mist-walkers

[crimson crystal]

Welcome, Mist Walkers. How Did You Receive This Dark Gift?

There are many ways a character traveling through Ravenloft can receive a Dark Gift, some more typical than others:

• They may have unearthed a secret about the Mists' true nature, gaining the ability to manipulate them.
• They made a deal with a Darklord to secure safe passage through their domain, or as part of some other negotiation.
• Rather than accepting death, they chose to accept this Gift to stay alive and complete their goals.
• Or perhaps the Mists have always been with you, and this Dark Gift has been passed from family member to family member, coming to rest with you.

As you embark on this journey, tell us in the thread below: how did you become a Mist Walker?

[crimson crystal]

Week 1, Day 1: The Call of the Mists

"My name is Solus, and you have found yourself in the realm of Sithicus, unfortunately for you, but fortunately for me and my patron," the paper crow says with a warbling laugh.
— Dungeon Masters: Episode 1 - Mists of Ravenloft

When the Mists took you—however they took you—they brought you to a Domain of Dread: an isolated demiplane within the Shadowfell. Sithicus is one such domain: a dark reflection of the lands of Krynn, existing as the prison and torment of its Darklord, Lord Soth.

There are innumerable domains, each with their own unique horrors, and each housing their own Darklord. Some are more familiar than others. For example, the domain of Barovia, home to the infamous Count Strahd von Zarovich, Lamordia, the frigid realm of Dr. Viktra Mordenheim, or Innsmouth, prison (for all you can really call it that) of the ageless being Cthulhu.

As Mist Walkers, you have perhaps traveled through dozens of these domains for your own reasons: curiosity, exploration, or simply to escape the Mists' effects on you.

Tell us, <@&1503043402877501632>: What Domains of Dread have the largest hold on you? Where do you find yourself returning to time and time again?

-# You may feel an affinity to an existing domain, or perhaps there is a domain in your mind whose name only you know. There are no wrong answers here!

[crimson crystal]

Week 1, Day 2: Keep Your Talisman Close

Those not blessed—or cursed—with such a Dark Gift as mist walking must rely on Mist talismans to travel between Domains of Dread. A talisman can be any nonmagical object, and some can be keyed to multiple domains. Someone looking to travel to Dementlieu may carry a feathered mask, while a visitor to the Shadowlands may carry a broken holy symbol or other religious relic.

While a Mist Walker is considered a talisman on their own, there may be some of you who traversed the Mists prior to receiving your Dark Gift, who relied on such items to aid your travel. Even after receiving your Gift, perhaps you still clutch that object as the Mists surround you—perhaps out of superstition or some belief that luck still watches over you.

So <@&1503043402877501632>: What is the talisman you keep that allows you to travel from one domain to the next? Do you carry one talisman or do you keep multiple?

[crimson crystal]

Week 1, Day 3: A Domain of Your Own

<@&1503043402877501632> Our first two prompts this week delved into what it's like to wander the Domains of Dread as a Mist Walker, and we have been so inspired reading your stories of second chances given, missteps (or perhaps Mist steps) taken to bring you through the Mists, and calls answered from things beyond your understanding.

For this week's final prompt, let's step out of our characters and rise above the table, just for a while. You have the chance to build your own Domain of Dread. What would it be like?

You can use some of the following questions as inspiration for your domain's design:

• What is the atmosphere and/or environment of your new domain? Do day and night function normally there?
• What resources are "plentiful", and what is scarce? What do the inhabitants of your domain desire, and what do they lack?
• What is your domain's culture? How do its denizens behave and interact with each other and with newcomers?

Remember that Domains of Dread don't have to "make sense". Domains do not follow the rules of logic that one must usually abide by. And above all, your new domain must serve as the prison for its Darklord... but we'll get into that part later.

[crimson crystal]

The Mists Have Parted, And Your Way Is Clear

The Mists have listened to your stories, heard your secrets, and the Dark Powers are pleased. They have granted you a reward: for those whose paths have taken them through the lands of Barovia, a memento of Castle Ravenloft for you to keep. For those of you who have yet to set foot in this gothic domain, maybe it's something to look forward to.

(This is a desktop wallpaper! Download the full-res version here.)

Additionally, congratulations—or condolences?—to @severe cliff and @formal karma for catching the eye of the Dark Powers: you two have won Ravenloft: The Horrors Within Digital Bundles! We will be in contact shortly to deliver your prizes. To be eligible for the Ravenloft Digital Bundles, you must 1) have the <@&1503043402877501632> role and 2) have participated in at least one of the weekly prompts! It's not too late to join us; head over to id:customize to opt into the role!

Our journey together continues Monday. See you then, Mist Walkers.

[crimson crystal]

Week 2, Day 1: Every Domain, A Prison

“I was a knight! I was a man of honor! What are YOU?!” Lord Soth shouted at the party as the chains around Zora grew tighter and tighter.
— Dungeon Masters, Episode 2 - “The Long Rest”

Just as a prison cannot exist without prisoners, Domains of Dread cannot exist without their Darklords, for they are most certainly the prisoners of their domains.

Each Darklord is driven by something: a crime that their domain punishes, a failure they are constantly reminded of, or an ambition that the domain ensures will never come to fruition. Those frustrations fuel their domain, forming the root of its horror, and influencing the way the realm behaves.

Lord Soth was the ultimate embodiment of knighthood in life, and he remains so in undeath (so he thinks). Sithicus, his domain, is a ruined wasteland, its people lazy and undisciplined, with no foes worthy of a challenge to be found. In Nedragaard Keep, he broods on his throne, surrounded by undead knights and banshees that sing tales of his failures.

The borders of Sithicus remain closed while he lives, purple flames reminiscent of Krynn’s Cataclysm burn across the land, and should any adventurer of notable prowess find their way into his domain, he will soon make his presence known to them.

As a <@&1503043402877501632>, there is always a chance that you might run into a Darklord at some point in your travels. Some of you already have, if your stories are anything to go by. Tell us about a time you encountered a Darklord and left with your life, or a time that you narrowly avoided gaining the attention of a Darklord.

[crimson crystal]

Week 2, Day 2: A Darklord's Eternal Torment (Poll)

<@&1503043402877501632> Just a simple question today: which Darklord do you think has it the worst? Which of them suffers the worst torment from the Mists and the Dark Powers?

-# (Please give us a moment to place the emojis for the poll!)

• Lord Strahd (Barovia): doomed to chase his forbidden love for eternity
• 🎭 Saidra d'Honaire (Dementlieu): committing grand deceptions and terrified of being exposed
• Vladesk Drakov (Falkovnia): willing to sacrifice everything in pursuit of victory, but always at the edge of defeat
• 💀 Lord Soth (Sithicus): trapped in a Domain with no worthy enemies to subdue
• 🌱 Mother Lorinda (Tepest): holds an entire village hostage in her longing for a family
• 🫀 Chakuna (Valachan): trapped in a cycle of bloodshed to remain her domain's Darklord
• ⚔️ Ebonbane (The Shadowlands): a sapient sword thirsty for combat with no one to wield it
• 🔮 Hazlik (Hazlan): a grand archmage who lives in fear of his failing magic being discovered
• 🦑 Cthulhu (Innsmouth): dragged into the Mists against its will
• 🐺 Harkon Lukas (Kartakass): a narcissist performer who's worst fear is to be forgotten
• ❓ Another Darklord: Tell us in the attached thread who takes 1st Place in being tormented in Ravenloft.

[crimson crystal]

Week 2, Day 3: Build-a-Darklord

Ravenloft: The Horrors Within provides a toolkit to create your own Darklord for your created domains. When we built domains last week, some of you already had Darklords in mind, but these questions might help you flesh them out a bit more.

For this activity, consider the following questions:

• What genre of horror do you want to explore with your Darklord? Darklords like Strahd and Ebonbane embody the Gothic horror genre, Lord Soth and Harkon Lucas give off dark fantasy vibes, while Mother Lorinda is almost quintessential folk horror. Your Darklord can even fit multiple types of horror like Viktra Mordenheim, whose tale invokes both body horror and gothic horror.
• What were they like before the Mists took them? Something about their past lives made them a target for the Dark Powers. What circumstances shaped them as a person? What did they desire most? Do they feel like they have a hope of redemption?
• What was the catalyst to their corruption? What was the turning point that set them down this irredeemable path? Did they indulge too much at the expense of others? Increase their already violent tendencies? Or perhaps someone else in their past encourged their actions...?
• What is their wicked ambition? What is the goal they will never obtain, but fuels the actions they do to achieve it?
• Finally, as a little bonus, if a party were to face your Darklord, what would its highest stat be?

The Dark Powers Have Chosen To Aid You

As a reward for your creative efforts this week, the Mists have parted to grant you a look inside Ravenloft: The Horrors Within: perhaps a peek into Lord Soth's abilities—and the powers that keep him and all Darklords anchored to their domains—will be of use to you in your ideations.

(You have unlocked a partial stat block for Lord Soth! Download the full version here.)

Additionally, congratulations to @solar gull and @rugged epoch who are this week's winners of a Ravenloft: The Horrors Within Digital Bundle! We'll be in contact shortly to deliver your prizes.

Remember: to be eligible for the digital bundles you must have the Mist Walker role AND have participated in at least one of the weekly prompts! Don't forget to nab the role in id:customize.

We will see you next Monday for the next stage of our adventure together. Til then, <@&1503043402877501632>.