Year 780 is close!

[Joël of the FoS]

Soon we will be in 2026 (our time) and 780 (RL timeline).

For those who do not know it, the various developers of Ravenloft did use the real years of our time as a way to scale what was happening in Ravenloft’s timeline. Year 2001 was 755 (RL campaign setting for the first 3e era books), so 2026 is set in 780.

The Time of Unparalleled Darkness happened (its foreseen climax was set to happen in 775), and we don’t know what kind of event it was. It was most probably a catastrophic event of the scale of the Great Upheaval of 740.

(the 5e VGTRL guide hints a dislocation of the core and other silly changes but let’s forget this dread possibility quickly )

So let’s forget the 775 event itself, since it wasn’t explained what would happen.

We can guess it did shake the world as the year 740 did.

What would be the main changes afterward? Which domain or darklord would change? Who would be erased, who would gain in power?

Let’s discuss the various domains. We did that a while ago, but let's refresh the concept.

Barovia. I do not see many changes to this central domain. Another incarnation of Tatyana, another disappointment for Strahd. Not that many changes there.

A possibility - IMC there is a conflict between Strahd and Ivan Dilisnya. Ivan has the current incarnation of Tatyana (Tara Kolyana - but it could be the one coming after Tara) as a prisoner, and has learned that Leo Dilisnya is kept prisoner by Strahd (walled in a crypt). So he contacts Strahd for a prisoner exchange… That could mean war (or at least spy vs spy war) between both domains. Ivana is not happy over the situation, of course.

Borca. There is one darklord too many. I think one or the other would try to eliminate the other. My bet is on Ivana eliminating Ivan.
Your thoughts for these or others? How would you remodel RL? (in game reason as well as design fix?)

[Strahdsbuddy]

Happy new year! I always took the D in the ToUD to mean literal darkness for the Vistani seers, as though they could not predict the future beyond this due to the final.expiration of Madame Eva's allotted years.

By 780 I think the mortals are starting to kick off. drakov, Dilisnya, d'Honaire and Weather may have shaken off their mortal coils, and Tristen Hiregaard likely has as well, passing Malken on to another host.

Who will fill the voids of these powerful figures? Even the WF twins will be approaching their sunset years by now (for instance, they are my age ) and I think it is a great time for 1st level characters to start carving out their own reputation, based on the heroes and villains that came before. Azalin , Strahd, Lukas, and Godefroy can still make plenty of trouble with a new batch of mortal darklords around them

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

Barovia. I do not see many changes to this central domain. Another incarnation of Tatyana, another disappointment for Strahd. Not that many changes there.

Actually, I found last week a really cool idea. It's not mine, I found it in A Complete History of the Core, but I feel ought to mention it.
Tara is the first incarnation of Tatanya - including the original - who had a chance to make it to her fifties. At the ToUD, she's suppoesed to be around the age Strahd was when everything started. If Strahd finds her now, how would that play out? Will he still be into her? Will he express his disappointment violently? Will four centuries turn out to have been enough for him to gain the self-awareness to realise it was never really about Tatanya and he was just projecting his insecurities about his age?
If the latter happens, he might just redeem himself - and the dark powers would be like 'What a genius! Why so soon? You could wait another millenia or so...' (Your descision whether or not they're sarcastic) And release or kill him.
And then what happens?
Does Barovia get a new darklord?
Is it swallowed by the mist?
Does its disappearance removes the linchpin that holds The Core together, causing it to crumble into Islands of Terror?

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

40-something yo Celeste D'Honaire has somehow figured out at least part of the 'Darklord's curse' thingy, so since Dominic died she's pulling a Malocchio. She manipulated a Richumloise teenager to go down the path of corruption, and now rules Dementlieu from the shadows while girl hosts silly masquerades.

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

Maybe the Van Richten society gets more formalised?
Like, 20 years is a lot of time to gather new recruits. They could number in hundreds by now. Maybe now they're a real organisation? What domains other than Mordent will they have headquarters in? Do they have a cool insignia? Their own gazeteers? A monster-hunting academy?
And on the other hand, more power means more enemies. Do the big villains of Ravenloft now take them as a serious threat? Which darklords have they pissed off the most? Maybe they find out about the FoS (before or after Balfour de Casteelle's treachery is discovered) and a rivalry starts?

[The Dark]

My sort-of-a-cop-out answer would be that the ToUD was Azalin trying the end-of-3e plot (gathering a whole bunch of cambions to use their reality ripples in an escape plan, gathered in exchange for kidnapping Madame Eva for the Caller). It shattered the Demiplane and refracted each domain through multiple lenses of reality, leading to multiple versions of every domain existing within the Shadowfell. The Core is somewhere in that infinity of darkened funhouse mirrors.

While we don't have any canon information on the original Core, only some of the refractions, presumably CStrahd would be at least annoyed and potentially very very angry with CAzalin for both breaking the Domains (again) and for attacking the Vistani. It also upsets the Carnival, since Azalin both had to attack the Carnival to retrieve one of the cambions and was assisting the Caller, so now Darkon is opposed by both the Devil Strahd and the Fallen Angel.

Sticking with continuing the Core domain timelines, 780 would also mean Lucita Aderre is in her mid-20s, so she should have changed if she's Blanchard's daughter (or not if Szerieza's). Possibly Invidia is back to being under lycanthropic control as in Bakholis' day if Lucita is the daughter of Blanchard, since Malocchio would have been taken for Azalin's escape attempt and Gabrielle would have issues with whichever of her lovers (and their faction) she angered (probably both, knowing her). Lucita as a very pro-Vistani wolfwere Darklord (as a backlash against her mother and half-brother) could be an interesting change for that domain.

Moving over to Mordent, presumably Lord Jules is dead, since he'd be 105 in 780. Daniel Foxgrove would be 85 if still living, George Weathermay would be 71, and the twins would be 49. I lean toward an elderly, bitter George being the ruler of Mordent. One possibility for keeping the VRS from being too powerful would be his ongoing paranoia about whether Gennifer is an infected lycanthrope. For extra bonus points, at some time she takes a Witch level and starts getting pinged by George's Compass as a potential hag, which really freaks him out.

[azalinslegacy]

I've often thought about this a lot. One thing I've considered, is adding a new cultural level to Ravenloft if we moved to the 780's. Basically, a CL 10. Encompassing real world era of 1700-1850. So, industrial revolution, maybe even the start of the first train lines in the really advanced domains (ie. a train line between Lamorida, Dementleiu & Mordent perhaps...I remember a QtR article having something about that).

I also think some other domains could "move up" their CL's. Maybe Barovia moves up to CL 8, etc. Just to show technology changing in the realms. How would a CR 8, with firearms appearing and a middle class, already hinted at in Gazetteer, blooming in Barovia. How does Strahd deal with that?

Some other ideas: Drakov dies, killed by Victor Helsinger. Maybe Vladdy shouldn't have brought him into the fold. Helsinger decides to give himself a new title...Kaiser.

I agree with ArcaneWeirdo about Celeste. But I do think the Dark Powers would trap her as the new Darklord. French revolution anyone? With Celeste as the figure of "liberte". Maybe she takes the title First Citizeness (little Robespierre vibe there).

For Borca, what if Rodjan Dilisnya decided to do away w/ both those troublesome Sef's? Fallen paladin turning into demon could be an interesting Darklord. Maybe he helped Malocchio & Drakov crush the place as hinted at in Gazetteer about war in the core.

With Tepest, I like the idea that inquisition finally did away w/ Wyan, with Finn taking his place. And Finn succeeds, even destroying the hags, but becoming the new Darklord and turning Tepest into a theocracy. A corrupt theocracy of course. Sort of a Savonarola figure.

Also, maybe expanding the core a bit. How about if the Amber Wastes joined the core, south of Hazlan? There's a hint of this in the gazetteer mentioning there is the Mistmoss river I believe that disappears into the mists south of Hazlan. Where does it go? Maybe that leads to a reveal. The Amber wastes geography matches a little better with Hazlan's sparse, hot, rocky wastelands. Esp given the Byzantine/Turkic vibes of Hazlan, having a middle eastern domain south of it would fit.

Just a few thoughts.

[Mistmaster]

In the Mistworld is 580 After Sergej's Marriage. In Barovian calendar, 780 After the first Battle of Vallaki in which Barov I von Zharovich defeated the Terg Empire, starting the latter decadence, and take the mantle of Count-King of Vallaki.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

I always liked ideas in this scenario, especially the full blown wars around the Core.
https://www.fraternityofshadows.com/The ... rkness.pdf

But i found this as well for all the 5e lovers out there
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-Mz2T2yM5Tg_V5dCLkiI

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

I agree with ArcaneWeirdo about Celeste. But I do think the Dark Powers would trap her as the new Darklord. French revolution anyone? With Celeste as the figure of "liberte". Maybe she takes the title First Citizeness (little Robespierre vibe there).

I was implying my theory about Saidra. (If you hadn't seen, I have a long-time theory that her rise to power was orchestrated by a more calculating villain with the intent of creating a puppet ruler.)
Her version of Dementlieu also makes sense in the context of the core being shattered - Dementlieu's wealth was completely dependent on trade with other domains, which is a lot harder now when they're an island. They don't have a fraction of what they used to have, but can't let go of the memory.
But French Revolution is cool too.
What do you think Celeste's powers and curse would be?

[The Dark]

Celeste as Darklord wasn't my idea, but brainstorming first thoughts at Celeste's powers as a 3e Darklord are that she would be relatively low-key. She's an Aristocrat/Expert who's unlikely to develop into a combat monster. I think a permanent glibness and an immunity to discern lies and similar truth-detecting magics would fit with her background and give her plenty of ways to create short-term fixes that cause more long-term problems. Her curse would be that nobody's ever loyal to her. She can inspire people to follow ideals or other people, but she can never be the leader.

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

Celeste as Darklord wasn't my idea, but brainstorming first thoughts at Celeste's powers as a 3e Darklord are that she would be relatively low-key. She's an Aristocrat/Expert who's unlikely to develop into a combat monster. I think a permanent glibness and an immunity to discern lies and similar truth-detecting magics would fit with her background and give her plenty of ways to create short-term fixes that cause more long-term problems. Her curse would be that nobody's ever loyal to her. She can inspire people to follow ideals or other people, but she can never be the leader.

Cool

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

Sticking with continuing the Core domain timelines, 780 would also mean Lucita Aderre is in her mid-20s, so she should have changed if she's Blanchard's daughter (or not if Szerieza's). Possibly Invidia is back to being under lycanthropic control as in Bakholis' day if Lucita is the daughter of Blanchard, since Malocchio would have been taken for Azalin's escape attempt and Gabrielle would have issues with whichever of her lovers (and their faction) she angered (probably both, knowing her). Lucita as a very pro-Vistani wolfwere Darklord (as a backlash against her mother and half-brother) could be an interesting change for that domain.

Moving over to Mordent, presumably Lord Jules is dead, since he'd be 105 in 780. Daniel Foxgrove would be 85 if still living, George Weathermay would be 71, and the twins would be 49. I lean toward an elderly, bitter George being the ruler of Mordent. One possibility for keeping the VRS from being too powerful would be his ongoing paranoia about whether Gennifer is an infected lycanthrope. For extra bonus points, at some time she takes a Witch level and starts getting pinged by George's Compass as a potential hag, which really freaks him out.

Regarding Lucita - I like your idea, but how do we know she's going to be darklord material? Last time we saw her she was a child. (I know there's the prophecy about Gabrielle's children, but maybe it refers only to Malocchio? Or maybe Lucita is doomed to bring disaster by accident, or simply by revealing Gabrielle's infidelity? Is there any real evidence of her being evil?)


Regarding Mordent.
I'm toying with the idea of Godefroy being defeated and George taking his place as a darklord, as he's the heir to Mordent's temporal rule and is already shown to be going down a dark path.
For an Act of Ultimate Darkness I've been thinking about murdering Gennifer when her lycanthropy finally kicked in (don't worry, the dark powers ressurrected her soon after).
Alternately, maybe on the quest to defeat Godefroy he and the twins learned some more about the nature of Ravenloft - not everything, but enough so when the old ghost was gone and the ground started dissolving, George would realise the domain needs a new darklord and offer himself to the mists (The Ezra reference was unintentional on my part at first, but now when I know I'd absolutely play on that comparision), dooming himself to a cursed life to save his people.
As for his curse. You know how in 2e rangers had to be of good alignment, so they changed George to fighter following his transgressions? So I'm thinking about the same theme of nature rejecting him, but in the extreme. Animals wouldn't come close to him, his touch makes plants wither, stuff like that. If you really want to hit him where it hurts, let's say... Laurie is the only one who remembers what he'd done, and she hates him for it and doesn't want anything to do with him. Gennifer, on the other hand, doesn't remember dying and Laurie doesn't have the heart to tell her, so ever since he returned home she's trying to get his attention, but he's too ashamed to face her and constantly avoids her. And Jules... You're going to hate me for that, but he was heavily implied to be a bit senile by the time of the late 750s - so what if part of the curse (before he died) was that he never recognises George or remembers he'd returned, and constantly talks about how much he misses him?
IDK about powers. I think he should have cool ones, but I can't think what kind. I already decided I'm using the nature thing against him. Maybe something necrotic?

[TheArcaneWeirdo]

And if we don't feel like torturing the Weathermays, I'd go with Gennifer as the ruler.
I think she'd be a pretty good one, but it means she has less time for monster-hunting and studying magic and all of that. I'd be a bit frustrated in her place, but by now she had about 20 years to get used to it and I think she has more emotional maturity than a certain lich.
I can imagine her initiating a reform regarding women's rights in Mordent (frankly, I can't imagine her not at least trying to do so. I hate it when protagonists rise to power and then, for no logical reason, don't use it to fix the social problem that had been bothering them throughout the story.), which Godefroy would try to hinder by any possible mean - except from hurting the living Weathermays directly, cause he doesn't want the last remaining major noble family in Mordent to end. He desparately wants to preserve the social order he knew in life, and it seems he'd have to sacrifice one part of it to keep the other.

There's the question of marriage, of course. I don't have a problem with it if she stays single, her choice, but then who'd be the heir? (Or there isn't one. Maybe Mordent is moving away from hereditary aristocracy to democracy. Godefroy is doing flip-flops in his graves, obviously.)
If we don't want to turn the domain upside-down, or if we want to play as her kids, we're gonna need a good ship. (No, Captain Van Riese - 'ship' in this context stands for 'relationship'.)
We know she has a thing for Bevel Boritsy, but he kinda worries me. He doesn't share her empathy or faith in people, we know he can get quite ruthless, and I'm afraid this is going to be a toxic relationship (I'll show myself out). To be clear, I don't think Bevel is irredeemable, but it shouldn't be Gennifer's job to fix him.If he knows her worth, he'd fix himself for her. If you like Gennivel and want to change my mind, I challenge you to write a good fanfic where Bevel goes through a redemption arc on his own right.
What other options does she have? This is the one part I don't know enough to answer. I don't know enough characters in the appropriate age with a suitable personality, so that's a question for the crowd.

Also, could be funny if she'd acquired a mildly sinister reputation. Like, everyone knows she's a hero, but she's also a very unconventional woman, and a wizard in a land very suspicious of arcane magic, who might or might not be a werewolf. I think the people will be respectful but a bit wary of her, maybe calling her 'The Weathermay Witch' behind her back. They'd warn their daughters to avoid her, but less out of actual fear she'd harm them and more so she won't convince them to become adventurers, witches or feminists.

Overall I think she'd be a cool patron for adventurers.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Celeste as Darklord wasn't my idea, but brainstorming first thoughts at Celeste's powers as a 3e Darklord are that she would be relatively low-key. She's an Aristocrat/Expert who's unlikely to develop into a combat monster. I think a permanent glibness and an immunity to discern lies and similar truth-detecting magics would fit with her background and give her plenty of ways to create short-term fixes that cause more long-term problems. Her curse would be that nobody's ever loyal to her. She can inspire people to follow ideals or other people, but she can never be the leader.

By this time, she could be taking ranks in the Analist prestige class, which would grant her limited spellcasting power and other tools to use.
Unlike Dominic, she'd need to work on establishing control over people, and her poor health would always be an issue holding her back ... but I could see that iron will of hers helping her to cover the gap.
She'd be even more of a background ruler than dear old Uncle Dominic, seeing as she'd be operating from Dementlieu's insane asylums, conditioning patients into becoming her thralls and sending them back out into society to perform tasks for her and take up specific roles in society.