D's Journal: The Black Cauldron (Abridged Episode 39)

Welcome to Wonderful World of Darklords: Book Club of Dread! No, if you're not a patron, you didn't miss Book One; it's a Patreon exclusive. We talk about the rules of the Nightmare Land so much that we couldn't paywall them in good conscience, though, so we're making the second, rules-focused book of the 1995 Ravenloft Nightmare Lands boxed set free for everyone. The Nightmare Lands has a lot of legitimately cool ideas and some creepy, evocative settings and NPCs, but it's also an attempt to cludge together freeform indie ideas with second edition D&D mechanics. Topics discussed include:The five Disney/Pixar PCs we're going to subject to the torments of the Nightmare Court, complete with classes, levels, and alignments, and which one of them strides through the land of dreams like a goddess;How to make peace with your inner demons by gaining enough mental fortitude points to attain your inner peace number (hint: it's second edition, so it's through combat);Tom's on-mic meltdown at the way experience points were handled in the nineties;So, so many charts;And more!Our beverage is Nightmare on Bourbon Street, or Nightmare on Martinelli Street for a mocktail option. You can find the recipe here: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/nightmare-on-bourbon-street/ We used the same regular non-alcoholic sparkling cider that we give our kids on New Year's Eve, and it was absolutely delicious, so we can 100% vouch for this whether you add a shot of bourbon or not.REMINDER: Our fundraiser for the Capital Area Food Bank is still live! https://give.capitalareafoodbank.org/wonderfulworldofdarklordsTimestamps:0:00 Introduction15:53 Meet the adventuring party!29:40 General dreamscape rules35:17 Madness rules43:01 Inner strength and mental fortitude1:15:20 Dream powers1:43:12 Geography of the Nightmare Lands1:59:49 Dream powers of the Nightmare Court2:22:34 Dr. Illhousen's clinicAll music recordings are in the public domain (mark 1.0) and are licensed through https://musopen.org:Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky, performed by the Skidmore College OrchestraThe Wonderful World of Darklords logo was designed by Halite Jones, whom you can find on Tumblr and Instagram: https://www.tumblr.com/halite-draw and http://www.instagram.com/insta_haliteContact us on:Gmail: [email protected]: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsTumblr: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsYoutube: @wonderfulworldofdarklordSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

Hello, dear listeners! Our fundraiser for the Capital Area Food Bank is LIVE! https://give.capitalareafoodbank.org/wonderfulworldofdarklordsIf you'd rather support your own local food bank, that's wonderful! Send us a screenshot of the receipt at [email protected] and we'll count it toward our goal.When we did our survey for what goals you'd like us to set for the fundraiser, there wasn't a single clear winner, but the great thing is that the four top vote-getters are all pretty easy things that can happen in installments. So here's what's going to happen!Unless no one donates at all, AMAs are happening. Everyone who donates gets to ask questions; just let us know if you want us to field them stoned or sober. Email us, contact on our various socials, leave it on the donation page as a comment, whatever.At $100, we'll do a Book Club of Dread for a single Hot Blood anthology.At $200, we'll also do a minisode for a single horror movie.At $300, we'll also stream an hour or two of playing Strahd's Possession or Stone Prophet. (We want to do two, but who even knows if the kids will allow us two hours of uninterrupted time.)At $400, we'll also do a Book Club of Dread for a second Hot Blood anthology. (Please get us to $400, guys. Rachel really wants to talk about Hotter Blood, which is the best book in the series, but obviously we also have to talk about one that's gonzo, not good.)At $500, we'll also do a minisode for a second horror movie.At $600, we'll stream another hour or two.If we get past our fundraising goal, we'll just keep this cycle going!Thank you so much for your generosity, and happy gaming! https://give.capitalareafoodbank.org/wonderfulworldofdarklordsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

In which D has a case of mistaken identity, gets answers to a long-standing question, and finally has a decent night's sleep. The in-character fiction from the episode without the in-depth out-of-character discussion of the domain.Timestamps0:00 Introduction1:49 The Lord5:17 The Land10:42 Dread Possibilities15:25 Parting ThoughtsContent Advisory for D's Journal (details on content advisories can be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Patreon)Mind control (major), corpses (major), death (moderate)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 VinuelaChopin Etude Op. 25, No. 12 in C Minor: “Ocean” (darklord theme), performed by Edward NeemanChopin Nocturne in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1 (land theme), performed by Luke FaulknerRachmaninoff Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3 - 2. Prélude in C sharp minor (Dread Possibilities), performed by Sergei RachmaninoffChopin Nocturne in E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1 (parting thoughts), performed by Luke FaulknerWagner Siegfried, WWV 86C - Funeral March, Finale (postscript), performed by the United States Marine BandDialog for Yensid was written by Azalin Rex himself: http://www.tumblr.com/darklordazalinThe Wonderful World of Darklords logo was designed by Halite Jones, whom you can find on Tumblr and Instagram: https://www.tumblr.com/halite-jones and http://www.instagram.com/insta_haliteContact us on:Gmail: [email protected]: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsTumblr: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsPatreon: www.patreon.com/WonderfulWorldofDarklordsYouTube: @wonderfulworldofdarklordSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

Welcome to Wonderful World of Darklords! In this episode, we're celebrating spooky season with one of Disney's spookier villains: the Horned King. He doesn't have a lot going for him other than vibes, but boy howdy, he has those vibes in abundance. (Is he aura farming? We're in our forties; we don't know.) Topics discussed include:A backstory for the Horned King that gives him a motivation beyond "how long I have thirsted to be a god among mortal men," which hinges entirely on three words of dialog (no, we don't mean "three lines," we mean "three words");Supplementary material from the books to flesh out the movie's setting while still allowing you to use the Horned King as your darklord instead of Arawn;Making a heroic sacrifice to destroy the cauldron without having to kill off any beloved characters;Why every campaign deserves an oracular pig;And more!The full write-up for Prydain is available on DM's Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/537766/Annuvin-A-Ravenloft-Domain-of-Dread?view_as_pub=1Timestamps0:00 Introduction6:00 The Lord45:35 The Land1:04:32 Dread PossibilitiesAging Up (body horror, "fun skin things") 1:38:071:41:39 Parting Thoughts/Aging Up Ends 1:56:45 D’s Parting ThoughtsContent Advisory for D's Journal (details on content advisories can be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Patreon)Mind control (major), corpses (major), death (moderate)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 VinuelaChopin Etude Op. 25, No. 12 in C Minor: “Ocean” (darklord theme), performed by Edward NeemanChopin Nocturne in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1 (land theme), performed by Luke FaulknerRachmaninoff Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3 - 2. Prélude in C sharp minor (Dread Possibilities), performed by Sergei RachmaninoffChopin Nocturne in E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1 (parting thoughts), performed by Luke FaulknerWagner Siegfried, WWV 86C - Funeral March, Finale (postscript), performed by the United States Marine BandDialog for Yensid was written by Azalin Rex himself: http://www.tumblr.com/darklordazalinThe Wonderful World of Darklords logo was designed by Halite Jones, whom you can find on Tumblr and Instagram: https://www.tumblr.com/halite-jones and http://www.instagram.com/insta_haliteContact us on:Gmail: [email protected]: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsTumblr: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsPatreon: www.patreon.com/WonderfulWorldofDarklordsYouTube: @wonderfulworldofdarklordSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

Hello, dear listeners! Our charity fundraiser this year is a bit time sensitive, so Rachel is getting the announcement out in the forty-five seconds before our youngest comes home, terrible sound quality be darned. Details here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/wonderful-world-140996564?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link TL;DR We're raising money for the Capital Area Food Bank (or your local food pantry) to provide some relief to furloughed workers, and we want to open that as soon as possible, which means we need to know what rewards you'd like to see if we hit our fundraising goals. You can vote for more than one thing; we're gauging interest, not setting something in stone.Thank you for listening, thank you in advance for your generosity, and happy gaming!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

In which D doesn't get shot at, subjected to anti-human racial slurs, captured, robbed of her magic, tortured, thrown off a building, mind-erased, or killed, which automatically makes DunBroch her favorite domain of 2025. D chooses the bear! The in-character fiction from the episode without the in-depth out-of-character discussion of the domain.Content Advisory for D's Journal (details on content advisories can be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Patreon)Death (minor), body horror (transformation; minor)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 VinuelaChopin Etude Op. 25, No. 12 in C Minor: “Ocean” (darklord theme), performed by Edward NeemanChopin Nocturne in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1 (land theme), performed by Luke FaulknerRachmaninoff Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3 - 2. Prélude in C sharp minor (Dread Possibilities), performed by Sergei RachmaninoffChopin Nocturne in E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1 (parting thoughts), performed by Luke FaulknerDialog for Yensid was written by Azalin Rex himself: http://www.tumblr.com/darklordazalinThe Wonderful World of Darklords logo was designed by Halite Jones, whom you can find on Tumblr and Instagram: https://www.tumblr.com/halite-jones and http://www.instagram.com/insta_haliteContact us on:Gmail: [email protected]: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsTumblr: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsPatreon: www.patreon.com/WonderfulWorldofDarklordsYouTube: @wonderfulworldofdarklordSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

Welcome to Wonderful World of Darklords! In this episode, Callaghan is finally dethroned as "darklord with the fewest lines of usable dialog" as we make a darklord out of...a bear. Not a werebear. Not a talking bear. Just a bear. But he's a bear who comes with a gothic curse and with FANTASY SCOTLAND, so it's well worth the effort of making him a darklord. Topics discussed include:Why Mor'du is going to want to throw down with your PCs even if they don't feed anyone a magic tart that turns them into a bear (although that would certainly help);All the world-building information about clans MacIntosh, MacGuffin, and Dingwall that Tom was able to glean or extrapolate from a deep dive into Brave's ancillary material;The canonical domain that works beautifully with DunBroch as the source of the invading force that temporarily united the clans (no, not Original Recipe Falkovnia);Strahd or bear;And more!The full write-up for DunBroch is available on DM's Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/534982/The-Brave-Highlands-A-Ravenloft-Domain-of-Dread?affiliate_id=241770Yes, Tom's Nightmare on Elm Street adventure IS finished! https://www.dmsguild.com/product/534715/Never-Sleep-AgainTimestamps0:00 Introduction3:57 The Lord36:37 The Land1:06:23 Dread Possibilities1:40:13 Parting Thoughts 2:01:42 D’s Parting ThoughtsContent Advisory for D's Journal (details on content advisories can be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Patreon)Death (minor), body horror (transformation; minor)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 VinuelaChopin Etude Op. 25, No. 12 in C Minor: “Ocean” (darklord theme), performed by Edward NeemanChopin Nocturne in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1 (land theme), performed by Luke FaulknerRachmaninoff Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3 - 2. Prélude in C sharp minor (Dread Possibilities), performed by Sergei RachmaninoffChopin Nocturne in E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1 (parting thoughts), performed by Luke FaulknerDialog for Yensid was written by Azalin Rex himself: http://www.tumblr.com/darklordazalinThe Wonderful World of Darklords logo was designed by Halite Jones, whom you can find on Tumblr and Instagram: https://www.tumblr.com/halite-jones and http://www.instagram.com/insta_haliteContact us on:Gmail: [email protected]: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsTumblr: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsPatreon: www.patreon.com/WonderfulWorldofDarklordsYouTube: @wonderfulworldofdarklordSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

Note: This letter takes place immediately after the Owl House episode, so please make sure to listen to that one first.In which D has the warlock equivalent of a salary negotiation, making all of us deeply grateful that Azalin isn't our supervisor.Content Advisory (details on content advisories can be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Patreon)Abusive relationship subtext (major; eggshell walking, trauma bonding), corpses (major), torture (major), vomit (moderate). If you struggled with D's emotional distress in the Thanos episode...you might just need to skip this one.All music recordings are in the public domain (mark 1.0) and are licensed through https://musopen.org:Granados Twelve Spanish Dances, Op. 37, II. - Oriental (main theme), performed by Monica Alianello (public domain mark 1.0)Bach Passacaglia in C Minor BWV 582 (Azalin's theme), performed by Nicholas Danby (public domain mark 1.0)Dialog for Yensid was written by Azalin Rex himself: http://www.tumblr.com/darklordazalinThe Wonderful World of Darklords logo was designed by Halite Jones, whom you can find on Tumblr and Instagram: https://www.tumblr.com/halite-jones and http://www.instagram.com/insta_haliteContact us on:Gmail: [email protected]: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsTumblr: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsPatreon: www.patreon.com/WonderfulWorldofDarklordsYouTube: @wonderfulworldofdarklordSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

In which D travels to a domain full of witches, ruled by a witch hunter. What could go wrong? The in-character fiction from the episode without the in-depth out-of-character discussion of the domain.Content Advisory for D's Journal (details on content advisories can be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Patreon)Narcissistic abuse (major), death (major), head trauma (major), suffocation (major), body horror (major; transformation, goo, nonsexual mouth penetration), blood (major), torture (major), genocide (moderate), racism (moderate), child endangerment (minor), cannibalism (minor). Also, if you struggled with D's emotional distress in the Thanos episode, she has a flashback in "The Land" that culminates in a brief onscreen panic attack.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 VinuelaChopin Etude Op. 25, No. 12 in C Minor: “Ocean” (darklord theme), performed by Edward NeemanChopin Nocturne in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1 (land theme), performed by Luke FaulknerRachmaninoff Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3 - 2. Prélude in C sharp minor (Dread Possibilities), performed by Sergei RachmaninoffChopin Nocturne in E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1 (parting thoughts), performed by Luke FaulknerDialog for Yensid was written by Azalin Rex himself: http://www.tumblr.com/darklordazalinThe Wonderful World of Darklords logo was designed by Halite Jones, whom you can find on Tumblr and Instagram: https://www.tumblr.com/halite-jones and http://www.instagram.com/insta_haliteContact us on:Gmail: [email protected]: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsTumblr: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsPatreon: www.patreon.com/WonderfulWorldofDarklordsYouTube: @wonderfulworldofdarklordSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations

Welcome to Wonderful World of Darklords! In this episode, Matthew Graydon joins us to make a darklord out of Emperor Belos, AKA Philip Wittebane, AKA THE WORST. (Please don't make a drinking game out of how many times we say "the worst." You will die of alcohol poisoning.) Topics discussed include:Stats and a character class for Belos that summarize "hypocritical witch hunter who can hide the fact that he's a horrible fungus lich unless he goes too long without devouring anyone's beloved pet" (have we mentioned he's the worst?);Alternate NPCs to fill the same role for your PCs that Eda fills for Luz, from Raine to Darius to the Bat Queen to Hunter, and how that choice of NPC will affect the feel of your campaign;Tips for running a Hexside-centric game, either for younger players or for players who desperately want a Ravenloft/Owl House/Strixhaven crossover;Potential applications Belos might have for all that life energy released during the Day of Unity;and more!The full writeup for the Boiling Isles is available on DM's Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/530734/The-Owlbear-House-A-Ravenloft-Domain-of-Dread?affiliate_id=241770Matthew has contributed to In Arithmexes' Clutches on DriveThruRPG and Faces of the Cage on DM's Guild. Check thou them out!Timestamps0:00 Introduction7:13 The Lord48:39 The Land1:17:13 Dread Possibilities2:04:52 Parting Thoughts 2:25:20 D’s Parting ThoughtsContent Advisory for D's Journal (details on content advisories can be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Patreon)Narcissistic abuse (major), death (major), head trauma (major), suffocation (major), body horror (major; transformation, goo, nonsexual mouth penetration), blood (major), torture (major), genocide (moderate), racism (moderate), child endangerment (minor), cannibalism (minor). Also, if you struggled with D's emotional distress in the Thanos episode, she has a flashback in "The Land" that culminates in a brief onscreen panic attack.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 VinuelaChopin Etude Op. 25, No. 12 in C Minor: “Ocean” (darklord theme), performed by Edward NeemanChopin Nocturne in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1 (land theme), performed by Luke FaulknerRachmaninoff Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3 - 2. Prélude in C sharp minor (Dread Possibilities), performed by Sergei RachmaninoffChopin Nocturne in E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1 (parting thoughts), performed by Luke FaulknerDialog for Yensid was written by Azalin Rex himself: http://www.tumblr.com/darklordazalinThe Wonderful World of Darklords logo was designed by Halite Jones, whom you can find on Tumblr and Instagram: https://www.tumblr.com/halite-jones and http://www.instagram.com/insta_haliteContact us on:Gmail: [email protected]: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsTumblr: @wonderfulworldofdarklordsPatreon: www.patreon.com/WonderfulWorldofDarklordsYouTube: @wonderfulworldofdarklordSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-wonderful-world-of-darklords/donations