New Domain: Blacklore Valley

[Tobias Blackburn]

So, in addition to revisiting Verbrek and Farelle, I decided I wanted to play around with some VERY OLD DnD lore.

Waaaaay back in the halcyon days of 1990, the Mystara's Hollow World subsetting introduced a group known as the Blacklore Elves. Without going into several rabbit holes, they were the descendants of survivors of a high tech civilization that had been nuked to oblivion on the planets surface about 3,400 years ago. An immortal dinosaur named Ka the Preserver (again, not going down the rabbit hole here) transported the survivors to a valley inside the planet, where they were culturally frozen at the time they would have been destroyed.

Their valley was far away from anyone else, keeping them, and their high technology level, very very isolated. Ka and the other immortals that watched over the Hollow World also altered their technology so that it would only work within the valley, and over time the elves forgot how their tech worked, only that it did.

The elves live in a perfectly maintained world. Automatons take care of everything for them. They have all the food they want, whatever clothes they want in whatever style ("currently in a VERY 80's style), whatever entertainment they want on demand, answer their every question. They have perfectly maintained buildings and lawns, and cybernetic parts should they need or want them. They basically only need to find ways of spending their time in frivolity.

So basically Logan's Run meets the Eloi (sans Morlocks) from The Time Machine. And since the Meredoth (darklord of the Noctural Sea) is from Mystara, the Blacklore elves are in the same multiverse.

I think this could make for an interesting domain. For the Darklord, I'll borrow the one Blacklore elf NPC in the book.

As described, Deithryl Steelheart's history focuses on her mother, Meidrys. Meidrys had an artificial heart because her original one had been faulty. When Deithryl was an adult, her mother went mad with boredom and desperation. Even though she knew her heart would not operate outside of the valley, she climbed out into the snowfield and passed away trying to leave everything behind.

In the book, Deithryl realizes how her people no longer have any knowledge of their science, and is bored. She's scared of leaving the machines that care for her but is driven to escape the eternal boredom of existence in the valley. She becomes the closest thing her people have to a scholar, and is also an accomplished face-painter and tattoo artist.

For the darklord version of her, we pick up a few years later. Tired of the the pointlessness of existence in the valley, she comes up with a plan to force her people to leave. Even though she knows that shutting down the mainframe will cause cybernetics within the valley to cease working, she was willing to make those sacrifices if it meant the survivors would move on and stop relying on the gilded cage they were trapped in.

What she didn't realize was that, while she was locked away planning, getting cybernetic organs had become a fad to make sports competitions more interesting. So when she shut down the mainframe, she was horrified by the mass deaths that followed.

Domain: Blacklore Valley
Horror Type: Psychological Horror, Body Horror
Inspirations: Logan's Run, The Time Machine, Dark City

Blacklore Valley is a temperate valley that remains locked in an eternal twilight, as if the sun refuses to finish rising or setting. Smooth, metallic buildings, covered with bright, many coloured lights and images rise above beautiful green spaces. Closer up, it is possible to see the signs of rust and neglect on the structures, lights and signs that have been permanently damaged, and how the gardens are becoming wild and uncontrolled.

The people of the valley are seemingly unaware of the decay creeping in around them, instead spending their days on parties, childish pranks, and other leisure activities to fill their time. Meeting outsiders are a big deal, as the newcomers become instant celebrities who find their personal styles and mannerisms quickly becoming fads. Some of the populace can become unhinged about this, and react violently.

However, spending any time with the people of the valley makes it clear that something is wrong. They seem oblivious to issues that crop up, and never actually eat or drink anything. That is because the entire population, save one, is a solid illusion (hardlight construct). The mainframe that creates them is barely working though, and sometimes individuals change personalities and memories abruptly or even disappear completely. Worse, the automatons that serve these constructs are unstable and sometimes attack outsiders on sight - which the elves never notice.

The sole exception is Deithryl Steelheart. Unwashed and half mad, she scours the buildings over and over, looking for material and equipment to try and repair the city's mainframe. She knows the world it has created is not real so she doesn't interact with the people, but she cannot bear to face the deaths she caused and be trapped alone forever in a rotting silent city so she works to keep the simulation running. The best she can do is forestall the central core's final collapse, even as she watches the images of the people she used to know warp and disappear forever.

Since arriving in Ravenloft, she has used the automatons to receive artificial parts, including ones that let her control them from a distance. She often watches newcomers from a distance, looking for any inkling of scientific understanding, or materials she could use, often sending automatons to act on her behalf.

Should the Central Core be shut down, Deithryl becomes extremely violent, sending out her automatons to bring any intruders to her to force them to help her get it started again. On the other hand, if they help her in her futile quest, she is willing to help them use some of the technological miracles that can be found around the city.

When she closes the domain, the Mists around the valley become filled with radiant lights, which cause radiant damage to anyone that enters them. This damage ignore resistances and immunities.

Edit: After getting a suggestion, I would also say there are descendants of a few survivors of the Shut Down who lurk outside the city in the valley. They creep in to steal parts for cybernetics, food, and other supplies, making them a threat to any urban exploration the party or the darklord may do. They see Deithryl as the Great Betrayer, and want to get rid of her. However, she has become aware that she comes back from the dead and knows that the city will fail if these survivors take over. She also sees them as ingrates and wants to drive them from the valley to make lives for themselves elsewhere as they and their ancestors were supposed to. If they stay, it means that everything she did was for nothing.

---
Thoughts? Opinions? It would basically be bringing an Expedition to the Barrier Peaks sort of domain to Ravenloft.

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

Sounds super interesting.

[doctornecrotic]

I love a good science-fantasy domain. If I didn't already put Darkheath (which is also remnants of Blackmoor) into a separate cluster, it would be fun to slam it next to this domain. Though, Darkheath is locked in an unwinnable war (as per "The Beastman Crusade", another bit of Mystaran Blackmoor lore). Needless to say, this isn't the harshest bit of fanon people have done to Blacklore. The Week Without Magic could accomplish the Darklord's vision too, as Blacklore practically shut down from that too. TWWM is from the Wrath of the Immortals metaplot.

[order99]

I do have a minor quibble though-Deithryl Steelheart made a completely selfish, ego-justified decision to force her entire village into hardship and exodus for their own good...utterly indefensible. But she didn't expect them to die. Is it truly an act of Ultimate Darkess worthy of Darklordship then?

Possible alternative:

Deithryl Steelheart made the hard choice-and was completely and utterly devastated at the result. Those who had not been augmented, unaware of sabotage, fled in terror as Death claimed the rest, as they shut off without injury or sign of illness. Devastated, Deithryl began the long process of burying the dead-it was what they deserved, and the very least she could do.

Over the next few days, some of the Unaugmented returned to assist. And then, horrifyingly, others joined in. And their faces were all too familiar...

On the ragged edge of sanity, Deithryl told the surviving remnant who had escaped her horrible tale...many scoffed, believeing that an illness had left the townfolk near death, and any changes to their personalities were from fever. Others believed her, and spat in her face. A few believed her, and perhaps understood-just a bit...

There was still hope for Deithryl Steelheart. She could accept the miraculous return of her friends and family. She was unaugmented-if she couldn't tolerate the village a moment longer, then she could convince a few of the other Unaugmented away from Paradise and into the unknown. She didn't have her mother's weakness, she could leave alone if need be.

But those...mockeries. She couldn't leave them be. They weren't her real neighbors, not even if they could fool the others.They were not her people-they were blasphemies against the natural order. Before she left? Blacklore Valley had to be free of these...things.

THIS time, Deithryl knew exactly what she was doing.

And in the end, it failed...the disruptions were less severe than before-some loss of lighting, some oddities of the weather, and the New People (so had she labeled them in her head) had some moments of disorientation, some fell ill, others comatose-but then they recovered, and so did the village.

The Machines had been operating on their own so long that no one could remember how they worked-or even how to properly destroy them. And the Machines ran on...as time passed, some of the original Unaugmented suffered injuries, severe enough to need repair-and the machines obliged. Deithryl could see the changes in them, subtle as they were...but others, even those who fled the first time? They no longer believed her in the least.

Bit by bit, everyone lost themselves in frivolities, romances, feasts, hobbies...and Deithryl Steelheart could convince not a single one to leave. She worked up her nerve for a greater destruction, a more lasting failure...but in the end, she admitted her own ignorance of the Machines, packed her belongings and did the only thing that she had ever had the right to do in the first place. She left.

And previously, that might have been allowed. But the Dark Powers,or possibly the Machines-had judged her. Deithryl lost her breath, then her wits, as she passed the spot where her own mother had died...and awoke in her own bed. The New People were there with food and sympathy-she had nearly frozen in the harsh outdoor weather, and been taken home to recover...bodies? Of course there wasn't another body, why on earth would there have been?

Three weeks later, Deithryl tried again. Again, she woke in her bed in the morning-her neighbors mentioned she'd been having nightmares...of course her belongings weren't packed...why, had she been planning on going somewhere?

Four days later and Deithryl packed nothing at all, and ran directly off a sheer cliff face. She awoke in her bed in early light, gasping for air and grasping for a mirror-same eyes, same panicked expression, same skin, same hair, same memories...of course it was still her, still Deithryl...

Wasn't it? Wasn't it? Wasn't it wasn't it wasn't but but but but would she even know if if if if if if.......

Eventually the vilagers forced the door just to make sure that Deithryl was eating...she hadn't been. They fed her, comforted her, took turns watching her. Blacklore Valley was a Paradise after all, and the residents didn't understand how anyone could find misery here...

Blacklore Valley is Paradise. All needs are met, all wants allowed. All times are NOW. And no one could ever want for more.

But Deithryl Steelheart is in Hell. And she cannot escape no matter what she tries. Others come sometimes and she tries to recruit them in her plots-but even if they agree to such horrible things the Machines cannot be truly harmed for long.And if she simply tries to leave with them circumstances always separate her from them somehow.

The only posssible escape that Deithryl could ever have is to learn to simply accept what is. To give up this New People speculation, accept her own mistakes, embrace the miracle that saved Blacklore Vally from her folly and enjoy eternal prosperity.

But Deithryl will do no such thing, because she is the last Real Person in the valley.

She is.

Really, she IS.

Unless...

Pity Deithryl Steelheart. She is in complete and utter Paradise forever-but her head is full of screams.

Opinions?

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

I do have a minor quibble though-Deithryl Steelheart made a completely selfish, ego-justified decision to force her entire village into hardship and exodus for their own good...utterly indefensible. But she didn't expect them to die. Is it truly an act of Ultimate Darkess worthy of Darklordship then?

Possible alternative:

Deithryl Steelheart made the hard choice-and was completely and utterly devastated at the result. Those who had not been augmented, unaware of sabotage, fled in terror as Death claimed the rest, as they shut off without injury or sign of illness. Devastated, Deithryl began the long process of burying the dead-it was what they deserved, and the very least she could do.

Over the next few days, some of the Unaugmented returned to assist. And then, horrifyingly, others joined in. And their faces were all too familiar...

On the ragged edge of sanity, Deithryl told the surviving remnant who had escaped her horrible tale...many scoffed, believeing that an illness had left the townfolk near death, and any changes to their personalities were from fever. Others believed her, and spat in her face. A few believed her, and perhaps understood-just a bit...

There was still hope for Deithryl Steelheart. She could accept the miraculous return of her friends and family. She was unaugmented-if she couldn't tolerate the village a moment longer, then she could convince a few of the other Unaugmented away from Paradise and into the unknown. She didn't have her mother's weakness, she could leave alone if need be.

But those...mockeries. She couldn't leave them be. They weren't her real neighbors, not even if they could fool the others.They were not her people-they were blasphemies against the natural order. Before she left? Blacklore Valley had to be free of these...things.

THIS time, Deithryl knew exactly what she was doing.

And in the end, it failed...the disruptions were less severe than before-some loss of lighting, some oddities of the weather, and the New People (so had she labeled them in her head) had some moments of disorientation, some fell ill, others comatose-but then they recovered, and so did the village.

The Machines had been operating on their own so long that no one could remember how they worked-or even how to properly destroy them. And the Machines ran on...as time passed, some of the original Unaugmented suffered injuries, severe enough to need repair-and the machines obliged. Deithryl could see the changes in them, subtle as they were...but others, even those who fled the first time? They no longer believed her in the least.

Bit by bit, everyone lost themselves in frivolities, romances, feasts, hobbies...and Deithryl Steelheart could convince not a single one to leave. She worked up her nerve for a greater destruction, a more lasting failure...but in the end, she admitted her own ignorance of the Machines, packed her belongings and did the only thing that she had ever had the right to do in the first place. She left.

And previously, that might have been allowed. But the Dark Powers,or possibly the Machines-had judged her. Deithryl lost her breath, then her wits, as she passed the spot where her own mother had died...and awoke in her own bed. The New People were there with food and sympathy-she had nearly frozen in the harsh outdoor weather, and been taken home to recover...bodies? Of course there wasn't another body, why on earth would there have been?

Three weeks later, Deithryl tried again. Again, she woke in her bed in the morning-her neighbors mentioned she'd been having nightmares...of course her belongings weren't packed...why, had she been planning on going somewhere?

Four days later and Deithryl packed nothing at all, and ran directly off a sheer cliff face. She awoke in her bed in early light, gasping for air and grasping for a mirror-same eyes, same panicked expression, same skin, same hair, same memories...of course it was still her, still Deithryl...

Wasn't it? Wasn't it? Wasn't it wasn't it wasn't but but but but would she even know if if if if if if.......

Eventually the vilagers forced the door just to make sure that Deithryl was eating...she hadn't been. They fed her, comforted her, took turns watching her. Blacklore Valley was a Paradise after all, and the residents didn't understand how anyone could find misery here...

Blacklore Valley is Paradise. All needs are met, all wants allowed. All times are NOW. And no one could ever want for more.

But Deithryl Steelheart is in Hell. And she cannot escape no matter what she tries. Others come sometimes and she tries to recruit them in her plots-but even if they agree to such horrible things the Machines cannot be truly harmed for long.And if she simply tries to leave with them circumstances always separate her from them somehow.

The only posssible escape that Deithryl could ever have is to learn to simply accept what is. To give up this New People speculation, accept her own mistakes, embrace the miracle that saved Blacklore Vally from her folly and enjoy eternal prosperity.

But Deithryl will do no such thing, because she is the last Real Person in the valley.

She is.

Really, she IS.

Unless...

Pity Deithryl Steelheart. She is in complete and utter Paradise forever-but her head is full of screams.

Opinions?

They have all this amazing technology but no anti-depressants?

Jokes aside, this is a really cool idea.
It also opens up the possibility that the New People are more 'real' than Deithryl thinks they are, or that some people hadn't been replaced yet, but her paranoia stops her from giving them a chance.