Café de Nuit

I've just been going through some of the books in my rpg library, digital and physical, and I found myself in a theme of sorts. 2E The Castle Guide, 3E Gary Gygax's Living Fantasy and Nation Builder, 5E Strongholds and Followers, 5E Ultimate Kingdoms,...anyway, something came up to switch my brain partially back to Ravenloft and I found myself trying to create a merger of sorts.

There were some initial wrinkles that caused my brain to start to settle a bit. Mainly, Ravenloft as a setting isn't naturally built to provide PCs with such rewards and responsibilities. At least, looking from a heroes of light point of view (my default view of PCs in RL). In general they oppose the lords of the realms. To be granted titles and lands by a generally non-good lord is a bit of a mindboggle. It's not impossible, as nothing in D&D is, yet it requires a great and constant bit of mental maneuvering on the DM's part to keep things believable for the good PCs who are somehow sworn to a generally evil lord. Also, for the evil or non-good lord/sometimes dark lord, to want to keep such do-gooders and potentially very dangerous individuals so close to the centre of their web. On the surface it just doesn't make sense for one to reach out to the other, given the core differences of morality. Yet there are ways for PCs to be granted titles and lands. There has to be. In every domain.

Some domains are more organic than others, like Mordent. Here the PCs can be rewarded titles and land in an effort to not only give a lifelong (and even generational) thanks for the protection of the realm, but to also start to rebuild the mostly vacant nobility that will so desperately be needed in the very near future, if there is to be one free from the shackles of its neighbours.

Others...?

Has anyone addressed this at their table? Even if you didn't, what are your thoughts in elevating PCs to such a level in such grim and rotten realms?

Domains which aren't directly ruled by the Darklord includes Lamordia, Nova Vaasa and Zherisia/Paridon

Darkon - can be a baron or a knight, though they have to attend the annual orgy ball

Mordent - could be from one of the lost aristocratic families, though I doubt but can have honourable positions

Richemulot- Could be aristocrats, but titles come and go there.

Nova Vaasa - members of the aristocracy or knights

Valachan- no unless they are vampires

Sithicus - Elf nobles

Lamordia - No nobles but could could have some honourable positions or old knighthood.

Dementlieu - Nobles possible obedient though

Borca/Dorvinia- nobles

Barovia - nobles/boyars or old knights

Hazlan- Mulan noble possibly LN

Kartakass - no unless being Meistersinger of Harmonia or a village

Tepest - no only members of the local militia or something

Falkovnia - no evil military

Graben - no

Liffe - knighthood

Vechor - anything is possible

Souragne - Only plantation owners

Sri Raji - only local and must be of high cast

Rokushima Táiyoo - local samurai loyal to one of Haki Shinpi's sons

Pharasia - Diamabels followers, knights

Har 'Akir - Green Hand (equivalent to knighthood?)

If the PCs perform a service that ingratiates them to the populace of a domain, the darklord may feel pressure from his or her subjects to reward the PCs with land and station. This could help explain why some evil rulers would show favor to heroes.

Since Verbrek has no recognized sovereignty, a sort of backhanded honor could be granted by drawing up a deed to land in those woods. The darklord could present it as a gift for service to the realm, thus saving face with the people, but it would ultimately be a subtle bid to get the PCs killed.

Lamordia has lot of nobles.

Maybe in your Mistworld but canonically it has only the Von Aubreckers but there is are landowners who take a sit in the village council of each area electing mayors.

If one keeps the land surrounding Paridon, there would be a lot of undefined territory to use there. (It's listed as an aristocratic republic, so that might change the dynamics a bit from straight monarchies/aristocracies) The presence of the dread doppelgangers would also complicate a vassal/master sort of dynamic.

Adapting some of the lesser known domains from novels, like Malosia or Kislova, might be possible.

Beyond the tendency for evil authority figures, I think the claustrophobia and lack of suitable infrastructure/institutions in Ravenloft could also be a significant problem. Darkon's system of 20 baronies might be a potential around this, but the evil leader and secret police could pose some complications.

Mephisto wrote:Maybe in your Mistworld but canonically it has only the Von Aubreckers but there is are landowners who take a sit in the village council of each area electing mayors.

the Mordenheims are Barons too, and I remember at least two or three other castles of Lamordian nobility from canon prducts.

A really clever darklord might give PCs a title and land grant to develop their domain. High-powered killing machines like PCs could set up new population centers, blaze roads through savage wilderness, and kill unreasonable monsters.
And they'll happily do it, "for the people".
A really clever darklord would give them those titles and grants, and resources as well, then smile in the knowledge the domain is being improved and they're off the kill-list while the revenues are starting to flow into their coffers.