Ravenloft
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The Domains of Dread, also known collectively as the Demiplane of Dread or Ravenloft, are a series of innumerable demiplanes located somewhere within Shadowfell, separated from the rest of the realm (as well as from each other) with thick walls of mysterious Mists. And while traveling from one domain to another is possible, the brave souls who try are usually never seen again.[1]
They are different from the other plains in nature and countenance, for there are certain realities that underpin their terrors. The nature of domains, the influence of Darklords, the mysteries of the Mists, and the machinations of the Dark Powers present a wealth of ominous possibilities. All these elements share a shadowy uncertainty and the potential for terror on unpredictable forms.
By the standards of what worlds' inhabitants consider true and sane, the Domains of Dread don't make sense. The setting's domains don't neatly flow into one another, histories don't record a collectively remembered past, fictions spawn terrible facts, and sheltered villagers remain stubbornly ignorant about the world beyond. Ravenloft is a setting designed to cultivate uncertainty, mystery, paranoia, and dread in defiance of logic of common sense. [2]
The Domains of Dread don't typically breed heroes. For the Inhabitants of most domains, simply surviving the night is an act of courage. Those willing to confront the terrors of the Mists are rare, but when they do, they have one of the following origins - Mist Wanderers, and Roused Locals.
Ravenloft is a place where your nightmares can run wild, where anything you can imagine in moments of dread or despair can come to frightful life among the Mists. The domain as a whole is made of countless isolated sub-domains, each one a perfect expression of a particular flavor of the macabre. [3]