[Servants of Darkness]: The lady is dead

[kottakinge]

Hello fellow DM,
I'm actually running this adventure.
My PC came on Castle Island and fight the lady of the lake, and they kill her (she managed to curse the cleric of my group).
They clean the castle of corpses so the ghosts will not come back.
I think that now, the sinkhole of evil will begin to fade (with no DL to maintain it, nor ghosts).

So now, what?
I mean, what about the tiny domain of Castle Island with no DL?
Is the domain begins to fade (the PC plan to rest one day on the island)?
What about the Avanc?It didn't attack them on their arrival, but i plan to use it when they will come back to Viktal but will he disappears too at the death of the lady?

Thanks for your advices.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

With a domain that small and without much repeat potential, I say let it be destroyed. Let the PCs have a small victory. Now, what happens when the domain is destroyed? A few possibilities:
- it goes back to the land the Lady came from. (not too interesting, since there's not much left there. If you don't want your PCs to get sidetracked with a "weekend in heaven" adventure trying to get back to Ravenloft, wait until they leave for it to go)
- for actual island domains (not islands of terror) I always like sinking them. But if you want your PCs to rest there, this doesn't work. Unless you wait for sunrise or something to cleanse the domain away.
- there's not really anything evil enough to take the island over. The avanc doesn't make a particularly good darklord. Unless one of your PCs is really evil and deserves it, that idea is pretty much out.
- the most likely really would be for it to be absorbed by tepest and fall under the sway of the hags. But there's not really much drama there, or sense of accomplishment for the PCs. who would even notice?
- a somewhat radical idea, but kind of interesting to me, is to keep it around, darklordless, as a sort of safe haven. This is wildly uncanon, since the only way this usually happens is out in the Mists (oubliettes) and even those aren't "safe". But it seems to fit in the fairy-tale theme of Tepest, and I like that. Maybe healing works faster there. Maybe it's a blind spot for the hags. Maybe it just feels good, raising spirits, making horror/madness effects go away more easily. Maybe it could become a base of operations for the PCs. I dunno... maybe I'm reading too much Dresden Files

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Demonreach anyone?

[High Priest Mikhal]

Forlorn is one of those domains I'd gladly let the darklord die in. I'd say it merges with Barovia when Tristen is truly killed. The shift in metaphysical character could do all manner of things to the fauna and flora, either causing the unnatural to decline drastically or still be there, with the natural possibly recovering to a healthy state. Then there are the druids who won't just sit back and let Strahd's forces take over. Sort of like the Gundarakite rebellion only aided by druidic magic and a people used to fighting to survive.

And yes, the warped ethereal resonance of Forlorn would decline rapidly without Tristen as it's a part of his curse.

Since the Avanc is part of the Lady of the Lake's curse, it would likely--but not definitely--disappear if she were to die. Unless you want to give the PCs and easy out from Ravenloft, they would either wind up on the shore of the lake or, if you're feeling sadistic, have them end up in the lake weighed down by their gear.

[kottakinge]

Thanks for the interesting answers.
You right the Avanc is definitively a part of the curse.
And what about the island just disappear to oblivion, with no DL to do the job?
Maybe some part of the island slowly begin to disappear in a sort of translucent halo, urging the PC to leave?

One thing that i feel sad in RL in general, is that every DL has an interesting story, but in most of the case, the PC don't know and will never know it.
The creators make a DL an interesting character with a very rich background, but in fact who care?
As respect for the lady's memory, i think i will let a note or something about the lady paste and the curse.
She's not yet another monster after all.

I was first afraid of running this adventure by the weak beginning plot, but in fact it turns to be one of the greatest adventure for my PC, definitively love it.

[High Priest Mikhal]

The island just disappearing is sort of a default answer for me. It may stay there was a part of Tepest, or as you said, may begin to fade and give the PCs a chance to escape. It's up to the DM to choose.

As for the PCs not learning about the stories of the darklords, I've actually been working on a new secret society and affiliation (from PHB II) that somewhat mirrors the Fraternity of Shadows (the in-game group, not our hosts), the Shining Force. Part of it involves learning the true nature of Ravenloft, including the stories of the darklords. I've got most of it done, but I'm being lazy about the brief synopses of organization and activities in each domain.

[Garudos Celestar]

If you don't want to sink the island and force the PCs to swim to shore, you could just have the castle part of Castle Island fade into the Mists. That way, the PCs are now stranded on a barren rock in the middle of Lake Kronov in Tepest (perhaps w/ some thematically appropriate exposure to the elements?) but can get their bearings before trying to make it back to shore.

Also, I agree that some sort of final clue to the Lady's history is warranted w/ her demise... perhaps a final, mournful song on the wind that haunts them until they make it back to shore, singing the Lady's story? Some Nightmare Lands-style dreams (particularly for the cursed cleric) could work as well.

[Kadarin]

There was – a long, long time ago – an adventure in Dungeon Magazin called ominously "Lady of the Mists". Maybe she could – with her pretty pet tiger – made the new DL (although she dies in that adventure, but since when would the DPs care about that?)
k.

[High Priest Mikhal]

I don't think the Lady of the Mists would work (I don't read Dragon, so I'm going on the description) for Tepest. The Lady of the Lake is based on an entry in the Kargatane's Book of Shadows by Ryan Naylor and was made canon in Gaz. V. She was made to be in Tepest as the ruler of a pocket domain from the start as a fey creature and--I can't confirm this--seems to be based on the Celtic Lady of the Lake, one of the sources that later inspired the Arthurian legends.

[Kadarin]

I don't think the Lady of the Mists would work (I don't read Dragon, so I'm going on the description) for Tepest. The Lady of the Lake is based on an entry in the Kargatane's Book of Shadows by Ryan Naylor and was made canon in Gaz. V. She was made to be in Tepest as the ruler of a pocket domain from the start as a fey creature and--I can't confirm this--seems to be based on the Celtic Lady of the Lake, one of the sources that later inspired the Arthurian legends.

Errm, your right in – at least – some aspects, but wrong in others. First, the story of the Lady of the Mists did not appear in Dragon, but, as I wrote, in Dungeon Magazine. Second, yes, the Lady the Lake is very clearly based on celtic legend/mythology and/or the stories of Arthur. But, since the theme of this thread is that the Lady of the Lake has been killed, I proposed another DL for that domain. And I am quite sure the Lady of the Mists could be somehow incorporated in celtic mythology (even if that means that her pet tiger would have to be left out – sigh – I just happen to love tigers).

k.

[High Priest Mikhal]

(even if that means that her pet tiger would have to be left out – sigh – I just happen to love tigers).

Yeah, that's probably one of the biggest issues from a standpoint of "suspension of disbelief." A tiger in Tepest, even if it's a part of a pocket domain within, clashes with the ambiance of the larger domain to the point of disrupting it. Maintaining the feel of a domain is as much about the fauna that exists there (un)naturally as the darklord, the culture, and the geography. Adding something too exotic or out of place can derail the atmosphere instantly. Even when characters bring in animal companions, familiars, or special mounts that are likewise just completely out of place I found I had to play up just how alien such things were or the mood would die when NPCs didn't react like real people would.

And Dungeon mag, Dragon mag, I haven't read even one issue of either. I have a learning disability that makes it hard to pick up the initials of something. Since the sourcebooks introduce all new things I couldn't keep up with them and the magazines. Either I would have quit in frustration or my brains would have oozed out of my ears from information overload.

[The Lesser Evil]

Rather than automatically determining its fate (whether it be for ill such as being claimed by another darklord or for good such as becoming a safe haven or even just dissolving into the mists), why not give the players a hand in determining its fate with their actions? Perhaps the Avanc is reborn into an incarnation with a relatively blank slate, for example. What happens to whomever the new Avanc turns into might directly relate to what happens to the island.

[kottakinge]

Good idea.
For the moment they (my PC) plan to bury the corpses they found here (they found ghosts there and think they must make a proper burial for the bodies for stopping the manifestations of the ghosts).

They rescue Eldrak, the near dead companion of Aroun.

The Avanc is still around, i made a cut-scene (we play on a forum between 2 sessions, and i describe things that their characters cannot see) where the fisherman who stay near the shore of castle island (and was looking for the boats and the equipment) was attacked by seagulls and catch by the avanc while waiting for the heroes to return.

They want to rest on the island, for the cleric can catch a few spells in order to be free of the curse on a short period and came back to Viktal safe.

What now? should i sunk the island, dissolve it, reincarnate the avanc (could be pretty cool indeed!)?

[The Lesser Evil]

Good idea.
For the moment they (my PC) plan to bury the corpses they found here (they found ghosts there and think they must make a proper burial for the bodies for stopping the manifestations of the ghosts).

They rescue Eldrak, the near dead companion of Aroun.

The Avanc is still around, i made a cut-scene (we play on a forum between 2 sessions, and i describe things that their characters cannot see) where the fisherman who stay near the shore of castle island (and was looking for the boats and the equipment) was attacked by seagulls and catch by the avanc while waiting for the heroes to return.

They want to rest on the island, for the cleric can catch a few spells in order to be free of the curse on a short period and came back to Viktal safe.

What now? should i sunk the island, dissolve it, reincarnate the avanc (could be pretty cool indeed!)?

Which do you think works best in providing opportunities for go where you and your players might want to take the game? That's probably the ultimate deciding factor.

[kottakinge]

I will reincarnate the Avanc into a druid (don't remember his name), and made the island a safe heaven where the druid will try to restore the balance in this place full of evil.
I will let the heroes taste a victory after all.
And next chapters: THE WITCHES AND THE BANSHEE QUEEN!!

I f***ing love this adventure

[alhoon]

Personally, after the DLord was killed for this domain I would have the domain dissolve in the mists and they would drop the players somewhere else.

The creators make a DL an interesting character with a very rich background, but in fact who care?
As respect for the lady's memory, i think i will let a note or something about the lady paste and the curse.

Who cares? The DM! The adventures are there for the players and DM to enjoy.
Also notes work. Or Murals/engravings/paintings the Mists put there to remind the DLord of their fall.
And if you're not afraid to break the 4th wall... you tell the players afterwards. "You know that screaming banshee you destroyed and keening was destroyed? Her story is..."

Soth's story and Tiyet's story are some of my sister's favorite stories. When she's sick and can't watch TV, I sit by her side and tell her Darklord's stories. I've told her Tiyet's and Soth's stories at least 10 times.