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Erasmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 9:45 am
by TheArcaneWeirdo
Can we please talk about Eresmus?
Like, is there any material other than the column he got in VRGtR about his existence in the present as a cute ghost that helps adventurers from behind the scenes? Cause I need it. Desperately. I've read less than a page about him and already decided that bro is precious.
Is there any fanfic about him? Fanart? Did any of you put him in a campaign?
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 9:49 am
by Rock of the Fraternity
Mostly, there's his background. Madame Radanavich sold him to Baron Metus to punish his father, and Metus wanted him for a vampire companion/bride. Which tells you a lot about Metus, because Erasmus was still a child as far as I know.
What is significant is that Erasmus clung to his humanity long enough to meet his fathet and ask him to put him to rest. This implies some truly heroic willpower as well as innocence on Erasmus' part.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:12 pm
by Mephisto of the FoS
Him being a ghost is something appearing only in 5e, as far as I am concerned he was transformed into a vampire groom by Baron Metus then destroyed by his father. I don't think an undead can become another kind of undead when destroyed.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:24 pm
by Rock of the Fraternity
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:12 pm
Him being a ghost is something appearing only in 5e, as far as I am concerned he was transformed into a vampire groom by Baron Metus then destroyed by his father. I don't think an undead can become another kind of undead when destroyed.
Well, Jander Sunstar was very afraid that a slain vampire might return as a Crimson Death...
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:35 pm
by TheArcaneWeirdo
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:12 pm
Him being a ghost is something appearing only in 5e, as far as I am concerned he was transformed into a vampire groom by Baron Metus then destroyed by his father. I don't think an undead can become another kind of undead when destroyed.
I know.
I just think it's one of the best changes in 5e. Cause... Eresmus's life was so unfair. He was a brave, talented and compassionate boy who had so much potential, but never got a chance to fulfill it cause he was killed at 9th grade.
There are plenty of kids like him IRL throughout history, who never got even a first chance to show the world what they've got cause tragedy stroke beforehand. And in the real world, there's no righting that wrong. But in an imaginary world, where ghosts are a thing? A kid like that can get his chance to be more than just a victim.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:44 pm
by Rock of the Fraternity
Being a ghost isn't a good thing, though, especially in Ravenloft. Being a ghost means you have some unfulfilled business or trauma trapping you in the mortal realm. There are constantly forces working to make your dark impulses darker, and creatures capable of capturing and even feeding on ghosts.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:48 pm
by TheArcaneWeirdo
TheArcaneWeirdo wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:35 pm
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:12 pm
Him being a ghost is something appearing only in 5e, as far as I am concerned he was transformed into a vampire groom by Baron Metus then destroyed by his father. I don't think an undead can become another kind of undead when destroyed.
I know.
I just think it's one of the best changes in 5e. Cause... Eresmus's life was so unfair. He was a brave, talented and compassionate boy who had so much potential, but never got a chance to fulfill it cause he was killed at 9th grade.
There are plenty of kids like him IRL throughout history, who never got even a first chance to show the world what they've got cause tragedy stroke beforehand. And in the real world, there's no righting that wrong. But in an imaginary world, where ghosts are a thing? A kid like that can get his chance to be more than just a victim.
Also, consider the comic potential of Rudolph being unable to perceive him.
Like, I have no clue how it's meant to be related to his curse, but I'd love roleplaying that.
Like.
Rudolph: I miss my son so much. I wish he was here.
Eresmus *writing in ectoplasm in front of his face 'I'm right here'.
Rudolph *wiping a tear* : sometimes I get this feeling, as if he's watching me.
Eresmus *writing in ectoplasm*: Cause I literally am?
Rudolph: Probably just a figment of my imagination...
Eresmus *writing in ectoplasm to the party*: You see what I have to deal with?!
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2025 2:00 pm
by TheArcaneWeirdo
Rock of the Fraternity wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:44 pm
Being a ghost isn't a good thing, though, especially in Ravenloft. Being a ghost means you have some unfulfilled business or trauma trapping you in the mortal realm. There are constantly forces working to make your dark impulses darker, and creatures capable of capturing and even feeding on ghosts.
I know, but the text in VRGtR was very clear about Eresmus making the best out of this situation.
And if someone tries to capture him
now, they should be
terrified , cause they've just messed with the entire Van Richten Society. (Which is something I'd absolutely put into a campaign or fanfic at some point.)
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2025 2:01 pm
by Mephisto of the FoS
Speculative... (though I personally would use it in my campaign)
Legends tell of a connection between crimson deaths and vampires. One tale suggests that, when an undead vampire is destroyed, its spirit is transformed into a crimson death. Another tale suggests that, when a vampire is created, the monster's lost soul is reborn elsewhere as a crimson death. This legend also suggests that a vampire may be restored to normal life if it is rejoined by its crimson death counterpart. A third legend says that extremely evil air elementals are condemned and cast out into the Prime Material plane in the forms of crimson deaths.
Also...
The Crimson Death was a devastating outbreak of a magical disease or curse that struck Calimshan and the Lake of Steam in the Year of the Enigma, 755 DR (in the Forgotten Realms).
Individuals afflicted with the Crimson Death bled to death before transforming into a crimson death, which then sought victims of its own to replace the blood it had lost.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2025 7:06 am
by TheArcaneWeirdo
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Mon Nov 03, 2025 2:01 pm
Speculative... (though I personally would use it in my campaign)
Legends tell of a connection between crimson deaths and vampires. One tale suggests that, when an undead vampire is destroyed, its spirit is transformed into a crimson death. Another tale suggests that, when a vampire is created, the monster's lost soul is reborn elsewhere as a crimson death. This legend also suggests that a vampire may be restored to normal life if it is rejoined by its crimson death counterpart. A third legend says that extremely evil air elementals are condemned and cast out into the Prime Material plane in the forms of crimson deaths.
Also...
The Crimson Death was a devastating outbreak of a magical disease or curse that struck Calimshan and the Lake of Steam in the Year of the Enigma, 755 DR (in the Forgotten Realms).
Individuals afflicted with the Crimson Death bled to death before transforming into a crimson death, which then sought victims of its own to replace the blood it had lost.
Interestingly, there was a case of the Crimson Death epidemic in Darkon in 688 BC, but I didn't see any mentions of it turning victims into monsters.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2025 9:23 am
by Mephisto of the FoS
TheArcaneWeirdo wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 7:06 am
Interestingly, there was a case of the Crimson Death epidemic in Darkon in 688 BC, but I didn't see any mentions of it turning victims into monsters.
That is because it is not the same virus I guess, it is named like this coincidentally.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2025 10:03 am
by TheArcaneWeirdo
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 9:23 am
TheArcaneWeirdo wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 7:06 am
Interestingly, there was a case of the Crimson Death epidemic in Darkon in 688 BC, but I didn't see any mentions of it turning victims into monsters.
That is because it is not the same virus I guess, it is named like this coincidentally.
Makes sense. But the interesting thing is that that Darkonian virus also had bleeding as a symptom.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2025 2:58 pm
by Mephisto of the FoS
TheArcaneWeirdo wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 10:03 am
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 9:23 am
TheArcaneWeirdo wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 7:06 am
Interestingly, there was a case of the Crimson Death epidemic in Darkon in 688 BC, but I didn't see any mentions of it turning victims into monsters.
That is because it is not the same virus I guess, it is named like this coincidentally.
Makes sense. But the interesting thing is that that Darkonian virus also had bleeding as a symptom.
Ebola, Marburg, and Dengue viruses are part of a group known as viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) that can also cause bleeding.
Who says that the Crimson Death of Darkon didn't create multiple misty crimson deaths? Maybe it did but was never reported.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2025 3:00 pm
by Rock of the Fraternity
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 2:58 pm
TheArcaneWeirdo wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 10:03 am
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 9:23 am
That is because it is not the same virus I guess, it is named like this coincidentally.
Makes sense. But the interesting thing is that that Darkonian virus also had bleeding as a symptom.
Ebola, Marburg, and Dengue viruses are part of a group known as viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) that can also cause bleeding.
Who says that the Crimson Death of Darkon didn't create multiple misty crimson deaths? Maybe it did but was never reported.
Maybe the (animate) crimson deaths quickly fled Darkon, or the Dark Powers spirited them away before Azalin could enslave them. They could pop up anywhere by now.
Re: Eresmus van Richten
Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2026 3:38 pm
by Gonzoron of the FoS
Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Mon Oct 27, 2025 1:12 pm
Him being a ghost is something appearing only in 5e
Not entirely. He appears as a ghost in 2e's
Bleak House.