effect from the Short-Term Madness table for ldlO minutes. A character afflicted with long-term madness is subjected to an effect from the Long-Term Madness table for ldlO x 10 hours. A character afflicted with indefinite madness gains a new character flaw from the Indefinite Madness table that lasts until cured.
Rules
CURING MADNESS A calm emotions spell can suppress the effects of madness, while a lesser restoration spell can rid a character of a short-term or long-term madness. Depending on the source of the madness, remove curse or dispel evil might also prove effective. A greater restoration spell or more powerful magic is required to rid a character of indefinite madness.
MADNESS CHARTS
Rules
The End for Now
