Ravenloft
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"Ravenloft. The very name sends a shiver down the spine of even the hardiest warrior. They say that if a man lives a truly wicked life, then at the moment of his death the mists of Ravenloft will come and claim his soul. He will not altogether die, but instead will live on in a parallel world, forever tormented by the things he did in his previous life. In this demi-plane of dread, it is said that the sky bends upside down, that the ground is sodden with blood, and that day bleeds into night like a mortal wound." - Arnaulf, priest of Myslaxa the Brown
All that we, the priests of St Cuthbert, know about Ravenloft comes from what we have been told by the Heroes of the Vale.
Nice of you to ask.
I believe the spirit naga was part of the Phoenix adventure saga. I started that one with my rakasta, continued it with Vindu, who was killed in the last battle on Taladas which is why when the party popped into Ravenloft they woke up with Firkin next to them. Firkin remained alive (despite Ed's best efforts) until we left Ravenloft. I believe I started running another game (Rifts I think) at that time and when I started playing again it was as Pez.
Oh, Noman's second resurrection happened then. His first death was in Deepmountain I think, and his first resurrection was with the wish we were granted after Five Shall Be One (which was why Craig was playing Krath in that adventure, but Noman during Phoenix saga). Both me and Craig were absent (playing Rifts perhaps) during his second return.
Nightmare Lands, I think we're mostly clear on. The starting party on that one was Pez, Smith (first appearance of both), Zabu (Craig's neanderthal ranger, who he tells me he's scribbling up the background for and might explain how he ended up in the Waltdorf watch...) and Andrew's halfling thief who died part way through to be replaced by his witch hunter, neither of whom I can remember the names of.
Both Smith and Pez were in the watch at the time which is how they knew each other (and presumably it was they who brought Kite and Sandrana together). They got into Ravenloft that time by choice, going through the portal in the Vale. When they returned it was into the middle of Splatterblood's attack on the Vale.
One quick question. Does anyone remember the names of the characters I listed as Ex-directory in the Characters section. I've started the backgrounds for my many, many hordes of characters but I can't remember the names of a few of them. If no-one can remember them does anyone mind if I start giving them names I think are about right and which we can use from now on?
Alex
Ahhh, things are becoming clearer, it's all coming back to me.
Andy - You're quite right about the Spirit Naga (a sort of Usa/Takhisis demon) - chances are it was one of those adventures that you did for the Mage of the Vale? You are also right about the curse of ravenloft, and Noman being decapitated.
The Nightmare lands is all coming back to me. Pez's brother is Kite - he was tricked by the evil necromancer Alabaster into decapitating Smith's sister. That's how Smith came to adventure with the party in the first place, unless I'm mistaken? Alabaster, previously slain by Kite, had popped up in the Nightmare Lands where he was able to influence Kite's dreams. Kite ended up in Ravenloft too, and by the time you found him, he was well on the way to being a dark lord himself. But you saved him, and did for Alabaster.
Craig - I seemed to remember that it was a wish spell that brought Noman back (but I'm at a loss as to how the party got hold of such a spell). I seem to remember that Fairweather wanted to use the wish to get loads of gold (most un-paladinlike) but was outvoted!
Thanks chaps. Sandy, any pearls of wisdom you want to add?
Ed
Pez had nothing to do with the first trip into Ravenloft - he hadn't even been created yet. Believe it or not, our first time in the demiplane of dread was a deliberate, using the gate in the vale of the mage. We were chasing the Spirit Naga - a nasty, shape shifting entity. I believe we were trying to prevent it from completing a ritual of some sort. I recall that when we finally caught up with it, the Spirit Naga assumed the form of a giant collumn of blood. With claws. It was after defeating it that we were afflicted with the curse of ravenloft, which is why we keep getting drawn into the place.
The nightmare lands were part of the quest to recue Pez's brother. I remember, because I was playing my witch hunter at the time, and he hated the chaotic place. I remember mentioning that Shallat would have loved the place... and Shallat is the only character of mine to have been to ravenloft, at least in your main campaign. Do you remember that you once ran a series of mini games in ravenloft with Greg Roger,Simon Ryder (I think), and me? I played a half orc gladiator who fought with a whip and short sword.
I can also remember what killed Noman - it was a crystal golemn with vorpal blades. I recall that it decapitated him on a lucky roll. I don't recall why we were fighting them, or where.
Andy
Of the post-school adventures the first Ravenloft was to rescue Pez's brother, who if I remember correctly was marrying Smith's sister.
I don't remember how we came to be in the Nightmare Lands, all I recall is the Giant Hamburgers chasing Pez...
As for Nomans death, I think it happened in a previous Ravenloft adventure, as I couldn't bring in Krath to replace him, which resulted in me quickly rolling up another charactor (Sylvanmoon).
I think some creature's demise at the end of an adventure resulted in a wish that was used for Noman's return. But I'm not entirely sure because I think it may have occured during some period when I wasn't playing in the campaign, as I'm sure I came back to find that Noman was alive...
In fact, thinking about it I think it happened sometime between the end of school and the Pez/Smith party.
Craig
