Lamordia
Precis: Fantasy
Germany/Switzerland through a Gothic lens.
Conspectus:
Cold, windswept northern realm ruled by Baron von Aubrecker,
whose castle is perched a forested ridge called the Sleeping Beast;
three nearby islands (the largest is known as the Isle of Agony) are
linked to the mainland by muddy causeways during low tide in the
summer, but attempts to venture out to the islands are met with
attacks by ferocious birds; the people of Lamordia are trappers,
miners, shepherds, and craftsmen who speak their own language
(Lamordian); the people tend to believe that the gods created
Ravenloft and then withdrew from the world or that the gods simply do
not exist; the realm is home to a mad scientist named Dr. Victor
Mordenheim, who is known to conduct strange experiments—sometimes
deformed creatures escape from the lab in his home, Schloss
Mordenheim.
Fact: I've never really thought Lamordia was all that exciting. I'll probably have the woods and mountain passes teeming with Warhammer-style beastmen or something.
"not all that exciting" - hey, fits with the Germany/Switzerland theme...
ReplyDeleteHahaha, too true.
DeleteHmmm seems some chaos corrupted beings might escape and wreck havoc from Schloss Mordenheim if you ask me. If anything it sets the scene for some very grim roleplaying maybe with the players being a bit dodgy themselves.
ReplyDeleteYou know, that is a fantastic idea...what if Mordenheim is experimenting with warpstone as well as with science...
DeleteI've called warpstone many names. One of my favorite names for it is "kryptonite." In my wife's dark fantasy urban setting Ravensgate, she's calling it "metamorphic jade" or "metajade." And yes, both wizards and scientists have gotten into trouble with it. Here's a great example.
Deletehttp://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/the-ravensgate/wikis/the-arcanum
Man, metamorphic jade is a cool name. So much better than the bland demonstone I was using in the World Between.
DeleteIf that picture is one of Herr Doktor Mordenheim's "deformed monsters," I'm all for 'em.
ReplyDeleteYou should see his successful experiments, HEY OH!
DeleteMy first thought was, "How did I miss Bride of Frankenstein porn?!" and my immediate second thought was "How the hell would I ever see Bride of Frankenstein porn?!?!" So you've contributed to a very confused start for my day.
ReplyDeleteWithout looking for it myself I feel sure that there is Bride of Frankenstein porn out there!
DeleteI can do all the horror games I want, I will never provide as terrifying experience to my players as the internet could provide to me were I to but glance towards its depths.
DeleteThe Internet is where horror breed.
DeleteThe presence of the good doctor in Lamordia can color and inform the realm with many themes. Forbidden knowledge, science without ethics, the cruelty of nature, man twisting nature.
ReplyDeleteYou could exhaust the monstrous manual's "plant" listing alone and create terrifying woods.
Also, surely there is a prolific cemetery somewhere for Mordenheim to plunder. And perhaps he has some kind of arrangement with the Baron. In exchange for the Baron turning a blind eye to his activities, perhaps the doctor provides the baron with "pets".
Modenhiem's mansion is one of the few Ravenloft bits I've actually used. I was always fond of sprinkling in a dash of Mengele to my Frankenstein.
See, that's what's great about blogging: I throw out a skeleton of a write-up and get back cool stuff like this that I can use! Thanks!
DeleteOkay, so I don't actually know much about Ravenloft aside from speaking with my friend about it and some casual research, just as a warning.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds from your description that Lamordia is pretty much a "pitfall" location. Isolated and difficult to leave. This can be emphasized by making it a real fucking shithole to be in. Nobody native likes you, everything is expensive and poor quality for outsiders, and Dr. Mordenheim has free reign to do and take whatever he wants.
Leaving would mean either going through trackless wilderness in the winter, facing the forbidden islands in the summer, or convincing the good doctor to lend you one of his flying experiments for transport.
Hmm, I guess I don't think of it as more of a pitfall location than any other in Ravenloft. Natives would be neutral on average, things cost the same for pretty much everyone, but Mordenheim is giving a wide berth.
DeleteLamordia would be a good place for the proposed Ravenloft express to go through...
I think Dr. Mordenheim should operate an exotic "cooked to order" brothel.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome. Totally swiping that.
DeleteSurely the reason the folk cures and protections from misfortune and outsiders that most simple villagers in the area couldn't have anything to do with any untoward and unsavory activity that may be seen as cultish....surely not....
ReplyDelete-machfront (on DF and everywhere else)
I like that.
Delete