Within Doors of Darkness Everlasting – Misty Prisons within a Misty Plane

Dare you seek shelter in places where solace cannot be found?  They have roofs and walls, but they are not homes.  They are prisons all their own, where cries of horror and derangement mix with the maniacal methods of their overseers.  Enter through these doors and never leave, for your caretakers have other plans for you now.  Below are a few buildings designed to ensnare, persecute and afflict.  They are not prisons in the traditional sense, but the dark powers have a habit of changing all to accommodate the punishment of another.  Some existed prior, such as a place of holy contrition and a house of state security.  Others came about as domains are built from a darklord’s sins or as a consequence of them.

Author’s Note:  This one slides a bit into mature content, warranting a word of warning.  As it is, one of the domains was built on a dare to make something quite disturbing.  It is disturbing.  Is it wholly original?  Not really, it’s basically The Golden Cat from Dishonored meets dark aspects of Planescape and Ravenloft; plus the House of Lament.  Will I use it for something?  I don’t really know, but it’s now a piece of the Demiplane either way.  Likewise a few other things slide well into proper Ravenloftian grimdark.  Debauchery, zealotry and totalitarian horror await.  For what it’s worth, more Planescape and Mystara references are here as well.  And while I’m at it, very very few WotC-era references, hehe.  But, even if this version is slightly tamed down, some viewer’s discretion is advised.

The Dark World of Tomorrow – The Broken Cog Cluster

“Meikridas Steamships, are they not marvels?” The hand of a flamboyant man outstretches towards his wondrous sea craft.  While he somewhat resembles a vistani in a few regards, he is clearly not of their ways.  The sailor man smiles with the genuineness of an eager salesman, “come friends!  The warm shores of Alleigosto are a mere boat ride away.  I offer you leisure and hospitality unlike what is seen here in fair Dementlieu.”  The pitch continues, as the showman distributes pamphlets detailing incredible works of art and technology, a history spanning empires of old and “magnificent” relations with nearby nations.  While the man’s vessel is spotless and a marvel of engineering, the owner of this enterprise comes across as insincere and just as full of steam as the ship.  “We board now, don’t miss the opportunity of a lifetime!”  It is at this moment that you can swear the man’s eyes bulge unnaturally, even for a second.  And at that, unblinking.  Such a voyage would indeed bring wonders, but also new terrors to behold.  What visions of the future does this “cog cluster” bring?

Author’s Note: I’m always good for more Ravenloft.  Cursed robots, a zombie apocalypse, manipulative shadows, killers on foggy streets, the successor to the Atlantean Neur-Maise, the refuse of industry, fanatic technophobes, the distant (and not so distant) looming shadows of totalitarianism, utopian idealism crushed by said dark tidings, Deep Ones and more haunt a new cluster.  Here is a new pocket domain, as well as a new cluster to house old domains (like how Fell Arts houses Farelle and Odiare).  Major props to ScS of Fraternity of Shadows for inspiration on Nosos and other advanced domains.  And with that, here’s my take on a Steampunk-ified cluster much like the proposal from Quoth the Raven issue 2, with The Shining Bay cluster.  But, unlike that mixture of just Paridon, Timor and Nosos; this adds in several Islands of Terror I devised many years ago… some more recent than others.  One is a plague-ridden urban sprawl taking notes from the 19th century United Kingdom, Prussian Empire and Northeastern Coastal U.S. (especially from the fiction of Lovecraft and King).  Another is a mix of drama, Luddites, robotic horror and more in a Mediterranean based land.  It is next to decaying Greek-inspired splendor spliced with The Shadow over Innsmouth.  And finally, a somewhat Balkans inspired fake utopia.  Plus, as an added bonus, an homage to the classic Thief games.  And with that, enjoy one of the longer posts I’ve made.  And should anyone be curious, I have no interest in anything Wizards of the Coast.  I don’t want their new book, as I don’t care for the Post-4E/Shadowfell take on things..