Jander Sunstar

Elven Vampire 🌞🥀| Happily married 🌙 thank you very much |😊😇🥰

[darklordazalin]

Liches normalize lounging in your lair dressed in an open silk robe with nothing underneath but your burial shroud. 

[jander-sunstar]

Something like this, perhaps?

[thyeternalhunger]

quick study

though I prefer the pre-rendered version more

[thyeternalhunger]

sketches while listening to KotD

[kirchenaere]

Working on the next illustration for my CoS game now that we’re “done” with Vallaki and I decided to include some tiny Martikovs behind our pal Ricky eavesdropping at the bar

[jander-sunstar]

Jander’s Expanded Guide to Vampires: the Dwarven Vampire

Hunter’s Rating:  🦇 🦇 🦇 🦇 🦇

Dwarven Vampires are a rarity even in the dread domains, although I’m inclined to attribute that to their habit of staying far, far underground, and eschewing the company of even their fellow undead. Few hunters will ever hear of a true Dwarven Vampire, much less encounter one directly. Their high rating here is given less as a measure of their capacity for bloodshed and evil (though both are still quite high), and more to illustrate how damned difficult they are to dispatch. 

As with most Vampires, undead dwarves retain their skills and aptitudes from their living days, and quite naturally prefer to be found well below the surface of the earth. They lack any real vulnerability to sunlight, but find it distasteful nonetheless; and being above ground causes discomfort and reduced regenerative abilities, so it’s often a moot point. They also have also exchanged the charm ability common to other Vampires for a fearsome gaze, similar to the one sported by true Elven Vampires, and lack any real skill at shapeshifting. A Vampiric dwarf can summon and command a number of burrowing animals, but moles and badgers lack a certain finesse, in my opinion. 

No, what makes the Dwarven Vampire so dangerous is a level of durability much greater than other variants of comparable age. Only weapons bearing significant enchantments or blessings can hope to harm them, and magic seems to abhor them altogether; spells often ricochet off the creature, and magical items will outright refuse to function in their hands. Stone and earth are the Dwarven Vampire’s preferred roads, as they possess an innate stonewalk ability, and fighting one underground is just asking to be grappled and drawn into a solid stone wall. As if this wasn’t bad enough, upon a would-be fatal blow the dwarf assumes the same state and vanishes into the nearest earthen surface, much as a common Vampire would dissolve into mist to escape. The creature is destroyed if prevented from reaching its coffin within minutes, but because of this a Dwarven Vampire is rarely far from such a sanctuary. How is a hunter meant to fight an enemy that laughs at most weapon blows, and can simply melt away into the environment whenever he likes?

By getting very, very lucky. Powdered metal can create a barrier the Dwarven Vampire cannot cross, and natural spring water acts as holy water does on other varieties. Dwellings constructed entirely without the use of stone or earth are impregnable fortresses against Vampiric dwarves, but those with stone floors or walls pose no hinderance whatsoever. And the one surefire means of incapacitating the creature is by impalement with a natural stalactite or stalagmite. Once paralyzed, the dwarf’s heart can then be removed, soaked in oil for three days, and burned completely to ash. Anything less than this runs the risk of the Vampire reviving at a later date, and you’d best hope that happens long after your children’s time.

The one saving grace of the Dwarven Vampire is that they seldom make themselves a problem requiring a hunter’s solution. The creatures tend to sequester themselves far underground, and don’t make a habit of amassing power and social influence the way many Vampires of other races do. Apart from the necessity of feeding, which they do by draining the living vitality of their victims, they tend to live almost entirely solitary existences -- much as I myself once did. Through some quirk of unnatural nature, the dwarven strain of Vampirism requires a more active participation on the part of the sire and is incapable of crossing species lines to infect other humanoids. Thus, a Vampire of this type will only create spawn intentionally, only from other dwarves, and only for a specific purpose. Oftentimes such spawn are destroyed by their maker after a bare few months or years, out of a lingering sense of sorrow and compassion for what has been done to them.

If you absolutely must fight a Dwarven Vampire, do so with the utmost caution and preparation. Expect heavy casualties. And whatever you do, do not target the one that lives in Castle Avernus. Azalin has very, ah, definite opinions about people who attack his staff...

[ravenloftbythelamplight]

@darklordazalin this set of tags on my last post granted me a vision of a funny visual and I felt compelled to draw something and now this exists

[darklordazalin]

After a long day, nothing is better than seeing a lovely drawing of yours truly by the wonderful Lamplight.

[jander-sunstar]

Happy Father’s Day, mist walkers and Darklords! Remember to spend time with your dads today, in whatever form suits you. Even now, my daughter is trying her hardest to hit me with a sword! She’s getting really good at it, I’m proud of her 🥰

[jander-sunstar]

Magical Plants of the Core

Vampire hunting is not my only hobby. Despite my black thumb curse, I consider myself to be quite a capable gardener, and you’d be surprised at how often the two overlap!

So, let’s talk plants.

Many Vampires have specific horticultural weaknesses; garlic for the young and the weak, fresh flower petals for those of elven stock, and burning tobacco or pipeweed for Vampiric halflings. But those are all mundane herbs, common enough and with a hundred other uses besides repelling the undead. Magical plants are much, much rarer, and also much more potent in the hands of a hunter.

------

Blood Seeker Garlic is an unusual item, a plant made magical through action and not nature. Ordinary garlic can be cultivated in such a way that it acquires something of the nature of the Vampire itself; water the growing herb regularly enough with Vampire blood, and the resulting bulb gains a taste for the stuff. This can then be thrown or otherwise pressed against bare Vampiric flesh, upon which it actually sprouts rootlike tendrils and tries to burrow into the creature to feast!

This is one of the rare plants on this list that I can actually make use of; I wear gloves as a habit, have little aversion to garlic due to my substantial age, and, obviously, shedding my own blood for a horticultural project is child’s play. Some hunters reject the use of Vampire blood as black magic, but I provide occasional gifts of blood seeker garlic to those of my acquaintance that will accept them; any edge is worth keeping, in our line of work.

------

Nightblight is a species of wolfsbane unique to Kartakass, in an example of the land providing a counter to its ruler’s evil, and though its effects are not limited to Vampires, it is a preeminently useful herb for any hunter - provided you find yourself within its very limited growing range. 

Nightblight is, put simply, utterly repellant to anything that even resembles a wolf. To humans and ordinary animals the scent is barely detectible, but any shapechanger with a wolflike form - werewolves, wolfweres, and yes, many Vampires - will refuse to go anywhere near the stuff unless possessed of the most iron of wills. Natural wolves are likewise repelled, and even those transformed into wolves by arcane magic find themselves loathing the smell of the plant. I can speak from personal experience here; even on two legs the scent is vile, and my attempts to collect some for personal use failed utterly.

------

Lilies of Eternal Slumber are native to the jungles of Valachan. These nightblooming flowers are pale on the outside and bright crimson on the inside; upon contact with Vampiric flesh, the petals act as holy water does and burn quite severely. So strong is this effect that a lily can be presented as a holy symbol and used to keep an attacking Vampire at bay, and if a wreath of four blooms is placed around a Vampire’s neck, it mimics the full effect of sunlight - up to and including lethality.

The lily has passive effects as well; any mortal that holds a bloom is more easily able to resist a Vampire’s charm, and anyone already dominated in such a way has a chance to break free upon touching the flower - although they will resist doing so.

The most potent ability of these flowers, however, is that which gave them their name. If but a single bloom is placed on a Vampire’s resting coffin, the Vampire within will be sent into the deepest sleep possible for our kind, short of true death. This effect can only be ended if another creature removes the flower, and a Vampire trapped in such a way risks starvation over the course of many years. I cannot help but wonder if the lily was not an ingredient in the poison that was Strahd’s punishment upon his grandniece, my dearest Lyssa, for her attempt to unseat him as ruler of Barovia.

Unfortunately my efforts to cultivate the plant outside of Valachan were unsuccessful - and, really, even I am not foolish enough to keep a stock of such a plant close to my own home. As a hunter I cannot make effective use of it, and as a Vampire I am as vulnerable as any other to its effects.

[darklordazalin]

Ravenloft Lore Tuesdays

Domain Focus for May: Barovia – The First Domain Domain formation: 351 BC

Lore: Native Creature – The Shalkala

There is not much written on the Shalkala, just a small note in one of van Richten’s research guides (Guide to the Mists; 3e). The good doctor believes them to be fey creatures native to Barovia’s svalich woods. They lure foolish Barovians into the woods, then entice them to dance within a ring of fungus or moss. These must be particularly foolish or brave Barovians as most I encountered while within the depressing landscape of Barovia locked themselves up on a nightly basis and rarely strayed more than a few yards from their homesteads.

If one dances with the Shalkala within their fey circles, it is said their entire lives are rewritten in such a matter that they believe the Shalkalas are their close friends and they have always served them. Well, as someone who has used this method before and who’s Domain tends to do such things on its own, I must admit this is a sound method to obtain loyal servants.

How to use the Shalkala in Your Game

Looking for your players to have something to do in the Svalich Woods besides running from packs of wolves? An encounter with a Shalkala and their mind-washed minions is an excellent side-quest to add to any long term campaign or a simple one to two shot adventure.

Perhaps someone the party cares about – a beloved NPC, a childhood friend, a loved one, etc. – has gone missing. It could also be someone the characters don’t know at all but is important to other NPCs that hire the characters or compel their good nature to venture forth and find the missing individual. The characters search for clues and signs point to the missing individual going into the forest – there are one set of tracks going out of the forest and two sets going in, which indicate they were either lured in or met someone there and the two explored the forest. Either way, the missing individual is in the forest now.

After facing the dangers of the forest, the characters eventually locate the Shalkala and their mind controlled victims. Not only do the characters have to rescue the victims but find out how to reverse their altered minds. This could be a ritual or perhaps even some bargain they have to make with the Shalkala themselves.

[temperancevalkyrie]

[lordsothofsithicus]

Diviners aren’t allowed to gamble in Lord Soth’s Casino and Entertainment Hall But all the games are RUN by them

[jander-sunstar]

Jander’s Expanded Guide to Vampires: the Vorlog

Hunter’s rating: 🦇 🦇 

All Vampires are, in some way, tragic. The loss of one’s humanity and the necessities of existing as we do are terrible things (no matter how– accustomed I may have gotten to them, in recent times). But the Vorlog is a uniquely wrenching creature even among Vampires; not least because it isn’t, in fact, a Vampire.

A Vorlog is really a type of Dhampir, or half-vampire. Created when the process of transforming a mortal into a Vampire’s bride or groom is fatally interrupted and the progenitor Vampire is slain, the mortal “rescued” from the attempt does not emerge unscathed. Rather, a person who has already given themselves over body and soul to the Vampire is left trapped in a halfway point between life and death, inheriting some, but not all, of its deceased lover’s undead qualities – but the most important quality is that of obsession.

We are obsessive creatures, there’s no way around it. And for a Vorlog, that obsession is the pivotal moment of loss and bereavement that earned it this half-life. The process of creating a Vampire bride forms an innate, emotional connection between the two creatures involved, you see, and when that fresh bond is severed so traumatically… it leaves the survivor not quite sane. So ravenous are they for that connection that was so violently ripped away from them, that they fixate on anyone that even remotely resembles their lost love. This behavior will be familiar to anyone who has observed our dear friend Strahd for more than five minutes, but a Vorlog has a unique way of going about it.

Once an appropriate substitute is identified, the Vorlog will charm, seduce, cajole, and otherwise insert itself into the victim’s life by any means necessary. A sort of psychic cuckoo, the Vorlog can mold the victim into filling the void left by the deceased Vampire in an attempt to soothe its own longing and recreate the original, supernatural bond. This surrogate is everything to the Vorlog, life and meaning and happiness all in one, and is in fact the only way that the creature can feed. The victim’s wisdom and willpower are constantly drained, leaving them dazed, confused, and all the more likely to view the parasite beside them as both a benevolent guide and a pitiful, tragic creature whom they must appease and dote upon. 

Of course, it never lasts. No mortal can ever truly replace the memory that lives within a Vorlog’s mind, and as time goes on the creature will become more and more dissatisfied with their surrogate. Either the surrogate succumbs to the constant drain on his or her faculties and dies, or the Vorlog becomes distracted, finds a new, more appealing victim, and callously disposes of the old one. Rather emblematic of the ways in which all types of Vampire use people up and discard them, I think.

Physically speaking, Vorlogs are much less impressive than the Vampires they might have become. Oh they have strength and speed aplenty, but lack any real shapeshifting or other salient abilities, save for their charm gaze, and any attempts to control or summon animals will only drive the target to flee in a berserk state. They can regenerate from injuries, but very, very slowly, unless they are in the presence of their surrogate. While repellants such as garlic and mirrors do not seem to bother them, sunlight is an effective deterrent and causes immense pain. Curiously, rather than turning into mist as a true Vampire does when gravely injured, a Vorlog dissolves into tears to escape a fatal blow. How anyone figured out that it was tears and not ordinary water, I’m not sure I want to know.

The real trouble with Vorlogs is that they are stealthy. Oftentimes it is well-meaning vampire hunters who create a Vorlog, patting themselves on the back for having rescued the Vampire’s victim moments before certain doom, and leaving the scene unaware that certain doom has already happened. Because they are neither truly undead nor truly alive, Vorlogs will not register to spells that detect either of those categories, and because they tend to appear superficially human, often go undetected even around those who ought to know better.

Vorlogs are dreadfully codependent creatures caught in a place where they will never find fulfillment, wracked with unmet needs that inevitably leads them to leech the life from those they cling to. There is no cure for a Vorlog, and no way to complete the creature’s transformation into a true Vampire; they cannot go forward, they cannot go back, and the only way out is at the end of a stake. 

[darklordazalin]

Azalin Reviews: Urik von Kharkov

Domain: Valachan Domain Formation: 625 BC Power Level:  💀💀 ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ (3/5 skulls) Sources: 2e: Darklords, Realms of Terror, Domains of Dread, Felkovic’s Cat; 3e: Gazetteer IV, Secrets of the Dread Realms; Novel: Tales of Ravenloft; 5e: van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft “Baron” Urik von Khakov was the former Darklord of Valachan until Chakuna defeated and replaced him. I use the title “Baron” lightly as he is not and never has been a Baron and is not even really human though he desperately wishes to be.Valachan is a heavily forested domain dominated by evergreens and redwoods in a temperate ecosystem with a few small townships dotting the landscape. In 5e this has been changed into a rainforest with two newly named townships instead of three. All of these villages are barely populated, so it makes little difference.

Urik’s story is, well I’d say unique but there are stranger Darklords in the Demiplanes, so I’ll just say that his story is a fascinating experiment conducted by Morphayus, a Red Wizard of Thay. I have been called vindictive in the past by those who have little understanding of my intentions, but I do not even come close to Morphayus’s levels. This wizard had his eyes on a young woman named Selena who had no interest in him. This indifference plagued Morphayus and he plotted his revenge. Try being married to indifference and spite for 17 years, then get back to me Morphayus…

Morphayus found a unique and rare version of the polymorph spell and used it to transform a panther into a man. He gave that man a fake title and name (Baron Urik von Kharkov), then educated him at the finest universities Cormyr had to offer. He groomed the man cat to be the perfect match for Selena and the two eventually fell for one another. Morphayus then dispelled the polymorph upon Urik when he was intimate with Selena, which ended with Selena being mauled to death by a giant panther. Morphayus, being an incompetent wizard who stumbled upon a powerful spell, turned Urik back into a man, thinking he could use the same ploy again on another, but had not realized Urik would remember his life as a man. Urik, horrified and ashamed of what he had done, fled from Morphayus and into the mists, which deposited him into Darkon.

There Urik learned of the Kargat, my secret police and as any good citizen would, wished to join their ranks. Seeing how much he distrusts wizards, it is interesting that he agreed to work for me considering I go by the title “The Wizard King”, but the lure of immortality is a potent one. Urik willingly allowed a vampire to turn him, not realizing that he would now be under the whims of the vampire that changed him for all eternity. He worked under his maker for 2 decades until his maker was slain by another. Seeing a chance to escape, Urik fled into the mists once more and found himself the ruler of his own Domain, Valachan.

As Darklord, Urik copied my Kargat with a group of werepanthers to assist him in ruling his realm from Castle Pantara, a large stone structure designed to resemble a crouching tiger. Why not a panther? Maybe Urik decided he had too many panther things going on? Can’t be TOO obvious about these things. Urik demands little of his people, mainly taxes and servants now and then to attend to the castle. These servants and any who come close to Urik’s castle often suffer from “white fever”. This “white fever” is nothing more than a fabrication to hide Urik and his vampire thrall’s thirst for human blood. Urik’s paranoia has proven to be a boon and his massive mind control he has used upon his people have made it so few realize his true nature.

Every year, he also demands a bride from his people. These unfortunate women are typically drawn through lotteries, but occasionally Urik picks one out himself. Fickle like a cat. This led to the creation of the jade figurine known as Felkovic’s Cat and Urik’s greatest fear. Urik took an interest in Felkovic’s wife and made plans to have the wizard killed so he could then select his wife as a bride. His version of the Kargat are not as disciplined nor discreet as my own and ended up speaking of the plan while in the same room as Felkovic. Felkovic, in hopes of saving his wife, created the jade cat figurine which would transform and assassinate Urik when commanded.

Felkovic, being a lesser mage, was charmed and then killed by Urik’s panthers before he was given the opportunity. Felkovic cursed Urik with his dying breath and his spirit became tied to the cat figurine. Felkovic learned to possess the object, transforming it into a larger and larger cat over the course of seven days. On the seventh day, the cat figurine, now the size of a saber tooth tiger, attacked and nearly killed Urik, who was only saved by his servants.

Urik is a beast that dreams of being a man. He struggles between his animalistic nature as a panther, his lust for blood as a vampire, and his past love as a man. He takes the form of a panther instead of a wolf and can summon these large cats to fight beside him. Otherwise, he is a standard vampire who cannot change into a bat. In 5e, Urik has been defeated by a werepanther named Chakuna and only his severed head remains hidden in the new Darklords abode.

In summary, Urik is a giant cat whose biggest fear is a giant magical stone cat and who tried to copy his former boss’s government. Should I be flattered? No. 2 out of 5 skulls, but only because I like cats…

[lordsothofsithicus]

Urik is a case of too much going on in a story and would need to be simplified to be used well.

Man but cat and also a vampire plus curse…

Pare this down, a vampire with an affinity for cats hunts people in the jungle, a vengeful wizard created a figurine of wondrous power empowered to kill him - it needs to all flow together

[darklordazalin]

My minions are telling me my “Lich, Laugh, Loathe” decorative signs are too ‘basic’ for a Darklord and sends the wrong signal. 

[jander-sunstar]

Well I think they’re delightful. And so carefully embroidered!

[jander-sunstar]

Jander’s Expanded Guide to Vampires: the Vorlog

Hunter’s rating: 🦇 🦇 

All Vampires are, in some way, tragic. The loss of one’s humanity and the necessities of existing as we do are terrible things (no matter how-- accustomed I may have gotten to them, in recent times). But the Vorlog is a uniquely wrenching creature even among Vampires; not least because it isn’t, in fact, a Vampire.

A Vorlog is really a type of Dhampir, or half-vampire. Created when the process of transforming a mortal into a Vampire’s bride or groom is fatally interrupted and the progenitor Vampire is slain, the mortal “rescued” from the attempt does not emerge unscathed. Rather, a person who has already given themselves over body and soul to the Vampire is left trapped in a halfway point between life and death, inheriting some, but not all, of its deceased lover’s undead qualities -- but the most important quality is that of obsession.

We are obsessive creatures, there’s no way around it. And for a Vorlog, that obsession is the pivotal moment of loss and bereavement that earned it this half-life. The process of creating a Vampire bride forms an innate, emotional connection between the two creatures involved, you see, and when that fresh bond is severed so traumatically... it leaves the survivor not quite sane. So ravenous are they for that connection that was so violently ripped away from them, that they fixate on anyone that even remotely resembles their lost love. This behavior will be familiar to anyone who has observed our dear friend Strahd for more than five minutes, but a Vorlog has a unique way of going about it.

Once an appropriate substitute is identified, the Vorlog will charm, seduce, cajole, and otherwise insert itself into the victim’s life by any means necessary. A sort of psychic cuckoo, the Vorlog can mold the victim into filling the void left by the deceased Vampire in an attempt to soothe its own longing and recreate the original, supernatural bond. This surrogate is everything to the Vorlog, life and meaning and happiness all in one, and is in fact the only way that the creature can feed. The victim’s wisdom and willpower are constantly drained, leaving them dazed, confused, and all the more likely to view the parasite beside them as both a benevolent guide and a pitiful, tragic creature whom they must appease and dote upon. 

Of course, it never lasts. No mortal can ever truly replace the memory that lives within a Vorlog’s mind, and as time goes on the creature will become more and more dissatisfied with their surrogate. Either the surrogate succumbs to the constant drain on his or her faculties and dies, or the Vorlog becomes distracted, finds a new, more appealing victim, and callously disposes of the old one. Rather emblematic of the ways in which all types of Vampire use people up and discard them, I think.

Physically speaking, Vorlogs are much less impressive than the Vampires they might have become. Oh they have strength and speed aplenty, but lack any real shapeshifting or other salient abilities, save for their charm gaze, and any attempts to control or summon animals will only drive the target to flee in a berserk state. They can regenerate from injuries, but very, very slowly, unless they are in the presence of their surrogate. While repellants such as garlic and mirrors do not seem to bother them, sunlight is an effective deterrent and causes immense pain. Curiously, rather than turning into mist as a true Vampire does when gravely injured, a Vorlog dissolves into tears to escape a fatal blow. How anyone figured out that it was tears and not ordinary water, I’m not sure I want to know.

The real trouble with Vorlogs is that they are stealthy. Oftentimes it is well-meaning vampire hunters who create a Vorlog, patting themselves on the back for having rescued the Vampire’s victim moments before certain doom, and leaving the scene unaware that certain doom has already happened. Because they are neither truly undead nor truly alive, Vorlogs will not register to spells that detect either of those categories, and because they tend to appear superficially human, often go undetected even around those who ought to know better.

Vorlogs are dreadfully codependent creatures caught in a place where they will never find fulfillment, wracked with unmet needs that inevitably leads them to leech the life from those they cling to. There is no cure for a Vorlog, and no way to complete the creature’s transformation into a true Vampire; they cannot go forward, they cannot go back, and the only way out is at the end of a stake. 

[crepuscularpete]

[coloursul-deactivated20240417]

✨ Send an OC ask based on your battery percentage ✨

I saw this ask game in a group and thought it would be fun to turn it into one for your characters specifically! You can name someone’s specific OC or let them have the choice! have fun writing!

1%. How does your character act around different people? How does their personality shift and change?

2%. Your character has been brought to a party and promptly ditched. They don't have a ride back home. How does this work? How comfortable are they around all of these strangers? Do they interact?

3%. It's kind of awkward - what subjects are likely to make your character hesitate, flush, stumble on their words, etc.?

4%. Is your character more dominant or submissive to the people around them? Do they tend to follow others' orders and wait for people to give them instruction in life, or do they charge ahead and make decisions on their own?

5%. What happens when your character doesn't get what they want?

6%. What's your character's self-esteem like? And does it change over the course of the story?

7%. What's one flaw about themselves that they hate the most and wish they could change?

8%. How does their personality shift when someone gets to know them well?

9%. Do they prefer to be alone or spend time with other people?

10%. Is it easy for your character to tell someone "no" when they don't want to do something?

11%. If your character were to describe their own personality, how would they do it?

12%. Is your character aware of their flaws?

13%. How has your character's personality changed from childhood to adulthood?

14%. Who or what influenced your character's personality? Did they pick up any mannerisms or traits from someone?

15%. Does your character express affection? Are they comfortable doing so?

16%. When frightened, will your character "fight" or "flight"?

17%. Does your character ever put someone else's needs in front of their own? And If there are only rare exceptions, why is that the case?

18%. If your character suffered amnesia and lost all their memories, what would they be like?

19%. How does your character's living space reflect their personality?

20%. What's one thing that other characters wish they could change about this character's personality?

21%. How easy is it for your character to feel anger? What's usually a good tip off that they're experiencing it?

22%. What state of mind is your character usually in?

23%. Are there any emotions your character is particularly afraid of, or really resents having to feel?

24%. How easily does your character trust their feelings with others?

25%. Can your character easily hide their emotions?

26%. How well can your character resist their emotions and impulses?

27%. Does your character ever get violent when feeling any certain emotions?

28%. Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue?

29%. Does your character have any triggers? Why do these things trigger them?

30%. What would hurt your character so badly they couldn't even breathe?

31%. What is guaranteed to make this character smile?

32%. If the character could remove one emotion from their life, which would they choose?

33%. If they're feeling upset, who are they likely to talk to for comfort? Or do they keep it inside?

34%. How would your character cope with losing someone extremely close to them?

35%. How does your character look and feel when crying?

36%. If your character had to live out the rest of their life either perpetually angry, sad, or frightened, which would they choose?

37%. Does your character tend to blame or punish others for their own emotions?

38%. Is your character empathetic, and tends to be influenced by the emotions of others?

39%. What is the strongest emotion your character has ever felt?

40%. If your character were to come face to face with their darkest fears in a nightmare, what would be the scene?

41%. What's the state of your character's kitchen? What kind of foods do you find in it? Is it... clean?

42%. If they could only eat one type of food for the rest of their life, what would they choose?

43%. What kind of clothing does your character like wearing and why?

44%. How does your character feel about piercings?

45%. What's something that turns this character on?And what's a definite turn-off? (non-sexual)

46%. How does your character feel about animals? Would they want any pets? What animals are their favorite?

47%. What type of movie is your character most interested in watching?

48%. If your character could master a skill instantly, which would they choose? And why?

49%. Are there any behaviors that your other characters do that irk your character? Is your character ever vocal about their annoyance?

50%. Would your character rather create something or destroy something?

51%. What kind of comedy does your character prefer? Toilet humor, vulgar, slapstick, morbid, etc.

52%. If they could stay at one age forever, which age would they choose and why?

53%. If your character could only wear clothing of one color, which would they choose?

54%. Describe your character's favorite possession. Where did they get it, and why are they so attached?

55%. What is the character's favorite weather?

56%. Do they prefer sweet, salty, sour, meaty, spicy, or neutral tastes?

57%. Would they rather sleep in a cold room or a warm one?

58%. Are there any hobbies your character absolutely hates and would never want to do?

59%. What's the easiest way to annoy your character?

60%. Are their interests and likes socially appropriate?

61%. Describe a scenario that has impacted your character and caused them extreme happiness.

62%. What is your character's first memory?

63%. Has your character ever experienced deja vu? Do you happen to know why?

64%. Sensations are powerful things, and often certain scents, sounds, touches, etc. can invoke memories strongly associated with them. Which have imprinted in your character's mind?

65%. How'd they get along with their parents and/or other relatives?

66%. If your character had to choose one friend they've valued over all others, who would it be?

67%. What's the worst injury they've ever gotten?

68%. How many places has your character lived in? What stands out most about those places to them?

69%. If your character could erase one memory from their mind, what would it be?

70%. What was your character's economic situation?

71%. What are your character's three clearest memories?

72%. If your character could go back and speak to a younger version of themself, what would they say?

73%. If your character could go back and choose their sex at birth, what would they choose?

74%. Describe your character's love life throughout the years.

75%. How did the family that raised your character influence them?

76%. If your character could "unmeet" someone in their life, who would they choose?

78%. If your character could choose different parents for themselves, who would they choose and why?

79%. Does your character feel guilty about anything in the past?

80%. If your character were asked to associate an adjective with different stages of their life, what would they choose and why?

81%. If your character could choose to have themselves born at a specific time period, which would they pick and why?

82%. What was your character like as a baby? As a child?

83%. When was the last time they were crushed with disappointment? How did that impact them? Did it have a lifelong effect on them?

84%. Did they ever bully anybody in school? Were they ever bullied? How did they react to the bullying or what prompted them to bully someone?

85%. What is your characters current job? Why did they choose that job and do they enjoy it?

86%. What is your characters educational background if they have one? Did they choose to go to college/university after graduation? What is their major?

87%. Does your charactee have a natural talent for something? What is that talent?

88%. What do they think is the worst thing that can be done to a person?

89%. Has anyone ever saved their life? Who and what happened?

90%. Your character's car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. What do they do?

91%. Does your character like children? Why or why not? How do they react to bratty children? Do they want children of their own? Do they already have children?

92%. Is your character particularly confident? Does their confidence level change if less people are around?

93%. Does your character have an enemy. What is their past? Why do they hate each other?

94%. Your character is falling in love. Do they take things slow or fast? Do they make decisions or do they make a lot of compromises? How secure are they?

95%. If your character was a smell? What would your character smell like?

96%. A typical weekend for your character is like…

97%. How good is your characters sense of direction? Do they oftentimes get lost or are they good at finding their way around?

98%. Would your character have a social media account? Do they? Why or why not? How often do they update their status? How many friends do they have?

99%. Does your character live by any kind of philosophy? What is it?

100%. Does your character resemble anybody famous?

[wonderfulworldofdarklords]

Welcome to Wonderful World of Darklords! It's been almost a year, and we're celebrating by going back to where it all began: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It's gorgeous, it's groundbreaking, it's a classic fairy tale, it has that nightmare fuel transformation scene . . . but in the film as presented, there's even less of a world than Sleeping Beauty, so how can we turn it into a darkly delicious domain? With folklore, that's how.

Topics discussed include:

The mythology-rich real-world location that inspired the setting for the movie, which will immediately provide you with every plot hook you could possibly want (no, not the Black Forest, another mythology-rich real-world location that the Brothers Grimm loved);

A back story and modus operandi for the wicked queen that gives her something to do beyond brooding in her mirror and searching for Snow White, complete with hags, ill-advised magical bargains, and gruesome blood magic;

Our aging-uppiest aging-up section to date, because boy howdy does the queen have a certain vibe;

A boatload of ideas to integrate the wicked queen with a certain other beautiful raven-haired darklord who loves poison;

and more!

Click on the link. You know the penalty if you fail.

The full writeup for the Queenswood is available for free on DM's Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/434228/The-Queenswood--A-Ravenloft-Domain-of-Dread?affiliate_id=241770

The book series Rachel was raving about is the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Check it out! (Unfortunately, you have to read the series in order, so you can't just jump straight to the wonderfulness of Winter or the swooniness of Scarlet/Wolf.)

All music recordings are in the public domain (mark 1.0) and are licensed through https://musopen.org:

Chopin Nocturne in B-Flat Minor, Op. 9 No.1 (main theme), performed by Eduardo Vinuela

Chopin Etude Op. 25, No. 12 in C Minor: “Ocean” (darklord theme), performed by Edward Neeman

Chopin Nocturne in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1 (land theme), performed by Luke Faulkner

Rachmaninoff Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3 - 2. Prélude in C sharp minor (Dread Possibilities), performed by Sergei Rachmaninoff

Chopin Nocturne in E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1 (parting thoughts), performed by Luke Faulkner

Dialog for Yensid was written by Azalin Rex himself @darklordazalin

The Wonderful World of Darklords logo was designed by Halite Jones, whom you can find @halite-draw or on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/insta_halite

Contact us on:

Gmail: [email protected]

Facebook: @wonderfulworldofdarklords

Tumblr: @wonderfulworldofdarklords

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheWonderfulWorldofDarklords651

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

[darklordazalin]

Itching for some Old School Tepest vibes? Check out the Queenswood - Ravenloft Domain of Dread based on Snow White.