Cyberpunk Domain-Not "Ravenloft" Enough?

[Tykus]

If we were discussing real-world ancient societies, yes, that would be a possible subject for dispute. But we're talking about in-game societies which are (loosely) based on modern-day game designers' not-all-that-expert notions of past cultures. Even if clockwork existed in the ancient Greece of our own planet, who's to say that the made-up, Greek-legend-inspired world that Althea the medusa came from would necessarily have such technology also? Or that, if a Greek-based culture were imported to Ravenloft, the DPs would bother to include that know-how?

Unless incorporating something will either A) equip the resident darklord with an appropriate habitat, or B) drive said darklord up the wall, there's no call to represent every conceivable cultural nuance in a given domain. Sithicus doesn't have a Tower of High Sorcery, Darkon doesn't mention the Great Kingdom in its false history, and Har'Akir doesn't have a single pyramid. Domains, to the extent that they do re-enact real world historical settings and periods, resemble a nondescript sampling of those places and eras, not the epitome of their achievements.

Sorry, didn't mean to imply otherwise. From what I was reading, I was seeing a "temporal superiority" undercurrent that I've seen in similar threads on different sites (not all of them RL either). As far as the made-up cultures based on real-world cultures, you won't get any argument from me; I was just trying to warn people from falling into a "Lamordian-style" of thinking.

And who says Sithicus doesn't have Tower of High Sorcery? IIRC, from the original DL book, didn't one of the Towers explode or some such (perfect material for a Krynnish pocket, if you ask me)? As far as Har'Akir's pyramid, doesn't it? Wasn't there an entry in one of the 2nd ed. supports (FiD, I think) mentioning a black pyramid in Har'Akir?

[Tykus]

Since we're on the subject of technology: What about rhulisti/rhul-thaun lifeshaping from Athas? That's extremely high-biotech.

[Baduin9]

A small cyberpunk domain would probably lack any ability to actually PRODUCE their technology. Such a domain would have about 10 thousand people. Most high-technology products require components produced in the whole world. Who produces processors? If the domain has a processor factory, they certainly won't produce memory. And what about natural resources? Oil, gas, rare matals etc?

Certainly, they could do some singular products in laboratories, but they would be hand-made and cost accordingly.

And D&D is already a hight-tech setting, but high technology is extremely expensive and limited to highter levels:

Thermovision - Goggles of Night
Robots - Golems
Plasma pistol - Wand of Scorching Ray,
Plasma gun - Staff of Fire
Personal Antigravity - Boots of Flying
Computer with direct brain interface - Headband of Intellect


Of course, all technological items don't work in Antimagic Zone - it is apparently also anti-electronic zone.

High level D&D has no problem with accomodating as high technology as you desire. The only condition is you must set price on the same level as the standard magic items.

[DasSoviet]

A few months ago I came across a setting that I've been interested in trying out here, and thinking about it now, it could work pretty well in Ravenloft. Etherscope may provide some ideas, like finding some way to harness the mists to power devices in a steam-punk/cyber-punk like manner, the 'ether' could be another pocket plane set up by the Dark Powers that link only to that one domain/island (thus preventing the spread of the technology elsewhere), etc.

Likely the biggest problem here is combining the 'punk' genre with the Gothic one that dominates Ravenloft, though maybe the general amorality of the masses could be used to contrast starkly with the relative morality of the heroes...

And here's another one... consider a Dark Lord that is a 'corporation'... the Dark Lord is not an individual, but the company itself, somehow gaining some form of sentience, exerting it's will through the Board of Directors, who have had their wills completely subsumed into the will of the Company. The Company seeks to crush all forms of competition to ensure it's continued survival, but it's forced to realize that it cannot control all aspects of an economy... just an idea, don't know how well it would work

[Tykus]

And here's another one... consider a Dark Lord that is a 'corporation'... the Dark Lord is not an individual, but the company itself, somehow gaining some form of sentience, exerting it's will through the Board of Directors, who have had their wills completely subsumed into the will of the Company. The Company seeks to crush all forms of competition to ensure it's continued survival, but it's forced to realize that it cannot control all aspects of an economy... just an idea, don't know how well it would work

Sort of like a very big phantasmagorum or a genius loci.