One of those domains is called Har’Akir, and it’s a setting that in the past has leveraged problematic Orientalist tropes to tell its tales. It spawned many additional modules, each one taking place in a different Domain of Dread.
That’s because it has a strong lead character in Strahd, a conflicted villain eternally tortured for his misdeeds. Nonetheless, the adventure has proved to be wildly popular. Over the years, it has been criticized as derivative - and for reinforcing harmful stereotypes through its portrayal of the Vistani, an in-fiction analogue for the Roma people. It used classic vampire stories to good effect, tracing the tale of the valley of Barovia, the cursed count Strahd von Zarovich, and his quest for the immortal soul of his obsession, Tatyana. The Ravenloft setting was born in 1983 with the publication of Ravenloft, an adventure for the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons written by Tracy and Laura Hickman. Lead designer Wes Schneider told Polygon that the goal was to move beyond the derivative tropes that have plagued the Ravenloft setting in the past, while also allowing players to engage with the material from a number of different perspectives. Due out on May 18, Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft contains more than 30 new Domains of Dread, each with its own darklord for groups to explore together. Wizards of the Coast is rebooting the many realms of Ravenloft, a classic setting for Dungeons & Dragons.