Ravenloft is a domain of dread, part of the Shadowfell (aka the Plane of Shadow). The Shadowfell is a grim realm outside any D&D world but connected to all of them.
What plane is Barovia?
Faerun is the name of the continent, and the planet is called Toril. Barovia is in a demiplane — basically, a pocket universe completely separated from our universe. In the Curse of Strahd adventure, the Mists transport you from the normal world to the demiplane.
What was Barovia called before Strahd?
All of this occured even before Strahd became a vampire. So where was this valley located before the mists engulfed the country of Barovia? Barovia did not exist outside of, or before, the Demiplane of Dread. It was due to Strahd’s treachery that the area became his domain and became Ravenloft proper.
How did Barovia get to the Shadowfell?
Originally part of a world in the Material Plane, sometime before the 11 th century DR, Barovia was conquered by then- human general Strahd and his army. It was later transported to the Shadowfell by the Dark Powers, as a consequence of a pact struck with Strahd to grant him eternal life.
What is the connection between the Shadowfell and Strahd?
Strahd is the Baron of Barovia, and in Curse of Strahd he is able to control the mists that allow or prevent entry at will, which separates Barovia from the rest of the worlds. So to summarize, Shadowfell is a plane of existence.
Where are the domains of Dread in the Shadowfell?
Small demiplanes known as the Domains of Dread exist all across the Shadowfell and are often used to trap evil entities so the plane itself can feed on their essence. One such Domain of Dread is Barovia, where the legendary vampire Count Strahd Von Zarovich was trapped by the Dark Powers.
How is the plane of Barovia connected to Ravenloft?
In this sense, a demiplane is a small slice of the larger plane that can function either connected or not connected to the larger plane as the story demands. Barovia is one of the locations within Ravenloft in 4e and 5e, though is previous editions was its own distinct world.
