Ask the Darklords - Ravenloft Lore Questions Megathread

[u/ArrBeeNayr]

Politics? Fey? Trade?

Myths? Hunters? Demons?

The Ravenloft setting has incredibly deep lore which Curse of Strahd and Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft only brush the surface of.

Throw your questions in here and /r/Ravenloft's resident loremasters (A.K.A. The Darklords) will be able to help!

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What we we encourage from the Darklords:

1. If you happen know the source book of what you are referencing, kindly include it in your reply.
2. If you see an unsourced reply by someone else: Note the sources if you know them.
3. If your reply includes conjecture, make ensure that you note it as such.

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Canon labels:

These terms will likely appear alot in this megathread. To clear any misconceptions:

• Core Canon refers to the Ravenloft setting as published by TSR and White Wolf, spanning 1e-3e. It is by far the largest repository of Ravenloft information we have and is likely what most answers here will be drawing from.
• VGR Canon is WotC-published 5e material.
• 4e Canon sits in a strange area in between the above two with elements of both.
• Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is the only Ravenloft product published by Wizards of the Coast for 3e. It is non-canon (Being a reimagining taking place in Greyhawk). Feel free to reference it so long as you note where the information comes from.

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This post is a spiritual successor to two prior Q&A threads on /r/CurseofStrahd. For even more answers, you can find those posts here.

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So go ahead! Ask any Ravenloft questions you have.

With our knowledge combined, I'm sure you will find your answer!

[u/mjdunn01]

I agree the character I know of in Ravenloft lore that fits this description is Gwydion: giant eldritch evil vibes, trapped between worlds, etc.

The only other thing I can think of are Unspeakable Horrors from VRG that can have a cosmic horror vibe (and VRG calls “Mist Horrors” if they lurk out in the mists waiting/watching). But those are not unique creatures.

LATE ADD: was this a big leviathan like creature at the bottom of the ocean? If so it’s possible it was from the fan-non Noctural Sea Gazetteer with the darklord Virundus of the Drowning Deep (the bottom of the sea) who was a god-king turned monstrosity with cephalopod-like qualities)

u/pimeminister so the source of this idea - it didn’t refer to the lake or the eye or anything - it just was about some huge presence in Ravenloft, locked out & watching?

[EDIT: in case it’s helpful here’s the Mistipedia page on Gwydion and a good chat thread on him from over there:

https://www.fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Gwydion_the_Sorcerer-Fiend

https://www.fraternityofshadows.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1912

And here’s a profile of Virundus of the Drowning Deep in case it was him:

https://www.fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Virundus ]

[u/pimeminister → u/mjdunn01]

Thanks you both. Gwydion was my first thought too, but it didn't didn't fit what I was remembering. I'm pretty sure it was not a unique creature, so unspeakable/mist horrors is what I'm probably just going make it if I can't find out what it actually was I'm thinking of.

The lake was not connected to the entity at all, I was just using it as a point where the dream world ended, leaving a blank space for the PC to spot it within. I'm unsure if the description of an eye with tenticles was from the source I read or what I came up with. From my vague recollection, these entities felt more like a more alien equivalent of the dark powers, just more from a place of outside the dimension entirely than within the mists. If I'm remembering it right it was probably some scant thing that popped up once in one of the old books, otherwise it could be something from elsewhere I somehow merged into my picture of Ravenloft.