It’s been nearly ten years since the release of Curse Of Strahd, the most popular 5e module to date, and we’ve just seen Von Zarovich’s face pop up again with the announcement on the D&D 2026 roadmap. The Season Of Dread will bring 5e 2024 back to Ravenloft content with Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, and it’s gotten plenty of players thinking about another dive into the mists very soon.
Now, I love Curse Of Strahd. I possibly love Curse Of Strahd a bit too much.
I’ve played four CoS campaigns, and run one. I’ve experienced two TPKs, killed the lord of Barovia twice, and forced other members of the GZ team to listen to be yap about what my adventuring party did last session many times. I will doubtlessly have plenty to talk about in regards to that module specifically. Today though, I want to talk about the domains beyond Curse Of Strahd. Barovia is but one of dozens of similar demiplanes, known collectively as the Domains Of Dread. With new content on the way for Ravenloft in 5e 2024, now might be the perfect time to look further afield. Here are five best Domains Of Dread to set a campaign in, other than Curse Of Strahd’s Barovia. I’ve also included the best comparisons to existing IPs I can think of for each, so you have a good point of reference.
Five Best Domains Of Dread To Set A Campaign In (Other Than Curse Of Strahd’s Barovia)
All of the mentioned domains here come from Van Richten’s Guide To Ravenloft. This is based in 5e 2014, but it would more or less carry over fine to 2024 as most of the content is more to do with lore, flavour and slightly novel mechanics. The book itself goes into a lot more detail on each of the Domains, though unlike Curse Of Strahd you won’t find a full campaign there. Take them as a frame to build on (or to ask your friendly local DM very nicely about running a campaign in).
Some spoilers for the campaigns in the text, so if you don’t want to know anything about the potential plot threads, just take your pick from the ‘vibes’ bit.
Lamordia
Vibes: Frankenstein, Empire Of Corpses
Mad scientists, reanimated corpses, steampunk aesthetic. If you’ve ever wanted a Frankenstein-inspired campaign then the spot for that is Lamordia, a frigid place of harsh weather, and lax approaches to medical ethics. This vaguely Victorian hellscape sees bodies as an affordable commodity for labour, and considers necromancy and flesh golems a modern convenience. This world is controlled from the shadows by Dr Viktra Mordenheim, (Viktra, Victor, I see what you did there.) a ‘brilliant’ (read ‘insane’) scientist who, like Strahd, has a largely unwilling target for her obsession. In Mordenheim’s case it’s a woman named Elise, who she managed to bring back from the dead with her greatest creation, The Unbreakable Heart. Elise is not overjoyed by this. Her and Ireena Kolyana could really relate.
Being all about unethical science, Lamordia also comes with its own mechanics related to the good doctor getting her hands on any PCs and making… a few minor adjustments. Who wouldn’t want their brain put inside an Animated Armor?
Tepest
Vibes: Midsommar, The Ritual, The Wicker Man
While most inhabitants of the Domains Of Dread seem openly miserable in their lot, (Who wouldn’t be?) a party arriving in the domain of Tepest might be surprised to stumble upon fields overflowing with crops, and happy farmers going about their day. The people of Viktal are safe, they say. They’re protected by a goddess. She gives them safety, and makes their crops grow. She even makes them children, they say as they point out someone with green skin and branches in their hair. All she asks, is an occasional sacrifice.
Tepest is THE place for a kind of European folk horror campaign. While Barovia’s Lord is a vampire, this domain is ruled over by a powerful hag. Mother Lorinda is an ancient green hag obsessed with creating a family of her own, and cursed to never achieve it. The place is especially great if you are a player, or are DMing for players interested in taking the hexblood lineage. Hexblood PCs will be either delighted or horrified on discovering that it’s a powerful hag behind all the strange goings-on. (If they’re happy, the rest of the party should be worried.)
Richemulot
Vibes: Pathologic
We’re rats, we’re rat’s, we’re the rats. (Literally.) Richemulot is a domain best by the Gnawing Plague, a horrible disease that the PCs themselves might receive tangling with the swarms of rats that litter its streets. It comes with an epidemic mechanic which sees the city of Pont-a-Museau slowly descend into chaos as the disease spreads and quarantine tightens. At the center of it all, the current ruler Jacqueline Renier and her Casques Silencieux seem largely unsympathetic to the situation, but suspiciously well informed of the time of the next outbreak.
This is the place for a plague-themed campaign. I think we’re far enough away from 2020 to do one of those now. A group inclined towards investigation (rather than fireballing the whole building and calling it a day) may thrive here… well, maybe not thrive. Survive to see the end of the outbreak.
Valachan
Vibes: Predator, The Most Dangerous Game, The Hunger Games, Slasher Movies
There are no cities in Valachan. You might find a few villages in the think jungle that covers its surface, but the land doesn’t allow anyone to get too comfortable. In this forest, nearly everything wants you dead.
The highlight of Valachan is a competition that will pit your party against various other contestant in the Trial Of Hearts, a skill-based death game, where your PCs need to navigate some treacherous jungle while the domain’s ruler, Chakuna pursues everyone in an effort to up her killstreak. PCs must face her immortal and relentless pursuit, the terrors of the hostile jungle, and other contestants eager to improve their chances by taking a few names off the list.
This is a perfect setup for a challenging campaign that leaves everyone on edge, jumping at each twig snap. The killer landscape also gives you the chance to throw in whatever monsters you’ve wanted an excuse to use.
Bluetspur
Vibes: H.P Lovecraft, Baldur’s Gate 3 (The mind flayer bits, anyway.)
We kind of needed a Cosmic Horror option, and Bluetspur provides you with the best one. )Short of getting around to learning how to play Call Of Cthulhu.) Bluetspur is a vast alien landscape of extreme weather and non-euclidean geometry. The only civilized life exists below its surface.. if you could Mind-Flayers as civilized. The squid-headed menaces here serve the God Brain, an Elder Brain slowly degrading, becoming more deranged in its demands and plans. Maybe that’s how some unfortunate PCs found themselves in such a terrible place. They’d better hold onto their brains. More frightening though, is the suggestion of exploiting the Modify Memory spell to have Bluetspur appear as something the PCs suddenly recall happening. What’s more unsettling that being unable to trust your own memory of events?
We hope you’ve enjoyed our article on the five best Domains Of Dread, whether you agree, or have your own favourites. We’ve got some more stuff on Strahd and Ravenloft on the way soon, though if you’d like some more D&D content, maybe check out my hot takes on the most overrated spells in 5e.
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