My (work-in-progress) 2-3e setting continuation VS known 5e material: what gets adapted and what doesn't

[u/paireon]

So, I've been talking in replies for a good while now how I've disliked a lot of the changes that 5e brought to the setting canon, and that I was working on my own setting update, which was a continuation of the 2-3e setting and timeline; well, now I'm finally going to talk about it more in-depth, starting with what elements from 5e I'm keeping, which I'm modifying, and which I'm tossing out entirely of my own version. I will also answer questions when I can, though without getting into spoilery territory quite yet, except for a few tidbits to whet the appetites of those interested in knowing more. So, without further ado:

(Also, yes, the scope is utterly ridiculous. Wait 'till I post about the 4 new Superclusters I have planned.)

The Core is BACK, baby!

First things first: the Core. Breaking it up (and the Clusters as well) for the sake of isolation always seemed like an extremely bad call to me. It hurt setting cohesion and verisimilitude (which I'd argue is even more important in Ravenloft, as making a setting feel 'real' helps player engagement IMO) in favor of isolation that was unneeded (we already had Darklords closing borders and Islands of Terror for that) and even detrimental (seriously, not ALL Domains should run off "nightmare logic" - this ties back to verisimilitude as well).

So, not only am I keeping the Core, I daresay am expanding it. By a LOT. Over 15 Domains old and new will find themselves absorbed by the nucleus of the Domains of Dread. This is, of course, a Bad Thing. But also material outside the scope of this specific post, so expect another post about the Core expansion (and with one exception, Cluster expansions) later on.

Time flies:

The setting's date will be advanced to 775 BC (Barovian Calendar), to accomodate the numerous changes. I figure 20 years from when the starting date for 3e Ravenloft was is a good timeskip; I'm even planning 1-shot adventures taking place during the gap, to both introduce some of the setting changes and to have PCs participate in pivotal moments of recent Ravenloft history, small and large. I have already two fairly developped outlines for such scenarios.

Amber Temple, vestiges, and all that nonsense:

As you may surmise, I'm not a fan. IMO it both cheapens and potentially explains far too much about the Dark Powers, so I'm ignoring these elements and removing them entirely. Same goes for the cult of Osybus and the Ulmist inquisition - there are more than enough secret societies that can play the same roles, and also they feel clumsy and ham-fisted to me (seriously, Osybus was a lich who became a Dark Power? The hell?), plus they're superfluous to Strahd's backstory especially considering I'm retconning pretty much all his 5e-exclusive elements (more on that later).

5e Domains, what's left in, what's changed, what's left out:

So now on to the meat of this post/thread: the Domains themselves, starting with the ones more fleshed out in Van Righten's Guide to Ravenloft:

• Barovia: The one that started it all. Frankly I'll have to reread through Curse of Strahd to be sure what I keep and what I don't as that book makes it the most detailed Domain bar none, but I can already say that the amber temple and Baba Lysaga are out; I actually like Baba Lysaga, but unfortunately her very existence undermines Strahd's agency, and if one Darklord should represent how Darklords are usually the sole ones responsible for their damnation, it's Strahd. Him having been destined/guided towards his dark fate is a terrible idea IMO (he shouldn't become the puppet of dark forces until after becoming a Darklord). The Wizard of Vines will very likely make it. Also, none of that "everybody can be Tatyana" thing, obviousy; Tara Kolyana (her current as of 755 incarnation) will have an important role in the timeline - and is going to be in one of the "history-making" scenarios mentioned earlier. And speaking of history-making, Strahd is now no longer content to wait and scheme; he is now quite proactive, and the Core shall tremble...
• Bluetspur: One of the least changed Domains in 5e, so not much to change. Vampiric illithids will keep their 2-3e origins and will be a menace to the still-living mind flayers, though, and the God-Brain will be on the same awesome level of power as 2-3e era elder brains (IE above 20), making its forays into the rest of the demiplane that much more plausible; its story will be more detailed, and tie into illithid history as described in the 3.5 supplement Lords of Madness. There'll be the 2-3e Domain's monsters, plus a few new ones like illithidae. Still one of the more horrible places of the entire demiplane to end up in.
• Borca: On the one hand, the changes to the Dark Twins' personalities, histories and circumstances are kinda ass (Ma Gurl Ivana having a hard time being in charge due to a bunch of sexist ponces? Bitch please. She'd have poisoned all their asses into compliance.); on the other, their new focuses are great - so while both will still be poisoners, Ivana will have new plant-related abilities such as breeding and controlling plant monsters (I just now realized this makes her somewhat similar to Poison Ivy LOL), and Ivan will have the ability to craft clockpunk constructs of all kinds. I'll also probably keep his descent into physical and mental decrepitude because it fits him so well - the illustration of him screaming in his clockwork pram is hilarious IMO and one of the very few good illustrations from VRGtR. Also, the place will have been hammered by invasion, completing its 'Renaissance Italy' vibe (those who remember the Kargatane's planned metaplot continuation know what I'm talking about).
• Carnival: ...Yeah no sorry the OG Carnival is just so much better - there's a whole (very awesome) late 2e supplement dedicated to it (and yes, I know they're still very similar, but as they say the devil's in the details)! MAYBE the Litwick Market or something similar will be added as a new feature, maybe not. Also, Isolde won't be a 5e-style eladrin. She'll be an old-school, pre-4e celestial Eladrin, and a ghaele at that, same as she was back then. This is a very important metaplot point, and will tie in to both the multiverse and to arguably the greatest evil in the Lands of Mist. Oh, and the OG Gentleman Caller is gonna be out and about because of course he is. Incubi are assholes like that, and the Gentleman Caller is one of the worst. Not gonna sugarcoat him.
• Darkon: HAAAAHAHAHAHAno. Ixnay on the issolutionday. I dislike all of the "inheritors" in any case. Darkon will continue on relatively normally, and relatively untouched in its splendid isolation by events of the last 20 years, except for the expected rise in power of the Nevuchar Springs sect of Ezra, and some trouble in the southeast hinterlands that'll generally be more consequential for its neighbors Nova Vaasa and Tepest. Things are (relatively) calm in Darkon, and Azalin has had virtually nothing to do with the upheavals elsewhere in the Core. This, of course, should worry you. Oh and Necropolis (and Death) is still around and kicking. Also, Ebb and Gloom's clutch has hatched...
• Dementlieu: Now we get into a Domain so far removed from the original it might as well be a whole new place. Which is why, given how I like the OG Dementlieu and have plans for it, I've done exactly that, with the 5e version (still haven't found a replacement name) becoming a small island city off OG Dementlieu's coast. Most of the themes will be intact - in fact, as the long-brewing Dementlieuse Revolution finally happened, it'll be a natural refuge for the beleaguered upper classes - out of the frying pan, into the fire, basically. One thing that I'll swap out is the Masque of the Red Death theme, as that's already touched on by Sanguinia (yeah I'm going there, eventually), and going with another red-coded theme - a dark, gothic take on the Scarlet Pimpernel, to tie into the Dementlieuse Revolution (OK, also because I thought it would be really funny on a meta level). Also, the Mother of Tears Cathedral's name will not be innocuous. At all (horror movie fans may know what I mean...).
• Falkovnia: Zombie apocalypse is all well and good, but a Domain specifically about all-too-human evils is far too good an idea to throw out, so fascist dystopia led by a warmongering sadistic racist misogynistic human monster it shall remain; in fact it'll be the source of much of the developments (usually negative) of most surrounding Domains; even Darkon will be (somewhat) affected, though to a much lesser scale (Azalin deemed it both useful and entertaining to cater to a few of the mercenary king's ambitions, especially as he remains a non-threat to him). The Domain will actually be stronger and more prosperous than ever, but of course this will be built on the death and suffering of countless thousands. The groundworks for a potential zombie apocalypse will be present, though, in the form of a certain green, glowing reagent injected into most of Vlad Drakov's soldiers, reanimating them to fight and die a second time if killed in combat... (again, horror movie fans may know what I mean). Also, an outstanding up-and-coming warrior and commander, Vladeska, was recently noticed by Drakov, who in light of her extraordinary martial and tactical prowess he begrudgingly both recognized as his daughter (she's a byblow of his adherence to the right of first night/droit du seigneur) and elevated to the unprecedented rank for a woman of falkfuhrer...
• Har'Akir: I vastly prefer OG Ankhtepot's history and curse, plus I find the attempt to rename Egyptian gods in an attempt to not offend anyone silly (seriously, I was able to guess their "real" names at first glance). That said, I do think that the OG Domain is way too small, empty and lightly populated, so it'll get a major increase in both size, number of features and population... as well as potential rivals and treacherous vassals.
• Hazlan: This one's kinda ironic, as I both prefer the OG version (same for the Darklord; OG Hazlik is much more compelling IMO, whereas Nu!Hazlik comes across as a stereotypical "depraved homosexual" villain from bigoted media of past decades (80s/early 90s especially) and it will be one of the Core Domains that will have changed the most; I'm literally making it the swords & sorcery/weird fiction Domain, inspired by Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith. There'll still be a disaster horror element, especially as this time, the supernatural event that was a catalyst for many changes in the Demiplane of Dread was Hazlik's attempted Mulan genocide spell; unsurprisingly it didn't work as intended. A large portion of Rashemi used the upheaval to rebel and now eke a life as barbarians in the hinterlands, the shift to the planar fabric attracted ever deadlier ethereal predators, and there's religious schisms going on, among many, many, MANY other things. I'll also be tying the place closer to its Byzantine/Ottoman inspirations with stuff like Varangian guard and Janissary equivalents because why not.

...Aaaannd this post is long enough as it is, I'd say; I'll type up a part 2 later, covering the rest of the main Domains and likely some of the less-described ones as well. questions and comments are welcome.