I was looking at timelines and I came up with a few dates to get an idea of how much time has passed. This may change in the new Ravenloft 5e book. Vistani are apparently detached from the Timeline. That's why the players can meet Madame Eva far past her death.
351 BC: Domains of Dread are formed with Barovia being the first
470 BC: Vistani appear and Madame Eva and Strahd form an alliance.
495 BC: Madame Eva murdered. Madame Maruschka becomes the new raunie of the Zarovan tribe.
528 BC: Outlander adventurers (you) assault Castle Ravenloft and are destroyed. (Or were they...
)*
502 BC to 542 BC: Madame Maruschka dies and Madame Ilka becomes new raunie of Zarovan tribe.
735 BC: Date Curse of Strahd is set in. The 5e adventure.
740 BC: The Grand Conjunction ( the Great Upheaval) occurs.
* I've been GMing with the idea that we aren't in Ravenloft yet. Thinking that whatever happens in this module happens before Barovia is sucked into the Demi-Plane. If you survive, I had an idea for possible further adventures in Ravenloft. But I don't want to get too much into my ideas because it's a long ways off and who knows what might happen in the future.
What do the common people in Ravenloft know? The common people of Ravenloft have a limited understanding of the world they live in. The Mists have the ability to manipulate the minds of most of the inhabitants of Ravenloft, and to implant false memories. For example, when a domain is first created, the Mists create a "false history", a fake past that is believed by all the people who were created with the domain. As such, common people will not understand the concepts of "domains", "Darklords" or the demiplane itself.
The Dungeon Master should adjust commoner knowledge to fit his or her campaign, but in general, the following are examples of what a common person would know:
351 BC: Domains of Dread are formed with Barovia being the first
470 BC: Vistani appear and Madame Eva and Strahd form an alliance.
495 BC: Madame Eva murdered. Madame Maruschka becomes the new raunie of the Zarovan tribe.
528 BC: Outlander adventurers (you) assault Castle Ravenloft and are destroyed. (Or were they...
)*502 BC to 542 BC: Madame Maruschka dies and Madame Ilka becomes new raunie of Zarovan tribe.
735 BC: Date Curse of Strahd is set in. The 5e adventure.
740 BC: The Grand Conjunction ( the Great Upheaval) occurs.
* I've been GMing with the idea that we aren't in Ravenloft yet. Thinking that whatever happens in this module happens before Barovia is sucked into the Demi-Plane. If you survive, I had an idea for possible further adventures in Ravenloft. But I don't want to get too much into my ideas because it's a long ways off and who knows what might happen in the future.
What do the common people in Ravenloft know? The common people of Ravenloft have a limited understanding of the world they live in. The Mists have the ability to manipulate the minds of most of the inhabitants of Ravenloft, and to implant false memories. For example, when a domain is first created, the Mists create a "false history", a fake past that is believed by all the people who were created with the domain. As such, common people will not understand the concepts of "domains", "Darklords" or the demiplane itself.
The Dungeon Master should adjust commoner knowledge to fit his or her campaign, but in general, the following are examples of what a common person would know:
- The name of their "realm" and neighboring "realms", and the most important rulers of those lands.
- Magic is an unfamiliar, dangerous thing that is best left to those magic-using types, who should be avoided.
- Many dangerous creatures lurk outside their village; they will know some of the details of the most common animal nearby, and some details about a species of monster if it commonly preys upon humans.
- Of the many dangerous creatures out in the world, there are a few that look like men. Some are called dwarves, elves, gnomes or halflings, though the differences between them aren't really clear. Some folk trade with these queer folk, but its safer to avoid them.
- The land has always been the way it is now. Any talk about Grand Conjunctions or demi-planes is just a lot of nonsense - mostly from those magic-using types.
- No one knows what's beyond the Mists, and no one wants to know.
- From time to time, strange people might appear with strange clothes and languages, who might claim to be from some land far away. Its best to keep your distance from these people; they're often magic-using types, and always trouble.
- The Vistani are a strange type of nomads who wander all over the land. Sometimes they put on shows outside of town. Some are thieves and conmen, and others can tell the future, but all have eerie powers.
- The Vistani know a great deal about the demi-plane, including information about domains, darklords, magic, curses and many species of monsters. They will not, however, speak with the same terminology familiar to players.
- The people of Darkon have more experience and comfort with demi-human races.
- The people of Hazlan have more experience with arcane magic due to the number of wizards retained by their lord Hazlik.
- Merchants and sailors may know a great deal about traveling through the Mists, as well as the mist-ways that link domains.
- The people of Lamordia do not believe in the supernatural, nor do they believe in gods of any kind. They are aware of many scientific phenomena.
- Some domains have an active clergy, and can produce priests with sufficient training and faith to use divine magic. In these domains, commoners may be more familiar with divine magic and healing.
