WhatIs?
This page is designed to answer some common questions novices have about the Time of Unparalleled Darkness persistent world and its setting. More direct questions & answers can be found in the TOUD FAQ. This is however a good starting point, if you are entirely unfamiliar.
What is Ravenloft?
In our world, Ravenloft is a campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons originally published by TSR and then picked up by Wizards. It has 2nd, 3rd, 3.5, and 5th editions versions. The original Ravenloft box set quotes:
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, 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
It is intended to be a gothic horror setting inspired by the dark myths and legends of old, and that is what Time of Unparalleled Darkness tries to uphold.
In setting, Ravenloft is one of the names given to a demiplane also know as the Domains of Dread (see below.) It is, in short, used as a name for the world Ravenloft depicts as well.
What version of Ravenloft are you using?
Time of Unparalleled Darkness uses Ravenloft 3.5 Edition.
Why not the most recent, 5th Edition?
There are a variety of reasons:
- We are playing on a ruleset that adheres to 3.5th edition Dungeons & Dragons, so using the corresponding campaign setting is most appropriate.
- The 5th Edition removes or retcons a lot of the gothic horror elements, and these are central to the horror that is being depicted.
- The 5th Edition greatly downsizes the Domains of Dread, making them feel more like a "MMO theme park" of settings, rather than a living world; and depicting a world that feels like a living and breathing world is one of our design goals.
This is not to say that the 3.5 or 3.0 edition of Ravenloft is without its flaws, but collectively, we prefer its depiction as more morally complex and having a world that appears more like, well, a world. There are elements of 5th Edition Ravenloft's setting we have integrated into the world where we feel they are of merit, do take heed.
We would use this space to suggest an alternative that depicts 5th edition Ravenloft, but at time of writing to the author's knowledge, no such alternative persistent world exists.
What are the Domains of Dread?
The Domains of Dread in and of themselves, refers to the countries in Ravenloft that divide it's landmass. They are not to be mistaken with the Demiplane of Dread, which refers to the overall plane.
The Domain of Dread most presently pertinent to Time of Unparalleled Darkness is Barovia - it is within Barovia that players start, and get their footing, in the city of Zeidenberg. However, there are several other domains, some big and some small, some note-worthy ones include:
- Dementlieu
- Mordent
- Borca
- Falkovnia
- Hazlan
- Sithicus
But that doesn't answer the question per se, what are the Domains of Dread or the Demiplane of Dread?
Nestled deep in the parts of the Ethereal plane that do not border other planes is the Demiplane of Dread, obstensibly a prison for those the Dark Powers that created it seek to contain. The how and why of this are unknown, and how much they care about the native inhabitants - likely descendants of the first prisoners, is unclear. Each domain in the Demiplane of Dread arose from one of three situations:
- It was originally a part of the Prime Material plane inhabited by someone that was imprisoned in the Demiplane of Dread by the Dark Powers. This is the case for starting Barovia, obstenisbly the prison of Count Strahd von Zarovich for his evil (details in the link). Sometimes, the domain is copied per se, a simulacrum recreation of their former home; also the case for Barovia, as evidenced by the existence of a Castle Ravenloft in the Prime Material plane. Sometimes, like Sithicus, it is embroiled wholesale, and nothing remains.
- It was a
