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starting chronology
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==Inns & Taverns==
==Inns & Taverns==
==Chronology==
*[[579 BC]] [[Strahd]] and [[Azalin]] create a [[portal]] to [[Mordent]] to escape the [[Land of Mists]], but their plans fail as [[the Mists]] snatch up that land. Angered, Azalin abandons Strahd and [[Barovia]].<ref name="Gaz II p. 135">[[Gazetteer II]] p.135</ref>. The Dark Powers grant Azalin the domain of Dark as a result.<ref name="Gazetteer II p. 9">[[Gazetteer II]] p.9</ref>
*[[579 BC]] [[False History]] [[Darcalus Rex]] is overthrown by [[Azalin]].<ref name="Gazetteer II p. 19">[[Gazetteer II]] p. 19</ref>
*[[580 BC]] [[The Whistling Fiend]] wipes out [[Creeana]],causing all those who lived there to abandon the village or perish.<ref>[[Gazetteer II]] p.16</ref>
*[[603 BC]] ([[Prime Material Plane]]) [[Ebb]]'s [[shadow dragon]] kindred come into bloody conflict with [[humanoid]]s. It doesn't go well for her relatives, but Ebb manages to escape.<ref name="Gaz II p.143">[[Gazetteer II]] p.143</ref>
*[[650 BC]] [[The Kargat]] establish the [[Faith of the Overseer]] in [[Darkon]].<ref name="RLCS p.17">[[Ravenloft Third Edition]] p.17</ref><ref name="RLPHB p.19">[[Ravenloft Player's Handbook]] p.19</ref>
* [[656 BC]] [[Ebb]] stalks those who killed her [[shadow dragon]] relatives, but she is drawn into [[the Mists]]. Winding in up in [[Darkon]], she first comes into conflict with [[Azalin]] but then reaches an accord with him through their mutual power and condescension towards living [[human]]s.<ref name="Gaz II p.143">[[Gazetteer II]] p.143</ref>
*[[688 BC]] '''Autumn''': The [[Crimson Death]] originates in the [[Boglands]]. It eventually spreads to [[Il Aluk]] and, from there, the rest of [[Darkon]], killing an estimated 1 out of every 5 [[Darkonian]]s.<ref name="Gazetteer I p. 21">[[Gazetteer II]] p. 21</ref>
*[[688 BC]] '''Winter''' The [[Crimson Death]] spreads across [[Darkon]]; it claims [[Rudolph van Richten]]’s great aunt Helga despite his efforts. As a result, Rudolph is even more driven into his medical studies.
*[[689 BC]] [[Vlad Drakov]] and his [[Talons of the Hawk]] enter [[the Mists]] and come out in [[Darkon]]. They immediately put the [[Darkonian]] [[village]]s of [[Pound (Village)|Pound]], [[S'Realm]], and [[Glymshire]] to the torch. The [[undead]] retaliate, and Vlad's mercenaries are expelled into the Mists.<ref name ="Gaz II p.92-93">[[Gazetteer II]] p.92-93</ref>
*[[689 BC]] '''Spring''': The [[Crimson Death]] is on the decline.<ref name="Gazetteer I p. 21">[[Gazetteer II]] p. 21</ref>
*[[700 BC]] [[First Dead Man’s War]] waged by [[Falkovnia]] upon [[Darkon]]<ref name="Gaz II p. 93">[[Gazetteer II]] p. 93</ref>
*[[704 BC]] [[Second Dead Man’s War]] is waged by [[Falkovnia]] upon [[Darkon]].<ref name="Gaz II p. 93">[[Gazetteer II]] p. 93</ref>
*[[706 BC]] [[Erasmus van Richten]] is stolen by the [[Radanavich clan]] and sold to [[Baron Metus]]. With the help of [[Azalin]], [[Dr. Van Richten]] wipes out all but one member of the Radanavich caravan; [[Madame Radanavich]] [[curse | curses]] Van Richten.
*[[706 BC]] Van Richten puts his Erasmus out of his misery, but in spite [[Baron Metus]] tears [[Ingrid van Richten]] to pieces; Dr. Van Richten destroys Baron Metus, starting his career of hunting evil. Unable to live with the memories in [[Richten Haus]], Van Richten moves to [[Corvia]].
*[[710 BC]] [[Dr. Van Richten]] encounters his first [[werebeast]] near [[Varithne]]; he starts hunting werebeasts as well.
*[[711 BC]] [[Third Dead Man’s War]]<ref name="Gaz II p. 94">[[Gazetteer II]] p. 94</ref>
*[[712 BC]] '''[[The Ancestor Uprising]]''' - The [[dwarf|dwarves]] of [[Tombdust Hall]] drive back the undead ancestors who awaken and threaten the community.<ref>[[Van Richten's Arsenal]], p. 11</ref>
*[[712 BC]] Falkovnia begins entering a planning phase of a larger [[invasion]] against [[Darkon]].
*[[714 BC]] [[Dr. Van Richten]] receives a visit from his childhood friend, [[Eldrenn Van Dorn]], who is now a ghostly slave to Azalin; Dr. Van Richten learns the terrible truth about [[Azalin Rex]].
*[[714 BC]] [[Dr. Van Richten]] moves to [[Mordentshire]], sensing it is politically unsafe for him to remain in [[Darkon]].
*[[716 BC]] The spirit of [[Madame Radanavich]] and her undead retinue discover [[Richten Haus]] and claim it for their own.
*[[722 BC]] [[The Fourth Dead Man's War]]<ref name="Gaz II p. 94">[[Gazetteer II]] p. 94</ref>
*[[736 BC]] [[Elsepeth]] goes to [[Nartok]].
*[[748 BC]] [[The Ebon Fold]] are sent out to begin collecting [[soul]]s. [[Falkovnian]] citizens are among those chosen for their attacks.<ref name="Gazetteer II p. 23">[[Gazetteer II]] p. 23</ref>
*[[749 BC]] The [[Grim Harvest]] begins.<ref name="DoD p.17">[[Domains of Dread]] p.17</ref><ref name="RLCS p.18">[[Ravenloft Third Edition]] p.18</ref><ref name="RLPHB p.20">[[Ravenloft Player's Handbook]] p.20</ref>
*[[749 BC]] '''Late Year''': The [[Doomsday Device]]'s last prototype is tested by [[the Kargat]], transforming [[Lowellyn Dachine]] into [[Death]].<ref name="Gazetteer I p. 23">[[Gazetteer II]] p. 23</ref>
*][751 BC]] [[Bastion Teodorus Raines]] writes the ''[[Fourth Book of Ezra]]'' and is recognized as the Bastion of the Darkonian [[Church of Ezra]].<ref name="RLCS p.18">[[Ravenloft Third Edition]] p.18</ref><ref name="RLPHB p.20">[[Ravenloft Player's Handbook]] p.20</ref>[ He cleanses and occupies [[the Last Redoubt]] in [[Nevuchar Springs]].
*[[751 BC]] '''March:''' [[Falkovnia]] launches its fifth invasion of [[Darkon]] in the [[March of Doom]]. Falkovnian forces reach as far north as [[Nartok]] before being turned back by the undead.


{{MCS}}
{{MCS}}

Revision as of 23:45, 5 February 2016

Darkon
Culture Level Dark Age to Chivalric
Ecology Full
Climate & Terrain Temperate forest, hill, plain, swamp
Year Formed 579 BC
Population ~120,000
Races (%) Humans 75%, Halflings 14%, Gnomes 5%, Elves 3%, Half-Elves 1%, Dwarves 1%, Other 1%
Languages Darkonese, Halfling, Gnome, Elven, Dwarven, Falkovnian, Lamordian, Mordentish, Tepestani, Vaasi
Religions The Eternal Order, Ezra, the Faith of the Overseer
Government Feudal monarchy
Ruler(s) Azalin Rex
Darklord(s) Azalin Rex
Nationality Darkonian
Analog European High Fantasy
Related Categories
Locations in Darkon
Transportation in Darkon
Inhabitants of Darkon
Former Inhabitants of Darkon
Flora of Darkon
Fauna of Darkon
Native Monsters of Darkon

Emergence and Azalin

A feudal fantasy nation ruled over by the lich-king Azalin Rex, Darkon is the largest domain in Ravenloft. Physically, it takes up the northern third of the main continent, the Core, and its population easily exceeds that of any other single domain. Politically, Darkon is stable but not very influential, with its various nobles kept in check by Azalin's machinations.

In a real sense, Darkon's history is Azalin's history. After being driven out of his original homeland and finding himself in Ravenloft, Azal'Lan (originally a title meaning simply "Wizard King") was briefly befriended by Strahd von Zarovich, the darklord of Barovia. They were experimenting with a few magic spells to help each other escape until eventually Azalin gave up, and wandered into Darkon. After leaving, Azalin found himself the master of a sprawling domain that reflected his cruelty, his obsession with order, his cunning, and his greatest frustration: the inability to learn new magic.

Due to Azalin's desire for unswerving loyalty, Darkon has the most obvious and unique curse in Ravenloft. After spending from one to three months within its borders, anyone not native to Darkon loses all memory of their original homeland, instead believing themselves to have always lived in Darkon. Additionally, they lose all personal desire to leave the country, though some do so anyway out of necessity or circumstance. The memories include a whole new life history and victim often adopt gravestones at the local cemeteries as graves of their ancestors. The lost memories return upon leaving the domain. In From the Shadows, it is shown that their memories are magically recorded in a book in a library in Avernus.


This feature leads some to believe that Darkon is an unsuitable realm for an outsiders-based campaign. Some players have experimented with campaigns of rediscovery, where the players have no clue as to their "real" histories but can discover them through investigation. (Inspired by the movie Memento and the video game Planescape: Torment.)

Some possible workarounds exist, but these involve doctoring the books in the library. As a plot device, it is possible that Azalin may bargain with powerful outsiders to restore their memories in exchange for a service. For low-level characters, another potential plot device is to have a "finder's agency" investigate their lost memories, which could uncover many events in neighboring Ravenloft domains. Also, the aimless vulnerability of individuals newly mind-wiped lends itself to interesting slavery or gang-related plots.


Azalin's desire to escape Ravenloft led to the disastrous Grand Conjunction in 740 Barovian Calendar, nearly destroying the Demiplane of Dread. His next escape attempt resulted in the equally catastrophic Requiem, destroying his physical form and turning the capital city of Darkon, Il Aluk, into a city of the undead, now called Necropolis. For the five years of Azalin's disappearance, Darkon itself was known as Necropolis due to the influence of that city's darklord, Death. Azalin was restored to his body and his throne in time, and now plots a third escape attempt, the details of which are unknown.

Darkon is one of the few domains of Ravenloft to accept demihumans such as elves and dwarves as equal citizens, and one of the few to embrace arcane magic openly. Darkon is often considered decadent by its neighbors, appropriate enough as Azalin encourages his citizens to debase themselves as a means of salving his own ego.

Things, Creatures & Personnages of Legend

Biology

Flora

Fauna

Native Horrors

Geography

Darkon map by the MCS. Note: Since this fan-made map predates 3rd Edition Ravenloft, there are some inconsistencies with the more recent maps.


Weather

Terrain

Mountains & Hills

Forest

Lakes

Landmarks

Communication

Rivers

Roads

Mistways

Frontiers

The Shadow Rift

Falkovnia

Lamordia

Sea of Sorrows

Misty Border

Nocturnal Sea

Nova Vaasa

Population Distrubtion

Cities

Towns

Villages

Authority

Darklord

Temporal Ruler

Spiritual Ruler

Church and State

Government

Law

Law-Enforcement

Extra-Judical

Information Gathering

Military Footing

  • Any corpse in the land may rise to fight at the command of Azalin Rex.

Law-Enforcement

Language & Culture

Darkonese

Inns & Taverns

Chronology


This page incorporates content from the inactive Mordent Cartographic Society. Used with their express permission.

References

  1. ↑ Gazetteer II p.135
  2. ↑ Gazetteer II p.9
  3. ↑ Gazetteer II p. 19
  4. ↑ Gazetteer II p.16
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Gazetteer II p.143
  6. ↑ Ravenloft Third Edition p.17
  7. ↑ Ravenloft Player's Handbook p.19
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Gazetteer II p. 21
  9. ↑ Gazetteer II p.92-93
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Gazetteer II p. 93
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Gazetteer II p. 94
  12. ↑ Van Richten's Arsenal, p. 11
  13. ↑ Gazetteer II p. 23
  14. ↑ Domains of Dread p.17
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Ravenloft Third Edition p.18
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Ravenloft Player's Handbook p.20
  17. ↑ Gazetteer II p. 23


Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

Ravenloft Third Edition
Domains of Dread
Requiem: The Grim Harvest - Necropolis
Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume II

Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume II - pp8-53

Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp7,17,19-21,24,55
Ravenloft Third Edition - pp13,15,16,19,110,116-117
Domains of Dread - pp33-35
Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium I - pp 106-107, 241-242
Requiem: The Grim Harvest - Necropolis - pp1-32
Van Richten's Guide to The Created - p12,50-51,55
Van Richten's Guide to Werebeasts - p5
The Ravenloft Campaign Setting:Domains and Denizens - pp11-13
Realm of Terror - pp67-68
Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume II - pp8-53
I, Strahd, The War Against Azalin - p234, 256

Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp8-9
Ravenloft Third Edition - inside cover
Domains of Dread - pp26-27
Requiem: The Grim Harvest - poster map
The Ravenloft Campaign Setting - poster map
Realm of Terror - poster map
Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume II - p12

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