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I I By Colin McComb and Scott Bennie ADVANCED DUNGEONS G DRAGONS is a registered trademark owned by TSR, Inc. RAVENLOm and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. "1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the book trade for English language products of TSR, Inc. Distributed to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. ISBN 1-56076-349-3 TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd. POB 756 120 Church End, Lake Geneva Cherry Hinton WI 53147 Cambridge CBl 3kB U.B.A. United Kingdom u CHAPTER I: Introduction ........ ...............................3 CHAPTERII: Nidala .............................................. .6 CHAPTER 111: ’The Wildlands ............................. ,. ......... 18 CHAPTER IV:. Scaena ............................................ .23 CHAPTER V: I’Cath ............ ..............................32 CHAPTER VI: Saragoss ........... ...........................38 CHAPTER VII: Timor ........... ........................... CHAPTER VIII: Pharazia ...... ..................... 59 CHAPTER IX: Staunton Bluffs . ..............64 CHAPTER X: Nosos ............ .. ..............83 Lycanthrope, Wereshar k ........... ......... ...............92 Marikith ........................ ......................... 93 Mist Ferryman ..................... .. ...............94 Sea Zombie ................., ... ...............95 -- I Cndits Design: Colin McComb (Nidala, Nosos, Pharazia, Saragoss, Scaena, Staunton Bluffs, Timor, Marikith, Mist Ferryman, Sea Zombie, Wereshark) and Scott Bennie (I’Cath, Wildlands) Editing: Anne Gray McCready Project Coordination: Timothy B. Brown Cover Art: Jeff Easley Interior Art: Jaime Lombard0 and Ron Hill Cartography: John Kencht and Dave Sutherland Graphic Design: Roy Parker Typography: Angelika Lokotz Production: Sarah Feggestad Thanks to: Rich Baker, Tim Beach, Anne Brown, Timothy B. &own, William W. Connors, the Garbett-MKornbs, Andria Hayday, Slade, Rob King, Paul Nelis, Bruce Nesmith, Kevin Pohle, Dave Sutherland, Pierre Yu, and Dave Zenz hat though the field hold, and have fallen from grace through cor- be lost? ruption or the lack of virtue. Others, like Draga All is not lost; the Salt-Biter, make only a pretense of humanity, , .., unconquerable will, revealing their true selves only when their prey and study of re- is defenseless. And then there is the Hive venge, immortal Queen, who does not affect the guise of human- hate, ity, burning instead with bestial desires no hu- and courage never to man can comprehend. submit or yield. These are only a few of the lords of the Islands Milton of Terror. This book is the final decaying lock on the crypt of insanity and dread, the key to thrust- Whatever paths a ing your players into ever more horrifying situa- traveler may tread, tions. the call of Ravenloft is irresistible. When the mists spring Plauing in thu Islands from the cobble- lthough some consider the lords of the stones of the road- islands to be less foul than the dread Dark- way, it is much too late to plan an escape. i4 lords of the core, nothing could be farther Ravenloft beckons and even the most resource- from the truth. Their malevolence rivals that of ful and courageous cannot avoid its summons. the most evil lords of Ravenloft and their lands Within this book you will find several do- reflect this. They draw their power from the mains andstories of the lords and ladies of the land itself. The lords of the islands are indeed islands. Some are hi in, such as Elena Fa creatures 1 !ared. Since their domains are generally much smaller than the Lands of the Core, the lords of The Mood of Rawnloft the islands take a more personal interest in here are several imp0 what transpires around them. This does not mind while running a mean that the lords have nothing better to do T session. Most important is keeping the with their spare time than to lie in wait in dark mood of Gothic horror present at all times. This corners, hoping that adventurers will chance by. can be accomplished by using the Tecluziques of Rather, they are more likely to keep an eye out Terror described in the RAVENLOFT” Boxed Set. for circumstances which threaten their well- Isolation is an important part of mood set- being. So the adventurers must keep their pres ting. The characters do not have to be physi- ence quiet or risk the personal intervention of cally separated to be isolated. Establishing a the lord. feeling of alienation is enough. Each island offers many opportunities for Describe each setting in detail, involving role playing and can recur periodically in the each of the senses in the DM description, not lives of the characters. just the visual. If the DM says, “You see a red splotch on the wall. You think it might be blood,” much of the effectiveness is lost. On the The Darklords other hand, it is much more dramatic and helps he lords of the islands are not foolish indi- to set the mood if the DM says, “As you enter viduals. As a rule, they will not risk their this room, the stench of decay assaults your - T lives in mortal combat against adventurers nostrils and the monotonous hum of a buzzing unless they are confident of victory or have no fly invades your ears. A maroon smear covers choice. There are always exceptions, such as much of the eastern wall. It looks flaky and Elena Faith-hold who is so confident in her dry.” If the PCs examine the stain more closely, abilities that she is frightened of nothing. Oth- the DM reveals that this stain appears to be ers, like Sir Torrence Bleysmith of Staunton crusted blood. Using vivid descriptions gives Bluffs, will do everything in their power to the players a much greater sense of participat- avoid a direct confrontation. ing. The DM involves their entire imagination, The lords are the pulsing heart of evil in every not just the visual portion. domain. They are attuned to changes wrought in The DM must make sure that he describes their lands and are capable of wielding great each scene in terms that can make it seem like power themselves. Some are able to alter the the land itself is alive and conspiring against topography of the domain, while others can s. The players will begin to react control the weather at whim. The players should more carefully to each situation, wary find it difficult to use the land against the lords, ny surprise. This makes them even more for the lords are integral parts of their domains. vulnerable to any surprises the DM might wish It is easy to see that even the weakest of lords to spring, for the DM can deflate their tension would be a match for a well-prepared adventur- with a simple “boo-scare,” as popularized in the ing party. It is imperative that the Dungeon movies. Just when they have relaxed from that Master remember this in the rare event that a scare, the real menace pops up like an insane party encounters a lord. No lord should be an jack-in-the-box. easy target, for they are fully aware of their On the other hand, the DM should avoid too many powers and will use them to their fullest much description. This tends to turn off garners extent. very quickly if they must listen to an extended series of descriptions; be evocative, but be as brief as possible. The best compromise is for the DM to judge the mood of the players and Optionally, the DM might wish to keep a sepa- use as much description as is necessary. rate sheet with the PC’s ability scores, Armor One feature of RAVENLOFT” games that can Class, and hit points listed; keeping this sheet be used to great effect is contrast. Many see the secret, and telling them only how badly their demiplane as a gray, dreary, dismal place, full character is feeling from that recent werewolf ’ of evil around every corner. While this may be bite. This also lets the DM perform subtle ma- true in some cases, much of Ravenloft is an nipulations of statistics if necessary, perhaps awe-inspiring, beautiful place. The forests of because of vampires, diseases, or malefic magic. Nidala are truly marvelous, the thick trunks of Let it be noted though, that keeping this the mighty oaks thrusting high into the azure sheet means a lot of extra work for the DM. If sky. The illusions Lemot Sediam Juste weaves the DM discovers that this creates a burden, he are breathtaking spectacles of craftsmanship. shouldn’t do it. Likewise, if it actually enhances Nearly everywhere in Ravenloft one encounters the general mood of role playing sessions and beauty and natural splendor. the DM doesn’t mind the paperwork, he should The beauty of the lands makes the contrast feel free to keep the system. with the lords’ evil that much greater. Even the The DM should be judicious in what the play- swampy, terror-filledSaragoss has its moments ers do and do not know about Ravenloft. Even of calm and serenity. The shock of encounter- the lords do not know that the plane on which ing such malevolence in the midst of so much they are trapped is called Ravenloft. All they charm is far more horrifying to the players than know is that they are prisoners in their own stumbling across a vampire in the heart of an domains, in a land that is seemingly a reflection old, crumbling tomb. Finding the cancerous of their own evil desires though most deny this heart of darkness after relaxing amid the beau- on a conscious level.

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