Café de Nuit

The Beast of 2025 has been released from the cellars beneath Maison Soulombre...

And here is where you can comment on its appearance and its components.

Great issue. I have given a cursory glance, I will have to reread more in the detail, but I absolutely love it.

"Heresy, Heterodoxy and Heteropraxy" by Tonitrus.

This article is a real banger in my book.
I loved that it reads as a genuine scholarly analysis of the various faiths of the Core, explaining its terminology and handling its subject matter fairly objectively.
The article also offers a lot of variation to the established religions of the Core, which can be good fun for a DM looking for some interesting NPCs or seeds for religious conflict beyond the established grudges between the churches we know. I'm just sorry Tonitrus didn't give the Duremkite heresy its own section, as he did for the other variants.

I sincerely hope you'll write more articles on this subject, and take a look at the faiths of other Clusters and Islands. I'd also like to know more about the viewpoint character, Alphonse Dufort. Who is he? Why did he write the article? Maybe there'll be a "Heresy, Heterodoxy and Heteropraxy 2" in our future?

"The Bright Triad," by Jeremy16.

I had the pleasure of proofing this article, and I think it adds some very useful NPCs to Ravenloft, especially for someone looking for some high-leveled support for the forces of good.
Jeremy16 makes good use of 3e's supply of prestige classes, and he makes sure to create heroes that aren't flawless paragons, but have very human flaws and dark secrets of their own, including the various nemeses dogging their existence. He manages to do this without making the Bright Triad too doomed to be useful. (Just doomed enough to potentially need some help from a band of enterprising PCs at one point or another, which makes for a nice hook even for those who do not wish to join the Bright Triad themselves. )
Every character with any identity to its name comes with fairly lavish background and links to other characters, so this is an article you may need to devote some extra time to. Enjoy!

"Curse of Captain Garvyn ", by Ian Fordam.

This short story, told by a crew member of the ship once known as the Endurance... Well, it nearly brought a tear to my eye. I feel better for having read it. While it's sad, it also shows defiance in the face of terrible evil. Good on Captain Garvyn for reclaiming the souls of his crew, and bad cess to Meredoth!

"Righteous Rulership," by Ian Fordam.

A well-crafted tale of lingering evil and obsession, but also of duty and courage - and of some measure of acceptance.
I find myself a little feeling sorry for Mishev. In the end, his willpower proved to not be up to the challenge he had taken up. 'Fru' Sarah, however, is a wonderful protagonist. She is steadfast in her faith and her duty.
I liked how much of the material outlined in the Nocturnal Sea Gazetteer found its way into this article very much. Seeing Jean-Marcel l'Voy sent a cold shiver down my spine, even if he isn't an active antagonist. Small hints - the stench of his abode, the paleness of his skin - added to the aforementioned cold shiver, not to mention his contacting his Master about Sarah at the end.
... I hope she survives the winter unchanged.

"Hot Time in a Cold Place ," by Ian Fordam.

A fine adventure to insert in a long-term campaign, especially if your party has wound up in Nebligtode. I could see PCs gaining some grudging respect from the dour Grabenites by helping them weed out the villains of the plot. Now if only they'll resist the urge to add the adventure's magic item to their toolbox...
One of the things I liked best about this adventure is how recognizable the motivations behind the villains' actions are. Not that I appreciate that motivation, but it is very realistic; people refusing to move and adapt with the times, lashing out at what they see as an attack on their way of life. The concerns of the tale - livelihoods, "the people we know", home and hearth - resonate with me more strongly than some grand quest for honour and glory might, which is entirely in keeping with Grabenite down-to-earth culture. The adventure's supernatural elements do not detract from this, but reinforce the alien quality of the evil brought down upon Graben Island.

Heresy, Heterodoxy, and Heteropraxy
by Tonitrus

I very much enjoyed this article. The scholarly tone was convincing without being dry. It provides a useful framework for describing heresies and heterodoxies. It offers multiple examples of splinter faiths with sufficient (but not excessive) detail to incorporate them into a campaign. It even provides rationale for how the Iron Faith can operate in Hazlan despite its stance on arcane magic! (Short answer: very carefully.)

As the only section dedicated to a non-Core domain, "Zherisia and the Divinity of Mankind" felt out of place to me. However, please take that as a miniscule complaint.

I really liked the various brief examples scattered throughout the text. We don't need a full stat block for Annette of St. Ronges; sufficient world-building detail is provided by the single paragraph describing her writings and her impact upon the Church of Ezra. My favorite such example is Balthazar Strazni of Liffe exactly because the Faith of the Thousand Gods is so obscure yet very appropriately referenced. These details do an excellent job of emphasizing the author's points without distracting from them.

Well done, Tonitrus!

A great thank you to all contributors!

Alright, time for my first batch of reviews!

Before I start, I'd like to disclose that I had early access to reading & giving feedback for the Graben Island Trilogy by Ian Fordam and was a writer for the gazetteer portion of the Sri Raji Trilogy by Ian Fordam, and also read & reviewed early iterations of the Bright Triad by Jeremy16/Jeremy Roby. Therefore, I will not be reviewing those articles as I'd rather people who are reading them for the first time in this year's edition to give their thoughts and feedback, since I already have (and found all of these works both lovely and am thankful for having had the chance to contribute to them).

Darkon’s History Explored (expansion of Arcane Age of Darkon QtR 31)
by Matt "Strahdsbuddy" Doyle

I appreciate the start of this article with an address to the reader on the purpose of caring about concepts like "true" or "false" history. There was a question on the Ravenloft subreddit about how to write a good false history, and I'll repost my reply from there to here:

"I think the most important thing to remember about “false history” is that it needs to be true/real enough for PCs to engage with and care about. The false history of the Church of Yutow in Valachan and the Church of the Lawgiver in Nova Vaasa gives ample background reasons for why those respective domains have institutions which either perpetuate ignorance and obedience. The false history of Hazlan gives PCs the chance to discover lots of arcane relics of bygone eras, despite Hazlan being formed quite recently in Ravenloft’s history. Darkon’s false history makes it easy to run a lich or undead adventure, as it could be a remnant from the Arcane Age of Darkon’s past.

I would say that this expansion to last year's work does that quite well. While I did enjoy the idea of referring to the demihuman races of Darkon as tribes or ethnicities, I think having a sort of small sidebar or legend at the very beginning of the article with an explanation of what demihuman race was which tribe would have been useful for new readers, or for those that might not have returned to last year's issue to refresh themselves on what was established.

The prose to describe the early conflicts between the Nevuchar and the Tempites is quite lovely! It reminds me strongly of the sort of fantastical lore & world-building you'd find in works like the Belgariad and other, older fantasy works or lorebooks for various settings. The recontextualization of the Gray Realm & Darkanos through an elven lens fits the sort of poetic-storytelling that one is accustomed to seeing from the popular conception of elves (defined by Tolkien and those who followed in his footsteps in the genre of fantasy) and segues nicely into the Early Years portion. Likewise, the conflict between elves and dwarves is a familiar trope but given its own flavor in the context of Darkon. The magical imposition of silence upon the dwarves fits well with the high-fantasy feeling of Darkon's past that Strahdsbuddy is painting; I'm reminded as well of disasters like the Scouring of Arak but in a much more melancholy and less devastating sense. Elamaris' mistake also evokes similarities to the grand tales and tragedies of Greco-Roman mythology & the explanations those stories offered on certain natural phenomena & historical events. All while reflecting the all-too-human impulses and natures of their storytellers. Similar misunderstandings like with the story of Tretamari also fit plausibly into the mythos which Strahdsbuddy weaves.

Really, I greatly enjoyed this article. However, I do wish that we got a bit more on the various wizards & other creatures of the night that preceded Darcalus or thrived during his time of false history, so that they can be better referenced here. I think of how Mistmaster handled his Darkon false history as an example, as well as the differentiation he provided in each settlement. The inclusion of Wormschild was great, and so was the note of the Czhemel using golems, and more of that would have been lovely to see. Perhaps even a bit of sly references to Greyhawk lore, regarding Knurl & the Bone Marches and how Darkon may reflect Greyhawk in that vein? However, given that the issue ends with a note saying it shall be continued in the next issue, I suspect that my criticisms will be addressed there, so I'm looking forward to more!

Falkovnia, Land of Militarism & Tyranny
by Tommaso "Mistmaster" Mazzoni

If there's one thing that always astounds me about Mistmaster's work, it's that it's both very detailed and hews to a very specific vision of the Dread Realms. While not many may share every exact detail of his vision, I think it's highly impressive that he continues to steadfastly follow and expand upon it, year after year, with the quality staying the same and improving with feedback given. While Mistmaster's take on Falkovnia is inspired by the work of NeoTiamat, I think it's impressive to also see where it differs, especially with Mistmaster's interpretation of Vlad Drakov and his torment. Tying Gondegal more closely to Drakov makes sense and plays well with the idea that Drakov cannot be both a great tactical general & a great strategic ruler at the same time. Even better to me that Drakov is a threat that can conquer territories but is doomed to eventually lose them. The bloodshed and misery he can cause to a region that is under his control, no matter how temporarily, is enough to take him seriously amongst PCs and NPCs.I also appreciated the reworking of Stangengrad into Stangenstadt, with its description as an adventurer hub being a welcome use of the city in a Falkovnia that, while undoubtedly hostile, is still capable of being traversed and appreciated by PCs. There's more of a reason to liberate Falkovnia and care about its people in Mistmaster's work---inspired by NeoTiamat's interpretation which I also felt similarly towards---than there is in the canon Falkovnia of 2e & 3e, to me. And, as always with Mistmaster's work, the sheer amount of NPCs and built-in adventure hooks is remarkable and worthy of appreciation all on its own! Bonus points for the clever inclusion of 5e's Vladeska Drakov, referred to here as Viktra Drakov.

I can't comment as much on the mechanical aspects of Mistmaster's work, but it is still nice to see them available for anyone who wishes to use them. Additionally, as always with Falkovnia, I do wish that there were a better idea of the chain-of-command, but I can still understand the brushstrokes well enough. Really, my greatest criticism is that I'd have loved both more expansion to the "The People" section of the work, as well as a greater showing---as opposed to telling---of the militarism in Falkovnia. While the article has its roots in NeoTiamat's work, I think more could have been shown to focus on those themes---maybe more on the laws & bureaucracy the PCs might have to deal with, or perhaps more regarding Falkovnian attitudes of life & death. The NPC adventure hooks do address and show this, but I wanted a bit more.

The Goblinwood: Land of the Goblins and other Forsaken people
by Tommaso "Mistmaster" Mazzoni

I've been an active player of World of Warcraft since the Warlords of Draenor expansion, and have typically played on the side of the Horde faction. I've always enjoyed the Horde for being a faction of outcasts and misfits trying to reclaim their own honor and survive in a harsh world that they have wronged in the past and now looks to wrong them in return. I play either as an orc warlock, an undead "forsaken" warlock, or a blood elf demon hunter. Therefore, I really enjoyed this article, way more than I thought I would! The various different NPCs Mistmaster introduces remind me of the various NPCs I've met and read the lore of while I played WoW on the side of the Horde, and they all feel quite diverse despite their monster types being considered traditional to the point of cliché. I like Shingrak's torment but I wish we had a bit more to differentiate him from other draconic creatures that have done heinous things---there are quite a few dracoliches that have broken oaths that I can think of off the top of my head so why is Shingrak so special by comparison? That and I wish we got more into the "evil of ambition of colonialism", especially the later part, which the tropes Mistmaster posted said were relevant to this domain.

Speedwagon wrote: Mon Nov 03, 2025 6:45 pm Alright, time for my first batch of reviews!


Falkovnia, Land of Militarism & Tyranny
by Tommaso "Mistmaster" Mazzoni

If there's one thing that always astounds me about Mistmaster's work, it's that it's both very detailed and hews to a very specific vision of the Dread Realms. While not many may share every exact detail of his vision, I think it's highly impressive that he continues to steadfastly follow and expand upon it, year after year, with the quality staying the same and improving with feedback given. While Mistmaster's take on Falkovnia is inspired by the work of NeoTiamat, I think it's impressive to also see where it differs, especially with Mistmaster's interpretation of Vlad Drakov and his torment. Tying Gondegal more closely to Drakov makes sense and plays well with the idea that Drakov cannot be both a great tactical general & a great strategic ruler at the same time. Even better to me that Drakov is a threat that can conquer territories but is doomed to eventually lose them. The bloodshed and misery he can cause to a region that is under his control, no matter how temporarily, is enough to take him seriously amongst PCs and NPCs.I also appreciated the reworking of Stangengrad into Stangenstadt, with its description as an adventurer hub being a welcome use of the city in a Falkovnia that, while undoubtedly hostile, is still capable of being traversed and appreciated by PCs. There's more of a reason to liberate Falkovnia and care about its people in Mistmaster's work---inspired by NeoTiamat's interpretation which I also felt similarly towards---than there is in the canon Falkovnia of 2e & 3e, to me. And, as always with Mistmaster's work, the sheer amount of NPCs and built-in adventure hooks is remarkable and worthy of appreciation all on its own! Bonus points for the clever inclusion of 5e's Vladeska Drakov, referred to here as Viktra Drakov.

I can't comment as much on the mechanical aspects of Mistmaster's work, but it is still nice to see them available for anyone who wishes to use them. Additionally, as always with Falkovnia, I do wish that there were a better idea of the chain-of-command, but I can still understand the brushstrokes well enough. Really, my greatest criticism is that I'd have loved both more expansion to the "The People" section of the work, as well as a greater showing---as opposed to telling---of the militarism in Falkovnia. While the article has its roots in NeoTiamat's work, I think more could have been shown to focus on those themes---maybe more on the laws & bureaucracy the PCs might have to deal with, or perhaps more regarding Falkovnian attitudes of life & death. The NPC adventure hooks do address and show this, but I wanted a bit more.

The Goblinwood: Land of the Goblins and other Forsaken people
by Tommaso "Mistmaster" Mazzoni

I've been an active player of World of Warcraft since the Warlords of Draenor expansion, and have typically played on the side of the Horde faction. I've always enjoyed the Horde for being a faction of outcasts and misfits trying to reclaim their own honor and survive in a harsh world that they have wronged in the past and now looks to wrong them in return. I play either as an orc warlock, an undead "forsaken" warlock, or a blood elf demon hunter. Therefore, I really enjoyed this article, way more than I thought I would! The various different NPCs Mistmaster introduces remind me of the various NPCs I've met and read the lore of while I played WoW on the side of the Horde, and they all feel quite diverse despite their monster types being considered traditional to the point of cliché. I like Shingrak's torment but I wish we had a bit more to differentiate him from other draconic creatures that have done heinous things---there are quite a few dracoliches that have broken oaths that I can think of off the top of my head so why is Shingrak so special by comparison? That and I wish we got more into the "evil of ambition of colonialism", especially the later part, which the tropes Mistmaster posted said were relevant to this domain.

I thank you for the feedback.

"A Show of Strenght ," by Ian Fordam.

A fun little tale of greed, cleverness and intrigue.
In my humble opinion, the story would have benefited from a glossary of terms. I can deduce some of the Rajian words from context, but it'd be nice to be sure. ^_^ Of course I still have more of the Rajian trilogy to read at this point, so I may find out later in.
Another thing the story might have benefited from is, simply, more story. The tale was over so soon, I only barely got into it before it was already over. Hollie Armstrong is cunning and clever, but she solved the mystery so very quickly...

"Beneath the Heels of the Dancing Goddess," by Ian Fordam & Adam “Speedwagon” El Akkad, with Jeremy Roby.

An interesting, in-depth look at Sri Raji; easily the equal of the Gazetteer we should have gotten from White Wolf.

I have to admit, I felt uncomfortable when reading that there are red pandas in the Baans ka Jangal. I love red pandas, and the thought of them being in a Rajian jungle, in the Demiplane of Dread, is ... disturbing. I know, I know, not gothic horror in action... but I really do love red pandas. ^^; Ahem. On with the review.

On the Fauna section: you mention that there is only one native species of ape, and the rest crossed over out of the Wildlands. ... o_o ... Does this mean they're all intelligent and could be capable of speech?

The concept of the nirguna moon, whose existence can be proven by math but not seen by the naked eye, intrigued me. It's an interesting way to point out how advanced the sciences are in Sri Raji. The fact that the nirguna moon can also be perceived as "the place in the sky that hurts to look at" first amused and then disturbed me. ^^; So... well done.
The inconstant stars are frightening, the fate of the High Astronomer and his field of study saddening.

(To Be Continued)

DARKON'S HISTORY EXPLORED

This is the second in a series of articles exploring Darkon's false history and I have to say that this domain is perfect for such a Tolkienesque expansion.

I really like the rift created between the Elves and the Dwarves due to Elamaris' obsession. And while the Dwarves' reactions to the lifting of the queen's enchantment was nicely explored I feel like the Elven reaction to the disaster was glossed over. Did the elves believe she (or perhaps her spirit) is with her lost love Thalion on the moon?

Moving on to the Middle Years we finally get to meet Wormchild! Hallelujah! Ask and ye shall receive!

Overall, I think this article does a good job of threading the needle between relaying the broad strokes of history and specific details about important people and places within the domain. And the map helped tremendously. One thing I might ask for next time is an overlay or delineation between Darkon's current borders and its mythic ones.

I can't wait for the next installment!

A Darkness Falls
by Mark "Rock of the Fraternity" Bartels

This story is brutal and ugly, but I mean that as a description, not a criticism. The brutality and ugliness are intentional. The story is set after an apocalypse. It ain't gonna offer much sunshine and light.

Even so, there is a surprising amount of humanity in the story, both our weaknesses and our virtues. Some of the scenes between Janie and Dona are unexpectedly poignant, but don't get sucked too far into sympathy for them. Don't forget what evils Janie has committed.

I enjoyed the pop culture reference behind the Society of the Wandering Eye. I liked the use of a classic Ravenloft monster whose reveal I did not anticipate, even when its signifier was clearly declared.

I can't say that I liked this story. It was too brutal and ugly for that. But I feel it was effectively told and well worth reading.