I had a thought for a campaign. Basically, the premise is that the Domains of Ravenloft's Core are suddenly merged, and the darklords and other powerful rulers of the planes are manipulated by Azalin Rex into battling each other. He believes that the destruction of Ravenloft's darklords would shatter the demiplane and finally free him. I've constructed a rough plan of what each Darklord does without player interference, but as the domains fall apart, each one is rife with adventure opportunity. Here's the generally layout I've got so far. Each "stage" represents an undetermined amount of time roughly between a week and a couple months, depending on the needs of the campaign. This is what will happen if there is no player intervention, but obviously they could change the course of the campaign. Thoughts? How would you see this playing out differently?
The characters begin in Darkon, where they are offered a deal by a mysterious member of the Kargat (spy) to ambush a group of Vistani travelling through Darkon. However, a representative from the Eris court (spy), asks the characters to double-cross their employer and get the mirror themselves. Whoever gets the mirror shatters it under the instruction of Xaler Zaine (Azalin Rex).
The mists open, and every darklord and inheritor of Darkon receives a message from Xaler, and the mists open. The darklord or inheritor who vanquishes all others is told they will gain the Throne of Ravenloft. In reality, Xaler plans to destroy the entire demiplane to escape himself.
Immediately, the darklords begin to prepare for the end. Stage one goes down like this:
The Kargat wages war on the Eternal Order while sending spies into Lamordia.
The Eternal Order guards Darcalus Rex very closely.
The Eris Family goes into hiding (which is very easy for them). They travel southward to Nova Vaasa.
Strahd Von Zarovich attempts to form an alliance with Tristen ApBlanc in Forlorn, which Tristen ApBlanc accepts.
Ivana Boritsi sends a spy to do away with her cousin Ivan once and for all.
Lonely and afraid, Ivan Dilisnya makes his home more and more dangerous as he prepares wild traps to keep enemies out. Whether Ivana’s spies, the characters, or his own traps, Ivan finally dies.
Saidra d’Honaire finds out too late that she doesn’t have the resources she thinks and hides out in her estate.
Vladeska Drakov sends her forces to march on Dementlieu, taking the fields of Chateaufaux easily as they have just materialized into true existence.
Harkon Lukas goes undercover and meets with Hazlik. He then convinces the archmage to form an alliance. Harkon pledges his werewolves to Hazlik’s army and the lands of Kartakass to Hazlan, planning to make powerful enough allies to take the domains down.
Viktra Mordenheim begins working to craft an iron golem to defend Lamordia and kill the darklords.
Baron Rudolph Von Aubrecker rallies his meager forces to move himself to a more secure location in an estate in Chateaufaux.
Wilfred Godefroy, finally able to escape the House on Gryphon Hill, sends diplomats north to Dementlieu to form an alliance with Saidra d’Honaire.
Jacqueline Renier forms an alliance with Ivana Boritsi.
Mother Lorinda, knowing the truth of Mount Arak, sends a group of scarecrow servants to bargain with Queen Maeve and Loht for an alliance in the coming war.
Chakuna changes the rules of the Trial of Hearts. Players must track down a darklord and bring back proof of the darklord’s death or else be hunted by Chakuna’s displacer beasts. A typical assortment of Trial of Hearts contestants includes an NPC of each class, plus a few desperate bandits.
Team
Attacking which Domain?
A berserker and warlock of the great old one
Verbek
A bard and a spy
Sithicus
A priest and a knight
Mordent
A druid and an archer
Verbek
A veteran and a mage
Mordent
A martial arts adept and a mage (sorcerer)
Sithicus
Three bandits or PCs
d6
Domain
1 - 2
Mordent
3 - 4
Verber
5 - 6
Sithicus
Gabrielle Aderre contacts Sir Wilfred Godfrey with her spirit board and forms an alliance with him and Saidra d’Honaire.
Lord Soth invades Barovia, slays the Abbot, and takes Krezk.
Alfred Timothy, of Verbrek, sends werewolves armed with silvered weapons to face off with Chakuna. However, a small force of werepanthers and dryads managed to capture and drown the werewolves.
Tritessa tries to slay the fey of Mount Arak, but fails, dying in the process.
Myar Hiregaard invades Hazlan, battling the magical creations of the archmage.
Dr. Frantisek Markov starts designing an arc to bring his weird abominations to the mainland.
Pietra van Riese and her crew sail to Balustein, tearing the fortress to the ground and strangling Bluebeard.
The Lady of Ravens flies to Vigilant’s Bluff and drops the paladin who rules the island from a great height, killing him.
At this point, Ivan Dilisnya, Tritessa, Bluebeard, and the Paladin of Vigilant’s Bluff are dead. The next stage happens like this:
The Eternal Order is destroyed except for Cardinna, but Darcalus Rex rises as a demilich to murder many members of the Kargat, feeding off the souls of the dead elves and Kargat agents.
The Eris family is slain by Nova Vaasa marauders.
Strahd von Zarovich, hearing of Lord Soth’s arrival, hides in the crypts.
Tristen ApBlanc, at the instruction of Strahd von Zarovich, attempts to seize Krezk from Lord Soth. Tristen and his forces are slain on the spot by the death knight.
Ivana Boritsi and Jaqueline Reiner offer to align with Saidra, who refuses.
Dementlieu is taken by Vladeska Drakov’s Talons, and Saidra is slain.
Harkon Lukas and his werewolves join Hazlik’s servants to the borders to fight the armies of Myar Hiregaard in Nova Vaasa.
Viktra Mordenheim uncovers and slays Ivana’s spies.
Baron Rudolph Von Aubrecker is slain by the Talons.
Wilfred Godefrey retreats back to the House on Gryphon Hill.
Mother Lorinda, revealing the secret of a rare, magical plant that can be found on the peak of Gwydion’s Claw, is betrayed by the archfey of Mount Arak and slain, Tepest taken.
Alfred Timothy is impaled by a silvered weapon by the archer and druid team.
The berserker and warlock team are slain and eaten by the remaining werewolves of Timothy. The bard and spy team are slain by Soth’s undead servants as the monk and sorcerer team enter Borca to face Ivana. The teams invading Mordent collapse the house, shattering the alliance between Gabrielle Aderre and Ivana and Jaqueline and killing Sir Wildred Godefroy. Chakuna sits back and waits for a serious threat. Any bandits survive for one more round before dying.
Gabrielle Aderre enters Borca and is slain by the monk and sorcerer team there.
Lord Soth takes the walled city of Vallaki and slays the Burgomaster and his bodyguard.
Myar Horngaard continues her conflict with Hazlik and Harkon Lukas.
Dr. Frantisek Markov’s arc is boarded by Pietra van Riese. He begs for his life and offers his mutants to the pirate. Pietra spares him and uses his mutants to murder the Lady of Ravens.
At this point, the Eris family, Tristen ApBlanc, Saidra, Baron Rudolph Von Aubrecker, Mother Lorinda, Alfred Timothy, Gabrielle Aderre, and the Lady of Ravens are all dead, and most of the teams from Valachan are dead or have returned to Chakuna successfully, except for the monk and sorcerer team.
Darcalus Rex destroys much of the Kargat as well as Alcio Metus with the help of Cardinna. Cardinna, fearful of the new darklord, tries to destroy Darcalus but dies trying.
Strahd von Zarovich uses divination to try to contact Azalin, suspecting his hand in these games.
Ivana Boritsi poisons the monk and sorcerer team.
Jaqueline Reiner is overthrown by the populace and retreats to Lamordia.
Vladeska is pursued by zombies and fortifies Dementlieu.
Harkon Lukas gathers allies among the werewolves who once inhabited Verbrek and continues the war against the forces of Nova Vaasa, gaining some territory with Hazlik’s help.
Viktra Mordenheim sends out two iron golems to wreak havoc throughout Dementlieu. These golems manage to kill Vladeska.
Maeve and Loht unleash their fey to overwhelm Nova Vaasa. A last-minute alliance with Harkon Lukas and Hazlik is enough to destroy Myar Hiregaard for good.
Chakuna, stalking the borders of the domains, brings an ever-growing pack of displacer beasts and werepanthers to get to Kartakass.
Barovia (village) surrenders to Lord Soth, who now has control of all of Barovia (domain), except for Castle Ravenloft.
Dr. Markov and Pietra van Riese arrive in Lamordia. Jaqueline buys Pietra’s ship and crew from her, dressed in common clothes to avoid recognition. She and her wererats sail away. Dr. Markov convinces Pietra to pay a visit to Dr. Mordenheim to create a monstrosity that can really challenge the other darklords.
After this, the only remaining contenders are Darcalus Rex, Strahd von Zarovich, Ivana Boritsi, Jaqueline Reiner, Harkon Lukas, Hazlik, Dr. Viktra Mordenheim, Maeve, Loht, Chakuna, Lord Soth, Pietra van Riese, Dr. Daclaud Heinfroth, and Dr. Markov.
Darcalus Rex takes power over the zombies of Falkovnia and Dementlieu and ascends to become a lich.
Strahd finally reaches the truth: Xaler Zaine is really an alias of Azalin Rex, who engineered the war to collapse Ravenloft entirely.
Jaqueline Reiner sails to Dominia and is welcomed into the asylum, only to find herself, her wererat peers, and Pietra’s crew captives.
Harkon Lukas seduces Ivana Borisiti and convinces her that he will betray Hazlik and that they’d win.
Dr. Mordenhiem and Dr. Markov come together to build a mechanical monstrosity: the Marut.
Hazlik finds and disintegrates Chakuna.
Lord Soth finally takes Castle Ravenloft, but Strahd reveals the truth to him. Preferably at a moment the characters are watching, Strahd emerges from the castle, Soth behind him.
After this round, Darcalus Rex, Strahd, Jaqueline Reiner, Harkon Lukas, Ivana Boritsi, Hazlik, Dr. Mordenheim, Maeve, Loht, Lord Soth, Pietra van Riese, Dr. Heinfroth, and Dr. Markov are the only remaining contenders.
Darcalus Rex invades Tepest and disintegrates Maeve and Loht.
Strahd and Soth pursue Darcalus Rex.
Jaqueline Reiner brews up a lethal plague and kills the inhabitants of Dominia, including Dr. Heinfroth. Jaqueline then sets sail back to the mainland with her new plague.
Ivana Disilinya and Harkon Lukas poison Hazlik. Harkon tears Hazlik’s throat out in his weakened state.
Dr. Moredenheim and Dr. Markov order their new marut to crush Pietra van Riese. It complies.
Darcalus Rex, Strahd von Zarovich, Lord Soth, Jaqueline Reiner, Ivana Boritsi, Harkon Lukas, Dr. Viktra Mordenheim, and Dr. Frantisek Markov are the only remaining darklords.
Jaqueline Reiner returns to the mainland and leaves a few carrier rats inside Schloss Mordenheim. Within a week, Dr. Viktra Mordenheim and Dr. Frantisek Markov succumb to the plague, dying. Their marut, possessed by Azalin, goes rogue, destroys the iron golems, and tracks down and kills Jaqueline Reiner.
Darcalus Rex tears the souls from Ivana Boritsi and Harkon Lukas at the Boritsi estate.
Lord Soth and Strahd von Zarovich continue their search for Darcalus Rex.
Darcalus Rex, Lord Soth, and Strahd von Zarovich are the only remaining darklords, with a surprise entry from Azalin’s marut. The fate of Ravenloft now hangs in the balance. Should Azalin’s marut be killed, he might descend onto the field of battle as a lich.
If Soth and Strahd win, the mists close once more. Villains from each domain arise to replace their darklord.
If Darcalus wins, he becomes the soul darklord of the core of Ravenloft. His power grows immeasurable as he journeys to the Island domains to slay the remaining darklords of Ravenloft.
If Azalin wins, the mists collapse around Ravenloft. This occurs over the course of two months. The final end of the demiplane happens at Castle Ravenloft. Some inhabitants, particularly the Vistani, can find a way to escape.
If another darklord wins, the events surrounding that darklord's victory are up to you, based on the events of the campaign. A darklord might find or be convinced of Azalin's true intentions, leading to an ending similar to that of Strahd and Soth. Darklords who have grown particularly powerful might get an ending similar to that of Darcalus Rex. And others still, especially Mordenheim and Markov, might be approached (or attacked) by Azalin in a final attempt to put his plans into action.
I had a thought for a campaign. Basically, the premise is that the Domains of Ravenloft's Core are suddenly merged, and the darklords and other powerful rulers of the planes are manipulated by Azalin Rex into battling each other. He believes that the destruction of Ravenloft's darklords would shatter the demiplane and finally free him. I've constructed a rough plan of what each Darklord does without player interference, but as the domains fall apart, each one is rife with adventure opportunity. Here's the generally layout I've got so far. Each "stage" represents an undetermined amount of time roughly between a week and a couple months, depending on the needs of the campaign. This is what will happen if there is no player intervention, but obviously they could change the course of the campaign. Thoughts? How would you see this playing out differently?
Team
Attacking which Domain?
A berserker and warlock of the great old one
Verbek
A bard and a spy
Sithicus
A priest and a knight
Mordent
A druid and an archer
Verbek
A veteran and a mage
Mordent
A martial arts adept and a mage (sorcerer)
Sithicus
Three bandits or PCs
d6
Domain
1 - 2
Mordent
3 - 4
Verber
5 - 6
Sithicus