Chapter 4: Creating Domains of Dread - Ravenloft: The Horrors Within

Chapter 4: Creating Domains of Dread. A hexblood witch in the domain of Tepest conjures visions of adventurers' fatal fates Any fear might find terrible life amid the Domains of Dread. Each domain highlights its own distinctive terror or flavor of the macabre. Chapter 2 presents numerous Domains of Dread and their respective Darklords, but you can blend legendary evils, unexpected monstrosities, and grim settings into your own horrifying creations. This chapter explores how to create a Domain of Dread, starting with defining its Darklord, the villain at the domain's heart. Descriptions of various genres of horror also provide details to guide and inspire your creations. Tarokka and Random Tables This section provides random tables compatible with the tarokka deck (see appendix A). Here's how to use the tarokka deck-or playing cards-instead of a d10 to generate random results: 1: Remove the High Deck Remove all high deck cards, leaving only cards numbered one through nine plus the master of the suit. 2: Draw a Card Ensure the deck is well shuffled, then draw from the top. 3: Consult a Table Reference the card's number to find your result on a table; in the tarokka deck, the master of a suit counts as a ten. When using the tarokka deck, you can let the card's suit add extra dimension to your results. The four of coins might encourage you to link that aspect of the Darklord to wealth, while the four of swords could provide an interpretation rooted in violence. Appendix A details interpretations of the tarokka deck's cards. Creating a Darklord Domains are reflections of and prisons for the Darklords they confine. To devise a Domain of Dread, first consider its central antagonist and prisoner: its Darklord. The following sections detail how to develop a Darklord as a focal antagonist in your horror adventures. Building Your Darklord A Darklord's memories, desires, mistakes, and evil deeds shape a domain and its inhabitants. This chapter presents tables with suggested...