uring the fall of 1994, I was in the process of preparing for a Ravenloft campaign I intended to run the following spring. Instead of running a generic vampire or werewolf tale, I wanted a setting and story which would take the players—some of them old AD&D veterans—off guard. The scene for the campaign eventually landed in a domain that by that point in the Ravenloft product line had vanished in the cataclysm of the Grand Conjunction: Arkandale. The revision that I worked out, however, bared little resemblance to the original published material.

I would later discover that the campaign, which was titled Dixie Shadows, had been a smashing success with my players, who remembered it fondly in the years to come. Certainly, the campaign itself had its flaws, but everyone seemed to enjoy the unique stories of this new Arkandale. Ravenloft purists may be shocked by the changes I've made, even if Arkandale never was a very popular domain. So, before you read any further and start muttering, "What the hell . . .?", I should briefly explain some of the alterations.

This version of Arkandale includes all the territory bounded by Arkandale and Verbrek in the old Realm of Terror boxed set. It also conforms to the borders of the domain currently called Verbrek, according to the more recent Ravenloft boxed set and the Domains of Dread. Verbrek has never existed in my gameworld. The lord of Arkandale is Alfred Timothy, not Nathan Timothy. Nathan was the darklord when the domain was created, but the Dark Powers saw fit to hand the mantle of leadership to his son in 730. Nathan is still around, though, and is one of the more dangerous individuals PC's are likely to meet.

The cultural level is Renaissance rather than Medieval, and the flavor of the domain resembles that of the antebellum American South. Keep in mind that this is a fantasy setting, and the trappings of the 19th century are not present in most respects. Still, players may be shocked to discover such devices as steamboats, no matter how primitive or magical they might be.

With that said, you may continue on, gentle reader. As you travel down the mighty rivers of Arkandale, strain your ears beyond the mournful riverboat whistles and trilling cicadas, to the howls that echo through the lonely forests and across the cotton fields. Tonight slaves will huddle closer to the fire while they sing a prayer to Shangó, and menfolk will sleep with their rifles...