[Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Discussing all things Ravenloft
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hidajiremi
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by hidajiremi »

Fenris wrote:nice addition :)
By the way I like what you have done with the clusters and islands. Looks easier to use and more 'coherent' shall we say
Thanks! And the first cluster mini-supplement on the Amber Wastes will probably be out very soon. Like, within the next week kind of soon. =)
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by hidajiremi »

And as promised, the first cluster mini-supplement, the guide to the Amber Wastes!

Cluster: The Amber Wastes

If there are any requests for the next mini-supplement, I'll prioritize that. Currently, I'm working on an island guide to Souragne, a cluster guide to the Frozen Reaches, and a cluster guide to the Verdurous Lands. Just let me know if anyone has something they'd like to see come down the pipe!
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by Mistmaster »

Great work; Can I ask you one question thought? Why the Lawgiver and Zhekata are one and the same?
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by hidajiremi »

Mistmaster wrote:Great work; Can I ask you one question thought? Why the Lawgiver and Zhekata are one and the same?
Thanks!

And it ultimately comes down to an issue of thematic simplification and cohesion. "The Lawgiver has many names" is a running thing in the original setting, so I wanted to use the Far Steppes to explore the implications of a cluster-wide religion where "order and subservience" are the keywords, but the actual practices can vary widely. Historically, neighboring nations with theoretically identical religions but widely divergent practices are a big deal, so exploring that a bit more with Nova Vaasa and G'Henna made sense to me.

Hope that answers your question!
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by Mistmaster »

Yes, it does; Thank you. I like your take on Azalin curse too; I tyrant who rob his subjects of theyr freedom, robbed of the freedom to do what he loves more, magic research and experimentation, it's a great idea. And I like your Falkovnia too; finally a point is given, is not that Drakov can't win his wars; He is a great strategist, after all; no, he can't keep his conquests, because his kingdom change neighbour every time; bravo. One question on Bluebeard thought, doesn't he get sucked back in his castle after three days, to be creeply cared for by the ghosts of the wives he killed? He is really kept prisoner only by his obsession? Because if that's true, that's brilliant too!
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by hidajiremi »

Mistmaster wrote:One question on Bluebeard thought, doesn't he get sucked back in his castle after three days, to be creeply cared for by the ghosts of the wives he killed? He is really kept prisoner only by his obsession? Because if that's true, that's brilliant too!
My particular vision of Bluebeard is influenced by feminist readings of the story (and by the Fraternity's excellent version of Blaustein--and dammit, I completely forgot to include special thanks to Joel for that article), so I prefer for Morrell to just be a horrid little man who kills because he feels inadequate. While I think there's still room for that interpretation in the material I've written, it wasn't an explicit part of what I put in; feel free to add it back in if you like.
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by De Montour »

Well done Hidajiremi. The whole thing is coming together very nicely.

I especially look forward to seeing Mircea and Sanguinia in your take on the Frozen Reaches. Are you intending to expand them to include any home brew settings? It would be a shame not to include a Domain with a Wendigo Darklord.
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by Fenris »

Some more thoughts (really easier to read in epub for me ;) )
couldn't Rank have an effect (for good or ill) on Dark Powers checks?
Not familiar with D&D rules on this one, but I feel like the curses coudl only begin at level 2 (so there is a temptation)
Also if killing in self defense does not cause a Dark power check, killing someone for gain shouldn't too (else you won't get many crimes, or every murderer will indeed look ugly). Killing soen of your friends should, as well as killing a man know for his kindness and generosity, if said man is also the man that raised you, then you get automatic corruption (not sure I like having to roll for a second level, transitions shouldn't be too fast)

Do you plan to a DM's insert by the way? (for mists or sinkholes of evil for example)
Character sheet? ;)

nice work really!
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by hidajiremi »

De Montour wrote:Well done Hidajiremi. The whole thing is coming together very nicely.

I especially look forward to seeing Mircea and Sanguinia in your take on the Frozen Reaches. Are you intending to expand them to include any home brew settings? It would be a shame not to include a Domain with a Wendigo Darklord.
Thank you! And... have you been looking at my notes? o.o
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by Ender »

*pops in*

Did someone say Wendigo darklord? Should you be thinking about a Wendigo in this manner, I'd love to pick your brain about it.
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by hidajiremi »

Ender wrote:*pops in*

Did someone say Wendigo darklord? Should you be thinking about a Wendigo in this manner, I'd love to pick your brain about it.
Wendigos are absolutely my favorite mythological monster. This can be demonstrated by the fact that I have watched Ravenous no less than thirty times. Your first link is absolutely right: the core themes of the wendigo are desperation and isolation, and the manifestation of those themes is through the lens of starvation. There's another horror there too, though--the idea that "consuming is strength." By consuming another person, you take their strength; by being eaten, you become a part of the wendigo. One of the reasons I love Ravenous so much is the dual metaphor between the wendigo and the "manifest destiny" of the United States, gobbling up land as it marches westward and devouring lives to gain strength as a nation.

The wendigo darklord I'm thinking up probably won't be as genteel as Colquhoun, and the domain not quite as metaphorically consumptive as mid-1800s America, but I want to do something with the concept. It'll probably crop up as a third domain in the Frozen Reaches mini-gazetteer.
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by hidajiremi »

Fenris wrote: Also if killing in self defense does not cause a Dark power check, killing someone for gain shouldn't too (else you won't get many crimes, or every murderer will indeed look ugly). Killing soen of your friends should, as well as killing a man know for his kindness and generosity, if said man is also the man that raised you, then you get automatic corruption (not sure I like having to roll for a second level, transitions shouldn't be too fast)
Here's the thing about Ravenloft as a Gothic setting: one of the core tenets of Gothic literature is that people wear their sins on their skins. Ugly people are generally wicked; beautiful people are generally virtuous or manifest their hidden wickedness as illness, the corruption of the land around them, or madness (which might be thought of in this context as "mental ugliness"). The other thing is that these rules generally only apply to PCs and major NPCs; the Dark Powers don't take notice of every cutpurse, alleyway killer, or spouse abuser because there's simply no point in it. They're the minor arcana--deuces and treys in the deck of life. They only offer power and punishments to the major arcana, people who have the potential to change the lives and fates of dozens, hundreds, or thousands of others.

In short, don't worry about what the effects of a dark powers check on Johnny Commoner would be, because Johnny Commoner is never going to be worth the notice of the Dark Powers. He's a small fish. Conversely, if Johnny Commoner beats his wife and suddenly starts growing tusks and warty skin, then maybe he's actually destined to be Johnny Major Antagonist instead.

The rules only apply to people who matter in the grand scheme of things: player characters, and any NPC who might cross paths with them as an ally or adversary. Don't concern yourself with everyone else in the world.
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by Fenris »

Makes sense indeed thanks
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by hidajiremi »

Work continues apace on the Souragne mini-gazetteer, though I've been a bit slowed down because of personal reasons. My cat passed away on Wednesday night, very suddenly, so I'm currently taking some time to grieve and recover. Reading through Curse of Strahd is a comfort, but depression kills my ability to write. Hopefully, I'll be back underway in a week or so.
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Re: [Savage Worlds] Ravenloft

Post by Fenris »

I can understand this, take your time to go over it
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