Starcrossed: A Ravenloft Comic Discussion

[Isabella]

That's a wrap, folks. Friday is just a picture of Misroi I drew, and hopefully we'll be back on track on Monday.

He could also be implying that Santine's been 'dibsed' by one of the stronger Darklords on the Core for whatever reason. Even Misroi isn't going to challenge a presence like Strahd or Azlain. Alternatively, another evil force, like the Gentleman Caller, or a similar conduit of the Mists, could have similarly marked our girl as a potential person of import.

Azalin: Dibs!

Gentleman Caller: I already called dibs.

Azalin: Did not.

Gentleman Caller: Did too.

Azalin: Did not! I will send adventurers back in time to call dibs before you do!

[Nathan of the FoS]

I dunno, I think Misroi has very little to fear from any other darklord on his own turf. According to Domains of Dread he refused to let his domain become part of the Core. In other words, his control of his domain is sufficient to prevent the Dark Powers from doing certain things with it against his will.

Ain't nobody else can make that claim.

Ezra, as we've just seen, is another matter. Fiends might be, too.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Guess we'll find out what Ezra thinks of Desmarais' committing homicide, when we see whether his mist-navigation drops him onto the paddleboat with Santine the Second, or into a mud-pit full of carnivorous leeches....

[Rotipher of the FoS]

In other words, his control of his domain is sufficient to prevent the Dark Powers from doing certain things with it against his will.

I'm not sure I'd go that far. AFAWK, the tendency of powerful darklords' domains to group together as a Core could be a natural phenomenon of the Land as a whole, rather than something the DPs consciously decreed would happen. So, rather than successfully defying their will, he might be delaying a process they honestly couldn't care less about, one way or the other.

[Isabella]

Guess we'll find out what Ezra thinks of Desmarais' committing homicide, when we see whether his mist-navigation drops him onto the paddleboat with Santine the Second, or into a mud-pit full of carnivorous leeches....

Well, the Nevuchar Springs Branch of the Ezran Church has yet to be dumped into a pit of scorpions, so I really don't think any divine retribution would be that direct.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Granted. OTOH, the Nevuchar sect does generally adhere to the letter of the law -- a bigger deal than just being nice, for plenty of Lawful Neutral deities -- and, by Desmarais' own words, he's quite literally begging for Her immediate verdict.

[Cronax]

Granted. OTOH, the Nevuchar sect does generally adhere to the letter of the law -- a bigger deal than just being nice, for plenty of Lawful Neutral deities

I wouldn't worry too much about that. Its pretty clear that in this setting using priestly powers has nothing to do with following deities. Just look at Yagno Petrova.

[Isabella]

Just a filler picture of Misroi today, folks.

[NeoTiamat]

He looks much more vibrant than the old Misroi. Actually, I think that's the trick to Misroi.

Well, look at it this way. We've got moody and aristocratic Darklords up to our ears, even with the added trick of Necromancy. Strahd is the archetypal example, but Dominic certainly fits, as does Azalin on some days.

On the other hand, making the Lord of the Dead closer to the earth, a more folkloric figure fills a niche that isn't really very well covered. We have the Three Hags as the folklore-figures, but let's be frank, they're woefully undeveloped darklord figures. Misroi fills that niche well this way, while still retaining a certain amount of his aristocratic flair.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

A darklord beauty-shot! Love the pic, Isabella.

[DocBeard]

I agree with Neo on this, though I think my earlier comments about being true to the hoodoo roots while still being a fancy lad still apply. (I wonder if any Sourigani wizards use one of the Books of Ezra as a conjur book?)

Azalin sending people back in time to get the first dibs in is awesome and I might use that for my TT group.

Also, art-wise, I really liked the transition from person to cloud of mist. That's a tricky effect to do, and the way you did it made the process look almost natural. Really well done on that.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Okay. New people. Aristocrats, by the look of them. Two vampires or similarly nocturnal creatures?

[DocBeard]

I like the Rajan in the turban. He reminds me of Captain Nemo.

[Isabella]

There's something in the Gazetteer that says that no Falkovnian, refugee or otherwise, can enter a public building in Dementlieu.
I threw that out the widow.

Of course, most the undesirables who don't have any useful knowledge or skills are still rotting in squalid refugee camps under "quarantine", but who cares about them?

[Rock of the Fraternity]

So Santine & Co. did leave Souragne, then? This could go both ways ... Yet in Ravenloft, the smart money's on it going south.