Gourt > Games > Roleplaying > Genres > Fantasy > Dungeons & Dragons > Campaign Settings > Ravenloft
Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. It is an alternate time-space existence called a "pocket dimension" with the name "the Demiplane of Dread", which consists of a collection of land pieces called "domains" and the lands are brought together by a mysterious force known only as "The Dark Powers". Each domain is mystically ruled by a being called a "darklord", which is a person or monster who has committed an act or acts of evil so foul as to attract special attention from the Dark Powers. The darklords are imprisoned within the borders of their domains and cannot escape by any means, although most can seal their domain borders with a thought. Within their domains, the darklords are forever tormented by the objects of their desire (often the objects they committed their crimes to achieve), which the Dark Powers dangle before them like the fruits of Tantalus. Each darklord's desires and motivations differ; some desire love, others hunger for glorious victory, or one might envy the defeat and humiliation of their enemies like another rival darklord.
Setting
Ravenloft is primarily a Gothic horror setting. Dungeon Masters are encouraged to use scenes that build apprehension and fear, culminating in the eventual face-to-face meeting with the nameless evil. Characters have a much greater significance attached to their acts, especially if they are morally impure, as they risk coming under the influence of the Dark Powers (through the game process called "dark powers checks") and gradually transforming themselves into figures of evil.
The magical mists of Ravenloft could appear anywhere in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, drawing evil-doers (or player characters) into the Ravenloft setting. Ravenloft has even spawned its own variants of canon planes, by tainting existing planes with its gothic energy. The affected planes are the Demiplane of Dreams and the Elemental Planes of Earth, Air, Water and Fire, the tainted areas are mentioned in the latest version of Planescape, the tainted Demiplane of Dreams creates the Domain called the Nightmare Lands, while from the Elemental Planes arise the Demiplanes of Grave, Mist, Blood and Pyre.
More on [ Ravenloft ]
Secrets of the Kargatane: The Official Ravenloft Website - The TSR-approved official Ravenloft site, featuring netbooks, adventures, product lists, and FAQs.
Meta Description: [ The Unofficial Ravenloft
Homepage - FAQ, Reviews, Netbooks and more. ]
David Wood's Ravenloft Campaign - Information on a campaign with adventure summaries, maps, and character descriptions.
Meta Description: [ Ravenloft adventures, summaries, Campiagn Journals written by a few wary souls. Within these realms contains vast information of the Realms of Dread. ]
James Wyatt's Masque of the Red Death - Features new articles from a published gamer, plus a FAQ, bibliography, and link list.
Ravenloft Character Generator - Javascript application for third edition.
Ravenloft UK - Provides campaign material, forums, and GM tools.
Richten's Laboratory - Some new character kits.
Meta Description: [ A Ravenloft page with links to D&D pics and other sites. ]
RPGA Network: Living Death - Home page for the Masque of Red Death tournament campaign. Includes character generation rules, setting information, and writers' guidelines.
Meta Description: [ RPGA Home Page ]
The Horror And Gothic Webpage - Character classes and character sheets.
The Mordent Cartographic Society - Maps and descriptions of domains, campaign journals, and a description of their society and the characters in it.
Meta Description: [ Maps and domain descriptions for the AD&D Ravenloft campaign setting ]
WebRing: Islands of Terror - Group of sites focused on Masque of the Red Death.
Meta Description: [ The Islands of Terror Webring is dedicated to sites featuring role-playing materials for the Ravenloft and Masque of the Red Death Setting. Other AD&D sites are welcome as well. Any type of mater ]
Yahoo! Groups: The Ravenloft Domain - Message board and chat room.
Meta Description: [ theravenloftdomain: The Ravenloft Domain - Dedicated to the Ravenloft campaign setting ]
