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Posted: Apr 05 2010 11:45 pm

I just got around to rereading this after more than a decade. Such a good book about the origins of the Ravenloft realm, and Strahd's descent into evil. Actually, I love the whole Ravenloft series of books.

Posted: Apr 06 2010 12:04 am

I've been working at the public library for about 6 months now, so if I see any book title involving vampires, ESPECIALLY ones titled memoir, I just assume its another one of the veritable stack of "vampire detective/vampire hunter/vampire hunter who is also a vampire/vampire with no real job/etc who is pretty and leather clad but has love issues".

Let me assure you, there is a sizable selection.

As per the topic, I really tried to like ravenloft, but gothic horror as it was in the books is not conducive to DnD. Basically I want my gothic horror to be the trappings and monsters, not the actual terrible lifelong curses and emotional collapse, so more castlevania than anything really.

Posted: Apr 06 2010 06:51 pm

I loved Ravenloft when I was younger, had an ass ton of the novels including a hardcover of I Strahd which used some cropped and recycled Castlevania box art if I remember correctly. Then this fatty I had a crush on for some reason asked to borrow it and I never saw it again.

Posted: Apr 06 2010 11:57 pm

Black Zarak wrote:

I loved Ravenloft when I was younger, had an ass ton of the novels including a hardcover of I Strahd which used some cropped and recycled Castlevania box art if I remember correctly.

Given that Konami did Castlevania, I'm more inclined to believe they grabbed the cover for Simon's Quest than the reverse. Especially given TSR's draconian policies in the 80's

Despite being a total Ravenloft fiend I have never read any of the novels; only the game materials. It's a bit of a pain to check atm, but I believe they've recently republished/updated some of the older books, like the ones about Azalin vs. Strahd.

Posted: Apr 07 2010 11:41 am

I only like Ravenloft due to its connection with Dragonlance. (Tracy Hickman co-created both worlds. That, and the fact that they gave Lord Soth a realm. He was one of my favorite DL villians.

Posted: Apr 08 2010 12:59 am

It was this one, whatever it's from

I believe the full art has a Belmont clutching a helpless damsel to his chest as he looks heroically upward at the balcony.

And I loved Lord Soth, he was awesome in Dragonlance then when he got transported through the mists I was like awesome!

Posted: Apr 08 2010 01:55 am

Oh believe me Zarak, I know that image well but here're the facts:
* Simon's Quest came out in 87 on the Famicom Disk System and over here in 88.
* The original Ravenloft module (with that image as part of the cover) was published in 1983.

As far as Ravenloft villains, I've always found Azalin Rex to be cooler, though that might be due to vampiric overflow in pop lit these days.

As for Lord Soth, due to the issues of IP, when Ravenloft was transferred over to White Wolf's Arthaus publishing house, Soth's name was omitted from all 3/3.5th edition source books. The in-game explanation was that Azrael Dak, the dwarven werebadger that served as his lieutenant betrayed Soth and made a pact (I think with Azalin) that tore everyone's shadows away from them for a night, invaded Sithicus and removed "the former darklord" from power/existence.

Further info on the bullshit:

wikipedia's entry for Lord Soth wrote:

Soth’s tenure in Ravenloft is a topic of debate. The creators of Soth argue that they did not give their permission for Soth to be used in the Ravenloft Campaign setting. However, they had no legal ownership of the character and, at the time Soth was moved, were not associated with TSR or Wizards of the Coast.

Wizards of the Coast has been vague on the subject but the last official word on the subject was that Soth did indeed enter Ravenloft but that the Mists returned him to Krynn at the very instant he was removed.

It is also mentioned in one of the Dragon Magazine articles before the publications ceasing that the new dark lord of Sithicus is plagued by a mockery of Lord Soth. This "White Knight" version of Soth shows how anyone can be redeemed and is anethema to that Dark Lord's corrupting influence on the land.

Joined: Apr 28 2012 Posts: 1

I loved Ravenloft when I was younger, had an ass ton of the novels including a hardcover of I Strahd which used some cropped and recycled Castlevania box art if I remember correctly. Then this fatty I had a crush on for some reason asked to borrow it and I never saw it again.

Joined: May 22 2008 Location: Goshen, VA Posts: 6544

Posted: Apr 29 2012 06:43 pm

Since Woodzy raised the topic from its grave, are you guys aware that Lord Soth is not part of Ravenloft anymore? Never was according to the story, he was transported there for a split second, then came right back to Krynn without anyone noticing he'd been gone. And that guy who had all those adventures and clashed with Strahd before getting his own portion of the dark realm? Just a figment of the mists! The real world reason is something along the lines of his creators never intending that path for him and having the story taken out of their hands and now due to current licensing, neither Soth nor Vecna exist in Ravenloft or ever have. Vecna, I'm less interested in but Soth fit Ravenloft perfectly and was one of the cooler Dark Lords.

Posted: Apr 30 2012 01:38 am

Yeah, the in universe explanation was that "one night, the shadow from every person in the Core (or at least a large portion of it) was ripped from their owner and amassed on Castle Sithicus, destroying the darklord there. No one will speak of his name for fear of him returning." I couldn't really care about Vecna's presence, that was basically fan service to begin with. Also, it was a pretty ass explanation that the Dark Powers grew bored with their toy.