A Hotel Transylvania take on Raveloft?

[werescythe]

So this was a thought I had, that I figured I would bring up and see if anyone has done sonething like this.

While I enjoy the world of Ravenloft, I know that many of my friends aren't huge fans of scary things (all the time) and like for things to be fun and lighthearted at times. So, I wondered what if you took the Ravenloft setting and adjusted it to have a bit more of a Hotel Transylvania (or even a Halloween Town) feel?

Sure, it could still be spooky but it would also be goofy at times as well.

So I was just wondering:
1. If someone has done something like this before?
2. If you were to go about doing something like this, how would you go about it?

[Duff]

That would be horribly inconsistent with Ravenloft.
The Dark Powers don't have that kind of sense of humor

But a fun idea in a different setting.

[Unoriginal]

So this was a thought I had, that I figured I would bring up and see if anyone has done sonething like this.

While I enjoy the world of Ravenloft, I know that many of my friends aren't huge fans of scary things (all the time) and like for things to be fun and lighthearted at times. So, I wondered what if you took the Ravenloft setting and adjusted it to have a bit more of a Hotel Transylvania (or even a Halloween Town) feel?

Sure, it could still be spooky but it would also be de feegoofy at times as well.

So I was just wondering:
1. If someone has done something like this before?
2. If you were to go about doing something like this, how would you go about it?

I feel like an Archfey could set up their Domain of Delight to do a parody of Ravenloft, with funny monsters, theme-park versions of gothic buildings and Scooby-Doo styles mysteries.

At least that'd the kind of humor I associate with the Fey.

[Zhorn]

I feel like an Archfey could set up their Domain of Delight to do a parody of Ravenloft, with funny monsters, theme-park versions of gothic buildings and Scooby-Doo styles mysteries.

At least that'd the kind of humor I associate with the Fey.
This definitely fits the bill, I'd say.
The feywild, while being a more 'positive' place, is not limited to only being sunshine, rainbows, and happy fuzzy good feelings all the time.
it can have darkness, monsters, AND still have the emotional variety needed for comical juxtaposition within the gothic-horror backdrop.

[werescythe]

I feel like an Archfey could set up their Domain of Delight to do a parody of Ravenloft, with funny monsters, theme-park versions of gothic buildings and Scooby-Doo styles mysteries.

At least that'd the kind of humor I associate with the Fey.

I LOVE it! :D

[thorr-kan]

Your idea intrigues me, and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

Ravenloft fluff, Feywild crunch, and Saturday-morning-cartoon logic would do the trick. D&D might not be the best system for this, but it can be beat into a facsimile of what you want. It would be good enough.

[Spiritchaser]

That would be horribly inconsistent with Ravenloft.
The Dark Powers don't have that kind of sense of humor

But a fun idea in a different setting.

Now, I haven’t gone through ravenloft since we repeatedly got the original module out of the public library when we were kids… that was… 2e I think? I’ve read some reviews on the new version but never played it…

Ok fine print done

horrible inconsistency sounds like the whole point, and would be absolutely hilarious if you had the skill to pull it off.

Powerful witches that really just want to start a rock band? A fallen angel who’s really just into… something inappropriate tailored to your group’s tolerance as needed, ghosts and spirits who just want some peace and quiet… surfing animal hybrid things… whatever

I’d get a kick out of playing that with the right DM.

I wouldn’t want to have to DM it.

[FabulousFizban]

bleh bla bleh!

[Easy e]

Well, when I played a bit of Ravenloft, the players themselves made it more Scooby-Do Horror than Gothic Horror.

[narrator667]

To be Clear, In Curse of Ravenlaugh, it's still the same Strahd Von Zarovich as the final boss and main antagonist, but there's a second Vampire that looks just like Adam Sandler walking around that every hotel guest, servant, townsfolk, witchhunter, or vistani considers to be the same person. Have Adam Strahdler show up way more often than Strahd as a barely disguised frenemy and jokey reoccurring villain, while real Strahd runs the range of violent anger, to pent up frustration, reassigning himself to his new, annoying fate, until some comic twist of fate mirroring his own life happens that's too insulting for him to ignore
Strahd can kill Adam Strahdler over and over, but he'll be back a few hours later gushing to Strahd that this mosquito he found is actually Tatyana, joking that he was able to make her a bloodsucker before he could.

[werescythe]

So here is a thought I had. Would it be possible to have a Halloween Town/Hotel Transylvania themed Domain of Desire, that is connected to Ravenloft's Domains of Dread?

[Witty Username]

Sure, it could still be spooky but it would also be goofy at times as well.

So I was just wondering:
1. If someone has done something like this before?
2. If you were to go about doing something like this, how would you go about it?

I would recommend the art style of the Medievil video game for inspiration, it does a good job of creepy mixed with funny that would fit your purpose.

I have planned of a some point doing Ravenloft with Disney movies as dread domains, with the primary villan as the dark lord. Reasonable to keep light hearted because of the source material but still in keeping with the conception of the Domains of Dread.
Also, Beauty and the beast (Gascoigne as Dark lord) & Hunchback of Norte Dame (Frolo as Dark Lord) lend themselves well to Gothic architecture.
Alternatively, you could have a game using only denizens of the dread domain that the dread is the norm for them, Addams Family is a good reference point.

A horror setting is only horror if you are frightened of it.

[Unoriginal]

So here is a thought I had. Would it be possible to have a Halloween Town/Hotel Transylvania themed Domain of Desire, that is connected to Ravenloft's Domains of Dread?

Depends what you mean by "connected".

As in, there are portals or other ways to travel to one or several Domains of Dread? Possible, but the thing is that Domains of Dread are hard to get out, so it would likely be one-way-tickets.

As in, the Archfey in charge once went to the Domains of Dread? Again, possible. Could even be fun if the Archfey was freed by adventurers once and wanted to re-create that feeling for others to experience.

As in, the Archfey is connected to the Dark Powers in some way? Also possible. I think it would be best to not belabor on the nature of that connection, as Dark Powers work best when they're ambiguous.

As in, the Domain of Desire is the Feywild echo of a Material Plane place that was sucked into the Plane of Shadow to become a Domain of Dread? Absolutely possible. Heck, it could have been the echo of Ravenloft itself, pre-Domain of Dread-isation, and the Archfey decided to lean on that.