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Darkon ravenloft12/11/2022 ![]() It's less of a world of its own and more of a traveling circus, overlapping with other Domains on a whim as it moves about. The Carnival breaks from the traditional mold established for other Domains, and pops up inside them. RELATED: D&D: What You Should Know About Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft's Subclasses The Carnival Disobeying them can have strict consequences, as being killed while in the dreaming version of the city prevents a character from gaining the benefits of a long rest. They permeate both the sleeping and waking forms of the city, rearranging its physical layout and forcing the inhabitants of its dreaming world to do the same. The jiangshi are based upon a kind of vampire from traditional Chinese tales, although they're used in I'Cath as grim enforcers. Many Ravenloft Domains borrow aesthetics and ideas from a specific culture, and I'Cath draws from Chinese folklore. In the dreams of its citizens I'Cath is a shining golden city of absolute order - but in reality, it's a city of ghosts, stalked by vengeful jiangshi who carry out their Darklord's every whim. Instead of making the city perfect as Tsien Chang wished, the Bell split it into two mirror halves: a dreaming and waking world. Originally the ruler of the city in better times, Tsien Chang created the realm as it exists today by abusing the power of the Nightingale Bell, a magic item said to grant the dreams of its wielder. ![]() I'Cath is defined by the dreams of its Darklord, the mage Tsien Chang. ![]() RELATED: Dungeons & Dragons FINALLY Adds a Way to Bring '80s Slashers to Life I'Cath Hazlan is a reflection of its Darklord's lack of morals, and players unlucky enough to find themselves there will have to contend with his wicked experiments. The rulers of the lands condemned Hazlik to torture as punishment for his monstrous experiment, and he fled through the portal to escape. Then, the Dark Powers of Ravenloft drew him into the mists, with the wizard eventually emerging into a land he claimed for his own. Enraged, Hazlik transformed his fellow mage into a living portal. Originally part of an order of mages, he was tricked into believing his lover sought to betray him. Like most Darklords, Hazlik has a tragic backstory. Rolling a one forces a roll on a custom Wild Magic table, with results ranging from spontaneous combustion to tearing open portals in the fabric of reality. Casting any sort of magic can have unpredictable results, as players must roll a d10 when they expend a spell slot of first level or higher. Hazlan itself is a massive laboratory experiment gone wrong, both in the small disasters that cover its surface and in the nature of the world itself. This means each citizen is constantly striving to outdo one another in feats of magical prowess, littering the land with the results. The land is ruled by Hazlik, a terrifyingly powerful wizard who bestows his favor upon only the most magically talented. RELATED: Dungeons & Dragons: Why You Should Run Pre-Made Adventures HazlanĮach Domain has magical and supernatural elements, but Hazlan doubles down on magic itself as a theme to the world's horror. The mists act as a method of travel between different Domains, each of which has its own Darklord ruling over it the way Strahd rules over Barovia. However, with so many worlds to pick from, it can be hard to know where to look. It then gives players details for dozens of other such Domains, each unique in premise and flavor while still delivering horror of some kind. Instead of giving more details on the land of Barovia (the Curse of Strahd's setting), Van Richten's Guide expands the world of Ravenloft more than tenfold by making Barovia one of many Domains encircled by ever-present mists. Instead, it provides a setting for Dungeon Masters to manipulate as they so please. Dungeons & Dragons' latest sourcebook is Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, an expansion to the setting first brought to Fifth Edition by the Curse of Strahd module. However, unlike Curse of Strahd, Van Richten's Guide doesn't describe a series of adventure hooks or a cohesive narrative for players to follow.
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