The first drawings of what became the main hallways of Castle Ravenloft. There are 6 drawings here: the first floor (top left), what became the second half of the first floor - or final part of the zone (bottom left), the parapets - which were never created (middle), a repeating-room void - which was never created (top right), and conceptual entrances to the chapel and spire (red, bottom middle/right).
The items drawn in blue were a first draft, later refined in red, and again in black. The "parapets" section was never realized, nor was the repeating void area. Instead of the void, which would have existed at the top of one tower, I decided to go with the obyrith grid in the past and future on the tops of two towers. The void would have just been a repeating grid going downwards, while I think the Zionyn grids were much scarier. The first draft was going to have players acquire 4 shards - to get a key to Strahd's chamber. That was awfully close to Tharnadian Rifts quest, however, and instead went with a more thematic quest for the Dayheart and the Idol of Ravenloft to get the key, preceded by the two essences from the Zionyn/Obyrith grids to reach the Dayheart.
Another cool thing of note on here are some bonus mini-zones that I conceptualized for the Archives/Ravenloft Library (seen on the left side of the first floor hallway/top left). Here's what they say:
1. Ferrick Bloodyfist Chronicles
2. The Fall of Waterdeep
3. The Fall of Leuthispar
4. The Reign of Kezyr-Dryn
5. The Legendary Tarrasque
6. The Barbarian Horde (Boadwyn)
7. The Might of Khildarak Strongstone
8. The Trials of Shinjin
9. The Trials of Maelborg
10. The Search for the Hammer
11. The Gift of Selune
12. The Wizards Duel
13. The Grell Hive
14. Tree Top Town
15. (blank)
16. (blank)
These were to be the titles of books that would be rareload teleporters in the Library/Archives, which on average 2-3 would load per boot allowing players to access small mini-zones that were thematic to legendary pieces of Duris lore and equipment to match. 15. and 16. were left blank here, but one that I actually did name was "Awaken, Mustakrakish!" - a reference to the popular cartoon Metalocalypse. By the time I had finished the actual content of the zone, players were looking at ~3 hours at least to complete it and I put these on the backburner, where they've been since. I do plan on finishing them, however!
I also think it is neat to see how the drafts progressed from blue to red, so did the different variables of the zone. Like "vault" became "vault-false" with a secret entrance to "real vault", and the extra exit/servant's access entrance to the chapel alcove.
