Café de Nuit

I'm not sure how many of you have seen this, but Monte Cook did an interview with William W. Connors recently, which can be found here. In there, he let falls this tidbit:

"Although we never said it in print, the Red Death was one of Ravenloft's Dark Powers -- exiled for violations of their mysterious code of conduct"

Thought you might like to know.

Matthew L. Martin

This has long been considered as the main explanation of what the Red Death is. Fortunatley the Dark Powers haven't themselves been defined in canon. Thus the Red Death still remains a mystery if you took this as fact (perhaps the Red Death is an even larger enigma as she was cast out from the others).

Was it established in canon that the Red Death was feminine? I've seen several references to 'she' now...

I have the Red Death as one of the Dark Powers, it seemed to fit with me. As for gender, I have the DP's as genderless entities with no true physical form, so I call each of them individually as IT.

Wiccy of the Fraternity wrote:I have the Red Death as one of the Dark Powers, it seemed to fit with me. As for gender, I have the DP's as genderless entities with no true physical form, so I call each of them individually as IT.

They're clowns?

"We all float down here..."

Orang Santu wrote:Was it established in canon that the Red Death was feminine? I've seen several references to 'she' now...

You'll note several references to 'she' in most role playing books now. It seems to be the new generic reference word -instead of 'he'.

I like to think of the Red Death as female in her thought processes. But of course being so enigmatic the Red Death could be whatever you want -a he, she, it, perhaps if you take it as always referenced as 'it' the Red Death could be a group.

Gemathustra wrote:They're clowns?

Only on sundays.

On monday they are drag queens
Tuesday they are horny demons
Wednesday they are evil corporate tyrants
Thursdays they are hotel managers
Fridays they take a day off
Saturdays they are bit part characters

I've always found myself wanting to know more about this so-called "code of conduct"... Just how do the Dark Powers discipline themselves...

Perhaps by taking a direct action in the 'real' world. If Strahd actually did make a contract with a Dark Power (named Death (?)) perhaps that direct action was against the Dark Power's code causing her to be cast out while the others took more subtle and round-about actions to ensnaring the other Dark Lords.

Coan

You'll note several references to 'she' in most role playing books now. It seems to be the new generic reference word -instead of 'he'.

Could you give an example (page?) from the MotRD Campaign Setting?

Not really as in the Masque book the RD is always referenced by name or 'it'. I never said it had been referenced as 'she' in the book just most roleplay books have taken to referencing she as the generic term.

The Nightmare Man wrote:I've always found myself wanting to know more about this so-called "code of conduct"... Just how do the Dark Powers discipline themselves...

I would guess that the Red Death takes active, direct actions in shaping the destiny of its realm and tries to conquer it. Don't the dark powers usually just respond mortal's actions and let them corrupt themselves? The Red Death seems to go out of its way to take people under it's banner, even making itself known to a select few minions. To me, it seems that Ravenloft dark powers were more detatched and unknowable than simply taking joy in corrupting people.

I just wonder about one thing: How do you deal with the 2e adventure Crimson Death that was included into the original MotRD box, because, as far as I understand, on New Year's Eve 1900 the RD is either banished for good or released to the World... In any case, where would that lead to?

Desdichado wrote:I just wonder about one thing: How do you deal with the 2e adventure Crimson Death that was included into the original MotRD box, because, as far as I understand, on New Year's Eve 1900 the RD is either banished for good or released to the World... In any case, where would that lead to?

Naw, the Red Death that appears at the end of the adventure when time runs out is just a representative being, not the full entity itself. The harbinger of the Red Death Disease, nothing more.