TEXT: A Ravenloft
  A Ravenloft
  A Ravenloft
  A Ravenloft
  A Ravenloft
  ® Campaign Setting Supplement
   Campaign Setting Supplement
   Campaign Setting Supplement
   Campaign Setting Supplement
   Campaign Setting Supplement
  
  1
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  Credits
  Authors::
   Harold Johnson (“To Inherit Eternity”),
  Brett King (“The Brood of Blutkalte”), Ari
  Marmell (“To Honor and Obey”) Steve
  Miller (“The Curse of Ashington Manor”)
  and Ryan Naylor (“Noises in the Night”)
  Developers::
  Jackie Cassada and Nicky Rea
  Editor:
  Dale Donovan
  Sword & Sorcery Managing Editor:
  Stewart Wieck
  Art Director:
  Richard Thomas
  Layout and Typesetting:
  Ron Thompson
  Interior Artists:
  Talon Dunning, Marcio Fiorito, Brian
  LeBlanc and Claudio Pozas
  Front and Back Cover Designer:
  Ron Thompson
  ©2005 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Ravenloft, Dark Tales and Disturbing Legends, D&D, Dungeons and Dragons
  and its logo, the d20 System logo, and Wizards of the Coast and its logo are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast Inc.,
  a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc., in the USA and other countries, and are used by Arthaus under license.
  Arthaus and its logo are trademarks of Arthaus Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Sword and Sorcery and
  its logo are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
  PRINTED IN CANADA
  Special Acknowledgements
  Andria Hayday (1st ed. design)
  Bruce Nesmith (1st ed. design)
  Tracy & Laura Hickman (original
  concept)
  Additional Thanks
  Based on the Original Dungeons &
  Dragons ® rules created by E. Gary Gygax
  and Dave Arneson and the new Dungeons
  & Dragons game designed by Johnathan
  Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams,
  Richard Baker and Peter Adkison.
  
  2
  Introduction
  Table of Contents
  Introduction
  3
  Chapter One: To Inherit Eternity
  7
  Chapter Two: The Curse of Ashington Manor
  57
  Chapter Three: The Brood of Blutkalte
  89
  Chapter Four: Noises in the Night
  109
  Chapter Five:  To Honor and Obey
  123
  DM’s Appendix
  138
  
  3
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  Introduction
  Introduction
  
  4
  Introduction
  ne of the keys to the continued success
  of the Ravenloft game setting is the way
  its writers take horror stories we all
  know and love (to dread), and puts
  unique spins on them. From its earliest
  incarnation as a stand-alone AD&D game adven-
  ture, the Ravenloft setting has been about bringing
  horror stories to your gaming table. We’ve drawn
  from classics in the genre (Dracula, Frankenstein, The
  Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), from histori-
  cal terrors (Jack the Ripper and Vlad Tepes), from
  radio dramas and movies (such as “Donovan’s Brain”
  from Suspense and films such as The Plague of Zombies
  and Cat People).
  With this book, we turn to even more prevalent
  tales and make them part of Ravenloft, tales that
  often formed the foundation for the novels, radio
  plays, and movies we drew inspiration from: the
  horrific folktales and legends that exist in a dozen
  different forms the world over and which are told and
  retold by children and adults alike.
  Everyone reading these words has either sat around
  a campfire or been in a room of friends during a
  sleepover and swapped horror stories. Everyone has
  heard some variation of “The Hook” (teens sneak out
  for a bit of necking and narrowly avoid falling victim to
  a hook-wielding maniac… or maybe they don’t avoid
  becoming victims), “The Hitcher” (where a traveler
  picks up someone by the roadside, only to hear a radio
  bulletin about an escaped lunatic who resembles the
  increasingly twitchy stranger sitting next to him), or
  “The Bride” (where a vengeful spirit of a woman slain
  is devoted to warning or killing future wives of her
  still-living husband). We can add to this mix any
  number of ghost stories, vampire tales and werewolf
  yarns. We can probably even add more than a few
  scenarios used in roleplaying games over the years.
  These are the stories that changed the way we think
  of the dark, and these are the stories from which
  other, more elaborate and artful works intended to
  send shivers down your spine have sprung.
  In the following pages, you will find five
  Ravenloft takes on classic horror folktales. We
  start with “The Bride” and “The Hook” and other
  of the archetypical horror story foundations and
  build adventure hooks, characters, magical items,
  and even full-blown adventures around them. The
  chapters are structured in such a way that the DM
  can take the material and incorporate it into their
  ongoing campaigns within the Demiplane of Dread,
  or even use the material to add terror to other
  imaginary realms of the d20 System multiverse.
  
  5
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
   How to Use This Book
  Dark Tales and Disturbing Legends is a
  sourcebook that provides supernatural and horror
  story hooks and adventure elements for incorpora-
  tion into any Ravenloft campaign or any other
  horror/fantasy game. In order to gain full enjoyment
  of this product, you need the Ravenloft Player’s
  Handbook, Ravenloft DM’s Guide, and Denizens
  of Dread. The Ravenloft Tarokka Deck may also
  add greatly to the usefulness of this product, but it is
  not as crucial as the aforementioned books.
  Each chapter in this supplement presents a
  different legend or story, followed by possible loca-
  tions for using the story in a campaign as well as
  adventure suggestions spun off from that legend. As
  is the case with most Ravenloft setting material, the
  ideas offered here can be transported from the
  Demiplane of Dread to any other game world that the
  DM wishes to infuse with a bit of darkness and terror.
  Some chapters include more straightforward
  adventure material, but in all cases, each chapter is
  rich in source material and a variety of elements that
  can be incorporated into ongoing Ravenloft games.
  The Introduction provides you with an overview
  and some general hints as to how to use this book.
  Chapter One: To Inherit Eternity shows that
  when a stranger proffers a gift, one should be
  certain it is something one really needs before
  accepting. One never knows who stands to gain the
  most: the giver or the recipient.
  Chapter Two: The Curse of Ashington
  Manor brings to life the story of a curse. Decades
  ago, a young Vistani died at the hands of a brutal
  nobleman. With her dying breath, she placed a
  curse upon Ashington Manor and all who enter it.
  Now, the curse is coming undone, and strange
  magical energies sweep the player characters into a
  nightmare house they may never leave alive.
  Chapter Three: The Brood of Blutkalte pro-
  vides an intimate look at horror in an unexpected
  setting. In every community, one can find a family
  that taints the well of harmony and performs foul
  deeds while the people sleep. At least, one hopes such
  a family can be found, for if they operate in total
  secrecy, the evil they spread may know no bounds.
  Chapter Four: To Honor and Obey takes
  shape around the occasion of a wedding. In Souragne,
  marriage is a happy occasion as it is in so many other
  lands. However, when dark obsessions bubble to the
  surface, one particular marriage ends with murder.
  Chapter Five: Noises in the Night explores
  the horrors that prey upon even the wariest people
  in the dark of the night. A Lamordian folklorist
  discovers to his regret that some tales are more
  rooted in fact than fiction and that their subjects
  don’t appreciate prying scholars.
  The DM’s Appendix provides new rules, mon-
  sters and magic, spotlighting new feats and other
  rules, spells, magic items and monsters that are
  introduced in the previous chapters.
  Chapter Format
  Each chapter follows the general structure outlined
  here. Some chapters are weighted more heavily toward
  one element or another. The appendix collects rules-
  related material in one place, organized by chapter.
  The Story
  Here you’ll find a legend—a tale told around
  campfires or in taverns when the moon is dark and the
  wind is howling outside. Some of these tales have more
  truth than others. The material that follows allows you
  as DM to let your storytelling abilities shine. Tell your
  story or legend as if you had an audience. Any number
  of possibilities exists for starting your chapter to create
  the proper atmosphere for horror.
  The Truth
  This section of the chapter reveals the truth
  behind the legend, which is sometimes quite far
  Who is This Book For?
  Dark Tales and Disturbing Legends
  provides some excellent stories to entertain
  both players and DMs. This supplement also
  contains much useful information exclu-
  sively for DMs, demonstrating how these
  stories can be adapted for use in fantasy
  games. Players who are thinking about try-
  ing their hand at DMing can find many
  suggestions in these pages, providing them
  with insight into how to go about creating
  an adventure from a story or folk tale. Such
  players should make sure their DM doesn’t
  intend to use any of the tales within these
  pages before reading it, however.
  The appendix, as in most Ravenloft
  supplements, contains information for the
  DM’s eyes only.
  
  6
  Introduction
  removed from the tale as initially presented. It is
  here that what really happened is exposed. In some
  chapters, this takes the form of a second narrative,
  but in others, it serves as the heart of the adventure
  and presents additional source material.
  Using the Story
  This section demonstrates for the DM how the
  story and the truth can be spun to create an
  adventure. In some chapters, a number of possibili-
  ties are presented in the form of outlines, while in
  others more fully developed adventure threads are
  offered. In all cases, an effort has been make to
  present the material in a modular fashion so the
  DM can mix and match elements as appropriate to
  his campaign and the tastes of his players.
  Variations on a Theme
  This section shows how the DM can customize
  the story for his campaign, as well as how he can
  reuse it in many different forms — even within a
  single campaign. The simplest examples show how
  to adjust adventures for different levels. In some
  cases, we show how the story can be relocated to
  different environs and backdrops. In others, we
  show how switching around the main actors of the
  tale can change it significantly. In one chapter, we
  even show how the map can be reused as five
  different places in one elaborate adventure. (We
  happen to display it in the context of a single
  adventure, but the example can be extrapolated to
  pretty much any map from any adventure or
  sourcebook.)
  The goal of this section is to demonstrate that
  a good story is worth a thousand adventures, and it
  is our hope that we give you ideas not only to reuse
  the material in this book many times over, but help
  shed new light on material DMs already own and
  that they may yet be able to find fresh uses for.
  Closing Thoughts
  The stories we tell and retell on dark nights
  become part of our imagination and spark the
  creative urge in all of us. Tales of terror let us peek
  behind the locked doors and secret places where we
  have always been told not to go, to stand on the
  edge of a bottomless chasm and contemplate, from
  a safe place, what lies in the dark. We hope you find
  in the stories and adventure ideas in Dark Tales
  and Disturbing Legends a wealth of material to
  bring a touch of classic horror to your games.
  
  7
  To Inherit Eternity
  Chapter One:
  To Inherit
  Eternity
  Chapter One:
  To Inherit
  Eternity
  I existed from all eternity and, behold, I am here; and I
  shall exist till the end of time, for my being has no end.
  —Kahlil Gibran
  
  8
  Chapter One
  n the dark, we hope to distance, distract
  and defend ourselves from terrors that
  haunt the twilight by huddling in our
  houses before the fading evening fire
  and telling each other tales to occupy
  our thoughts till dawn. We recount legends of
  valiant quests and faded glory, fallen heroes and
  dark justice, tragic villains and ancient horrors.
  Then the old folk recall the time-worn tales, grim
  sagas known throughout the realms from Darkon
  to Invidia, Mordent to Barovia; narratives of suffer-
  ing and shame, of trials and tribulation and
  ultimately of tragedy for hero and villain alike. For
  in these tales we find warning and caution, hope
  and solace, and a chance that we might yet avoid
  a similar fate.
  The Realms’ greatest legends, however, are
  more than mere musings of an imaginative mind.
  Though these fables may vary with each rendering,
  the characters, themes and lessons remain the
  same as if drawn from the very pages of history, for,
  after all, at the heart of every legend lies a founda-
  tion in truth! It is this very kernel of veracity that
  inspires some and entices others to seek to discern
  the fact from the fiction and drives them on through
  the torments of life with the frail hope of proving
  the tale true and claiming the prize for themselves.
  But, one must be careful when seeking to learn the
  legitimacy of a legend lest one becomes trapped
  within that very saga, facing the same grim fate as
  its hero. To Inherit Eternity is one such story.
  ���
  Time has a way of devouring all men. Nothing
  remains but formless dust and faded memories that
  make us doubt they ever existed. Life’s curious tale
  winds past trials and triumphs to tribulations and
  tragedy. Like a river that bubbles from an unknown
  wellspring, an individual’s life flows past rocky
  shores toward fertile fields, negotiating obstacles or
  sweeping them up in its flood and carrying these
  burdens along until at last it reaches its terminus.
  There it ends…at least for most people. But for
  some…
  The Lord of Eldron Manor, landlord to hun-
  dreds of impoverished citizens of this region, was
  such a man. In public opinion, he was the wealthi-
  est and most powerful man in this territory. By
  popular reckoning, he was well approaching the
  centennial anniversary of his birth. He was also a
  most reclusive soul and had not been seen the
  locals for nearly three decades, leaving his chief
  steward and a battalion of solicitors with the daily
  duties of seeing to his estate. Some thought he
  would never die. Then came the notice from Mas-
  ter Ramirez, his steward, announcing his lordship’s
  demise and the holding of a very exclusive private
  auction of “Sundry Curios, Fancies, and Objets
  d’Art” from the collection of Sir Eowin Tierny
  Tytian Allyn Makepiece Theone III, the proceeds
  to benefit heirs and appointees. With that, the
  oldest man of many a generation was dead— or so
  it seemed.
  The night is oddly still as if in hushed rever-
  ence at the passing of this great man. The crickets
  and tree frogs creep timorously to their logs and
  bogs, seeking the succor of their cold hearths rather
  than the seductive undulation of the chill mists
  dancing slow between the hills and low in the
  vales. Something in the air, subtle, alluring and
  enticing, waits in the gray of the gloaming promis-
  ing intrigue, dark pleasures and excitement before
  this night is through. The night will not yet open
  wide its inky mantle to reveal any of its hidden
  secrets, not until the time is right. But it will be
  soon…soon.
  Eldron Manor lies a league from the nearest
  village, its stony lands segregated by hedgerows and
  woven briar fences so that the only proven path is
  a narrow road that meanders to and fro, thus
  providing the land’s steward the opportunity to
  survey his holdings. Dim graying light from the
  westering moon casts long dark shadows beneath
  the scattered trees. What lonely spirits once claimed
  this grit and gravel as their mortal forms? None
  recall.
  From a carpeted knoll rising above the sur-
  rounding hills, Eldron Manor watches the intruders’
  progress, patiently waiting for the guests to draw
  nearer. In the shadow-laden light, the mansion
  boasts a towering central structure wreathed by
  several low twisted wings. In the dark, lanterns
  wink like lunatic fireflies lighting the way up the
  final drive to the welcoming front doors and the
  watchful presence of smartly dressed guards. You
  have arrived.
  As the Vistani are fond of saying, however,
  “Fate is a devious mistress, teasing and tempting,
  offering forbidden fruit, but delivering little and
  never what we truly expected.” Thus, even as the
  warmth of hearth and host are within reach, the
  sinister night decides it is time to play:
  Editors’ note: Passages marked in the beginning
  and end by bold-faced letter indicate passages that may
  be replaced by randomly selected elements. The DM
  
  9
  To Inherit Eternity
  may make changes to the details in order to vary the
  game’s clues and key events.
  [A] A dark shape scampers from beneath
  the looming manor walls and pauses on the path
  ahead to stare with night-candled eyes. The
  ebon feline’s tail twitches with unexpected in-
  terest as it yawns, baring needle-sharp fangs as
  if daring the intruders to trespass. With a gust of
  wind, the shadowy presence dissolves into the
  void of night leaving only the cold chill of its
  claws prickling your spine. That was no ordi-
  nary cat, nor is this likely to be an ordinary
  evening. Things are not always what they seem.
  ���
  “Well come and welcome, my friends,” the
  gentleman garbed in the warm burgundy suit fa-
  vored by barristers firmly grasps each proffered
  hand, “I am Señor Hector Elissar Ramirez, your
  host for the evening and steward of Eldron Manor.
  Your journey was pleasant and uneventful, I trust?
  If you will be so kind as to present your bonafides to
  my clerk, Mr. Charoan — Alistair — will verify
  your credentials and letters of credit so that we may
  retire from the chill of the night air.” He directs
  your attention toward a small table and stool and
  an unpresuming man you had not noticed before.
  Mr. Charoan is soft-spoken, but professional,
  efficiently reviewing papers then requesting the
  letter of credit or requisite financial deposit. He is
  a slim man, dressed in a slate gray jacket and smoky
  waistcoat; his features are so thin they could cut
  paper and his hair, while still a shiny black is
  thinning too, combed back over his gleaming pate.
  His eyes are small and dark behind wire-rimmed
  glasses, darting back and forth to keep up with his
  nimble fingers. In contrast, the host for the evening,
  once a tall man, has been shrunken by age, his
  wine-stained suit and drawn sallow skin tight against
  an underlying frame that attests to a once well-
  muscled form. Still he holds his graying head high
  with dignity, his kind smile offsetting rheumy eyes.
  A drake-capped cane attests to the infirmities of his
  age. “Here you are, sirrah,” murmurs the clerk
  handing back the papers, “I think you will find
  everything there.” The thin man’s gaze seems
  strangely steady.
  “That’s fine. Thank you, Alistair,” the host
  beams, “And now, one final matter, if you
  please…security. I am afraid we suffered a recent
  break-in and the unfortunate murder of one of my
  guards, a brave man by the name of Calvis — may
  he be long remembered. For your safety and the
  
  10
  Chapter One
  safety of all our visitors, we request the surrender of
  all weapons here. My guards will secure them until
  our business is concluded.” He indicates several
  locked chests beside the entryway. They will do
  you no good anyway, for I have had the hall warded
  against the use of weapons. This is merely a gesture
  of good will to your fellow guests.”
  Reluctantly the weapons and, if desired, ar-
  mor, are surrendered. A key to the locked strongbox
  is given in return. As documents are recovered
  from where they were set aside an unfamiliar scrap
  of paper is discovered; surreptitiously it is unfolded
  and the message within read.
  “Please, I count on you to keep my trust and
  reveal nothing of this to the others. I fear that one or
  more of our guests has a different agenda and are not
  who they purport to be. Indeed, I fear not only for the
  safety of the collection, but also for the welfare of my
  master. He is not well and a base betrayal could bring
  a regrettable spell. For now I ask that you be observant
  and help avert any trouble. And if anyone seeks to
  harm my master, I beg that you defend his life, if not
  his honor.
  [B]Know that you may trust me. Your will-
  ing servant, AC”
  ���
  With a satisfying thump, heavy oak doors shut
  out the cold clinging mists of evening. A blazing
  fire in the granite hearth warms the room, banish-
  ing any lingering chill. Its light merges with the
  steady flame of numerous lamps to illuminate the
  dark wood paneling and rich green brocade of
  inviting divans and armchairs. Nearly a dozen
  individuals wearing formal garb gather in twos and
  threes adding patches of color to the earthen tones
  of the room, like flowers on a newly dug grave.
  A single figure dressed in sanguine servant’s
  livery stands as still and erect as his stoop-shoul-
  dered form permits. His coarse hair, beetled brow
  and protruding lower lip acknowledge a pre-hu-
  man lineage. “If you would, my servant Hugo will
  attend to your cloaks,” the host offers. “Hugo, say
  hello to our guests.”
  With a stuttering effort, the man replies,
  “He…ell…hell…o!” and offers a hand. Then, in
  afterthought, “M…m…my dad died!” he declares
  as if in confidence.
  Señor Ramirez smiles with sad indulgence,
  “Yes, Hugo, they know. Would you please hang
  these visitors’ wraps and then bring them some-
  thing warm to drink?” Hugo nods, scowling in
  thought and shuffles off to the cloakroom. “You
  must forgive, Hugo, his brain moves slowly, but he
  is a gentle soul. A misfortune of birth I’m afraid. His
  father was the night watchman who was killed
  during the break-in. I am all the family he has left.
  Now, while Hugo brings some mulled wine, permit
  me to introduce you to the other guests. Nearly all
  have arrived, though we await one final party.”
  Stepping to the center of the room, Señor
  Ramirez raises a hand for quiet, “May I have your
  attention, please? You already know who these fine
  gentlemen are, at least by reputation, but most of
  you are strangers to them. Permit me to make some
  introductions.” He leads the way to a tall, dark man
  with black hair dressed in a priest’s cassock and cap,
  golden buttons and a gem-encrusted star of his
  faith belie a vow of poverty. “This is Father Daniel
  Marcus Franklin. Father Daniel is with the Order
  of Eleazar, a small sect that takes pride in the
  pursuit and preservation of the arts and sciences.”
  A deep hearty laugh erupts from the swarthy
  giant. “Ah, Señor Ramirez, not so; pride is a sin! Let
  us say we have a passion for knowledge and beauty
  in our efforts to bring enlightenment to the world
  and in our never-ending battle against the forces of
  darkness.” His handshake is as warm and firm as his
  laughter, in counterpoint to his black robes.
  The host turns to the next guest. “This stal-
  wart soldier is Captain Ferril Conklin Harrow.”
  The gentleman is obviously a veteran of war, wear-
  ing the dress uniform of an officer. A chest-full of
  metals rattles as he steps forward. His bushy brows
  seem an extension of the tawny mane of hair and
  full beard that lend him the air of a great lion. A
  milky right eye framed by angry burns peers glassily
  from beneath tousled bangs and his gauntleted
  right hand hangs stiffly at his side. He offers his left
  hand in welcome. “Captain Harrow is the victor of
  Gunnagan Gap and vanquished the Beast of
  Barstow.” The veteran harrumphs as if in protest,
  though a look of delight twinkles in his good eye.
  “True it is, sir; but if it weren’t for Lord Theone
  I would nay be standing here today.” His brogue is
  thick, “He saved me he did and gave me back my
  life. Would that I could have returned that favor.”
  A small stout fellow with long hair, dressed in
  the rich blues of a merchant and wearing a garish
  gold chain, one end stuck into his tunic, pushes
  past Señor Ramirez impatiently. “I am Currin Klein
  de l’Ombre,” the unctuous gentleman’s clasp is
  cold and clammy, his smile vague and insincere.
  “As a fellow collector I am anxious to view Lord
  Theone’s collection, as I am sure you are. I have
  
  11
  To Inherit Eternity
  heard some interesting tales associated with his
  treasures. Really, Hector, are these delays neces-
  sary?”
  “As I have explained, Master Currin, there
  remains one party yet to arrive,” the host notes
  with an air of annoyance. “I am sure you will find
  a variety of items to make your patience profit-
  able.” He turns toward the visitors. “Master de
  l’Ombre is a merchant and master tradesman, as
  well as a collector of fabled relics and curios such as
  Lord Theone.” The merchant turns away
  dismissively to rejoin two men, one burly brute
  decked in aquamarines who stands with arms crossed
  in boredom and the other, a small and dusky man
  wearing a navy cloak who sprawls on a divan. “And
  those are his associates, Mister Gar and Mister
  Kantall, I believe.”
  “Ah and here is Hugo with the mulled wine I
  promised,” Señor Ramirez seems relieved at the
  reprieve. The red-clad servant shuffles forward
  offering steaming mugs to each and bellowing,
  “You’re welcome,” whether given thanks or not.
  As he turns toward the host and his recent arrivals,
  his swaying gait brings him precariously close to
  Master de l’Ombre and, in inflated outrage, the
  merchant gives the clumsy fellow a shove. Like an
  ancient tower crumbling with age, Hugo topples
  into the guests, wine pelting down like a warm
  summer rain.
  A cry of anguish erupts from the crooked man,
  as he tries desperately to sop up the spilled wine
  with a woefully inadequate napkin from across his
  arm. Señor Ramirez rushes forward offering apol-
  ogy to all and trying to quiet the howling servant.
  But it is with some surprise that de l’Ombre steps
  up, neatly snagging two serviettes from a nearby
  table and pulling a voluminous handkerchief from
  some pocket to sponge the wet spots from his new
  acquaintances’ garments, all the while muttering
  regrets. “I am so sorry…my fault entirely. The
  clumsy fool annoyed me, but I fear I acted rashly.
  Here, let me get that for you! No, no, keep the
  handkerchief, I have a dozen.”
  In short order, everything is made right, ex-
  cept for the muffled sobbing of Hugo. Señor Ramirez
  tries to comfort him, “Accidents will happen.
  Things are all right now. No one is mad at you.”
  The humbled servant looks up hopefully with
  furrowed brow, swiping at his runny nose with his
  sleeve. “Now make your apologies and then see to
  the dinner.” An awkward smile brightens the
  crooked face as with bellows of “Sorry!” and un-
  comfortably strong hugs, Hugo apologizes to all,
  before shuffling off as conversation returns to the
  room.
  Seeking a distraction, the señor leads the way
  to a well-dressed couple chatting in lowered voices.
  The gentleman possesses aquiline features and a
  slim, well-toned body nicely filling a tan silk suit
  and paisley waistcoat, his mustache thin and trim,
  hair slicked back in the style of young aristocrats.
  His female companion, garbed in an understated
  ivory and cream full skirt and lace-adorned jacket,
  seems small and ill-at-ease, her eyes cast down, her
  mousy brown hair gathered up into an attractive, if
  disheveled beehive with a white flowered comb,
  errant strands straying across her pale, shy features.
  She clings to a small leather folio as a drowning
  man would a scrap of wreckage.
  “Sir Edwin Kent, a distant nephew of Lord
  Theone, I believe,” the young man nods as Señor
  Ramirez makes the introductions, “And Miss
  Natalie Warren Wellbue, a friend of the family.”
  “As I understand it, Nicky here is a bit of an
  aspiring author,” the young man notes with amuse-
  ment. Miss Wellbue offers a curtsy and extends an
  alabaster hand, shuddering at the courteous kiss it
  receives. “I have made it my mission to entertain
  this charming young lady and insure that she has a
  delightful and memorable evening, if she will per-
  mit me.” Sir Edwin declares, eliciting a murmured
  protest. Miss Natalie appears extremely uncom-
  fortable with the attention.
  “Miss Wellbue is in attendance at the family’s
  request to prepare a biography of Lord Theone’s
  lifetime of accomplishments. I’m certain she would
  appreciate any assistance you can provide, but
  please, do not distract her from her responsibility.”
  The host’s plea elicits an amused laugh from the
  young man, but he smiles and bows obligingly, as
  he turns back to his evening’s quest.
  “Nonsense, your grace!” the loud voice draws
  attention to an unfamiliar, disheveled man dressed
  in green arguing with Father Daniel, “Man is not
  born evil; he is tabula rasa – a blank slate upon birth.
  It is only through conscious choice and social
  pressures that he actively rejects good and em-
  braces evil!”
  Father Daniel is taken aback, his face flushed.
  “Umm … I’m, I’m sure the Doctor meant no
  disrespect to your order or tenets, Father. He is
  rather passionate about his theories,” the young
  beardless man wearing a verdant checked suit is
  obviously an aid to the good doctor. “He believes
  
  12
  Chapter One
  that through knowledge and a well-built moral
  center, mankind can achieve amazing things.”
  “Only if one can break free of the judgments of
  society and find a way to overcome the restraints of
  age,” the doctor, oblivious to any insult he may
  have offered, brushes back the graying hair at his
  temples and tugs absentmindedly at his goatee.
  “Ahem!” the host interrupts, “This is Doctor
  Melrose Elliot Cameron and his aid, Mr. Thurrow.”
  “Call me Darren. It is a pleasure to meet you!”
  the young man eagerly shakes hands. Doctor
  Cameron nods, stepping forward to offer a wel-
  come when raised voices from the entry hall
  interrupt.
  “…way! Get out of the way! My sister needs
  air!” commands the trembling tenor voice. The
  doors are flung wide and Alistair helps a short
  gentleman assist his young lady companion to a
  sofa. The small man scans the room, pausing mo-
  mentarily on Father Daniel and then fixing his eyes
  on Ramirez, “I say, sir, what kind of party are you
  hosting where guests are confronted by a corpse on
  your doorstep?!”
  ���
  After fending off the flurry of questions from
  fellow guests, the young man makes sure his sister
  is resting comfortably. Father Daniel stares thought-
  fully at the newcomers, but it is Dr. Cameron who
  steps forward to offer his aid, quickly declaring that
  the woman suffers from shock. He prescribes a
  small sherry to calm her nerves. Their host pro-
  vides warm drinks, a seat by the fire and completes
  introductions once the lady has regained her com-
  posure. The pair are Charles and Ilsa Tempiere,
  brother and sister, their garments, traditional garb
  for followers of the Cult of Light, complement each
  other — his a rich dark plum, hers a more delicate
  lilac with violet vest. He is small and fine boned,
  while she is Rubenesque.
  When nerves are at last settled, Charles dis-
  cusses their discovery. “Perhaps it was nearer a half
  mile than a hundred yards, but it was very unset-
  tling,” he admits. “My sister does not handle
  traveling well and was feeling rather indisposed, so
  we halted for a moment to let the dust settle.”
  “I was stretching my legs when I heard a stone
  groan, or what I took for granted was a boulder. On
  closer approach I found a man with a fatal wound
  gasping for his final breath,” she recalls grimly.
  “Who was he, do you think?” questions the
  doctor.
  “There was nothing to identify him,” Charles
  explains. “The man appears to have been waylaid
  for his possessions and clothing, though he bore the
  scars of several battles, so I daresay he was an
  experienced warrior. He tried to speak, perhaps to
  tell us who had done this deed with his dying
  breath.”
  [C]“Yes, he said that it was someone dressed
  like my brother,” Ilsa adds, “‘As your garb,’ he
  said, didn’t he? ‘He wants life and means to
  claim the prize for himself.’ It was all very
  confusing and upsetting. Perhaps he meant dark
  clothing or dressed like one of the faithful.” All
  eyes turn toward Father Daniel.
  “Really, I protest,” the priest declares, “I
  came here in the company of your clerk Señor
  Ramirez!”
  “Just so.” their host replies, “I fear, my friends,
  there is a murderer in our midst!”
  ���
  The dinner is marvelous — fresh baked breads
  and creamy potage, steamed legumes and summer
  squash, smoked game birds and roast viands, tempt-
  ing cakes and crisp green salads complemented by
  an excellent cellar of wines. But the unsettling
  news casts a pall over the festivities. The conversa-
  tion is muted and low-keyed with sideway glances
  at unfamiliar strangers and an almost strained
  avoidance of the subject of the discovered body.
  Ilsa and Charles Tempiere keep their own
  counsel though Mr. Thurrow tries to offer polite
  discourse. Dr. Cameron finds a willing ear in Cap-
  tain Harrow who listens to the doctor’s lectures on
  ancient battle sites and answers questions about
  more recent campaigns. Seeking to avoid the con-
  stant flirtations of Sir Edwin, Miss Wellbue finds
  refuge in the solicitous attention of Mr. Charoan,
  and it becomes clear there is a history between
  these two. Not put off by her gentle avoidance,
  Edwin lavishes his anecdotes and clever banter on
  all members of the company, his laughter seeming
  uncommonly loud and inappropriate considering
  the circumstances. Only Señor Ramirez deigns to
  speak to Father Daniel who is oddly introspective.
  The host divides his interest between the quiet
  priest and the other guests, while Hugo stands
  stoop shouldered to the side, refilling glasses and
  clearing the dishes as the meal progresses. And a
  pensive Master Currin engages his associates in
  banter about their travels while casting vague
  smiles at everyone and trying to steer discussions
  
  13
  To Inherit Eternity
  toward past adventures and the treasures rumored
  to be part of Lord Theone’s collection.
  Samples of the priceless artifacts that comprise
  Lord Theone’s estate have been placed on display
  in the dining room in small glass cases atop alabas-
  ter pedestals. The eclectic selection includes a
  multi-facetted mirrored box balancing on a spindle
  like a miniature carousel as well as an ivory fan, the
  thin veins carved with delicate detail depicting
  windswept shores, mountain peaks and billowing
  clouds. Five colorful polished semi-precious stones
  with iconic engravings rest upon a velvet bag near
  a miniature stone flask sealed with an elaborately
  crafted crystal and silver stopper. The last item is
  the hilt and shattered blade of a sword with a pale
  blue stone in its pommel and a cobalt blue patina.
  The showpiece of the collection hangs in an an-
  tique gilded frame above the head of the table: a
  large painting of a misty moor under the light of a
  ghostly moon. The artistry is so exquisite that the
  image seems almost real with silvery clouds drifting
  and golden grasses swaying in the night wind.
  With the completion of the evening’s repast,
  Señor Ramirez pushes back from the table and clears
  his throat to gain the attention of the assemblage.
  “Ahem…Let me once again thank you for
  attending this evening. I think you all know why
  you are here. Over the years, you have each come
  to the attention of Lord Eowyn Theone, either as
  friends or friendly rivals or your exploits and ad-
  ventures attracted his interest. Lord Theone gave
  instructions that, in the event of his death, his
  collection of rare and ancient artifacts was to be
  offered first in a private auction to this select list of
  individuals who understand and respect their spe-
  cial value.”
  Murmurs of acknowledgement ripple through
  the group.
  “I have sorted his collection into a variety of
  categories, establishing displays of each grouping
  in individual rooms throughout the manor. I will
  provide a tour after which you may submit written
  bids on any items that interest you. I am sure you
  will find a number of pieces of unique interest to
  each of you for the Master went to great lengths to
  add each item to his collection.”
  “My great-uncle was a powerful and influen-
  tial man, and I have no doubt that many of the
  items were gifts from grateful benefactors,” Sir
  Edwin notes pleasantly.
  
  14
  Chapter One
  “He certainly was rich enough to afford what-
  ever he desired,” Master Currin adds with sarcasm,
  “It must be nice to inherit a fortune and not have
  to earn it through honest labor.”
  “I beg to differ there,” interjects Captain Har-
  row, “He was a great warrior and champion of many
  a battle defending this realm. I am sure he earned
  due rewards for his service and sacrifice.”
  “I have heard tales that he was the lone survi-
  vor of a legendary adventure and returned with a
  fabulous treasure of untold value and power from a
  mighty hoard that lay hidden there,” Dr. Cameron
  offers.
  “Indeed, he was an uncommon and uncom-
  monly fortunate man,” Charles opines with a hint
  of irony.
  “Not so fortunate, I fear,” Father Daniel’s
  statement draws stares demanding explanation. “I
  believe he suffered great misfortune and tragedy in
  his life. On numerous occasions he told me he was
  doomed!”
  “Whatever did he mean by that, I wonder?”
  Darren marvels aloud.
  “It sounds to me like it was those around him
  who suffered,” de l’Ombre mutters a bit too loudly,
  “Throughout the years, those who associated with
  him have either met their demise or misfortune.”
  “He certainly was a charmer. He had the
  innate skill to convince others to take risks,” Sir
  Edwin smiles.
  “Perhaps he was the victim of a curse,” Ilsa
  offers, her face pale at the thought.
  Señor Ramirez interrupts the speculation,
  “There are many stories about the man, some real
  and many imagined. It is often difficult to sift the
  grains of truth from the chaff of fiction. Still, the
  influential must also pay the wages of time and
  even the mighty fall. We are all mortal after all.”
  “I wonder …” Sir Edwin murmurs.
  The steward raises a quizzical eyebrow, but
  continues, “Miss Wellbue is writing a chronicle of
  my Master’s exploits. She knows the history of
  many of his treasures and can delight and entertain
  us with those stories. Perhaps we might prevail on
  her to share a sample of these tales. Nicky?”
  Miss Warren Wellbue gazes around the room
  at the various artifacts on display, though she
  speaks to Señor Ramirez, “Perhaps if you could
  select one of these items?”
  “How about that one over there? I have always
  been curious about it.”
  “Very well, I will endeavor to tell you the story
  as it was told to me.”
  ���
  [D] The Writer’s Tale – Lyrian’s Reflection
  The young author stands beside the display
  case housing the be-mirrored carousel, staring
  at it lost in thought. “This was owned by a
  maiden named Lyrian né Ternal, made in
  memory of her lost fiancé from the shards of a
  magical mirror he owned. Her grand niece told
  me this story after her aunt slit her wrists with a
  broken glass at the Heimler Sanitarium.”
  The golden-haired maid stood in front of
  the antique mirror, admiring her figure and
  radiant face. She looked down at her hands
  where she held a letter-opener and the post she
  had just opened from Dr. Rellion, one of the
  finest physicians in the realm. The news was
  marvelous. Roberto’s malady had passed,
  though the good doctor was at a loss to explain
  how. But Lyrian knew the reason and she had
  finally made a choice.
  She loved him, her Roberto, although he
  was nearly twice her age and feared the chasm
  of his advancing years, feared losing her too
  soon. He was obsessed with his age and ad-
  vancing infirmities, staring into this bizarre mir-
  ror at each wrinkle and gray hair. If only, he
  would say, if only there was a way to turn back
  time’s wheel and reclaim his youth, then he
  would gladly ask for her hand in marriage.
  For months, Roberto feverishly pored through
  ancient volumes and sought strange tonics and
  odd remedies, consumed tiny magnets and built
  bizarre generators, but nothing could stem the
  advance of time. He had purchased this dressing
  mirror from the estate of a lord who was rumored
  to have lived the span of three lives. He had taken
  to pacing in front of it while reading to himself in
  some foreign tongue, stopping now and again to
  examine his reflection.
  She waited patiently, attending his obses-
  sion, knowing that love could overcome any
  obstacle. She believed that she could show him
  through small acts of devotion that age did not
  matter, and that they could be happy with what
  time was granted them. Love would endure
  beyond that. Slowly he began to improve.
  There was a new bounce in his step and enthu-
  siasm in his tasks. He began to smile furtively,
  and she knew she was winning the battle.
  Soon, she knew, he would pledge his love
  to her. Still, this mirror, this cursed mirror was a
  constant reminder of his flaws and the advance
  
  15
  To Inherit Eternity
  of years. She knew what she must do, knew that
  he would forgive her this little thing.
  It was done, and her crooked reflection
  smiled back at her. The sound of the opening
  door drew her from her reverie and she went to
  meet Roberto as he entered the room, a puzzled
  expression in his eyes. “Darling,” she greeted
  her love, “I have the most marvelous news from
  Dr. Rellion.” She held forth the letter, “He says
  you are well again with the heart and body of a
  man half your age! Isn’t that wonderful?”
  The look of incredulity that lit his face was
  reward enough. He looked across the room
  toward the mirror as if he might race there to
  confirm the prognosis. She deftly stepped be-
  tween him and the object of his obsession. “No
  dear, you don’t need to stare at your reflection.
  What does it matter? I love you and will always
  love you, whether in sickness or in health. Set
  aside your incessant studies and love me back,
  let the light of my eyes be the only reflection you
  ever seek again!”
  The look of happy puzzlement warmed her
  heart. She stepped forward to accept his em-
  brace, but as she did his gaze passed beyond at
  the prism light staining the ceiling and down to
  its source. Thrusting her aside, he raced across
  the room to stare at the destroyed silvery plane.
  “Nooo!” he cried out, the sound fading like
  a man falling to his doom. “You don’t know
  what you have done!” he whispered, looking at
  her with small, pitiful eyes. Then she saw the
  gash on his cheek; he must have been cut with
  a shard of glass. Smiling, she took the handker-
  chief from her sleeve and dabbed at the wound.
  There was no blood, only the scar, which
  seemed to be growing longer, new cracks radi-
  ating from that central wound.
  Behind her came a crackling like winter ice in
  spring thaw…and then she knew. Turning in
  shock she gazed at the mirror, stared at the
  spreading cracks, twin to her love’s wound, stared
  at the letter-opener she had stabbed into the
  mirror. With ever quickening pace, like a jagged
  bolt of lightning the glass divided into myriad
  planes. Panic seized her heart and squeezed her
  eyes as she whirled to behold Roberto, head
  thrown back in agony, a sad, faraway look glazing
  his eyes. He stood in rictus, his body laced by
  countless cracks. And then to the sound of break-
  ing glass, Roberto’s life and body shattered, glis-
  tening shards spinning away to eternity.
  
  16
  Chapter One
  ���
  Stunned silence greets the end of the tale as
  several of the guests exchange troubled glances.
  “Well told,” their host declares with delight.
  “Thank you, Nicky. I am certain our guests found
  your tale entertaining.” A smattering of applause
  and congratulatory words rewards the blushing
  writer. “Now, if you will finish your drinks we will
  be on our way. Mr. Charoan, the catalogs, if you
  please.”
   Someone coughs once, twice and, to the
  sound of breaking glass, erupts into an exhausting
  hacking interrupting the pleasantries. Master
  Currin is doubled over by the debilitating bout, his
  face a strangled gray in contrast to the blue of his
  suit.
  “What’s happening?” Ilsa cries out in dismay.
  The guests crowd closer with looks of concern
  and uncertainty. Captain Harrow expertly thumps
  the man squarely between the shoulders, a blow
  mighty enough to rattle teeth, but to no avail. At
  Dr. Cameron’s instructions, the man is laid on a
  couch and he listens to his chest, looks at his pupils
  and smells his breath. The good examines the floor,
  retrieving a piece of the broken goblet. He sniffs
  the remaining liquor and tastes it with the tip of his
  tongue. “Burnt anise and ginger…mariposa bloom,
  unmistakable,” he mutters to himself. “Quickly,
  Darren, Ealium’s panacea!” he declares holding
  out his hand impatiently. Darren searches franti-
  cally, but shakes his head in dismay.
  The doctor shrugs, “Not there? Very well
  smelling salts and essence of arsenic. Someone
  fetch a glass of dark ale…and a shot of whiskey!”
  The physician loosens the top on a small
  ointment jar and holds it beneath the nose of the
  suffocating man. With a sudden gasp, Master Currin
  inhales and color slowly leaches back into his face.
  Dr. Cameron places three drops of an oily tincture
  into the ale. “Here, drink this down.” Master Currin
  obliges and slowly his thready breath returns to
  normal. The doctor takes the whisky for himself
  and downs it in a single gulp.
  “Tell me doctor, what was the malady?” Sir
  Edwin voices the concern on everyone’s mind.
  “Hmmm?” The doctor seems distracted, “Poi-
  son, I believe . . . most likely nectar from the deadly
  night lily, also called mariposa. In sufficient po-
  tency the distillation can be quite toxic.”
  “It seems a bonny chance for Master Currin
  that you were here then!” the captain notes.
  “Perhaps …” Señor Ramirez interjects, “Where
  do you think the poison came from doctor?”
  The physician’s steepled fingers press his lips
  and he looks toward the floor, “I suspect it would be
  …mine,” he says in a flat voice. “Deadly night lily
  is useful in small doses for calming palpitations of
  the heart and night tremors. And my vial seems to
  be missing, along with the common antidote.”
  “Interesting?!” Miss Tempiere’s voice verges
  on hysteria, “a man nearly dies and he calls it
  interesting?! Who? Who would do such a thing?!”
  Charles moves to calm his sister. “I would
  think the same one who slew the man on the road.
  Strange, don’t you think that this man carries
  toxins with him?” He looks shrewdly at the doctor.
  “Now then,” states the host, “I doubt very
  much that if Dr. Cameron would both poison
  someone and then save his life.”
  The merchant struggles to a sitting position.
  “He is right,” the merchant pants, his strength
  slowly returning. He raises one hand to fend off
  Hugo who has brought another glass of brandy, “I
  think not! I’m fine. Besides, I would think our host
  is suspect as well. It was his liquor after all that
  nearly poisoned me.”
  “That hardly seems a credible line of reason-
  ing,” Sir Edwin muses, helping the merchant to his
  feet. “If this is more than a mere accident, the
  perpetrator would need to have a motive, a reason
  to kill.”
  “Motive?” Master Currin eyes the gentleman
  thoughtfully, “Perhaps someone who stands to
  gain the most, such as a direct heir to Lord Theone’s
  estate.”
  Sir Edwin stares at the man before erupting
  with laughter, “Really? Then it might prove a
  surprise that my great uncle left me out of his will.
  On the other hand, if I wanted to throw off suspi-
  cion, I would invent an attack upon myself.” This
  time it is the merchant’s turn to laugh.
  “This is not a laughing matter,” Charles re-
  monstrates. “Someone just tried to kill you, and did
  kill that unfortunate soul on the road. Perhaps one
  of us is not what he seems,” he says eying the priest.
  “Isn’t it the calling of all clergy to offer aid and
  succor to the injured? Twice now, Father Daniel
  has done nothing.”
  “Who are you to judge?” the priest replies, his
  eyes burning with indignation. “Not all clerics
  pursue the healing arts. My order is devoted to
  study and teaching. Besides, how do we know you
  
  17
  To Inherit Eternity
  found a body? Where is it? Perhaps you fabricated
  the story.”
   “Now, now, this is accomplishing nothing,
  except dividing us.” Master Currin’s bravado, false
  though it may be, is nonetheless reassuring.
  “Besides,” Miss Wellbue adds with muted voice,
  “That may be just what the killer wants — for us to
  distrust one another.” Mr. Charoan nods his agree-
  ment.
  “Indeed, all this speculation is doing us no
  good and distracts us from our purpose. We best be
  about our business, and quickly then before any
  other incident,” recommends Señor Ramirez, “I
  propose we move into the manor proper, which is
  better warded against attacks. We should be safe
  enough there.”
  With little discussion, but many furtive looks
  at each other, the guests gather their things and
  follow.
  ���
  Señor Ramirez steps up to the oak doors to the
  great hall. “Through here we will begin our tour.
  Each of you possesses a catalog of the objects for
  sale, prepared by the capable Miss Wellbue. If there
  is something that interests you, please tender your
  bids to Mr. Charoan or Miss Wellbue, who will
  dutifully record them. The highest bid will secure
  the item in question against your deposit. If bids
  should exceed letters of credit or deposits, the
  buyer will have twenty-four hours to return with
  sufficient funds or else the item will be sold to the
  next highest bidder. Are there any questions?”
  Dr. Cameron’s young assistance clears his
  throat, “Please, excuse my ignorance, but I wonder
  what could be so deucedly valuable in this collec-
  tion that would warrant murder?”
  “A great number of items are of considerable
  value, Señor Ramirez says after a moment’s hesita-
  tion. “ Lord Theone paid a dear price for several
  sculptures and works of art. Several arcane artifacts
  belong to the collection; their powers are not
  completely understood. Perhaps some one who
  knows the true nature of one of these relics is
  murderously eager to acquire it?” he offers.
  “That could be a possibility,” Dr. Cameron
  muses, “What do you think Miss Wellbue?”
  The young lady shivers nervously, but duti-
  fully glances through her notes “There might be a
  problem with the artifacts. While I have cataloged
  these items in the collection, most have a bleak
  history of misuse and misfortune. Each artifact
  seems to have curses as well as blessings associated
  with it, making each item of dubious value as a
  weapon or magical tool.”
  “Perhaps it is not so much something he pos-
  sessed, as it is something he sought,” suggests the
  priest.
  “Really?” Charles says disdainfully, “why would
  someone want something Theone never had?”
  “Because,” says the doctor as the light of un-
  derstanding fills his eyes, “it’s not the item, but
  clues vital to locating the actual prize that our
  mysterious assailant seeks. Señor? Was anything
  taken earlier?”
  “No, we assumed that his encounter with
  Calvis, may he rest in peace, scared him off before
  he could steal anything.”
  “I understand,” Ilsa declares. “Do you see,
  brother?,” she adds, “he did not have time to find
  the information he sought, so he has returned to
  look again. Whoever it is does not want any
  competitors…or witnesses!”
  “Now then Miss, do not upset yourself,” com-
  forts Sir Edwin, “No need to construct nefarious
  schemes. My uncle had many enemies who wanted
  him dead or discredited. It could be any of them
  seeking to reclaim a prize they felt he stole. As a
  matter of fact I am surprised that he did not die a
  long time ago.”
   “The lad speaks the truth,” the captain agrees.
  “Enemies he had, but I warrant he outlived them
  all. No man was as lucky as Lord Theone, surviving
  wounds that would have proved mortal to a lesser
  man. At times I thought he would live forever.”
  “There are rumors about that, you know,”
  Father Daniel mumbles to himself, but somehow
  the words reach everyone’s ears, stopping conver-
  sation momentarily.
  “Rumors, what rumors?” Darren ventures in-
  nocently.
  “Well…,” Father Daniel hesitates, “Some say
  that Lord Theone lived longer than any man had
  a right to. Some circles suggested that he could not
  die. Not that he was immortal, mind you, but that
  he was able to hold back the scythe of death either
  through some uncanny good fortune or a mystical
  device that renewed and maintained his health
  and vitality.”
  “I have heard similar stories,” Mr. Kantall’s
  sibilant voice hisses like a snake’s, “suggestions
  that he sought a fount whose waters possessed
  amazing restorative powers.”
  
  18
  Chapter One
  “I heard he was invulnerable!” growls Mr. Gar.
  “No natural force could harm him.”
  “Fairy tales, gentlemen!” a smiling Master
  Currin admonishes, “But there are tales that he was
  a champion of light, holding evil at bay with a
  legendary weapon that could cleave through ar-
  mor. Perhaps it is this weapon that our sinister
  plotter seeks. Let me say right now, I have no
  interest in weaponry.”
  “Really now!” Señor Ramirez interrupts the
  speculations, “One must not give credence to ru-
  mors and tales made up by common folk who have
  nothing better to do.”
  “Still…rumor may still motivate an individual
  to perform insidious acts.” Dr. Cameron notes.
  “How did my uncle die?” Sir Edwin asks.
  Señor Ramirez stands quietly for a moment,
  his eyes peering guardedly from beneath a furrowed
  brow. At last, having weighed his options he re-
  plies, “I do not know that he did.”
  The cacophony of querulous voices expressing
  their amazement and shock at that remark makes it
  clear that all are interested in this answer.
  The steward shrugs off their questions with
  few words, “He departed on a personal quest nearly
  two decades ago, leaving written instructions to
  dissolve his estate and distribute the proceeds to his
  heirs after a reasonable period of time had passed
  without his return. Tonight he would have been
  101 years old. What man do you know that has
  lived beyond five score years?”
  “A quest? At his age,” Theone’s nephew sounds
  perplexed. “How could he possibly undertake a
  quest?”
  “Your uncle was a remarkable man, with the
  vigor of a man half his age,” the host states with
  pride. “Since I have known him, he has possessed
  an interest in time its effects on man. He became
  obsessed with the secret for prolonging life. It was
  in pursuit of this dream that he undertook his final
  quest from which he never returned. But if you are
  suggesting that someone is seeking to follow in his
  lordship’s steps, I assure you he was a very private
  person and had no close associates, nor left any
  clues to where he was going.”
  “You are right, Señor,” concludes the captain.
  “Such a quest is the madness of dreamers and fools.
  And our murderer is no fool.”
  “Whatever our musings may be, the defenses
  of Eldron Manor are secure, and we outnumber any
  intruder. Eventually he will make a mistake and be
  apprehended. Therefore,” pronounces Señor
  Ramirez, “let us be about the evening’s business.”
  With a flourish, he opens the doors.
  Two statuettes on porphyry pedestals flank the
  entrance to the great hall, grotesqueries more gar-
  goyle than manikin with wicked beaks, feral eyes
  and reptilian wings. “Step along, if you please,”
  invites the host. “We have much to see and the
  hour is already late.”
  In ones and twos, the guests file past the eerie
  idols and into the richly appointed corridor filled
  with works of art. Master de l’Ombre pauses a
  moment to rap the head of one statue, as if to assure
  himself of its inanimate nature. But, as the violet-
  clad siblings seek to pass, the statues’ eyes blaze red
  and a wail fills the hall. Three guardsmen come
  running to encircle the confused couple.
  What’s this, now?” The din of the alarm muffles
  Charles’ protest. The steward hobbles back, all eyes
  upon him and the bewildered duo. He leans toward
  the nearest statue and murmurs something while
  subtly gesturing. The alarm fades into silence.
  “My pardon, young sir,” Señor Ramirez says,
  his face a portrait of serious determination, “but did
  you not surrender all your weapons before enter-
  ing?”
  “Of course we were told,” Charles says indig-
  nantly. “We are not warriors. We left our daggers at
  the gate.”
  “Then I regret I must request permission to
  search you and your sister. The warding only reacts
  to the presence of weapons.”
  With clear reluctance, the two acquiesce. Af-
  ter a thorough search, the señor holds up a folded
  napkin recovered from the lady’s handbag.
  Ilsa avoids his inquiring eyes and stares close-
  lipped at the floor with stoic resolve. All eyes watch
  as Señor Ramirez shakes the napkin open and there
  is a collective gasp as a silver carving knife clatters
  to the floor. With arched brow, the steward exam-
  ines the keen blade and studies first the young lady,
  then lets his gaze pass among the other guests.
  With a tone of grim warning Señor Ramirez
  addresses his guests, “It would seem that one of you
  did not accept my promise for your safety during
  your visit. Let me assure you once again that the
  entire manor is warded against the use of weapons.
  I will not tolerate another breach of security, I have
  already buried one too many! Let this be a fair and
  final warning to all!”
  ���
  
  19
  To Inherit Eternity
  The hour passes quickly. Señor Ramirez had
  instructed his guests that the manor’s art collection
  was on display throughout the corridors and pas-
  sages and they should feel free to explore the halls
  and make their selections. Only he, however, pos-
  sessed the keys to the magically locked and warded
  doors to several of the rooms. He would, in due
  course, lead the tour through several chambers
  displaying items collected into other categories,
  but to conserve his energy, he should remain by the
  grand staircase until the group had had an hour to
  peruse those items accessible to all. Cautioning
  them to avoid wandering through the mansion
  alone, he awaits their return.
  The mood is rife with tension and suspicion.
  Alliances quickly form: the Doctor and Darren
  keep company with Captain Harrow. The
  Tempieres accept Master Currin as a companion
  while his associates separate: Mr. Kantall joining
  Sir Edwin and Miss Wellbue while Mr. Gar offers
  to go with Father Daniel and Mr. Charoan. Invita-
  tions to accompany them are tendered by the
  doctor and Sir Edwin, but Señor Ramirez proposes
  an alternative, “I know that you gentlemen did not
  come here tonight for an art collection. Perhaps
  you would care to wait here with me? I am sure we
  can find a topic to amuse us until the others return.
  If not, you are welcome to browse this hall.” Inevi-
  tably, the lure of some private discussion with
  Señor Ramirez wins out.
  The hall offered an eclectic selection of art
  objects as well as the ubiquitous gargoyle manne-
  quins that identified the manor’s enchanted
  warding. These objects include a traditional marble
  statue and an urn set to either side of the staircase,
  a grim portrait titled “The Execution” opposite an
  ornate china platter both hanging in alcoves, and
  a painted folding screen counter-posed with a
  beautiful Vistani tapestry. But the most amazing
  piece is a moving sculpture representing the Four
  Seasons performing lazy orbits in the center of the
  room. The steward seems amused by his guests’
  fascination with these treasures and for a time the
  conversation revolves around artistic masterpieces
  and pleasant diversions.
  At last, the conversation turns to the unpleas-
  ant events of the evening.
  “I suppose the criminal could be anyone,”
  Ramirez sighs. “I am not overly familiar with any of
  my guests. Their names were provided in instruc-
  tions his lordship left behind and these are only
  those who replied to my inquiries. I am not overly
  satisfied with their motives, and feel that more
  than one’s trustworthiness is suspect. So, I took the
  precaution of adding your names to the list, for your
  reputation as champions of justice and honorable
  individuals precedes you. Let me tell you what I can
  about your fellows.
  “I have known both Mr. Charoan and Miss
  Wellbue for years. Alistair is absolutely loyal and
  Nicky has a timid soul but a beautiful mind. Father
  Daniel seems committed to the preservation of art
  and knowledge, but he loves the good life too
  much. Lord Theone mentions in one of his journals
  of saving Captain Harrow’s life, whether for ill or
  good considering the old soldier’s injuries. Master
  Currin is the only one of three of his lordship’s
  rivals who replied. He seems too oily and willing to
  change his mind to be trusted, but that seems a
  common failing among merchants. Dr. Cameron is
  one of the scholars Lord Theone corresponded
  with in his quest. I was surprised to see his reaction
  to the discussion of immortality, for surely he knew
  my master’s interests, though perhaps he is forget-
  ful.
  “As for the others, I met Sir Edwin a year ago
  when he stopped by to pay his respects to his great
  uncle, though I suspect he wanted to put the touch
  on his lordship for a loan. A sealed letter from his
  mother made it clear that the lad had been written
  out of the will. However, what he does not know is
  that as the only surviving male with direct blood-
  lines to Lord Theone he stands to inherit a sizeable
  stipend and certain properties and titles. That
  leaves the Tempieres. They never met my master
  for they were sent as representatives of the Order of
  Light, which frequently consulted with his lord-
  ship about their quest for this immortal Evil One.
  The church will receive a sizeable financial gift
  from the estate with the proviso that the Order
  continues to send monthly updates on the progress
  of their quest. Thus, as you can see, anyone might
  have had a reason for wanting to obtain a larger
  portion of the estate. But there is no need to
  commit theft and murder. I am convinced there is
  something more sinister afoot tonight!”
  The old man leans forward to speak in hushed
  tones, “To be candid, I do not know if he lives, but
  I do know that I will not be able to care for his
  lordship’s properties much longer, for my years
  betray me and I fear I do not have many days left.”
  He heaves a great sigh and for the first time it
  becomes apparent how belabored his breathing is
  and how shriveled his form. “I had hoped that if
  
  20
  Chapter One
  news of his celebrated demise reached the master,
  he would return before it was too late. I know it
  sounds incredible that he may yet live, but he
  believed in his quest, that somewhere there exists
  a very elusive immortal that was once a man. I do
  not know if he ever found this creature, but if any
  could Lord Theone is the one. When the master
  did not return it occurred to me that perhaps this
  immortal might come here to make sure that no
  evidence was left behind that might identify him.
  It is my fervent hope that he or she is here tonight!”
  “It is my conviction that this creature is not
  malevolent, merely reclusive,” Señor Ramirez
  pauses as he wrestles with his thoughts before he
  continues, “but, if I am right then it is not the
  immortal who threatens us, but one opposed to the
  creature’s designs, his nemesis. If the first exists,
  then so does its counterpart. Therefore, we may
  well have two halves of a whole here tonight,
  hidden behind masks. Even if I am wrong, there
  may still be a rival of Lord Theone who plays the
  same role as this hypothetical nemesis, not here for
  wealth, but conspiring to thwart all efforts to learn
  the secrets of eternity.”
  Señor Ramirez studies his guests’ faces. “It is a
  shame that one cannot know evil by its appear-
  ance,” he says thoughtfully, “but evil is the great
  deceiver and disguises itself well. In fact, we may be
  seeking someone who does not consider himself
  evil, but believes fervently in the righteousness of
  his actions. We all wear masks to hide our true self,
  the trick is for us to see through those masks tonight
  to the truth.
  “Take for example this vase,” notes Señor
  Ramirez. “The urn presents a frieze of a running
  maiden, a racing hideous creature and a charging
  valiant warrior. “ Depending on how one looks at
  this vase one might see a champion fighting a
  monster harrying a damsel in distress. But if we start
  with the monster, we see a man pursuing a noble
  quest while the woman chases him to capture the
  hero’s heart or perhaps the man seeks to evade the
  maiden who is compelled by the fiend. It’s all in the
  perspective.” His audience nods in thoughtful re-
  flection. “Much of his lordship’s collection is of a
  similar nature, often revealing two perspectives,
  one light and encouraging, the other grim and
  foreboding. Perhaps if we look for something that
  
  21
  To Inherit Eternity
  represents Lord Theone’s qualities, we will realize
  its counterpoint.” The host looks about finally
  resting his eyes on what may be the perfect simile.
  [E] The object selected by the steward is the
  statue carved from white marble depicting a
  young boy and a warrior. The youth stands to
  one side holding the warrior’s helmet rever-
  ently, staring at the man with adoration. The
  scarred soldier is partially clad in armor, his
  shield leaning against one leg as he works the
  straps of his breastplate and gazes sadly down at
  the lad. “This statue shows the contrast between
  a lad excited by adventure and a warrior with a
  mission. Is this a lad welcoming his father home
  from battle and a return to the idylls of peace, or
  is this a father preparing for war and the end of
  an age of innocence; peaceful pleasures or the
  burdens of duty and honor? Perhaps that is what
  we face tonight — the enthusiasm and passion
  for adventure versus honor and duty.”
  When the hour was thus spent, the others
  returned. First came the siblings and the merchant
  chatting amiably regarding a fascinating amphora
  from Pharazia, followed by Sir Edwin and Miss
  Wellbue with the hissing Mr. Kantall debating the
  value of an ivory figurine from Hazlan. After a
  quarter hour more had passed, the sound of ap-
  proaching voices heralded the arrival of Dr.
  Cameron’s party.
  “Our apologies,” Darren says, speaking on their
  behalf while the doctor and soldier continue their
  heated discussion. “We encountered a most puz-
  zling conundrum and it gave us pause. We lost track
  of the time.”
  “Look here, sir,” Dr. Cameron interrupts ad-
  dressing his host, “Did you know that his lordship
  had an original painting by Tytian?” Señor Ramirez
  nods, but the doctor cuts off his reply, “and did you
  know that it bears a dedication ‘To my good friend
  Eowyn’ above the signature? That is impossible!
  Sayn Tytian died over a century ago and the
  painting is no forgery, I would stake my reputation
  on that.”
  “Surely, doctor, it only means his lordship had
  a distant relative named Eowyn,” the captain states.
  Miss Wellbue’s face takes on a puzzled expres-
  sion as she studies her notes. “I’m afraid there’s
  nothing to indicate that,” she says, shaking her
  head in negation.
  The steward regards him with raised eyebrows,
  “I am sure there is a reasonable explanation,” he
  says, “but we must be moving along now. Has
  anyone seen Father Daniel’s party?”
  “Can you imagine? If someone could live that
  long what it would be like?” the doctor continues.
  “It’s unnatural!” Ilsa declares with vehemence,
  “Our humanity arises from the knowledge of our
  own mortality. Laws would be as nothing to one
  who could not die. Any immortal would quickly
  come to the conclusion that he is superior to mortal
  men and would become an evil tyrant!”
  “Tush, madame,” the doctor’s face is red with
  excitement, such a man would have lived and
  learned more than you could ever hope to know.
  The lessons he could teach us, the secrets he might
  share could make a better world for everyone!” His
  thoughts are racing, “Mr. Thurrow! My journal, we
  must record this train of thought while it is still
  fresh!” Smiling sheepishly, Darren fumbles for a
  quill and notebook.
  “Mr. Ramirez!” the doctor suddenly declares,
  “is there a rendering of Lord Theone, a painting or
  portrait? I never met him, though we corresponded
  for years. It is important that I know what he looks
  like, if my theory is right!”
  “My uncle did not like to sit still for portraits,
  or so my mother told me,” Sir Edwin offers. “I do
  not think there is one picture of him, which is a
  shame. Imagine including a color miniature in your
  book Miss Wellbue. That would be a real capper!”
  “Well, actually…” she starts, but pauses at the
  señor’s frown. “ I was going to say…I wonder what
  happened to Father Daniel? He and Mr. Gar and
  Mr. Charoan are overdue from their explorations.”
  As if in answer, a moan echoes down the hall as a
  limping duo appear. Miss Wellbue cries out and
  rushes to the clerk’s side, concern filling her coun-
  tenance.
  The party assists the battered twosome to a
  bench in the hall. Mr. Gar sports a bump on his
  head and several bruises while the clerk’s nose and
  forehead are bloodied and one arm is in a sling. Mr.
  Gar waves off help from the physician, noting that
  he has suffered worse before. “We had an acci-
  dent,” he says brusquely. “But where is Father
  Daniel?”
  “He is not with you?” Señor Ramirez seems
  seriously distressed, “Alistair, tell us what has hap-
  pened.”
  “A china cabinet fell atop us,” the clerk begins
  ruefully. “We were looking at an interesting set of
  ceramic miniatures when Mr. Gar suddenly shouted,
  ‘Look out!’ He tried to prevent the cabinet from
  
  22
  Chapter One
  toppling over, but the weight was too much. We
  barely escaped being crushed, though we were
  unconscious for a time. Father Daniel was gone
  when we woke, so we thought he had gone for
  help.”
  Mr. Gar shrugs, “I thought I saw someone
  behind the cupboard before the accident, but I did
  not get a good look in the dim light. It could have
  been anyone.”
  Señor Ramirez turns to the others and asks,
  “Was anyone separated from their party for a while?”
  The implication is ominous.
  “Master Currin wandered away for a brief
  time,” Charles Tempiere notes.
  “They wanted some privacy,” the merchant
  asserts. “Besides, we went to the east. Father Daniel’s
  party went to the west. I would have to be terribly
  fast to cross over, topple the shelf and return!”
  “I lost my way, for a while,” Captain Harrow
  confesses.
  “Oh, but I found him and took him back to
  where the doctor was waiting.” Darren attests.
  “And I stopped to rest for a moment,” Nicky
  admits, “while Mr. Kantall continued down the
  hall to examine some pottery. Mr. Edwin brought
  him back when I felt rested.”
  The steward looks pensively at them all, shak-
  ing his head in dismay. “At least you were not
  seriously hurt. I think I will summon Hugo to look
  for our wandering priest. He can catch up with us
  later so we do not lose more time waiting for him.”
  ���
  As Ramirez leads the group farther into the
  mansion, a moaning emanates from deep within
  the building, startling several members of the group.
  “It is nothing,” Señor Ramirez assures the
  party, “this mansion is old. Its foundation settles
  and its timbers bow. With the night wind, Eldron
  Manor sighs or groans, almost sounding human at
  times. I have always found it charming.”
  “Nay, there is nothing charming about old
  age,” Captain Harrow grumbles. “’Tis pain and
  weakness!”
  Sir Edwin smiles, “At least it was fun getting
  there. One must grow used to it.”
  The howl of the wind elevates the distant
  groan to a mournful lament as if the whole building
  is warning of danger abroad. Despite himself, the
  
  23
  To Inherit Eternity
  gentleman shivers. “I hope nothing has happened
  to Father Daniel. We could use his jolly company
  to lighten the mood!”
  “I am sure he will join us when he can, but for
  now let us proceed,” the steward says. Unlocking
  the oaken doors with a big brass key, the steward
  ushers all into the room. Rainbows of color dance
  across the floor, their light coming from intricate
  stained-glass windows with lanterns swinging be-
  yond them in the night. Their luminescence joins
  with light from a crystal chandelier hanging above
  a round table in the center of the chamber. Each
  window depicts a chapter in an adventure story
  arranged from left to right. The first window shows
  the death of a nobleman in a castle garden, with a
  grim man dragging away a mourning child in noble
  garb. The second displays the grown boy in rough
  cloth laboring in a smithy while the grim man sits
  astride a horse in noble attire. The third illustrates
  the lad sleeping in the hay; a ghostly double of the
  boy stands before the forge as a small fey man
  pushes the anvil back to reveal stairs down into a
  golden realm. The fourth reveals the lad stealing
  through a magical cavern filled with the sinuous
  form of a sleeping dragon to steal a sword, and then
  confronting the dragon who has one eye open as it
  offers obeisance. The fifth depicts a glorious battle
  with the boy astride his draconic mount devastat-
  ing an army and cornering the grim man. The last
  portrays a happy ending, for the lad is dressed as a
  king in the castle garden and the dragon transforms
  into a beautiful maiden with love in her eyes.
  The rest of the vast chamber is filled with
  polished furniture and carved wooden screens,
  large oriental carpets and rich velvet drapes, while
  on every table, shelf and cabinet are collections of
  ornately crafted and masterfully painted, hand-tall
  figurines depicting buildings, landscapes and a va-
  riety of heroes and mythical creatures. “Everything
  in this room may be bid upon, not just the figurines.
  Lord Theone acquired some of the best one-of-a-
  kind furnishings and craftsmanship available in
  the realms and this is the most noteworthy.”
   “This was Lord Theone’s favorite retreat,” the
  steward explains, “He would retire here for hours to
  read or paint and mount new additions to his
  collection or to build miniature dioramas. Mr.
  Tempiere, you and your sister inquired about a
  dragon room that you heard about. I suspect this is
  the one.”
  
  24
  Chapter One
  “Really?” Sir Edwin asks the siblings, “and why
  is that? This hardly seems in keeping with a quest
  for immortality — or was it for youth? What among
  these toys could interest you?”
  “These are not toys,” Charles sounds offended
  at the suggestion as he admires a miniature uni-
  corn. “Each figure is a work of art and represents an
  historic event or legendary person. It is the most
  comprehensive collection I have ever seen.”
  “You must forgive him, he is very passionate
  about his hobby,” Ilsa notes. “Brother!” The man
  does not seem to hear her call. “Charles!” She raises
  her voice. At last he looks up. “If it is anywhere it
  is here,” he says.
  “What is it you are seeking?” inquires Captain
  Harrow. Charles glances up, his face pale. He looks
  to his sister and there is a brief whispered discus-
  sion.
  “We should tell them!” Ilsa proclaims. “We
  can use the help or else we could be here all night!”
  “Tell us what?” Master Currin prompts.
  Charles gazes across the room, studying his
  companions before nodding acquiescence. “We
  have not been entirely candid about our reasons for
  attending this evening. For several years now, Lord
  Theone has corresponded with our order concern-
  ing his quest for the secret of immortality. We
  know a being exists that cannot die from natural
  causes. Unlike his lordship, however, we believe
  this creature is exceedingly evil. Our Order has
  dedicated itself to finding and stopping the Evil
  One’s machinations. Our history tells us this crea-
  ture is responsible for the enslavement or deaths of
  thousands, betraying kith and kin, performing
  abominable rituals, desecrating sacred relics, and
  associating with unnatural fiends. He is respon-
  sible for the murder of our Order’s founder so we
  have sworn to bring him and his minions either to
  redemption or destruction.” He pauses to make
  sure the others are taking this all in.
  “We believe that Lord Theone, either know-
  ingly or by chance, crossed paths with the Evil One
  and was corrupted by that tempter. The Evil One
  tempts innocents to their doom with the promise
  of their greatest desire. But he perverts and twists
  that desire to his own nefarious purpose, damning
  the lost soul for eternity.”
  “Nonsense,” the doctor declares, “a person
  must choose evil for himself. He cannot be tricked
  into it! Pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment is
  not evil!”
  “Ah, you would be surprised by the desires that
  lie in the heart of man,” Master Currin remarks, “I
  would have to agree with Mr. Tempiere that many
  men are fools!”
  “Not Lord Theone!” Señor Ramirez declares
  with certainty. “My lord would never be a pawn of
  darkness! He is a good man, a beacon of enlighten-
  ment!”
  “Is?” ponders Dr. Cameron, and for the first
  time this night their host looks startled.
  “His lordship continues to live in my memo-
  ries, Dr. Cameron. Señor Ramirez turns back to
  Charles, “What does your revelation have to do
  with your presence here?”
  Charles sighs in resignation, “I am loathe to
  share our secrets with non-believers, but I see no
  other way. Whether or not Lord Theone knew the
  truth about the Evil One, he has most likely be-
  come an unwitting ally in his nefarious games. The
  Evil One, however, is predictable. Once he recruits
  an ally, he provides a guide, a compass to help lead
  a candidate to the path of corruption. We believe
  that a clue to this key or guide is somewhere in this
  house. The Evil One frequently associates with
  dragons, once calling himself Drake and another
  using a family crest that featured a rampant dragon
  argent. When we learned of Lord Theone, we knew
  we must follow in his steps if we were to stop the
  Evil One.”
  “But how will you know where to look for this
  clue?” the merchant insists.
  “His candidates,” the sister interrupts, “are
  marked with the sign of darkness, a blackened sun
  in full eclipse. That mark shows the way!”
  “Then if we find this darkened sun, we will
  find the clue!” the scholar exclaims. With Señor
  Ramirez’s permission, the guests search the room,
  moving furniture, opening drawers and cupboards
  opened, moving aside hangings and lifting rugs,
  and studying every figurine, all to no avail.
  “Are you certain we are looking for a dark
  sun?” one of the searchers complains, “perhaps you
  misunderstood.”
  “The Evil One spoke of phrase ‘the sun that
  shines through the dark of night’ in a letter to his last
  candidate. What else could it mean?” states a
  frustrated Charles.
  “That shines through the dark of night?” Dr.
  Cameron studies the room, talking to himself.
  Once, twice, three times he looks at his surround-
  
  25
  To Inherit Eternity
  ings, and then his eyes fix on the crystal chandelier.
  He nods.
  “I think I may understand,” he says. “Darren,
  climb up on that table for me and extinguish those
  candles, if you will. Be careful not to move any of
  the figures on the table. Now if the rest of you will
  draw the drapes, we shall see what we shall see.”
  “Brilliant,” mutters Master Currin, quick to
  help plunge the room into inky black.
  “What do you see?”
  “Nothing, you?”
  “What are we looking for?”
  “I do not know,” sound hidden voices.
  “Wait,” comes the reassuring sound of the
  scholar’s voice. “Look, in the center of the room!”
  Within the shroud of darkness, a pale crystal
  orb glows like the ghost-light of fireflies, its cool,
  green radiance shining down upon a lone figure
  mounted on a wormwood pedestal.
  “Open the curtains!” the doctor calls. Quickly,
  guests fling back the drapes to let in the light.
  Sir Edwin is the first to reach across the table
  and lift the trophy to examine it, clicking his
  tongue as he turns it over. Finding nothing note-
  worthy, he hands it to Charles, who wipes the
  sweat from his palms and gently examines the
  figure, poking and prodding to no avail. He looks to
  the others for advice.
  “The base seemed light to me,” Sir Edwin
  suggests, “maybe there is a secret catch.”
  As Charles begins his examination a second
  time, Mr. Kantall speaks.
  “Let me give it a go, he suggests. “ I used to be
  a…locksmith…in a former career. Perhaps I can
  discover its secrets.”
  Charles hands him the figurine.
  “I would be careful if I were you,” cautions Sir
  Edwin, but Mr. Kantall is too busy to hear.
  His fingers caress the base, and he smiles.
  “Clever! But not clever enough,” he gloats. With a
  quick move, he adroitly raps the base. The bottom
  drops open to reveal a hidden box. Within lies a
  small scroll and two other items.
  Mr. Kantall unrolls the tiny piece of parch-
  ment and reads the brief instructions:
  Congratulations seeker! This is the first step on your
  path to enlightenment. Seek ye first the guide I have
  prepared for you. It lies beneath a monument to past
  glory in the realm of this figure. Beware, there is danger
  here, for it is warded to protect it from thieves and
  chance discovery!”
  Shrugging he hands the note to the doctor and
  turns to examine the figure and its hidden con-
  tents.
  [F] The figure depicts a handsome, muscu-
  lar, ruddy-skinned man bearing new scars, the
  surgeon’s stitches still visible. He has a wind-
  whipped mane of black hair and piercing black
  eyes. The figure stands beside a broken tree on
  a rocky slope littered with what looks like a
  tangle of vines, but on closer review is a nest of
  twining vipers.
  “Odd,” the merchant mutters, “There is an
  inscription. “ Beware the jaws that bite!’ Won-
  der what that means?”
  Within the recess are two other items: a
  sketch of an odd looking sextant and a pewter
  ring with its stone missing.
  “Ow!” Mr. Kantall exclaims, holding up a
  bloodied finger. “Now how did I miss that?” A
  sharp needle has sprung from hiding, its tip
  dripping a dark ichor. Mr. Kantall’s breathing
  comes in short gasps. His tongue swells as a
  dreadful seizure wracks his frame. He falls to the
  floor in convulsions. Finally, he lies still, his
  body twisted by the poison in a rictus of pain.
  A deadly stillness fills the room except for the
  stifled sobs of Ilsa and Natalie.
  ���
  “He could not be saved,” Dr. Cameron re-
  marks, “at least it was quick!”
  The guests had moved on, not knowing what
  else to do and troubled now by the sense of urgency
  the sudden death had placed upon the evening’s
  search. Mr. Kantall was beyond their power to aid,
  except for the drape Master Currin placed as a
  shroud over his fallen comrade. Tight-lipped, he
  rejoined the party.
  They were now in a room their host referred to
  as his Lord Theone’s den. Stacks of books, piles of
  papers and scattered scrolls filled every shelf and
  surface. The doctor and Darren, excited by the
  find, attacked the piles of notebooks and personal
  papers, creating stacks of books and journals that
  interested them. The others examined the few
  curios and artifacts on display, including the pen
  that wrote by itself on a never-ending scroll, the
  living map of the realms that glowed with the faint
  lights of towns in the night’s darkness, the large
  port window mounted on a swivel arm that magni-
  fied the image of things beneath it and books that
  closed and shelved themselves if left unattended
  for long. There were also less valuable items includ-
  
  26
  Chapter One
  ing a clay pipe with a bowl carved to resemble a wise
  old man and smelling of cherry smoke weed, sev-
  eral pair of discarded spectacles and broken pen
  nibs.
  “I tried to warn him,” Sir Edwin cannot aban-
  don his complicity in the man’s death. “You heard
  me.”
  “Yes, you did,” Captain Harrow reassures him.
  It was not your fault, diabolical trap that it was.”
  But the gentleman will not be comforted and stares
  unseeing at the piece of jewelry in his hand, the self
  same item they had recovered from the hidden
  coffer. It is missing the stone that should be set in
  it.
  “Can you understand why we call him the Evil
  One?” Charles repeats. “He is death and destruc-
  tion.”
  “That seems an unfair evaluation,” the doctor
  interjects. “He probably never expected anyone
  other than a candidate, as you call them, to find the
  clue. Why would he seek to slay an ally? Besides,
  there was that warning. I still say it was a defense
  against random discovery and a clue to the warding
  of this key.”
  “Would you have us believe this immortal is a
  misunderstood fugitive?” Ilsa asks with dismay.
  “I did not say that, but we should refrain from
  assigning nefarious interpretations without evi-
  dence to the motives of a subject. It is only common
  sense,” the doctor lectures.
  Ilsa turns away in disgust.
  The doctor continues, “I choose to believe
  better of an immortal, for with age comes wisdom.
  Such a creature would have experienced and learned
  much over its many lifetimes and would develop a
  higher moral sense than the common man. But,
  because he is different, he is hunted and hounded
  by the fearful masses and thus develops the neces-
  sary skills to conceal and defend himself.”
  “Would not an eternal consider himself supe-
  rior to mere mortals and above their laws?” the
  merchant challenges. “Is not immortality of greater
  value than any mortal’s life?”
  “Really, Master Currin, I would expect better
  of an educated man,” an exasperated Dr. Cameron
  replies. “An immortal would value mortal life more
  highly knowing how truly brief it is.”
  
  27
  To Inherit Eternity
  “What is it you are looking for?” Señor Ramirez
  asks from the chair where he rests to conserve his
  strength.
  “I am looking for his lordship’s last journal or any
  notes he may have made before he departed, Dr.
  Cameron says somewhat distractedly. “ I corresponded
  with Lord Theone for years and found him to have a
  keen mind. He once confided in me that he thought
  it was possible to extend man’s life beyond the
  natural three score and seven years. Ancient texts
  mention men who lived as long as the fey folk. He
  believed that the secret could be discovered from
  those rare few who lived beyond five score. His quest
  was to examine the oldest living man, and he appar-
  ently knew where to look!”
  A stack of books crashes to the floor, evoking
  a gasp of dismay from Miss Wellbue. Alistair rushes
  to her aid.
  “Please be careful, Miss,” Darren smiles sym-
  pathetically as he restacks the books. “A little
  knowledge can be a dangerous thing.”
  “Sit and catch your breath, Nicky,” Mr.
  Charoan says in a solicitous manner, “I can search
  for you.”
  “I have a habit of stacking things on top of
  what I am working on,” Miss Wellbue says some-
  what timidly. “I thought maybe his lordship might
  have done the same thing.”
  “I found nothing when we sorted his papers
  earlier this week, my dear,” the steward notes.
  “Maybe he put it out of the way,” she smiles shyly
  at her rescuer, “so that others would not find it.”
  “Out of the way?” the clerk muses. His analyti-
  cal eye scans the room, noting and dismissing each
  potential site. His gaze comes to rest upon the top
  of a tall bookcase, its shelves bowed beneath the
  weight of overflowing stacks of books. “Mr. Gar,
  will you help me for a moment, please?”
  The towering brute nods his assent. “If you
  would hold the bookcase steady,” Mr. Charoan
  instructs, “perhaps I can climb up these shelves to
  reach the top.”
  “Be careful! It does not look very secure,”
  Nicky protests in alarm. Alistair smiles at her
  concern.
  “I will be fine,” he reassures her. “Mr. Gar, a
  boost if you please.”
  Alistair steps on the trader’s knee and begins
  his perilous assent, the shelves groaning beneath
  his weight. Nearly fourteen feet tall, the bookcase
  seems solid enough, but nonetheless, Mr. Gar braces
  it. Master Currin moves to help. Like climbing a
  treacherous cliff face, the clerk moves cautiously
  higher until he can stretch out his hand to feel
  along the top. A look of intense concentration
  shapes his face. Finally, he lifts up a dust-covered
  portfolio.
  “Marvelous, young man!” Dr. Cameron ex-
  claims. “Can you hand it down?”
  Panting from the exertion, Alistair extends
  his arm as low as he can reach, shifting his feet to
  a more solid stance on one shelf. With a small jump
  Master Currin catches the booklet and turns to
  hand it to the physician, who opens it and begins
  to scan the pages with relish.
  As if in slow motion, the sound of groaning,
  snapping wood draws the attention of the com-
  pany. With the suddenness of lightning and the
  cracking of thunder, the shelf on which Alistair
  stands, followed quickly by each of the succeeding
  shelves, break beneath the added weight. Mr.
  Charoan is thrown precipitously from the summit
  to crash through a small table at its base, a hail of
  books pelting him. Miss Wellbue screams his name
  in dismay and rushes to push the heavy volumes off
  the moaning form. Several of the guests help clear
  away the debris, as Captain Harrow examines the
  clerk’s twisted leg. “Doctor!” he calls, “It looks
  broken.”
  “Hmmm?” is Dr. Cameron’s only reply, for his
  attention is focused upon the contents of the
  notebook. “Yes, yes, this is it! This is what we have
  been looking for! Listen to what it says.”
  It is done. All is ready. I leave tomorrow at dawn
  and will first visit my friend and mentor for his advice,
  then on to my destination. I cannot wait for the others,
  but they should know where to look for me. I will leave
  a copy of my journal there, so that if they come late,
  they may follow in my wake.
  [G]First, to Borca, if I can convince them to
  permit me to cross its border, to find Peroistra
  Navio, once chieftain of the Kharikhan clan, a
  Vistani tribe that fled their homeland of Invidia
  to escape that country’s persecution of his kind.
  He lies in hiding in a cave in the dark forests in
  the south of Borca, fearing the huntsmen of
  Lord Malocchio who placed a bounty on his
  head. He claims he has the key that will at last
  set my feet on the right path. I fear that my rivals
  may beat me to him. I can only pray that my
  comrades take the precautions I insisted on or
  I am sure my rivals will follow them to me.
  
  28
  Chapter One
  “Really, Dr. Cameron, that can wait! Your
  assistance is needed right now,” demands Señor
  Ramirez. With a sigh the doctor hands the note-
  book to his aid in exchange for his bag. For now he
  will tend to the injured, but soon he will know
  everything needed to follow in Lord Theone’s
  footsteps.
  ���
  With his leg broken, Mr. Charoan cannot
  accompany the guests farther. Miss Wellbue re-
  fuses to abandon him until the guards arrive to
  carry him back to his quarters. The pair make their
  apologies to the guests, seeming almost relieved
  that they are escaping the threat of a still uniden-
  tified intruder and murderer. Darren agrees to take
  on the clerk’s duties to record each bid and attempt
  to provide any answers from Miss Wellbue’s records
  concerning the history of an item. Sir Edwin seems
  devastated at Miss Wellbue’s early retirement from
  the field of battle, his conquest denied.
  “It seems that misfortune dogs our heels,”
  Captain Harrow notes grimly.
  “I fear that is my family’s curse,” Sir Edwin
  says, shaking his head. Seeing the concern in the
  other guests’ eyes he adds, “Not a real curse —
  though sometimes I wonder about that — but the
  Theones have a reputation for misfortune and
  tragedy suffered by those who know them. My
  uncle was the sole survivor of the Battle of Cutter’s
  Pass, every last man-jack of his unit mowed down
  by the Golden Horde. All mother’s suitors, except
  my father were claimed by the plague of ’76 and my
  father’s father tripped on the stairs and split his
  head open on the eve of my parents’ wedding.”
  “That proves nothing, young man,” the physi-
  cian scolds the gentleman. “All life ends in a
  tragedy, and it is mankind’s wont to assign to
  random events a pattern that does not exist.”
  “Like this evening’s misfortunate series of
  events?” the senior Tempiere mutters ironically.
  “That is different, I think,” Master Currin
  proposes, “since it involves murder and attempted
  murder.”
  “And who do you suppose is behind it?” ques-
  tions Darren.
  “That is the thousand gold piece question,”
  the merchant replies.
  “If you ask me, it is Father Daniel,” snarls
  Charles. “He does not act like any priest I know,
  and once his attempts to slay you went awry, he
  goes missing. Then all these accidents occur. It is
  too convenient!”
  The company grows quiet, reflecting at this
  speculation as Señor Ramirez opens the doors to
  the next room.
  Within this parlor are the family belongings
  — silver services, golden goblets, collections of
  china and more. There are ivory and silver hair-
  brushes, combs and mirrors, statuettes and vases,
  crystal decanters and sterling trays, snuff boxes and
  flasks filled with unknown liquors and a variety of
  personal jewelry including cuff buttons and cam-
  eos, lockets and pendants, three elegant pocket
  watches, rings with large stones and bracelets,
  necklaces and watch chains. The parlor also holds
  portraits of the lord’s men dressed in archaic garb
  and women from ages long gone. A portrait of a
  beautiful woman and her son holds a place of
  honor.
  “Who is that?” Darren asks indicating the
  beauty.
  “That is his lordship’s wife and son, Lady
  Penelope Erwyn Theone and Master Marvin,” their
  host answers. “They died a tragic death in a boating
  accident shortly after the lad’s twentieth year and
  my master was so overcome with grief he never
  remarried.”
  “I assume these are the scions of the Theone
  line,” comments Captain Harrow, indicating the
  other portraits.
  “No, Lord Theone comes from a common
  family, most presumed dead in the pox at the turn
  of the century. These are madame’s forefathers, for
  she comes from the Erwyns of Salay.”
  “Odd,” the doctor muses. “Which one is Lord
  Theone? Though we corresponded, I have never
  met him.”
  Señor Ramirez smiles gently. “His lordship did
  not like to have his portrait painted. He only sat for
  one painting in all his years.”
  “And what became of that?” Charles interest
  seems to rise.
  “In time, honored guests, it awaits us in the last
  chamber for your viewing pleasure.”
  “Is it for sale?” Ilsa at last enters the conversa-
  tion.
  Their host only nods, his reply never reaching
  his lips as a man standing hunched beside the
  fireplace shivering like a whipped cur captures his
  attention.
  
  29
  To Inherit Eternity
  “Hugo! Here? But where is Father Daniel?”
  Shaking as if the room has suddenly filled with the
  arctic chill of winter, Hugo points at the stuffed
  chair in front of him, its back toward the door.
  With swift strides, the steward crosses and the
  room and looks down at the still form slouching
  immovably in the chair, its neck grotesquely twisted,
  its windpipe crushed. “We have found our missing
  priest,” Señor Ramirez whispers, shaking his head.
  ���
  This time the doctor sacrifices his jacket to
  cover the priest. All are at a loss for words, and the
  most anyone can get from the shaken Hugo is
  “My…my…my dad died!” Charles paces angrily
  while Ilsa withdraws from the others. Master Currin
  studies the room’s offerings, discussing their value
  with Mr. Gar, while the captain and Sir Edwin
  stand in awkward silence watching as the doctor
  and Darren finish an examination of the corpse.
  Señor Ramirez settles the shocked servant onto a
  sofa far from the body and speaks to him in reassur-
  ing whispers.
  “What did you discover, doctor?” their host
  asks upon Dr. Cameron’s return.
  “He appears to have been strangled and his
  neck broken, His scalp shows post-trauma bruis-
  ing,” he answers matter-of-factly. “I would say the
  assailant would have to be big and powerful to
  overpower such a large man, though I suppose
  Father Daniel could have been surprised. What did
  you learn from your man-servant?”
  “Not much, I am afraid. He found the good
  father’s body at the foot of the stairs in the library,
  so I would surmise the killer stood on a higher step.
  There was a knotted rope around Father Daniel’s
  throat. Not knowing what else to do, Hugo decided
  he should bring him here to wait for us, as in-
  structed. He apologized profusely, saying he dropped
  the body several times, because he was so big,” the
  host reports.
  “That would explain the bruises and broken
  neck,” Dr. Cameron said, “in which case, anyone
  could have killed him.”
  “That is what I thought as well,” the steward
  replied, exhausted from the events of the evening.
  “It would seem to negate your theory on the
  murderer,” Darren notes to the approaching mer-
  chant.
  
  30
  Chapter One
  “I return to my original theory,” Charles growls,
  looking at Hugo, who has calmed from the steward’s
  soothing words. “This is the second time that
  servant has been present when a body is found.
  How do we know this is not all an elaborate ruse by
  Señor Ramirez on his master’s behalf to elicit
  retribution for some imagined wrong? Perhaps he
  was corrupted by the Evil One and wants to stop
  our Order’s sacred duty!”
  “Preposterous!” snaps the steward. “You are
  free to leave at any time if that is how you feel!”
  “You would like that would you not? For me to
  separate myself from this company, to become an
  easier target,” Charles sneers.
  “Now gentlemen, relax,” Sir Edwin intercedes,
  “I understand nerves are raw, but we are safe for
  now.”
  “I concur,” Master Currin agrees. “It seems
  that someone wants to stop us from completing this
  tour, so I recommend we finish our business with all
  due haste, after which we may be away to the safety
  of our own beds before the murderer can strike
  again.”
  “That makes sense to me as well,” Captain
  Harrow responds, offering his support.
  Looking at his guests, Señor Ramirez receives
  sullen agreements from all, and the group disperses
  to examine the room’s treasures.
  Mr. Gar seems very interested in the contents
  of several of the flasks. “I would be willing to stake
  my life that these contain alchemical concoc-
  tions,” he remarks. “This one is a fine oil and this
  tonic smells of camphor and castor. That one glows
  in the dark. I cannot determine the nature of this
  one that smells of sulfur and worse.”
  Shortly, all complete their selections and
  Darren duly records their bids. Sir Edwin seems
  agitated and unhappy. “Its not here!” he mutters to
  himself. “Where could it be?”
  “What is it you are looking for,” his host offers
  congenially. “Perhaps I can help.”
  “No, I think not,” Edwin sighs in resignation.
  “I should have known better.”
  He looks up at the steward’s puzzled face. “You
  know my father disinherited me, but for a while I
  was in my uncle’s good graces. I hoped if I could find
  my uncle’s seal, his heirloom, and show that I was
  responsible, my mother would forgive and let me
  return.”
  “Heirloom?” Mr. Gar asks.
  “When we found that piece of jewelry hidden
  in the figurine,” Sir Edwin explains, “I had hoped
  to find what I sought, but the stone was missing.
  There should have been a gemstone engraved with
  the image of the muse of wisdom. It was very special
  to his lordship, for he told us it held all his best
  memories. He used to write long letters to my
  mother after my aunt died. But she was too dis-
  traught to answer them, and his tales of seeking the
  secret of eternal life angered her. Too late, is all she
  would say and throw them at me. I particularly
  liked the ones that told of a legendary Well of Life
  in something he called the Heart of Darkness. He
  used to write about what one might find there if the
  legends were true.”
  [H] “The path is impossible to find without
  the guide,” Sir Edwin recited, “but with it, the
  way will open as a path through the ether to the
  Heart of Darkness. The quest is not an easy one,
  for the land itself wars against the challenger
  and works to turn back or slay intruders. Beware
  the dark, for even the shadows will conspire to
  deny the prize of eternity, the power to heal and
  re-knit torn flesh, thus turning back death for a
  time.
  “And you believed him?” asks an incredulous
  Master Currin, “Would it be worth dying for?”
  “I do not know if it is true, but I know what I
  would do if I was braver and had the wherewithal.
  I would chase that rainbow. Life is too short. Why
  not take the risk for such a prize?” Edwin’s eyes took
  on a distant look, as if gazing inward at that elusive
  possibility. “Think of the good one could do. I
  would share the prize with others.”
  “Fools!” shouts Charles. “Dreamers and fool,
  has not one of you been listening to me? Are you
  already falling beneath the Evil One’s spell? Vam-
  pires are immortal, and so are liches and fiends. No
  good can come of eternal life! You have lost your
  mind if you would actually consider pursuing this
  curse of immortality!”
  “Come now,” Mr. Gar says stepping forward
  holding the flask he has been puzzling over. “What’s
  the harm of the lad dreaming? One needs to have
  a hope to become great.”
  “Dreams? Hope?” Charles rages, in his fury
  seizing the flask. “Do you not think those souls the
  Evil One destroyed had dreams and hope? He used
  their dreams, corrupted their hopes and made of
  them a lure drawing those souls to damnation.
  Greed! Avarice! Pride! These are the fatal tempta-
  tions of man. Do you think this means something,
  
  31
  To Inherit Eternity
  this treasure? It means nothing but a fall from
  grace.” To punctuate his outburst, Charles heaves
  the flask into the fire. The resulting explosion and
  concussive wave throws him across the room like
  chaff before a gale!
  ���
  “No! No, my love! This cannot be! It cannot
  end like this,” Ilsa wails more distraught than ever
  a sister was, and to more than one in the company
  it is clear that these two were not true siblings, but
  something much closer. There is nothing they can
  do for Charles, his burns are too great, his seared
  lungs cough up bloody foam, and swiftly his life
  ebbs away. Angrily Ilsa pushes the others away
  from Charles’ blistered body. Only Darren is al-
  lowed to approach with a glass of water and his
  good intentions.
  “Star juice! Dragon Fire! That’s what it must
  have been,” mumbles the shocked trader. “If I had
  dropped it or shaken it, or the gods forbid, drunk it
  I could have been blown to bits!”
  “Is this the price of your glorious quest, this
  blessing to mankind?” she rails at all present.
  “No, my dear,” Señor Ramirez tries to comfort
  her. “It was an accident, just an accident. I am so
  sorry.”
  “I do not want your sympathy, I want Charles
  back! Oh Charles!” Ilsa’s words dissolve into tears.
  “What do we do now?” Darren asks, “Do we
  turn back?”
  “Perhaps the young man is right,” the steward
  admits. “There has been too much violence.”
  “No, I say we go on,” Master Currin declares.
  “I have survived poisons and attacks, traps and
  explosions, and I will be damned if I turn back now
  so close to the end.”
  “We may well be damned if we continue,”
  Captain Harrow growls. “I vote for calling it quits.”
  “I must disagree, Captain. Master Currin is
  right,” Dr. Cameron interjects. “If tonight is to be
  worth anything, we must finish.”
  The merchant nudges Mr. Gar who looks up
  bewildered, but shakes his head, “It is over.”
  Master Currin looks peeved, but then a thought
  occurs to him, “It’s a tie, two in favor and two
  against. It is up to you, Señor, though I doubt your
  master would have wanted you to abandon his last
  request.”
  “No! It is up to me!” Ilsa demands, her voice
  strident. “I still represent my Order; it is my vote
  that decides.” She ignores the group’s looks of
  concern as she continues, “I say …we go on.
  Charles would have wanted us to do so, and it is
  what my Order demands, to look into the eyes of
  evil and put a face to the Evil One at last.”
  “She is correct. It is her right to cast the
  deciding vote.” Señor Ramirez pauses to consider,
  “Only two collections remain for us to view, and
  then we will be done.”
  Ilsa accepts Darren’s proffered arm for support
  as the party wends its way to the next room, one
  that hosts an odd assortment of items, among them
  a great transparent globe portraying the heavenly
  canopy circling the realms at its heart and illustrat-
  ing each of the constellations. The five-foot globe
  rests in a brass stand with an iron arrow as its axis
  thrusting up toward the northern star.
  A stringed harp, brass horn and other musical
  instruments, a beautiful writing set and countless
  medallions and honors are also on display. Lord
  Theone’s coat of arms depicts a winged serpent
  rampant on an indigo charge with three stars to
  either side of an eclipsed moon arcing above a great
  wyrm. The oddest item is a dark suit made of the
  finest charcoal gray silk with a matching vest
  hanging against one wall.
  “Tis passing strange,” Captain Harrow com-
  ments. “Though a fine weave it is indeed, why is
  this suit special?”
  “It was to have been his funerary garb,” his
  host responds quietly. “It was never worn.”
  “Nor likely to ever be, I warrant,” the soldier
  notes. “So this is what it is all about, a final shroud
  never to be worn? I am sure Lord Theone would
  find irony in that.”
  “You knew my uncle well?” Sir Edwin inquires.
   “Aye, I knew him and owe him my life, what
  little is left. I owe your uncle a great debt, and that
  is why I pray that he failed at his quest. He would
  have hated an eternity crippled as I am and cut off
  from the life I loved. Forever is misery. I would not
  wish such a fate upon another, which makes what
  I must say it very difficult.”
  “Your pardon, captain,” Sir Edwin says in
  surprise, “what do you mean by that?.”
  “Your uncle made me promise that if he should
  die,” the captain said, “I was to seek out his heir and
  tell him this. The secret of eternity is not for
  everyone. He feared that one day an evil man
  might abuse the gift of immortality to spread fear
  and destruction. No weapon but one can harm
  
  32
  Chapter One
  such an immortal. It is the secret of that weapon I
  was to share.”
  The old warrior looks pointedly at Ilsa, but
  continues, “He told me, if ever eternity should fall
  into evil’s hand, you are to find this weapon and use
  it to free humanity from its tyranny.”
  [I]He told me Evard’s Dark Bane is hid in a
  locked box with neither key nor lid; this blade of
  inky blackness can part the light of an eternal’s
  spirit and take it from sight, to be imprisoned
  deep within, hidden from the face of man, never
  to be seen again.”
  “What did you say?” Ilsa exclaims, “You know,
  do you not? You know the Evil One is real and all
  this time you knew the means to defeat him and
  you did nothing?”
  “I could not do such a thing with this broken
  body,” the captain disclaims.
  “Coward!” Ilsa replies scornfully. “You may
  not have lost your life, but you lost your nerve! My
  Charles might yet be alive if not for you. All of you
  are to blame!” Her voice grows louder and more
  vehement as she faces the others. “One of you is a
  murderer, and the others are too weak to stop him.
  Well, I am not too weak. Tell me which of you is
  the one I seek, or are you too cowardly to face a
  woman? Is it you, or you, or you?” She directs her
  steps toward first one guest, then another and
  finally stops before Mr. Gar, her body quivering
  with rage.
  “I think she’s right!” Master Currin agrees
  with her, to the amazement of the others. Mr. Gar
  gapes at the accusation, but Currin continues, “It
  all makes sense. I waited for my associates to join
  me at the front gate. Mr. Gar poured my drink after
  dinner. Then while he was with Father Daniel and
  Mr. Charoan he tells of a mysterious person no one
  else saw. He had plenty of time to dispatch the good
  father while the clerk lay unconscious, and the
  doctor said it took a man of great strength, such as
  Mr. Gar possesses. And did he not hand Charles
  Tempiere the fatal flask?”
  “What are you saying?” sputters the outraged
  trader.
  “Admit it, you are the scoundrel who has
  terrorized us all evening!” the merchant shouts.
  “Is it true?” Ilsa descends on Mr. Gar like a
  vengeful fury. “Did you kill him?”
  Mr. Gar is speechless and retreats from her
  attacks.
  “Then it is true!” she affirms. “You did kill him,
  you murderer!”
  
  33
  To Inherit Eternity
  The trader raises his arms to fend off her
  furious blows and steps back into Master Currin,
  who shoves him away. Off balance with arms wind-
  milling, Mr. Gar trips, reaches out to steady himself
  on the nearest object, but makes a fatal mistake
  reaching for the globe. It slips from beneath his
  flailing hand, spinning away. The ill-fated trader
  falls hard across the heavenly sphere and the steel
  axis pierces his heart!
  Ilsa gasps at what her rage has wrought and
  faints dead away.
  ���
  “What…what happened?” Ilsa mutters dazedly
  as she pushes the foul smelling salts away from her
  face. Quickly, her fevered brain returns to recent
  events and she is overcome with trembling.
  “There, there,” Señor Ramirez says softly, pat-
  ting her hand, “You can rest more easily. It is over.
  The murderer suffered the fate he planned for us.”
  “How can you be certain?” she asks weakly.
  “Master Currin found these in Mr. Gar’s
  pocket,” Captain Harrow shows her two ceramic
  vials.
  “Mariposa — deadly night lily and Ealium’s
  panacea, stolen from my bag,” Dr. Cameron con-
  firms.
  “Then it really is over?”
  “It would seem so,” her host confirms. “Are
  you strong enough to continue on — or would you
  rather retire for tonight?”
  Ilsa’s expression betrays her inner conflict.
  “One more room remains,” Señor Ramirez
  says. Ilsa bobs her head in acquiescence and takes
  the steward’s elbow to steady herself as she stands.
  “Very well,” Señor Ramirez announces, “if you
  will follow me, we will finish our tour.”
  ���
  The company files in quietly; somehow it
  seems improper to violate the room’s sanctity. The
  chamber is brightly lit with lamps hanging from
  wall hooks. This room has the feel of a gallery. Four
  paintings of Eldron Manor from different angles
  and in different seasons grace the right wall. In the
  center of the room stands a narrow table with a blue
  cloth runner covering its top. Upon the table rests
  a pair of ornate bracers, a dagger with the image of
  a gargoyle on its hilt, a pewter singing bowl with
  pestle such as those used to call to order a legal
  court, a polished wood flute with ivory stops and a
  locked iron coffer chased with gold. Beyond the
  table stands a draped easel in a curtained alcove. To
  the guests’ left, a suit of dress armor supported on an
  armature holds Lord Theone’s banner, a shield
  with Theone’s crest hangs to one side of the armor
  and a bastard sword rests in a cradle on the other.
  “Did you not say that the manor was warded
  from weapons?” a surprised captain asks.
  “I did,” their host confirms. “No weapon may
  be drawn while under the aegis of the ward. How-
  ever, the alarm only sounds within five steps of the
  foci. That is why we took pains to set the foci beside
  the entry. My lord’s blade is beyond their reach.”
  Dr. Cameron and then Master Currin pause to
  verify this.
  “Now, if you will gather around, two tasks
  remain to finish the evening,” Ramirez says.
  The doctor, Darren and Ilsa step to the right of
  the table while the captain, Mr. Currin and Sir
  Edwin choose the left. Hugo and the others gather
  before the table. “Before you rest my lord’s most
  prized possessions. All may be bid upon after the
  unveiling,” he indicates the draped easel, “all, that
  is, except the coffer. Within that box lies my lord’s
  dearest possession, the axis of time. When com-
  bined with Eon’s compass it can navigate the
  corridors of time and the realms of possibilities.
  Though he never found the compass, he stipulated
  that only the master of Eldron Manor should pos-
  sess the axis of time. Thus, it is not for sale. First,
  there is something I must do, and after that I have
  a tale to tell.”
  He motions Sir Edwin forward. “Sir, your
  uncle was hard but fair, a man of grace and charac-
  ter who knew his duty. Since he left no living child,
  he stipulated that, in the event of his demise, the
  oldest living male of his wife’s lineage should be
  provided for. Thus, I have made the proper ar-
  rangements. You, Sir Edwin, are to be named
  patron of your clan and master of your mother’s
  estates. You will receive a sizeable stipend annually
  and be granted deeds to a small house and some
  2,000 acres. Oh, and one last thing,” Señor Ramirez
  says, removing a handkerchief from his pocket. “I
  think this is yours.”
  Edwin opens the cloth and gasps at the pol-
  ished carnelian carved with the image of the muse
  of wisdom.
  “The heirloom!” he whispers in awe as he
  fingers the cool, bright stone. He fumbles through
  his pockets and removes the piece of broken jew-
  elry. The stone fits the barren mount precisely. A
  strange light fills his eyes and he says in wonder, “I
  remember now! I remember! There was so much I
  
  34
  Chapter One
  had forgotten.” He turns to Señor Ramirez, “Thank
  you sir, you will not regret this.”
  “I will not regret many things in a few month,”
  his host mutters grimly. “See that you honor your
  uncle’s memory!”
  He takes a deep breath and addresses the
  company. “I fear I have not been completely hon-
  est about my motives this evening. As some of you
  may suspect, I am not well and it is more than the
  infirmities of advancing age. My surgeon says I
  have a cancer for which there is no cure; he offers
  no more hope than a year until I must depart this
  mortal coil. This may explain my haste in gather-
  ing this company.”
  He pauses to sort his thoughts. “To be true to
  my master, I must choose my successor, the heir to
  Eldron Manor and its estates. This task comes not
  lightly, for it must be a person of character and
  resources to care for his lands and their people. I
  selected all of you, for I hoped that one of your
  number would prove your worth. None knew of
  this charge save myself.”
  “I first hoped I could learn my master’s secret
  and save myself, but I know that this is not to be.
  Thus, I offer each of you who is willing a chance to
  take this charge. Whoever completes Lord Theone’s
  quest and is the first to return with either the secret
  of immortality, proof of the existence of an immor-
  tal, or evidence of his lordship’s death, shall be
  named master of this manor and lord of its estates.”
  He examines the expression on each guest’s face.
  One by one, each guest agrees.
   “Excellent, I have already filed the necessary
  papers with the courts, naming each of you as a
  candidate. Now that it is agreed, let me read my
  master’s final words.”
  “To my good and faithful servant — Greetings
  and Farewell,
  I begin my trek tomorrow without knowing if I
  will ever return. I leave my estate in your capable
  hands and trust that you will care for my property and
  heirs as if they were your own. If misfortune should
  befall you in my absence, I know you will do what is
  right and find a worthy successor to your office.
  Though others scoff, I believe in my quest. I believe
  man was destined for better things. The constraints of
  mortal flesh need not be a prison, but rather a chrysalis
  awaiting transformation. I believe in an eternal a creature
  that escaped the shackles of mortality and who holds the
  secret of mankind’s future. Perhaps I may find the secret
  of eternity at the fabled Well of Life, if I can best the final
  challenge. I believe I know the way!”
  [J]“This quest is a test to prove one’s wor-
  thiness. I must choose my companions with
  care.
  [K]“Greed, self interest and pride are the
  banes of mankind. Beware your friends and
  allies, for the final danger is the green-eyed
  monster within us all who will betray each and
  every one to claim the prize for itself! To pass
  this test of worthiness, you must not seek the
  prize out of fear or pride or greed or lust, but
  must be willing to sacrifice all, even this quest,
  to become a servant to others. Only thus can
  the worthy one face the Light and receive the
  inheritance of eternity.”
  “I must depart. Thank you for your years of
  faithful service, for your loyalty and trust, for your
  sage counsel and advice, but most of all for your
  friendship. You have been more than my servant and
  steward; you have been my companion and family. I
  wish you good fortune and pray that I will one day
  return victorious. Until then, go with the gods. Your
  brother, Eowyn Tierny Tytian Allyn Makepiece
  Theone III”
  Thoughtful silence fills the room as the guests
  take each others’ measure. Even the half-wit Hugo
  studies Sir Edwin and the heirloom he wears.
  “Now, if you will all tender your final bids to Mr.
  Thurrow,” Señor Ramirez states, “I will conclude
  this evening with the unveiling of the only portrait
  ever painted of Lord Theone, that you may know
  him when next your paths may cross.” Each guest
  presents his final bids to the young man and turns
  toward Señor Ramirez.
  “Thank you for coming, my friends,” the stew-
  ard says with a hint of finality to his voice. “This has
  been a harrowing evening, but with the gods’ grace
  we few have survived great hardship. Look then,
  my worthy guests, on the face of your benefactor.”
  Señor Ramirez lifts the drape to reveal the
  portrait of Lord Theone. He is a handsome man
  with dark curled locks and beard wearing a noble’s
  uniform that sports a dozen medals. His features are
  finely chiseled — sharp nose, high cheeks, thin lips
  and disturbingly piercing eyes that seem strangely
  familiar.
  “Soldier, diplomat, lord and father, he was a
  veteran of war and life; a man with secrets, he
  earned the right to possess them. He was also a
  lonely man who suffered much tragedy.” Señor
  Ramirez seems to fight to control his quavering
  voice. “If life is a hardship, imagine the burden
  immortality must demand.”
  
  35
  To Inherit Eternity
  “So, he was a man after all,” Master Currin
  sighs, “But, a man with a prize worth winning.”
  “It makes me sad to look upon his counte-
  nance,” Sir Edwin says. “If only he had claimed the
  prize, then we would be hosting a homecoming
  rather than a wake.”
  “I see the face of a man,” Captain Harrow
  eulogizes, “a friend who faced endless hardships
  and earned the right to eternal rest.”
  “I think we may be looking at eternity,” Dr.
  Cameron says quietly, “and all the mysteries of the
  world. For in every man lie the roots of eternity.
  Imagine the things an immortal could teach us!”
  “You are all wrong,” Ilsa’s words are charged.
  “That is not a man. We are looking at the face of
  evil!”
   “M…m…master?” Hugo stammers, but he is
  not staring at the portrait. Instead his eyes are fixed
  on the jewel in Sir Edwin’s hand. Hugo looks into
  the face of the gentleman, his brow knitted in
  concentration. Suddenly, his eyes widen and his
  mouth opens in a broken toothed grin. “Master!”
  He cries, without a stutter as a far-away look fills his
  eyes and drool drips from the corner of his mouth.
  Spittle stains his chin and shirt the crimson of
  berries and pomegranates and roses, the dark fluid
  of life. As if in response to the gentle rain a scarlet
  blossom fountains on his chest and he tumbles off
  the sword piercing his back.
  ���
  Danger hangs like a haze in the room. Time
  slows as all eyes focus on the bloodied blade and the
  one who snatched it from its cradle. The killer
  breathes slowly and deeply, a look of madness in his
  azure eyes.
  “Impossible!” gasps Señor Ramirez.
  A thin smile crosses Master de l’Ombre lips as
  he hefts the weapon. “Obviously not, your honor.
  In fact it was quite simple thanks to your incessant
  warnings, though I must admit the interminable
  wait to reach this room almost killed me with
  boredom. Luckily I found ways to amuse myself.”
  “But how? How did you do it?” his host de-
  mands, but his attention is focused on his dying
  servant. Dr. Cameron hesitates, but Darren slips
  quietly behind his master and reaches for the door
  handle.
  “You showed me how!” he says. His pleasant
  expression turns dark for a moment as he catches
  sight of Darren. “That door is locked,” he sneers.
  “Call it a precaution.” He returns to Ramirez’
  question. “I placed the knife in Miss Tempiere’s
  handbag. When you disarmed the warding…well,
  let us say I have excellent ears.”
  His look arrests the steward’s advance. “Now,
  now Señor,” he growls, “stay where you are. Do you
  think I will let you near your precious foci?”
  “You planted the poison on poor Mr. Gar and
  faked the poisoning,” the doctor accuses.
  “True. It seemed a clever ruse to remove suspi-
  cion from myself.”
  “But the others, they were your own men,” Ilsa
  exclaims with dismay.
  “Oh, you know the saying about honor among
  thieves. Besides, only one may claim the prize I
  seek.”
  “Why?” It is Captain Harrow’s shortest speech.
  “Why?” Currin repeats. “I have had a long and
  illustrious career as a highwayman and burglar. My
  guise proved the perfect ruse to explain my fre-
  quent travel. But my most daring exploits would
  not have been possible without this!” Master Currin
  draws the gold chain from beneath his shirt.
  From his fingers hangs a circlet with the mark-
  ings of a sundial, but there is a hole where the
  gnomon should stand casting its shadow on the
  ring. “With this I can make time race. Sadly this
  trinket’s powers command a steep price. Each time
  I invoke the power, it steals years of my life. Ironic,
  is it not? How old would you guess I am? Twenty?
  Thirty? Would it surprise you to learn that my
  physical age is 92? Thanks to a gift from my mother,
  I carry my years well.” He lifts his hair to reveal
  slightly pointed ears.
  “Once this sundial is whole, I may bend time
  to my will, for this is the arc of time, Eon’s compass!
  I am certain you understand why I covet the secret
  of eternity. Now, if you please,” he addresses his
  host and holds out his hand impatiently, “I believe
  that the coffer holds the key.”
  The host leans heavily on his cane, his strength
  abandoning him. He reaches into a vest pocket and
  removes a set of keys. Toying with a small brass key,
  he considers the situation, glancing first at the
  waiting hand, then at his guests. Nodding in appar-
  ent acquiescence, Señor Ramirez offers the key
  ring. As he does so, he looks down to stare at Hugo’s
  still form.
  Confident of victory, Master Currin seizes the
  keys in his left hand as the sword in his right dips
  toward the floor. With the grace of a man years
  younger, Hector Elissar Ramirez raises his cane and
  
  36
  Chapter One
  slashes it across the murderer’s face. Currin shrieks
  in both pain and outrage. As if with a life of its own,
  the cane twists in the steward’s grasp and neatly
  hooks the keys, sending them soaring toward Dr.
  Cameron. Too startled to move, the doctor stares
  at the missile hurtling toward him. Suddenly a
  hand reaches from behind the doctor and neatly
  snags the keys in mid-air.
  “Open the door, quickly!” the host calls as
  Darren fumbles with the keys. “Summon my
  guards!”
  Distracted by the flight of the errant keys,
  Master Currin never sees the flurry of attacks
  directed at him. The amazing cane pokes here and
  slashes there, smacks a shin and cracks an elbow.
  When he moves to defend his head, the cane
  connects with his ribs; When his guard drops low to
  defend his midriff, the pewter knob smashes him
  between the eyes, blurring his vision with pain.
  Ramirez anticipates his opponent’s every move,
  finally hooking the man’s ankle and pulling his leg
  out from under him. The killer falls, clinging to the
  sword like a lifeline.
  Panting, Señor Ramirez stands over his fallen
  foe, his cane raised, his arm trembling with rage.
  “No more!” he shouts, “You have trespassed,
  slain my guests and stolen that which is not yours.
  And more, you have slain this innocent fool who
  was like a son to me!” The cane descends with the
  fury of vengeance, only to slow as if churning
  through thickening cream as the host is brought to
  an abrupt halt. He gasps and claws at the blade now
  embedded in his belly. Then he is falling as his
  nemesis rises angrily, his sword dripping fresh blood.
  “Me? You sought to best me? No one hurts me
  like that! No one!” the merchant snarls. A deadly
  calm washes across his face as he lowers the sword
  to his foe’s throat. “Now,” he says, directing his
  words to Darren, who holds the keys to the door, “if
  you would save this man’s life, you will hand me the
  keys,” the good man’s shoulders slump in defeat as
  he reluctantly steps up to hand over the keys to
  Currin.
  “So what is to happen to us?” Sir Edwin asks
  bluntly.
  “There will be no witnesses,” the thief re-
  sponds, tightening his grip on his weapon hilt.
  “You can’t hope to slay us all! It’s monstrous!”
  Ilsa is incredulous. Master Currin smirks and nods.
  “We won’t run from you, murderer. We out-
  number you. You cannot hope to stop us all!” the
  old soldier’s spirit awakens. As each member of the
  company weighs the odds, the merchant smiles
  wickedly. Suddenly the sword is a blur, weaving a
  wall of blades, driving the guests back before his
  onslaught, all save one.
  Ilsa slides back along the table, her hand
  reaching out as if seeking help. With a cry of
  vengeance, she seizes on the iron box and heaves it
  at the wall of blades. A metallic clang resounds as
  the sword is knocked from Currin’s grasp. The thief
  falls beneath the weight of the iron box and writhes
  in pain.
  With sullen resolve, Sir Edwin retrieves his
  uncle’s sword from where it fell and moves to stand
  over the killer. He looks at Hugo’s body and then
  at Ramirez, who lies gasping for air. He can no
  longer hold his anger in check. He trembles and his
  cheeks flush with rage as he raises his sword.
  “Do it!” Ilsa hisses, “Kill the murderer!”
  Sir Edwin hesitates, for something is not right.
  [L] Edwin suddenly realizes that the man at
  his feet is not cowering in terror; rather, he is
  smiling! Then Edwin sees the key lying on the
  floor and next to it the open empty coffer. He
  does not hesitate but completes his downward
  swing, slashing viciously at the killer. The blade
  passes through the man as if he were a ghost.
  The grinning murderer rises and all the as-
  sembled can see that the amulet is now complete,
  a small hourglass spinning at its center.
  “Too late! You cannot stop me now,” de-
  clares the merchant triumphantly. “No weapon
  forged by mortal can harm the wearer of Eon’s
  compass. Now, it is past time to end this!”
  His laughter sends a chill down the spine,
  and an echo answers it from the draped gloom.
  From the curtained alcove steps a man of shadow,
  so like the killer as to be his brother. “One who
  controls time is never truly alone!” The gray
  man advances on Sir Edwin passing right through
  the table between them even as the gentleman’s
  blade whistles through the dark mist that is his
  body. A shadowy hand reaches out and caresses
  the man’s arm and with a cry of pain, the sword
  falls free from numb fingers.
  Suddenly a figure thrusts a lamp is at the
  phantom, which shimmers in the light.
  “Back!” Ilsa shrieks, “Go back into the darkness
  where you belong!” The phantom’s form diminishes
  until only twilit cobwebs float in the air. Turning, Ilsa
  screams in rage and hurls the lamp at the thief. So
  swiftly that he seems a blur, her foe bats aside the
  lamp, which crashes to the floor and sends flaming
  oil pooling across the floor toward the curtains.
  
  37
  To Inherit Eternity
   “You have annoyed me for the last time!”
  Master Currin turns his baleful glare on Ilsa. Two
  new phantoms step forward from the shadows
  to either side. The first seizes the lady’s wrists as
  the second plunges its hands deep into her
  chest. Her scream becomes a fading echo as the
  shadowy creature drags a dark shape from Ilsa’s
  body to disintegrate like snow before a blazing
  sun. Her limp body falls to the floor and the gray
  men turn their attention to the other guests.
  Snatching two lanterns from the walls, Cap-
  tain Harrow stands between the company and
  the advancing phantoms. Suddenly, the two
  creatures become four.
  “Flee while you still can!” the captain calls.
  “Put your backs to some use!” Darren and Dr.
  Cameron put shoulders to the door until the
  sound of splintering wood heralds the door’s
  imminent surrender.
  “Don’t look back! Just go!” Captain Harrow
  shouts as he charges his foes and the first of four
  dissolves before the dancing light. A phantom’s
  touch drops the warrior to one knee, and shad-
  owy hands chill reach forward. Though a second
  foe winks out of existence, the lamps fall to the
  floor, followed by the soldier’s crumpled form
  as his soul is torn from its roost.
  With a desperate groan the doors part from
  their hinges and fall into the hall. Though freedom
  seems but a few paces away, he shadows of the
  beckoning hall a squadron of gray forms emerges
  from the shadows of the hall, barring the way and
  herding the guests back into the room.
  “What, leaving so soon — and without your
  host?” the killer mocks from the center of the
  room. “How unchivalrous of you!” His eyes
  look toward the portrait’s alcove where Señor
  Ramirez lies surrounded by a ring of blazing oil,
  the curtains smoldering with flames along their
  edges. Within the light of the fire, hope lingers,
  for their host still lives.
  Seizing the lamps from the floor, Sir Edwin
  thrusts one at the doctor and then faces toward
  the relentless approach of the phantom thieves.
  “Rescue him if you can, I shall try to hold them
  off!”
  The table provides the needed height to
  clear the flaming river of oil. Reaching the
  steward in one leap, Darren and the doctor take
  Ramirez under his arms and, with their backs
  against the wall, slide slowly toward the exit.
  Sir Edwin stands ringed by a dozen shadow
  warriors. Edwin stares at the phantoms as he
  calls challenge.
  “Merchant, if you seek the true heir of
  eternity your business is with me!” Sir Edwin
  states, authority in his voice. “Take me if you
  can!” He retreats until he bumps into the table
  and someone touches his good arm. Turning in
  a cautious circle, he finds Master Currin’s smirk-
  ing face.
  “Is that any way for the heir apparent to act
  with guests? Here, let me help you!” the mer-
  chant leans forward and blows out the lamp.
  The shadows surge forward and restrain their
  foe. Relishing his victory, Master Currin steps
  before his victim and sneers.
  “It seems such a shame for the heir to die
  unrecognized,” he sneers. He reaches into the
  gentleman’s pocket, removes the family seal
  and fixes it in place. “There, much better I
  think.” He stares into Sir Edwin’s eyes, surprised
  to find only foolish belligerence, brave resigna-
  tion and — something else. Beneath his hand
  the heirloom grows warm.
  “Take him!” Currin orders and, in response,
  one of his wraiths reaches its hand into the Sir
  Edwin’s chest. A grim look of resistance creases
  the man’s face and the creature falters. Another
  creature and then a third add their strength to the
  struggle, but to no avail.
  “All together!” the thief commands. The
  tug-of-war is intense, but still Sir Edwin resists.
  At last, to the relief of the watchers, the killer
  relents.
  “Very well,” he says with mock kindness
  and steps close to Sir Edwin. “If not this way,
  there is always another.” Edwin gasps as Currin
  slides a dagger slides between his ribs. He
  slumps forward. Snorting with derision, Currin
  withdraws the blade and turns to his remaining
  foes.
  “Murderer,” Sir Edwin’s voice is soft, but
  strong. He raises his eyes and in them shines a
  pure, white light. His skin glows from within like
  a translucent shell. Tearing free from his cap-
  tors, he stands defiantly. Light blazes brightly
  and the bloody gash in his ribs closes. A look of
  disbelief crosses Currin’s face as he motions his
  shadow selves to dispose of this pest. As they
  step forward, Edwin raises his hands and beams
  of light shine forth from his fingertips, cutting
  down the phantoms as quickly as they are
  summoned until none remain. Edwin faces his
  tormenter, and, for the first time, hesitation fills
  Currin’s eyes.
  “I am of far greater stuff than my doubles,”
  the killer proclaims, retreating until his back
  
  38
  Chapter One
  presses against the table, now ablaze with merry
  flame.
  “You do not frighten me, whatever you
  are,” he states with bravado, “for no weapon
  forged by mortal may harm me!”
  Sir Edwin presses forward, his nose mere
  inches from his enemy’s. “I suppose that de-
  pends on what you call a weapon,” he returns,
  punching the man in the chest. The thief stag-
  gers back at the blow.
  Though stunned, Master Currin feels no
  pain. Snarling at his foe, he takes a staggering
  step forward, realizing that something is wrong.
  Puzzled, he wipes his eyes as if to part a veil of
  shadow and looks down at his chest. He sees
  something thrust through his amulet and into his
  chest, something wooden with ivory stops…the
  flute!
  “Odd, it does not hurt,” his voice is thin and
  wistful. “What is this sifting from the
  flute…sand?” The realization dawns as he rec-
  ognizes sand from an hourglass! He feels
  precious moments slipping through his fingers
  as he feebly tries to stop the trickling sands of
  time. The grains continue to fall through a
  rapidly growing hole in his hand. With strange
  detachment he watches as his hand, and then
  his arm disintegrates. As the amulet crumbles to
  dust, so does the villain.
  Sir Edwin’s sad gaze falls on the doctor and
  then on those trapped behind the wall of flame.
  Darren pulls frantically at the doctor’s sleeve and
  drags him toward the open door. “We must go for
  help! There is no way they can cross that fiery
  wall.”
  The doctor struggles, staring at Sir Edwin.
  “But how—?”
  Sir Edwin bites his lip and absently taps the
  glowing heirloom. He looks toward the other guests.
   “Go quickly, Dr. Cameron. Bring help. I will
  do what I can.”
  After a moment the doctor nods and flees, but
  Sir Edwin does not move to lend the remaining
  guests a hand. Smiling sadly, he stoops and lifts
  Hugo’s still form and sets it on the blazing table, a
  pyre of honor.
  “Farewell, good and faithful servant,” he sighs.
  Turning to the remaining guests he says. “I must
  thank you for your efforts to defend my home. Alas,
  though the end is not what I wished, you have done
  me a service far greater than you can imagine. You
  have given me back my memories,” he says indicat-
  ing the gleaming jewelry. “It is a debt I hope to one
  day repay. But for now, I must be going. I would
  recommend that you seek some other means of
  escape. Farewell.”
  With a smile his fingers play across the gem-
  stone. Motes of light fly up to form a nimbus around
  him. Then he is gone, and all that remains are
  flakes of ash and drifting embers.
  ���
  Flaming timbers crash from the burning ceil-
  ing, barring the exit. Señor Ramirez raises a feeble
  hand. “There is another way. Look to the alcove!”
  Frantic hands tear at the burning drapes and dis-
  cover a door concealed by the hanging fabric. A
  swift kick opens it wide. Beyond lies a narrow,
  carpeted hall. “The servants’ entry,” Ramirez says,
  gasping. “There are stairs.”
  Darren pulls frantically at the doctor’s sleeve
  and drags him toward the open door. “We must go
  for help! There is no way they can cross that fiery
  wall.”
  Fire ravages the room. Darren drags the
  wounded Señor Ramirez from the conflagration in
  an attempt to save at least one soul this night.
  Quickly he realizes that even this effort is doomed
  to fail for the steward’s wounds are too deep. Darren
  looks back toward the blazing chamber. By the
  dancing light of burning curtains, the last remain-
  ing portrait of a legend, of Lord Eowin Tierny
  Tytian Allyn Makepiece Theone III, blackens in
  the blistering heat, consuming first the frame and
  then the shoulders, chin and hair, till all that
  remains is Lord Theone’s reedy nose and piercing
  eyes. At last, it becomes clear!
  How had it been missed? The same aquiline
  features, the same amused stare and tilt to the head.
  He had been here all along, yet everyone had failed
  to see through the façade. The resemblance is
  unmistakable; Lord Theone still lives, no matter
  how unbelievable that seems. Yet if Lord Theone
  and Sir Edwin are one and the same, that would
  mean he had never aged. That would mean the
  stories were true. Lord Theone had claimed the
  prize of eternity for himself, and the fire has just
  swallowed the only proof of his existence.
  Señor Ramirez wheezes in pain. “I was wrong,”
  he pants, “I see that now. I sought to save myself,
  but at what cost? A grim price indeed—.”
  The painful cough returns, and blood stains
  his chin. “Go, now!” he whispers. “Save your-
  selves! What value has treasure when life has fled?
  If I have learned nothing else, it is not to cling so
  desperately to life that you lose sight of the true
  
  39
  To Inherit Eternity
  prize. The gift of immortality is not mine to give,
  but I can give you another gift even more valuable.
  I can give your life purpose. If he lives, find him.
  Only you now know what Lord Theone looks
  like. Only you know his secret.” Ramirez is seized
  by a fit of coughing. When the attack subsides at
  last, it is clear that death is calling to him.
  [M]With glazing eyes, Señor Ramirez gasps,
  “I know where he will go. He has been obsessed
  for decades with learning the way to Vechor. He
  thinks he will learn his purpose in that land, but
  I fear…he is mistaken. … All that lies there is
  betrayal He needs a friend to lead him back to
  the light. Only he can turn the tide in the battle
  against the Dark.”
  The burning air swallows his last breath, and
  Hector Elissar Ramirez speaks no more, his face
  strangely peaceful in death. Behind him, timbers
  crash as the floor gives way to the conflagration.
  Fingers of fire stretch into the corridor, igniting the
  carpet and forming a crimson wreath around the
  fallen steward.
  Flight is all that is left, but it is too late! A fiery
  wall blocks the path to the stairs. There is no way
  out!
  The greedy flames advance on the fallen form,
  licking at his flesh, animating his wine-red suit,
  feasting hungrily on the fatty tallow beneath.
  One of the survivors spots a window at the end
  of the hall! A flaming chair makes short work of the
  glass, and the fire roars its pleasure as the evening
  breeze feeds its insatiable appetite. The fire races
  toward the fleeing intruders, but they leap to safety
  onto the cool earth below. One last image burns
  itself into the fleeing refugees’ minds to haunt
  them for many a sleepless night: As the flame
  devours Eldron Manor returning it to the ash and
  dust from whence all things spring, Ramirez’ grin
  remains at the heart of the conflagration — or
  perhaps it is just his flesh melting away as time
  consumes the man.
  
  40
  Chapter One
  Uncovering the Truth –
  The Overture
  very legend begins in truth, and so it is
  with Lord Eowyn Theone; he is all that
  the tales tell, and he is nothing like
  them, for in the truth of his creation lies
  wonder and power beyond imagining, as
  well as great tragedy.
  How did it begin? How could he forget? Forget the
  anguish of his dying companions, forget the horror of
  the living dark, forget the terror that threatened to
  consume him as he huddled before the guttering torch,
  his last refuge from that thing? It hovered before him,
  shimmering and shifting its form like a restless puddle
  of light. He did not want to die, not the way his friends
  had — Terri carried off by the howling dark, Kimber
  sliced into myriad segments like a shattered mirror,
  Cawthor swallowed by the hungry earth. He wished
  they had never heard of the secret of eternity nor set out
  on this fool’s quest. They had been fools indeed to
  pursue a dream into this realm of nightmares!
  They had only to find the Well of Life hidden away
  in the Heart of Darkness, overcome its guardians and
  prove their worthiness to the oracle to claim the prize.
  Instead, they lost everything. What did it want, float-
  ing there in the dark?! It was unnatural, impossible,
  unfathomable, how did one reason with that?
  What was it waiting for? He was doomed, he
  knew these were his last minutes to cry and plead
  insanely not to die, to be allowed to live, to be free from
  this place. He would be good! He would be kind and
  charitable! He would never take life for granted!
  But what was it doing? The light in the pool was
  filled with eddies and whorls, miniature storms of color
  as the thing elongated and then grew pinched in the
  middle, until there were two. And then one descended
  upon him and swallowed him, or did he swallow it? He
  could not remember, but the light shone from his eyes
  and ears, his mouth and nose, even from his fingertips.
  And he knew he had the power…the power to be free
  of this place and never return. In a blinding moment he
  stood no longer in the dark, but at the doorstep of his
  home and the welcoming arms of his loved ones.
  ���
  His loved ones, where had they gone? He remem-
  bered long and long ago, remembered their deaths and
  remembered their loss to the sands of time. His wives,
  his children, his companions were all gone. How could
  he go on beneath this burden of grief? He wished that
  he could give up his life to be reunited with the spirits of
  those dear ones. But that possibility had been denied
  long ago. He had been mortified when he was first slain
  in battle against the marauders, unable to prevent the
  slaughter of his band! How he had rejoiced when he
  first awoke and found his body whole again. He had
  exulted in the fact that he would never have to leave his
  loved ones again. He had not thought about watching
  his wife and children grow old and die before his eyes,
  though he could not.
  For a time he took solace in their memory, and
  then he found a new love and thanked the gods for their
  blessing. Now he cursed them and his fate. How many
  wasted lives, how many graves? Must he always watch
  those he cherished succumb to the ravages of time and
  the tragedies of life? Never again! No more would he
  accept this pain. From this point on he would vow to
  make a difference in the world with his gift. He would
  help others wherever he went and share the joy of
  others, but he would never grow close to another again.
  ���
  What was it the priests taught — happiness is
  forever? Not for him, it seemed. For a time, those he
  helped befriended him, but eventually that changed.
  When he did not age, did not wither, did not die, his
  fair-weather friends became suspicious, then fearful,
  then angry that he alone should escape their fate. Every
  one of them betrayed him, hunted and hounded him,
  desperate to steal his gift for their own or destroy him
  if they could not have it. Once he had given in to Lytos,
  a faithful companion dying in his arms. He shared part
  of his gift with his friend. The glow of the Light infused
  his still form, and he opened his eyes in vague confusion
  that though he was dead, he lived again. That gift
  proved only a mockery of life, for the body still bore its
  fatal wounds. Though Lytos could think and move, his
  heart no longer beat and with the passing days, his flesh
  began to rot, so that he suffered a living death. Lytos
  pleaded with him to end his suffering, and though he
  tried, he could not take back the gift he had bestowed.
  Only the flames of cremation at last released the
  tortured soul.
  He vowed he would never again be tempted to stay
  the reaper’s hand. It was his gift to Lytos that undid
  him, however, for he was branded a necromancer and
  forced to flee, a bounty on his head. He reasoned that
  if even friendship was denied him, he would seek
  happiness in power and wealth; surely these would
  withstand the test of time.
  ���
  Jaded and heartsick for the friends he had lost and
  the years of hiding as a fugitive from the heirs of Lytos,
  he at last told himself that none of it mattered. Why
  should he settle for the meager existence of an exile?
  
  41
  To Inherit Eternity
  Was he not immortal, like a god among men? Why
  should he accept the constraints of mortal society? So
  he set his sites on fortune and power.
  First, he chose to marry into wealth and outlive his
  patrons, but that proved too slow for him. Next he
  acquired wealth through influence, cheating and steal-
  ing it from others and eventually helping others on to
  their eternal rest in order to seize their estates. For
  nearly a century, he built his fortunes and the power
  that came with it. For over a hundred years, the
  mention of his name struck awe in the heart of mortals,
  for he would be denied nothing. He became a warlord
  and a tyrant, and all cowed in fear of the undying man.
   Nothing could topple him, no one defeat him, or
  so he thought. But the heirs of Lytos had not been idle.
  They formed a religious order, a cult of light to
  challenge a lord of darkness. In the end, his general and
  allies had betrayed him. His empire was dismantled as
  the spoils of war. At first his captors tried to kill him
  through agonizing, executions. His nature betrayed
  him, healing his wounds and remaking his body.
  Finally, they imprisoned him for all ages in a tomb,
  there to suffer death by boredom.
  ���
  Ages passed until no one living remembered his
  crimes or recalled his legacy, except as a tale told to
  frighten children at night. But children are a strange
  breed, and what is terrifying to an adult is inspiring to
  a child. The stories of his deeds of horror had destroyed
  his legends of heroism and sacrifice. Slowly, even those
  stories dissolved until little was left except rumors of
  the great treasures his empire had once gathered.
  Seeking easy fortune, a great grandson of his general
  broke into his tomb to rescue the treasures. His only
  reward was a slow and torturous death, buried alive for
  the sins of his fathers.
  Finally free, he methodically meted out his ven-
  geance upon the heirs of his betrayers until the last of
  their bloodlines where destroyed. Too late, the Cult of
  Lytos, the Order of Light, realized he had returned and
  loosed their hounds to bring him to bay. Fleeing
  “redemption,” he fled into a forbidden land and found
  himself overwhelmed by mists. When they parted, he
  found he had been transported to these doomed realms,
  here to wander forever.
  But fate had a grim sense of humor, for his
  reputation preceded him as his pursuers, these so-
  called agents of Light, spread tales of his misdeed and
  began the laborious task of refilling their ranks. They
  will never be satisfied until they have him locked away
  again in an eternal prison.
  ���
  As generations passed, he hoped for a chance to
  find peace. He lived like a mortal and moved about to
  conceal the fact that he did not age. He made friends
  and found escape from his relentless pursuers. But
  always, just as happiness was within his grasp, the
  hunters camel, and he had to flee, leaving everything he
  had fought for —, until that fateful day of his epiphany.
  He knew happiness among mortals would ever be
  denied, but if he could find other immortal to be his
  family through all eternity, that would be a victory.
  Thus, the Game was created. If he could not find
  another immortal, then he would help others to follow
  in his footsteps and win the prize, the gift, the curse that
  had been lavished on him. He began the search for
  worthy souls, testing their mettle and, once they proved
  themselves, sending them forth on the same quest that
  he took so many eons ago. Surely one would succeed,
  one would survive.
  In the generations since he conceived the game,
  none has claimed the prize. There have been many
  promising candidates, but none have returned. Inevi-
  tably, some one will win. It is just a matter of time, and
  he has plenty of that!
  Using the Story:
  Conducting the Sinister
  Symphony
  here are several ways in which a DM
  may use this legend of a man who sought
  immortality to create an adventure for
  his players: placing them in the story,
  placing them after the story, pursuing
  Eternity’s private saga, encountering the story
  through a side trek, or taking up the quest for
  immortality.
  Inside the Story
  The DM may place the heroes in the midst of
  the story in the role of one of the honored guests
  and confidant of the evening’s host. Changing this
  telling into a series of story events is a simple task.
  First, the DM must consider how to invite the
  heroes to the evening’s gathering. They may be
  heroes with their own legend or perhaps one of
  their number or a friend is a former rival of Lord
  Theone. One or more may be potential heirs to his
  fortune. Another The heroes may have heard ru-
  mors of the existence of an immortal or about the
  quest for immortality and may have finagled an
  
  42
  Chapter One
  invitation to verify the veracity of their informa-
  tion.
  Next, the DM should familiarize himself with
  the cast of NPCs present at this soiree to better
  understand each personality and its motives. Then
  the DM may use these characters as a foil to move
  the adventure along in the direction of the story.
  Character profiles are presented in the appendices
  at the back of this book.
  The key challenge of each event must be
  identified and converted into a game element to
  challenge the players. Each challenge must be
  presented in such a manner that the heroes must
  find a solution and confront the danger, rather
  have an NPC resolve the problem. Do the heroes
  tussle with the guards when they first arrive? Per-
  haps the heroes examine the first body for clues.
  The heroes’ actions and leadership should be in-
  strumental in saving Master Currin from choking.
  Clues and rewards presented in the story should
  require actions of the heroes to discover them,
  rather than relying on automatic events.
  The DM may introduce additional characters,
  explorations and nefarious events including mur-
  ders to transform the story into a murder mystery.
  The new characters take the role of victims and
  distractions to mislead the heroes about the iden-
  tity of the murderer. A priest may be added as the
  prime suspect only to disappear and turn up mur-
  dered several encounters later. The merchant can
  have a couple of associates who are slated to die in
  a series of unfortunate accidents. A writer or clerk
  may become a temporary ally and source of infor-
  mation. Explorations of other rooms in the manor
  may reveal clues for the master quest — where to
  find Lord Theone’s journal and his memory stone or
  where to look for a guide to the Well of Life or a
  weapon that may defeat an evil immortal. Myste-
  rious events such as a falling bookshelf, a
  booby-trapped treasure or a terrible fall can result
  in raised tension, anxiety, distrust, injury and even
  fatalities. Any of these events may serve as a stage
  to reveal more about an NPC’s history and mo-
  tives.
  Finally, the unfolding of key events should be
  choreographed to heighten the drama — foreshad-
  owing the climax, presenting danger in a sly and
  sinister manner, and ending with a surprising and
  danger-filled grand finale that fills the players with
  a sense of horror and dread.
  The DM may want to create an adventure that
  is less predictable through changing the location
  and nature of clues and items, such as assigning a
  different location to the weapon that can harm an
  immortal or the resting place of Lord Theone’s
  journal. Furthermore, the personalities and mo-
  tives of other characters in this story may be
  reassigned to new identities and guises. The three
  key characters — the murderer, the immortal and
  the guardian — may hide behind other guises
  besides the merchant, gentleman and soldier. Pos-
  sible alternatives that may be used to change this
  story into a different adventure are presented in the
  section Variations.
  The Dinner Party
  The DM can change the original story into an
  adventure to introduce heroes to the Legend of
  Eternity. Here is one possibility of how this may be
  accomplished. Elements described in italics may be
  changed from story to story or as the result of a
  random die roll or card draw. The DM creates the
  clues.
  Getting There
  One of the realm’s oldest patrons has died and
  the heroes receive an invitation to attend a private
  auction of “Sundry Curios, Fancies and Objets
  d’Art from the collection of Lord Eowyn Tierny
  Tytian Allyn Makepiece Theone III within the
  week. Instructions are presented on obtaining let-
  ters of credit and papers necessary to prove their
  identities. The trip is cold and mist-filled as they
  cross the spooky lands leading to Eldron Manor.
  This episode ends with an omen offering a clue to
  the story’s message as they reach the gatehouse of
  the manor.
  The story’s message may be: things are rarely
  what they seem, there is always hope, fate is a cycle,
  good and evil is a matter of perspective, beware evil’s
  lure, or all life ends with tragedy — what matters is how
  we face it.
  The Arrival.
  Upon arrival at the manor, the characters are
  greeted by their host, Señor Hector Elissar Ramirez,
  his clerk Alistair Charoan and the manor guards.
  They must present their proof and surrender their
  weapons, for a break-in attempt the previous night
  resulted in the death of one of the guard. The host
  says the manor has been warded against the use of
  weapons; they will betray their wielder. As the
  encounter ends, the clerk secretly hands one of the
  characters a note warning of possible imposters and
  
  43
  To Inherit Eternity
  mentioning someone they may trust either by
  description or their actions.
  Allies may be the clerk, an acolyte, a servant, a
  scholar, a priest or a gentleman.
  Introductions
  Their host introduces his servant Hugo and
  the other guests, including: Father Daniel Marcus
  Franklin, a jolly but cowardly collector; Captain
  Ferril Conklin Harrow, a scarred veteran who owes
  the lord his life; Master Currin Klein de l’Ombre,
  a blustery rival merchant; his associates, the brut-
  ish Mr. Gar and the weasel-like Mr. Kantall; the
  congenial gentleman, Sir Edwin Kent; Miss Natalie
  “Nicky” Warren Wellbue, a terribly shy but knowl-
  edgeable biographer; Dr. Melrose Elliot Cameron,
  a dedicated scholar and seeker of truths; and his
  pleasant young aid, Darren Thurrow. Late to the
  party are the supposed sibling devotees of the Cult
  of the Light, the reticent, calculating Charles and
  the emotional Ilsa Tempiere. On the way to the
  party, the Tempieres stumbled upon a dying man
  who had his throat cut. They could not save him,
  but they learned a clue about the perpetrator of this
  crime.
  The dying man’s last words described his as-
  sailant and his purpose as: a traitor (trader) seeking
  release from a curse; a curer (curator) seeking dark
  justice; a hideous monster (veteran) wanting to deny
  the truth; a scowler (scholar) hoping to protect a
  fugitive; a deceiver (Cult of Light) lurking to destroy the
  dark; and a bright being (Eternity) trying to protect the
  light.
  The Dinner
  After dinner, Ramirez speaks of Lord Theone’s
  obsession with immortality and admits that many
  of the treasures for sale are linked to prolonging life
  or manipulating time. He announces that Lord
  Theone believed that a man existed who had made
  the transition from mortal to immortal and that he
  possessed the only portrait ever painted of this
  immortal. He then explains the bidding procedure
  and the detailed catalogue of items prepared by the
  writer.
  Samples of collected objects for sale are dis-
  played here and the author tells the tale of one such
  artifact, foreshadowing the danger the heroes face
  at the end of the adventure. Possible items and
  their stories include: a mirrored carousel reported to
  once prolong life until it shattered time; waters that
  bestow animation and taught an abused child a lesson
  in life; a fan that can release the winds but loses control
  of the hurricane; a painting able to open a door to the
  realms but unable to restrain the hounds of justice; a set
  of stones able to guard against many dangers but
  coveted by a beast; and a broken sword and phantom
  blade able to slay the dead.
  With the conclusion of the tale, one of the
  guests begins choking and must be saved from the
  effects of a paralytic poison. Accusations abound
  and all present had the opportunity to slip the
  poison into the drink.
  Alarums and Excursions
  As the tour begins, the guests set off an alarm
  when they pass two statuettes with glowing eyes.
  One of them tried to sneak a carving knife onto the
  premises and their host must reset the warding. A
  guided tour follows, after which the guests divide
  into small groups to explore the gallery on their
  own, while the heroes remain behind to keep their
  host company. He uses the opportunity to confide
  in them his suspicions about the other guests’
  motives and confesses Lord Theone’s obsession
  with immortality. He speculates that the immortal
  his master sought may be present among the guests,
  and he fears this entity was followed by another
  seeking to thwart his design (The One and the
  Guardian).
  He also speculates on the masks each might be
  wearing, one the yin to the other’s yang like the
  two faces of a piece of art: a boy and soldier portraying
  peace and duty (gentleman and veteran); a painted
  platter of just rewards depicting either a craftsman or a
  miser (clerk and merchant); a tapestry of a hero
  climbing a cliff to reach a prize illustrating the romance
  and trials of an adventure (writer and servant); a
  marvelous moving model of the four seasons inspiring
  wonder and analysis (student and scholar); a painting
  of a family pleading for mercy from a stern judge
  showing compassion versus the law (priest and cult of
  light member); and a painted screen depicting a rose
  growing on rocky soil symbolizing the stubborn persis-
  tence of life and its amazing adaptability (soldier and
  gentleman). As the discussion ends the others re-
  turn. One guest has made a suspicious discovery
  linking Lord Theone with an artist who died nearly
  100 years ago. Another guest goes missing when
  separated from the party by an accident.
  Shedding Light
  The entire group enters a room filled with
  excellently crafted furniture, rolls of rich oriental
  
  44
  Chapter One
  carpets and thick velvet drapes. On every table,
  shelf and cabinet are painted ceramic miniatures of
  houses, landscapes, people and creatures. A mas-
  sive crystal chandelier lights the room along with
  torches placed outside six stained-glass windows
  that depict the saga of a deposed prince freeing an
  enchanted dragon and winning her heart and his
  kingdom.
  The cult members reveal their belief in the
  existence of an amoral immortal they call the Evil
  One, a being responsible for countless deaths and
  desecrations. This being lures innocents to pursue
  a quest for immortality. The cult’s purpose is to
  follow in Lord Theone’s wake in order to track
  down this creature. They believe that the Evil One
  always leaves clues for his followers in the lair of a
  great wyrm hidden by a dark sun. The heroes must
  realize that the dark sun is not a mark, but a crystal
  in the chandelier that will shine upon a small figure
  on a pedestal if the room can be made dark.
  The identified figure provides a clue to where
  to look for a guide or compass to lead questers in
  pursuit of the secrets of immortality while the
  inscription and contents of a secret space in the
  pedestal reveals warnings of dangers that must be
  overcome. Inside the pedestal is also a piece of
  jewelry missing its stone. This item is the symbol of
  Lord Theone’s clan. Unfortunately, the pedestal
  has a deadly trap similar to the warding of the key
  and it will kill whoever opens it.
  Possible clues include: the image of a flesh
  golem(Lamordia) battling vipers in which is concealed
  a poison spine and a ring; a sarcophagus of a
  warrior(Darkon) standing amid rubble that hides an
  amulet and triggers a deadfall; a wolf (Verbrek) cow-
  ering before a bonfire that conceals a hat or hair pin and
  a delayed blast fireball; a huntress chasing a stag with a
  facetted crystal in its antlers(Dementlieu) that hides a
  watch fob and darts; a man standing in a pool that casts
  a distorted reflection (Nova Vaasa) and that conceals
  a locket and acid spray; and a large catseye crystal
  (Tepest) that floats above a curved mirror and hides a
  pendant and magical paralyzing dust.
  Master’s Den
  In Lord Theone’s private den, the doctor seeks
  a clue to where he has gone. The doctor declares his
  belief that an immortal could be the greatest dis-
  covery of the age as well as a boon to mankind. One
  of the guests spies a notebook atop a high shelf and
  climbs the shelf to retrieve it. Unfortunately, the
  shelves break and so does the nimble climber’s leg.
  The notebook contains Lord Theone’s last
  words before he left and where to look for his
  journal as well as clues about the quest if his
  companions become separated: with an exiled Vistani
  chieftain in Borca hunted by rivals; in the rat-infested
  catacombs of Richemulot; in a library in Dementlieu
  under attack by cultists; within a monument in Nova
  Vaasa in the midst of a battlefield; in a tomb in Tepest
  harried by undead; and in a wizard’s tower in Hazlan
  cursed by a fiend
  Parlor Tricks
  In this room are family belongings — silver
  services, goblets, china and more. There are ivory
  combs and mirrors, jewelry and watches, alabaster
  busts and vases, crystal decanters and sterling trays,
  fine wines and liquors as well as unknown potions
  and substances in a variety of flasks. Speculation is
  high as to who the murderer may be and most point
  the finger at the guest who went missing in the art
  gallery.
  They discover they are wrong when they find
  Hugo waiting inside with the body of the missing
  guest, another murder victim. While the murder is
  investigated by those so inclined, the others may
  explore the contents of the room, many speculat-
  ing on the contents of the unmarked flasks. The
  gentleman is looking for something and becomes
  frustrated when he fails to find it. He explains that
  he is seeking his uncle’s seal, a large engraved stone
  that fits in the piece of jewelry they found earlier.
  It held all Lord Theone’s favorite memories and
  was necessary to validate any inheritance. He al-
  most wishes his uncle was still alive because he does
  not want the estate’s tenants to be cast out of their
  homes. He speculates on the prize of immortality
  and says how he would share the prize with others
  if it was his to claim.
  He recalls stories his uncle wrote to his mother.
  His favorite tells the story of the Heart of Darkness
  and what treasures one might find there: the mists
  and the dark will try to thwart trespassers but the prize
  is the healing touch (power to heal); the land and their
  past will war with intruders to deny them the power to
  use the talents of others (power to borrow abilities and
  skills from others); the non-living and the undying will
  raise their hand against your reaching for the prize of
  invulnerability magic needed to hurt); the trusted and
  the angry will betray you to claim the charm for
  themselves (power to charm monster); the lost and your
  greatest fear stand between you and the power of
  knowledge and enlightenment (legend lore); others
  
  45
  To Inherit Eternity
  covet the battle to struggle with the light to claim a
  renewed life (regeneration). This episode ends with
  one of the guests dropping a flask and releasing its
  dangerous contents: explosion, phasing, berserk rage,
  stinging mites, poisonous gas, hallucinations. This
  action results in the death of another guest.
  Study in Shadow
  This room boasts an odd assortment of items
  including a giant globe of the heavenly canopy
  with an iron arrow as its axis, several musical
  instruments, a silver writing set and countless med-
  als and ribbons. Lord Theone’s coat of arms — a
  wyrm rampant on an indigo charge with six stars
  argent and a silvery moon center arcing over the
  serpent —hangs on one wall and on the other is a
  gray funerary suit, never to be worn.
  The captain reveals that Lord Theone charged
  him with a final mission in return for saving his life.
  Lord Theone feared that one day an evil man might
  seek the prize of immortality, and if he succeeded
  there was no weapon made that could stop him
  except one. The captain then informs the guests of
  Eternity’s Bane: an ebony blade or claw hidden in a
  box with no key or lid and that can sever the silver cord;
  a vulnerability to sulphur that places an immortal in a
  coma; a weapon that will drain his life energy making
  him weak and old; the secret of his identity so that he has
  nowhere to hide; a guardian wyrm (or dragon) that he
  fears and will flee from; an awakening that destroys his
  mortal shell and leaves him a disembodied light.
  Ilsa is furious that the captain knew all along
  how to defeat the Evil One and did nothing about
  it. She starts accusing everyone of being corrupted
  by the One until the murderer focuses her atten-
  tion on a more likely suspect. Attacking that suspect,
  he turns to flee and slips, impaling himself on the
  globe’s arrow and dies. A search turns up evidence
  to convince everyone that this was the murderer.
  Taking Arms
  The final room holds the promised portrait as
  well as his lordship’s armor and sword, paintings of
  the estate, a pair of bracers, a dagger, a pewter
  singing bowl and pestle and a flute. There is also a
  locked metal coffer without a key. Within the
  coffer lies a piece of a treasure that when complete
  can manipulate time, but the vital amulet is miss-
  ing so it is only a potentially dangerous item.
  The steward explains that no heir was de-
  clared and presents a challenge that whoever
  completes his master’s quest or can bring evidence
  that his master is really dead, that one will be
  granted stewardship over his estates and their
  people. He then acknowledges the gentleman’s
  right to a smaller inheritance and the position as
  head of the clan and gives him the heirloom stone
  that he has had in his pocket all along. When he
  takes the stone, Sir Edwin begins to remember who
  he is.
  The steward completes his final tasks, reading
  his master’s last notes that reveal the quest’s final
  challenge: this is a test of worthiness; beware — greed
  and pride will betray you; be fair and a servant to all;
  the dark —beware the dark, for in everything there is a
  shadow, a hint of evil that will consume you; do not be
  deluded or misdirected — the secret lies in the light not
  within yourself; understanding and communicating is
  the key, that and patient perseverance; time is your
  enemy and will writhe and squirm to avoid your grasp;
  be steadfast, use your inner light, for only with enlight-
  enment can you hold back the dark.
  Following his reading, the host reveals the
  portrait of an immortal and everyone looks at it in
  awe, sharing their musings of what they see in that
  face: a lonely man, a misunderstood man, an unfor-
  tunate man, just a man, and the face of evil. Hugo
  recognizes the painting as that of his “master.” As
  all attention is on the painting the steward is
  stabbed and falls at the feet of his attacker, the
  murderer!
  Finale
  In the final scene, the identity of the murderer
  is revealed. He suffers from advanced aging due to
  his frequent use of an artifact that alters time for
  him. If he can capture the prize of immortality, he
  will be immune to its effects. He explains he
  learned the deactivation phrase for the warding
  when he planted the carving knife and can now
  handle the weapon without danger.
  The veteran soldier tries to talk the guests into
  rushing the murderer, but the villain shows what
  he can do by striking so fast that he wounds the
  warrior. Then swinging his sword like a wall of steel
  he advances. One of the guests picks up the metal
  coffer and knocks him down, disarming him. The
  soldier recovers the weapon. The doctor and his aid
  are sent to summon the guards.
  While everyone is distracted, the murderer
  opens the coffer and completes his amulet. He
  seizes a lamp and shatters it before the door so that
  none can flee. Then he advances on the warrior.
  Here the final battle takes place with the villain
  
  46
  Chapter One
  revealing some special power to bend time to his
  will with horrific effect: creating time fugued dupli-
  cates; time stop to set up obstacles and trap;, blinking
  about; time flies (hastes self), time loop to replay a
  round; time dilation to slow opponents. Each use of
  time makes him immune to normal attacks as if
  incorporeal.
  One by one he slays all but the heroes in some
  horrifying manner, such as ripping one’s spirit free
  or withering an opponent or rusting weapons so it
  breaks. One of the other NPCs may evoke some
  fearsome form of attack in an attempt to defeat the
  foe, each method echoing the writer’s story from
  earlier that evening: using the power of the light to
  resist the attack and then attacking with the flute to
  shatter the hourglass and turn the villain to sand; the
  steward reactivates the weapon ward so that the weapon
  animates and turns on the villain; the guardian’s agent
  dies, but his severed hand crawls through fire to open the
  door letting a trellkin — a troll beast the guardian
  controls — to enter and attack all in the room; scholar
  returns to summon the darque hounds who attack
  everyone but drag the villain screaming into the shad-
  ows; cult members releases the hungry wind, a dark
  void that sucks everything not anchored down into its
  void until it claims the villain;, the curse of the misfor-
  tune of the Theones protects the gentleman until a lucky
  blow releases the light, and as it looks like he will be
  destroyed, an animated servant captures the villain who
  shrivels to dust when his amulet is removed.
  With the dispatching of the villain, The One
  turns to the heroes and thanks them for their help
  and promises to one day repay them. With the
  heirloom he can recall so much he had forgotten.
  He recommends that the heroes find some means
  of escape and that he already has his. Then he
  strokes the heirloom and teleports to safety.
  Epilogue
  The heroes find another exit and drag their
  host to safety, but he is dying. With his last breath
  he tries to give them a commission to follow and a
  place to start. Places for the heroes to start and
  possible goals include: Vechor to free The One from
  Mad Eason; Richemulot to bring Lord Theone back to
  save his estates; Invidia to prove they did not kill him;
  Falkovnia to help Theone hide and recover; Borca to
  escape the Cult of Light; or Hazlan for his wealth of
  knowledge. With his death the fire threatens to
  consume the heroes, who must make their escape.
  They must also flee the guards who believe they
  killed Señor Ramirez and set the Manor ablaze.
  Other Variations
  A second avenue for adventure is to take up
  the cause after this story ends. The heroes may
  either be survivors of this night of murder or may
  assume one of many roles. Perhaps they are related
  to one of the murdered victims. They may encoun-
  ter one of the factions featured in the story and
  become willing agents to pursue that faction’s
  private goals. For instance, working with the doc-
  tor to prove an immortal exists or with the Cult of
  Light to stop the Evil One. Or the heroes may
  become enmeshed pursuing one of the lesser goals
  presented during the story, such as finding the
  missing journal or Eternity’s Bane and find them-
  selves drawn into a much larger saga.
  In a third variation, the heroes may pursue the
  immortal and become involved in his private saga
  — his personal endeavors to save a friend, avoid
  capture or test a potential candidate to quest for
  immortality. The heroes may not know the tale of
  Eternity at the start, but by the adventure’s conclu-
  sion, they learn the story and may embark on any
  one of these possible scenarios, including the origi-
  nal story. In this last situation, the story they
  discover may be excerpts from Eternity’s own per-
  sonal story.
  Other minor side scenarios can center on an
  item, creature, mystery or event from the story.
  Many of the treasures detailed in the appendix
  present adventure hooks. The characters may try
  to determine the guardian’s nature and expose
  other minions he controls.
  All side treks are related to this story and
  eventually lead back to it. For example, Señor
  Ramirez might be interested in buying an item in
  the characters’ possession or one of the major
  factions may approach the heroes to act as their
  agent at this ill-fated dinner party.
  Ultimately, all adventure avenues lead to tak-
  ing up the quest for immortality either for personal
  reasons or as support for a non-player character
  obsessed with the quest. Adventuring in the com-
  pany of an NPC is perhaps the best choice, for it
  creates possibilities for a tragic ending to the tale as
  is traditional with Ravenloft adventures, while
  providing a satisfying conclusion for the charac-
  ters.
  The Quest for Immortality
  Ultimately all lesser tales spawned by the
  legend of Eternity lead to a quest for the Well of
  Life and the Eternity’s secrets. This section pro-
  
  47
  To Inherit Eternity
  vides the DM with a framework with which to
  create her own adventure. Details of where the
  original story takes place were intentionally vague
  so that a DM could place the adventure in any
  realm, integrating it with her own campaign.
  Other elements may be imported from a DM’s
  campaign to personalize the adventure for the
  characters. A recurring villain may learn of this
  quest and compete for the prize. Alternately, the
  villain may adopt the motives and goals of one of
  the competing factions such as the Cult of Light or
  the merchant.
  Campaign-style adventures have a large scope
  and contain several lesser adventures. As a result,
  a DM could use this saga as a vehicle for the heroes
  to tour Ravenloft’s many realms, visiting several
  realms to collect important clues and items neces-
  sary for the completion of their quest. In the
  process, the players gain a taste of each realm’s story
  and of the shadow of darkness that haunts each
  land.
  Before designing this adventure, consider the
  following questions: Where does it take place?
  How are the heroes drawn to the adventure? Where
  do they start? And who and what are the forces or
  factions that the heroes must interact with for a
  successful completion of this adventure?
  Set-Ups
  Earlier in this chapter, several ideas were dis-
  cussed on how the heroes might become involved
  in this adventure. Ultimately the path to this saga
  journeys though a lesser adventure, such as playing
  the story, pursuing the survivors of the story, being
  caught up in a side adventure regarding a magic
  item or event related to the story or just becoming
  involved with the immortal One. The best starting
  point is presented in To Inherit Eternity. This story
  also defines the start of the quest, which requires
  the heroes to interact with the realms they pass
  through.
  Interference
  The original story features four factions striv-
  ing against each other. The One seeks capable
  candidates and encourage them to go on this quest.
  The Last or Guardian wants to thwart The One’s
  efforts, preventing the creation of any more eternal
  abominations . The Cult of Light strives to iden-
  tify, capture and imprison the Evil One and redeem
  or slay anyone corrupted by it. The scholar desires
  to locate the immortal One, protecting him from
  harm. Other candidates, agents of the Guardian,
  Cult members and scholars may also interfere with
  the actions of the characters.
  The DM may add lesser characters and crea-
  tures to the adventure to oppose or at least interfere
  with the quest. These unexpected opponents may
  include denizens of the lands they cross, bounty
  hunters chasing the characters in connection with
  the manor fire, brigands looking to steal from the
  heroes and failed contestants. The DM may also
  introduce distractions and decoys to confuse the
  characters. Possible distractions include amused
  disbelievers who think the heroes are chasing a
  fairy tale, clueless treasure hunters and natural
  distractions or forces of nature.
  Wanderings
  Before the gate to the final quest may be
  opened, the characters must complete one or more
  adventures to find the way to the hidden realm. To
  Inherit Eternity presents clues to two items — Lord
  Theone’s journal and the mystic compass that can
  aid this search. The journal presents clues to the
  nature of the quest and how to defeat key chal-
  lenges along the way. The compass can follow in
  the footsteps of previous questers and open the
  final portal.
  Descriptions of these items are presented in
  the appendix. The DM should create adventures
  for each realm that hides an item. The characters
  should interact with the natives, experience the
  land’s dangers and, perhaps, have a fleeting en-
  counter with the realm’s darklord. Once they
  discover the location of the item, the characters
  should face some challenge to win the prize. This
  challenge may range from difficult negotiations to
  performing a service or saving a life. Finally, the
  heroes must discover how to use their prize.
  For example, the original story suggests that
  the compass lies in Lamordia in a vale of vipers.
  The heroes must travel to Lamordia to find this
  hidden valley, descend into the vipers’ pit and
  battle its denizens to claim the prize from a precari-
  ous perch before it falls into the bottomless darkness.
  Another clue leads the heroes to Borca to find the
  exiled Vistani chieftain and barter for the journal,
  perhaps performing a service, such as rescuing
  captive clan members from Invidia.
  The heroes may pursue other prologue adven-
  tures such as finding a treasure map leading to three
  landmarks that are guideposts to finding the portal.
  Or, perhaps the player characters must track down
  
  48
  Chapter One
  The One and win his gratitude and an invitation to
  undertake this quest. He brands the candidates and
  tells them where to begin their search for the
  portal. He does not accompany the heroes, because
  his inner light, that which makes him immortal,
  blinds him and bars his way to the path of shadows.
  In the original story, The One flees to Vechor
  seeking answers and becomes trapped by Easan the
  Mad, who is obsessed with learning the secrets of
  the immortal soul. He has been torturing The One
  and questioning him about each death and rebirth.
  Easan does not want to part with his trophy easily.
  Further, the heroes will need to recover the heir-
  loom for Lord Theone to remember the way to the
  portal.
  Whatever adventures lead to the portal, the
  heroes should face competitors and agents of the
  other factions. The DM may create a series of
  challenges that the characters must overcome in
  order to reach the gate, since portals are rarely left
  unguarded. This final quest might go something
  like this:
  The Summons — When the heroes finally
  reach the locale for the gateway, they find only the
  landmark and nowhere else to go. A small shrine
  contains a statue to a god of time and an offering
  box . The pedestal upon which the statue rests is
  hollow, but tampering with it triggers a series of
  escalating traps: webs are thrown 20 feet, steel bars
  slam down, trapping the characters and a fountain
  of sand fills the shrine. Nothing remains in the
  pedestal but the mechanisms for the trap. In the
  offering box are four crystals and a wooden disk
  that assemble into a wind chime. When the chime
  sounds a veil is lifted that hides the Beacon.
  The Beacon — On an isolated island off the
  shore of an unknown land is a beacon with a lonely
  caretaker in a haunted tower. The heroes must
  bargain for the key and ascend the tower, fending
  off the restless spirits and the living tower to light
  the lamp. The path it lights with its beam forms an
  oddly solid bridge to the mainland.
  The Ravers — These people guard the way.
  The characters must fight a patrol and prevent an
  alarm or raver patrols with hounds and horns strive
  to capture or kill them until they pass the gateway.
  Those captured are tested in a pit battle and either
  die or are forced to drink a potion to charm them,
  causing them to forget their past and become
  ravers.
  The Ascent — The heroes must climb up a
  mountainside or down into the depths of the earth,
  confronting rock falls, slippery slopes, narrow pas-
  sages, native animals, waterfalls and more. In
  addition to the natural dangers, the ravers may be
  hunting the characters, setting traps or ambushes
  to waylay them.
  The Unwelcome Lands — The characters
  must cross a dangerously hostile, living land, facing
  obstacles such as hazardous terrain, natural dangers
  and deadly flora and fauna. For example, the char-
  acters might encounter the “Burning Lands,” a hot
  lava field of fumaroles, lava flows, steam vents,
  poison gas, toppling stones, exploding rocks, bro-
  ken terrain and eruptions — all lorded over by
  salamanders. Or they may cross the “Frozen Wastes,”
  with snow fields, an icy glacier, treacherous crev-
  ices, ice bridges, dangerous climbs, narrow ledges,
  sudden storms and avalanches ruled by great winged
  wyverns.
  The Gateway — Deep in the heart of the
  Unwelcome Lands, the characters at last find the
  Gateway. This portal is not a gate at all, but a pool
  with a dark, unbreakable surface like black ice.
  Several rune-bearing stones lie around the pool —
  each a line from an incantation. If the characters
  place the runes in the correct pattern, they provide
  the vital clue for opening the portal. This pool
  swallows heat, fire and light. With a great enough
  source of light or fire, the pool remains permeable
  for three rounds. The compass may discern the
  correct pattern and may even act as the key to
  activate this portal. This pool teleports the heroes to
  a new realm formed from the Mists.
  The Lost — Once the Gateway is crossed, the
  land gives way to the “Dance,” a place filled with
  swirling mist and stony ground. Here the heroes
  face their greatest challenge, coming face to face
  with their past. This realm is home to The Lost, a
  race of creatures that can read minds, reshaping the
  Mists and their own forms to recreate events from
  the characters’ past. The characters may become
  lost to wander forever reliving their mistakes or
  falsely believing they have completed their quest.
  Creations of the Lost last less than an hour when
  removed from their presence. The purpose of this
  challenge is to discourage the characters, making
  them turn away from the quest.
  The Verge — As they pass through the
  “Dance,” the characters have several encounters
  with an apparently insurmountable obstacle. This
  is the Verge; it may take many forms — a raging
  river, a flooded plain, a briar patch, razor-sharp
  broken ground, a perilous chasm, a treacherous
  
  49
  To Inherit Eternity
  climb or a steadily advancing danger such as a
  forest fire, rising waters or a swarm of locusts. The
  Verge may appear near most major events turning
  back travelers or redirecting them to one side.
  While the Verge may be crossed by flight or magi-
  cal travel, the only way to proceed with the quest
  is confront it directly. The chance of injury for
  trespassers equals an attack at +8 or a DC 20
  Fortitude save. The amount of damage suffered
  grows by 1d4+1 points per round up to four times,
  causing 1d4+1 the first round, up to 4d4+4 on the
  fourth round. After that the damage decreases by
  the same increments until it reaches zero. When a
  character reaches the other side, he is swallowed by
  the Verge and deposited in a craggy land bare of
  vegetation and filled with shadow.
  The Quickening — This enchanted land is
  devoid of the Lost, the swirling Mists fill it. As the
  characters cross the land, it reshapes itself in re-
  sponse to the emotions and subconscious desires of
  those who pass through it. Strange foliage springs
  from curling mists, odd creatures flit about like
  butterflies and motes of light or serpentine ribbons.
  A mire forms, embodying the heroes’ frustrations;
  a razor-sharp hedgerow reflects their anger. Strange
  phenomena abound — a rain of fire, a trembling
  land, a cacophony of sights and sounds and bizarre
  shape — all to challenge the characters, who must
  learn to control their thoughts and emotions. Once
  they succeed, the manifestations dwindle and then
  fade.
  The Hollow — At the center of the Quicken-
  ing lies the Heart of Darkness, barren and rocky
  with thinning mists, skittering shadows and inky
  pools of blackness. The ground is uncertain, bro-
  ken and filled with slippery patches and pits. The
  ebony pools are dens for creatures of dormant
  living shadows called the Darque. They may attack
  an intruder who draws too close, dragging the
  victim down into the darkness with obsidian ten-
  tacles. They do not pursue the characters until they
  trespass at the Well of Life, when they answer the
  Guardian’s summons and attack. Any one falling
  into a shadow pit may be lost for a time only to
  emerge from another.
  The Guardian —At the Heart of Darkness
  lies the Well of Life, a narrow fissure, barely a
  hand’s with, cutting into the rock. Cooling vapor
  streams from the crack and forms an oily slick and
  a frost of lime on the surrounding rocks. An oddly
  
  50
  Chapter One
  pleasant, yet pungent scent, like roasting spiced
  almonds, infuses the air. The water is greasy and
  has an iridescent sheen on its surface. Inhaling the
  vapors causes dizziness. A dim, shimmering light
  shines from the crevice, illuminating the waters far
  below. Next to the well lies a coil of rope, a
  discarded helmet and a metal dipper smashed flat
  beside what resembles a scabrous severed arm. The
  only other mortal who succeeded in the quest
  protects the Well. Referring to himself as The Last,
  this creature had its life extended without the
  rejuvenation of the flesh. Horrified by his fate, The
  Last took on the duty of guarding the secret of
  Eternity so no other would ever have to suffer as he
  has. The guardian’s putrescent flesh regenerates
  like a troll. In addition, he can continue to sense
  and control his own severed flesh as if it was still
  attached. When attached to another living crea-
  ture, The Last can communicate with and
  manipulate the host through telepathy. Thus, though
  he has sworn never to leave this realm, he may send
  agents to other places to turn heroes away from this
  quest. The severed hand beside the well sounds an
  alarm to alert its creator by banging the helmet
  with the ladle. The Last uses its power to stop
  intruders, including summoning creatures of the
  Darque to attack. The Last cannot be permanently
  slain, but his minions can be destroyed and he can
  be driven off for a time, providing the characters
  with a chance to claim the prize.
  The Well of Life — The waters of eternity seep
  forth from a wellspring deep within a narrow fault
  in the substrata of the misty land, forming a deep
  black well. The warmed waters pool 15 feet below
  the narrow gap beyond arms-reach. Something the
  size of a fist may be lowered into the crevice to draw
  water or the vapors may be collected on a cloth and
  wrung out. A danger is associated with this natural
  fountain, however, for once an hour the pressure
  builds and a geyser of scalding water gushes skyward
  for three rounds. This geyser also erupts if some-
  thing weighty or liquid is dropped into the well.
  The cascading waters spread a gleaming dew on
  everything and make the ground slippery, requir-
  ing a DC 15 Reflex save to stand or flee the area.
  The fluids pool in hollows of nearby rocks, seeping
  into the ground and evaporating in ten minutes.
  This water possesses only minor curative powers
  and frequently causes delusions in those who drink
  it.
  The Ambient — The glimmering light of the
  pool and dew is actually a living entity, named the
  Ambient by The Last. The Ambient is the true
  source of immortality. When anyone tampers with
  the waters of eternity or if the Well erupts, the
  creature rouses. Playful at first, the Ambient toys
  with intruders, dazzling them with light shows and
  manipulations of the Mist. Eventually, the crea-
  ture coalesces into a floating blob of light as the
  play becomes more challenging. It may provoke an
  attack from the characters. If attacked, the Ambi-
  ent becomes more aggressive. It absorbs any creature
  it slays, gaining 1 point of energy for every hit point
  its victim had. It also feeds on energy attacks (1
  point per point of damage), spells (5 points per spell
  level) and magic items (5 points per charge, 10
  points per magical plus). Once the ambient be-
  comes satiated (150 points), it stops attacking and
  grants one creature’s desire, then retreats. Since
  this entity does not comprehend human desires, its
  gift of immortality this time takes the form of
  trapping the chosen one forever in the form of a
  silver statue, aware but unable to move or speak for
  all eternity.
  Escape — Once a gift is given, the guardian
  returns to send the survivors home through an-
  other shadowy portal or on the back of one of the
  Darque. He keeps the new immortal by his side
  since only he can hear the being’s thoughts.
  Epilogue — Once the characters return home,
  they discover that the compass is missing. Without
  it, they can never return. They have not left empty-
  handed, however, for each has been given a piece
  of the light, which affects each individual in a
  different way permanently. Some changes the DM
  might consider include gaining a sixth sense (the
  character is never surprised), acquiring an immu-
  nity to charm spells, developing an ability to see as
  if possessing darkvision, or 1d4 permanent increase
  of one ability score. Though a character may not
  repeat this quest, she may become involved with
  one of the factions searching for The One or else
  quest to find Eternity’s Bane.
  Variations on a Theme:
  Stage Directions
   story is only a framework, it is not an
  adventure. A DM and her players should
  interpret a story in much the same way
  that a director and his actors approach a
  play, adding costumes, makeup, scen-
  ery, lighting, props and stage sets to produce a story
  with a unique vision. A DM should adapt the tale
  
  51
  To Inherit Eternity
  must to fit her campaign as well as the players’
  interests and styles. The story-turned-adventure
  needs careful choreography that creates sense of
  growing horror and mounting tension while pro-
  viding just enough rewards and unveilings to give
  the characters hope and keep the players inter-
  ested. Most importantly, the DM may alter the
  story to make the adventure her own creation. This
  section explores some of the possible ways To
  Inherit Eternity may be transformed into a heroic
  quest.
  Character Levels
  Since a story does not define the level of
  challenge, the DM needs to create or modify each
  encounter to challenge his players’ characters. The
  DM should consider the number and type of oppo-
  nents the heroes encounter, the amount and nature
  of potential damage plus any special attacks that
  antagonists may inflict, the chances to rest and
  recover between events and the value and fre-
  quency of clues, treasures and other rewards by
  utilizing the creature Challenge Ratings and event
  and special attack Difficulty Class. Other factors
  may help create a satisfying, but not overwhelming
  adventure to match the heroes’ levels. Consider
  the following:
  Low-level adventure parties — These groups
  have limited resources and are easily slain. To
  compensate, the DM should emphasize storytelling,
  role-playing and drama over combat and death
  traps. Consider replacing deadly encounters with
  implied or potential danger. Imagine what novice
  adventurers would do if they saw a dragon fly past
  — most would seek cover and pray that the dragon
  flies away. Instead of the heroes facing death di-
  rectly, the DM should have them encounter the
  aftermath of deadly combat. The characters may
  discover bodies or suffer injury rescuing others from
  accidents. Heroes can receive able assistance from
  other characters to help keep them alive. The Dm
  an reduce fatalities by altering the effects of damage
  — knockouts instead of death, restraining traps
  instead of impaling stakes, paralysis instead of
  petrification. Poison could cause delirium or weak-
  ness instead of ability drains or death. With reduced
  dangers, the DM should also reduce magical trea-
  sures. Rewards should be commensurate to the
  challenges faced: a flask containing an exploding
  alchemical concoction instead of a magic weapon.
  With low-level heroes, the DM should insert
  more ominous but not deadly events, such as omens,
  warnings and threats. For the dinner party adven-
  ture, consider replacing some of the murders with
  incapacitating injuries and traps that make it im-
  practical for the victim to go forward. Injuries such
  as a concussion or broken leg, or a poison that puts
  its victim to sleep or makes him too sick to con-
  tinue can serve to create a feeling of impending
  doom in the preliminary stages of the scenario. The
  DM may weaken or eliminate creature attacks, if
  necessary. Damage against characters may be halved
  or changed to subdual damage, resulting in knock-
  outs instead of death. Provide each creature with a
  weakness or phobia, something to demoralize them
  or cause them to flee, such as fire or a deity’s name.
  The DM can have a creature concentrate attacks
  against an unimportant NPC, dramatizing that
  character’s death to underscore the real danger to
  the characters. Instead of fighting to the death, the
  heroes may have the option of fleeing or hiding. A
  desperate chase and near discovery raises tension
  without endangering the characters. Instead of
  being crushed by a falling cabinet, the character
  may attempt a Reflex save to avoid injury entirely.
  Failure might mean bruising damage and a narrow
  escape from death. Saving throws can be a useful
  tool to help keep a hero alive. If an attack or hazard
  would kill the character, permit a Fortitude save,
  with success meaning the character is stunned for
  a number of rounds equal to the damage he would
  have suffered and failure rendering the character
  unconscious for the same amount of time. Either
  way, the character survives. Another way to create
  a sense of fear is to alter the environment — plunge
  a room into darkness, and the heroes will not know
  what is happening, allowing the DM to pull his
  punches. Rewards should be reduced for low-level
  characters, replacing permanent magic items with
  single-use items, such as scrolls or potions. Encour-
  age the characters by letting them gain vital
  information or clues and warnings of the next
  encounter so that they may plan a winning strat-
  egy. The DM should give reasonable solutions a
  good chance of success. Here are some things that
  may be altered for a low-level adventure.
  Dinner Party — The heroes should have the
  chance to perform heroic deeds, such as saving the
  poisoned victim, deciphering the dark sun clue and
  finding his lordship’s notebook. In the final scene,
  permit one of the PCs to disarm the murderer with
  the thrown coffer and then resolve the finale with
  each hero fighting their own incarnation of the
  villain. It requires a coordinated attack to defeat
  their foe.
  
  52
  Chapter One
  Quest for Immortality — The heroes should
  have the opportunity to save their guide’s life; he
  shows his gratitude by saving them again and again.
  The DM can choreograph a desperate chase across
  the Unwelcome Land using its natural dangers to
  create an obstacle course. Failed ability checks and
  saves should place the characters in peril, but they
  should be able to survive after several minutes of
  terror. The Lost may recreate a hazardous encoun-
  ter for the heroes, but a clever strategy should
  eliminate this danger easily. The Quickening should
  present only a cinematic distraction but have no
  real affect on the heroes. The DM may modify the
  final scene so that the characters suffer no real
  danger or achieve a real reward. For instance, they
  may never cross the Verge, thus making the final
  scene just another illusionary event of the Lost to
  misdirect the characters and make them think they
  have won. The characters may never encounter
  the Ambient, having to deal instead with the
  Guardian and a field of animated fallen limbs and
  darque pools that expel the heroes in the end.
  Lastly, if the DM desires to play the master quest
  through to the end, he should give the prize of
  immortality to one of the NPCs by apparently
  transforming her into a metal statue or a millen-
  nium tree that lives 1000 years. This transformation
  is actually a shell created around the victim from
  the Mist’s proto-matter.
  Mid-level adventure parties — Designing for
  mid-level characters requires a balancing act. On
  the one hand, characters have more resources and
  hit points to aid in their survival. On the other
  hand, they usually possess a limited amount of
  magical equipment and have limited choices, which
  make predicting their responses to any encounter
  difficult. Mid-level characters also tend to resolve
  everything with combat or by through Ability or
  Skill checks. The DM should encourage other
  solutions, such as negotiation, retreat or problem-
  solving. In response to character actions, the DM
  should show the players how their choices effect
  not only a single encounter but the rest of the
  adventure. A choice to aid an NPC can create an
  ally who may later help the heroes or whose troubles
  or danger draw the characters into another adven-
  ture. Making another character look like a fool may
  earn his animosity and ultimately his betrayal later
  during the adventure. In this manner, the heroes
  become active participants in the story and not just
  pieces in a combat game.
  With mid-level characters, the DM should
  provide several avenues for resolving each encoun-
  ter. For instance, a potential accident, such as a
  cave-in, could leave a character in a perilous situ-
  ation from which he must be rescued. To do so,
  players must develop different solutions that will
  minimize risk and injury to both the victim and the
  rescuers. A trap may possess a series of dangers and
  triggers that must be discerned and disarmed. A
  hostage situation may be resolved through negotia-
  tion, subterfuge, surprise or a trap instead of combat.
  A creature may need to be defeated twice, possess
  an unknown power or summon unexpected help.
  With more clever solutions, the DM may want to
  provide better rewards, such as an extra dose of
  healing potion, a hidden chamber filled with rubies
  in the pommel of a dagger or an additional clue.
  The DM may require additional actions in order to
  obtain the prize, but this encourages players to view
  solving a problem as the best reward. Here are some
  specific things the DM can change for a mid-level
  scenario.
  Dinner Party — The DM may alter the mur-
  ders to make them events the heroes may strive to
  prevent. Any plot-necessitated murders may occur
  offstage, giving the characters the feeling that they
  have prevented some murders without destroying
  the believability and cleverness of the killer. The
  DM may elevate accidents to make them more
  deadly and traps to make them more devious.
  While heroes are likely to investigate any attacks
  or accidents to determine their cause, the villain
  can be busy planting evidence on others and help-
  ing mislead the heroes with his suggestions and
  false clues. The storytelling technique for mysteries
  consists of pointing all evidence in the direction of
  one suspect only to provide an alibi for or the
  suspect or have the main suspect become another
  victim. This requires that the investigation start
  over with a new suspect. Often the true villain will
  make himself look like a victim to throw the heroes
  off his trail. A likely trail of suspects is Charles —
  who found the first body, Master Currin — who,
  though unpopular is then poisoned, Father Daniel
  — who disappears only to resurface as a corpse, the
  clerk— whose knowledge leads to his incapacita-
  tion and one of the merchant’s associates, who is
  always nearby when someone dies. For the final
  battle, the heroes should be stunned and paralyzed
  when they try to attack the villain, but should be
  the ones that notice he avoids the NPC wearing
  the heirloom. They can then encourage that one to
  attack their common foe.
  
  53
  To Inherit Eternity
  Quest for Immortality — In this epic quest,
  the different factions should react with intelli-
  gence to the characters’ actions and take steps to
  deny them vital clues or to steal important items.
  The characters experience delays when they must
  then detour from the quest to recover important
  clues and treasures. The DM should add one or two
  competing forces either just behind or just ahead of
  the characters. These opponents might be rival
  questers or cult members seeking to “redeem” the
  heroes or a posse pursuing the heroes for some
  imagined crime. These forces make it harder to
  secure vital information and items. They also serve
  as delaying tactics or distractions. In some in-
  stances, the opponents may themselves become
  victims, enhancing the feeling that the challenges
  are deadlier than they are. The Ravers can provide
  a constant threat once the heroes step onto the
  path to the Heart of Darkness eventually. Seeing
  this group perish in a titanic battle while the
  characters cross the Unwelcome Lands provides a
  boost to the danger factor without directly placing
  the characters at risk. The Lost and the Verge
  should present a bit of a conundrum resulting in
  several failed attempts to pass through. The Darque
  can assume several forms, from living terrain to
  shadow warriors to ravening hounds. The Guard-
  ian should mount a clever stratagem of hit and run
  with his minions until the Ambient is summoned,
  after which they fade away. The final prize should
  involve the corruption of a wish or the effects of
  time dilation on the recipient. Upon leaving this
  realm, the affected individual either suffers a “Rip
  Van Winkle” effect or finds himself many years in
  the future — with or without his companions as the
  DM chooses.
  High-level adventure parties — High-level
  characters pose a challenge for the DM because
  that they are harder to kill, possess many more
  curatives and have access to powerful magic and
  weapons. It is often difficult to threaten them
  without resorting to overkill— even more power-
  ful foes and too many rewards. This leads to an
  unsavory escalation that soon takes away the DM’s
  gentle control of the adventure and leads to heavy
  handedness. Thus, high-level adventures need to
  focus more on the players’ participation in the
  story-telling aspects of the game. The DM should
  develop wily strategies and feints for any event,
  creatively using the powers and resources available
  to the creatures encountered. Concentrate on the
  entertainment value of an encounter; use misdi-
  rection. Present events that require problem-solv-
  ing and occasional bouts of action.
  Keep the players on their toes by assigning the
  game statistics of one creature to another creature
  (who has been shapechanged). Make potential
  allies look like threats and dangerous creatures
  seem friendly. Another way to challenge high-
  level characters is to use attacks and threats that
  either have higher Challenge Ratings or that ig-
  nore ability bonuses, armor or both. Traps have the
  best chance to threaten high-level heroes. Gas,
  heat, cold, sonic, magic and deadfalls pretty much
  ignore armor. Drowning, pit traps, falling and burial
  beneath an avalanche or cave-in turn armor into a
  disadvantage. Energy-draining and magic-eating
  creatures are more attracted to powerful charac-
  ters. So are brigands and con men. Magic and
  binding prove effective despite a victim’s armor.
  Treasures can possess both advantages and disad-
  vantages, forcing high-level characters to cope
  with such objects as a sword that can slay
  lycanthropes but also buzzes in the presence of a
  shape-changer and may even summon werebeasts
  so that it can slay them. Here are some specific
  changes to make with the adventures based on To
  Inherit Eternity.
  Dinner Party — The player characters may
  become the targets of assassination attempts. The
  murderer tries to form a secret alliance with one or
  more of the characters in an effort to ferret out the
  villain. In addition, multiple plot lines may inter-
  act simultaneously. For example, the Guardian
  may attempt to recruit more agents by using his
  fingers or his eye to control of a lesser NPC in an
  effort to protect the innocents and discover the
  villain. When one of his agents dies, however, the
  characters can discover the symbiotic flesh and
  may think that the Guardian is behind the killings.
  The immortal does not know of the existence of
  the Guardian; therefore any information that he
  might gain would prove incredibly valuable to him.
  The characters might choose some of the variable
  elements of the story through their actions. For
  instance, the writer’s tale is based on an item she
  selects. Instead, permit the heroes to select one of
  the six items and plan an appropriate story around
  it. In the final battle the DM should be as creative
  as possible to challenge his players. What if the
  villain can utilize two of the time manipulation
  abilities instead of just one, catching himself in a
  recurring loop as a result. Alternately, the heir-
  loom might fall into a player character’s hands,
  
  54
  Chapter One
  causing him to share some of The One’s memories
  and to believe that he is the immortal until, in the
  end, the true immortal picks up the heirloom. The
  DM may select other events for the final encoun-
  ter. The ultimate prize would be to save the curator’s
  life and salvage as much of the manor as possible.
  Quest for Immortality — With high-level
  characters, the DM may use the complete array of
  factions available for this adventure, even includ-
  ing the Darklord of any realm the quest crosses.
  Present each episode or encounter in layers that
  the characters must slowly peel back to discover
  the true nature of the event. For example, at the
  beacon, the heroes may at first believe the place
  abandoned. They must avoid “accidents” that are
  really animations of the lighthouse. They might
  mistake the keeper for some frightening creature,
  eventually coming to accept him as benign and
  even helpful. He has been chased from the light-
  house and needs to get the light lit again to drive off
  the bad spirits. Not until the keeper makes peace
  with these spirits of the ones who have gone before
  will the heroes be able to complete their task. Final
  encounters in this saga should be complex and
  personal, directed against each hero’s strengths
  and weaknesses. Ultimately, the price or curse of
  immortality should fall on one of the player char-
  acters if they can beat the challenge despite the
  communication gap.
  Stories and Associated Adventures
  While the DM may create variations on the
  premise of this saga. Perhaps the immortal is a
  shape-changing fiend who has lost his memory and
  thinks he was once mortal. The Ambient might
  have created the “quest” to bring it prey and
  playthings. Immortality may be living many differ-
  ent lives through different incarnations and times.
  Alternately, the role of the Immortal may be an
  office passed down from one family member to the
  next. It may be a plot by a mobile dark lord to select
  replacement bodies when his current mortal shell
  fails. Thus, it is really the immortal who inherits
  the body of one of his candidates marked with his
  symbol of the eclipsed sun rather than a hero who
  claims the prize for himself. Here are some other
  possibilities for variations on this story. The fac-
  tion served by the story appears in parentheses after
  the story’s “title.”
  Crossing Evil’s Path (Cult) —The One is
  evil and does seek to corrupt others by convincing
  them to perform questionable acts in its service.
  The Great Lie (Cult) — For the One’s amuse-
  ment, the heroes must face a deadly challenge that
  the One could easily defeat on his own.
  We Hate What We Don’t Understand
  (Scholar) — The heroes are caught up in a mob
  mentality, hunting The One until he saves their
  lives and rewards them with the secret of realm
  crossings.
  The Fugitive (Scholar) —A helpful stranger
  saves the characters’ lives. They feel a need to help
  him evade those pursuing him, thus becoming
  fugitives, too.
  Forever is Misery (Guardian) — The Guard-
  ian leads the characters in discovering the existence
  of a beneficiary of The One’s light that has left him
  alive forever, but in a body that is slowly rotting
  and in agony. They must bring an end to his
  suffering.
  The New One (Guardian) — This one is evil
  and must be stopped. Since he cannot be killed, he
  must be weakened by Eternity’s Bane and then
  placed in an eternal prison somewhere.
  The Unluckiest Man (The One) —Falling
  into the company of this man, we learn how misfor-
  tune befalls all who befriend him, because he steals
  their good luck in order to survive. There is no
  karma life when death comes calling.
  The Last Survivor (The One) — A rescue is
  necessary because the villain is still alive and
  winning. All but one of his opponents are dead.
  The remaining hero must make sure the enemy is
  not the last survivor. This works particularly well
  for solo-adventures or with a party of characters
  coming to the rescue of one near-death NPC.
  The Gift of Eternity (Curator) – While this
  story begins with a quest to help save someone who
  is dying of old age or disease, ends with self-sacrifice
  and giving to others: “The gift you seek is not mine to
  give; but I can give you another – meaning! Fear not
  death, fear insignificance.”
  Settings
  This adventure may occur in any realm that
  possesses towns to provide heroes with access to the
  basic necessities and supplies for adventuring. Eu-
  ropean-based realms such as Borca, Darkon,
  Dementlieu, Hazlan, Invidia, Nova Vaasa and
  Richemulot are excellent starting points. More
  bizarre realms and corrupt lands such as Tepest,
  Vechor, the Sea of Sorrows or Markovia lend
  themselves to settings for later events in the saga.
  The final part of the adventure is set within a
  
  55
  To Inherit Eternity
  region of the Mists that is no part of any known
  realm and must be accessed via a magical portal
  hidden in one of the fey realms, such as the Shadow
  Rift, Keening, the Nocturnal Sea, or one of the
  floating realms including the Clusters, The Islands
  of Terror and the Shadow Lands. The DM should
  decide which realms he wants his heroes to visit. If
  the adventure requires the heroes to cross a realm’s
  border, the DM must introduce some story element
  to explain how this is easily achieved. For instance,
  a Vistani elder might agree to act as a guide for the
  heroes; alternately, once the magical compass is
  located, it may use its power to temporarily open a
  closed border. (If this is the case, make certain the
  compass “disappears” when the adventure is com-
  plete!)
  The start of the final adventure should be
  placed in an awe-inspiring hidden realm especially
  designed by the DM for this saga. Present awesome
  vistas such as towering mountain peaks or an
  emerald oasis cupped between gently drifting dunes.
  At once both alien and unknown, this mini-realm
  should possess an inherently dangerous quality.
  Some possible locations to consider are: The Nar-
  row Sea — a land of subterranean canals; The
  Endless Woods — gigantic prehistoric jungle; The
  Dreaming —a land of drifting sands, mirages and
  projected images; The Sunken — a realm hidden
  in the watery deep; — an impossible land that
  floats in the sky; The Crags — a windy aerie built
  on the side of jagged cliffs; The Unseen — a vast
  ruin with phantom, but very real dangers; The
  Cauldron — a mile-wide crater veiled by bubbling
  mists; The Summit — a perilous climb to a mystical
  shrine; The In-Between — a place lost between the
  borders of two realms in the veiling mists; and
  Reflections — a dream land of mirrors.
  Character Identities
  Though the original story casts the immortal
  One and his counterpart, the Guardian, in the
  roles of a gentleman fop and a scarred veteran
  respectively, the DM may wish to change the
  masks they wear to create some unpredictability. In
  this event, the DM should use the character profile
  presented for the guise these characters adopt in
  conjunction with the personality of each immor-
  tal. For instance, The One may assume the roles of
  clerk, writer, apprentice, priest or soldier, while the
  Guardian may where the mask of the merchant,
  servant, scholar, cult member or gentleman. Coin-
  ciding with any changes, the killer should adopt
  another guise as well. As a matter of fact, the DM
  may reassign all the roles with any of the personali-
  ties present. Any alterations in identities requires
  the DM to make any adjustments necessary to
  insure the desired outcome of the adventure.
  Story Perspective
  Though a play restricts the actors’ roles and
  lines, characters encountered in an adventure need
  not be so restricted. As each player adds his or her
  own perspective to the story and the hero’s actions,
  the DM may also provide major characters with
  backgrounds and motives that spurs them to follow
  their own agenda, whether on stage or not. While
  The One may choose to encourage new candi-
  dates, either overtly or clandestinely, his influence
  is felt throughout an adventure. The DM uses the
  other three factions to shape the challenges the
  heroes face. Members of the Cult of Light may
  pursue any and all leads in their efforts to destroy
  the Evil One and purify any who may have been
  misled. Agents of the Last seek to intercept, infil-
  trate and dissuade anyone from pursuing this quest.
  And, of course, the kind Dr. Cameron will attempt
  to follow any who have encountered the One in
  order to lend assistance to the immortal and hinder
  the heroes.
  Ravenloft adventures pioneered changeable
  sagas through the use of randomized game elements
  using a storytelling device to foreshadow and select
  the nature and location of elements in a specific
  scenario, thus making the adventure new every
  time it is played. Another way the DM can alter a
  story so that it is different with each play is to
  change the perspective from which the tale is
  approached. The original story premise has the
  heroes retracing the One’s fateful quest either to
  unravel his mystery or to claim the prize for their
  own. But this story may be told from other points
  of view. The heroes can be initiated into the secrets
  of the Cult of Light to help fight the machinations
  of the Evil One. They might, instead, become
  willing accomplices of the Last and his agents to
  save The One’s latest dupes from their folly. Con-
  sider casting them in the role of hired help for the
  doctor. Imagine his delight when he learns there is
  not only one immortal, there are two!
  Changing Elements:
  Their Nature and Location
  A common device used to create suspense and
  a sense of dread in a horror story is to present the
  protagonists with a foreshadowing of their future.
  
  56
  Chapter One
  Ravenloft adventures use different devices to fore-
  tell the future and to randomly select and place a
  variety of key elements in the paths of the heroes,
  such as a fortune telling with the Tarokka cards,
  the reading of a villain’s journal, a storyteller’s
  musings, or a session with a mesmerist. Each method
  presents a multi-plot story with several points
  where the players, the DM or a randomizer, such as
  rolling dice or drawing a card, determines a specific
  element in the story.
  To Inherit Eternity may use story interruptions
  where key elements are determined by changeable
  clues. The DM may choose which clue to use or
  may draw a random card from the Tarokka deck.
  Another wan to choose involves rolling 1d6 (to
  select a suit) followed by 1d12 (to select a numeri-
  cal value). On a roll of “6” or “12” the DM chooses
  which clue to use or uses the original story element.
  If a six-sided die is used to determine the suit:
  1 = Coins, 2 = Swords, 3 = Stars, 4 = Glyphs, and
  5 = Fortuna Magna or the high arcana. These
  represent: 1 = rogues, dwarves, craftsmen and trea-
  sures, 2 = warriors, weapons and fire, 3 = wizards,
  scholars, deduction and wind, 4 = priests, spiritual-
  ity, law, intuition, emotions and water, and 5 =
  fate, chance, eldritch powers, and light or energy.
  If the Tarokka deck is used to pick a number
  from 1 to 10, and a low arcane card is drawn use the
  card’s value. If a Fortuna Magna or high arcana card
  is drawn use the following numerical assignments:
  The Dark Master = 1, The Artifact = 2, The
  Horseman = 3, The Hangman = 4, The Spirit = 5,
  The Broken One = 6, The Raven = 7, The Inno-
  cent = 8, The Marionette = 9, The Prison = 10. The
  last four cards are assigned the number 11 and are
  masters of one of the suits of the lesser arcane: The
  Temptress = 11 (Coins), The Mists = 11 (Stars),
  The Beast = 11 (Glyphs), and The Hero = 11
  (Swords).
  The Gift
  The gift of the Ambient is capricious and
  never manifests itself the same way twice. Its form
  may depend on the circumstances of a candidate or
  a character’s mindset at the time immortality is
  claimed. The DM should decide what form this
  power takes for one who claims the prize. Regard-
  less of the variable nature of this supposed blessing,
  the result is that the gifted one cannot die, at least
  not in any common manner. The new immortal
  still feels all the pain and suffering of mortal inju-
  ries and may even develop new phobias as a result,
  but she eventually recovers from their finality in
  some manner that allows her to continue her
  eternal struggles. Since the realms of Ravenloft are
  rife with irony, the DM should select a form for this
  gift somehow linked to the character’s fears, nem-
  esis, past struggles or the type of vulnerability that
  the immortal will suffer from for all eternity. Here
  are a few corruptions of this gift that the DM might
  consider:
  · The body becomes debilitated, scarred and
  crippled with age, afflicted by new frailties. The
  candidate becomes obsessed with healing arts or
  finding a new body.
  · The character becomes an undead creature,
  plagued with the attendant curses and limitations,
  or an incorporeal creature, unable to act directly
  upon the physical world other than to offer counsel
  or by temporarily possessing another creature.
  · The character is magic-jarred, imprisoned
  in some form as a statue or gem or changed into
  something with a long existence, such as a tree,
  tortoise, symbiote or mountain. The candidate acts
  through confederates or bonds with another crea-
  ture to see and act through their body.
  · The character claims immortality by steal-
  ing life from others, either in the traditional manner
  of an energy-draining creature or through canni-
  balism or bargaining for or stealing souls. This life
  theft should require performance of some unsavory
  action that might be viewed as monstrous by mere
  mortals such as desiccating a corpse, drinking blood
  or shedding one’s skin.
  · Life is not really endless only the eternal
  existence of the soul is. The candidate’s spirit can
  never know rest. Either it is fated to continually
  repeat the cycle of its original tragic life or it is
  reincarnated in the body of a blood relative, evict-
  ing the resident soul and dooming that creature to
  a ghostly exile until their mortal form at last dies.
  The evicted spirit often haunts the candidate.
  The Final Movement
  Even with the completion of the major quest,
  the DM may continue to permit this saga to influ-
  ence his heroes’ lives for years to come as they are
  sought by other questers and hunted enemies of
  immortality. What happens next is just a matter of
  time.
  
  57
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  Chapter Two:
  The Cur<e of
  A<hington
  Manor
  Chapter Two:
  The Cur<e of
  A<hington
  Manor
  
  58
  Chapter Two
  The Story
  ou have the look of a treasure seeker or
  monster hunter, if I’m not wrong? You
  know, the sort of bloke who wanders the
  domains in search of wrongs to right and
  maidens to save. I know of a place where
  you might find monsters and treasures, but the maiden
  has long been beyond salvation. Her undead rage
  continues to claim victims, and so it will forever be
  until her spirit is laid to rest.
  “Not far from here stands a house that once was
  home to the last member of a family long since fallen
  from nobility to the depths of evil and corruption. Lord
  Herod Ashington by name, this dark hearted fiend and
  his equally corrupt fellows would ride the surrounding
  countryside in search of maidens to terrorize and
  brutalize for their amusement.
  “One night, Ashington and his minions came
  upon a lone Vistani girl who had been separated from
  her clan, and they captured her and brought her back
  to Ashington Manor. Ashington was a dabbler in black
  magic, and he knew counter charms that protected him
  and his friends from the Vistani girl’s evil eye.
  “Instead of merely taking her virtue, Ashington
  and the others decided to take advantage of the Vistani
  in other ways. Ashington was having a party that
  night, and he promised her freedom if she would tell his
  guests’ fortunes with her tarokka deck. She begged him
  to not make her use her tarokka deck in a frivolous
  fashion, tried to make them see that the mysterious
  forces that give Vistani their foresight do not appreciate
  being taken lightly. Ashington promised her that she
  would welcome death if she didn’t do what he asked,
  and the fearful girl acquiesced.
  “As the Vistani girl turned the cards and interpreted
  what Fate had in store for her captors, futures containing
  nothing but death and misery emerged. Ashington’s
  friends grew fearful. Furious, Ashington demanded that
  she use her mummery in a way that would entertain, not
  terrorize, his guests. He said he would give her one last
  chance and commanded her to tell his fortune and in-
  structed her to make it a bright one.
  “The girl again pleaded with Ashington, trying to
  make him understand that the dire predictions were not
  her doing but instead a reflection of the forces he was
  making her toy with. He would hear nothing of it,
  however, and commanded her to entertain her betters
  or suffer dearly.
  “Trembling with fear, the girl started to lay the
  cards. Every card she revealed was from the Fortuna
  Magna, the most powerful cards in the tarokka deck,
  and they were the cards that represented the darkest of
  
  59
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  fates. As she was about to reveal the final card,
  Ashington’s patience ran out. He never stood for his
  peers defying his will, so he wasn’t going to allow a
  Vistani wench to do so either. He pounced upon her
  with a drawn dagger, and drove the blade deep into her
  chest. As life fled from her body, however, she uttered
  a curse: “You will never escape the bond of tarokka,
  Herod Ashington, until the last card is laid, and no one
  will ever leave alive unless I do.”
  “Ashington laughed as the girl breathed her last, but
  his guests began to panic. They believed the power of the
  Vistani was stronger than the minor magic commanded by
  Ashington. Already caught up in bloodlust, Ashington
  turned on the guests and slew them all for siding against
  him with the Vistani girl. Some of the guests fought back,
  and Ashington himself was mortally wounded. The
  servants of the house fled the slaughter, leaving their
  “betters” to kill one another. When they returned with
  men-at-arms from a neighboring fief the next day, they
  found nothing but the dead in the house. Mysteriously,
  Ashington and the Vistani girl’s body were both missing,
  as was the tarokka deck the girl had used. The magical
  tomes and items that Ashington had collected over the
  years were missing as well.
  “A likely explanation, of course, is that between
  the flight of the servants and their return, is that the
  Vistani girl’s clan managed to find her, and they took
  her body with them as they looted the house. The claim
  that Ashington, too, was missing might be just so much
  elaboration to make the story seem more sinister.
  However, there is more to it that just this. A curse rests
  over the house, a curse that manifests itself every
  fifteen or so years to claim all who live within its walls.
  “Years after the deaths and disappearances, a
  pious cousin of the family tried to convert the manor
  house into a hospice and center of worship devoted to
  Hala. These kindhearted souls were the first to be
  claimed by the curse, as their leader apparently went
  mad one night and murdered everyone as they slept.
  Then, a local highwayman tried to mend his wicked
  ways by starting an honest business that converted the
  old Ashington Manor into an inn. It operated for a
  decade before guests and staff were all mysteriously
  slain in a night of brutality. Finally, a doctor from
  Dementlieu tried to use the place as an asylum for the
  insane. One night, the doctor himself was seized by
  madness and he led the most dangerous of patients in
  an attack against the rest of the staff. The building was
  set ablaze, and no one but a few hopelessly mad people
  lived to tell the tale. The building is now an abandoned,
  crumbling and flame-ravaged hulk. Only vermin and
  the most desperate of outlaws venture near the place.
  “Yes, the deadly events at Ashington Manor were
  decades apart, so one could claim that it is merely
  coincidence and happenstance that so much pointless
  violence and so many lives have been lost within the same
  walls. But there is linking factor. Over the years, clerics
  of Hala, guests and servers at the inn, and workers at the
  insane asylum all reported seeing a Vistani girl seated in
  what was the manor’s grand hall, turning cards from a
  tarokka deck as though she was telling someone’s fortune.
  If approached, she vanished. If simply observed, she
  vanishes before she places the last card. Obviously, her
  spirit is still there in the house, attempting to finish
  Ashington’s fortune, as well as lending power to the curse
  she uttered so long ago.
  “Hm? Treasure? Well, the missing arcana that
  Ashington once owned should be worth a pretty penny.
  Unless the Vistani did indeed swoop down on the place
  and carry off the corpses and magic, it’s all got to be in
  the ruins somewhere, right? And there’s always that
  ghost and the curse to get rid of. It would be quite a coup
  to find the treasure and rid that property of its curse, as
  well. Who knows? Maybe you could be the ones to
  actually claim the place successfully.”
  The Truth
  Eighty-five years ago, almost to the day when
  the characters hear the tale of Ashington Manor,
  Lord Herod Ashington murdered 17-year-old
  Rozaleen, because he was upset by the fortune the
  Vistani girl was telling with her tarokka deck. With
  her dying breath, she cursed Ashington and all in
  the house. That might have been all, if it wasn’t for
  the fact that Rozaleen’s tarokka deck was far more
  powerful than a normal deck. The mystic energies
  that have been focused in the house because of the
  incomplete fortune have been causing a rough
  approximation of the final night of Rozaleen and
  Ashington to repeat itself every 17 years. Those
  same energies have been tearing at the very fabric
  of time and space and now, as the cycle repeats
  itself for the fifth time — the Five of Swords was to
  have been the final card placed — the deck’s power
  has reached a boiling point. If the curse isn’t
  resolved and the fortune completed this time
  around, Ashington Manor and all within it will be
  lost forever in the Mists of Ravenloft.
  Using the “The Curse of
  Ashington Manor”
  “The Curse of Ashington Manor” is a “haunted
  house” tale with an extensive twist. The restless
  spirit of a Vistani girl haunts the house due to a
  
  60
  Chapter Two
  curse she laid, but mystical energies brought for-
  ward by a tarokka deck of mysterious origins and
  even more mysterious power has empowered the
  curse to spectacular degree — the house itself has
  become a type of ghost. Four different hauntings
  take place within it, causing it to shift between the
  current, modern-day version and manifestations of
  the four previous versions where Rozaleen’s curse
  came to its full manifestation. As the energies
  focused by the tarokka deck fall in on themselves,
  the house transforms at random into previous ver-
  sions of itself that are not inhabited by actual
  phantoms of those who were present but instead
  replaced by hybrid versions of those who were in
  the house when Rozaleen died. For the characters,
  the house becomes a strange kaleidoscope where
  clues to their escape commingle with deadly threats
  to their lives. As the characters move through the
  house, it keeps changing between the various in-
  carnations it has seen. The house shifts from the
  present to multiple pasts, seemingly at random,
  causing it to transform from a burned out ruin, to
  the home of a nobleman, to an inn, to a hospice or
  to an insane asylum.
  This scenario is structured in such a way to
  allow the DM to use the Ravenloft tarokka deck
  both as a prop and as a randomizer that determines
  what version of the house manifests when it changes,
  and perhaps even to determine the way to lift the
  curse upon the house (in a tradition that dates back
  to the classic Tracy and Laura Hickman adventure
  that inspired the setting).
  Preparing to Use This Material
  The first step the DM needs to take is to review
  “Chapter Four: Parting the Mists” in the Ravenloft
  Dungeon Master’s Guide. A tarokka reading is
  central to the events that have brought the curse
  down upon Ashington Manor, and the PCs may
  witness Rozaleen laying the Basic Cross pattern,
  either alive or as a haunt. Further, if the DM
  doesn’t have access to a tarokka deck but instead
  chooses to use a standard deck of cards or a tarot
  deck in its place, he needs to know which suits
  replace the references to the tarokka suits.
  The next step involves reading this entire chap-
  ter. The ever-shifting nature of Ashington Manor
  requires that the DM be familiar with its incarnations
  and with those within it. Reading “What Has Gone
  Before,” the descriptions of the various incarnations
  of the characters populating Ashington Manor, and
  the descriptions of the house are particularly keys for
  a successful use of the material. It also gives the DM
  a sense of whether he thinks an ever-rotating mix of
  five different versions of the same place is too com-
  plicated (or perhaps too frustrating for the players)
  for him to run. He can eliminate one or more of the
  versions—the two most important ones are the cur-
  rent version — The Ruins — and the one in which
  Rozaleen is about to murdered by Lord Ashington.
  The others could conceivably be cut and reused at
  some future date — with, for example, the version of
  the house that is Dr. Ildgaard’s asylum being a com-
  pletely separate location. Similarly, the DM can
  divorce the “Jack and Queens” inn from this sce-
  nario, instead holding it in reserve for a time when
  the characters take up lodgings at an isolated road-
  house.
  To reduce the number of available versions of
  the house, the DM merely has to decide what the
  tarokka suits tied to the versions he gets rid of
  represent. These suits can either be reassigned to
  the versions of the house that are being kept, or
  they can be treated as “no change” — when they
  come up, no change is triggered, even though the
  description of the house calls for one.
  What Has Gone Before:
  The Full History of the Curse of
  Ashington Manor
  The curse of Ashington Manor first formed
  when a teenaged Vistani girl named Rozaleen ran
  away from her family after an argument with her
  father. Rozaleen felt she was old enough to assume
  the mantle her mother had worn —that of a seer so
  powerful that even other Vistani would seek her
  out for advice. However, her father felt that she was
  not yet old enough to be subjected to the risks that
  came with that role, risks arising from the strange
  magic imbued in an ancient tarokka deck that had
  been in the family’s possession for as long as anyone
  knew. Fed up with her father’s overprotectiveness,
  Rozaleen struck out on her own, taking the heir-
  loom tarokka deck with her.
  The young Vistana was hoping to meet up
  with another Vistani caravan and ask them to take
  her in. Knowing the dangers facing a lone Vistani
  on the roads, she decided to call on the tarokka for
  guidance. The reading she placed for herself made
  her blood run cold. Many of the cards were from the
  Fortuna Magna, and no matter how positive a spin
  she tried to place on what the cards said, she knew
  her future was going to be a dark one.
  
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  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  Hoping to avert her fate, Rozaleen retraced
  her steps, but before she was safely back with her
  family, she encountered two noblemen who were
  on their way to a gathering of friends. Rostoff and
  Hanford were part of a small group of particularly
  decadent and vicious nobles whose twisted and
  perverted actions were mostly orchestrated by Herod
  Ashington. They felt the attractive young girl
  would add greatly to the night’s festivities and
  captured her with little effort. (Rozaleen managed
  to fend off Rostoff with her evil eye, but Hanford
  knocked her unconscious with a single well-placed
  blow to her head.)
  When Rozaleen regained consciousness, she
  was in the opulent, shadow-draped grand hall of
  Ashington Manor. She was lying at the feet of a
  darkly attractive female bard with strange pale blue
  eyes who was playing an upbeat tune on a lute.
  Across the room, a group of finely attired men
  and women had opened Rozaleen’s traveling bundle
  and were going through her meager possessions.
  From their mocking exchanges about her and her
  belongings, she gathered the names of the men
  were Hanford, Rostoff (both of whom she already
  knew as her captors), Blaumann and Ashington.
  The women were Hannah, Ivana and Melanie.
  From their conversation, she could also tell that
  she was going to suffer the sort of abuse at the hands
  of these giorgios that her father and brothers had
  warned her about. They were going to play dice
  over who got to “bed” her first. She could not help
  from shuddering and whimpering in horror.
  “She’s awake,” the bard announced cheer-
  fully. Rozaleen looked up at her, hoping that a
  mortu might be an ally in this situation, but as her
  dark eyes met the bard’s icy-blue ones, she was
  gripped with a fear that almost overtook the one
  already growing in her. She knew this one was not
  human. With a knowledge that rose from the
  deepest corner of her soul, Rozaleen knew this one
  was a creature that was no one’s ally, but a monster
  known as a Vehrteig — an enemy of all that was
  decent in general and of the Vistani in particular.
  “Don’t fight them,” it said softly, leaning forward,
  “and you may survive the night.”
  “Aren’t you an attractive little thing,” the one
  named Ashington said, striding to her and pulling
  her off the floor. He gestured to an amulet around
  his neck, and Rozaleen recognized it as a powerful
  charm that would protect him from her evil eye. He
  told her, “Don’t even try giving me the eyeball. You
  won’t like the results.”
  Over at the table, Ashington’s friends had
  Rozaleen’s silk-wrapped tarokka deck. When
  Rostoff and Hanford saw the cards, they announced
  that playing cards for Rozaleen would be better
  than dice. Ashington returned to them, holding
  Rozaleen firmly. She followed meekly, hoping the
  thing playing the lute was right. Ashington sur-
  prised her when he recognized the cards as a tarokka
  deck—she had never assumed a giorgio to be well
  educated enough, even one with charms against
  the evil eye. He berated his friends for their lack of
  refinement and education and then ordered
  Rozaleen to tell fortunes. “You and Hanford brought
  a rare and multifaceted addition to the party, my
  dear Rostoff,” Ashington added.
  Rozaleen asked him to reconsider. She even
  clumsily tried to avert his attention by offering her
  body, which she knew he intended to take anyway.
  But Ashington’s mind was set, and his intoxicated
  friends thought a little gypsy telling their great
  futures would make this night of revelry complete.
  Ashington ordered Rozaleen to the table and sat
  next to her with an arm around her narrow shoul-
  ders. He placed her tarokka deck before her and
  magnanimously stated that she could tell her own
  fortune first. She reached for the cards, still holding
  out hope that maybe she would escape this night
  with only injuries that time would heal. There was
  even a dim wish in her mind that maybe the cards
  would give her reason to hope . . . maybe they would
  show a different fortune for her than they had
  previously. Even while wishing, she knew that it
  was a pointless wish. She knew this tarokka deck
  revealed the future with unfailing clarity. Further-
  more, she knew that once a fortune had been told
  for a person, it remained the same until destiny had
  been satisfied. And the cards remained consistent.
  The first card Rozaleen placed was the Mis-
  sionary, the Two of Glyphs.
  “This card represents me. It says that I am a
  person who can bring you insight and knowledge
  — which I of course I will as I tell your fortunes
  tonight. However, it is reversed. It shows that there
  may be dark times ahead for me.”
  Hanford crudely commented that they planned
  to “give her some insight and knowledge in bed”
  while Melanie tittered that the drawing on the
  card looked like Rozaleen, so of course it was she.
  The second card turned was the Prison. It was
  in the reversed position, and when she first placed
  this fortune for herself, she had rejoiced in seeing it.
  The joy had been short-lived, however. She found
  
  62
  Chapter Two
  herself hoping against hope that the cards would
  come up different this time.
  “This card represents my recent past, the events
  that brought me to my present place. It, too, is in
  the reversed position, showing that I recently un-
  derwent a major life-change — that I broke free
  from long-established traditions and set out upon a
  path that I walked alone and free from all cultural
  restrictions. It is a path in which nothing of my past
  life matters.”
  Without pausing to allow for the predictable
  crass comments, Rozaleen turned the third card.
  To her distress, it was the Innocent, another card
  from the Fortuna Magna that had come up in that
  position before.
  “This card represents my present. It shows that
  I am a person of great importance and great poten-
  tial — and I am. I am my late mother’s only
  daughter, so I am the heir to all that she was, for
  that is the way among the Vistani.” She ignored
  more crude comments from the assemblage, con-
  tinuing to speak. “But the card is reversed. It is
  saying that I am in great peril that I may not even
  recognize, and that I am in need of someone to
  come to my aid for I will not be able to save myself.
  It says that by striking out on my own, I have placed
  myself in the most dire of dangers.”
  At this, Ashington squeezed her shoulders and
  said with his lips close to her ear, “You don’t have
  to play up the melodramatics, my love. We’re only
  going to show you a good time. It won’t hurt.
  Much.”
  With a suppressed shiver and a weak smile,
  Rozaleen turned the fourth card. It was the card she
  had expected, dreaded to see — one of the direst
  cards from the Fortuna Magna: The Horseman.
  “This card represents my future — and it
  appears as if it may be a dire one. The Horseman is
  a portent of misery. It foretells that sometime in the
  very near future, I will suffer greatly, and that I will
  lose something that I will never regain.” Rozaleen
  tried to keep the despair from creeping into her
  voice.
  “I think the cards see she’s a virgin!” Hanford
  exclaimed, garnering gales of laughter from the
  others.
  Rozaleen’s mind reeled. What exactly were
  the cards foretelling? Until now, she had feared
  some crippling injury or perhaps some other situa-
  tion that would force her into the life of a mortu.
  Maybe all she was going to lose this night was her
  maidenhood, but that was something she might be
  able to recover from. She threw a quick glance
  toward the thing by the fireplace. Or would she
  suffer a fate so terrible she couldn’t imagine at the
  hands of the Vehrteig? The fifth and final card
  would give her insight.
  She turned the card. Despair seized her, but
  she tried to keep up a strong front. She knew that
  what little hope she had to last the night depended
  on providing entertainment for her captors. Still,
  with The Broken One from the Fortuna Magna
  lying on the table in front of her, as it had done
  several times before, her heart grew heavy.
  “This fifth and final card tells us something
  about the outcome of my current situation. It seems
  that the path that has taken me away from the
  bonds of tradition has led me into peril and a dark
  future. The cards say that I will emerge from this
  night greatly changed and without something that
  I cherish.”
  “You will be a woman, dear,” Melanie purred,
  to the giggles of the women and chuckles of the four
  men.
  Rozaleen continued, “The fact that all the
  cards but one in this reading are from the Fortuna
  Magna indicates that the events unfolding tonight
  will have great significance, not just to me but to
  others as well. And those last three cards mean that
  we must be cautious in how we proceed.”
  “My, aren’t we a little doomsayer,” the Vehrteig
  said from her perch by the fire, changing the tune
  issuing from her lute to one more sinister. “You seem
  to be forgetting the first rule of fortune telling — keep
  it upbeat so the customer will pay you at the end.”
  “Maekon’s right,” Ashington stated in a
  friendly tone. “Now, you will tell Rostoff’s fortune.
  The more entertaining you are here, the later it will
  be until we retire to bed. Show us your tricks, girl.”
  Ashington planted a kiss on Rozaleen’s temple
  as she shuffled the cards. She desperately looked for
  a way out of her situation, a way to cheat the cards.
  She was certain that her fate was going to be most
  terrible, even if she still could not envision how it
  would be these degenerate fools, or even the
  Vehrteig, who could bring about something so
  significant about that it was calling forth the Fortuna
  Magna. Maybe she was misreading the cards?
  Rozaleen decided she would have to let her
  fate unfold, although she would take steps to lessen
  the anger of her captors, if possible. The Vehrteig
  has spoken the wisdom that her father and brothers
  had so often told her — that an amused giorgio is a
  generous giorgio. She would have to steel her nerves
  
  63
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  and put on a show, just like her mother had taught
  her. Forcing a mischievous smile to spread across
  her face, she offered the deck to Rostoff to cut.
  “Infuse the cards with your life energy, Lord Rostoff.
  Cut the deck so that you may prepare my tarokka
  deck to reveal your future.
  Rostoff reached for the deck, but then hesi-
  tated. He had seen the powers of this Vistani girl in
  action earlier and wondered if he really wanted to
  see more.
  “Do cut the deck,” Ashington ordered. “And
  spare us any superstitious second thoughts. I thought
  I had showed you all enough magic and trickery so
  that you could see through the games that this girl
  and her kin like to play.”
  Thus prodded, Rostoff cut the deck. Rozaleen
  turned the card thus revealed and placed it as the
  focus card for the reading.
  That first card was the Guildsman, the Five of
  Coins.
  “This represents you, milord Rostoff,” Rozaleen
  said. “It shows that you are part of a tight circle of
  friends and that you share mutually in joy and
  misery. It is in the reversed position, which signi-
  fies that you and yours work almost entirely for your
  own benefit; everyone else is viewed as being there
  for your amusement and sport.”
  The second card placed was the Monk.
  “Ah. The Ace of Glyphs. The card tells me
  that up to this point, you have lived your life boldly,
  confronting and overcoming every challenge you
  have faced with zeal. It, too, is reversed, which tells
  me that the challenges have probably been mostly
  related to wenching and drinking, but they have
  been challenges nonetheless. The cards say your
  life has been devoted to debauchery, milord.” Ev-
  eryone including Rostoff laughed. Ashington
  squeezed Rozaleen hard about the shoulders, stat-
  ing, “Your mummery has some truth to it, girl. The
  cards are nailing Rostoff dead.”
  The third card was the Three of Swords, the
  Soldier.
  “Interesting. The cards say that tonight you
  will be faced with a momentous choice, a choice
  that may determine how you spend all other nights
  that follow this one. The road to your fate forks
  ahead.”
  Blaumann laughed, saying “Yes . . . does he
  ravish you before or after he sates Ivana?”
  “Or do I take them both at once?” Rostoff
  mused, again prompting much laughter among his
  friends. Ivana said playfully, “Maybe the cards say
  that you will be spending every night alone from
  here on in.”
  Nodding and smiling, Rozaleen turned the
  fourth card. Her smile froze. The card, from the
  Fortuna Magna, was one of the most ominous
  cards: The Horseman. It was also in the same
  position as her own fortune.
  “Milord, I fear your friends grow bored with
  this game. Shall we not play something more
  active?” Rozaleen said in a husky tone, directing
  her gaze seductively toward Ashington. The six
  nobles let out noises of protest, and Ashington
  squeezed Rozaleen’s shoulders again. “Be calm, my
  friends. It is all part of the act. The lass is supposed
  to hesitate and seem fearful if this card appears. Is
  that not so?” Rozaleen nodded mutely. Ashington
  ordered her to continue, and she said in a quiet
  voice, “The cards say you must make the right
  choice tonight, Lord Rostoff. If you do not, I see
  nothing but misery and doom ahead for you.”
  Now it was Hanford’s turn to laugh, as he said,
  “Better let me have a go with her first, Rostoff. The
  cards are saying Ivana’s a jealous little vixen!”
  Rozaleen turned the last card. It was The
  Broken One. Rozaleen had to fight back her panic,
  for she understood what the tarokka was telling
  her: Whatever the dark fate that awaited her,
  Rostoff would somehow share it.
  “If you do not choose wisely milord, darkness
  awaits. The cards are very clear that a grim fate
  awaits you. Perhaps it is as milord Blaumann sug-
  gests and Ivana is a jealous woman. Perhaps you
  should leave me to entertain you with song? Your
  bard and I can perform a duet!”
  Ashington laughed. “I thought that was your
  game, dear. No, you are ours to play with. The cards
  have already told you as much, have they not? I
  interpret them to mean that Rostoff has had so
  much drink that he will not be able to satisfy you or
  Ivana in the bed tonight!” Forcing a smile, Rozaleen
  replied, “You are wise in the ways of the tarokka,
  milord.”
  Ashington commanded her to tell Ivana’s
  fortune next, just to see if she was indeed the
  “jealous vixen” that everyone assumed her to be.
  The deck was shuffled, the cards were cut, and
  Rozaleen started laying them.
  The first card to appear was the Five of Coins,
  the same card that had started Rostoff’s reading.
  Every card in Ivana’s reading thereafter was iden-
  tical to the ones that had been placed for Rostoff.
  
  64
  Chapter Two
  Fear and unease started to replace the raucousness
  among Ashington’s six lackeys, and Maekon fi-
  nally grew interested in the card readings, setting
  aside her lute and sauntering over to have a look.
  Ashington ordered Rozaleen to lay another
  fortune, hissing to her that she had better be more
  entertaining with this one. Rozaleen replied that
  the cards themselves, not she, decided what faced
  they showed.
  Ashington snarled that he was tired of her
  tricks. Rozaleen calmly turned to Hanford and
  asked him to cut the deck. Her fear was now gone,
  replaced by the calmness of someone who knew she
  was doomed, but who could take solace in the fact
  that her tormentors would somehow pay a price for
  their deeds. The tarokka had reassured her that the
  fates were still, ultimately, watching over the
  Vistani, even ones who foolishly leave behind the
  safety of their family in a fit of pique.
  Rozaleen turned the cards mutely, quickly.
  Hanford’s fortune was identical to that of Rostoff
  and Ivana. Ashington’s temper flared and he slapped
  Rozaleen repeatedly across the face, insisting she
  stop playing card tricks if she valued her life. His
  friends, now somewhat sobered by the fear the
  tarokka cards had inspired in them, suggested he
  just forget it. Ashington ignored them and, holding
  a knife to Rozaleen’s ribs, insisted that she foretell
  his future with a real reading. She shuffled the
  deck, he cut it, and the girl started laying the cards.
  Ashington’s foretelling was quite different and
  quite spectacular. As the cards were revealed,
  Rozaleen’s voice grew strong with defiance while
  Ashington’s attitude changed from anger to blind
  rage. He knew enough about the tarokka to know
  that what was emerging was a highly anomalous
  reading, even stranger than three identical ones in
  a row. All the cards were from the greater deck, the
  Fortuna Magna.
  The first card revealed was the Dark Lord.
  “This is you, Lord Ashington. You are a man of
  great power, the master of all within your grasp.
  Your friends view you with wonder, your enemies
  with fear.”
  The second card was the Temptress.
  “This is your past, milord. Your whole life has
  been governed by your emotions and desires, and
  you have paid little heed to the noble code that
  your family once lived by.”
  The third card was the Beast.
  “And on this night, this night of important
  choices and dire consequences, your passion will
  drive you to a rash decision that could spell doom
  for us all.”
  The fourth card revealed was the Innocent.
  “But there is still hope. As lord and master
  here, you can save us all by making the right choice.
  There is a defenseless person who is at your mercy
  this very moment, a person who is important to the
  future of all who —
  Rozaleen had started to draw the fifth and final
  card even as she was interpreting the fourth one, but
  she let out a sharp gasp and her eyes widened in pain
  and shock. A moment later, she let out her breath in
  a strangled cough. A red stain started to spread on the
  side of her white shirt as Ashington tossed his bloody
  dagger on the table. He took the next card on the top
  of the deck, shouting, “Enough of your pathetic
  games. Your last trick will never be finished!”
  “It was no trick,” Rozaleen gasped. She
  coughed, blood spraying from her lips. “None of
  you will leave this house alive unless I do, and you
  will never leave until your fortune has been told,
  Ashington. You have doomed every—
  “Be quiet!” Ashington bellowed, closing his hands
  around Rozaleen’s thin neck and dragging her to her feet
  even as her throat gave way and her windpipe collapsed.
  The unplaced card fluttered from her hand to the floor.
  Her blood-flecked lips continue to move as her eyes
  rolled back in her head and her hands scratched vainly
  at Ashington’s forearms.
  “Curse you,” were the words her lips formed.
  Curse you.
  Ashington’s roar of anger drowned out the
  sound of Rozaleen’s neck snapping. Still holding
  Rozaleen’s limp form in one hand, he reached to
  the table and snatched the Innocent card. He
  shoved it violently into her mouth, shouting, “Take
  your image to your grave with you!” He threw the
  body to the floor and turned toward his ashen-
  faced friends. All but Maekon shrank away from his
  mad fury. “Dig the Vistana whore a grave in the
  cellar! By the time the sun comes up, I want
  nothing to remind me that she was ever here!”
  Rostoff, Hanford, and Blaumann rushed to
  obey Ashington’s orders. Maekon ushered the three
  terrified and weeping young noble women to their
  rooms upstairs and returned shortly to the grand
  hall. She found Ashington standing over Rozaleen’s
  lifeless body with a tarokka card in his hand — the
  Five of Swords.
  
  65
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  “It can mean anything,” he muttered.
  “It means that you have conquered her, milord.
  You should keep that card as a trophy.” Maekon
  kissed him hard on the lips as if suddenly filled with
  boundless animal lust.
  The next morning, all trace of Rozaleen was
  indeed gone, except for the Five of Swords card
  from her deck that Ashington kept turning over in
  his hand while brooding. Melanie wanted to leave,
  but Ashington insisted that no one would leave
  until he gave permission. The friends returned to
  drinking, but there was no merriment now. Maekon
  offered to play a tune to lighten the mood, but
  Ashington grabbed her lute and smashed it. He
  then demanded to know who had taken the tarokka
  deck, which he had just noticed was missing. When
  no one spoke up, Hannah started crying hysteri-
  cally.
  “The stories are true! A murdered Vistana’s
  tarokka deck does disappear! She’s cursed us! We’re
  all going to die!”
  “We are above peasant superstitions!”
  Ashington bellowed. He charged at Hannah and
  struck her. She reeled backward, striking her head
  on the fireplace mantle, leaving behind a red stain
  as she tumbled to the floor. Blaumann moved to
  stop further violence against her, but the crazed
  Ashington drew his sword and ran him through.
  “You will not turn on me, you bastards! The Vistani
  whore will not win! I am leaving this house!”
  The ensuing fight was short and brutal.
  Ashington killed Hanford and Rostoff in combat,
  sliced Ivana’s jugular when she tried to run for the
  door and chased Hannah upstairs and murdered
  her before she could barricade herself in her room.
  He returned to the common room to find Maekon
  gathering the pieces of her broken lute. Somehow,
  he had overlooked her while butchering his friends.
  “Help me,” he muttered, holding out a hand
  stained with the blood from the lethal wound
  Rostoff had inflicted upon him even as Ashington
  was cutting him down.
  “You’re beyond help,” Maekon replied. “That
  is why I came here. And now you are dead, just as
  the Vistana promised.”
  “You! You are in league with her!”
  “Hardly!” Maekon snickered. Ashington
  stumbled toward her, lifting his sword. She looked
  at him calmly, her pale blue eyes narrowing. “As I
  was saying, you’re dead. Your magic protected you
  from her evil eye, but there is no protection from
  my gaze.”
  Ashington dropped without a sound. Maekon
  put the pieces of her lute in her backpack — next
  to Rozaleen’s now-incomplete tarokka deck — and
  left Ashington Manor whistling merrily.
  When the servants finally dared investigate
  the main house, they found their master in the
  middle of the floor, his hair white, a look of utter
  horror on his face, and the Five of Swords card on
  his chest.
  For three years, Ashington Manor stood empty
  and abandoned. Tales of curses and vengeful Vistani
  started swirling around the place. Eventually, a
  distant cousin of the Ashingtons — Byron
  Ashington-Welles — decided he wished to cleanse
  the Ashington name. A follower of Hala, he con-
  vinced his fellow witches and warlocks to relocate
  their coven to Ashington Manor and establish a
  hospice. He insisted on calling it the Blessed Hall
  of Ashington.
  Over the next thirteen years, the Blessed Hall
  of Ashington helped countless people. Eventually,
  the locals turned to the gentle healers more often
  for cures than they did the village priests. The dark
  tales of Lord Ashington’s final night were all but
  forgotten. But the sole survivor of the events,
  Maekon, found herself drawn back to the place. At
  first, she thought that she would not find suste-
  nance among such kindhearted men and women,
  but she sensed the stench of murder and evil on the
  leader of the men-at-arms that had been secured to
  protect the hospice from creatures of the night. It
  was seventeen years to the moment Ashington
  murdered Rozaleen that Maekon drove this dark-
  hearted warrior and his three most loyal soldiers to
  go on a murderous rampage through the hospice.
  As this slaughter progressed, Maekon amused her-
  self by playing with Rozaleen’s tarokka deck and
  laying mock fortunes. She had not really used the
  deck since she took possession of it 17 years prior,
  but had merely admired the grotesque artwork on
  the cards during dull moments. Now, she found to
  her surprise that every time she tried to lay the
  tarokka, the same cards kept coming up . . . the
  same four cards that had been on the table when
  Rozaleen was murdered. Maekon set this mystery
  aside, however, as her four pawns turned on one
  another and she finished them off with her death
  gaze.
  Maekon moved on, and Ashington Manor
  was once again abandoned and made the focus of
  stories of dark tales and rumors. One of the few
  survivors of the night of horror said that she had
  
  66
  Chapter Two
  seen a ghostly gypsy girl standing in the main hall,
  so a belief that the Vistani cursed Ashington Manor
  was added to the mix.
  A decade passed, and a highwayman named
  Jack Sallow looking to retire from the hard life on
  the road came upon the decaying building. None of
  the locals could point him to an owner but all knew
  the place was haunted. Not one to put much stock
  in the ramblings of superstitious peasants, he staked
  a claim on the house, poured money into repairing
  it, and within a few months had it converted into
  a fully functioning inn. Within four more years,
  “Jacks and Queens” had become renowned in the
  area as a den of vice and a good place for adventur-
  ers seeking information that might be otherwise
  hard to come by.
  Jack, however, could not give up his wicked
  ways. His appetite for wealth did not permit him to
  settle for the income generated by a mere inn —
  even with gambling and prostitutes added to the
  mix. He took to murdering travelers he deemed
  would not be missed (or whose disappearance would
  not be traced to his establishment). Jack’s final
  victim, the teenaged daughter of a wealthy mer-
  chant, had run away from home to marry a young
  man her father didn’t approve of. Jack stole the
  jewels she had brought with her to finance her new
  life, and then gave her to his wicked friends. They
  buried her body in the cellar. When the girl’s fiancé
  arrived, they pretended never to have seen her.
  The day after Jack and his partners in crime
  turned away the dead girl’s boyfriend, Maekon
  entered Ashington Manor’s courtyard for the third
  time, drawn there again by some subconscious
  force. This time she recognized the0 pattern — it
  was 17 years to the day since she had last been at
  Ashington Manor. In the years that had gone by,
  she had learned all she could about the tarokka
  deck she had claimed 34 years prior, and she had
  come to the conclusion that some strange cycle had
  been initiated when Rozaleen had been stopped
  from laying the final card. That was why in over
  1,000 laying of cards over the past 17 years, the
  result had been the same every single time. Maekon
  didn’t mind that she too appeared to be part of the
  cycle, as it had no impact on her other than the
  desire to return to this spot every decade-and-a-
  half. And since twice now she had found men and
  women more than deserving of her attentions, she
  didn’t mind being a pawn of the supernatural one
  single bit.
  
  67
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  Maekon made short work of Jack and his shady
  associates and patrons, using her poison to turn
  them upon one another. As she had done previ-
  ously, she sat calmly and turned tarokka cards
  while death and destruction unfolded around her.
  The cards never came up differently. When the last
  person at “Jacks and Queens” had either died or
  fled, Maekon gathered up her cards and once again
  faded into the night.
  With a third inexplicable explosion of vio-
  lence at the former Ashington Manor, the locals
  were now certain the place was cursed beyond all
  hope. Talk of the Ashington Curse took hold once
  and for all. However, even as the people in the area
  took to giving the place a wide berth, a Lamordian-
  born, Dementlieu-trained doctor named Karl
  Ildgaard was attracted to the place. Ildgaard held a
  firm belief that curses and prophesies were not the
  product of the supernatural but instead a product of
  human superstition and the power of belief. To
  prove his theory accurate, he abandoned his grow-
  ing practice in Ludendorf and opened the Ildgaard
  Asylum in the old Ashington Manor. He initially
  had to bring in all his workers from outside the area,
  but as the years went by with no unusual events
  that couldn’t be attributed to some of the inmates,
  Ildgaard’s insistence that there was no such thing as
  the Ashington Curse bore fruit. Eventually locals
  came to work there in small numbers and menial
  capacities.
  The power of Rozaleen’s tarokka deck and her
  dying curse, however, could not be denied. Ildgaard
  had always been one to minimize expenses when it
  came to patient care, but as the years went by, he
  grew increasingly indifferent to the health and
  comfort of patients who had no relatives or whose
  family did not care for them. Eventually, all but the
  wealthiest of patients were treated as little more
  than animals and kept in barren cells once reserved
  for the deadliest of patients or those who might
  harm themselves. Those patients whom Dr. Ildgaard
  deemed incurable slowly starved to death whether
  they had family or not. The only exceptions were
  wealthy patients whose relatives paid astronomical
  rates for their treatment. Dr. Ildgaard never saw
  any evidence of the supposed gypsy curse, and the
  ghost that was reported to haunt the house was
  never seen by anyone but patients. Ildgaard con-
  tinued to expand his mansion on Dementlieu’s
  Sable Bay until it was one of the finest in all the
  domains.
  
  68
  Chapter Two
  Days before the anniversary of Rozaleen’s
  death, a wealthy young woman paid a surprise visit
  to Dr. Ildgaard’s asylum. While her father was
  being cared for better than most of Ildgaard’s
  charges, she was appalled by what she saw. She told
  Ildgaard that she was going to hire men and have
  him relocated to another facility. Further, she
  swore that she would spread the word of the true
  state of the asylum and ruin him. Despite his great
  wealth and the fact that he had long since “proven”
  that there was no curse on Ashington Manor,
  Ildgaard could not allow the woman to unmask his
  depredations. He set two of the most violent in-
  mates on her and then instructed the orderlies to
  bury her body in the garden behind his office.
  As had happened twice before, Maekon arrived
  on the scene nearly simultaneously with the dis-
  torted replay of Rozaleen’s murder. This time, she
  didn’t even bother to learn the identity of the person
  in charge, but instead set about subverting the order-
  lies, releasing the inmates and spreading chaos. She
  killed Ildgaard by force of the curse rather than
  design, and laid two patterns with the deck to con-
  firm their consistency with so many other previous
  readings. She left the asylum with a smile on her face
  as the lunatics set it ablaze, knowing that in another
  seventeen years, she would again find ready-made
  entertainment and sustenance.
  The sudden eruption of violence at Ildgaard’s
  asylum was the final incident needed to prove the
  haunting, the curse and every other rumor swirling
  around the old Ashington Manor. The widespread
  belief was that supernatural forces had reached out
  to punish Ildgaard for his arrogance in denying
  their existence, but a number of elderly in the area
  added more details. They remembered seeing the
  same dark-haired woman wandering the country-
  side around the time of each incident — and they
  had seen her again in the days before the Ildgaard
  disaster; she was drawn to the restless spirit of the
  murdered Vistani, they concluded. All this firmly
  ensconced Ashington Manor in local folklore as a
  place infamous enough that no one dared start
  another venture within it. The fire-damaged hulk
  of the once-stately house was left to the mercy of
  time and the elements.
  Still, Rozaleen’s curse reasserted itself. As the
  17-year mark drew close again, a group of bandits
  decided to use the rotting structure for shelter and
  as a base of operations. When their leader decided
  he wanted a steadier source of healing and food, he
  decided to force a local shopkeeper and his murto
  
  69
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  wife into assisting them. To prove they would not
  be safe until they helped him and his cutthroats,
  they kidnapped their teenaged daughter — a half-
  Vistani. Maekon is also drawing nearer, deciding to
  arrive early this time around so she can take advan-
  tage of the innocent death that will undoubtedly
  occur.
  It is the final time that Rozaleen’s curse will
  manifest itself, and this is the point where the
  heroes step into the tale. They will either triumph,
  or they will be consumed as the house is forced into
  the Mists by out-of-control magical energies.
  Introducing the Location
  If “The Curse of Ashington Manor” is being
  used as a stand-alone scenario, bringing the char-
  acters to the house is fairly simple; they can come
  upon the building as they travel along a road. A
  storm or some other circumstance can drive them
  in.
  Drawing a party into the scenario can be tricky
  in an ongoing campaign. We present five different
  story hooks for introducing the location in the
  game. Each one corresponds to a suit in the tarokka
  deck. The DM can select the one he thinks will be
  most likely to get his players interested, or he can
  randomly determine which method he wishes to
  use by turning a card from the tarokka deck. If the
  DM feels particularly adventuresome, he can have
  a player draw a card from the tarokka deck. This
  might be a good way to set the stage for what
  follows, perhaps helping to draw attention to the
  central role the tarokka deck plays in the events
  that follow.
  down the character and determined that he is the
  very last person with even a trace of the family’s
  blood in his veins. The former retainer’s agent
  relates the tale presented at the start of this chapter
  and says that if the party can resolve whatever curse
  lies over Ashington Manor and clear the name of
  the family, its holdings will go to the remaining
  heir (the character).
  Maiden’s Rescue
  Peter Vashon, a local shopkeeper of modest
  means approaches the party with a plea for help.
  His daughter, Miko, has been taken by a group of
  bandits that have been plaguing the area. They
  have demanded that he supply them with food and
  other goods for her safe return, but he knows that
  if he bows to their demands that they will probably
  kill her anyway — or at the very least continue to
  force him to help them. He offers to pay the
  characters the sum of 25 gp (all he can afford) and
  promises to help them any way he can when they
  are in the area. He warns the party that the site used
  for the bandits’ camp is rumored to be cursed, but
  that only his wife knows the details.
  In fact, any “help” Peter offers is far more likely
  to come from his wife, Eliza. She is a Vistani mortu
  (Brd1/Exp5) who is a healer and wise woman of
  some repute in the area.
  She has the following pertinent skills: Bluff
  +6, Heal +8, Hypnotize +8, Knowledge (arcana)
  +4, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge (religion)
  +6, Scry +4, and Sense Motive +4.
  Eliza can relate the story that starts this chap-
  ter. In addition, she knows that the Vistani girl was
  of the Zarovan tribe and possessed a powerful rogue
  tarokka deck that vanished when she died.
  To Root Out the Evil
  A cleric of Hala with whom the party has a
  prior relationship (even if they haven’t recognized
  that the person is a servant of Hala until now)
  relates to them the story of Ashington’s demise,
  adding the additional detail that a few decades ago
  a distant relative of Lord Ashington tried to clear
  the family name by establishing a hospice in the
  building. Tragically, all the faithful and many of
  their charges died a few years later in an orgy of
  violence that reportedly made the original slaugh-
  ter look like child’s play. The cleric wants the party
  to visit the site of the old Ashington Manor and
  defeat whatever evil dwells there.
  Card Suit Location Introduction
  Fortuna Magna
  Family Honor
  Coins
  Maiden’s Rescue
  Glyphs
  To Root Out the Evil
  Stars
  Local Legend
  Swords
  Out of the Mists
  Family Honor
  One of the player characters has a question-
  able pedigree as far as bloodline is concerned. He or
  she is the illegitimate child of a nobleman, but the
  father’s identity is a secret his mother took with her
  to her grave. Until now that is.
  After much detective work, an aged retainer of
  the presumed-extinct Ashington family has tracked
  
  70
  Chapter Two
  Local Legend
  While in a tavern or some other gathering
  place, or possibly attending one of the rare meet-
  ings of the Van Richten Society should any
  characters belong to that fellowship (see Heroes of
  Light), the party hears the tale featured at the
  beginning of this chapter. This is the most passive
  way to introduce Ashington Manor and its deadly
  mystery and works best if the DM is presenting it as
  one of several options for the party to tackle.
  Through the Mists
  The party can come upon Ashington Manor
  while lost in the Mists. If this method is used, we
  recommend using the Suit of Stars version without
  any additional set-up. If the party doesn’t pass
  through the decayed gate into the courtyard be-
  yond, the DM should have 1d4+1 mist horrors
  materialize. An additional 1d3 mist horrors form
  each round until the party goes through the gates.
  The mist horrors behave as described below in “No
  One Leaves Unless I Do!” in “Rules of the House.”
  Deciding Which Version to Use First
  The way this scenario is structured, the DM
  can have any version of the house be the first one
  the PCs come upon, or he can eliminate ones he
  doesn’t like. He can even dispense with the whole
  “time-shift”/”cursed” aspect of the location and
  just run an adventure where the party rescues a
  young woman from a terrible fate and save the
  other versions of the house for use as separate
  locations in future adventures. (If he chooses this
  option, he should have Maekon present in
  Ashington Manor when the party arrives, as they
  will be reaching it on the night that Rozaleen is
  fated to die.)
  If the DM chooses to use all the versions, he
  can either pick the version he thinks will seem
  most enticing to his players, or he can allow the
  tarokka deck to decide by drawing a card. (If the
  “Local Legend” or “Maiden’s Rescue” options were
  chosen to entice the party into seeking out the
  location, The Ruins or Ashington Manor are the
  versions that the party is expecting to find. How-
  ever, it will lead to immediate heightened mystery
  if they reach the location and find that it is an inn
  or an insane asylum.
  Variations on a Theme:
  The Rules of the House
  The way in which Ashington Manor switches
  between its various incarnations is both random
  and specific. The house changes from one version
  to another under specific circumstances, but the
  version to which it changes is determined by draw-
  ing a card from the tarokka deck. The versions of
  the house and the suits of the tarokka deck line up
  as follows:
  Card Suit Version of House
  Fortuna Magna
  Ashington Manor
  Suit of Glyphs
  The Hospice
  Suit of Coins
  The Inn
  Suit of Swords
  The Asylum
  Suit of Stars
  The Ruins
  The floor plan for each of the versions remains
  the same, although some portions are destroyed in
  some versions, while others haven’t been built in
  others. Detailed descriptions of all versions of the
  house are provided in the section titled “The
  House,” which is keyed to the map on page 77. The
  following are quick descriptions of the house in its
  various states.
  Ashington Manor
  This is how the house appeared on the night
  Lord Ashington murdered Rozaleen before com-
  pleting her tarokka pattern. It is the richly appointed
  home of a country lord. (Note: This version does
  not appear until after Maekon has joined the party;
  see below for details on this NPC. Until Maekon
  has arrived, the DM should redraw all Fortuna
  Magna results).
  The Hospice
  Founded by a cousin of Lord Ashington years
  later, this is a hospice operated by the Witches of
  Hala.
  The Inn
  Known as the “Jack and Queens,” this inn is
  operated by a black-hearted and murderous rogue
  who preys upon the guests.
  The Asylum
  The building houses a hospital for the mentally
  deranged. A cruel and greedy doctor operates it.
  
  71
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  The Ruins
  The house has fallen to the ravages of fire and
  time, and has been abandoned.
  Determining When a Shift Occurs
  There are two ways the DM determines when
  Ashington Manor changes from one version to the
  next, by time limits and triggers.
  Timed Shifts
  The house only remains in a particular itera-
  tion for a period that is rolled by the DM each time
  it manifests. (The DM should make note of this and
  keep general track of how much in-game time goes
  by while the PCs explore the house and interact
  with NPCs.) No matter what the PCs do, a time-
  shift occurs when that particular time has passed.
  So, if the entire party stays in one room in hopes of
  preventing another shift, they will be hoping in
  vain. When the duration at a particular location
  expires, the DM should draw a card from the
  tarokka deck to see which version replaces it. If the
  card happens to be of the suit representing the
  current location, no shift occurs. The time period
  resets itself.
  The period each version of the house remains
  stable are as follows:
  • Ashington Manor (Fortuna Magna): 2d20
  minutes. (Note: This version only changes when
  the time period it remains stable expires. Changes
  are never “triggered” through the method described
  below. Further, the Ashington Manor does not
  manifest until Maekon has joined the party.)
  • The Hospice run by Worshipers of Hala
  (Glyphs). 4d6+10 minutes.
  • The Jack and Queens Inn (Coins). 2d6+10
  minutes.
  • The Ildgaard Asylum (Swords). 1d10+10
  minutes.
  • The Ruins (Stars). 1d6+10 minutes.
  Triggered Shifts
  A second way to determine when the house
  changes from one version to another is to look at
  the map of Ashington Manor and track PC move-
  ment through the building. Several doorways on
  the map are marked with black dots. Whenever a
  PC crosses a marked door, the DM should turn a
  card from the tarokka deck. If the card is the Spirit
  from the Fortuna Magna, or the Four card from any
  of the Lesser Deck’s suits, no shift occurs. In all
  other instances, a time-shift occurs.
  When a shift occurs, no matter how it is
  triggered, the entire house changes. If the party is
  split across several portions of the house, they all
  experience the shift as the house changes.
  Shifts triggered by crossing through certain
  doorways only happen once every ten rounds (one
  minute). So, if the party is moving through differ-
  ent parts of the house and several of them pass
  through doorways marked on the map, only the
  first trigger every ten rounds is taken into account.
  Physical Impact of the Shifts
  When the shifts happen, the party experi-
  ences disorientation and vertigo. The more times
  they go through the experience, however, the less
  the physical sensations affect them.
  The first time a shift occurs, party members are
  seized by a near-overwhelming sense of vertigo.
  Each character must make a successful Will save
  (DC28) or lose all actions for three rounds—until
  the world stops spinning around them. Any NPCs
  that “appear” when the house shifts to another
  version are not so hampered, so if the party has
  already made themselves a target to the version of
  Ashington and his henchmen, and one of them
  happens to be in the room, they may find them-
  selves under an attack from which they won’t be
  able to defend themselves. If the save is successful,
  the party only loses actions for the round following
  the shift.
  The second time a shift is experienced, the
  saving throw to resist the physical impact is DC20,
  with the third shift triggering a saving throw with
  a DC12. By the time the PCs are subjected to a
  fourth reality shift, they have become accustomed
  to it, and they no longer suffer any penalties.
  ”No One Leaves Unless I Do!”
  Part of Rozaleen’s curse was that no would
  leave the house unless she did. Once the party has
  entered the grounds surrounding the Ashington
  house, the Mists of Ravenloft boil forth from the
  ground and sky and completely surround it. When-
  ever the party attempts to leave the grounds around
  the manor house—either through the gates, flying
  or climbing over the walls, or by teleportation
  magic, they find themselves engulfed by the Mists.
  Within three rounds, mist horrors start to materi-
  alize. 1d3 of the creatures appear, with an additional
  1d3 arriving each round until the party returns to
  Ashington Manor.
  
  72
  Chapter Two
  Ending the Curse
  The mists and the attendant mist horrors
  remain until the heroes have ended Rozaleen’s
  curse. There are three parts to doing this.
  • Restore Rozaleen’s tarokka deck to its com-
  plete state. This is done by retrieving the Four of
  Swords from Ashington and claiming the rest of
  the deck from Maekon (or waiting for it to manifest
  in the Grand Hall (area 5) the first time that
  version of the house manifests after Maekon joins
  the party.
  • Finish the tarokka pattern Rozaleen was
  laying when she was murdered.
  • Finding Rozaleen’s body and either exhum-
  ing it, or performing appropriate funeral rites over
  it.
  Once the curse is ended, there is one final
  time-shift, one that returns the house to whatever
  the present-day state it was in when the party
  entered.
  The Cursed
  The following NPCs appear in some form or
  another in most versions of the house. The strange
  curse upon the place is causing those who were
  present the night Rozaleen uttered it to “stand-in”
  for those who were actually present during the
  subsequent anniversaries of her death. Some un-
  dergo minor changes, but for the most part, they
  stay the same. The variable portion of their stats are
  mentioned in the descriptions here, along with the
  briefest of class and combat information, but the
  full statistics is presented in the Appendix of this
  volume.
  Rozaleen, Doomed Vistani Girl
  Rozaleen is a slender, dusky-skinned girl, some
  17 years old. Her eyes are deep brown and her long
  hair is deepest black. She wears a loose-fitting
  white blouse and a colorful, multilayered skirt.
  Around her wrists and her left ankle she wears
  hoops that jangle slightly when she moves. She is
  barefoot.
  Rozaleen is killed by Lord Ashington after he
  and his friends abuse and humiliate her during a
  night of drunken debauchery. He ultimately forces
  her to tell their fortunes using her Tarokka deck. In
  reading after reading, Rozaleen declares they will
  die. Before she finishes Lord Ashington’s reading,
  he stabs her. Rozaleen pronounces a curse on her
  tormentors and killers, saying that this house will
  be their prison until Ashington pays for his crimes
  and she is liberated. Ashington strangles her to
  death as she finished her curse.
  Rozaleen in the House
  Rozaleen only appears in Fortuna Magna ver-
  sion, or as a haunt at random times in map areas 5
  and 13. In the other four versions, her corpse is
  buried beneath the stone floor of the cellar (area
  13). She is described in detail in the Appendix.
  Quick Stats: Exp1/Sor1; hp 8; AC 11; Init +1;
  Atk +1 (unarmed); F +0, R +1, W +5. Special
  Note: Rozaleen is a Vistani.
  Lord Herod Ashington, Vile Nobleman
  Ashington is a dark-haired man with sharp
  features. His bearing and diction mark him as a
  member of society’s upper crust, and everything he
  does he does with the confidence of someone who
  considers himself the master of all around him. He
  wears the finest of clothes and carries the highest
  quality of weapons.
  Ashington is a genial and generous host, but a
  dangerous temper lurks just beneath his polished
  veneer and it is unleashed on anyone who he views
  as making light of his authority. He is fundamen-
  tally a coward, however, and he will always attack
  the target of his ire when the subject is either
  unawares or already engaged in a fight with his
  three minions, Hanford, Rostoff, and Blaumann.
  In addition to his cowardice, Ashington is also a
  sadist who enjoys nothing more than terrorizing
  helpless victims.
  Ashington in the House
  In all versions except Glyphs, Ashington is
  the person in charge in the house. In all versions,
  he is evil through-and-through and has the even-
  tual goal of killing the PCs, particularly if they start
  asking questions about dead Vistani girls and ghosts
  haunting the house. Ashington’s statistics and full
  description appear in the Appendix, and the fol-
  lowing modifications are applied to his character as
  it appears in the different versions of the house. In
  all cases, Ashington knows that he has buried a
  murder victim in the cellar, even if he believes it to
  be a different victim each time.
  Every iteration of Ashington, except the one
  in the Ashington Manor version, carries the Five of
  Swords from Rozaleen’s tarokka deck, the card he
  prevented her from laying when she performed her
  final reading. From time to time, he draws it from
  
  73
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  a pocket and turns it absentmindedly in his fingers.
  If a PC asks about the card, he quickly puts it away
  and says the card is a reminder of a long-gone
  woman. (A successful Spot check of DC12 allows
  a character to see that the card portrays a Vistani
  woman with broken manacles on her wrists, on her
  knees before five sword-wielding figures emerging
  from the Mists. She is bleeding from several wounds,
  some of which are almost certainly fatal.)
  Fortuna Magna: Basic version as he appears in
  the Appendix.
  Glyphs: Ashington is a dark-hearted merce-
  nary named Gavel who is in charge of the
  men-at-arms who protect the hospice. No change
  to his character, except that he wears +2 chainmail.
  A few weeks earlier, he raped and murdered a
  priestess. He and his lieutenants buried her in the
  cellar and convinced the other priests and priest-
  esses that she ran off with one of the soldiers.
  Coins: Ashington is the innkeeper, a violent
  rogue named Jack. His guests check in, but they
  often don’t check out. He has them murdered,
  buries behind the inn, and shares the loot gained
  with his black-hearted lackeys. This version of
  Ashington is unchanged from the basic version in
  the Appendix, except that his background is that
  of a tomb-robber and highwayman who used his ill-
  gotten wealth to open an inn.
  Ashington is targeting the PCs either because
  he wants their wealth, or because they are asking
  questions that make him think they are onto his
  activities. A few days prior, he raped and murdered
  a young woman who had fled her home intending
  to elope with her lover, and he fears that the party
  may be agents hired by the family in order to locate
  her.
  Swords: Ashington takes the place of Dr.
  Ildgaard, the man in charge of the asylum. He
  appears as he does in the Magna Fortuna version of
  the house, but is usually wearing a spotless white
  coat over his other clothes. The Five of Swords is
  tucked in the breast pocket of this coat.
  Some days prior, he murdered a young woman
  who wanted to take her wealthy uncle away from
  the asylum, after seeing the appalling conditions.
  The good doctor wasn’t about to see control of a
  patient’s wealth slip away, so he had his orderlies
  kill her and bury her in garden.
  Stars: Ashington is the leader of a pathetic
  group of bandits who are using the decaying ruins
  of the house as a campsite. He is known as Dagger,
  a name derived from his weapon of choice and the
  curved blade that is never far from his person. His
  fine clothing is threadbare and mud-spattered. His
  statistics are mostly identical to those in the Ap-
  pendix, but in addition to his dagger, he carries a
  deception blade (+1 shortsword that grants him a
  +5 competency bonus to Bluff checks when his
  hand his resting on its hilt).
  Continuing the distorted echoes of the ter-
  rible night when Rozaleen died, Ashington and his
  men have captured a young half-Vistani. She is still
  alive when the party first enters this version, but
  may not remain so for long. (See the description of
  map area 5 for details.)
  Quick Stats: Ari2/Exp2/Rog4; hp 41; AC 13;
  Init +5; Atk +6 (long sword +2 or dagger +2, sneak
  attack +2d6 damage); F +3, R +5, W +7.
  Rostoff, Hanford, and Blaumann,
  Black-hearted Lackeys
  Rostoff, Hanford, and Blaumann are hand-
  some and wealthy men in their mid twenties. Their
  appealing looks, however, hide truly twisted and
  evil spirits. They follow Ashington’s every com-
  mand and whim, delighting in taking part in every
  twisted act of evil or sacrilege he concocts. When
  Ashington murdered Rozaleen, they were plan-
  ning a dice game to see which of them would be
  second in line to rape her once Ashington was
  done.
  In all versions of the house, Rostoff, Hanford,
  and Blaumann are Ashington’s partners in evil.
  Their stats remain mostly the same, undergoing
  only minor changes in the Swords version.
  Fortuna Magna: The three nobles appear as
  described in the Appendix.
  Glyphs and Coins: The evil trio is as they
  appear in the Appendix, except that they are
  dressed like typical sell-swords or ruffians instead of
  noblemen. They are Ashington’s long-time lieu-
  tenants.
  Swords: Rostoff, Hanford, and Blaumann are
  orderlies at the asylum. Their statistics are as they
  appear in the Appendix, but their ranks in Knowl-
  edge (royalty and nobility) are replaced by ranks in
  Healing.
  Stars: They are not present in this version of
  the house, except if certain random events occur.
  Quick Stats: Ari1/War1; hp 13; AC 11 (AC
  15 in armor); Init +1; Atk +2 (long sword or
  dagger); F +2, R +1, W +2.
  
  74
  Chapter Two
  Melanie, Hannah, and Ivana:
  Women of Low Character
  Melanie, Hannah, and Ivana are three wild
  young women in their twenties. In most versions,
  they are as cruel and vicious as their male compan-
  ions, Rostoff, Hanford, and Blaumann. The three
  were equal participants in the abuses that were
  heaped upon Rozaleen, and they laughed and mocked
  her as Ashington choked the life out of her.
  The stats for these three remain mostly the
  same throughout, undergoing only major changes
  in the Coins and Swords versions.
  Fortuna Magna: Melanie, Hannah, and Ivana
  appear in this version as they are described in the
  Appendix—three decadent and thoroughly cor-
  rupt young aristocrats.
  Glyphs: The three women are completely dif-
  ferent in this version, even if their physical appearance
  are that of Melanie, Hanna and Ivana. In this ver-
  sion, they are kindhearted, 1st-level NG clerics
  devoted to Hala. They still have the refined manners
  and bearings of noble women, but in this version they
  have the noble spirits to go with their veneer. They
  can each prepare two divine spells each day.
  Coins: The three women are beautiful bar-
  maids of a particularly wanton and forward stripe.
  They wear skirts that are slit to show lots of thigh,
  and wear blouses that show lots of cleavage. One or
  more of them will try to seduce a PC. If the
  character falls victim to their wiles, they take him
  to one of the rooms (area 11), offer him drugged
  wine (DC19 Fort save or fall asleep; -2 penalty to
  attack rolls and skill checks due to grogginess for 8
  less victim’s Constitution bonus hours if the save is
  successful). They wait to see what Ashington’s
  decision is regarding the character, but they are
  expecting to murder and rob him.
  Swords: The three are absent in the Swords
  version, unless the DM wishes to add them among
  the lunatics. Perhaps one of them could be a
  dangerous maniac, in which case her stats conform
  to the ones presented in the map key under area 3.
  Stars: Melanie, Hannah, and Ivana are absent.
  Quick Stats: Ari2; hp 9; AC 11; Init +1; Atk
  +1 (dagger or unarmed); F +0, R +0, W +3.
  Men-at-Arms
  These men are present in all versions of the
  house. Their locations are noted in the map keys.
  Their appearances vary slightly from version to
  version, but their statistics are always the same.
  Fortuna Magna and Glyphs: These are typi-
  cal sell-swords, hired to protect the residents of the
  house. They obey Ashington’s orders and will fight
  to protect him and the other named NPCs or guests
  of the house from attack.
  Coins: In this version, they are a mix of inn
  patrons and guards hired by wealthier guests. They
  are not necessarily going to come to the aid of
  Ashington or other of the named NPCs, although
  it is possible that one of the barmaids may attempt
  to trick a small group of them into attacking a PC
  (“he insulted me” or “he called you weaklings”) for
  the sake of malicious sport.
  Swords: They serve as guards for the asylum.
  They come to the defense of the doctor and the
  orderlies when called. They also seal the place tight
  if an alarm is sounded, not allowing anyone to
  leave.
  Stars: The men-at-arms are present as a group
  of bandits. They are filthy, lean, and they assault
  the PCs on sight. See the map key for their loca-
  tions.
  Quick Stats: War1; hp 8; AC 14; Init +0; Atk
  +3 (melee long sword or dagger, ranged short bow);
  F +2, R +0, W +0.
  Servants and Travelers
  These are bystanders in every location. They
  may serve as sources of information for the charac-
  ters, but they never engage in combat except in
  self-defense. In fact, if the PCs seem suspicious in
  versions corresponding to the Fortuna Magna,
  Glyphs, or Coins, these characters are likely to
  alert Ashington about their activities. In the Swords
  version, these characters are those among the in-
  mates who are harmless. The location and number
  of these characters are noted on the map key.
  Like the named NPCs, these characters ap-
  pear to be the same people in each version, but they
  undergo far more radical changes. These characters
  are “extras,” both in the sense of their role in the
  adventure and in the role they are being forced to
  play in Rozaleen’s curse. Ashington’s servants are
  guilty of indifference toward Rozaleen’s fate but
  none of them actively participated in the deed.
  They have been swept up in the curse almost by
  accident, and they play no direct part, so their
  numbers vary from version to version, depending
  on who was present on the final night of the cycle
  in question.
  Fortuna Magna: These are the servants of the
  house—the butler, the footman, the maids, the
  
  75
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  stable hands, the cooks, and so on. They are fearful
  of Ashington and his friends, and even more afraid
  of losing their positions in the household, so they
  will report any illicit activities on the part of the
  PCs they happen to notice.
  Glyphs: These NPCs are the patients and
  travelers seeking help and rest at the hospice.
  Coins: In this version, they are travelers who
  are either staying at the inn, or locals enjoying an
  ale in the tavern.
  Swords: Filthy, clad in ragged sackcloth, and
  thin from malnourishment, the NPCs here are the
  pathetic inmates in the asylum. They are even
  more harmless in this version than in others, be-
  cause they are lost in their own madness.
  Stars: None present in this version.
  Quick Stats: Com1; hp 4; AC 10; Init +0; Atk
  +0 (dagger, or unarmed, +0 damage); F +0, R +0,
  W +0.
  Other Key NPCs in the House
  There are two other nonplayer characters that
  are featured in the evil morass of Ashington Manor:
  the monstrous Maekon and the innocent Miko.
  Maekon. Beautiful Creature of
  Darkness
  Maekon is a dark-haired beauty with sharp
  features and large, expressive black eyes. She is
  dressed in practical traveling clothes and carries a
  small pack on her back and a lute by her side.
  Although she appears to be a human bard, Maekon
  is actually a Vehrteig, a rare creature who feeds off
  depravity and violence. (Vehrteig are described in
  full in the DM’s Appendix. A more complete
  description, as well as full stats for Maekon can be
  found there as well.)
  Maekon in the House
  Maekon was present in the house on the night
  Rozaleen was murdered, and she is directly respon-
  sible for the deaths of Ashington and his cronies.
  She has carried Rozaleen’s tarokka deck with her
  since that night, and although her kind is immune
  to curses and charms of all kinds—even those of
  the Vistani—the deck has been drawing her back
  to the house every 17 years so that distorted reflec-
  tions of the events that night can be presented.
  Maekon hasn’t been swept up in Rozaleen’s
  curse, so her presence in the house is like those of
  the party members. When the time frame of the
  house shifts, she experiences the shift just like they
  do.
  Maekon arrives at the house when the DM
  determines it best moves the story along. She is
  initially confused and disoriented. She quickly
  comes to realize that some bizarre merging of all the
  similar bloody situations that have unfolded in
  recent decades in the house is taking place, and
  then she becomes playful. Attempts the party makes
  to befriend characters they meet will be under-
  mined by the bard through insults and jibes; she
  will pretend that she didn’t mean to cause trouble
  if confronted. She will play completely ignorant of
  what is going on. If the party gives her too much
  trouble, she may turn her powers on them—al-
  though this is a last resort for her. She is having too
  much fun and will only attack if attacked first.
  Maekon’s playfulness comes to an end the
  moment she sees Rozaleen’s tarokka deck on the
  table of area 5. A quick check of her pack shows her
  that the item that’s been with her for so many years
  has somehow ended up back in the hands of
  Rozaleen. She grows nervous and fearful, encour-
  aging the party to stop Ashington from killing the
  girl and retrieving the deck. She doesn’t know
  what’s happening, but she fears it can’t be good. If
  the party presses her for more information, she will
  break down and reveal her inhuman nature to
  them. (She won’t go into details about how she
  sustains herself, but will merely reveal that her kind
  is as much a part of The Land as the Vistani are.)
  Quick Stats: Brd6/Rog4; hp 4; AC 10; Init +8;
  Atk +8 (dagger, or unarmed, +1 damage); F +4, R
  +13, W +6. Special Note: Maekon is a Vehrteig.
  Miko, Innocent in Mortal Danger
  This seventeen year-old girl is dressed in a
  tattered and dirty dress of the style favored by the
  town-based merchant class. Her dark hair, dusky
  skin, and shockingly pale blue eyes mark her as a
  half-blooded Vistani. She is a blooming exotic
  beauty who has inherited the best traits from her
  bloodlines.
  The daughter of a small-town merchant and a
  mortu of Zarovan blood, Miko spent her childhood
  shielded from the horrors of the world. The shatter-
  ing of her innocence started when she was abducted
  by the evil bandit-leader Dagger. Her sanity is
  being stretched as in the blink of an eye, Dagger
  and his men seemed to alter their appearance,
  becoming different people yet who still behaved as
  those who kidnapped her.
  
  76
  Chapter Two
  Miko is initially encountered in The Ruins
  iteration of Ashington Manor. While there was a
  better than even chance that she would have faced
  a horrible death at the hands of Dagger, once she
  was swept up in the collapsing magical energies
  surrounding Ashington Manor, her death was al-
  most assured—she is the “stand-in” for Rozaleen.
  Only decisive action on the part of the PCs will
  save her life once they encounter her and her
  abductors.
  Quick Stats: Com1; hp 4; AC 10; Init +0; Atk
  +0 (dagger, or unarmed, +0 damage); F +0, R +0,
  W +0. Special Note: Miko is a Half-Vistani.
  The Variations of the House
  Here is the key to Ashington Manor, as well as
  the events that take place in each area and time
  period.
  The first paragraph in each entry provides the
  general description of the area, most often the
  elements of it that remain constant from version to
  version.
  1. Gate
  This gateway is the only easy access point
  through the 12-foot, solid stone wall that sur-
  rounds Ashington Manor.
  Fortuna Magna: two massive oak doors that
  are reinforced with wide iron bands secure the
  gateway. Under normal circumstances, the gate
  remains open from dawn until dusk, but if there are
  dangers in the area—bandits, rumors of rampaging
  werebeasts or wandering undead—the gates are
  closed either by the command of Ashington or one
  of the older house servants. During the night, the
  gates are opened only for Ashington; others can die
  screaming just outside the wall without moving the
  hearts of those who dwell within. The gates are
  secured by placing a heavy wooden beam in a set of
  braces.
  During the day, two men-at-arms guard the
  gateway. Unless they know the visitors or have
  been told to expect them, one of the warriors asks
  visitors to wait at the gate while the other notifies
  the butler who they are and why they are here.
  Ashington will agree to see virtually anyone, par-
  ticularly if he thinks it can add to the entertainment
  of his friends.
  After dark, the gates are not opened for any-
  one but Ashington.
  Glyphs: As above, except the kindhearted
  Witches of Hala are willing to open the gates after
  dark if someone calls to them. Ashington, Rostoff,
  and two men-at-arms are the ones who open it.
  Ashington closely questions the characters before
  giving the access. If the characters seem hostile or
  confrontational, he makes them stay in the stables
  until morning. He will cut the questions short if a
  mist horror coalesces, or if one is already attacking
  the party when he is called to open the gate. Unless
  a party member is wounded, or they claim to have
  a desperate need to speak with the leader of the
  hospice, he quarters them for the night in rooms
  above the stables (area 11).
  Coins: As the Fortuna Magna result. The
  gates are closed at sunset and are not opened under
  any circumstances.
  Swords: As the Coins result, except characters
  who are beaten into submission by the three orderlies
  are chained in one of the cells (area 3). If the
  characters severely injured any of the three (inflict-
  ing more than 10 points of damage), they are placed
  in a cell with one of the homicidal maniacs.
  Stars: Broken boards that are gray with rot lie
  scattered beyond the gaping archway in a moss-
  covered stone wall. Twisted, broken and rusty
  hinges dangle uselessly from the arch’s sides. At its
  apex, someone has painted a crude symbol that has
  almost been worn away by wind and weather.
  (Successful use of appropriate skills, class abilities
  or spells reveals that it is a Vistani symbol that
  means “Danger.”)
  2. Courtyard
  A broad cobblestone courtyard stretches to-
  ward a stone building directly ahead from the gate
  and to a wooden structure on the left.
  The stone building is two stories high, with a
  steep roof covered by black shingles. The windows
  are tall and plentiful, and a set of wide steps leads
  up to a large door that is flanked by columns.
  Gargoyles perch on the corners of the roof.
  The wooden structure has the look of a stable.
  Fortuna Magna: A carriage stands in the
  courtyard, and a handsome young servant is tend-
  ing to the four white horses that draw it. Inside the
  carriage are upholstered benches and a brace hold-
  ing a stoppered carafe and four wide crystal goblets.
  The wine in the carafe is of the finest Richemulot
  has to offer, although there is barely half a glass left.
  The goblets are wide enough that it is possible to
  drink from them without spilling if they are less
  than half full and the carriage is traveling along a
  decent road.
  
  77
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  
  78
  Chapter Two
  The carriage belongs to Hannah, and it brought
  her and the other two women to Ashington Manor.
  The servant, Hannah’s coachman, will not allow
  the PCs to enter the carriage unless they success-
  fully use Bluff or Diplomacy on him (DC13 and a
  decent sounding rationale from a player) and he
  will call for help if threatened or ignored. 1d4
  warriors answer the call within 1d8+2 rounds. If
  enough of a ruckus is raised, Hanford, Blaumann,
  and Rostoff will also emerge from the house. How
  they react depends on whether they have inter-
  acted with the PCs before.
  Glyphs and Coins: During daylight hours,
  there are 1d8+2 random characters coming and
  going in the courtyard at any given time; the DM
  can include any of the six major supporting charac-
  ters (Rostoff, Ivana, and so on) in the mix if he
  chooses. No one challenges the party unless they
  seem like they are injured, confused, or obviously
  out to cause trouble.
  At night, there are 1d2+1 warriors in the
  courtyard, either just getting a bit of fresh air, or
  engaged in an argument. There may also be a
  couple of wagons (with trade goods) or carriages
  parked here. If so, the horses are in the stable.
  There is also a 50% chance that Rostoff or Hanford
  is in the courtyard (DM’s choice). If so, the NPC
  may try to catch a lone PC off his or her guard and
  attack, depending on how previous encounters
  have gone.
  Swords: During the day, there is a 50% chance
  that Hanford and Blaumann are standing near the
  gate, passing a flask of brandy back and forth and
  gossiping. There are 1d3+1 other random staff
  members coming and going in the courtyard. The
  PCs will always be challenged about what their
  reason for being there is, but Hanford and Blaumann
  will be hostile and suspicious in their stance when
  questioning the characters.
  Stars: The courtyard is strewn with charred,
  rotting timber and other debris. It is deserted. A
  successful Listen check (DC 12) reveals the sound
  of laughter and rough voices coming from within
  the austere, soot-smeared main building (area 5
  and area 6-12).
  3. External Stairs
  These narrow stairs climb steeply to a small
  door that gives access to the first floor.
  Fortuna Magna and Glyphs: 3a provides ac-
  cess to the rooms above the stables. 3b does not
  exist, nor does the door that opens from it. The
  door from 3a is flimsy and can be barred from the
  inside by placing a board in a set of braces but
  otherwise features no lock. (Inserting a sword be-
  tween the doorframe and the door and sliding it
  forcefully upward can remove the board.)
  Coins and Swords: 3a provides access to the
  rooms above the stables from the courtyard, while
  3b gives access to the rooms above the main hall
  from the garden. The doors at the top of the stairs
  are sturdy and both fitted with simple locks. They
  are usually locked from sundown to sunrise in the
  Coins version, and always locked in the Swords
  version. In the Coins version, Ashington has the
  key, while in the Swords version, the doctors and
  orderlies all have keys. The door granting access to
  3b likewise is only present in the Coins and Swords
  versions.
  Stars: 3a is so badly rotted that even a slight
  breeze causes it to sway and creak. Many steps have
  already fallen to the ground below, and the stairs
  are so plainly unstable that it is not even necessary
  to roll any checks for a character to notice. If a PC
  or NPC tries to climb 3a, the structure will col-
  lapse, causing 1d12 points of damage to the
  character. A successful Tumbling check allows the
  character to halve the damage. 3b has been re-
  duced to a small pile of charred, rotting timber
  among the weeds and wild potato plants in the
  back of the building. Where the door once stood is
  now just a dark, gaping hole.
  4. Stables
  A broad set of heavy wooden doors lead from
  the courtyard into a darkened building. Small,
  high-set windows allow a little light to filter in,
  while carefully hung oil lamps provide a little more.
  The wicks sputter within the lamps, causing shad-
  ows to move across the walls.
  Fortuna Magna: The stables are being used as
  stables. Six of the finest riding horses are here—
  three belonging to Rostoff, Hanford, and Blaumann,
  and the remaining belonging to Ashington.
  (Ashington enjoys riding across his lands at least
  twice a week. Two of his guards accompany him on
  the other horses he owns, and often one or more of
  his friends will be along as well. The peasants in the
  area do not look forward to Ashington’s “inspec-
  tions.”)
  During the day, two servants are here—the
  stable master and the stable boy. At night, the
  stable boy is sleeping on a bed of hay in the stall
  furthest from the entrance.
  
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  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  Glyphs: Four light warhorses from Nova Vaasa
  are stabled here, along with 1d2+1 additional riding
  horses. If there are any wagons or carriages present,
  the draft horses that belong to them are stabled as
  well. The light warhorses belong to Ashington and
  his lieutenants. The other members of the merce-
  nary company travel on foot.
  During daylight hours, one servant and one
  warrior—a stable boy and one of the mercenar-
  ies—are in the stables. The servant sleeps here at
  night, on a bed of hay in the stall furthest from
  entrance.
  Coins: 1d4+2 riding horses of varying quality
  are stabled here, along with 1d2+1 donkeys. Any
  draft animals belonging to carriages or wagons
  present in the courtyard are likewise stabled here.
  During daylight hours, one stable hand (a
  servant) is present. At night, only the animals are
  present, some whinnying restlessly as if sensing
  some unseen threat. Unlike some inns, the “Jacks
  and Queens” does not allow the stables to double
  for cheap lodgings. Hanford does random checks
  (going to the stables on a 1 on a d8, with a check
  made every three hours) and if he finds anyone
  sleeping in the stables on the sly, he proceeds to
  beat the sleeper to death.
  Swords: The stable serves as the main dormi-
  tory for the asylum’s inmates. The sounds of
  incoherent babbling and the stench of excrement
  and unwashed human bodies waft from the small
  windows.
  Inside, the stalls have been converted to cells,
  each housing 1d6 lunatics of the same sex per cell.
  If a cell only contains one person, that indicates he
  or she is dangerously violent and will attack any-
  one who opens the cell. All cells have wooden
  walls with iron doors that are secured from the
  outside with sliding metal bars. A hinged metal
  plug, allowing a person to look inside without
  needing to open the door, covers a peephole in
  each door.
  Stars: The roof has partially collapsed, bury-
  ing the eight northernmost cells under a jumble of
  rotting, charred lumber. The doors to the other
  cells have fallen from their frames. There are no
  bodies in the southern cells, as the inmates were
  either freed on that final terrible night to rampage
  through the asylum, or their burned bodies have
  been dragged off and consumed by animals or
  creatures even more bestial.
  5. Entry
  A large, brassbound door made from dark
  wood stands nearly ten feet in height. A large brass
  knocker in the shape of a winged gargoyle is at its
  center, roughly eye-height of an average adult
  human male.
  Beyond the door is a cloakroom with a black-
  and-white tiled floor and a high ceiling. Eight pegs
  shaped like clawed hands line the walls at shoulder
  height, and long racks run the length of the cham-
  ber at few inches above the floor, to the left and
  right.
  Fortuna Magna: The door is unlocked. If the
  party knocks, Blaumann comes to the door. If the
  PCs aren’t immediately hostile, he gladly ushers
  them into the Grand Hall (area 5) and the pres-
  ence of his friends and the captive Vistani girl. He
  hopes the party may be able to defuse Ashington’s
  growing ugly mood.
  Three fine women’s cloaks and four men’s
  cloaks hang on the claw-shaped pegs. A pair of
  highly polished riding boots stands on the left rack.
  Glyphs and Coins: In both versions of the
  house, a warrior is here when the PCs first enter; he
  opens the door if they knock, looking at them with
  a mix of confusion and irritation. He will take them
  to area 6 if the party asks to see whoever is in
  charge. (He takes them to the head of the Hala
  hospice whose office is in area 6, or to the bar—
  although he doesn’t so much introduce them to
  anyone as just ignore them completely once there.)
  Cloaks and capes hang on the pegs—some
  threadbare, some fit for kings. The same is true of
  the boots and shoes on the racks. The clothes hang
  two or three deep on some of the pegs.
  Swords: Several plain brown hooded cloaks
  hang here. (Asylum staff when they have to go
  from the main house to area 3 or other places
  outside the main building use them during adverse
  weather.)
  Stars: The brass is tarnished and corroded and
  the boards are charred, rotted, and warped. The
  door is barely holding on the hinges. The floor
  within is caked with mud and offal and many of the
  tiles are cracked or missing. All the pegs are gone,
  and the boot racks have been reduced to so much
  charred kindling.
  6. Grand Hall
  An expansive, high-ceilinged room has walls
  and floors of dark wood. A huge fireplace capped by
  
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  Chapter Two
  a mantle made from black- and red-veined marble
  takes up much of the wall, while three tall windows
  stretch upward in another wall. Overhead, sus-
  pended by a series of chains and pulleys, at the
  exact center of the room, is a massive chandelier.
  A broad set of stairs leads up to the second
  floor, while sturdy-looking oak doors lead to other
  rooms. A third oak door leads to the entry hall and
  the outside.
  Fortuna Magna: The grand hall contains the
  finest of furnishings. Near the fireplace stand three
  overstuffed chairs and a small table with a snifter of
  brandy and three crystal glasses. A long table
  flanked by four high-backed chairs on each side,
  with a larger, more ornate chair at one end, stands
  directly below the chandelier. Near the windows is
  another table that is flanked by small benches and
  wooden chairs. On the wall, dozens of stuffed
  animal heads snarl down at inhabitants of the
  room—bears, boars, panthers . . . even a few strange
  reptilian beasts.
  The first time the PCs arrive here, Rozaleen,
  Ashington, and the other main players in the curse
  are seated around the table by the windows. The
  chandelier blazes overhead, and the fireplace roars
  with a healthy fire, casting plenty of light in the
  chamber. Rozaleen is about to start on her final
  fortune. Ashington has just threatened to kill her
  if she doesn’t start to entertain him and his guests.
  The arrival of the PCs buys Rozaleen more time, as
  Ashington and his lackeys will engage them in
  conversation.
  Although this version of the house is almost as
  it appeared on the night of Rozaleen’s death,
  Maekon is not sitting at the fireplace as she did. If
  she has already joined the party the first time they
  enter this version of the house, Ashington reacts
  with surprise to her appearance. He says she is
  familiar, asking if they’ve met before. Maekon
  turns on her most seductive charms, stating that
  she doesn’t think they have, but she wants to get to
  know him know. (PCs present can make DC11
  Spot checks to notice that the Vistani girl already
  seemed frightened, but that she recoils with even
  stronger terror from Maekon.)
  Glyphs: Rows of beds stand in the end of the
  room closest to the fireplace, while three long
  tables flanked by benches stand at the other. There
  are three rows of three beds, and the long tables can
  seat ten people each. The area in front of the
  entrance is open and free of clutter.
  The operators of the hospice allow needy
  travelers and patients who are not contagious or
  seriously injured to rest in the beds here. When the
  party appears in this version, lightly wounded people
  and one tired traveler occupy five of the beds. Four
  members of the hospice are eating along with three
  other travelers. (All the NPCs here have servant
  and traveler stats, although the DM can assume
  that the hospice members can each cast 1 0-level
  and 1 1st-level divine spell.)
  When the PCs first appear in the common
  room, they are offered hospitality, as well as to have
  any injuries treated. The diners are discussing the
  rumor of a ghostly Vistana that appears to tell
  fortunes. The clerics of Hala state that they have
  heard no such rumors, and further add that the
  founder of the hospice is very hurt by the vicious
  rumors that circulate about his relative, Lord Herod
  Ashington. (The DM can relay the background of
  Ashington here if he wishes, although the follow-
  ers of Hala will not bring up the rumors about his
  evil nature, because they know it offends their
  leader.)
  If one or more PCs are alone in the common
  room late at night—aside from those sleeping in
  the beds—the DM should draw a card from the
  deck. If it is belongs to the suit of Coins, Stars, or
  Swords (or Spades in a normal deck), Rozaleen’s
  restless spirit manifests itself. She sits at the end of
  the table, which stands at the exact spot where
  Rozaleen laid her final tarokka patterns. The trans-
  parent image of the young Vistani girl draws cards
  from an equally transparent tarokka deck. The
  haunt turns the cards silently, a vaguely superior
  look upon her face as she lays out the basic cross.
  She then seems to be jerked about by an invisible
  force and interacts with someone the PCs can’t see.
  The smug look on her face doesn’t falter as she
  gathers up the cards, shuffles them, and waits while
  the invisible person with her cuts the deck. She
  then proceeds to lay another basic cross, her lips
  moving silently, mouthing words. Her expression
  suddenly changes, shifting quickly from smug, to
  shock, to pain. A red stain spreads rapidly across
  the side of her white blouse and her head angles
  back as invisible hands close around her neck. Her
  lips continue to move silently and then she sud-
  denly blinks from view.
  The ghostly vision is reenacting the last tarokka
  pattern that Rozaleen completed and her unfin-
  ished final one. If characters move close, they can
  follow cards as they are placed in the fashion
  
  81
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  described in “What Has Gone Before,” from
  Rozaleen placing Ivana’s foretelling to her death at
  the hands of Ashington.
  A character with ranks in the Read Lips skill
  can attempt to discern what Rozaleen is saying
  (DC15 skill check, because of the transparency of
  the image). The apparition cannot be harmed, nor
  can it be communicated with. It runs through its
  reenactment of Rozaleen’s final minutes, and then
  blinks from sight as suddenly as it appeared. The
  image only appears once per incarnation of the
  house.
  Coins: This is the inn’s common room. Most
  of it is given over to tables flanked by benches
  (three can sit on each bench), although several
  chairs stand in a disorderly half-circle by the fire-
  place. The floorboards are worn, and they are
  stained in many spots either by spilled wine or
  blood.
  When the party appears here, there is a bard
  sitting in one of the chairs near the fireplace,
  playing a tune on a flute while a scantily clad young
  woman dances seductively. Men at nearby tables
  leer and offer the occasional outburst and tossed
  coins. Eleven NPCs are seated at various tables
  around the room, and two waitresses in slitted
  skirts and barely buttoned blouses serve food and
  wine. All the NPCs conform to the servants and
  travelers statistics, except for the waitresses, who
  are Hannah and Melanie. One of the two women
  quickly acknowledges the party, welcoming them
  to the “Jack and Queens” and leads them to a table.
  Even before they are seated, she starts oozing se-
  ductive charms toward the best-dressed PC with
  the highest charisma. (If another character ends up
  paying the bill, she turns her attention to that one,
  while the other waitress picks up where she left off
  with the first target.)
  If the PCs are by themselves in the common
  room late at night, the DM should turn a card from
  the tarokka deck. The phantasm of Rozaleen mani-
  fests if the card is from the suits of Glyphs, Swords,
  or Stars, and its appearance follows the details
  presented above, under the “Glyphs” option.
  There is a danger in the grand hall that hasn’t
  previously been present. While it served as a hos-
  pice, a dying and hopelessly mad sorcerer cast spells
  that caused a hearth fiend to take up residence in
  the fireplace. Ever since then, a few embers have
  always smoldered within the cavernous hearth.
  Since the opening of the inn, the hearth fiend has
  caused numerous violent incidences, and its foul
  intonations have heightened the evil of the inn’s
  owner and staff. It will encourage attacks against
  the PCs, by warriors in the common room, and by
  Hannah and Melanie.
  Hearth Fiend: Cr2; Small Elemental (Fire,
  mists) (2 ft. 8 in. tall); HD 2d8; HP 9; Int +5; Spd
  50 (10 squares); AC15 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natu-
  ral); Atk +3 ranged fire bolt (1d6 plus ignite
  flammables); SA Burn, fire charm; SQ Damage
  reduction 10/magic, elemental traits, immunity to
  electricity, Mists subtype, vulnerable to water; AL
  CE; SV Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +0; Str 10, Dex 13,
  Con 10, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 16.
  Swords: In the asylum version, the grand hall
  is part dining room, part observation hall. A long
  table stands near the fireplace, a large almost
  thronelike chair at its head, with four chairs on
  both its sides. The area in front of the entryway is
  clear, and in the part of the room near the stairs to
  the house’s first floor (area 10) stands a large cage
  covered by a large red blanket. Inside the cage is a
  young woman in a colorful skirt and white shirt,
  clothes reminiscent of those favored by many
  Vistani. She is one of the lunatics in the asylum,
  and she believes herself to be a bird. When the cage
  is uncovered, she slowly stands up and starts sing-
  ing a bizarre and hauntingly beautiful song. Dr.
  Ildgaard and his orderlies often use her as enter-
  tainment when they dine. (The DM can insert
  Ivana in the role of the madwoman.)
  Dr. Ildgaard/Ashington and his orderlies
  (Blaumann, Hanford, and Rostoff) are taking their
  evening meal when the PCs first appear in this
  version. Ildgaard is immediately hostile and suspi-
  cious if they come from anywhere but the courtyard.
  If their story for being at the asylum makes sense
  (doesn’t involve time-travel or some other “insan-
  ity,”) he will allow them to stay in the guest rooms on
  the second floor (areas 12a-c). At the first mention
  of mysterious young women or ghosts or the same,
  however, he concludes they are somehow connected
  to the noble woman he recently murdered, and he
  orders his orderlies and men-at-arms to subdue them,
  disarm them, and confine them in a cell in area 3.
  The weakest-appearing characters will be put in cells
  containing violent inmates.
  If one of more PC is by himself in the room late
  at night, the DM should turn a card from the
  tarokka deck. The phantasm of Rozaleen manifests
  if the card is from the suits of Glyphs, Coins, or
  Stars, and it behaves as detailed under the “Glyphs”
  option, above.
  
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  Chapter Two
  Stars: The grand hall is a dingy, soot-stained
  room that smells of mold, human waste, and sweaty,
  unwashed bodies. There are no furnishings in the
  room aside from some bedrolls and piles of moth-
  eaten, tattered blankets. It serves as the base of
  operations for Dagger/Ashington and his pathetic
  bandit pack.
  Ten bandits (men-at-arms statistics) are here,
  playing dice, resting, or snickering as they watch
  their leader torment Miko, the merchant’s daugh-
  ter they have abducted.
  Dagger/Ashington is near the fireplace where
  he is caressing the sobbing girl’s cheek and legs
  while offering to “make her a woman.” If the PCs
  have seen Rozaleen’s ghost, or perhaps seen her in
  the Ashington Manor version of the house, they
  might mistake this dark-haired, dusky-skinned girl
  for her.
   If the PCs hesitate more than three rounds,
  the girl panics and leaps to her feet in an attempt
  to flee. Dagger/Ashington loses his temper at this,
  and easily prevents her from getting away. He just
  as easily slits her throat with his knife. As the girl
  is drowning in her own blood, he starts stabbing her
  repeatedly, screaming that she shouldn’t have de-
  fied him.
  Hopefully, the PCs will intervene before it
  comes to this. As soon as they make their presence
  known, the ten bandits attack. Dagger/Ashington
  grabs the girl, presses his dagger to her throat and
  threatens to kill her unless the PCs surrender and
  drop their weapons immediately. If the PCs obey,
  Dagger/Ashington shrieks that they and the girl’s
  stupid father condemned her to death when they
  tried to defy him. He orders his men to kill the
  party, and he slits the girl’s throat. As she tumbles
  to the ground, gurgling and grasping her throat in
  a vain attempt to stop the bleeding, Dagger/
  Ashington leaps into the fray. (Again, if the PCs
  choose to act rather than follow the bandit leader’s
  orders, they should roll initiatives against Ashington
  and the bandits.)
  If/when the PCs rescue the young half-Vistani,
  she becomes subject to the time-shifts. She is the
  only NPC present in the house who starts shifting
  as the PCs shift. If she dies at the hands of Dagger/
  Ashington, her corpse remains in this version of
  the house.
  7. Adjunct
  This low-ceilinged wooden chamber was added
  later than the rest of the structure. A sturdy door
  can be closed offering privacy. The molding run-
  ning around the entire room under the ceiling
  displays carvings of dragon-prowed longships and
  strange runes.
  Fortuna Magna: The chamber is a richly ap-
  pointed study. It was added to Ashington Manor by
  the last Lord Ashington’s grandfather. The dwell-
  ings of spellcasting warlords that he met in a
  distant, mistbound land inspired the look of the
  room. The room was the ultimate manifestation of
  the Ashington family tradition of dabbling in ob-
  scure magic.
  The floor is covered with a soft, deep red
  carpet. A large desk and a comfortable chair stand
  at the center of the room, its surface holding
  documents relating to the financial state of
  Ashington’s holdings (which are doing quite well).
  Heavy drapes cover the large window looks out
  upon the garden behind the manor. When the
  drapes are pulled back during the daytime, copious
  sunlight spills into the room. Two overstuffed
  armchairs flank a small table directly in front of the
  window. A golden snuffbox stands on the table,
  next to a small stack of books (all occult in nature;
  if the DM wants to introduce one of the Van
  Richten’s Guides) in-game, this would be a good
  place to do so). A door leads to the garden, and a
  high-quality lock secures it. (There are two keys;
  the butler has one, and there is one in the desk
  drawer in area 13.
  One wall of the room is covered ceiling to floor
  by shelves that are crammed with books and bundles
  of parchment. This is the occult library collected
  by four generations of Lord Ashingtons, and the
  texts are in every written language of the Core from
  Draconic to Mordentish. The books range in qual-
  ity from total bunk to fairly accurate, although
  Lord Ashington will swear that all the texts are
  scholarly works about the occult of the highest
  order.
  None of the books are magical in nature,
  although some may contain details on low-level
  spells, or on the creation of simple magical potions.
  The room itself, however, is a noteworthy bit of
  arcana. The runes carved into the molding under
  the ceiling radiate divination and transmutation
  magic. They radiate a magic affect that grants
  persons in the room a +1 competency bonus to all
  Decipher Script, Knowledge, Scry, and other re-
  search-related skill checks performed inside the
  room.
  
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  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  Glyphs: The room appears as described above,
  except that many of the more ridiculous and incor-
  rect texts have been culled from the collection. It
  serves as the office for Byron Ashington-Welles,
  the head of the hospice. Here during the day,
  except when helping to tend to the sick and
  wounded, he retires to area 12 at night. When the
  PCs seek him out, he will be in the company of
  Ashington, or Ashington will escort the characters
  to see him. Although he was a 5th-level cleric in
  life, the echo of him in the distorted version of the
  hospice conforms to those of the warriors. If a PC
  is severely wounded, though, the DM should let
  him cast some cure spells.
  If the PCs approach him about the shifting
  time they are experiencing, he recommends they
  rest for a while and then see what happens. (He
  assumes they are demented.) If the PCs quiz him
  about the Vistani ghost, he denies knowing any-
  thing about it, but the questions trigger suspicion
  in Ashington. He thinks the characters have some-
  how learned of the murder he has committed. He
  rounds up Rostoff, Hanford, and Blaumann with
  the intent of attacking and killing the party mem-
  bers. He will have one of his underlings lure the
  party to the stables under the pretense of having
  information about the Vistani ghost, and then will
  attack as soon as they enter.
  Coins: The adjunct has been turned into the
  inn’s tavern as no one recognized the significance
  of the carvings along the molding. The furniture
  that was here is gone, replaced by a four-seater
  bench and narrow table along the wall, and a sturdy
  wooden counter in front of the shelves. Four heavy
  stools line the bar. The books are all gone, and a
  variety of sacks containing dried meat or cheeses
  and bottles of alcohol stands arrayed where they
  were, along with mugs, plates, and bowls. The
  carpet is gone, and the exposed floorboards are
  worn. The door that leads to the garden is secured
  from the inside with a heavy wooden bar. The lock
  was broken some time ago, and the owner has not
  bothered to replace it.
  Rostoff or Blaumann is here, tending bar.
  Hannah or Melanie is also here, looking for a mark
  to seduce and rob. The prices are in line with those
  charged at other isolated roadhouses, and the alco-
  hol is not watered down. Food can also be ordered,
  although if the tavern is crowded, the bartender
  instructs the would-be diner to make their order in
  the common room. Payment is made as a drink is
  ordered; no one gets to run a tab at the “Jacks and
  Queens.” There are six guests present—two body-
  guards to travelers dining in the common room
  (warriors), while the rest are local riffraff (servant
  statistics).
  Swords: The chamber is back to being a study/
  office. The desk at the center of the room is not as
  large as the one that was here in the days of
  Ashington Manor, but it is high quality. A com-
  fortable chair stands behind it, and two hardwood
  chairs stand in front of it for visitors. The bar,
  stools, bench and table are gone, and the shelves
  once again hold books. The collection is not as
  large as the one possessed by the Ashington family,
  but it is of higher quality. The collection features
  books by the greatest medical minds of the Core,
  with something touching on virtually every known
  ailment physical or mental. Both doors to the room
  feature exceptional quality locks, and the door to
  area 8 (the garden) is kept locked at all times. The
  door to the grand hall is locked when Ashington/
  Ildgaard is not in the office. Ildgaard/Ashington
  has the only key that will open the doors, and he
  carries it in his vest pocket.
  Dr. Ildgaard/Ashington works here during the
  day, and for a couple of hours between dinner and
  retiring to this room for the night (area 13). When
  Ildgaard/Ashington isn’t in his office, he locks the
  door.
  Stars: The wooden room has collapsed into a
  pile of rotting, charred timbers. While sooty frag-
  ments of the ornate moldings can be found in the
  wreckage, the magic of the runes has been broken
  and they are now worthless. A torn, light blue
  blanket that is stained by a variety of unidentifiable
  substances covers the door from area 5.
  8. Kitchen
  The floor is covered in white ceramic tiles. It
  has a slight downward tilt to the center of the room
  where there is a small drain. The rafters are studded
  with steel hooks, and a floor-to-floor shelving unit
  covers the east wall. To the north, is a large black-
  iron oven and stove. A pair of roasting trays stand
  side by side on the rack at the center of the oven.
  A counter runs along the west wall, with two
  narrow oak cabinets standing in the southwest
  corner.
  There are two exits from the kitchen—one
  featuring a set of swinging doors that lead to the
  grand hall, and another that leads to the garden
  behind the house. A third possible exit is the
  trapdoor in the floor next to the cabinets.
  
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  Chapter Two
  Fortuna Magna: The manor’s kitchen is in its
  days of glory in this version. Iron skillets and copper
  pots of a wide variety of depths and sizes had from
  the steel hooks. The shelves are crammed with
  serving dishes and crockery. A wooden block with
  a dozen kitchen knives of varying size and use stand
  at the center of the wood counter. The top shelves
  inside the left cabinet holds a tremendous assort-
  ment of spices while the lower shelves hold trays
  with silver serving ware and flatware. The right
  cabinet contains a shelf with crystal wine glasses
  and goblets crammed closely together, ornate sil-
  ver serving dishes, and fine china plates for every
  course of a formal dinner. The kitchen is immacu-
  late. The door to the garden is locked by a simple
  latch-lock, which can be opened without a key
  from the inside. (In fact, the key to this door was
  lost long ago, and no one has bothered to even
  notify Ashington or any senior servants.) The
  trapdoor mentioned above opens to the black
  stone steps that lead to area 14, the Cellar.
  During the day and evenings, at least two
  servants (the chef and his apprentice) are present,
  preparing meals or cleaning up after meals. At
  night, the apprentice sleeps on a pile of sacks near
  the cooling stove, so that if Ashington or any of his
  guests should wish to have a meal in the middle of
  the night, they can be immediately accommo-
  dated. (On the night of Rozaleen’s murder, the
  chef, the apprentice, and two other servants are in
  the kitchen.)
  Glyphs: A somewhat smaller collection of
  skillets and pots hang from the kitchen’s rafters,
  but the majority of them tend toward the large size.
  A far narrower selection of spices is present. The
  flatware consists of glazed clay plates, and the
  silverware consists of tarnished spoons and nicked
  table knives. The same block of large kitchen
  knives stands on the counter, but one is missing
  and they are all in need of sharpening. A smell of
  fresh-baked bread seems to always hang in the
  room.
  During the day, one servant (a low-ranking
  member of the order) is always here, and there are
  two present when it is close to mealtimes, cooking
  up simple yet delicious fare. The kitchen is empty
  at night.
  Coins: The skillets and pots hanging from the
  rafters are all dented, scorched, and very much used
  and abused. They are all large in size, intended for
  institutional cooking. During the day, a pot with a
  thick, almost stewlike soup containing a mixture of
  mystery meat and soggy vegetables stands bubbling
  on the stove, and breads are always baking in the
  oven. A small selection of spices stand scattered
  along the counter, and a couple dozen pewter
  plates and mugs are crammed into the cabinets.
  Swords: Two large pots always stand on the
  stove, bubbling with a watery and tasteless gruel—
  the fare for inmates morning, noon, and night. The
  oven is used to bake roasts and other fine meals for
  the director and his staff. The cabinet houses clay
  plates, mugs, and spoons.
  Stars: The counter and cabinets have been
  charred by fire, but they are still intact. There is
  nothing of value in either, and everything that
  could be moved has long since been looted. The
  one exception is the large butcher knife that has
  been driven into the countertop with monstrous
  strength; its blade is buried in the wood nearly to
  the handle.
  The trapdoor to area 14 collapsed under its
  own weight as rot took hold. Fragments of wood
  cling to the oxidized hinges, appearing like broken
  teeth in a pitch-black maw.
  9. Garden
  A narrow path leads from the back of the
  house to a small shrine near a wall covered with ivy
  and vines.
  Fortuna Magna: The garden consists of a
  spectacular, well-tended rosebushes and flowerbeds.
  A ten-by-six area near the backdoor from the
  kitchen is given over to a vegetable garden.
  The shrine at the back of the garden is made
  from oak, and it appears like a small house with a
  steep roof and open front, perched atop a four-foot
  high pole. Inside is a figurine of a robed and hooded
  woman carved from the bone of a large creature (a
  giant’s thighbone, actually). The figurine and its
  wooden housing originated in the same domain as
  the craftsmen who carved the molding in area 6.
  The carving is of a goddess worshiped in that
  faraway land. Ashington told anyone who asked
  that the carving was of Hala. Neither the figurine
  nor the shrine has any special properties.
  Glyphs: The vegetable garden has been ex-
  panded to fill half the garden, and features carefully
  labeled rows of vegetables and healing herbs.
  The shrine at the back of the garden has been
  subtly altered, and in this version, it radiates weak
  abjuration magic. Mystic runes have been carved
  in the sides of the wooden housing and a symbol of
  Hala has been engraved on the bottom of the
  
  85
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  figurine. A witch or warlock of Hala who prays at
  the shrine for spells receives a +1 divine bonus to
  all saving throws for the following 24-hour period.
  If the figurine and housing are separated from one
  another, the magic is permanently disrupted.
  Coins and Swords: The entire garden is an
  overgrown mess of weeds . . . except for a roughly
  six-by-four-foot area where the earth has recently
  been disturbed. In either version, the area is a
  different one. (The young victims of Jack and
  Ildgaard’s murderous acts respectively are buried
  here. If the characters should have and pursue the
  opportunity to dig in either grave, the DM should
  turn a tarokka card. If the Horseman is revealed,
  the corpse of the girl bursts from the grave, her
  restless angry spirit having animated as a wight.
  She attacks any living being she encounters with
  blind, homicidal insanity.)
  The shrine still stands at the back of the
  garden, and it still grants a +1 divine bonus to
  saving throws for a 24-hour period if a witch or
  warlock of Hala prays before it, but it is heavily
  overgrown with the same vines that cover the wall.
  Stars: The statue and the shrine have been
  smashed to bits. Years of fallen leaves cover the
  pieces. No trace of magic remains.
  10. Stairs
  A broad set of wooden stairs, guarded by a solid
  banister, climbs from the airy hall to a landing and
  hallway on the first floor.
  Fortuna Magna and Glyphs: In these ver-
  sions, the walls that follow the stairs up are hung
  with portraits of the previous Lords and Ladies
  Ashington. The lowest portrait is the oldest, and
  the final one—a near-life-sized painting of the
  current Lord Ashington—hangs in the hallway
  directly across from where the stairs end. There are
  a total of eight paintings, and the images capture
  the progression of the family’s nature. The oldest
  pictures show men and women who look out at the
  viewer with kind expressions, while the more mod-
  ern family members appear haughty and cruel.
  Coins and Swords: The stairs are as described
  above, even if the steps are starting to appear a bit
  worn. The portraits of the Lords and Ladies
  Ashington are no longer present.
  
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  Chapter Two
  Stars: The stairs are weak and partially rotted
  through; they creak and groan and shift noticeably
  even under halflings. Any time an adult human in
  medium or heavy armor (or carrying an equivalent
  burden) ascends or descends the staircase, there is
  a 20% chance the entire thing collapses. Anyone
  on the stairs suffers 2d6 points of damage from the
  fall and being struck by the breaking lumber (suc-
  cessful Tumble check against DC12 to reduce the
  damage by half). Anyone in any of the squares
  adjacent to the staircase on the ground floor suffers
  1d4+1 points of damage from the falling wood (DC
  8 Reflex save for half).
  11. Rooms and Storage Area
  A ladder leads up to the second floor of the
  stables to a large, dusty room that is open to below,
  and from which five narrow doors lead to darkened
  rooms.
  Fortuna Magna and Glyphs: The large, dusty
  room serves a hayloft and bales of hay are stacked
  all over, with narrow paths giving access to the
  doors. 10a and 10b is each home to three young
  servants. 11c-11e are the quarters of three men-at-
  arms each. Each room contains the NPCs’ personal
  belongings, but nothing among these is remark-
  able.
  Coins: The large, open area still serves as a
  hayloft, but the rooms are disused. They contain a
  variety of junk and discarded personal effects. There
  is nothing here of use or relevance unless the DM
  wishes to seed information or items relating to the
  overall campaign.
  Swords: The entire second floor is a storage
  area. Unless the DM chooses otherwise, nothing
  among the collection of junk has any use or value;
  it is the personal belongings of the asylum’s pa-
  tients along with a few left over items from the
  house’s time as an inn.
  Stars: The second floor of the stables has
  collapsed and no longer exists.
  12. Rooms
  A hallway leads from the stairs. Six doors,
  three on either side, open into rooms that contain
  a bed, dresser, small table, and a chair. Windows
  either look out on the courtyard or the garden.
  (Note: The basic furnishings described apply to all
  version but Glyphs.)
  Fortuna Magna: In this version, the rooms are
  either in use by Ashington’s guests, or his key
  servants.
  12a is home to Ashington’s butler/ footman,
  while 12b is home to two young women who serve
  as upstairs maids, or servers when Ashington has
  guests. Both rooms contain meager furnishings and
  beds are modest.
  12c-12f are for Ashington’s guests, and each
  have a bed with a soft mattress and the finest bed
  linens. Rostoff and Ivana are sharing 12c, while
  Hannah and Melanie are in 11d. Hanford and
  Blaumann are in 12e and 12f respectively.
  Glyphs: 12a and 12b are each home to two of
  the hospice’s clerics, while 12c-f are reserved for
  severely wounded, dangerously delirious, or highly
  contagious patients. Those who are dying for one
  reason or another are also put in these rooms. A
  patient inhabits each room.
  Coins: These are the guestrooms for the inn,
  except for 12f, which is shared by Hannah, Melanie,
  and Ivana. Each room contains a large bed with a
  straw-stuffed mattress and a single rickety wooden
  chair. The beds are large enough to hold three
  adults. 12f also contains a large chest, which con-
  tains the personal belongings of the serving
  wenches, along with 87 gp worth of coins and
  jewelry stolen from guests.
  Swords: The rooms are reserved for visitors to
  the asylum, and for wealthy patients who either
  have family that visit often, or who Ildgaard feels
  can be easily cured. All but 12d are presently
  empty. The patient in 12d is a delusional young
  woman who believes she is the goddess Ezra. (This
  might be a good place to use Hannah or Melanie.)
  If the PCs “rescue” her, she promises to lead them
  safely through the Mists. (If she is taken up on this
  offer, the PCs merely find themselves under attack
  by Mist Horrors, as described in “the “Through the
  Mists” section.)
  Stars: The rooms are all empty, except for
  charred wood fragments and scurrying vermin.
  13. Master Suite
  This finely appointed bedroom features a large
  four-poster bed with a gorgeous blood red, gold-
  fringed canopy and silken sheets. A roll-top desk
  and a comfortable chair stand by the window. A
  large wardrobe towers in one of the corners.
  Fortuna Magna: This room is Lord Ashington’s
  bedroom. It is kept in immaculate condition by his
  manservant and the upstairs maid. The desk is closed,
  and Ashington carries the key to the high quality
  lock in his vest pocket. Inside are a variety of chemi-
  cals, powders, strange liquids, and a selection of
  
  87
  The Curse of Ashington Manor
  beakers and measuring spoons, as well as notes on a
  potion that Ashington is hoping to create, a potion
  that weakens the willpower of the imbiber. A suc-
  cessful Alchemy skill check (DC11) reveals that
  Ashington may be onto something, but that much
  work is still needed. (If the DM wishes to include an
  extra clue about how Rozaleen is a key to escaping
  the house, he can include a diary kept by Ashington.
  It is a chronicle of his foul deeds. The last, hastily
  scrawled entry mentions that he ordered “the three
  idiots to bury the obstinate slut in the cellar.”)
  The wardrobe contains a wide selection of fine
  clothing and footwear, all sized for Ashington. To
  the far left are three scanty nightgowns, kept here
  for young women who arrive at Ashington Manor
  unprepared for spending the night.
  Glyphs: This is the quarters of Byron
  Ashington-Welles. The canopy is no longer on the
  bed, and the sheets are of a more modest cotton.
  The roll-top desk is open, and its top is covered
  with papers relating to the hospice, its finances,
  and its patients. Several stoppered inkwells, well-
  maintained quills are here as well. The wardrobe
  contains a variety of simple clothes and two sets of
  robes used in services to Hala. Behind the clothes
  is a set of +1 chainmail and a +2 shortsword with
  symbols of Hala etched in the blade and repre-
  sented on the pommel.
  Coins: This is the room of Jack/Ashington,
  the operator of the “Jacks and Queens Inn.” The
  bed is unmade and the sheets seem like they haven’t
  been washed in a while. A torn woman’s dress is on
  the floor along with an empty wine bottle. The roll-
  top desk is locked, and the key is in Jack/Ashington’s
  shirt pocket. Inside the desk are nearly a dozen
  pouches containing small gems and a variety of
  coins—recently acquired from guests who “van-
  ished.” There is a total of 769 gp between them.
  Swords: The room belongs to Ildgaard/
  Ashington, and it is almost obsessively neat. The
  bed is carefully made with fine linen, and the
  several stacks of pages of parchment covered with
  tight, spidery script. The pages cover a variety of
  subjects, ranging from notes on patients at the
  asylum to convoluted (and quite twisted) thoughts
  on how to cure mental illnesses and phobias. If the
  notes are examined carefully (Search skill check
  DC9), one page features angry ramblings about a
  “little bitch who is going to ruin everything I’ve
  built here.” There is no doubt that the writer
  intends to stop the woman in question, through
  homicide if necessary.
  Stars: time and vermin have ravaged the furni-
  ture. The bed has collapsed under its own weight, and
  the mattress has been chewed to bits by rats. The roll-
  top desk has been broken open and its content is long
  gone. There is nothing of value here.
  14. Cellar
  At the bottom of a steep, narrow stone stair-
  case, a low-ceilinged cellar stretches into darkness.
  The floor is covered with large dark gray flagstones.
  The walls are made from massive boulders of a
  similar color. The stones seem to almost absorb the
  light from torches or lanterns.
  Fortuna Magna: A metal cabinet stands im-
  mediately next to the stairs. It holds slabs of
  meat—dried and fresh—hanging from hooks.
  Along one wall are shelves holding a variety of
  preserves and a range of rarely used tools and
  shovels, crockery and kitchenwares. Along an-
  other wall is a wine rack holding dozens of bottles
  of the finest vintages from Richemulot and
  Dementlieu, as well as several bottles of the exotic
  cloudberry wine from Tepest.
  After Rozaleen is murdered, Ashington’s lack-
  eys bury her under the flagstones directly at the
  cellar’s center. The grave is a shallow one, and only
  a few inches of dirt cover the body.
  Glyphs and Swords: The contents of the
  basement is apparently the same, but the meats in
  the cabinet are mostly all dried and cured, and the
  bottles in the wine rack contain a range of brews
  and compounds used to treat various ailment—
  including a few bottles of strong alcoholic beverages.
  However, a major change is that Rozaleen’s
  body lies buried at the basement’s center. Whenever
  a PC in the basement during this period, the DM
  should turn a card from the tarokka deck. If the card
  is from the Fortuna Magna or Glyphs suit, Rozaleen’s
  ghost materializes over her grave. There is a large
  bloodstain on the side of her white shirt. She looks at
  the PC with a pleading look, holding up a selection
  of tarokka cards—the Dark Lord, the Temptress, the
  Beast and Innocent (the four cards she managed to
  lay before Ashington murdered her). She then sinks
  to her knees, tears welling up into her large eyes. She
  sinks into the floor as her form dissolves into wisps of
  mist that then fade away.
  If the party removes the stones directly below where
  the apparition appeared, and scrape aside a few inches of
  earth, they find a skeleton dressed in rotted scraps of
  clothing. A dirt-stained tarokka card juts from the
  skeleton’s jaw. It is the Innocent card from the Fortuna
  
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  Chapter Two
  Magna, dirt-stained and a bit worn around the edges, but
  otherwise unharmed by the decades spent in the ground.
  (Finding Rozaleen’s body and the tarokka card provide
  the party with some of the possible means of ending the
  curse and escaping the house.)
  There is a second body buried in the basement.
  If the party removes other stones, they find a corpse
  of a young woman wearing robes and a holy symbol
  of Hala around her neck. In the Glyphs version, she
  has been dead a week or two and worms and other
  burrowing insects are devouring her body. She
  obviously died from violence, as her throat is gap-
  ing open from a cut and her robe is stained with old
  blood. In the Swords, version, the body is skeletal
  and the robes have mostly rotted away, and the
  holy symbol is tarnished.
  Coins: The contents of the basement are
  apparently the same, but the meats in the metal
  cabinet is of low quality, and the wine is the
  cheapest Richemulot has to offer, as well as several
  poor quality varieties from Darkon.
  Rozaleen’s spirit appears to party members if a
  card from the Fortuna Magna or Coins suit is
  revealed.
  Stars: The metal cabinet has been knocked
  over and the wine rack is empty of content. There
  is nothing of value in the cellar. Rozaleen’s spirit
  appears to party members if a card from the Fortuna
  Magna or Stars suit is revealed.
  15. Outhouse
  This small wooden structure stands alone at the
  very back of the garden. A single door opens onto a
  bench with a hole in the middle. The stench of human
  waste wafts up from below. Any changes should be in
  keeping with the scene the party encounters.
  Escaping the House and
  Spawning a Campaign
  Once the party has broken Rozaleen’s curse,
  the Mists retreat from around the house, and it
  returns to its ruined state (or whatever the “present-
  day” version for the party is). Any people who
  belonged in the present-day version revert to their
  normal selves—if the party killed Dagger/
  Ashington or any of his bandits, their bodies ap-
  pear as they should, not as copies of the people in
  the house when Rozaleen died.
  As for Rozaleen, if the party “prevented” her
  death at the hands of Ashington, she remains
  corporeal long enough to thank them for releasing
  her. As her form starts to dissolve into mist, she asks
  that the party at least return her tarokka deck to the
  Zarovan; she now sees that she was stupid and
  prideful to take it in the first place. She also warns
  the party that they should not put too much faith
  in Maekon if she hasn’t already convinced the
  characters of her true nature. Her spirit is then
  gone, never to be disturbed from its rest again.
  Locating the Zarovan is an adventure unto itself,
  but the party will gain powerful friends if Rozaleen’s
  tarokka deck is returned to them. The gratitude
  will be even greater if Rozaleen’s body is returned
  as well, or if the party at the very least tells them
  where she is buried. They will not ask for this
  information; the party will have to volunteer it.
  If Miko is returned alive to her parents, the
  party will likewise gain friends. The merchant and
  his wife may not be as powerful as the Zarovan, but
  they can provide some aid and assistance when the
  party is in the area around their village. Miko is
  another opportunity where the party can be made
  aware of Maekon’s hidden nature. She will attempt
  to get the PC with the highest Charisma who was
  kind to her away from the group and will tell him
  that she senses something very wrong about
  Maekon. She’s not sure what, but she is convinced
  she is more evil than even Dagger was. (Maekon,
  naturally, stays away from the village, claiming
  that there is bad blood between her and some of the
  locals, but in truth, she is trying to avoid being
  detected by Miko’s mother.)
  If Maekon hasn’t been killed or revealed as the
  evil creature that she is, she will ask to join the
  party on their future adventures. She promises to
  record their deeds and to use her “network of
  contacts” and “ability to sniff out trouble” to lead
  them to where their talents are needed most (if the
  party is of a heroic bent, otherwise she will attempt
  to give another reason for why they should keep her
  around). If the party doesn’t rebuff her—perhaps
  because of Rozaleen’s warning—Maekon will lead
  them into the darkest sinkholes of evil and against
  the vilest and worst villains the Demiplane of
  Dread has to offer. (She will naturally make herself
  scarce whenever the party encounters a Vistani,
  but the first time she is unable to do so, the Vistani
  in question will try to warn the party of her true
  nature, particularly if they returned Rozaleen’s
  tarokka deck to the Zarovan.) If rejected by the
  party, she will instead begin to ally herself with evil
  beings and put them on the trail of party, again
  hoping for some easy feeding.
  
  89
  The Brood of Blutkalte
  Chapter Three:
  The Brood of
  Blutkalte
  Chapter Three:
  The Brood of
  Blutkalte
  
  90
  Chapter Three
  The Legend
  ut you go, vagrant!” shrieked the crone,
  proprietor of “The Last Resting Place” and
  one of the many unsympathetic souls in the
  city of Lekar. Her inn was bulging with
  pitiful refugees, evicted by the horrors that
  had recently overrun Neufurchtenburg, scarcely a
  day’s journey away. If the innkeeper had a measure of
  compassion left in her dark heart, she would not spend
  it on a thief or a bard. She had no use for charlatans,
  and the ones who sang drove her mad.
  “If the horrors come to this town, let them sweep
  the streets of the likes of you first!” she screamed as she
  slammed the door shut.
  Wolfgang Saenger smirked, appalled by the
  woman’s audacity. Clearly, the people in her inn
  needed hope as much as they needed the meager
  protection her wooden walls provided. If he could not
  give them hope, he could at least provide them the
  distraction of a comforting melody.
  Saenger was a middle-aged man with a shock of
  black hair that he falsely attributed to Vistani heritage
  when it suited him. Prone to wanderlust, he had never
  gained any sort of following or reputation of note. His
  embroidered clothes were well worn, and he carried the
  distinct air of a performer past his prime, if he ever had
  one.
  Heaving a pack upon his shoulder, Wolfgang
  strode across the dark street to a partially collapsed,
  half-timbered shop. The decaying remains of a fallen
  sycamore lay in the middle of the structure, uninhab-
  ited since the giant tree cleaved it in two six winters
  past. The tree claimed not only the shop but also the
  alchemist who had lived there. The man was crushed
  beneath the tree when it fell. The cretins that inhabited
  the dreary town looted the apothecary even as its owner
  lay bleeding to death under the sycamore.
  In spite of its history, the place seemed to be the
  best available shelter for the traveling bard. While
  Wolfgang’s talent was certain, his ability to earn
  steady pay for demonstrating it was not. So, the great
  Wolfgang Saenger was quite familiar with nights spent
  in “inns of convenience,” as he liked to call them.
  Seeing the front door boarded up, Wolfgang
  thought to enter the shop across the trunk of the
  sycamore. The rotted shell quickly collapsed under his
  weight, and he found his leather boots swarmed by
  termites. Cursing beneath his breath, Wolfgang
  bounded through the gaping crevice in the wall. He
  quickly drew a dagger and began to scrape the white
  pests from his boots.
  As he sat to remove one boot and rid himself of the
  last of the vermin, Wolfgang became aware that he was
  not alone. His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness,
  and he made out several figures in the corner. “Hello?”
  he queried hesitantly, as he held his dagger in front of
  him.
  “Stay down, children,” murmured a woman’s
  voice. “Be gone, sir. My children and I are staying
  here. We’ve no place else to go, and I won’t be giving
  way on this matter.”
  “It’s all right; I mean you no ill,” Wolfgang softly
  intoned as he slid his dagger back into its scabbard. “I
  need a place to stay as well. Might I beg your hospital-
  ity, or if you have a price for a night in your inn, might
  I know it?”
  The woman softened. “If you can light a fire in
  that hearth, it would be payment enough.”
  After making the fire, Wolfgang unrolled his
  blanket by the stone hearth. The woman and her two
  children approached, warming their hands in the glow.
  The children were perhaps ten and twelve years of age,
  and a bit awed by the fancifulness of the stranger’s
  clothing.
  “Mama, do you suppose he’s a nobleman?” the
  older child asked.
  Wolfgang chuckled. “Not a nobleman, but hope-
  fully a noble man. No, I am just a performer, a teller
  of tales. Perhaps, with your mother’s permission, I
  might share some with you tonight.”
  Wolfgang did his best to please the children. They
  were an eager audience, focusing intently on every
  word. Wolfgang found their innocence a bit shocking.
  Surely, children in a place such as this one must have
  faced a great deal of horror by this point in their lives.
  “Would you like to hear a frightening tale?” Wolfgang
  offered, unsure of what response to expect. The chil-
  dren grinned and nodded, while their mother mur-
  mured that she tried to protect her children from such
  things.
  “Oh, they look old enough to me. Besides, there
  are much more frightening things to be found than a
  little story from me. Let me think — this old apothecary
  reminds me of an excellent story. So, have you heard
  of the ‘Brood of Blutkalte’? No? I should like to take
  credit for fashioning this tale, but every word is true.
  “In a land not far from here, in a large town not
  unlike this one, there lived a family named Blutkalte.
  The family lived in the poorest quarter of the town, and
  they practiced their trade on the wretched souls who
  lived there.” Wolfgang paused, suddenly remembering
  his audience with a bit of shame.
  Clearing his throat, Wolfgang continued. “Yes,
  well. The Blutkalte family trade was — death. From
  the moment the dark shroud first appeared until the last
  
  91
  The Brood of Blutkalte
  bit of dirt fell upon the grave, the Blutkaltes played a
  role.
  “The Blutkalte family was led by an aged and evil
  patriarch they simply call ‘the Grandfather.’ The
  Grandfather claimed to be a healer, but no patient of
  his ever recovered from his malady. He treated patients
  not to heal them but to watch them die. He carried
  ointments, potions and salves to treat all matter of
  illnesses. Yes, he had just the right concoction to make
  any current suffering pale in comparison to the effects
  of his treatment. Did I mention that he only came when
  the patient was alone and delirious in pain — in his
  most vulnerable state? By the time the victim’s rela-
  tives were aware that the good doctor had visited, the
  suffering was at an end. Often they never recovered
  from the guilt of abandoning their loved one, and the
  Grandfather relished it all the more.
  “The Grandfather had a son, and the son had a
  wife. Of course, no sane woman would marry into a
  family such as the Blutkaltes, and sane this woman was
  not. Jutta Blutkalte was a seamstress and mortician.
  She carried the tools of her trades with her: scalpel,
  needles and thread. When Jutta came to visit you in
  your sleep, the nightmares had just begun. Quieter
  than your shadow, she sewed your blankets around
  you so tight that you could not raise a finger. You would
  probably wake when she shoved the bag of thistles in
  your mouth and sewed your lips shut around it. No one
  would hear your muffled screams; she would have an
  iron grip upon your jaw. Jutta sewed your eyelids shut
  next, which at least spared you the sight of her pulling
  out the scalpel.
  “Now, Jutta’s husband, Max, was as stupid as
  they come, but he was cruel enough to keep any sane
  man from thinking straight. He carved headstones with
  his hammer and chisel and dug graves with his spade.
  He kept his tools sharp as can be. Max was a man of
  few words and a smoldering temper. Nobody knew
  they had crossed Max Blutkalte until they felt his
  wrath. It did not matter if the offense was real or
  imagined, the consequence was the same: death for the
  offender. If Max was feeling merciful, he charged from
  the shadows and lopped off your head with his spade.
  If not, he knocked you out and buried you alive. If he
  had some time to prepare, Max carved you a headstone
  and then dropped it on your skull while you slept.
  “Perhaps you were not aware that Max and Jutta
  had a son — Sebastian Blutkalte. Sebastian, the
  spawn of evil, was raised in torment and educated in
  murder. He served the family well. If his mother was
  choking a victim with her thread, Sebastian held the
  spool. If his father needed a distraction, Sebastian
  made the noise. If the Grandfather needed someone to
  hide under your bed and unlock the door for him at
  
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  night, Sebastian did the job.
  “The Blutkalte family was driven from their home
  and from their town, which was good for the people
  who lived there. It was not good for the rest of us,
  though. For now, the Blutkaltes roam the land, looking
  for a place to call home, a place where they can
  continue their killing. A place like this.” Wolfgang
  paused for dramatic effect. The children’s eyes were
  wide open in the dim light.
  “Hmmm. Your little brother here looks a bit like
  Sebastian Blutkalte. Has he ever done anything
  wicked?” Wolfgang asked. The girl smiled and nodded
  her head. “Well, we had better be careful then. Let me
  teach you a little saying.”
  “Blutkalte, Blutkalte, don’t come near;
  Blutkaltes are not welcome here.
  The healer’s coming, jingle, jangle;
  The mother wraps you in a tangle.
  Max will beat you with his spade;
  Down in the ground you’ll be laid.
  Sebastian laughs at your fate,
  Evil people, filled with hate.
  Keep quiet now, lest they hear,
  I don’t want to die in fear.”
  The children’s mother snapped up, “That’s enough
  of that. What sort of horrible person are you, telling
  stories like that to small children? Come children, put
  these thoughts away, and let us try to sleep.”
  Wolfgang shrugged. Perhaps the children were
  too young to hear the tale. Perhaps anyone was. The
  aging bard wrapped his blanket around his shoulders
  and faded off to sleep.
  The vagrants’ bodies were not found for three
  days, when the smell carried across the street to the
  Last Resting Place. Two children and one man had met
  their end in the most indescribable of ways, unless of
  course, you had heard of the Brood of Blutkalte.
  Uncovering the Truth
  s you might suspect, the Blutkaltes were
  once a real family, at least in name. This
  is their true story.
  Tobias Blutkalte
  (“The Grandfather”)
  Tobias Blutkalte was the great ancestor of the
  Blutkalte family. Through his personality and deeds,
  the Blutkaltes were formed.
  Tobias was a heavy-set man with breathing
  problems. His every labored breath sounded like
  the last gasp of a dying man. Breathing dried his
  lips, and he licked them constantly to keep them
  moist. The breathing also kept him awake at night,
  so his dull brown eyes were always blood-shot. He
  frequently covered his tangled graying brown hair
  with a small cap. Tobias often wore fine ivory robes
  embroidered with black thread by his daughter-in-
  law. In his mind, these clothes appropriately
  portrayed his stature as a community “healer.”
  Around his substantial waist, he wore a leather belt
  with many tiny pouches filled with potions, oint-
  ments and medicinal herbs. When he walked, he
  made a slight jingling noise, like chimes in the
  wind.
  Tobias, unlike most town healers, was not a
  welcome sight. His demeanor was neither kind nor
  sympathetic, and he treated his patients as if they
  were deserving of their condition, frequently ac-
  cusing them of committing foul deeds that caused
  their illness. These accusations were particularly
  frightening for children, for parental punishment
  for the imagined deeds often followed the visit
  from the healer. Tobias’s motivation for healing
  was to establish his power in the community. He
  would use fear and doubt as potent weapons to
  secure his place. Without his help, he would claim,
  even a case of the sniffles would quickly become a
  merciless epidemic. Tobias’s clients were typically
  those who were uneducated, poor and impious, so
  healing from clerics was not usually an option.
  Tobias’s treatments were generally ineffec-
  tive, and, in some cases, more harmful than the
  illness itself. He had no formal training in alchemy
  or herbalism, but he had spent a lifetime learning
  by trial-and-error. He made a customized concoc-
  tion for every patient, under the pretense that a
  tailor-made solution would be most effective. His
  true motivation was to prevent anyone else from
  copying and reselling his “cures.” The medicine
  was delivered along with a unique ritual that must
  be followed precisely. When the patient failed to
  improve or got worse, Tobias blamed the patient or
  caregivers for failing to follow his instructions. In
  truth, Tobias despised the sick; he found them
  revolting. As a bit of punishment for forcing him to
  cure them, Tobias laced his potions with foul
  flavors and his ointments with stinging and itching
  agents. The associated rituals could range from
  uncomfortable to masochistic, depending on the
  severity of his mood.
  Tobias’s wife died during childbirth while under
  his treatment. Their son Maximilian survived.
  
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  The Brood of Blutkalte
  Maximilian Blutkalte
  (“The Father”)
  Max Blutkalte was Tobias Blutkalte’s only
  son. As little as Tobias liked being a healer, he liked
  being a father even less. Max grew up the target of
  that resentment; Tobias frequently reminded Max
  that he had killed his own mother, berating and
  beating the boy mercilessly. The punishment for
  lying or talking back was a taste of the foulest
  concoction his father could dream up. As a result,
  Max grew up a man of few words, with a seething
  temper under the surface.
  Max inherited his physique from his mother.
  He was tall and lean, with a deceptive strength in
  his wiry frame. Though he could eventually easily
  overpower his father if he ever desired, he never did
  so. Max’s fear of his father was replaced with
  resentful respect as Max developed a similar, sinis-
  ter outlook on life. Max had long, tangled black
  hair, and soulless, sunken eyes that could stop a
  person in his tracks.
  Tobias did not train Max to be a healer;
  instead, Max was responsible for all the duties of
  the house. When he came of age, Max worked at
  the local cemetery as a gravedigger, coffin-maker
  and eventually headstone carver. His headstone
  carvings were unusually beautiful, hinting at some
  kernel of humanity buried deep beneath his hard-
  ened exterior. When digging graves, however, Max
  attacked the earth with his spade with a pent-up
  fury that was frightening to behold.
  Max met and married perhaps the only woman
  he could — Jutta Nadel, a mortician and seam-
  stress.
  Jutta Blutkalte (“The Mother”)
  Jutta’s mother was a mortician, her father a
  tailor. Jutta was trained in both arts. As a young
  woman, she was tasked with sewing up the corpses
  in her mother’s workshop. Eventually she took
  over the job of mortician and did tailoring work
  when the business of death was slow. Jutta had
  grown up around corpses. She was indifferent to
  death, and perhaps, to life. Her heart was very cold;
  she did her business in the most detached of ways.
  Jutta was similar in frame to Max. She had a
  straight posture and extraordinarily strong hands.
  When she grabbed her son by the arm, there was no
  escape. Jutta’s fingertips were so calloused that she
  did not even require a thimble when she sewed.
  Jutta had angular facial features that were accentu-
  ated by her tightly pulled black hair. Her clothes
  were utilitarian, as were the clothes she tailored for
  the deceased when none were available. She felt
  there was little sense in decorating attire that
  would be seen but once at a funeral.
  Jutta was one of the few people who would
  stand up to Max’s father. They argued extensively.
  Sebastian Blutkalte (“The Son”)
  Max and Jutta raised one son, Sebastian. How-
  ever, Sebastian was not the son of Max. A dread
  doppelganger had infiltrated the Blutkalte’s town,
  looking for a mate. Dread doppelgangers can mate
  with human men or women, but they prefer fe-
  males since it defers the burden of pregnancy to
  their partners. This doppelganger chose Jutta one
  night when she was working late in her shop on a
  freshly arrived body. Jutta thought her “husband’s”
  choice of timing to be a bit unusual, but she did not
  give a second thought to the inappropriateness of
  the location.
  To all appearances, Jutta gave birth to a healthy
  human boy. Dread doppelgangers’ shapechanging
  abilities do not manifest until adolescence, and
  they believe that they are human until that time.
  Sebastian was subjected to perhaps the worst
  childhood imaginable. His father had inherited
  Grandfather Tobias’s abusive behavior, coupled
  with a stronger hand and a shorter temper. Sebastian
  received the rage that could not be directed at
  Tobias. Sebastian’s intelligence threatened Max,
  so Max demeaned Sebastian to keep him in check.
  If Sebastian was unruly, his father would beat him
  and then lock him in the mortuary to spend the
  night with the cadavers. Sebastian’s mother had
  her own forms of punishment. Her instrument of
  choice was a sewing needle, jabbed into the palm,
  toe or tongue, depending on the offense.
  Sebastian’s worst days were when Grandfather
  came to visit, particularly if Sebastian was ill.
  Tobias ridiculed Sebastian mercilessly and treated
  him with the same cures as his other patients.
  Tobias always fought with Sebastian’s mother and
  father, which led to more abuse for Sebastian.
  None of these circumstances imply that
  Sebastian was an innocent victim. He was, be-
  neath his human exterior, a dread doppelganger.
  Seldom do these creatures stray from their evil
  nature. However, they are usually the ones in
  control of their situation rather than the victim. As
  a child, Sebastian had many evil thoughts about
  how to escape his situation. He had planned his
  
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  parents’ murder many times, but lacked the physi-
  cal capabilities to carry out his plans. Sebastian
  hoped his mental capabilities would eventually
  free him. Sebastian’s ability to read the thoughts of
  others developed before his shapechanging abili-
  ties. Unfortunately, this power contributed to the
  child’s mental demise, for he was reading the hate-
  filled thoughts of the ones he should be able to trust
  the most.
  The Fassbinder Massacre
  At age thirteen, Sebastian had grown to re-
  semble his mother. He had but one friend, a single
  ally in his dreary world. Philip Fassbinder was the
  son of a cooper and a bit of an outcast himself.
  However, his bond with Sebastian was real. Both
  boys’ families despised one another. While dislike
  of the Blutkalte family was common in town, the
  Fassbinders were one of the few families who spoke
  openly of it. At every turn, they railed against the
  Blutkaltes’ evil influence upon the town, only
  allowing Philip to associate with Sebastian in the
  misguided belief that their son might have some
  positive effect on Sebastian. In fact, Sebastian used
  his mind-reading ability to undermine Philip’s
  conscience and lead him down a path of hooligan-
  ism.
  The relationship between the Fassbinders and
  the Blutkaltes reached a breaking point when the
  Fassbinder’s barrel-making business expanded to
  include making coffins. Clearly, the Fassbinders
  were threatening Max’s livelihood. The Blutkalte
  family patriarch took it upon himself to devise a
  solution to this affront.
  In a matter of weeks, Philip Fassbinder became
  ill, after one too many meals at the Blutkalte home.
  Tobias convinced the Fassbinders that he would
  put their past disagreements aside in order to save
  the life of his grandson’s best friend. Tobias used his
  most vile techniques yet to increase the suffering of
  the Fassbinder family. He continued to poison
  their son and eventually succeeded in tainting the
  food of the parents. When the parent’s began to
  show symptoms of the “disease,” he quarantined
  them in their home. Tobias spread word about
  town that the Fassbinders did not want visitors.
  With a combination of political maneuvering and
  threats, he even steered away a traveling priest.
  Grandfather Blutkalte’s poison was not de-
  signed to kill, but merely to disable and inflict pain.
  Once the family was bed-ridden and incapable of
  resistance, the Blutkaltes came by for an evening
  visit. Many unspeakable horrors were committed
  in the Fassbinder house that night, but none worse
  than when Max made Sebastian finish off his
  friend, Philip. Philip was in a pitiful condition by
  this point, and Max was almost able to convince
  Sebastian that he was being merciful. Sebastian
  understood, though, that his family was neither
  merciful nor were they protectors of the town.
  They were murderers, and now he would be one,
  too.
  At last, Sebastian succumbed to the threats
  and coercion, realizing that Philip’s fate was sealed,
  by his hand or his father’s. With tears streaming
  down his anguished face, Sebastian drove the dag-
  ger into his friend’s chest and waited for the gasping
  to stop.
  Sebastian’s family left the room to begin dis-
  posing of the other bodies in the house. Sebastian
  crumpled to the floor, his eyes pressed shut. He
  murmured to himself. His voice grew stronger, and
  he cried out in anguish. As Sebastian tried to stand,
  his body began to change.
  Grandfather Blutkalte was alone in the room
  with the body of Philip’s father. He did not see the
  form of Jutta appear in the doorway. He only turned
  in time to see her hands latch around his throat.
  Tobias struggled to yell, but his already narrow
  windpipe was clenched shut by Jutta’s iron grip.
  Jutta did not release her hold until well after Tobias
  stopped resisting.
  Max and Jutta were in the bedroom of Philip’s
  mother when a shadow blocked the light from the
  door. Max and Jutta turned to see what appeared to
  be their father, standing in the doorway with a
  blade in his hand.
  Jutta was unprepared for the quickness with
  which Tobias crossed the room and slashed his
  poisoned knife across her face. She stumbled back-
  ward and fell to the floor.
  Max screamed at Tobias. He grabbed his spade
  and swung it at his father with all his pent-up fury.
  Tobias recoiled from the blow and feebly tried to
  fight back the relentless assault that followed.
  “How dare you attack your father?” were the
  last words Tobias uttered before he hit the ground.
  As he collapsed, his body began to shrink and his
  clothes began to change. Max saw the bloody body
  of his son Sebastian lying on the floor where Tobias
  used to be.
  A misty form began to coalesce over the body
  of Sebastian. The ghostly form of Sebastian called
  out against his father with an echoing voice like
  
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  The Brood of Blutkalte
  that of a man standing at the bottom of a well.
  Sebastian raged and lashed out for the soul of
  Maximilian Blutkalte. Max swung his spade fu-
  tilely through the apparition repeatedly, until
  Sebastian had drained him completely away.
  Before dawn the next morning, Max stumbled
  from the Fassbinder home after setting it afire. As
  the fire drew villagers from their beds, Max told
  them he had to burn the house to rid it of the
  “cursed plague” that had infested it. He mad e no
  mention of his family within, and he left the town
  before noon that day.
  The Doppelghost
  When Sebastian Blutkalte killed his friend
  Philip, something snapped in his mind. He became
  someone who could control the situation, and his
  latent doppelganger powers emerged. He became a
  doppelganger with a multiple personality disorder.
  When Max killed Sebastian in the form of Tobias,
  Sebastian’s psyche did not die. Sebastian had more
  personalities that could live on, and he became a
  ghost. The Dark Powers granted him the ability to
  use his shapechanging ability whenever he pos-
  sesses a mortal.
  Sebastian now roams from town to town in
  kidnapped bodies, killing innocents in the styles
  used by his former family members. In each town,
  he travels in public as a non-threatening personal-
  ity until he has picked out his victims. The killing
  begins, with each relative taking their turn when
  needed. When Sebastian is satisfied or the townsfolk
  close in, he moves on to a new location.
  In the standard storyline, Sebastian is a rank
  four ghost (see the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook
  and Denizens of Dread). He has the powers of
  Manifestation, Malevolence, Malevolent
  Shapechanging, Grave Summoning, Dream Walk-
  ing and Draining Touch.
  Sebastian’s multiple personality disorder con-
  trols his Malevolent Shapechanging ability. He
  prefers to spend his time in possession of a body
  rather than in ghost form. When possible, he seeks
  out strong physical specimens to inhabit. When he
  possesses a body, a personality appropriate to the
  situation takes over, transforming his host body to
  match the personality. He will stay in this form
  until his psyche (his plot or the circumstances)
  tells him that another form would be more useful.
  He maintains enough of a sense of self-preservation
  to avoid changing in the presence of others unless
  forced to do so.
  When Sebastian’s personality shifts, his skills
  and abilities change to match. It is important to
  note that the personality is Sebastian’s creation; he
  creates what he believes that person to be. None of
  his family members were serial killers, but
  Sebastian’s versions of them are. His skills have
  been created through years of thought-reading
  experience, innate ability, practice and supernatu-
  ral manifestation.
  Unlike normal doppelgangers, Sebastian does
  not have the freedom to take whatever form he
  chooses. He did not have the opportunity to master
  his shapechanging skills before he was killed.
  Sebastian may only change into forms that match
  one of his personalities. He does not even have the
  ability to keep the form of the host body or to mimic
  its personality; he must always become one of his
  existing personalities.
  Sebastian may develop new personalities over
  time. If a person somehow leaves a significant
  impression on Sebastian, he may adopt his or her
  personality. Generally, only Sebastian’s murdered
  victims are candidates for adoption.
  As with all ghosts, Sebastian will reform if
  killed. However, Sebastian does not need to make
  a level check to reform; his powerful psyche keeps
  him around until his torments are resolved.
  Sebastian is also not restricted to any particular
  location. He is free to roam about the Dread Realm
  spreading terror wherever the conditions are fit-
  ting.
  Sebastian’s Personalities
  As part of his multiple personality disorder,
  Sebastian has a limited number of alter-egos (see
  the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook). He does not
  have any fragments of personalities. Sebastian’s
  subconscious psyche controls when he shifts per-
  sonalities.
  “The Grandfather”
  In appearance and mannerisms, Sebastian’s
  “Grandfather” personality matches the original
  head of the Blutkalte family. However, Sebastian’s
  version is more sinister. While Tobias Blutkalte
  was motivated primarily by a desire for  power, a lust
  for sadistic, tortuous killing through poisoning
  motivates the Grandfather. In essence, the Grand-
  father amplifies the cruelty displayed by Tobias.
  The Grandfather chooses the infirm, particu-
  larly young boys, as his victims. If he cannot find a
  sick person, he creates one through poisoning or
  
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  Chapter Three
  contamination. When a person falls ill, the Grand-
  father finds a way to gain access to the victim. If the
  Blutkalte legend is unknown in his current loca-
  tion, he might offer assistance to the family directly.
  The Blutkalte personalities are aware that they are
  hunted to some degree, so they use aliases as needed.
  Jutta’s maiden name, Nadel, is a frequent choice
  for a surname. If the Blutkaltes are too well known,
  the Grandfather tries more subversive approaches
  to reach his prey.
  One tactic Sebastian uses to gain access is to
  distract the family with one of his non-Blutkalte
  personalities. Perhaps a meeting is arranged so that
  the infirm is left alone, or the family is convinced
  to take the infirm through the wilderness to a
  nearby healer. Sebastian might also use his own
  form to sneak into the house, changing shape into
  the Grandfather once he reached the bedside of
  the sick. If the victim was under constant supervi-
  sion, Sebastian could leave his current host and
  possess the victim’s guard.
  The Grandfather prefers to make his victims
  suffer as much as possible, so he uses slow-acting
  agents whenever he can. If access to the victim is
  limited or difficult, the Grandfather might be forced
  to use something with a more immediate effect.
  When the victim is no longer capable of displaying
  pain, the Grandfather finishes him off, or puts
  them in the capable hands of his son and daughter-
  in-law.
  “The Father”
  “The Father” is Sebastian’s representation of
  Max Blutkalte. Like Sebastian’s other personali-
  ties, the Father is even more menacing than the
  original. The Father is quiet until provoked, some-
  thing that comes easily to him. An imagined plot
  against the family could cause The Father to mark
  a person as his next victim. Whatever the cause,
  The Father eventually attempts to murder the
  offender.
  The Father has a number of tools at his dis-
  posal to carry out his foul deeds. His weapon of
  choice is a long-handled spade. He uses the spade
  to strike victims unconscious or to kill them out-
  right. The Father also carries a hammer and chisel,
  ostensibly for carving headstones. The Father uses
  them for carving into heads. If he can study his
  opponent before making his strike, or if he can
  render his victim helpless, he will attempt to drive
  his chisel into the unfortunate’s skull.
  
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  The Brood of Blutkalte
  The Father has one more tactic he can use:
  Grave Summoning (see the DM’s Appendix).
  When the Father has a particular target in mind, he
  can use a ritual to summon that person. First, the
  Father must dig a grave and place an open wooden
  coffin inside. When that is done, he must carve a
  headstone for the victim. When he finishes carv-
  ing the victim’s name into the headstone, the
  victim feels magically compelled to travel quietly
  to the gravesite in a trance. The victim may be able
  to resist the pull with a DC 20 Will save, but he may
  still seek its source out of curiosity. When a com-
  pelled victim reaches the site, the individual climbs
  into the grave and lies in the coffin. The Father
  then seals the coffin and covers it with dirt. As soon
  as the coffin is sealed, the compulsion is broken and
  the victim may attempt to break free before the
  Father finishes filling in the grave. A DC 15 Strength
  check is necessary to do this.
  The Father embodies the personification of
  Sebastian’s temper and strength. When Sebastian
  feels rage, or when he feels threatened, he uses the
  Father personality to address the problem.
  “The Mother”
  Sebastian uses “The Mother” when mental
  strength or “just” punishment is required. If some-
  one is being too nosy about family affairs, spreading
  rumors or otherwise misbehaving, the Mother may
  take notice. She is cold and dispassionate when
  meting out her justice.
  The Mother has a telltale technique for killing
  her prey. Generally, she requires her victim to be
  alone and asleep or unconscious. If the conditions
  are right, she quietly sews the victim up tight in his
  or her own bed linens, like a spider wrapping its
  prey, leaving only the head exposed. The victim
  usually wakes when the Mother shoves a small
  linen bag filled with thistles into his mouth and
  covers it with her hand. This procedure prevents
  the victim from yelling or biting effectively. She
  next cinches the victim’s mouth shut with a leather
  strap wrapped under the jaw and around the head.
  The victim is generally at her mercy now, though
  struggling continues.
  The nature of the offender’s transgression de-
  termines the severity of the punishment. In all
  cases the victim will end up dead, it is simply a
  question of how long The Mother takes to perform
  the act. As a mortician, she typically begins the
  process by sewing the mouth and eyelids shut. The
  Mother then murders the victim through either
  vivisection by scalpel or through piercing by one
  hundred critically placed needles.
  “The Son”
  When Sebastian appears as himself, he is a bit
  more innocent than he was in real life. He imagines
  himself before the troubles at the Fassbinder house,
  before he became a killer. He appears as a young
  boy of twelve years, but one who has clearly expe-
  rienced a great deal. The lines of worry are etched
  permanently on his face, and one eye is always
  bruised. In the daytime, Sebastian dresses in work
  clothes, covered in dirt. His black hair is unkempt
  and dirt-filled. At night, he dresses in slightly
  better clothes than his social standing would indi-
  cate. His hair is combed as if a mother had prepared
  him for school. His bruised face and sunken shoul-
  ders belie his otherwise polished appearance.
  The Son is evasive when questioned. He may
  put up a tough front. He does not reveal many
  details about his life but instead acts as a guide.
  Sebastian uses the Son to point player characters in
  the right direction to help free him from his tor-
  ment. So he may give them a clue to prod them into
  the right course of action.
  “The Minstrel”
  Sebastian uses The Minstrel to spread his
  story. In fact, the legend of the Blutkalte family
  travels mostly through Sebastian himself. Through
  the Minstrel, Sebastian hopes to find someone to
  release him from his cursed existence.
  The Minstrel is named Wolfgang Saenger,
  and he is described in the “The Legend”— at the
  beginning of this chapter. If asked about the source
  of his story, Wolfgang simply says that stories form
  like rivers — from many sources.
  Other Potential Personalities
  Sebastian can have any number of personali-
  ties, depending on the needs of the story. He might
  appear as one of his previous victims, such as a
  merchant or random villager. He might appear as
  a member of the Fassbinder family, such as his
  friend Philip. An additional family member could
  be added as well, such as an innocent younger
  sister.
  When creating additional personalities, sev-
  eral factors should be considered. First, why did this
  person leave a strong impression on Sebastian?
  Second, why does Sebastian need this personality?
  What does Sebastian use this personality to accom-
  
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  plish? (Perhaps the personality represents one of
  Sebastian’s particular moods.) Lastly, consider the
  likelihood that this personality will “give away” the
  plot or cause the player characters to discover
  Sebastian too early. Any personality that arouses
  suspicion or invites investigation should be avoided
  unless it is designed for an adversarial encounter.
  Using the Story
  his section shows how to develop the
  Brood of Blutkalte into a full-fledged
  adventure. Feel free to adapt the details
  to suit your own campaign. In addition
  to describing several ways to enhance
  the structure of your adventure, an outline for
  building a story featuring this monstrous villain is
  presented for DMs to use.
  Tricks and Techniques
  The Ravenloft Dungeon Master’s Guide pro-
  vides some useful techniques to help DMs
  incorporate horror into their scenarios and add
  atmosphere to the game. However, some addi-
  tional methods are required when running a serial
  killer adventure to ensure the plot plays out to a
  satisfying conclusion.
  Running a Matrix Adventure
  The information listed in the previous section
  describes prototypical encounters in a serial killer
  adventure. However, the adventure itself does not
  need to be serial. In any adventure, two timelines
  exist — the timeline of the player characters and
  the timeline of the villain. The characters control
  their own timeline, and the DM controls that of
  the killer. The adventure works best when the
  characters have the ability to interrupt or affect the
  murderer’s timeline.
  Splitting the Party.
  Most seasoned players know that the one
  thing you should never do is split up the party. It
  does not mean that they will not do it; just that they
  know they should not. In a serial killer adventure,
  the DM must force the characters to split up. As
  mentioned previously, the DM has only one villain
  to work with. If you want to give the characters a
  chance to encounter the villain before the climac-
  tic finale, you need to split up the party so that the
  villain survives to the final encounter. The charac-
  ters should not be divided for the final encounter,
  because it would deny some players the opportu-
  nity to participate.
  The DM can use several different techniques
  to split up a party. The most certain way is to put
  the characters in a location where a physical barrier
  can be used to divide them. Typically, this device
  takes the form of a pit trap, a sliding wall or a
  teleportation device. This technique is most effec-
  tive in the villain’s lair. Most serial killers are
  paranoid and will protect their lair from intruders.
  The characters should already be on edge, and
  facing a superior foe at half strength can only
  heighten their anxiety.
  Outside the villain’s lair, it is much harder to
  split up a party. It is best to attempt this at night
  when most of the party is sleeping, since part of the
  work is already done. A well-placed silence spell can
  help ensure that some of the party is asleep for the
  entire encounter.
  In an uncontrolled environment, a DM can
  split up a party using one of two ways. The first is to
  disable part of the party, which can be accom-
  plished through spells such as arcane lock, color
  spray, entangle, fear, mass hold person, sleep, stinking
  cloud, symbol of sleep, wall of force, wall of ice, wall of
  iron and wall of stone. Some magic items can also be
  effective, such as dust of sneezing and choking. All
  these effects are likely to disable or isolate multiple
  party members. Generally, these should be cast as
  part of an ambush, to ensure they have an opportu-
  nity to take effect. The DM should consider which
  characters are likely to resist a particular type of
  attack when choosing the method. The killer may
  have a particular PC he wants to isolate and will
  plan accordingly. If the attack does not isolate part
  of the party, the killer may abandon the attack.
  The second method for splitting up the party
  outside the villain’s lair is to let the party do it
  themselves. This method is harder to accomplish,
  but in some ways more rewarding. The plot feels
  less contrived and more opportunistic. This method
  begins with a lure. The DM needs to find some-
  thing that would lead a PC or PCs away from the
  rest of the group. The typical lure is an urgent cry
  for help while the other PCs are otherwise occu-
  pied or distracted. Note that the lure could be used
  to lure the PCs toward or away from the villain. For
  example, the characters might find an injured
  child in the woods. While helping the child, they
  hear a cry for help in the distance. All the charac-
  ters rush to the cry, except for one who stays behind
  with the injured child. That character is now
  
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  The Brood of Blutkalte
  isolated, and the villain can make an appearance.
  The other characters arrive at the sound of the cry,
  a villager who has discovered a body planted by the
  killer.
  In a town, numerous options exist for leading
  party members astray. If multiple shopping oppor-
  tunities are present, characters naturally gravitate
  to the particular shop that interests them. The
  killer could focus on characters at a particular shop.
  During a meal at an inn, the villain could have a
  note delivered to a particular character, asking him
  to come outside alone to receive an important clue.
  The villain may also be able to use spells as
  lures, such as charm person, dominate person, magic
  jar and various illusion spells.
  Allowing the Villain to Escape
  If the characters are to encounter the villain
  before the finale, the villain must escape in earlier
  encounters. Either the villain can perform a hit-
  and-run attack, or he can attempt to split up the
  party.
  In a hit-and-run attack, the villain attacks
  while the characters are unprepared, such as when
  they are sleeping. Note that serial killers attack to
  kill, not to injure. Therefore, a serial killer with a
  death attack, such as the assassin prestige class, can
  initiate a far more frightening hit-and-run attack
  than one who lacks such an attack. The death
  attack might be even more effective if used against
  an associate or ward of the characters rather than
  the characters themselves. The attack leaves the
  characters feeling guilty and vulnerable, rather
  than victimized by the whim of a DM. A hit-and-
  run attack should be quick, terrifying and
  disorienting.
  After the attack, the killer must escape through
  a foolproof method that does not appear to be
  foolproof. The exact method of escape depends on
  the capabilities of the killer and of the characters.
  If the characters are not particularly speedy, a fast
  moving killer might simply be able to outrun them.
  The villain might be particularly skilled at hiding
  or have a hidden lair nearby. If some of the charac-
  ters are sleeping during the attack, the ones who are
  awake may be reluctant to chase the villain off into
  the darkness, potentially separating themselves
  from the rest of the party. Magical methods of
  escape include blink, dimension door, expeditious
  retreat, haste, invisibility, pass without trace, teleport
  and the use of items such as dust of disappearance.
  If the villain decides to split up the characters
  or lure one individual away, it is much easier for the
  villain to escape. In fact, in this scenario, it may be
  more difficult for the characters to escape! Once
  some of the characters have been lured away, the
  killer attempts to kidnap or kill them. The charac-
  ters’ friends might show up to scare off the killer
  before he completes the task. If the villain is
  kidnapping the character, he attempts to subdue or
  disable the victim. Once subdued, the character
  can be taken back to a lair to be killed in the
  ritualistic fashion that defines the serial killer. The
  character should ideally be rescued before the killer
  gets that far, though. A kidnapping could allow the
  character to gain valuable insight into the mind of
  the serial killer. In fact, understanding the killer’s
  pathology could be the one thing that saves the
  unfortunate character.
  Building an Adventure with the
  Brood of Blutkalte
  The information provided so far describes the
  background of the story and the characters, but not
  the plot that drives the adventurers. Clearly, the
  ultimate resolution of this story is to put the ghost
  of Sebastian Blutkalte to rest permanently. The
  structure of the adventure, however, details the
  investigation of a serial killer. The following is an
  outline of such an adventure using the Blutkalte
  family.
  Introduction
  This adventure begins in the city of Lebek in
  Falkovnia, in the poorer section of town. When
  the characters arrive in town, a town guard con-
  fronts them. The guard informs them that a local
  priest must examine all new arrivals to town for
  signs of a sickness that is plaguing the town. The
  guard directs the party to a shabby inn, the Last
  Resting Place, where other newcomers are staying.
  They are to wait there for the arrival of the priest,
  a cleric of Ezra named Eckert Pfaff.
  While in the inn, the party can ask the other
  travelers and inn staff about the sickness and other
  local events. The following information can be
  gathered:
  • The sickness first appeared several weeks
  ago. Three prisoners in the local jail contracted the
  disease and died. The jailer eventually died as well.
  • The sickness has killed eight people so far.
  Nobody knows how many others are infected.
  
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  Chapter Three
  • A traveling healer was tending to the sick,
  but a priest of Ezra named Eckert Pfaff ran him off.
  Eckert says that only anchorites are allowed to heal
  people.
  • Eckert has not actually healed anyone; he
  just quarantines people. He will not heal anyone
  who does not follow Ezra. He probably cannot cure
  the sickness anyway.
  • The sickness affects people differently. The
  symptoms are never the same. Some victims get
  sores, and some go blind. Some cough up blood.
  Most are bedridden and slowly lose their mind.
  One man’s skin turned black and fell off like ashes
  from a fireplace log.
  • A mason named Konrad is the latest to
  contract the disease. He is a friend of the inn-
  keeper. Konrad has lost all his strength, and his
  eyes have begun to dissolve. Eckert quarantined
  Konrad and his wife in their home a week ago.
  Sebastian Blutkalte is actually in the common
  room of The Last Resting Place, in a possessed body
  with the personality and appearance of “The Min-
  strel.” At this time, he reveals no information
  about the legend of the Blutkaltes. He simply
  listens and observes. If asked a question, he says
  that he is newly arrived in town and has no addi-
  tional information.
  Eckert Pfaff shows up at the inn in a few hours.
  He is a young man and much more arrogant than
  his minimal experience justifies (he is a very low-
  level cleric). He does not particularly care for the
  fate of the unconverted sick; he is more concerned
  with keeping the disease away from his faithful.
  After he examines the characters for any unusual
  symptoms, he answers any questions they may have
  for him. Note that “unusual symptoms” might
  include curses; affected characters may have to
  succeed in a DC 15 Diplomacy check to convince
  Eckert that they are not infected.
  Eckert can provide the following information:
  • Currently only one person is sick in town, so
  he believes the quarantine is working. Konrad, the
  ill man, is not a follower of Ezra, so Eckert cares
  nothing for his fate.
  • Three families remain under quarantine,
  though their infected relatives have already died.
  • The victims do not appear to have con-
  tracted the disease in a common location.
  • A traveling charlatan claiming to be a healer
  was caring for the sick. This behavior is illegal (at
  least according to Eckert). He chased the man out
  of town a few days ago, since the jail is still under
  quarantine.
  • The charlatan was a large man with white
  robes. He was not a cleric; he may have been an
  herbalist of some sort. He said his name was Tobias.
  • Eckert does not know the type of disease or
  its cause. He has not examined the affected people
  very closely for fear of contracting the disease
  himself. He does not have the power to remove
  diseases.
  • Other members of his church will not assist
  in this matter. They tasked him with solving the
  problem.
  • The characters should not visit any of the
  quarantined locations. If they do so, they will be
  quarantined at that location as well. The quaran-
  tine lasts for one week after the death of the last
  infected person.
  The adventure can proceed in one of several
  ways. The characters should feel compelled to
  investigate due to the cleric’s indifference to the
  suffering. They may be able to convince him to
  allow them to help with DC 20 Diplomacy check,
  or they may decide to investigate in secret. If they
  do not feel an obligation to assist, someone in the
  inn may approach the characters after Eckert leaves
  and tell them that she heard sounds coming from
  inside the jail just this morning, even though it was
  boarded up. The DM can use other techniques to
  bring the characters into the adventure if neces-
  sary, such as infecting a character with poisoned
  food. Sebastian (as the Son) might even enlist
  their help to rescue his “uncle” from the jail.
  The Jail
  If the characters choose to investigate the jail,
  they find a boarded up stone building with a “Keep
  Out” sign nailed to the door. A successful DC 16
  Listen check allows a character to hear a moaning
  sound inside the building. The interior of the
  building reeks from the stench of decomposing
  bodies. Eckert boarded it up with the bodies inside,
  as well as one forgotten living prisoner, Arno
  Baecker. Arno is in an underground cell beneath a
  trap door. He is a baker who was jailed for baking
  underweight bread. Arno is not sick, since the
  Grandfather never visited him, but he is dying of
  malnutrition. He has been drinking the water that
  floods the floor of his underground cell.
  Arno knows only that a healer came to see the
  prisoners shortly after they first got sick. He gave
  them horrible medicines and applied burning oint-
  
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  The Brood of Blutkalte
  ments. He seemed very interested in seeing how
  they responded to each treatment. Arno heard that
  the healer was always smiling, even when the
  prisoners wailed in pain. His cures did not work;
  the prisoners all got worse and died. Arno has not
  seen the healer or anyone else in a week. Arno is,
  of course, very thankful for being rescued.
  If the characters search the jailer’s quarters,
  they find a receipt for repair work done by Konrad
  Maurer.
  The true story is that Sebastian possessed the
  jailer every night for a week and visited the inmates
  in the personality of the Grandfather. As captives,
  they were particularly susceptible to his sadistic
  treatments. Finally, he poisoned the jailer by eat-
  ing his own tainted food.
  Konrad Maurer’s House
  A member of the town guard watches over
  Konrad’s house. The characters have to use diplo-
  macy, stealth or trickery to get inside. Within the
  house are Konrad, his wife, Astrid, and his daugh-
  ter, Britta. Konrad is nearly mad with fits of
  screaming that constantly interrupt conversation
  in the house. Astrid and Britta are healthy. Astrid
  can provide the following information:
  • Konrad first showed symptoms about a week
  ago.
  • A traveling healer named Tobias came to
  visit the next day. No healers ever visit people in
  this neighborhood, so Konrad appreciated the visit.
  The healer came every day for a few days, but
  Eckert told him to stop coming.
  • The healer was not a pleasant man, and his
  cures were as bad as the disease. Tobias claimed
  harsh medicine was needed, but it would eventu-
  ally cure Konrad. He used bleedings, burnings and
  piercings to drive out the illness.
  • The healer said he suspected it was a poison,
  and he asked Konrad if he had wronged anyone or
  if anyone had wronged him. Konrad did not give
  the healer any names. However, Konrad did have
  a disagreement with the jailer over some repair
  work he had done a few weeks ago. Konrad also had
  a long-standing feud with his brother, David, but
  David was certainly not behind this suffering.
  • If the characters seem very trustworthy,
  Astrid relates that Tobias has returned to the house
  several times after Eckert told him to stay away.
  The family appreciates the help, even if Konrad
  can barely withstand it. Tobias told Astrid he slips
  past the guard when he fell asleep.
  The true story is that Sebastian possessed the
  guard, retrieved his medicines, and walked into the
  Maurer house. If questioned about it, the guard
  denies ever falling asleep on duty.
  David Maurer’s House
  If the characters investigate Konrad’s brother’s
  house, they find that he has become ill as well.
  David, who lives alone, is now blind and shakes
  with chill. He has not seen his brother in years.
  They both loved Astrid, but she chose Konrad over
  David. Konrad became sick several days ago. A
  healer came to visit David to tell him of his brother’s
  illness. The healer has been back to tend to him
  every night, including last night.
  Return to the Last Resting Place
  The characters may return to the Last Resting
  Place to spend the night, or they may stay with the
  Maurers. In either case, the night passes unevent-
  fully. The morning brings dark skies and heavy
  rain. Wherever the characters spend the night,
  someone asks them in the morning if they have
  seen Eckert Pfaff. Eckert always checks in at the inn
  or quarantined houses first thing in the morning,
  but he has not appeared yet today. If the characters
  do not investigate, someone else informs them
  several hours later of the murder of Pfaff in his
  home. The innkeeper and city guards all know
  where Pfaff lives.
  The Home of Eckert Pfaff
  The characters may or may not be the first
  people to reach Pfaff’s home, depending on when
  they arrive. If they arrive first, they notice that the
  door is ajar, with no signs of forced entry. Inside,
  they find the body of Eckert Pfaff.
  Pfaff bas been sewn into his bed like a cocoon.
  His blankets are still damp with sweat. His eyes,
  nose and lips have been sewn shut. Bloody tears
  streak his face. If his mouth is opened, a large
  pinecone is found inside. One hand protrudes from
  a slit cut in his blanket. A slash across the wrist still
  drips blood into a pool on the floor.
  If the PCs provided any sort of aid to either of
  the infected Maurer brothers, a piece of vellum is
  sewn onto the victim’s scalp. The vellum has a
  message written upon it: “Punishment is swift for
  the wicked pretending to do good. Be wary <insert
  character name>!” Use the name of any character
  with a strong mind, preferably a cleric or paladin.
  This note is a trick by Sebastian to make a particu-
  
  102
  Chapter Three
  lar character feel targeted, when he actually in-
  tends to select a weaker-minded character.
  The driving rain makes tracking difficult. The
  characters must make a DC 14 Search or Wilder-
  ness Lore check to find a single set of human tracks
  directly in front of the house, leading in the general
  direction from which the characters came. The
  tracks cannot be followed into town. No other
  clues can be found.
  Eventually, city guards, other clerics of Ezra
  and curious onlookers arrive at the house. The
  guards order everyone back to their homes and the
  characters back to the inn to await further ques-
  tioning.
  The Mob
  When the characters return to the inn, the
  patrons are buzzing about the killing. Sebastian, in
  the guise of the Minstrel, reveals the story of the
  Blutkaltes, as described in the Introduction of this
  chapter. The story achieves immediate credibility
  with the patrons, who begin to speculate on where
  the Blutkaltes might be found. Eventually the
  locals convince themselves and others that a fam-
  ily living just down the street most closely matches
  the description of the Blutkaltes. The crowd works
  themselves into a frenzy and marches out the door
  to confront the alleged Blutkaltes. The characters
  have to act quickly to prevent a tragedy from
  occurring. Diplomacy, intimidation or nonlethal
  of the mob leaders are all acceptable solutions to
  the problem. While the party is dealing with the
  mob, the Minstrel quietly slips away.
  The Grandfather
  After the mob has dispersed, a young woman
  approaches the characters. See informs them that
  a young boy, perhaps 12 years old, approached her
  as the mob was forming and told her that the people
  were looking in the wrong place. The boy said that
  they ought to be looking in the old tower down by
  the river. He then ran off in that direction. (The
  boy, of course, was Sebastian as the Son.)
  The tower by the river is an old dilapidated
  stone watchtower, some 80 feet high. The door
  handle at the base of the tower is coated in terinav
  root contact poison (DC 13, 1d6 Dex /2d6 Dex);
  the door is on the side of the tower away from the
  rain so the poison has not been washed off. It is very
  dark and musty inside. An old wood staircase winds
  up to the top floor 60 feet above the ground; the
  other floors have collapsed. If the characters are
  not quiet or lose their balance among the rubble,
  Sebastian hears them. Note that Sebastian always
  uses the form of The Son to climb the steps.
  At the top of the stairs is a small room lit by
  sunlight streaming through an open door in the
  outer wall. The Grandfather is waiting at the top of
  the stairs with a poisoned dagger drawn and ready.
  The Grandfather’s goal is to step between the open
  doorway and the stairs, slashing at any characters
  who attempt to reach the top floor. When more
  than one character reaches the top or he feels his
  life is in danger, he moves out the doorway on to
  the old walkway around the tower.
  The walkway is very precarious. It is 12” wide,
  and the railing is long gone. The rain continues to
  pour. Anyone (including the Grandfather) who
  walks on it must succeed at a DC 12 Balance check
  to move. Failure by 4 or more means the person falls
  into the river, 70 feet below. See the PHB for more
  information on fighting while balancing. Damage
  from the fall is 3d6 real plus 2d3 nonlethal. The
  person is then in dark, fast-moving water and
  subject to drowning (see the DMG). A fight at this
  point mirrors the fast-paced action of a horror
  adventure and is a standard “cliché” of dark fan-
  tasy.
  The Grandfather fights to the death on this
  ledge. As he dies, any characters on the ledge see
  his body transforming as falls. If he is killed on the
  ledge, the body falls into the water below. If he falls
  off before being killed, the Grandfather drowns in
  the river, at least as far as Sebastian is concerned.
  In reality, the ghost of Sebastian abandons the
  possessed body and seeks another person to possess,
  this time as “the Father.” Sebastian will not be able
  to use “the Grandfather” personality again, and the
  characters are one step closer to putting Sebastian
  to rest. The next day, the body of an unknown
  person is discovered down river.
  The characters can find various poisons and
  disease agents in bottles in the Grandfather’s lair.
  The Father’s and the Mother’s equipment are hid-
  den elsewhere.
  Next Steps
  After the Grandfather is killed, the adventure
  becomes more dynamic. The characters’ actions
  determine Sebastian’s next moves, since he is now
  hunting them. The characters must kill both the
  Father and the Mother to free Sebastian. The DM
  must also slowly reveal the plot to the characters,
  giving them more clues about Sebastian’s identity.
  
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  The Brood of Blutkalte
  The final encounter might involve the Father and
  the Mother personalities working together, or they
  might have to be faced individually. The party
  should face the Mother first, followed by a dramatic
  fight with the Father in the body of one of the
  characters.
  Wrapping Things Up
  The next night, the Blutkalte family attempts
  to attack the characters. Sebastian can use the
  Minstrel or the Son and his thought-reading pow-
  ers to spy on the characters. In the Blutkalte’s ideal
  scenario, only a single character is on watch at a
  time. This condition allows the Father to lure the
  watching character away with his grave summon-
  ing ability, and then slip in to attack the sleeping
  characters in the persona of the Mother. If more
  than one person is watching, the Mother attempts
  to sneak into the room where the other characters
  are sleeping. As a last resort, she could possess a
  character to sneak up on her sleeping prey. The
  goal of this encounter is to split up the party and
  introduce a real element of fear. Ideally, the party
  will be able to regroup just in time to save them-
  selves.
  If Sebastian possesses a character, he aban-
  dons the villager’s body in the woods. The villager
  should be someone the characters have met before,
  perhaps at the inn. The confused villager might
  come across the characters or even the grave-
  summoned character.
  If the Mother sneaks up on sleeping characters
  undetected, she attempts to sew one into his bed-
  roll. To do so without waking the characters, she
  must succeed at 10 opposed Move Silently checks
  (DC equals the characters’ Listen checks). Sleep-
  ing characters receive a -10 penalty on their Listen
  checks. Any character who succeeds, wakes up.
  Escape from the cocoon requires an Escape Artist
  check opposed by the Mother’s Craft (sewing)
  check and takes 1 minute. During this time, the
  victim is considered bound and helpless. If the
  victim wakes before the Mother finishes sewing,
  escape is unopposed.
  Once the Mother has an opponent wrapped
  up, she turns her attention to other characters in
  the room. Using her scalpel, she attempts a coup-
  de-grace attack against the throat of a sleeping
  character, preferably a warrior. Whether the char-
  acter lives or dies, the attack wakes up any sleeping
  characters.
  
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  Chapter Three
  It is important to remember that Sebastian is a
  powerful entity, and he might be able to kill all the
  characters under the right circumstances. However,
  that would not be much fun for the players. The DM
  should make the players think that they are all going
  to die. Remember that the Blutkaltes enjoy torturing
  their victims, and they cannot do that if the victims
  are dead. If necessary, the Son can fight for control of
  the possessed body to save a character that is about to
  be killed by the Mother or the Father. This circum-
  stance would provide an opportunity for Sebastian to
  tell the characters that they have to stop his family,
  or he will follow their example.
  The Mother makes sure she wounds any wrapped-
  up characters at the beginning of the fight, causing a
  bleeding wound. She fights to the death, possibly
  attempting a coup-de-grace against the bound char-
  acter if things go badly. It is not necessary to kill her
  body to free Sebastian; nonlethal damage that knocks
  her out drives Sebastian away. As she dies or col-
  lapses, her body transforms into the body of her host.
  By this point, the characters should realize that they
  have either killed or subdued an innocent person.
  The manifested ghost of Sebastian rises up from the
  body and flees, seeking a new body to use for the
  Father. If the characters have separated, Sebastian
  finds a villager and then pursues the separated char-
  acters. If not, he attempts to possess one of the
  characters and fight.
  The Summoning
  The Father has dug a grave in the woods several
  hundred yards from where the characters are sleep-
  ing. He also has prepared a coffin and a headstone.
  The Father does his best to determine when a weak-
  willed person is on watch. He makes his way to the
  grave and carves the name of that character on the
  headstone, invoking his grave summoning ability.
  Max then moves back through the woods to where
  the characters are sleeping to see if it takes effect.
  Depending on the reactions of the characters, Max
  may attack one of the characters with his spade and
  paralyzing death attack, or he may wait until a better
  target takes his turn at sentry duty.
  If the Father’s grave summoning was successful, he
  follows the character to the gravesite. The DM must
  keep track of rounds elapsed and distances traveled,
  because the party’s ability to rescue their summoned
  comrade depends on it. The Father attempts to distract
  any pursuers to make sure the summoned character
  arrives safely. At the gravesite, the summoned character
  quietly lies in the small coffin at the bottom of the grave
  until the Father arrives. The Father hammers the lid shut
  on the coffin and climbs out of the pit. The Father has
  prepared the coffin lid ahead of time by filling it with
  hundreds of nails, making it painful for anyone to
  attempt to escape. As soon as the first shovel full of dirt
  lands on top of the coffin, the character is able to act
  normally.
  While in the coffin, the character is considered
  grappled. Attempting to break out of the coffin
  requires a Strength check as if breaking a good
  wooden door (Break DC 18, Hardness 5, Hit Points
  15). The Strength check is at a -2 penalty due to the
  confined space. Each escape attempts also causes 1d4
  points of damage from the nails protruding through
  the coffin lid. The DM can make the Strength check
  more challenging using ropes, chains or stronger
  wood. The character can attempt to break free with-
  out additional penalties a number of times equal to
  their Constitution score before becoming fatigued.
  He may try again as many times as his Constitution
  score, but afterward he becomes exhausted. For every
  minute Max spends shoveling, the DC to break out
  increases by 1. It takes Max 20 minutes to fill in the
  hole. The coffin has only 10 minutes of air in it. After
  10 minutes has expired, the character drops to –1 hit
  points and is dying. When his hit points reach –10,
  the character dies.
  Conclusion
  Once the characters have “killed” the Grand-
  father, the Father and the Mother, the ghost of
  Sebastian Blutkalte can rest. Remember that
  Sebastian has the Rejuvenation special ability, so
  killing the ghost itself is unlikely to be effective.
  When Sebastian is released, he manifests and
  appears before the characters as the “human” boy
  Sebastian. He thanks the characters for releasing
  him. He then transforms into each of his other
  remaining personalities and says goodbye. His final
  form is that of a juvenile doppelganger as his ghost
  dissolves into the ether.
  Plot Breakers
  The Brood of Blutkalte is a complex story that
  relies on a number of different mechanisms in order
  to succeed. The villain is a doppelganger, a ghost,
  a serial killer and a madman. The DM must be
  prepared to adapt the plot on the fly as players do
  the unexpected. Here are some potential “plot
  breakers” for which the DM should be prepared.
  The easiest way to foil a good serial killer
  adventure is for the killer to be found too early. The
  
  105
  The Brood of Blutkalte
  adventure should be structured such that the char-
  acters do not even have the opportunity to meet
  the killer until midway through the adventure.
  This guideline can be ignored somewhat in the
  case of the Sebastian, as long as the DM is aware of
  the ways that the characters have available to
  detect Sebastian’s true nature. Of course, even if a
  character detects the presence of a ghost, she may
  not want to reveal it immediately, since it may
  cause a panic among those present. If Sebastian
  subconsciously senses that he has been detected
  (Sense Motive), he tries to use his detect thoughts
  ability to plan the proper response. Sebastian’s
  personality will not be consciously aware that he is
  doing any detection, however.
  The feats Ethereal Empathy, Ghostsight and
  Haunted from the Ravenloft Players Handbook can
  reveal a ghost, even one that has possessed a body.
  Ethereal Empathy allows the character to see reso-
  nance, but not the ghost itself. Therefore, the
  character would essentially be aware that a powerful
  emotional resonance was in the immediate area but
  would be unable to pinpoint it. Ghostsight allows the
  character to see the ghost inside the possessed body.
  Similarly, the guardian spirit from the Haunted feat
  might be able to see the ghost. If Sebastian is in the
  form of one of the nonviolent personalities, an
  interesting encounter could actually develop when
  he is discovered. The personality might have to come
  to the realization that a member of the Blutkalte
  family has killed him. It is unlikely that the charac-
  ters suspect that the ghost is also the killer. The
  characters should believe that the ghost follows the
  Blutkalte family around, trying to gain release.
  Several spells can also detect a ghost. Remember,
  however, that undead always get a Will save vs. any spell
  effect that would reveal their nature. In addition, ghosts
  are generally immune to detect thoughts. Detect undead
  can be effective. See ethereal resonance (Van Richten’s
  Arsenal) does not work, since it does not allow the
  subject to sense ethereal creatures.
  Van Richten’s Arsenal and the Ravenloft
  Player’s Handbook list some spells that are useful
  against ghosts, such as eternal slumber (VRA) and
  soul anchor (RPH). Spiritual purgative (VRA) can
  drive a ghost from its host.
  The DM should be familiar with the sections
  on ghosts from the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook,
  Van Richten’s Arsenal and Denizens of Dread.
  
  106
  Chapter Three
  Variations on a Theme
  his section describes ways that the story
  can be changed to build entirely new
  adventures. The techniques detailed
  here can provide DMs with many sce-
  narios, all stemming from one story.
  Anatomy of a Serial Killer
  Adventure
  Many different formats can serve as an outline for
  an adventure featuring a serial killer. The following,
  however, presents the structure of the adventure in a way
  that allows for flexibility as well as organization.
  The Hook: Introducing the Problem
  The characters need to have something to do
  and a good reason for doing it. In a serial killer
  adventure, player characters can be brought in at
  several points:
  Before the killings begin — This option pre-
  sents “the legend” of the killer, told to the characters
  in a generally nonthreatening situation, followed by
  an indication that the killer might be real and in this
  town. The usual indicator is the discovery of a body
  matching the details described in the legend.
  Immediately following the first killing —
  The characters find out, along with the rest of the
  town, that someone has been murdered. This op-
  tion delays the discovery of the legend to the
  investigation phase.
  After one or more killings. — The characters
  arrive in a town that has already seen a murder. The
  townspeople are scared, and the constables are
  investigating. The legend may be one of the theo-
  ries behind the killings.
  After a victim has been discovered, the char-
  acters should want to investigate, particularly if
  they knew the victim.
  Investigating the Crime Scene
  The crime scene might be nearby, or it might
  be on the other side of town. In the early stages, the
  adventure proceeds more easily for the DM if the
  characters discover the victim some time after the
  murder takes place. The characters should not
  have the impression that the murderer is still
  nearby, even if that is the case. This encounter
  should establish the relationship between the char-
  acters and local investigators. The locals might ask
  the characters to assist them, to share information
  or to stay out of the way.
  Arriving after one or more murders — If the
  characters arrived in town after one or more mur-
  ders have already taken place, few clues may remain.
  The body has probably been buried or burned, and
  some of the evidence might no longer exist (washed
  clothes, cleaned rooms, etc.). To investigate, the
  characters need to convince local officials, clerics
  and family members to allow them to exhume the
  body or search through personal effects. Other-
  wise, the characters must gain any information
  second or third hand. Such an encounter involves
  the questioning of NPCs.
  Encountering the body in the presence of
  locals — If the characters encounter the body at
  the same time as the townsfolk, more first-hand
  information is available. The cause of death be-
  comes easier to determine. Depending on the
  murderer, some tools may have been left behind.
  The characters might be able to use speak with dead
  or immerse mind (Van Richten’s Arsenal) to gather
  some information from the corpse. If a character
  has the Ethereal Resonance feat or see ethereal
  resonance (Van Richten’s Arsenal), a phantom of
  the dying victim might be visible.
  Following the Leads
  The characters should have some leads to
  follow from their investigation of the murder scene.
  The plot unfolds through the course of these en-
  counters. The characters meet potential suspects,
  potential victims and other personalities related to
  the case. The DM can introduce as many plots and
  subplots as desired. The characters should be left
  with the impression that something larger is occur-
  ring behind the scenes. The story should include
  cover-ups, false leads and plot twists. Investigation
  of the clues can occur over several days, with
  additional murders occurring every day.
  Witnessing a Murder
  Eventually, the characters have enough clues to put
  them in the right place at the right time to witness a
  murder. This should give them their first glimpse of the
  murderer. The characters might even be able to confront
  the murderer to some degree, but the killer should
  escape. This scene must be carefully devised and ex-
  ecuted. The DM has to walk a fine line to give the
  characters the impression that the outcome of the
  encounter is not prescripted while still ensuring that the
  adventure continues to a proper conclusion. In a serial
  killer adventure, there is only one bad guy. When the
  villain’s reign of terror ends, so does the adventure.
  
  107
  The Brood of Blutkalte
  Hunters Become the Hunted
  Once the killer is aware that the characters are in
  pursuit, the characters themselves become vulnerable.
  The killer must still serve the demons that haunt him,
  though, so he determines the victim and the setting
  accordingly. The villain either picks a character as
  victim or someone very close to the characters who
  matches the profile of his other victims, and he lures his
  target into an appropriate environment.
  While the killer hunts his target, the characters
  need to be split up. The entire party cannot encoun-
  ter the killer until the conclusion of the adventure, or
  they might kill the villain prematurely.
  Remember that the characters’ lives are in the
  hands of the DM. A DM can kill the characters at any
  time in an adventure of this sort, but that doesn’t
  mean she should. Even when the villain has targeted
  a character for killing, the “best” outcome is for the
  targeted character to survive the ordeal. Therefore,
  survival of the character should be possible and even
  likely if the other party members act quickly and
  creatively. The encounter should be designed with a
  questionable result. The victim needs to feel real fear
  for his own life while recognizing that his fate lies in
  the hands of his friends, not the DM.
  For purposes of the plot, the rescue of the
  character or ally can be either the last encounter or
  the next-to-last encounter of the adventure. If it is
  the last encounter, then the encounter should take
  place in the villain’s lair. If this encounter is the
  next-to-last encounter, then it should take place at
  some other location and the killer should escape to
  his lair, while leaving a trail the characters follow.
  Entering the Lair
  At some point during the adventure, the char-
  acters must enter the killer’s lair, an event that
  could occur at several points in the plot. The first
  possibility occurs if the characters have tracked the
  villain to his lair after witnessing a killing. The
  villain will not be there, but the characters may
  find clues revealing more of the villain’s plans as
  well as his personality. Another possibility in-
  volves the rescue of a character or an ally from the
  lair, as described above. Finally, the characters
  might not have to venture into the villain’s lair
  until the very conclusion of the adventure when
  they are ready to bring the killer to justice.
  Concept Variations
  The Brood of Blutkalte builds on a simple con-
  cept: the raising of a dread doppelganger in a human
  family. If the doppelganger’s family environment was
  particularly horrible, perhaps it might develop mul-
  tiple personalities. When the doppelganger reaches
  puberty, its shapechanging abilities appear, possibly
  leading to additional psychological and sociological
  problems. Finally, what might happen if this creature
  is killed and becomes a ghost?
  Many different variations are possible using
  these ideas. If Sebastian is not killed, he can still
  make an effective villain as a dread doppelganger
  with a multiple-personality disorder. It would be
  harder for him to move about and remain undetec-
  ted, but additional personalities could compensate
  for the lack of ghost abilities.
  In another variation, Sebastian would not de-
  velop multiple personalities. He would simply be a
  doppelganger ghost with a great desire to kill. In the
  standard plot, Sebastian’s abilities are limited by his
  mental disorder. He cannot, for example, change
  into anyone he desires. Without this disorder,
  Sebastian would become even more powerful. He
  could use his ghost powers to their full ability, and he
  could use his own cunning to masquerade as anyone.
  Other possible permutations of this storyline
  exist. For example, Sebastian could be a human
  rather than a dread doppelganger. He would still
  have a multiple personality disorder and become a
  ghost. He would not, however, have the ability to
  change his appearance at will. Sebastian would
  simply possess bodies that matched the personality
  he wanted to use.
  The Blutkaltes could even be real people,
  working together as a family. The grandfather is a
  true serial killer, while the father and the mother
  are simply evil people who murder those who cross
  them. Sebastian, in this case, might be a protago-
  nist, trying to escape his family’s plans for him.
  A potentially interesting variation on the theme
  is to put Sebastian into a cursed object. For example,
  if the personality of Sebastian were infused into a hat
  of disguise, any character or NPC could become a
  doppelgangerlike serial killer with multiple person-
  alities. The hat would use the wearer as a tool to
  satisfy its lust for killing. The hat could even force the
  current owner to give it away when it needed to
  change wearers to avoid capture. Even if the wearer
  were killed, the hat would likely be claimed as a prize,
  thereby ensuring the killing would continue.
  Plot and Goal Variations
  The sample plot begins with the characters inves-
  tigating murders committed by the Grandfather.
  
  108
  Chapter Three
  However, the adventure could follow a completely
  different path if a different family member initiated the
  first murders. For example, Max might decide that he
  needs to kill everyone who was in a tavern one night
  when they laughed at his mud-covered clothes. He
  might pursue individuals on their way home from the
  tavern late at night. When the patrons make it difficult
  for Max to fulfill his goal, the Grandfather might assist by
  poisoning the vats in the tavern’s cellar. Of course, he
  would have to visit the tavern to watch the effects of his
  poisons. Finally, the Mother might strangle the barmaids
  on their way home from work.
  A plot beginning with the Mother might in-
  volve political intrigue over an extended period. The
  Mother is more methodical in her planning. She
  might not feel the need to kill as often as the Father
  or the Grandfather. Perhaps in an ongoing cam-
  paign, NPCs periodically turn up dead, sewn into
  their sheets. The characters might not discover the
  relationship among the victims for months.
  In the standard Brood of Blutkalte story,
  Sebastian’s ghost must be set free through the
  killing of his murderous personalities. However,
  there may be other ways to put Sebastian to rest
  permanently. If Sebastian himself is considered a
  true killer (or wash he coerced by his wicked family
  into killing Philip?), then the Son personality
  might have to be killed as well. Perhaps that is the
  only personality that needs to be killed.
  Sebastian might follow a specific ritual every
  time he enters a new town. His family, from eldest to
  youngest, must each kill a victim. The personalities
  must be killed before Sebastian takes a life, thereby
  continuing the legacy. In this scenario, the “death” of
  one of Sebastian’s ancestors would not be permanent
  unless Sebastian was put to rest also. He would move
  on to a new town and restart the cycle.
  Another possible way to free Sebastian is to
  destroy his ghost and then right the wrong that
  created him. In this case, that might involve the
  proper burial of the Fassbinder family or destruc-
  tion of the dagger that Sebastian used to kill Philip.
  The standard story introduces some minor subplots
  among Sebastian’s victims. These subplots are used more
  as a diversion to keep the players guessing about why
  these people are being killed. However, Sebastian might
  choose victims that were part of a larger plot. Sebastian
  would be seen as bringing justice to the people who were
  involved. For example, the characters might eventually
  discover that all the victims are members of a secret guild
  that prevented newcomers from establishing businesses
  in the town. The more involved the DM makes the
  subplots, the more people are available as potential
  suspects and victims.
  Setting
  Serial killer adventures can take place in any
  locale with a sufficient number of victims and
  suspects. The environment is one of the killer’s
  choosing, even if the characters try to influence it.
  The story described here takes place in a large
  town or small city near a river. However, the story
  can be easily adapted to other locations. For ex-
  ample, the dilapidated watchtower could be placed
  on a bluff rather than by a river. The quarantine
  dictates a location without easy access to remove
  disease or neutralize poison spells. However, this
  location could be any area without many clerics. A
  small village or an atheistic domain such as
  Lamordia would work as well.
  While a sprawling urban setting is the tradi-
  tional hunting ground for serial killers (probably
  due to the number of available victims), a more
  restrictive location can be even more terrifying.
  Imagine a confined location full of people, such as
  an asylum, a prison, a remote inn or a ship. Sebastian
  is extremely mobile while in ghost form, so the
  killers can strike in nearly any location, regardless
  of the precautions taken.
  The story can be set in many different loca-
  tions across the core of Ravenloft. In addition to
  Lekar, the story could be set in Aerie or Stangengrad
  in Falkovnia with little modification. In Barovia,
  Zeidenburg or Teufeldorf are good locations. In
  Invidia, the thieves’ quarter in Karina is suitable.
  In Darkon, the town of Mykle might be an appro-
  priate setting. The large asylum in Mykle could be used
  to good effect. Characters might suspect that a killer had
  escaped the asylum. With some modifications to the
  adventure concept, they might be correct.
  In Borca, the slums in Levkarest on the Luna
  River would fit the story, but an interesting varia-
  tion might be to make the Blutkalte family of
  higher social standing. Perhaps the Grandfather is
  charming and devious. So much so, that Ivana
  Boritsi made him into one of the emordenung. Of
  course, Sebastian would not have the powers of the
  emordenung, but he might have developed a way
  to simulate them through contact poison. The
  Father might be a high-ranking soldier. The Mother
  could be an aristocrat who sews as a hobby.
  
  109
  Noises in the Night
  Chapter Four:
  Noi<e< in the
  Night
  Chapter Four:
  Noi<e< in the
  Night
  
  110
  Chapter Four
  The Legend
  ike all good stories, this begins…
  “Once upon a time there lived a
  Lamordian folklorist by the name of Hans
  Gleam. He and his brother, Jakob, were
  passionate young men, so much alike they
  were often mistaken for twins. They shared similar
  interests and were friendly but competitive rivals in
  every field they entered—swordplay, hunting, ro-
  mance and, most importantly, the academic world.
  Both brothers were fascinated by the myths and legends
  of the Lands of the Mists. They began as students in the
  Universitat Ludendorf, finishing first and second in
  each year of study, first Hans, then Jakob, then Hans
  again. Both moved to the University of Il Aluk in the
  days before the Hour of Ascension claimed that great
  institute of learning. I take it you all know that tale? In
  any case, it is a story that should be told at another
  time.
  “At the University of Il Aluk, Hans and Jakob
  studied the variations in the myths surrounding the
  Hour of Ascension. Unlike many of their fellow
  countrymen, the brothers didn’t scoff at these tales as
  baseless rumors. Instead, they believed each story was
  a pearl, built around a grain of truth, a speck of dirt
  coated in the accreted layers of generations of embel-
  lishments and forgotten details. Though this was not an
  original idea, they pursued it with unique interest.
  They turned their fiercely analytical minds to uncov-
  ering those seeds. Their eternal competition would
  ensure they pushed each other harder and harder,
  always trying to peer more deeply into the past, gather
  more legends from townsfolk and so on. Everything
  they discovered, though, they published together. They
  were brothers, after all, and their rivalry was fierce but
  friendly. The first of their exploits was tracing the folk
  tale of the Darkwraiths of Abalon to a real cult in
  Darkon’s Age of Secrets. You haven’t heard of that
  story? Well, that is definitely a saga to be told at
  another time. During daylight, I believe, not now in
  the dark of the midnight hour.
  “After several years of their partnership, the
  brothers were recognized by the academic powers that
  be. Jakob was offered the newly formed Chair of
  Historiography at the University of Dementlieu, a
  joint position offered by both the Departments of
  History and of Divinities. Hans, however, was not
  given a tenure. He felt slighted; why should he, who
  had done half the work, receive nothing when his
  brother received an annual allowance generous enough
  to satisfy a Borcan lord? His brother had no explana-
  tion. Jakob offered Hans a third of his grant and a
  lecturer’s position under him, but Hans would have
  none of it. He was a proud, hotheaded man, and the
  sting of being passed over made him even more stub-
  born. Through gritted teeth, he angrily dictated a letter
  to his brother, accusing him of deliberately stealing
  recognition for the work they had done together, claim-
  ing that he and his fiancée would starve before he would
  choke on scraps from a traitor’s table, and a thousand
  other harsh words, swearing that he would never speak
  to Jakob again.
  Why he blamed Jakob so, and not the academics
  who offered the position, I do not know. Until he
  received Hans’ letter, Jakob was considering turning
  down the Chair. After, he hardened his heart and
  wrote an equally vituperative letter in reply. The
  brothers disowned each other. Jakob took the Chair,
  and Hans and Giselle, his wife, stormed south to the
  Balinoks. Both brothers continued their analyses of
  folklore, but without the other, neither achieved the
  greatness that was theirs as partners.
  “Hans and Giselle lived as little more than pau-
  pers in Teufeldorf for many years. Giselle bore two
  children: a son named Oscar, after Giselle’s father,
  and a daughter, Liesel, after Hans’ mother. Oscar was
  a playful scamp, as wild as his father and uncle had
  been as children, while Liesel was timid, sweet and
  affectionate. Hans doted on his children. He worked
  endlessly, trying to sell his papers to academic journals
  to raise enough money to support his family. If only he
  had known that his work would lead to tragedy and
  devastate the beautiful family he had worked so hard to
  provide for. If only he hadn’t fallen out with his brother
  and moved to Gundarak in anger.
  “As I have said, Hans and Jakob Gleam were
  famous for uncovering the grains of truth that lurked
  behind legends both dark and merry. However, they
  were men of Lamordia, with a Lamordian’s view of the
  world as a great, ticking machine, where everything
  was explicable in terms of reason and science. When
  faced with tales of the voishlacka, Hans looked for a
  bloody-thirsty noble or cruel highwayman, not an
  undead monster. Lycanthropes were distorted legends
  of the mentally ill or degenerates. Elves were creatures
  descended from a different branch of the Tree of Life
  to humans, but possessed none of the fey powers they
  were said to have. In many ways, Hans Gleam was as
  innocent as dear, sweet little Liesel.
  “In his studies, Hans came across the Gundarakan
  legend of Olló-öregból. This grim tale bore startling
  similarities to the Scissorman, a myth from Hans’ own
  youth in Lamordia. This excited him greatly. Always
  in the past when Hans had found that two places had
  shared the same, or similar, legends, it was because
  
  111
  Noises in the Night
  clear links were to be found between the regions. Either
  both tales were descended from the same historical
  root, or wanderers or immigrants to a new location had
  carried one. In the Scissorman’s case, neither link
  could be found. There was no trace of immigration
  from Gundarak to Lamordia or vice versa that could
  have transplanted the legend from its home soil, and
  both Gundarak and Lamordia had completely separate
  histories. Their cultures, legends and languages were
  otherwise completely distinct. Where could a legend
  that was ancient in both societies have come from?
  “Hans began to correspond with his sources in
  other realms, trying to map out the Scissorman’s path
  through the realms. He found it scattered higgledy-
  piggledy all over the Land, in parts of Barovia, Mor-
  dent, eastern Darkon, G’Henna, Nidala, Paridon
  and Graben. There was no explanation for the story’s
  appearance in only one or two villages in each realm,
  or for its presence in such disparate lands. In all cases,
  it was similar enough to be unmistakable, but possessed
  a hundred minor changes that showed the legends were
  unrelated.
  “The Scissorman is a monstrous tailor, dressed in
  finery but splattered with blood. He carries a mighty
  pair of shiny shears, with which he carries out terrible
  punishments on naughty children. As I first heard the
  story, Peter is instructed by his mother not to suck his
  thumb, for it will uneven his teeth and damage his rosy
  smile, for which he is famous throughout his village.
  The naughty Peter ignores her. She warns him again,
  ‘Peter do not suck your thumb.’ Again, he ignores her.
  Finally, Peter’s mother says, ‘Peter, beware: the great
  tall tailor always comes to naughty boys who suck their
  thumbs.’ With this final warning, she leaves for mar-
  ket. No sooner has she left than Peter starts to suck his
  thumb once more. A coldness seeps into the room, so
  the foolish boy moves closer to the hearth. Unseen
  behind him, the shutters begins to close, one by one, all
  around him. Peter doesn’t hear the quiet scrape of
  wood on wood, or the tiny clicks of the locks trapping
  him inside. Still sucking his thumb and enchanted by
  the hearth’s dancing flames, the boy is unaware that he
  is being closed off from the world, from help.
  “Finally, once all the shutters are closed, some
  terrible instinct warns Peter, who looks up in sudden,
  spasmodic fright. At that moment, the door slams
  open, and the Scissorman leaps into the room with a
  single flex of his mighty legs. Grinning a terrible grin,
  he shuts and locks the door, and draws out his shears.
  Peter screams, but no one outside can hear him. The
  
  112
  Chapter Four
  Scissorman walks toward him, snipping his scissors
  and smiling.
  “Hans probed deeper and deeper in the mysteri-
  ous tale. He could find no rational, historic root for the
  legend. Intrigued, he began to go back over his past
  failures: Monsieur and Madame Croquemitaine,
  Fanton Griswold, the Bad Thing, Alligator Lenny,
  the Voice in the Storm, the Gentlemen, Der Kinderstod,
  the Loçolico. All these stories showed the same random
  patterns, the same baselessness in fact. Hans began to
  suspect that some dark secret lurked behind all these
  grim tales. All were children’s tales. All involved
  terrible monsters who punished or pursued the weak
  and innocent. What could the truth have been? As I
  said, Hans was naïve. He didn’t appreciate, as you or
  I might, that scholars need look no further than the
  surface to find the truth in some stories. Or that the
  creatures they speak of may not appreciate being
  dragged into the light.
  “Finally, Hans began a monograph on the strange
  stories. This was the final mistake, which brought
  tragedy upon his entire family.
  “Oscar and Liesel went each day to play with the
  other children, under Giselle’s benevolent maternal
  eye. On this day, a fat woman was in the park. To say
  she was fat is to say Count Strahd is a bad man. She
  was corpulent and disgusting. Rolls of fat flowed from
  her everywhere. Food stains covered her clothes. Her
  skin was greasy and peppered with warts.
  “Despite her foul appearance, the woman was
  jolly and entertained the children with dozens of dirty
  jokes and tall tales. None of the mothers seemed to
  notice her. When she saw Oscar and Liesel, her black
  eyes twinkled with evil delight. She tempted them closer
  with her banter, and then offered the pair a sweet from
  her bag. Oscar, always a brave and forward lad, was
  going to take one, but Liesel—poor child—took his
  arm. In a voice as pure and musical as a flute’s, she
  begged her brother not to take the sweet. Didn’t he
  remember Papa’s work? Hadn’t he listened to the story
  of Madame Croquemitaine, who offered children poi-
  soned sweets to kidnap and eat them? She begged her
  brother to come away, to play on the swings instead.
  Because he could deny his sister nothing, Oscar ig-
  nored the taunts of the other boys and went with Liesel.
  “Later that night, Oscar’s young ears heard his
  parents talking. A boy had vanished from the park that
  day, just after Giselle had taken her children home.
  There was no sign of the criminal who had taken him;
  he was never heard from again.
  “Oscar and Liesel were terrified by the news.
  They were sure Liesel was right; the woman had been
  Madame Croquemitaine, and the boy had been eaten.
  They tried, time and again, to explain to their parents,
  but the adults refused to listen. Giselle thought the
  boy’s disappearance and Hans’ work had disturbed
  them and forbade Hans from discussing his stories in
  the house anymore.
  “A few more days passed, and Oscar and Liesel
  began to forget their fear. Once more, they returned to
  the park to play, and, with no sign of the fat woman to
  menace them, resumed their games as though nothing
  had happened. Once again, though, a visitor inter-
  rupted them, an average-looking man with a jolly
  smile. He explained that he was a traveler, but had lost
  his way to the burgomeister’s house. Would any of the
  children know how to get there?
  “This time, Oscar needed no prompting from his
  sister to be wary of the man. The other children, too,
  remembered their missing playmate, and as one re-
  fused to lead the traveler to the burgomeister. That was
  fine, said the man. Some strangers were dangerous to
  children (here his foxy grin widened), and the children’s
  parents would be pleased they were so careful. They
  didn’t have to show him where the burgomeister lived,
  just tell him, and the one who told him would get a
  present from his bag.
  “All but the most suspicious children—Oscar and
  Liesel—began clamoring for a present. One girl was
  chosen, and the traveler gave her a tiny clockwork
  mouse as a toy before going on his way.
  “The next day, Oscar heard Giselle whispering
  with another of the mothers. The girl who helped the
  traveler had gone. When her mother went to tuck her
  into bed the night before, she had pulled back the
  blankets to find, instead of her daughter, a squealing,
  twisting horde of rats. Some said the panicked woman
  had beaten at the swarm with an iron from the grate,
  and each time she killed a rat, it turned back into a part
  of her daughter: a hand, a shoe and so on. Giselle
  shushed the other woman and told her not to say such
  nonsense, but Oscar could see she was frightened. No
  children went to the park anymore.
  “A few weeks later, Liesel woke the house scream-
  ing that there was a monster outside her window. She
  could hear it scratching at the windows, and had seen
  its pale, wormy fingers wriggling underneath the shut-
  ters. From that moment on, she and Oscar slept with
  a lantern lit between their beds. Then, they began to go
  to the well in pairs, armed with bushels of lavender to
  fend off Beteg-gyilkos. If Giselle noticed the strange
  smell that had begun to emanate from their well, she
  made no comment about it. She was too busy worrying
  about her children. Despite the best efforts of the town
  militia, three more children had vanished without
  explanation, and Oscar and Liesel had begun to jump
  
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  Noises in the Night
  at every shadow and strange noise. Their eyes were
  black and hollow with fear, and they jumped at the
  smallest noises. She had begun to fear that even if her
  children escaped the demon plaguing Teufeldorf, they
  would be forever changed by their experiences.
  “Finally, on a dark and wild night in winter,
  Oscar and Liesel, pale shadows of their previous
  selves, bade their parents goodnight—which is to say,
  forced their father to search the room for monsters
  before allowing themselves to be tucked into bed.
  Giselle and Hans stayed up, she knitting, he writing his
  paper, both discussing the events of the past few weeks.
  Some of the villagers believed the children were being
  taken by a madman inspired by the very legends Hans
  was researching. Others believed it was one of Gundar’s
  soldiers. Both agreed that nothing like this had hap-
  pened when they had lived in the north. For their own
  sake, and for that of their children, and perhaps
  because some of the villagers were beginning to believe
  Hans, with his collection of folklore, was the madman,
  the pair decided to take their family back to the safer,
  more civilized lands of the north. Perhaps Hans would
  even reconcile himself with his brother?
  “In the next room, Oscar and Liesel slept uneas-
  ily. The tiny lantern flame flickered between them.
  The wind howled outside, shaking the shutters and
  screeching in the chimney. A branch fell and slid across
  the tiled roof, sounding like heavy footsteps and scrab-
  bling claws. Exhausted, the children slept on. As the
  town clock began to strike twelve, the wind finally
  gained a small victory against the house: the flame of
  the lantern flickered, faltered and died. The children
  were left in darkness.
  “Oscar and Liesel awoke to find the room dark
  and cold. Their breaths condensed in the chill air,
  although they could not see it. The pair lay shaking in
  their beds, too afraid to move, too afraid to call out for
  their parents. Both could sense some dark malignity in
  the room with them.
  “Finally, Oscar could bear it no longer. ‘Liesel?’
  he called. ‘Are you there?’ His only answer was a
  muffled squeak. ‘Liesel?’ he called again.
  “‘Liesel?’ a voice echoed him from the darkness in
  high-pitched mockery of his own voice. ‘Liesel? Liesel,
  liesellieselliesel!’ it called, before collapsing into hor-
  rific laughter. Another voice shushed it.
  “’Do you look for your sister, boy?’ the second
  voice called. ‘A light would help, perhaps?’ A sulfu-
  rous glow lit the room as the intruder re-ignited the
  lantern between the children. It revealed the grinning
  face of a man in a pinstriped suit splattered with blood.
  His cold black eyes flickered with reflected lantern
  light, and his grin widened even further as he saw the
  fear in his victims’ eyes, cracking the dry skin around
  his mouth. He drew out a pair of silver scissors and
  slowly opened and shut them once, twice: snip, snip.
  “Oscar and Liesel began to scream hysterically,
  but, like Peter in the story, no noise escaped the
  darkened room. Hans and Giselle sat quietly talking in
  the next room, completely unaware of the great, tall
  tailor working in the next room.
  “The next day, Hans was preparing breakfast
  while Giselle fetched the children, when he heard a
  terrible scream, a scream that no human voice should
  ever have cause to make, a scream that went on and on
  and on. He dropped the pan into the fire and rushed to
  his wife, who stood, still screaming, staring with locked
  gaze into the children’s room. I cannot put words to
  describe what shocked Hans into immobility when he
  grabbed his screaming wife. The room was scarlet.
  Oscar crouched, wide-eyed and silent, covered in
  scratches and bite marks, staring at his sister’s bed. A
  still form lay beneath those sodden blankets, com-
  pletely covered except for one pale hand that had fallen
  from beneath the covers, and the scarlet trail that
  flowed down it to bead at the tip of her finger. When,
  with shaking hands Hans pulled down the blankets, his
  beautiful, innocent daughter was unrecognizable.
  “As they had discussed, Giselle and Hans moved
  back to Ludendorf. The broken man wrote to his
  brother, who flew to his side to care for them. Hans
  gave up his study of folklore. All his notes he gave to his
  brother. He never published his monograph on tales of
  bogeymen and spent his days a broken man. Giselle
  proved inconsolable, and, with her still-unspeaking
  son, was given to the care of the Chateaufaux asylum.
  She never emerged. Jakob spent all his fortune on their
  asylum fees and eventually had to sell some of the
  brothers’ notebooks to cover the expense. The mono-
  graph found its way into the hands of a mage, who
  enchanted the already tragedy-stained pages for the
  pleasure of a degenerate noble. But that is another
  story and shall be told at another time.”
  The aesthete storyteller’s dry, rasping voice tailed
  off into silence. He licked his lips and glanced around
  his spellbound audience as though seeing them for the
  first time. They, in turn, drew back from the story-
  teller. Some shivered. During the story, the fire had
  died down, and the room had grown chilly. Shadows
  had gathered in the corners. The storyteller stared at
  them suspiciously and stirred the fire back into life.
  “I think,” he said once the fire blazed with heat
  and light once more, “I shall retire for the night. Thank
  you for your hospitality.” He rose to his feet and
  shuffled off, pausing only to light a taper on his way.
  His audience exchanged wide-eyed glances. The fer-
  
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  Chapter Four
  vor with which the haggard young man had told his tale
  was enough to convince many that his story was more
  than a myth. Some wondered what had brought him to
  them, or what his name was.
  They never found out. During the night, a night
  many of the storyteller’s audience found was disturbed
  by strange noises, the storyteller’s taper blew out. His
  journals, when the man’s locked door was broken
  down the next morning, were scattered all over the
  room. The few sections that were still legible revealed
  the work of both a folklorist and a vengeful monster
  hunter. Amidst all the blood and ruined flesh, no one
  noticed the few scattered tailors’ pins, each topped with
  a blood-red bead of glass.
  Uncovering the Truth
  ronically considering his devotion to
  uncovering the truth behind legends,
  almost as many rumors surround Hans
  Gleam’s shattered life as he analyzed in
  his work. In reality, both he and his
  brother were famous folklorists who studied stories
  in the hope of unearthing the thoughts, fears and
  assumptions of people long dead and of discovering
  the real origins of those stories. That search for
  truth led to tragedy: a daughter dead, a wife reduced
  to a catatonic Lost One and a son who refused to
  speak for nearly ten years and then spent the rest of
  his short life hunting the supernatural horrors that
  destroyed his family.
  As Hans Gleam began to suspect, the errati-
  cally distributed bogeymen stories such as that of
  the Scissorman did have a common link, although
  not the historical links he originally suspected.
  Bogeymen, in Ravenloft, are real. They are crea-
  tures quite literally composed of fear, bloodshed
  and insanity, and they exist only to spread those
  emotions by stalking the vulnerable, defenseless
  and innocent.
  In many cultures, the natural world is seen as
  a single, living consciousness, composed of all the
  creatures that live on or in it, whose thoughts move
  with the speed of the seasons. While druids, who
  gain their spells from it, serve this great mind it also
  creates a wide variety of more unusual servants.
  The fey are personifications of tiny aspects of this
  great life force, who exist to protect the things they
  are formed from—defending objects such as a par-
  
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  Noises in the Night
  ticular forest or river, or ensuring natural cycles of
  life and death run smoothly.
  The Demiplane of Dread is an imperfect and
  unnatural copy of these worlds. As in other planes,
  the sun and moon turn in regular cycles, autumn
  follows summer and is followed by winter. It is filled
  with natural beauty, from the soaring peaks of the
  Balinoks, to the humid swamps of Souragne, to the
  harsh but stunning deserts of the Amber Wastes.
  Like in any world, fey are born from these beautiful
  regions, and for the most part, are benevolent, or at
  least, without ill will.
  However, Ravenloft is unique in that strong
  emotion can mark the very fabric of the world.
  Great acts of hatred, fear or malice create sinkholes
  of evil, which taint the energies that create and
  nurture fey creatures. The fey that arise from sink-
  holes of evil are the distillations of all the negative
  emotions tied into that area, strengthened and
  embodied into a single twisted creature. Like all
  fey, these creatures then set about protecting their
  homeland—meaning they try to maintain the evil
  in the soil and spread that taint further.
  Bogeymen are fey of this kind. Although they
  are given life by sinkholes of evil, they are given
  shape by children’s stories. For some reason, bogey-
  men don’t bubble forth from every sinkhole of evil.
  They need specific circumstances to arise, and
  thus, are thankfully very rare.
  To create a bogeyman, an act of great evil must
  be performed upon an Innocent, purely from the
  desire to inflict suffering. The victim’s loss of inno-
  cence burns their pain and fear into the ground,
  creating a powerful sinkhole of evil. (See the
  Ravenloft Dungeon Master’s Guide for details on
  sinkholes of evil). The bogeyman is then called
  into being from this reservoir of agony when a
  children’s story, where the villain’s actions are
  reminiscent of the original deed, is told within a
  mile of the sinkhole. The story acts as a catalyst,
  dragging the natural energies from the earth and
  clothing the fey in the form of the storybook
  villain. The newly created bogeyman then makes
  those who listened to the story, its unwitting cre-
  ators, its first victims.
  For example, in Darkon very early in the reign
  of King Azalin, a thug lived in the sewers of Martira
  Bay. Some childhood trauma had made him hate
  all adults, but he loved the company of children
  and would kidnap them from the surface to take
  into his noxious home. He would keep the terrified
  children prisoner until he tired of them and then
  drown them and dump their bodies. He was even-
  tually caught and executed, but his actions had
  made his lair a place of powerful negative energy.
  When, a few years later, the children of Martira
  Bay began making up stories based on the half-
  remembered criminal, this contained energy burst
  out like pus from a wound, coalescing into Alliga-
  tor Lenny, a sewer-dwelling kidnapper and
  murderer. Over the years, these stories have spread
  and changed, to act as warnings to children to
  avoid deep wells or playing in sewers. Unfortu-
  nately, the stories have dragged Alligator Lenny
  with them, so his territory now ranges from Martira
  Bay to the canals of Richemulot and the sewers of
  Nosos.
  Once created, bogeymen are free to leave their
  birthplaces. However, a bogeyman is only able to
  enter villages where stories about it are common
  and can only harm those who know the story. Their
  frequency of victims varies with each individual;
  most kill no more than once or twice a year, but
  some hunt more often or embark on a murderous
  spree before vanishing for years. Where they go
  when inactive depends again on the legends told
  about them. Mister Fox, for example, is said to live
  at the House at the End of the White Road; when
  he is not hunting, that is where he dwells, and
  potential victims who try to find him can discover
  routes to his home in many dark forests. If the
  legends don’t specify a home, the bogeyman just
  vanishes when inactive.
  Being creatures of the Mists, they are able to
  move as swiftly as the Vistani, making any journey,
  no matter how long, in a single night. In many
  cases, the hour at which a bogeyman makes its
  journey is also hinted at in myth. The Bad Thing,
  for example, only travels at midnight; one heart-
  beat before twelve strikes, this foul creature may be
  in one village. As midnight strikes, the Bad Thing
  begins to fade into darkness, vanishing into the
  shadows until only its glimmering eyes can be seen.
  When the clock finishes striking, the eyes vanish,
  and the Bad Thing emerges from another pool of
  shadows half a world away. The Voice in the Storm
  can only come to torment innocents during ter-
  rible thunderstorms. The White Road, which leads
  to Mister Fox’s bloody lair, slowly vanishes as the
  moon sets and reappears elsewhere as the moon
  rises. Once the road is fully formed, Mister Fox is
  free to travel into whichever villages are near. Of
  all the bogeymen, only the Croquemitaines are
  able to travel whenever they want. Their wagon
  
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  Chapter Four
  simply vanishes from one village and reappears in
  another, at any time of day or night.
  Bogeymen are generally solitary creatures.
  Except those very rare bogeymen who travel in
  groups, such as the Gentlemen or the Loçolico, it
  is exceptionally rare to find more than one in the
  same vicinity at the same time, although two
  bogeymen may visit the one unlucky village at
  different times. Even if two bogeymen happen to
  visit the same region at once, they generally don’t
  interact; one or the other simply moves on as soon
  as it is able. Quite simply, fairy tales only have one
  villain in them, and too many murders in one area
  endangers both bogeymen. Ironically, Hans Gleam’s
  manuscript was such a threat to these secretive
  beings that the folklorist’s attempts to uncover the
  truth about them provoked an unparalleled coop-
  eration among the fey as they tried to silence him.
  The strange link between their legends and
  the bogeymen themselves also expresses itself
  through their very life force. A bogeyman’s strength
  and abilities are determined primarily by what
  their stories require of them. Alligator Lenny rep-
  resents unbridled brutality, and so he is
  exceptionally strong and tough. The Bad Thing is
  much smaller, because, according to legend, it is
  weak and pathetic. It is skilled in mental, not
  physical, abuse. However, bogeymen feed on folk-
  lore as much as they do from their victim’s pain and
  suffering. The more widespread their legends or the
  more power the folk tales hold over their audi-
  ences, the more powerful the bogeymen become.
  The Scissorman is the most powerful bogeyman
  because folk tales about him are told all over
  Ravenloft, and children hold him in particular
  dread.
  Bogeymen’s most unusual power is their abil-
  ity to hide from all those with the power to stop
  them. These fiends are safe from discovery by the
  fact that most adults are able to recognize them for
  what they are only if the fey desires. Only the
  imaginative and pure at heart—the prey of the
  bogeymen—are always able to recognize the evil of
  bogeymen. This includes children, of course, but
  also includes adults who have never been called
  upon to make a Powers Check, who are suffering
  from hallucinations or fever, or who are just natu-
  rally given to flights of fancy. Of course, these are
  also the people who are most likely not to be
  believed when they claim to have seen a monster.
  Those in positions of power are more likely to
  believe a lone psychopath commits the crimes, not
  a supernatural horror.
  Even when adults become convinced that the
  occult is involved, bogeymen are very hard to
  destroy. Despite their near-immortality, or perhaps
  because of it, all bogeymen are terrified of death.
  They are used to hunting those too weak to defend
  themselves; more powerful opponents send them
  fleeing for their lives. They never forget this slight,
  though. Day or even years later, bogeymen return
  to silence witnesses to their first attacks and punish
  those who scared them away. A boy who sees
  Madame Croquemitaine kidnap his sister may suf-
  fer a midnight visit from her husband; a hero who
  defeats Der Kinderstod could find her enemy re-
  turns when she is lost and alone, or that her
  children are punished in her place.
  Even if a bogeyman is slain in combat, that is
  not the end. Its body dissolves into putrescent
  fluids and sickeningly colored light, both of which
  are quickly absorbed into the ground, returning to
  its original sinkhole of evil. The “dead” bogeyman
  lurks in this dispersed state for an entire generation
  before it can reform. If during the week after the
  bogeyman reforms, its name is not invoked in a
  story or warning by someone within a mile of its
  sinkhole, the fey is permanently destroyed, its
  essence dispersed back into the foul soil that birthed
  it. If its name is used, the bogeyman reforms at full
  health and makes the unfortunates who spoke its
  name its first victims. Alternatively, if the taint is
  removed from the ethereal resonance of the
  bogeyman’s sinkhole before it can reform, the
  bogeyman is destroyed. Of course, finding that
  sinkhole can be almost impossible.
  Despite their near-immortality, bogeymen are
  strictly bound by the conventions of folk tales and
  the traditional childish defenses against their kind.
  Even those active during the day do not attack
  those who sleep with a lantern lit beside their bed,
  and children who play dead, put their heads under
  the covers or refuse to look at the bogeymen are
  generally safe as well. Bogeymen seem to prefer
  tasting a victim’s fear before attacking and won’t
  harm those who pretend they aren’t there.
  Using the Story
  As written, Oscar’s story already contains sev-
  eral adventure hooks: what are these creatures that
  prey on children? What happened to Giselle, Hans
  and Jakob? What happened to Jakob’s manuscript
  after it was enchanted (assuming that part of the
  
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  Noises in the Night
  story is true)? DMs should be able to reap several
  adventures out of the tale, and the monster descrip-
  tions in the appendix contain several more ideas.
  The events can also be altered to impede the PCs’
  progress: what if Hans and Jakob were never recon-
  ciled, or if there was another reason, apart from
  simple pride, that the brothers quarreled?
  The easiest way to adapt the story to an adven-
  ture is to run it exactly as it appears. The PCs arrive
  in an isolated village and take a room in the inn. At
  some point during the evening, another traveler
  arrives. He is a relatively young man, but has been
  aged by some personal sorrow. He looks sick, and
  when he speaks, his voice is scratchy and dry. He
  has obviously been traveling for some time, but
  under the dirt and patches, he wears clothes of a
  Lamordian cut.
  The other traveler has barely paid for his room
  when he launches into his story. Unlike other
  bards, the strange man doesn’t seek any compensa-
  tion for telling the story; he tells it purely because
  it is important to him. At the end of his story, he
  asks his audience if they’ve heard any similar leg-
  ends and then goes to his room. By coincidence,
  this is right next to the PCs’ rooms.
  The next morning, the PCs are alerted that
  something is wrong when they leave their rooms to
  find a thin trickle of blood seeping from under the
  traveler’s door. If they fetch the innkeeper or break
  down the door, they find the traveler has been
  horrifically massacred: thousands of cuts lace his
  body, his extremities have been cut off, the skin
  flayed from his face, and so on. The torture seems
  to have lasted several hours, and much of the blood
  is still slightly sticky, indicating it could only have
  finished a short time ago. However, the PCs next
  door heard nothing, there are no footprints in the
  blood and the door and windows are both locked
  with no signs of being disturbed. Only if the PCs
  search the room intimately do they find a few
  tailor’s pins trodden into the cracks in the floor-
  boards.
  Much more obvious are the traveler’s journals,
  which were originally filled with hundreds of leg-
  ends from all over Ravenloft. Most concern the
  Scissorman, but other tales of bogeymen and fa-
  mous legends are also covered. The notebooks may
  even contain a few stories based on the PCs’ own
  exploits, although the DM should use these to
  unnerve the PCs rather than congratulate them.
  The myths that reflect their actions may seem like
  disturbingly accurate prophecies, not simple leg-
  ends. Play up the strangeness of the discovery—
  folk tales are such a part of bogeymen that every
  opportunity to use a story should be seized and
  every ounce of eerieness wrung from it. In any case,
  the journals have been cut up. All the wounds on
  the traveler’s body and the journals were made
  using the same, exceptionally sharp blades. A spilled
  glass of water and an extinguished candle sit on the
  bedside table, and a sheathed sword lies beside the
  bed.
  Quite obviously, mundane efforts to find the
  traveler’s murderer lead nowhere. No one saw or
  heard anything from the man after he retired for
  the evening, and no one was seen lurking around
  his room or window. Attempts to contact his spirit
  result in horrific illusions so violent they inspire
  Madness saves.
  Attentive PCs may remember Oscar and
  Giselle Gleam are still supposedly held at the
  asylum at Chateaufaux. If they go there to investi-
  gate, they find Giselle is a heavily sedated Lost
  One. If they try to revive her, she begins screaming
  unstoppably until drugged again. Oscar, however,
  was released nearly ten years ago, after being held
  for ten. The nurses recall that, even when he was
  judged fit enough to be released, the young man
  refused to sleep without a candle lit beside him.
  If the PCs seek out Hans and Jakob, they find
  Hans dead and Jakob a sad old man who blames
  himself for the feud that destroyed his brother’s
  family. Depending on how easy the DM wants to
  make the investigation, Jakob could have a copy of
  Hans’ manuscript (although he would probably see
  it as cursed and be unwilling to let the PCs see it),
  or he could tell them who he sold it to, which could
  lead into even more complex adventures. Once
  they have it, the PCs discover Hans made much
  more progress than Oscar’s story led them to be-
  lieve: most of the information from the “Uncovering
  the Truth” section above is to be found there.
  (Again, the DM can decide how much information
  Hans uncovered and how much is correct based on
  how merciful he or she feels. Feel free to include
  several red herrings and be sure not to give away
  bogeymen vulnerabilities or their invisibility to
  adults too easily).
  Once they have read the manuscript or found some
  other way of uncovering the truth about bogeymen, the
  PCs must find some way of luring the Scissorman into
  battle with them and then destroy him. This may be
  more difficult than it seems, because the bogeymen
  quickly become aware of the adventurers’ investigations
  
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  Chapter Four
  and take steps to protect themselves. Once again, the
  DM should refer to Oscar’s story: the bogeymen try to
  warn off the PCs in exactly the same way they did to
  Jakob Gleam twenty years before. First, a child vanishes
  from the park, leaving no trace, although a few hysterical
  witnesses say a nasty fat woman dragged him away. A few
  days later, Mister Fox’s clockwork mouse transforms a
  girl into a swarm of rats, which her mother kills. The
  more time the PCs waste, the closer to them the victims
  become. The Scissorman could sew their lips shut as a
  warning to keep silent; Alligator Lenny could infect or
  murder a close friend, or spook a PC’s horse into throwing
  and possibly injuring its rider. If they leave a town, the
  bogeymen follow them. (If the PCs refused to investigate
  Oscar’s death, the same thing happens to the village they
  were staying in, except this time, the killing abates if the
  PCs swear to leave the bogeymen alone).
  Remember that bogeymen go unnoticed by all
  but the imaginative, the mad and the innocent,
  which can make hunting them down very difficult.
  The PCs must first realize that the bogeymen are
  present though invisible and then find some way of
  detecting them. Next, they must deal with the threat.
  When they have finally killed one, the adventure is
  over—for the moment. As cruel fate would have it,
  a few days later, Jakob Gleam sends them a few pages
  missing from Hans’ manuscript, or the PCs find a few
  more pages from Oscar’s notebook. These pages
  reveal that the bogeyman has been dispersed but not
  killed: if the PCs can’t find the sinkhole of evil that
  spawned it, or stop the folk tales being told, the
  bogeyman will return in twenty years time to seek
  revenge and begin the suffering anew…
  Variations on a Theme
  The unique links between bogeymen and folk
  tales lead to particularly unusual adventures ex-
  ploiting these connections. Most importantly,
  bogeymen adventures should be different in tone
  from those featuring other monsters. Bogeymen are
  inspired by (and come from) the dark tales of
  childhood where the “baddies” are much more
  powerful than the protagonist, have goals and
  abilities that don’t make any sense and are defeated
  by bravery and quick thinking instead of swords
  and magic. Don’t be afraid to rely on conventions
  from those stories, such as saying things are “un-
  speakable” or refusing to explain what the PCs’
  opponent is in your adventures. Their presenta-
  tion, behavior and motivation should all be modeled
  on the eeriest elements from fairy tales.
  For that reason, bogeymen are all unique and
  should rarely if ever be seen working together. If
  you say there is a race of Bad Things, you enter
  fantasy, not folk tale. The horror of bogeymen
  comes from the unknowable “monster” that wants
  to hurt you for no reason and has impossible abili-
  ties that enable it to do so. If you treat bogeymen
  the way you treat any other monster, their mys-
  tique evaporates. Of course, balancing that with
  the demands of running a game can be tricky.
  One method, particularly useful for lower-level
  adventures, is to ensure the bogeyman never actually
  appears. Instead, the adventure begins when the PCs
  are told that the anniversary of a bogeyman’s death
  happened one generation ago next month. (Perhaps
  Hans Gleam tells them he and Jakob killed one just
  after Oscar was hospitalized). If they don’t want the
  bogeyman to reform, they must find the sinkhole of
  evil that spawned it and somehow remove the taint
  from its ethereal resonance, or kill the story itself, to
  stop it from calling the bogeyman back. Both of these
  options would rely heavily on roleplaying, planning
  and bardic abilities.
  To remove a sinkhole of evil, a character must
  spend a fortnight performing in a community with
  breaks only for eating, resting and sleeping. The
  character then makes a Perform check (DC 30 +
  the sinkhole’s rank – the bard’s class level – 1 per
  additional fortnight spent performing). If success-
  ful, the sinkhole’s rank is reduced by one and the
  bogeyman is destroyed or emerges far weaker, de-
  pending on how powerful the bogeyman is and the
  DM’s intentions for the adventure. Similar guide-
  lines can be used to try to prevent the people in a
  community from telling the folk tales, by inspiring
  them to tell tales about something else. Other
  potential ways of stopping the stories being told,
  such as magical charms, explaining the truth about
  bogeymen or physical intimidation, are limited
  only by the players’ imaginations.
  More action-oriented parties must find the
  ideal time to invoke the story themselves so the
  bogeyman is drawn to them where it can be killed
  again. This is not as easy as it might seem, because
  bogeymen only reform if the PCs use their names in
  the presence of one of their potential prey, which
  could be cause for powers checks for deliberately
  using an innocent as bait.
  Finally, a compromise between the two options
  could be found: The PCs must use their wits to stop
  people telling folk tales about a particular bogeyman
  to weaken it enough for the heroes to defeat it in
  
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  Noises in the Night
  combat, or to stop it from entering a single village the
  PCs are charged to defend. They may even change
  the story, or create new stories about their opponent,
  to alter its abilities or induce new weaknesses. In
  these cases, the hero must make a Perform check
  (DC = 20 + bogeyman’s Challenge Rating), with a
  circumstance penalty of up to –5 depending on how
  long the tales about that bogeyman have been told
  and how widespread the stories are. If the Perform
  check succeeds, the bogeyman’s abilities change to
  reflect the new story. Once again, the DM should
  interpret the new legend as deviously as possible
  while still being true to the story to ensure a few
  surprises remain for the players.
  In all cases where the PCs try to attack bogey-
  men through storytelling, the players should be
  encouraged to actually tell the stories themselves.
  If they do a particularly good job, feel free to alter
  the Perform check’s DC. Try not to penalize the
  players for poor storytelling, however; the DC is
  already high enough to challenge most bards. If the
  tales don’t flow properly, are inconsistent or don’t
  recognize the power of dramatic imperative, they
  have no hope of weakening the bogeyman. In the
  world of bogeymen, stories are as alive as the
  bogeymen themselves; weak or internally inconsis-
  tent myths aren’t powerful enough to challenge the
  masters of the folklore world.
  Changing the Scenery
  The adventure detailed above can already be
  set in any settled area in Ravenloft, although
  visiting the Chateaufaux asylum and Hans Gleam
  in Lamordia make it more suited to the northern
  Core. However, bogeymen are quite at home in
  wild areas. (In fact, many folk tales are set in deep,
  dark woods, not villages.) Instead of using the
  Scissorman as written, you could draw on Wash-
  ington Irving’s original short story, “The Headless
  Horseman.” The PCs are traveling through some
  dark wood, perhaps having just heard Oscar’s story
  before they left. As they walk along, one of them
  begins to hear a “snip-snip” noise, but investiga-
  tion reveals nothing. After they start moving again,
  the PC again hears the noise, slightly louder, and,
  after a long delay, again. Then, another PC notices
  a buckle on the first’s backpack is loose—that must
  be causing the noise they can hear. But it isn’t.
  After a while, the PC hears the noise again,
  but this time, he or she sees a man standing in the
  
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  Chapter Four
  gloom under the trees, grinning at the PC and
  snipping a pair of scissors. If the PCs split up to find
  the man, they find themselves embroiled in a game
  of cat and mouse as the Scissorman tries to lure
  them apart and pick them off one by one, until only
  the rising of the sun saves them. It may turn out
  that the Scissorman really was nothing more than
  a fear-induced hallucination — when dawn comes,
  the PCs find their way back together, having spent
  the night chasing their own tails. Those who “died”
  simply lost their way or fell down a ravine and
  couldn’t get out. For further variation, many horror
  movies set in the U.S. use cornfields instead of dark
  forests; in fact, almost any type of terrain can be
  adapted, from deserts to arctic wastes.
  Another simple way of unnerving the PCs is to
  include strange phenomena whenever the bogey-
  man is active. These occurrences needn’t be used
  every time, and one bogeyman needn’t cause the
  same phenomena each time. Examples include a
  strange whispering noise made every time the
  bogeyman approaches, birds that start echoing the
  breathing of whoever is nearby, tree buds that open
  to reveal fleshy, tongue-like protrusions, or two
  dogs savagely fighting in the street that flee for
  their lives when disturbed.
  Changing the Cast
  Many creatures in Ravenloft are inspired by
  similar creatures in folklore and can easily be used
  in a bogeyman-style adventure without being bo-
  geymen per se. The Headless Horseman, Jack
  Bequick, the Nightmare Court and the Three Hags
  are all darklords that demand or can easily be
  adapted to a style of adventure closer to the un-
  canny monsters from childhood stories than those
  from standard adventure or gothic horror tales.
  The first three are particularly appropriate because,
  as lords of pocket domains, they can appear any-
  where at any time.
  More generally, shadow fey, backward men,
  midnight cats, the furies, mist ferrymen, skin thieves
  and dread trolls are easily appropriate, and with a
  little work, bakna rakna, bastelli, carrionettes and
  hearth fiends (from Denizens of Dread) and aranea,
  chokers, crawling claws, cloakers, skum, evil treants
  and many monstrous humanoids or extraplanar crea-
  tures (from the Monster Manual) can also be used. In
  most cases, their Intelligence should be adjusted to at
  least average, they should be able to speak, and you
  may want to give them some unusual abilities to
  make them even more eerie. Whatever their stan-
  dard habits, the altered monsters should lurk in the
  background, preying on the weak.
  Adapting creatures in this way does restrict their
  use as more generic monsters; one can easily make a
  goblin into its more frightening fairytale counter-
  part, but not if the PCs have encountered goblins
  before. Likewise, meeting normal goblins after fight-
  ing a bogey-goblin could tarnish the memory of the
  more exotic previous encounter. However, some
  cosmetic changes (even minor ones, like giving the
  goblin glowing cat’s eyes, a characteristic item of
  clothing and an interesting background or modus
  operandi) can go some way to overcoming this.
  Another interesting variation would be to
  play precisely on these similarities; bogeymen are,
  after all, created by stories, and, as Jakob Gleam
  believed, the stories may be based on real creatures.
  If the PCs are associated with the city guard or
  other government department, a criminal could
  seek them out (or they are sent to him) for help.
  Once a criminal of the basest kind, preying on the
  weak and innocent, this man was finally captured
  and imprisoned. Over time, he claims to have
  come to regret his actions and was eventually freed
  to live quietly just outside the PCs’ home village or
  town. A few years after his release though, more
  crimes start occurring with the same modus oper-
  andi as this man used. He was rearrested and
  sentenced to death. He claims innocence. Some-
  one else — the bogeyman spawned from the stories
  about his crimes — is (knowingly or not) framing
  him. Perhaps, to add another complication, the
  criminal is imaginative enough to attract the at-
  tention of the bogeyman, which appears and tells
  him that he will be its next victim.
  As another example, the PCs could go to a
  village built a few miles from a deep crevasse that,
  unknown to the villagers, is home to a tribe of
  grimlocks. The grimlocks have recently moved
  into the area and quickly come to resent the
  humans’ presence in what they see as their land.
  They begin hunting down intruders: the trappers
  and hunters the village needs to gather enough
  food to survive. In desperation, the villagers beg
  the PCs to find out what is killing their foresters,
  and, after a dangerous dungeon crawl, the adven-
  turers kill all the grimlocks. They return to the
  village and explain the nature of the menace to the
  townsfolk and that it has been dealt with.
  The relieved villagers begin using the grimlocks
  to frighten and entertain their children, emphasiz-
  ing the creatures’ home in the crevasse, and their
  
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  Noises in the Night
  preference for darkness. Misunderstanding what
  their parents mean by saying that the grimlocks are
  blind, the children give their story villains staring,
  blank eyes. When the heroes return to the village
  in a year’s time, they find almost the same situation
  as they did upon their last village. This time,
  however, the children, not the adults, are vanish-
  ing. The crevasse is still abandoned. This time, the
  culprit is a bogeyman spawned from the villagers’
  tales, subtly different from the original grimlocks
  and far more dangerous. Perhaps the PCs suspect
  that some creature other than the grimlocks is
  behind the troubles when they overhear one of the
  stories being told, or a witness describes the mur-
  derer as having staring white eyes, rather than
  blank skin where the eyes should be.
  Alternatively, the villains in your adventure
  could be simple humans relying on the fear fairy
  tales provoke for their own evil ends. To return to
  the story at the beginning of the chapter, perhaps
  Jakob Gleam earned the enmity of a powerful
  wizard who used Jakob’s well-known love of stories
  to punish him. By magically reproducing the
  bogeymen’s methods, he first cast suspicion on
  Jakob and then led him to ruination. After learning
  of Oscar’s recovery and his self-appointed ven-
  detta, the wizard decided to kill him as well. Using
  silence, hold person and passwall spells, the wizard
  entered Oscar’s room and murdered him while he
  slept. The PCs must avoid the red herrings in
  Jakob’s monograph, which would lead them to
  look for a supernatural, not mortal, villain. As
  another option, the noble who bought and en-
  chanted Jakob’s monograph could give it to an
  enemy and use magic to try to frighten him to death
  or convince him that the manuscript has drawn
  real bogeymen to its new owner.
  For DMs who want to make their own bogey-
  men, popular culture and genuine folk tales abound
  with other monsters that can be easily adapted as
  well: Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones, Spadefoot, the
  Monster Under the Bed, Baba Yaga, the wolf from
  “Little Red Riding Hood,” Stephen King’s “It,”
  “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman, the wheelers from
  “Return to Oz” and many episodes of Buffy the
  Vampire Slayer, to name a few, offer examples of
  characters to use as bogeymen.
  Adventures dealing with Mister Fox’s gifts of
  grief can also draw on a wide range of monsters. A
  kitten, for example, could turn into a midnight cat or
  plains cat after dark. A doll could become a boowray
  or a carrionette. Mister Fox may give a cloak to one
  child, who then vanishes, leaving only the cloak
  behind. When the cloak is passed on, the new victim
  disappears as well. To adult eyes, the cloak is perfectly
  normal, but when left alone, the cloak becomes a
  cloaker that devours the innocent. The problem
  with this technique is that many players are familiar
  with many monster descriptions, and many also
  know common folk tales. If the players guess what
  monster is behind the disappearances too early, the
  atmosphere you have carefully created disappears.
  Like bogeymen, you must rely on secrecy and conceal
  the true nature of the villain as long as possible. Of
  course, if players begin using storytelling conven-
  tions to their advantage — walking backward, for
  example, to draw out the bogeyman — you should
  occasionally reward them. Indulging in clichés can
  be fun, and, because they are so well known, every-
  one can identify with them.
  Bringing it Home
  A simple way to involve bogeymen in a cam-
  paign is to build them into a player’s background,
  either overtly or covertly. It may be as simple as a
  sibling disappearing during a storm, with a faint
  reek of an unidentifiable odor as the only clue, or
  accidentally witnessing the Croquemitaines at work
  without realizing who they were. It may be as
  obvious as saying the PC was a victim of the Bad
  Thing or actually saw a friend or relative changed
  by Mister Fox. This provides the PC with the long-
  term goal of destroying those responsible.
  Another option is to strike while they are
  recovering from a previous adventure. A PC, griev-
  ously injured and infected with filth fever, or
  afflicted with some form of insanity after failing a
  Madness save, is hospitalized. In a fit of delirium,
  she sees a large, cloaked man in a broad hat stand-
  ing over a child in another bed. The child later dies.
  The PC is too sick to get out of bed, but hears that
  several other people have died in the same way
  over the last few weeks. If the DM deals with the
  situation properly, the other PCs should be con-
  vinced the specter is nothing more than an
  hallucination, especially if the sick PC is the only
  one who witnesses it and then only when delirious.
  On one hand, the building may really be haunted
  by a bogeyman. Another possibility is that the PC
  may have seen a mundane madman who is murder-
  ing the patients, but has cloaked the murderer with
  the hallucinatory visage of some fairytale monster
  from her childhood.
  
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  Chapter Four
  Dread Possibility: The Tome of Terror
  According to Oscar Gleam, the Tome of Terror is his father’s manuscript, bought by a decadent noble when Hans’
  notes were sold. Exactly who the noble was or where he came from varies with each telling; like any good storyteller,
  Oscar knew to adapt local preconceptions into his work. The noble, however, employed a powerful wizard to enchant
  the manuscript, allowing him to journey into the stories contained within the book and experience them firsthand.
  So degenerate was this noble that he found the often-gruesome tales entertaining — until he himself became a victim
  of one of the monsters in the book. Some say the skull on the tome’s cover belonged to the original darklord of Timor,
  and that some residue of that queen’s evil escaped its magical controls and subverted the few protections the noble
  had built into the book. Since the noble’s death, the book has increased in evil and power until no one, not even
  the most decadent, can enjoy the stories. Of course, this may all be a fabrication created by Oscar Gleam; the tome’s
  true history may be much darker. The book did, however, appear a few years after Hans Gleam sold most of his
  brother’s works, and its subject matter is what one would expect Jakob to have collected.
  The tome is a lavishly illustrated book detailing fairy tales from all over Ravenloft. Made of fine vellum, it
  contains delicate calligraphy and painstakingly drawn illustrations. Its cover is bound in leather. From beneath
  this layer, a screaming human face pushes out of the front cover, making the book particularly disturbing when
  closed. Many people make the mistake of opening the book simply to avoid looking at this macabre face.
  The first time each day the Tome of Terror is read after sunset, all those within ten feet of the book are drawn into the
  tale being read. The unlucky readers randomly assume the identities of characters from the story, with no respect for their
  actual age, class or race and with only the equipment and abilities possessed by their alter egos. Although they have some
  degree of freedom, their experiences are determined by the way the story is written (so, if a character were drawn into “Little
  Red Riding Hood,” she would find herself on a road leading to Grandma’s house regardless of which way she walked. She
  would find herself surrounded by an endless forest on all sides while a demonically clever talking wolf stalked her every step).
  The characters are trapped until the story reaches some kind of logical end. As the words written in the tome change to reflect
  the characters’ actions, very few of the stories play out the way they were originally written. As the book’s original owner
  preferred dark and morbid tales, most endings are bleak.
  If the readers manage to reach the end of the story without being killed, they are freed. Any equipment
  gathered during the course of the story remains with them, making the book a dangerous but effective way to
  get rare magical items. The readers also retain any damage taken or the effects of failed Horror or Madness saves.
  The spirits of any characters who die remain trapped in the tome forever.
  Most readers who escape the Tome of Terror find it haunts them forever after. The stories invade their
  dreams, becoming more and more real until the dreamer finds he can no longer wake up: he has returned to the
  tome and must find his way to freedom again. A few storytellers say that the only way to escape the book’s grasp
  is to find the spirit of its original owner, still lost somewhere within its pages and force him to reveal the words
  of power that control the book. Most, however, say that there is no way to escape the book.
  Despite its magical powers, the Tome of Terror is as vulnerable to flame as any normal book.
  
  123
  To Honor and Obey
  Chapter Five:
  To Honor and
  Obey
  Chapter Five:
  To Honor and
  Obey
  
  124
  Chapter Five
  “…understand why we should have to wait!” the
  young man argued angrily, pacing before the low-slung
  table. “I love her, she loves me! To blazes with what
  our parents want, tell me why you can’t marry us now!
  This very month!”
  The old priest leaned forward, elbows on the
  grainy wood, a faint smile cracking the weatherworn
  leatherlike skin of his face. The hum of conversation
  throughout the common room grew muted, as other
  patrons strained to overhear a conversation grown
  suddenly interesting. “They say you should be careful
  what promises you make, Michael.”
  “I know what promises I’m making to her, and she
  to me. We’re no foolish children, ignorant of what we
  enter into.”
  “You need not be a child to be foolish, my son. Let
  me tell you of another marriage, years ago in a distant,
  bog-covered land…”
  The Legend
  n the eastern end of the isle, the weight
  of summer pressed down upon the land
  like a fist. Here to the west, on the very
  edges of the great swamp called Maison
  d’Sablet, the heat was far worse, stifling,
  squeezing the breath out of any foolish enough to
  spend long out of doors. The cobblestones of the
  main road were streaked with moisture, the dirt
  roads that intersected it churned to mud. It had not
  rained in days, but the moisture hung so thick in
  the air that even breathing was a chore. Those poor
  souls unfortunate enough to live here, in the town
  of Thibaut, would have given anything to be else-
  where. They could hardly comprehend the notion
  that someone would come here deliberately from
  outside.
  Nor would the newcomer to Thibaut have
  come now, except that this was the home of the
  man she needed to see.
  A carriage, its top worn and its silver medal-
  lions tarnished, trundled up the main avenue, its
  shadow hurled far behind it by the setting sun. At
  an imperious tap from within, the driver reined the
  exhausted horses to a stop in front of a rickety
  wooden storefront. Only the dancing of a single
  candle’s tiny flame between the boards over the
  broken windows suggested the structure was not
  utterly abandoned.
  Her dark, wilted from the heat curls plastered
  to the back of her neck and a bright-hued blouse
  clinging to her shoulders and chest, Hillaire Durand
  stepped from the carriage. She offered a single,
  disgusted glare to those locals who peered from the
  closing shops to see who had arrived in their town
  in such a contraption, and pushed aside the curtain
  that served as the storefront’s only door.
  It was cooler in here, thanks be to all the loa,
  but that didn’t make it pleasant. Hillaire wrinkled
  her nose at the dry, musty scent of the place. As her
  eyes adjusted, aided only by that single candle and
  what little sunlight crept in between the boards,
  she picked her way through a haphazard collection
  of tables and shelves. Here, a leather sack labeled
  “Powdered bone of monkey.” There, a jar in which
  floated a paw, of what species the woman could not
  begin to guess. Behind the long table that served as
  a counter in the back of the shop, sat the proprietor,
  looking no less preserved than any of his wares. His
  skin, rough as parchment, was baked a dark tan by
  the sun. His head was bare, though his cheeks and
  chin wore a scraggly growth of beard. Dull tunic
  and pants clearly marked him as a commoner; but
  his bright, wild eyes and the string of beads and
  teeth wrapped tightly about his left wrist marked
  him as something more.
  “I see you decide to come after all, ma chère.”
  Hillaire’s scowl grew darker still. “You will
  take a more respectful tone with me, Monsieur
  Mensonge, or our business ends now. You are
  supposed to be the best, but you are hardly the only
  man of your…talents. I would cherish a reason to
  leave this beastly town and find what I need else-
  where.”
  “Of course, Mademoiselle. My apologies.” The
  old Voodan smiled darkly. “But then, I think you
  would not come all the way to Thibaut to find old
  Mensonge if you did not need him, non? I think,
  after all our correspondence, you will not walk out
  on me so quickly. You place too much value on
  your family.”
  The young woman shivered slightly, her skin
  crawling as though she had bathed in something
  unclean. The old warlock was right. Her family was
  too important to her, was in far too much danger,
  to let anything sway her course now. Damn Vardain
  for driving her to this, anyway!
  “Very well, Mensonge. Let us have done with
  it then.” Hillaire stepped nearer the table. As she
  approached, her gaze fell on a small glass decanter
  at the edge of the makeshift counter. Cut almost
  square, with a stopper shaped like a serpent’s head,
  it was perhaps three-quarters full with a peculiar
  green substance. It seemed almost to shine with a
  light of its own, as though she looked through it
  
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  To Honor and Obey
  into a fire. “Is this it, then?” she asked, unable to
  tear her eyes away. The glow was enticing, hyp-
  notic. She found herself reaching…
  “Non!” Hillaire snapped out of her near-trance
  as the Voodan lunged over the table and actually
  slapped her hand. Her face hardening, hands
  clenched into fists, she spun to face the proprietor.
  “My apologies again, Mademoiselle. But this,”
  and he waved in the direction of the vessel for
  which she’d been reaching, “is dangerous, oui? It is
  not what you are here for.”
  “What is it?” Hillaire demanded, teeth
  clenched, choking down her rage that this peasant,
  no matter what abilities he might have, should dare
  touch her.
  “Poison for the soul, Mademoiselle Durand.
  The drinker, his spirit dies. He is like the zombi of
  the Lord of Death, but he does not rot. He serves,
  slave to his master, never dying, never sleeping. It
  is a bad fate, Mademoiselle, and not a thing to be
  trifled with.”
  Hillaire’s eyes went wide, in horror, yes, but
  also in fascination. “Why did you not tell me of
  this, Mensonge? This would solve my problem
  more effectively than—”
  “You could not afford it, ma chère,” the Voodan
  told her, his expression laughing. “The Durand,
  you are noble, oui, but I think you are not so
  wealthy any longer. Is this not one of the reasons
  Vardain is marrying—”
  “Vardain is not marrying!”
  “Of course. This is why you are here.”
  Mensonge’s smile grew wide. “But for now, Made-
  moiselle, your family has few funds, and your brother,
  he wields most of what is left. Had you access to all
  the remaining Durand riches, you might afford this
  aperitif.” The old man reached back to a shelf
  behind him, hauling forth a clay jug, far larger than
  the decanter and sealed with a simple wooden cork.
  “This is what you seek, Mademoiselle.”
  Hands quivering, Hillaire took the vessel from
  him. “You are certain this will work?”
  “As promised. Be sure, however, that you both
  drink together. If you do not, the elixir will have no
  source from which to draw.”
  “She’ll drink,” the youngest Durand sibling
  vowed, “if I have to force it down her throat.”
  Then they’d see just how anxious Vardain was
  to pollute the line with his doxy!
  *  *  *
  The servants had all been dispatched on vari-
  ous errands, or sent to labor on the far edges of the
  fields. With less than a week before the Master’s
  wedding, it wasn’t hard finding sufficient excuses
  to empty the main house. When the chime sounded
  in the hall, announcing the presence of a visitor at
  the door, Hillaire herself moved to answer it.
  When the heavy door creaked open, the ill-
  mannered little chienne didn’t even make eye
  contact with her hostess. She was too busy staring
  around her at the plantation, the towering pillars
  that supported the roof over the porch, the endless
  fields of cotton, the ominous family crypts that
  held a place of honor just beside the main house.
  Never mind that ivy had crept over those crypts
  like the webs of an enormous spider, that the fields
  produced barely a fraction of the yield they once
  had, that the house was poorly patched and mended
  like an old pair of trousers. The girl was still
  unaccustomed to such finery, for all that her family’s
  mercantile endeavors had made them far more
  wealthy than the Durands had been in many a
  generation.
  Hillaire, choking on the waspish comment she
  so desperately wanted to spit in the face of her in-
  law-to-be, instead forced her shoulders to relax and
  her red lips to part in a friendly smile. “My dear
  Renee, please, come in.”
  The young woman at the door, blonde of hair
  and rather more slender than her buxom hostess,
  smiled shyly in return. Clad in blouse and skirts of
  expensive cloth, worn in combinations that sug-
  gested she had little education in the dictates of
  style, she cut an attractive, if entirely common-
  place, figure. If she was startled that Hillaire herself
  was playing doorman, she gave no sign. It was
  entirely possible, Hillaire realized in revulsion,
  that the girl was so uneducated in the ways of
  nobility that she didn’t know there should have
  been a butler.
  “I was honored to receive your invitation,
  Hillaire,” Renee offered hesitantly as they strode
  through the foyer, the threadbare carpet far too
  thin to prevent their shoes from echoing on the
  stone floor beneath. “I have to admit, I was a little
  surprised.”
  “And I,” Hillaire replied, pretending not to
  notice when her guest, eyes suddenly drawn to the
  antique brass chandelier overhead, stumbled at the
  threshold to the dining room, “was delighted that
  you were able to find the time to come. I know you
  must be overwhelmingly busy, with the wedding so
  
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  near.” A lifetime of training in manners and propri-
  ety still couldn’t keep the scorn out of her voice at
  the word “wedding,” but again, Renee either failed
  to notice or was at least courteous enough not to
  comment.
  The table in the dining room was draped in a
  silk cloth, its embroidered fringes slightly moth-
  eaten. The chairs were upholstered in velvet, worn
  smooth through years of use, and tubs of polish and
  hours of work had still not scraped all the traces of
  tarnish from the silver. Hillaire, seething at the
  signs of her family’s decline, offered her guest the
  nearest chair and the nearest goblet of chilled
  wine, taking for herself the second of each.
  “I should be doing two or three dozen things at
  the moment,” Renee admitted, once the two women
  were both seated. “But I could hardly refuse your
  gracious invitation, could I? We’re to be family
  soon, and…Well, I pray pardon my bluntness,
  Hillaire, but I’ve never felt you were entirely fond
  of me.”
  Hillaire raised her goblet. “Let us take this
  opportunity, then, in this moment of calm before
  your big day, for us to clear the air.”
  Renee smiled and drank. For an instant, her
  face reddened and she coughed, even as Hillaire
  struggled not to do the same. Whatever else
  Mensonge’s concoction might do, it certainly added
  a kick to the wine!
  “My dear,” Hillaire began then, sliding her
  chair over so she could place her hand atop the
  younger woman’s own, “it simply isn’t true to say
  that I’m not fond of you.” Abruptly, her grip
  tightened; manicured nails cut into Renee’s skin,
  and the young woman cried out. She tried to yank
  her hand back, but Hillaire’s grip was far too strong.
  “It would be more accurate,” she continued, voice
  suddenly cold, “to say that I despise you with every
  fiber of my being, every shred of my soul. You’re a
  parasite, ma petite putain, a common wench from a
  common family who acquired riches to which
  others of better birth were entitled. And you used
  them to attract a man far above your station, one
  who should never have sullied his eyes by looking
  upon you, let alone his family’s blood!”
  Eyes wide and beginning to fill with tears of
  fear and pain, Renee shook her head and struggled
  still to free her hand. “Vardain loves me! You think
  I used my money to attract him? I’ve already told
  him he’ll not have control over it, Hillaire! I retain
  my family’s interests, or I cannot agree to wed! He’s
  agreed!”
  
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  To Honor and Obey
  “Do you think I care what my idiot brother has
  agreed, you stupid little cow?! He would use you to
  pollute the noble Durand blood, and I will not allow
  it! If he will not come to his senses and choose
  someone worthy, I shall simply have to do it for—”
  In unison, both women gasped in sudden pain,
  the agony strangling any further comment either
  might have made. Muscles tightened and guts
  clenched as the Voodan’s potion went to work.
  Hillaire lost her grip on Renee’s hand; the younger
  woman didn’t even notice. Glasses fell to the floor
  and shattered, struck by spasming arms, and it was
  luck that neither woman shredded her tongue
  between gritted teeth.
  As suddenly as it began, it was over. For a long
  moment, two sets of pained, heavy breathing were
  the only sounds to break the silence.
  And then Hillaire finally recognized the simple
  fact that the hair hanging in her eyes, as she
  slumped over the table, was blonde.
  The damn thing really worked!
  Hillaire raised her head, to stare into the
  shocked face of…Hillaire. She couldn’t help but
  smile. She had been expecting the transformation,
  and still she found it almost impossible to conceive.
  Renee herself must be absolutely stunned.
  Which worked out just fine. Hillaire reached
  into the pocket sewn into her belt — her clothes
  had not transformed when she did — and removed
  one of her brother’s old shaving razors. For the
  barest second, she hesitated, staring into her own
  face, wishing briefly that the magic had not re-
  quired that Renee take on her appearance as she
  took on Renee’s.
  And then, with a mental shrug, she calmly slit
  the younger woman’s throat. In Hillaire’s voice,
  Renee managed to emit a single despairing sob
  before the portion of her blood that had not already
  spilled over the table filled her lungs. From behind
  a perfect copy of Renee’s face, Hillaire watched,
  dispassionately, as “her” body landed facedown on
  the table with a hollow thud.
  She still had some time before the servants
  returned, and she was going to need it all. The
  hounds would take care of the body well enough —
  and if not, it was not a far ride to the nearest bayou,
  where the alligators would certainly do the job.
  The bloodstained tablecloth would have to go, but
  Vardain was hardly likely to notice something like
  that. Renee’s clothes, too, were stained with blood
  and would have to burn with the tablecloth. None
  of Hillaire’s clothes would fit her any longer, as her
  new body was rather less curvy than her old, but
  they would do long enough for her to return to
  Renee’s home and acquire some more appropriate
  attire.
  A few missing personal items and a note from
  Hillaire, expressing her disgust over the coming
  ceremony, would explain the absence of the groom’s
  sister. Then, “Renee” had a wedding to prepare for.
  She would stand with her brother on his wedding
  day; and on his wedding night, she would ensure
  that the Durand blood remained pure.
  *  *  *
  Hillaire shuddered. The cold stone façade of
  the bedchamber was chill This
  would be the future of the Durand family. No
  mongrel children, whenever they might be born,
  but undiluted nobility, pure of blood.
  It had not been easy, passing herself off as the
  lowbred, ill-mannered commoner for nearly a week.
  Every evening, she thought she’d suffered through
  the worst of it, and each following day proved her
  wrong. The ceremony itself had been the worst,
  faced as she’d been with all of Renee’s family at
  once, forced to keep that insipid smile plastered on
  her face, that coarse and unrefined laugh in her
  throat.
  But tonight, when they’d returned to the bed-
  room of the Durand estate, it had proven it all
  worthwhile.
  They finally made it to the bed, collapsing
  next to one another in exhaustion. For a time they
  simply rested, and then, a large grin on his face,
  Vardain reached across her to the bedside table,
  where two goblets of wine sat, poured earlier in the
  evening Hillaire noted, with no small sense of
  irony, that they came from the same set as those
  she’d used to serve Mensonge’s potion to the girl
  whose form she now wore.
  The wedding night would prove thirsty work,
  and the vessels were swiftly empty of wine. Hillaire
  was just considering allowing herself to drift into
  slumber, when Vardain ordered, “Go get some
  more wine.”
  Irked by his tone but too tired to argue, the
  new bride shuffled to her feet and wandered into
  the next room. She flushed briefly as she realized
  she’d neglected to put anything on, but the ser-
  vants were almost certainly all downstairs. Nobody
  was going to see her.
  In the next room was a small table, on which
  sat a carafe of wine. Her mind still foggy with
  
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  exhaustion, Hillaire picked it up, turning to go
  back to the bedroom… And her breath caught in
  her throat when she saw what lay on the table
  behind the carafe. The light of the room’s lantern
  gleamed dully off a small glass decanter, almost
  square, with a stopper shaped like a serpent’s head;
  a decanter with barely enough luminescent green
  liquid remaining within to coat the bottom of the
  vessel.
  The carafe of wine fell from Hillaire’s suddenly
  limp hand, to shatter across the floor and around
  her feet. In the back of her throat rose a horrified
  shriek, but it never reached her mouth. Her entire
  body, in fact, seemed suddenly disconnected from
  her mind, unwilling to move at her commands.
  “Clean that mess up!” Vardain shouted angrily
  from the other room, apparently alerted by the
  sound of breaking glass. “Use your bare hands, you
  clumsy bitch! That should teach you to be more
  careful.
  “And when you’re through, come back in
  here. We need to have a little chat about your
  family’s funds…”
  Trapped in an undying, unsleeping prison of
  flesh and bone, hands already bleeding from the
  tiny glass shards she could not help but pick up, the
  tiny remaining spark of Hillaire’s soul began to
  silently scream.
  Uncovering the Truth
  he events described in the above tale are
  certainly horrific, but appear relatively
  straightforward. Unlike other stories in
  this volume, “To Honor and Obey” con-
  tains no mysterious entities who are
  more (or less) than human, no haunted locales that
  warp the laws of reality itself. The villains of the
  piece may be twisted, vile individuals, no less evil
  than the most foul of vampires or most corrupt of
  demons, but they are still human. Still, for those
  who wish to use the twisted Durand family or the
  mysterious Mensonge in their own tales, a brief
  examination of the preceding events and the people
  involved, is in order.
  The insanity that clearly runs through the
  Durand line is not unique to the current genera-
  tion. While past members of the family have been
  less obsessive about the purity of their blood than
  Hillaire, the doomed sister and wife of Vardain was
  far from the first to take the matter seriously. While
  Hillaire and Vardain are likely the first mated
  siblings of the line (at least in many centuries),
  intermarriage between cousins—both distant and
  not so distant—is common. The Durand blood
  may be pure, but it has also grown thick, and few
  modern scions of the line are entirely “right.” To
  date, the vast majority of defects have been mental,
  rather than physical.
  This same inherited insanity has resulted in
  the family’s fall from power. The Durand line has
  not held wealth or influence appropriate to its
  station in many generations. A series of poor deci-
  sions—investing in failed ventures, providing
  patronage to artists and alchemists whose dreams
  outpace their skills and, of course, splurging on
  various luxuries and debauched entertainments—
  all conspired to strip the family of its riches in a
  surprisingly brief span of time. Regaining their
  “rightful” position has been an obsession of the line
  for quite some time, and Vardain is far from the first
  member to attempt an unorthodox solution.
  Vardain is the current patriarch of the Durand
  family, but dozens of other members dwell in vari-
  ous communities throughout Souragne and several
  of the core domains. Immediately following the
  events of “To Honor and Obey,” messengers have
  traveled to most of the family’s members, instruct-
  ing them to hunt for the missing Hillaire and bring
  her home. Now a mindless slave of her brother and
  husband, Hillaire herself is incapable of ever re-
  vealing her identity to Vardain, who has no reason
  to suspect she is anything other than what—who—
  she appears.
  Vardain himself, clearly, did not marry Renee
  for love. He wanted a slave and, more importantly,
  a slave who could provide access to her family’s
  monies. To date, Renee’s family has had no reason
  to suspect that a stranger wears their daughter’s
  face, which means Vardain now has access to their
  wealth, precisely as he’d planned. The funds he
  now has at his command are far from sufficient to
  restore the line to its former greatness, but they are
  enough to begin expanding Durand interests. Fur-
  ther, Vardain has begun to wonder if he cannot
  repeat the same trick twice. His only regret is that
  he has not yet found his beloved sister, with whom
  he yearns to share his success and good fortune.
  Of course, not all involved in this twisted web
  are of the Durand line. Mensonge is a powerful
  Voodan, clearly, but he is more than that. Al-
  though he pays respect to all loa, his true patron is
  Ohuwaghnn, the Serpent King, whom Mensonge
  serves as most high Voodan. He really could not
  
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  To Honor and Obey
  care less to what use Hillaire, Vardain or any of his
  other customers put his concoctions and gris-gris;
  his only concern is the slow erosion of what civi-
  lized society exists in Souragne. Mensonge and his
  fellow worshipers of the Serpent King will be happy
  only when Maison D’Sablet dominates the en-
  tirety of the isle, and the people are reduced to
  dwelling in simple, primitive villages at the mercy
  of the great swamp’s more bestial denizens. (See
  the DM’s Appendix for more on both Ohuwaghnn
  and the Voodan.)
  And what of poor, innocent Renee, the only
  true victim in this nest of vipers? Well, Renee is
  dead. As far as the specific events of “To Honor and
  Obey” are concerned, that’s the end of it. But death
  is rarely simple—and often not even final—in the
  Land of Mists….
  Using the Story
  he PCs are unlikely to be directly in-
  volved in the events described in “To
  Honor and Obey.” (Although they cer-
  tainly can be if you want them to, and
  don’t mind the possibility that they may
  find some way to stop Hillaire or Vardain from
  accomplishing their goals.) Rather, the tale is best
  used as a means of introducing the concepts in-
  volved, so that the PCs may later encounter them,
  or something like them. As one possible example,
  you might make use of the tale as follows.
  •The PCs overhear the sad tale of Renee,
  Hillaire and Vardain in a tavern or other public
  place. The PCs may seek more detail and may learn
  that the Durand family is a noble line, found in
  many different lands. They will not, however, be
  able to learn any more of Vardain and Hillaire and,
  in fact, most of those who know the tale believe
  those two dead many generations gone. Nobody
  can say how, if the tale is true, the knowledge got
  out; after all, at the end of the story, not even
  Vardain knows the truth regarding his new wife.
  • Over the following days, emotions in the
  town become strained as a number of people,
  mostly young women, begin acting erratically or
  improperly. One or two even disappear.
  •The PCs may choose to investigate on their
  own, or they may be forced into proving their
  innocence to the townsfolk, who are likely to treat
  all strangers and newcomers with great suspicion.
  They might eventually learn that a small group of
  the village’s young men have gotten hold of an
  elixir that seems to bear no small resemblance to
  one of those appearing in the story. This group is
  forcing several of the village girls to become invol-
  untary lovers and to steal from their families to
  enrich their “masters.” The PCs learn this either
  from a young man who refused to go through with
  the conspiracy, or a young woman who escaped
  their clutches. In either case, the informant disap-
  pears unless the PCs take great steps to protect him/
  her.
  • The PCs will eventually confront these
  young men. Even though the conspirators likely
  pose little direct danger to the PCs, they are still a
  substantial challenge. Can the PCs reach them
  without having to slay innocent villagers who are
  either enslaved by their powers, or who simply
  believe they are protecting their neighbors from
  hostile strangers? Perhaps one or two of the crimi-
  nals aren’t pushovers either. After all, one of them
  must know something of magic to have hunted
  down the elixir in the first place.
  • Even should the PCs uncover the guilty,
  their travails are far from over, and many questions
  remain unanswered. Who provided them with the
  elixir in the first place? Was it a single fanatic such
  as Mensonge, determined to sow chaos? Was it the
  Durand family, perhaps engaged in some convo-
  luted scheme to advance their own agendas? And
  if this is happening here, where else might it be
  occurring? Who else could be enslaved to people
  such as the Durands?
  Variations on a Theme
  s written, “To Honor and Obey” is clearly
  set in the domain of Souragne. The
  imagery of the buildings and the ornate
  aboveground tombs, the oppressive heat
  and humidity, and of course the dark yet
  spiritual magic practically scream the New Orleans
  gothic sensibility. It is a tale of the past, a tale told
  as a warning to others, and it is a small story,
  personal rather than far-reaching. It introduces
  elements with which the PCs may have to deal, but
  it, in and of itself, is not precisely the stuff of
  adventures.
  With a little effort, everything can be altered
  or expanded to encompass almost any type of
  adventure in any sort of setting.
  Location
  The setting of a tale like this one is almost its
  own character. The class struggles, the presence of
  
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  Chapter Five
  the voodan and other details set the tone and feel
  of the piece without ever taking any direct part of
  the story. They are background, unobtrusive, yet
  vital.
  By making full use of the location, or altering
  the setting, the DM can greatly enhance, expand or
  even completely alter any of her campaign invents
  inspired by the tale.
  Using the Tale in Souragne
  Souragne is a perfect setting for a story such as
  “To Honor and Obey”; that’s why it was set here.
  Even more so than many of Ravenloft’s domains,
  Souragne is a land of mystery. Even those who
  worship the loa do not pretend to fully understand
  what those spirits are, what they stand for, how
  they may behave. The most benevolent of the loa
  may be moved to anger under the right circum-
  stances, and the most evil and vicious of them may
  prove merciful, even helpful, if properly propiti-
  ated. Souragne is a land of alien powers and strange
  magic, and anything can happen here.
  In Souragne, overhearing this tale might lead
  the PCs to discover entire plantations worked by
  soulless slaves, their wills crushed by elixirs such
  the one sold by Mensonge. The heroes might find
  themselves working against the efforts of Mensonge
  or those like him. Alternatively, they might find
  themselves forced to seek out his aid! The voodan
  are the dominant mystical power in Souragne, and
  while some worship kind loa, many more adore
  spirits of a more primal, more malevolent aspect.
  Few in Souragne worship gods, leaving the voodan
  the only divine casters whose services can be regu-
  larly acquired. How might the players react, sessions
  after hearing this tale, when they enter the shop of
  the only man who can heal their injured compan-
  ions, only to see a serpent-headed decanter of
  gleaming green fluid on the counter?
  To make full use of Souragne as a setting,
  consider this. The loa are spirits, with no true
  physical form of their own. In many celebrations,
  worshipers leave themselves spiritually open, al-
  lowing the loa to temporarily possess them, serving
  as “mounts” while the spirits enjoy the sensations
  of the flesh. What might happen, then, should the
  darker, more evil loa learn that several mortals
  have been exposed to Mensonge’s elixir, are now
  living vessels with no soul and no will? Might these
  dark loa not attempt to acquire one of these bodies,
  and what might the results be of a loa no longer
  bound to return to spiritual form?
  
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  To Honor and Obey
  Using the Tale Elsewhere
  Of course, a tale of obsession and love betrayed
  need not be set in any given locale. Many of
  Ravenloft’s domains serve as an appropriate stage;
  indeed, the story need not take place in the
  Demiplane of Dread at all. (For that matter, the
  events of the story might well be sufficient to draw
  the participants into the Mists, if they do not yet
  have the pleasure of a Ravenloft address.)
  Nearly all cultures have their own workers of
  magic, which might serve as well as the voodan in
  this tale. The part of Mensonge might be filled by an
  evil witch dwelling in the deep woods near a knight’s
  castle; a sadistic wizard high in his tower; a cruel
  djinn; or a demon summoned by the groom-to-be’s
  jealous sister. The Vistani would likely not engage in
  such practices as a whole, but some rogue elements
  among their number might well do so. It is even
  possible to remove any overt magic from the soul-
  poisoning elixir and instead making it the creation of
  some ancient alchemist or mad scientist. (This is less
  easy to do with the first potion, the one that Hillaire
  uses to trade faces with Renee, but the two elixirs do
  not have to appear in the same tale.)
  In regions where a mystical potion is not
  appropriate, the magic might take another form as
  easily as the individual peddling them. Hillaire
  might lose her soul to an enchanted wedding band,
  carved by vicious gnomes. Her slow loss of person-
  ality and descent into mindless slavery might not
  be the result of deliberate malice on the part of
  Vardain, but instead of a curse pronounced on her
  by the dying Renee. In a setting where magic is less
  common—perhaps in conjunction with the no-
  tion that the elixir is an alchemical
  creation—Hillaire may have no mystical means of
  stealing Renee’s face. She may have to do it liter-
  ally, slicing the flesh and skin from the corpse of her
  brother’s fiancé and having herself altered through
  primitive surgery at the hands of an insane doctor.
  Timeframe
  Of all the decisions a DM can make when
  introducing the events of this tale into her cam-
  paign, the choice of timeframe is one of the most
  vital. Determining when the events of the story
  happened—or will happen—shapes the options
  for using the elements involved.
  The Tale is Ancient
  In this variant—the one assumed by the story’s
  introduction as written—the events as described
  are assumed to have taken place quite some time
  ago. Decades, even generations, have passed since
  Hillaire murdered Renee and was condemned to
  suffer her own eternal imprisonment for it.
  The advantage to using the tale this way is that
  the DM can introduce the players to the important
  elements, without making it clear how they will
  then come up. Is the important point of the story
  the elixir, which is now in the hands of those who
  will use it to commit more evil? Is it Mensonge,
  who serves a loa the PCs will themselves have to
  contend with? Is it the Durand family, who seeks
  vengeance against the heroes for interfering with
  their interests? Or is the villain someone totally
  unrelated, who was inspired by the tale and seeks to
  recreate it?
  The Tale is Recent
  Portrayed this way, the marriage of Vardain
  and “Renee” occurred only a few years ago. The
  Durand line has annexed Renee’s family fortune,
  and Vardain is thoroughly engaged in various
  schemes and plots intended to return the family to
  their place of prominence in society. The tale is
  certainly not told in so public a forum as a tavern,
  but is instead whispered through the underground,
  or told to the PCs by a seer, a ghost (of Renee
  perhaps; see below), or a stranger whose knowledge
  of the events is at least as mysterious as the events
  themselves. DMs who select this opportunity should
  be prepared for the heroes to involve themselves in
  the affairs of the Durand family, perhaps even to
  interact with Vardain. Whether they are able to
  prove the truth of the Durand’s actions, or to
  untangle Renee’s family from their clutches, can
  make for many fascinating stories without the use
  of any overt monsters at all.
  The Tale is Current
  Perhaps the trickiest variant to run is one in
  which the PCs never hear the story at all—because
  it’s happening even as they watch. In this variant,
  the DM utilizes the events of “To Honor and Obey”
  as a timeline for an ongoing game, one that will
  turn out badly for Renee and Hillaire both, if the
  heroes do not somehow change the outcome. They
  may be able to save Renee, or to prevent Vardain’s
  enslavement of Hillaire. (Not that she is undeserv-
  ing of punishment, of course, but Renee’s family
  deserves to know the truth and to escape from
  under Vardain’s thumb.) At the very least, perhaps
  they can stop Mensonge from trading his evil wares
  and harming anyone else.
  
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  This can be the most difficult way for a DM to
  utilize this tale, though it can also be the most
  rewarding. The DM has to find some way to in-
  volve the party—who may well be outsiders to the
  region—in secretive and hidden events that in-
  volve only a select group of people. Doing so is
  easiest, and most believable, if the DM works the
  relevant details into the campaign in advance.
  Perhaps Renee is the distant cousin of a PC, and
  the party is in the region for the wedding. Maybe
  they’ve dealt with Mensonge or his brethren before
  and become involved in affairs that way. Whatever
  the case, a story written to involve only four indi-
  viduals suddenly involves another outside group
  whose presence could change any or all the events
  to come. On the other hand, the difficulty may well
  be worth it when the PCs manage to save the life
  of an innocent girl whose only crime was to fall for
  the wrong nobleman—or at least to ensure that her
  family does not suffer for her misjudgment.
  The Villain of the Piece
  “To Honor and Obey” introduces a variety of
  individuals and factions who can function as primary
  villains for a long-term story or even an entire campaign.
  Assuming the tale is presented as is, the DM has a variety
  of choices regarding which elements to use.
  The Durands
  Even if Vardain is long dead (this being
  Ravenloft, and Vardain clearly having a taste for
  dark magic, there’s no reason he has to be), he was
  not the only corrupt member of this maddened
  family. Nearly all the Durands are obsessed with
  their family’s status. While they are much poorer
  and less influential than once they were, they still
  hold positions of some authority in various cities of
  Souragne and others across the core domains. They
  can pose substantial political dangers, turning al-
  lies against the PCs, spreading rumors about them
  to the common folk, penalizing merchants who
  work with them, even raising mercenary compa-
  nies against them. Further, the Durand family is
  not averse to even the blackest of magic. Perhaps
  Vardain’s technique has spread throughout the
  family, now commonly used by every member of
  the line who unites a Durand with another power-
  ful or wealthy family. The Durand family could
  have dozens of soulless slaves in the form of its
  newest wives and husbands. Some of them—in-
  cluding Vardain himself, if he still lives—might
  have veritable harems of slaves, some of whom are
  little more than concubines, while others hold
  valuable political alliances together. Vardain might
  well have several different wives, each legally wed
  to him under the laws of a different realm.
  It’s also worth noting that those under the
  effects of the heart and soul spell, which is the basis
  for Mensonge’s elixir, do not actually lose any of
  their abilities. They are simply incapable of initiat-
  ing any action of their own. If ordered to do so,
  enslaved individuals who happen to be skilled
  warriors or spellcasters can make life very difficult
  for the PCs—especially since the heroes cannot
  simply kill them at whim, because many of these
  poor souls are innocents who were mystically en-
  trapped into serving the Durands.
  Mensonge and the Serpent King
  Ohuwaghnn, called the Serpent King, is not as
  greatly feared as the Lord of the Dead, nor as utterly
  reviled as Ulwaddithri. He is, however, one of the
  greatest threats to Souragnian civilized society, for
  he actively seeks to overthrow the reign of human-
  ity and return dominion to the beasts of the swamp.
  While many Souragnians pray to Ohuwaghnn to
  turn aside his displeasure, only a mad few worship
  him. Among those is Mensonge and others like
  him, men who make every effort to destroy the
  people and society around them in exchange for
  the power granted them by the Serpent King.
  Mensonge makes a hefty profit selling his wares,
  but profit is not his primary concern. The destruc-
  tion and defilement of all around him, except those
  who share his insane beliefs, is Mensonge’s primary
  interest. He keeps his own faith a secret, passing
  himself off as a simple voodan and magician for
  hire, but his wares have a knack for causing far
  more suffering than they alleviate. Some would say
  that most of those who would involve themselves
  with a man such as Mensonge deserve what they
  get, but given that most who can afford his services
  are also important members of society, anything
  that happens to them tends to have a ripple effect
  on those around them.
  Mensonge and those like him are powerful
  enough, however, that they need not remain subtle;
  when angered, they can be devastating opponents.
  Most of Ohuwaghnn’s followers are powerful
  voodan, and heroes who believe they have their
  enemy on the ropes just because they’ve prevented
  Mensonge’s elixirs from working their horrors are
  likely to discover the very beasts of nature rising up
  against them. Mensonge makes an excellent recur-
  
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  To Honor and Obey
  ring villain, always popping up in the service of
  others against whom the PCs are struggling. It can
  be particularly effective for the players to discover
  one of Mensonge’s creations in the possession of an
  enemy, without (for the time being) encountering
  the voodan himself.
  The Ghost of Renee
  Should you feel that making the Durand fam-
  ily or Mensonge your villains might be too obvious,
  consider a more devious option: Renee. The victim
  of a brutal murder, which indirectly led to her
  family’s fortunes being partly swallowed up by the
  Durand family, this poor girl’s got enough tragedy
  and emotion surrounding her death to empower
  any three vengeful spirits. Even the most innocent
  of victims turns malign swiftly enough when forced
  to haunt the shadows of the Land of Mists. For that
  matter, there’s no reason Renee really has to be
  entirely innocent. Perhaps, just as Vardain schemed
  to take advantage of her wealth, she schemed to
  take advantage of his position. Did she have her
  own plans for her new husband? Was he to die in an
  “accident,” leaving Renee the matron of this branch
  of the Durand line? The tale portrays the girl as an
  innocent, and it may be more tragic for such a one
  to become a ghost, but there’s no reason the DM
  can’t decide to make her far more than that.
  Which Ghost is Which?
  As a particularly intriguing possibility, con-
  sider that Renee and Hillaire have both manifested
  as ghosts. (Perhaps Hillaire died at some point
  since the events of the tale took place, or maybe the
  portion of her soul that was poisoned by the elixir
  has itself manifested as a spirit of some sort.) The
  heroes might have two ghosts attempting to ac-
  quire their aid, or two vengeful spirits wreaking
  havoc. Consider, as well, that the general appear-
  ance of a ghost tends to be based, at least in part, on
  an individual’s self-image. It’s possible, depending
  on how much of Hillaire remained in the duplicate
  of Renee’s body and for how long, that both ghosts
  might look like Renee. Making the players decide
  which “Renee” to believe opens the door for all
  manner of story possibilities—especially if both are
  dishonest, but for their own reasons.
  Alternative Events
  Central as the concept may be to the tale as
  written, “To Honor and Obey” need not even
  involve a wedding. By changing the fundamental
  
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  Chapter Five
  nature of the event around which the story re-
  volves, the DM can completely alter the scope and
  feel of any subsequent adventure.
  The Tale Involves a Business
  Endeavor
  The parts of Vardain and Renee might be
  filled with two partners-to-be in some manner of
  business. This might be as small as a local shop-
  keeper arranging with the teamsters who deliver
  goods to everyone in town, or as major as a pair of
  merchant guilds from two major cities forming an
  enormous consortium. One partner assuming con-
  trol over the whole thing, using Mensonge’s elixir
  or similar magic, could lead to all manner of troubles
  for the community. Villagers might starve, as vital
  foodstuffs are suddenly only available from one
  vendor and at exorbitant prices. A merchant might
  suddenly grow so wealthy, as the only provider of a
  particular luxury in a large city, as to become a
  viable political force. No matter whether the vil-
  lain and his ambitions are large or small, he has a
  great deal to lose if anyone exposes his secrets, or
  finds a way to undo his enslavement of his business
  partner.
  The Tale Involves a Criminal Trial
  Few of Ravenloft’s domains (or fantasy set-
  tings in general) have a court system of the sort that
  most players are accustomed to. That doesn’t mean,
  however, that trials do not take place. Whether the
  accused is brought before a magistrate, a tribunal of
  nobles, a church inquisitor or an assembly of a
  town’s landowners, he still faces the threat of
  punishment for his (alleged) crimes. Such an ac-
  cused criminal, or his allies, might take the place of
  Vardain in the story, making use of mind-control-
  ling magic to sway the verdict, or to silence
  witnesses. A criminal might use the face-trading
  potion to frame an innocent, perhaps even a PC,
  for his crimes. This might even have become stan-
  dard fair for an organized thieves guild; the people
  around them live in terror, knowing that anyone
  who speaks out against them will be persecuted by
  the mind-controlled officers of the law, or turned
  into a mindless thrall themselves.
  The Tale Involves a Rise to Political
  Power
  The option with perhaps the most far-reach-
  ing implications is one in which the individual
  enslaving the will of others is using his artificial
  influence to climb the political or feudal ladder.
  This might be one landowner among several, com-
  peting for a position such as burgomaster, regional
  governor, tax collector or the like. On a larger
  scale, the heir to a throne—be it a barony, a
  dukedom or a full-fledged kingdom—might be
  enthralled by any one of a number of people inter-
  ested in usurping his power. Is it a younger sibling,
  who intends the true heir to step aside in his favor?
  Someone associated with the court who wishes to
  rule from behind the scenes, such as a seneschal, a
  lesser noble, a church leader or even a well-con-
  nected guild master or merchant? For that matter,
  the DM might keep the wedding theme and make
  the tale one of political machination by making
  the wedding a royal one, and the villain a bride
  seeking to advance her position by pulling the
  strings of her husband’s reign.
  Other Options
  Finally, the events of this tale can be altered in
  ways that do not quite fit into any of the above
  categories. Each of these changes, in rather sub-
  stantial ways, the theme and feel of the events
  described herein, but each can also lead to all
  manner of further adventures.
  Mensonge is Not Human
  It seems an obvious enough option, but it’s
  worth exploring. Mensonge, or whoever takes his
  place in the tale, need not be a human being at all.
  The notion that he might instead be a demon,
  summoned by Hillaire to grant her the power to
  take Renee’s place, was suggested previously. This
  is a particularly strong option if the DM has chosen
  to set the adventure in a realm more reminiscent of
  the European Middle Ages than gothic New Or-
  leans. Similarly, he might be a mischievous creature
  of the fey, one who delights in tormenting the
  foolish mortals surrounding him. In a Middle Eas-
  ter setting, he could just as easily be a djinn of some
  sort. Arabian tales are rife with wishes gone awry,
  and this one would certainly qualify.
  Mensonge might be a ghost or revenant, some-
  one harmed in life by Hillaire or the local townsfolk
  and who’s out for revenge. Certainly, his actions
  here are rather more subtle than those normally
  employed by the vengeful dead, but that doesn’t
  make them any less effective. He might be a voodan
  lich, one who has served Ohuwaghnn not for years,
  but for decades, even centuries. He might be a
  vampire, seeking to create—either through direct
  
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  To Honor and Obey
  use of the elixir, or by enticing others to use it—a
  population of individuals who, lacking any will of
  their own, would be incapable of revealing that he
  has been feeding on them. (What would one of
  these soulless individuals be like if raised as a
  vampire?)
  He might even be an agent of some other
  Darklord, one with a stake in disrupting life in
  Souragne. Anton Misroi isn’t known to have any
  enemies quite that powerful outside his borders,
  but how often does one know one’s enemies in
  Ravenloft?
  Mensonge Serves Anton Misroi
  And speaking of Darklords, suppose that
  Mensonge does not worship the Serpent King, but
  instead serves Souragne’s own lord, Anton Misroi?
  This does not mean he worships the Lord of the
  Dead in his incarnation as one of Souragne’s loa,
  but the actual Darklord. In this case, Mensonge
  knows that Misroi is the lord of the domain and acts
  entirely under his orders. So what, then, does
  Misroi—for whom the activities of the living rarely
  hold much interest—hope to accomplish? Is
  Mensonge’s elixir intended as the first step in a
  process to create more human-looking zombies,
  rather than the shambling corpses that are Misroi’s
  standard servants? If so, what possible use could he
  have for them?
  Alternatively, Misroi’s efforts may have noth-
  ing to do with zombies. Perhaps he simply wishes to
  exercise some measure of control over the Durand
  family and is allowing Vardain to spread the elixir’s
  effects through the line before Vardain himself is
  made into a puppet. The Durand line is not particu-
  larly powerful in any given area, but it exists
  throughout many domains, so Misroi could only
  have some purpose for them that extends beyond
  his own borders. He has never shown any interest
  in annexing other regions as part of his domain, so
  what might he be looking for beyond the Mists and
  the Murky Sea?
  Finally, Mensonge may serve Misroi, but might
  be selling his mystical concoctions on his own,
  without his lord’s permission. Misroi might not
  care, in which case he becomes involved only if/
  when the PCs harm one of his powerful servants.
  Alternatively, he may be enraged that Mensonge
  has exposed the elixir before Misroi himself wishes
  to make use of it and sets out to destroy both his
  disobedient servant and those who know of his
  concoctions. In this instance, the heroes might end
  up working with Mensonge—though he cannot be
  trusted and would betray them in an instant if he
  felt it was to his advantage—in their efforts to
  survive Misroi’s anger long enough to escape
  Souragne.
  The Brides Are Not Human
  For a more horrific scenario, concoct a story in
  which the mind-controlled slaves are inhuman
  creatures in their own right. Perhaps Hillaire, in
  addition to be an obsessed sister, was also a werewolf,
  or perhaps Renee was a red widow and Hillaire
  failed to take her place. Or, if Vardain or other
  Durands have made continued use of the elixir
  beyond the events in the tale, future wives might be
  monsters even if both Hillaire and Renee were
  entirely human. The PCs might be involved in a
  multi-session story in which they must track down
  a red widow who has been slaying important men
  in a community, only to learn, when they finally
  discover her, that she has been working on some-
  one else’s orders. A monster hunt has abruptly
  become a political mystery, in which the heroes
  face an unknown villain who has many more
  slaves, human and otherwise, to raise against them.
  The Elixir Attracts Attention
  Mind-controlling magic as powerful as the
  heart and soul spell, or the technique that allows
  such a powerful spell to be made into a potion, is
  going to strike many individuals as a powerful tool.
  Surely, if the PCs have heard the tale of Hillaire,
  Renee, Mensonge and Vardain, then others have
  as well. For a faster-paced story, the heroes may be
  involved in a race against all manner of dark forces,
  attempting to acquire or destroy the elixir (and the
  one who knows how to make it) before someone far
  more evil even than Vardain gets his hands on it.
  Previous suggestions have addressed the no-
  tion that Misroi might be angered at Mensonge’s
  use of the elixir. As the same possibilities apply
  should he discover it after the fact and want it for
  himself, we won’t focus on Misroi here. But what if
  one of the other darklords should, through means
  mystical or mundane, learn of the heart and soul
  elixir? Any number of these foul creatures might
  desire the potion for their own use. Azalin, of
  course, cannot learn new magic on his own, but he
  can certainly make use of items. Harmon Lukas
  might well be fascinated at the notion of a new
  bardic spell, one unheard of in his own experi-
  ences. Ivan Boris would love such elixirs, for the
  
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  Chapter Five
  possibilities to destroy the lives and loves of others
  through their use are practically endless.
  This will most certainly not lead to any sort of
  open warfare between domains. Leaving aside the
  fact that such an event is inefficient (and not
  particularly conducive to personal horror, though
  an enterprising DM could certainly use the oppor-
  tunity to play with the horrific aspects of warfare),
  it’s practically a physical impossibility. Souragne is
  an Isle of Terror, separated from all other domains
  by the Mists. It’s difficult enough for a lone traveler
  to find his way to Souragne should that be his
  destination. Attempting to march an army to the
  Nocturnal Sea, then sail them through the Wake
  of the Loa—the only semi-reliable Mist way to
  access Souragne—is an undertaking of unimagin-
  able complexity. To go through all that, only to
  face an enemy who can raise your own dead against
  you in a limitless army, is foolishness of the highest
  order.
  It is far more likely that any Darklord who
  wishes to obtain Mensonge’s elixir will send a
  single operative, or a small band. These could wind
  up as adversaries of the PCs, engaged in a three-way
  struggle along with Mensonge for acquisition of the
  elixir. Alternatively, the heroes might serve as
  these agents, wittingly or unwittingly, discovering
  Mensonge and his magic only when they are dis-
  patched by someone to travel to Souragne and
  retrieve them.
  Of course, the interested parties need not be
  Darklords or their agents. Religious sects, criminal
  organizations, powerful villains, even good-aligned
  but misdirected good churches and monster hunt-
  ers—plenty of these, and more, inhabit the Land of
  Mists. Any or all of them might prove interested in
  the sorts of magic Mensonge has made available,
  and all of them could prove exceptionally danger-
  ous to the heroes.
  Lord Vardain
  Perhaps the most ambitious direction a DM
  might take the events of “To Honor and Obey” is
  to use them as a foundation for a new domain.
  Mensonge is devoted to a higher power, and Hillaire
  winds up a mindless slave, though the most obvious
  choice for the new Darklord around which to build
  a domain is Vardain himself. This is a man who has
  no compunctions about using dark magic to en-
  slave innocent women, destroy their wills and
  possibly even their souls and to make use of them
  to steal their family’s wealth and resources. By even
  
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  To Honor and Obey
  the most charitable of definitions, that makes him
  a rapist, a slave-owner and a thief. If the elixir truly
  destroys the soul, as Mensonge claims, he is also a
  murderer and worse. Easily enough, one would
  think, to draw the attention of the Dark Powers.
  Any such domain would likely be small, an
  Island of Terror with Mistways to both the core and
  Souragne. Within, Lord Vardain keeps his harem
  of enslaved wives, his household of mindless ser-
  vants and his unbreakably loyal guards. Yet, he has
  nobody with whom to share his triumph. His sister,
  the only truly close member of his family, is gone,
  fled (or so Vardain believes) to avoid witnessing
  his marriage to a commoner. He rules here, making
  his family as important as he wished it to be, but it
  is a hollow victory. So what if they rule here, in this
  tiny domain that is his prison? They still labor in
  growing poverty elsewhere, and no other nobles
  exist in his tiny domain to acknowledge his supe-
  riority. Vardain, though he maintains his will,
  grows slowly as soulless as his slaves, as he realizes
  that his rule is empty, meaningless and impossible
  to expand.
  Vardain himself would not be a particularly
  powerful Darklord on a personal level. He is likely
  only a mid-level aristocrat, with no special powers
  and abilities except those granted by his new
  Darklord status. Consider the possibility, however,
  that his lust for domination has infected the land
  around him. He no longer needs Mensonge’s elixir;
  he can control minds with a touch. Worse, perhaps
  the Mists that rise when he wishes to close his
  borders have effects like the elixir itself. Anyone
  who attempts to leave when he does not wish it
  must make Will saves every time they enter the
  Mist, or find themselves among the ranks of
  Vardain’s soulless slaves.
  
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  DM’s Appendix
  DM’< Appendix
  DM’< Appendix
  Imageries of dreams reveal a gracious age:
  Black armour, falling lace, and altar lights at
  morn.
  —Lionel Johnson, “The Age of a Dream”
  
  139
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  This appendix contains information on items,
  monsters and people from the preceding five chap-
  ters, arranged according to the story to which they
  belong. If you are a player, you may wish to read this
  information only after you have taken part in the
  stories already presented.
  Chapter One:
  To Inherit Eternity
  his section contains the treasures essen-
  tial to the tale of Lord Theone and his
  search for immortality as well as descrip-
  tions of the major players in the tale and
  details of three new monsters that figure
  in the story.
  New Magic Items
  The following items are particularly suited to
  To Inherit Eternity, though DMs may find that they
  provide inspiration for more stories.
  The Heirloom (Memory’s Recall)
  Though the heirloom has changed form over
  the centuries, at its heart there is always a cameo
  depicting a woman’s face with an owl-visaged helm
  tipped back to rest on her forehead. Over the years,
  the heirloom has been a ring, an amulet, a locket,
  a pendant, a watch fob and a stickpin, and it may
  assume other forms in the future, all with the
  cameo mounted in its center. It has the following
  powers.
  Memory Renewal (Su): Though Eternity’s
  heirloom appears to be an item of little value, he
  created this item to renew his fading memories.
  The heirloom may be invoked up to 6 times a day
  to recall and use knowledge, skills, feats or experi-
  ence from his past, manifesting in different ways.
  To recall a nugget of knowledge requires an Intel-
  ligence or Knowledge check (DC = 16 +1 for every
  100 years in the past or degree of obscurity). Eter-
  nity may identify a magic item or recall an activation
  method due to prior experience with an additional
  +5 to the difficulty level. Knowledge slowly faded
  after a month.
  Knowledge Enhancement (Su): By this same
  method, a feat or skill may be learned or enhanced
  by 3 ranks, but the knowledge fades in a day. With
  a successful DC 25 Will save, the user may tempo-
  rarily add two levels of experience to any class for
  one day. In the hands of its original owner these
  memories and skills, feats and experience level
  adjustments remain as long as he possesses the
  
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  DM’s Appendix
  heirloom. Should he lose the item, his memories
  fade in a year.
  Rejuvenation (Su): Interacting with Eternity’s
  internal light, this item reverses the aging process
  at the rate of one month per year to the appearance
  of a twenty-year-old human. Loss of the artifact
  causes the body to start aging normally again. As a
  final defense, Eternity can channel his power
  through the ring to invoke a word of recall permit-
  ting him to teleport away to his homeland and
  safety.
  Rubbing the ring and concentrating on a spe-
  cific need while repeating the activation phrase
  activates the heirloom.
  When the owner’s life is in peril or when
  struck by light magic, a single memory, skill, feat,
  vital nugget of knowledge or one of its powers may
  activate automatically. If the user makes a DC 18
  Intelligence check, he remembers how to activate
  that power. Otherwise, the user must use trial and
  error to evoke the discovered power again.
  Faint transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Won-
  drous Item, contingency, limited wish, wish, word of
  recall; Price 27,000 gp. Weight varies.
  Story Hook: Since the heirloom was made to
  help The One (or Lord Theone) recall his past,
  anyone using the item repeatedly may begin to
  confuse those memories with her own and perhaps
  misinterpret them as memories of a previous incar-
  nation. Over time, the power of the heirloom may
  transform the appearance of the new owner to
  resemble The One’s youthful image and grant
  access to up to 50% of his knowledge. This may
  result in the unwanted attention of others who
  mistake the new owner for Eternity or it may result
  in the new owner being driven mad with the belief
  that he is the real “One” while the true Eternity
  seeks to reclaim his property.
  The Lucine Claw (Tempus Bane)
  This small dagger +1/+3 vs. creatures of air or
  light resembles a curved ebony claw from some great
  cat. Its hilt is polished mahogany carved with the
  images of sinuous feral felines. The pommel holds
  an amber cats-eye crystal. Forged from the essence
  of the darque by the founder of the Cult of Light
  centuries past to battle the Evil One, this magical
  dagger is the bane of creatures of air or light, but
  later generations abandoned the weapon as a tool
  of darkness! Against its foes, this is a magical dagger
  +3 and possesses additional powers if one knows
  how to activate them during an encounter. If the
  blade is licked, there is a 25% chance the powers
  are activated. If the lick draws blood activation is
  automatic. Once activated the blade automatically
  casts protection from good on its wielder and a bane
  spell on its foes. It can cast blur and darkness up to
  twice a day. It can counter the effects of light magic
  as if casting a continual dark by making a DC 20
  attack roll (DC 20).
  Moderate evocation; CL 9th; Craft Magic
  Arms and Armor; Price 9,000 gp; Weight 3 lb.
  Story Hook: Using this weapon draws the
  attention of not only the Cult of Light, but also the
  interest of the One. The Cult does not trust any
  who would sully themselves by using this tool of
  darkness, watching to determine their goals and
  nature and then either attempt to steal the artifact
  or punish the wielder. Eternity keeps track of the
  owner and frames them for some minor crime to
  keep them from pursuing him and using this weapon
  against him.
  The Wanderer’s Guide
  (Compass and Key)
  This item appears to be a strange collapsible
  brass sextant with an outer ring forming two handles
  on either side, a pivoting 360 degree compass ring
  and a rising azimuth viewing tube with a protrud-
  ing bezel on its nether side. Odd, indecipherable
  script is inscribed on the outer ring, and small
  crystal chips are set at the cardinal points of the
  compass.
  This item locates the shortest path to some
  general object or place. It cannot locate a specific
  item. When the guide is set on the ground on its
  bezel and the activation phrase intoned it will
  begin to spin like a top with the crystals sparking.
  Upon speaking the words to identify what is sought,
  the sextant stops, balancing on its bezel and points
  in the direction of the nearest path to the desired
  element. Afterward the device grows warmer and
  vibrates when pointed in the right direction. The
  crystal chips glow to indicate left or right, forward
  or back, with all four pulsing three times and then
  extinguishing themselves when the identified site
  is reached. If the owner is lost and facing dire
  circumstances or the item is doused with water this
  device will grow warm and begin to vibrate when
  pointed in the direction of safety or rescue.
  This device can also open doors, locks and
  passages as well as remove bars. It also possesses two
  secret attributes. When laid upon Eternity’s com-
  plete map of the Realms and the azimuth tube
  
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  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  raised to the correct position, a light shined down
  the tube will point to the location of the Fount of
  Time. When the tube and compass are set to
  spinning and held aloft, the item is the key to
  penetrate the barrier of the Verge.
  Faint divination; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous
  Item, knock, locate object, locate creature, perma-
  nency; Price 1,000 gp apparent value (actual value
  priceless); Weight 3 lb.
  Story Hook: This device may be used to set
  out on a treasure hunt for a lost hoard or it may be
  coveted by another candidate for immortality who
  seeks to claim it as his own.
  Waters of Eternity
  An oddly pleasant, yet pungent scent, like
  roasting spiced almonds, infuses the air about this
  well. The water is greasy and has an iridescent
  sheen on its surface. Inhaling the vapors causes
  dizziness.
  The waters detect as weak magic. The hot
  waters are astringent and halt bleeding and close
  some wounds (healing 1d6+1 points of damage
  once per day), but they lose this quality once the
  water cools. The black fluid is toxic if ingested,
  requiring a DC 24 Fortitude save. The victim of a
  successful save suffers delusions, believing she feels
  the magic of the black liquor. The victim will be in
  great spirits and may actually experience healing
  (but this is really due to victim’s subconscious use
  of any magical healing available to her). The
  victim of a failed save suffers 3d8 points of damage
  and must make a DC 20 Fortitude save or die. The
  oily film and vapors may ignite if exposed to an
  open flame. Roll as an unmodified skill check
  against the film (DC 18) or against the vapors (DC
  15). Anyone touched by the flame suffers an attack
  (Atk +4, Dmg 1d6 film, 3d6 vapors). The flame
  lasts for 1d4 +1 rounds.
  Cast of Characters
  Each successful story features a cast of memo-
  rable individuals who add their own personal tale
  to the telling. This legend introduces an assem-
  blage of non-player characters (NPCs) each
  possessing a secret story and personal goals. By
  understanding each character’s motives, the DM
  will be better prepared to respond and adapt to
  each character’s actions and to keep the story on
  track. Following is the cast of NPCs and their
  motives as an aid to portray each character during
  an adventure.
  Note: These characters are provided with
  thumbnail descriptions only, since the DM has the
  
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  DM’s Appendix
  option of varying the roles each character plays in
  the story and, hence, their classes, levels and game
  traits. DMs are encouraged to assign these charac-
  ters levels and Abilities in keeping with their
  campaign using the guidelines in Chapter 4 of the
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Senor Hector Elissar Ramirez
  The host for the evening, Señor Ramirez is
  chief barrister and solicitor to Lord Theone, stew-
  ard of Eldron Manor and caretaker of the lord’s
  estates. He is a gracious host, pleasant and polite to
  guests, but firm in his decisions. Devoted to his
  master, he has performed faithfully for decades,
  carrying out any task he was asked to perform
  without question.
  seemed likely suspects, hoping to discover the
  One’s identity or, failing that, at least to find a clue
  or recruit allies in his quest for the One.
  While the curator admits his employer’s fasci-
  nation with the legendary quest for immortality, he
  neither confirms nor denies the existence of an
  immortal, but will act charmed by the idea and
  encourages others to keep an open mind. Through-
  out this story, Señor Ramirez meets with each guest
  privately and tries to get the individual to admit he
  is the immortal. He seeks to save himself by learn-
  ing the identity of the One or the secret of
  immortality to recover his health. In the end, he
  realizes that survival is not for him and sacrifices
  himself to save another, only then realizing how
  close he was to the truth.
  Mr. Alistair Charoan
  Señor Ramirez’s loyal and trustworthy clerk
  has a head for numbers, but does not deal well with
  people. He is quiet and reserved, seeking to avoid
  attention. If faced with a challenge, he trusts his
  own meager skills rather than those of others.
  While he does not have the heart of a hero, he
  defends his employer without hesitation. He is
  observant and analytical, dwelling on minute de-
  tails and thus often understanding something before
  others do. He quietly suggests a course of action or
  For years, he knew of his master’s obsession
  with immortality and believes that Lord Theone
  actually found one who knew its secret. This has
  become very important to Hector for he has discov-
  ered he is dying of an incurable malady and, like
  any mortal, wants a chance to live. Through re-
  searching his master’s papers, he concludes that
  this person is one of Lord Theone’s rivals or ac-
  quaintances. With the decades old absence of his
  master and in accordance with his Lord’s written
  instructions, Senor Ramirez has invited those who
  Senor Ramirez
  Mr. Alistair Charoan
  
  143
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  solution to those who are willing to listen to him.
  Mr. Charoan is uncommonly fond of Miss Wellbue,
  but is uncertain how she feels and is clumsy and
  tongue-tied in her presence. Alistair knows that
  his master is sick and suspects there is at least one
  imposter among the guests. He wants to protect
  Señor Ramirez.
  Hugo
  Hugo is a servant who helps clean and is often
  used to fetch or carry things. Brain-damaged at
  birth, he possesses a childlike mind and is slow to
  understand, though he desires to please others and
  is loyal to Señor Ramirez and Lord Theone. He
  likes to hug and tends to speak in a loud stutter,
  shouting non sequitur remarks or agreeing to
  another’s comment. Hugo often stands with arms
  folded, head down and a scowl on his face, but
  breaks out into a broad, broken-toothed smile
  when given attention. He seems uncommonly brave
  and unembarrassed, but that’s just because he does
  not understand danger. If he is shouted at or faces
  loud noises or fire, he cowers or runs away. Hugo
  recognizes his former master’s ring and subsequently
  his master, who takes pains to silence him.
  Father Daniel Marcus Franklin
  Father Daniel is a priest of the Order of Eleazar,
  a sect devoted to collecting and preserving knowl-
  edge and the works of master artists and crafters. He
  speaks with a deep, jolly voice and obviously appre-
  ciates the finer things in life, including excellent
  food and wines, clothing, jewelry and the arts.
  While an educated man, he has a very narrow,
  naïve view of life. To him there is only good and
  evil, no middle ground. A person’s character is
  defined by his deeds; an evil being would not do
  good deeds, nor would a good man perform hurtful
  acts.
  He relies on the teachings of his faith to
  explain anything and to help him decide the best
  course of action, for he finds it difficult to have any
  opinion of his own. Father Daniel is less a priest and
  more a patron of the arts. He can only cast spells
  from the Animal, Good, Knowledge, Protection
  and Travel domains. While he seems a confident
  man, he is really both greedy and a coward. He
  knows the tale of Lord Theone’s fabled quest is true
  and lusts after the lost treasure hoard said to be left
  behind.
  Hugo
  Father Daniel
  
  144
  DM’s Appendix
  Captain Ferril Conklin Harrow
  Captain Harrow is a veteran of many wars and
  bears the scars to prove it. In his youth, he loved
  adventure. Most of all, he liked playing the hero,
  rescuing the needy and oppressed and arriving in
  time to save the day. His adventures , however,
  claimed a terrible price. The right side of his face is
  horribly burned, and he is blind in his right eye. He
  hides these scars with a wide-brimmed hat, long
  hair and a beard. He also wears gauntlets to conceal
  his missing right hand. He met Lord Theone and
  fought beside him at the Battle of Ravening Plains.
  There he learned of the quest for immortality.
  He believes Eowyn somehow claimed at least
  a part of the prize, for he saw Lord Theone recover
  from wounds that would kill any other man. That
  day his life was both saved and lost, for in that
  battle he lost his hand and his nerve. Now he lives
  only through memories of the exploits of his youth.
  He sorely misses the excitement and would pay
  almost any price to regain his vitality for one last
  adventure. He believes tonight is his chance.
  Master Currin Klein de l’Ombre
  De l’Ombre is a wealthy merchant of some
  renown and a fellow collector of arcane artifacts.
  Often in competition with the late Lord Theone,
  The Guardian or The Last
  This being was once a mortal man called
  Kiethos aux Brugemont, but that was long
  before he met The One and took up the quest
  for immortality. Unknown to The One,
  Kiethos is the only other man who succeeded
  in claiming that prize, but at a great price, for
  in becoming immortal he lost his humanity.
  He became a cankerous mass of undying
  flesh, his body growing, regenerating and
  spreading like a great cancer. Even when
  severed from his body, the flesh remains a
  living thing controlled by his mind. As a
  result, Keithos took on the role of the Guard-
  ian or the Last, the undying foe of The One
  to prevent others from suffering his fate. He
  guards the Well of Life and creates many of
  the challenges to thwart those who would
  seek the prize. Further, he reaches out be-
  yond his realm using agents to help dissuade
  any who take on the quest. He recruits agents
  using reason, bargains and the power of his
  living flesh. When a piece of his flesh is
  attached to a creature, it forms a mental link
  with it. Then, depending on the creature’s
  intelligence or willingness, he can exert a
  spell-like influence over the host as if he
  were an 18th level Wizard. The Guardian
  can dominate a creature with an intelligence
  less than 8, use suggestion to manipulate a
  being with average intelligence of 8 to 13
  and charm another with an intelligence
  greater than 13.
  Keithos was once a sage — a skeptic,
  cynic and doubter. He works to convince
  others that immortality is a myth and any-
  thing that prolongs life is more of a curse
  than a blessing. In the original story the
  Guardian has made a pact with Captain
  Harrow to help him have one final adven-
  ture and then end his suffering. The Last has
  replaced the captain’s hand and eye with a
  piece of himself; the replacements, while
  functional are clawed and scarred. The
  Guardian and his agents seek to convince
  others to turn aside from the quest for im-
  mortality or to deny them clues vital to
  finding the well. Failing that, they use any
  means to prevent the creation of another
  eternal.
  Captain Harrow
  
  145
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  these two never met, but each respected the other’s
  abilities and grew to covet their rival’s collection.
  Master Currin is impatient, competitive, wary and
  hot-tempered, but can pretend to be friendly and
  caring when it serves his purpose. He likes to act as
  if he knows more than others do, sharing his
  knowledge only when it benefits his goals. He
  affects an air of mystery, suggesting that many
  events are rooted in the supernatural. He acts
  interested in talk about immortality and tends to
  ask many questions, always placing himself at the
  center of events, encouraging debate and distrust.
  His purpose at this auction is to acquire the most
  valuable artifacts for himself by discrediting their
  authenticity. His primary goal is to purchase the
  portrait of Lord Theone because he believes it
  conceals a map to the secret treasure hoard at the
  Well of Life.
  Mr. Gar and Mr. Kantall
  These individuals claim to be the merchant’s
  business partners, but they are rogues hired by the
  master thief to assist him in stealing Lord Theone’s
  greatest treasure. They have no idea what this
  treasure is, but the considerable sum Master Currin
  is paying has made them ready, if not altogether
  loyal accomplices. Not possessing a lot of brains,
  these two are thugs who like to intimidate marks
  and rough up those who resist. They rely on their
  brawn and cunning respectively. Mr. Gar seems an
  uninteresting simpleton, but he is a brute using his
  strength to bully others. He follows the thief’s
  orders, though his solutions to problems tend to be
  simple and brutal, either strangling his victims or
  bludgeoning them to death. Mr. Kantall has a
  mysterious air reminiscent of exotic cultures. He
  speaks little, if at all. An assassin who relies on
  cruelty and torture to get what he wants, he uses
  poisons and can turn anything into a thrown pro-
  jectile. Both are willing to follow the thief’s direction
  for now. But once the secret treasure they have
  been promised is found, they will prove there is no
  honor among thieves.
  Sir Edwin Kent
  Sir Edwin is a gentle nobleman and purport-
  edly grandnephew to Lord Theone. He is a bit of a
  cipher for on the one hand he appears to be an
  overindulgent fop pursuing all the pleasures of life,
  and on the other, he seems pleasant, interested in
  others’ opinions and willing to freely offer his
  counsel. He preens a bit too much and has the
  
  146
  DM’s Appendix
  casual attitude toward money so prevalent among
  the aristocracy. Edwin is kind and courteous, open-
  minded and amused by the evening’s proceedings.
  Though originally disowned by his great uncle, he
  has been given a second chance. As the last of Lord
  Theone’s lineage — the only surviving male, he
  becomes heir to his uncle’s legacy if he can find his
  uncle’s seal and claim it for his own. He believes he
  will find the vital clue in his uncle’s portrait, so he
  bides his time and seeks to remain unobtrusive till
  then. He will, however, protect the estate’s trea-
  sures.
  Miss Natalie “Nicky” Warren Wellbue
  Miss Wellbue is a fledgling author who is more
  comfortable with the written word than with people.
  She is shy and feels very out of place at this
  Behind the Scenes:
  Basil, the Master Thief
  The master thief known only as “Basil”
  is the one who made the failed attempt to
  break into Eldron Manor, killing one of the
  guards to avoid capture. Basil thinks well of
  himself and has greater plans for his future.
  He has a nimble mind and thinks quickly on
  his feet, readily adapting his plans to over-
  come obstacles. He is a rather charming,
  though bossy con man and uses his glib tongue
  to bluff or negotiate his way through dilem-
  mas. Basil’s exploits are the stuff of legends,
  but few know the reason for his success —
  fabled Sands of Time, an amulet holding an
  enchanted hourglass, taken from a slain mage.
  This amulet grants him power to control his
  own time, but at the cost of stolen years. Basil
  has already aged four score years though his
  half-elven blood conceals this fact. The mas-
  ter thief seeks to steal Lord Theone’s legendary
  treasure because he believes that among the
  items in the aristocrat’s collection lies a se-
  cret that can reclaim his lost years, a potion
  or artifact to restore youth. Basil is not only
  a master thief, but also a master of disguise,
  assuming the guise of one of the invited
  guests in an effort to get a second chance to
  steal the legendary secret of Lord Theone.
  The DM may use Basil as an additional com-
  plication for the player characters, replacing
  de l’Ombre or an NPC of the DM’s creation.
  gathering. She only came at the behest of her friend
  Señor Ramirez whom she cares for dearly. The
  caretaker commissioned her to prepare the catalog
  Sir Edwin Kent
  Miss “Nicky” Warren
  
  147
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  Eternity or The One
  This being is the first true immortal in the realm. The sole survivor of an ill-fated adventure,
  he somehow won the blessing and curse of eternal life at the cost of his friends’ lives. He has lived
  many lives since then and long ago abandoned his given name referring to himself as Eternity or
  The One. He uses different aliases, plays on words such as his most recent identity as Eowyn Tierny
  Tytian or “E. Tierny T.” and Lord Theone or “The One.” A consummate actor, The One can
  assume so many roles and personalities that it is difficult to know his true nature. He is a pragmatist
  and will do whatever it takes to hide his nature, willingly playing the fool. He can be both easily
  amused and easily insulted, quietly thoughtful and loudly demanding, a sympathetic soul and a cold
  uncaring heart, but every so often his mask slips. Then one sees his true self, a bit too serious, dead
  to joy, impatient with folly, annoyed with the constraints of society.
  In truth, The One is jaded and miserable with eternal life. After burying countless loved ones
  and making and losing power and fortunes, he tried his hand as a villain, taking whatever he wanted
  and committing any crime necessary to claim a prize. It was while on this dark path that his selfish
  desires led the Mists of Ravenloft to claim him. Now he wanders the Dread Realm forever, not a
  dark lord but a lost soul. In exile, he found the only constant is that nothing is forever, except that
  he will forever be denied happiness. Several generations ago he decided that what he needed were
  companions, some one who understood his misery, some one who would not die. Thus, he invented
  the Game. He seeks worthy individuals, people he likes to become candidates for immortality and
  tests them for a time. When he feels they are ready, he tempts them with tales of the great quest
  for the secret of eternity. He encourages them to discover the mysterious path for themselves and
  marks each candidate with a brand of a dark sun somewhere on their body, so that other candidates
  will know them. He cannot show them the way to the Well of Life, because he can no longer find
  it. He has played the game for two hundred years, but as far as he knows no one has ever won.
  Eternity has several abilities he may use learned during his infinite years of life. He possesses
  an incredible amount of knowledge and skills that he may call upon as if rank +7 for any skill. There
  is a chance that he may remember a historical fact, legend or a command word as if he possessed
  the legend lore ability of a 20th level bard. He is also a master of weapons and martial arts possessing
  all the skills and special abilities of a 13th level monk. However, many of his abilities rely on fading
  memories. To aid his memory he had a magical stone created. This ring recovers both lost memories
  and memories of his identity. The stone may also be used to raise an ability score temporarily
  providing heightened speed (haste), strength, dexterity, defenses and other scores, such as attack
  and ability bonuses, or mental strength, Will saves and spells possessed in past incarnations. Lastly,
  the ring can also invoke a recall spell to help him escape.
  The secret of Eternity’s longevity comes from the power of an inner light he won at the Well
  of Life. This power gave him a heightened Constitution of 25 with a Fortitude save of +7. He can
  manipulate the power of the light within himself to resist damage up to 15 points and regenerate
  any type of damage to reconstitute his body at a rate of 5. He can be slain and suffers the agonies
  of death, but he does not stay dead, regenerating his form or transferring his intelligence to one of
  his candidate’s bodies, inheriting their life and expelling the candidate’s spirit. Then, through the
  power of the recall stone he can transform the new body into the image of his original form. He can
  also share a bit of the power of life re-kindling an artificial life where it has recently fled.
  Unfortunately, revived bodies do not heal and eventually the flesh mortifies and rots while the
  brain suffers a permanent loss of half its intelligence and wisdom. Only total destruction of the body
  can end this mockery of life.
  It is possible to learn clues to the current identity of The One from others who encountered
  him in the past. Clues to his identity may include mannerisms, natural marks, common verbal
  expressions and character preferences. For instance, he might like fine foods or be a risk taker or
  possess skills higher than his apparent rank. He has prepared for future exiles by hiding several
  caches of moneys, treasures and deeds, as well as tools and weapons to reclaim if needed.
  
  148
  DM’s Appendix
  and history of items for sale and to create a biogra-
  phy of his former master’s life. She hopes to gain
  some insights into Lord Theone by observing those
  who interested him. She takes notes about each of
  the guests for character studies for her writing.
  Though very quiet and unobtrusive, Nicky is intel-
  ligent and deduces things that few others see. She
  is socially very awkward and tends to stammer and
  look at the floor when talking to others, only
  studying someone when she thinks no one is watch-
  ing her. She does not like physical contact or
  crowds. She will not drink and covers her nose with
  a handkerchief when in the company of smokers.
  She has grown fond of Senor Ramirez’s clerk, but is
  uncertain how he feels toward her. Nicky is looking
  for an ending to her biography, little expecting that
  she is just writing another chapter in the never-
  ending existence of Lord Theone.
  scientific terminology and ignoring the blank stares
  and protests. He lectures when he speaks about
  history or science, becoming very excited and
  animated when dealing with his favorite topics. He
  may seem a bit absent-minded, impatient and rude,
  but this is because he is distracted with his thoughts
  racing ahead to other hypotheses. His research has
  convinced him of the existence of an eternal,
  immortal being. He believes that such an Eternal
  could prove to be the greatest treasure of the realm
  because of what he must have learned and experi-
  enced. The doctor knows an incredible amount of
  history and lore, and some may mistake him for the
  Eternal One because he knows so much trivia. He
  has a passionate vision of engaging this Eternal in
  exciting dialogues about history and science. The
  doctor seeks to prove to the world that an immortal
  does exist.
  Darren Thurrow
  Thurrow is Doctor Cameron’s young assistant.
  He is eager to please and wants to not only learn
  from this great man, but to follow in his footsteps
  and one day become a great scholar. Darren pro-
  vides the common sense, social grace and humanity
  that the doctor ignores in pursuit of knowledge. He
  is rather nimble and agile, both in body and in
  mind, but he is not much of a fighter. He is quick
  Doctor Melrose Elliott Cameron
  Dr. Cameron is the epitome of the driven
  scholar: intelligent, infatuated with science, in-
  wardly focused and lacking in social graces. The
  doctor believes that the pursuit of knowledge is the
  highest calling and does not give a lot of attention
  to courtesy or polite behavior nor does he consider
  consequences when a new discovery is possible. He
  tends to talk over the heads of most people, using
  Doctor Cameron
  Darren Thurrow
  
  149
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  to echo his teacher’s opinions adding sensitivity
  and diplomacy, but he lacks the narrow perspec-
  tive, fervor and stubborn conviction of his mentor.
  Darren is eager to prove his worth when shown
  approval by his mentor and seeks the scholar’s
  insight and instruction. Otherwise, despite the
  energy and inquisitiveness of youth, he is humble
  and self-deprecating and is a bit in awe of the
  company the doctor keeps. His goal is to keep his
  master alive and act as his eyes, ears and strong arms
  in pursuit of Doctor Cameron’s quest.
  Charles and Ilsa Tempiere
  These two associates are not really brother and
  sister, hence the lack of family resemblance. While they
  profess to be followers of a religious order, they are in truth
  committed members of the Cult of Light, a secret qabal
  devoted to the capture and destruction of a creature they
  call the Evil One. These two do have a bond, but it is
  scarcely familial or romantic, more the devotion and
  loyalty between comrades-in-arms. Together, these two
  seem grim and humorless, at times snobbish and stand-
  offish, and both seem overly logical and pragmatic. Ilsa
  is emotional and temperamental, driven by her fear and
  sense of impending doom. Charles is calm and calculat-
  ing one, always observing and analyzing weaknesses to
  exploit. Neither is very diplomatic or polite. They
  possess a very narrow view and do not care much for
  Ilsa Tempiere
  Charles Tempiere
  The Cult of Light
  This qabal is devoted to the eradication of the Evil
  One, an immortal whose very existence is an abomina-
  tion. Members believe this creature is responsible for
  numerous crimes and atrocities throughout the ages, and
  that he corrupts decent men and women with the false
  promise of immortality. An immortal is contrary to
  nature, for any who possess such a power will surely
  forsake their humanity and view mankind as their play-
  things. While members of this cult vary, they are all
  rather grim and humorless, though one must admire their
  dedication to the quest and their steadfast loyalty to
  fellow cult members. Indeed, if cult members have a
  weakness, it is their selfless bond to each other.
  Cult members champion the innocent and injured.
  If they suspect that an individual has been tainted by
  contact with the Evil One, they may seek to redeem the
  lost soul by slaying him. Knowing that the Evil One has
  eyes and ears everywhere, agents of the cult operate
  incognito and recognize other members by the symbol of
  an eclipsed sun on a ring, piece of jewelry, tattoo or bit of
  embroidery secreted on their person. The cult accepts all
  character classes into their ranks, but is lead by a hierar-
  chy of clergy that not only command their limited forces,
  but can call on the special talents of clerical inquisitors
  and crusaders, enlightened diviners and scholars and
  blooded cleansers.
  
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  DM’s Appendix
  others who are too blind to recognize the evil in the
  world. These two are no nonsense and reject the idea
  that an immortal being could be good. Their mission this
  night is to win the portrait of Lord Theone for their order,
  so that at last they may put a face on the Evil One. They
  will let nothing and no one stand in their way, believing
  the ends justify even extreme means.
  New Monsters
  This section presents new creatures designed
  for use in To Inherit Eternity, though the DM may
  find them suitable for other scenarios as well.
  The Ambient
  Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
  Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
  Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
  Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
  Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  9d12 (59 hp)
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  + 10
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  flow 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft.
  Armour Class:
  Armour Class:
  Armour Class:
  Armour Class:
  Armour Class:
  24 (+6 Dex, +8 deflection), touch
  24, flat-footed 18
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Engulf+16 melee (1d6 Con + stun 1d4
  rounds) or phase through +16 melee
  (1db Con + stun 1d4 rounds) or ray of
  light +11 ranged (2d8) or shaped force
  field +8 ranged (2d8)
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  3 engulfs+16 melee (1d6 Con + stun
  1d4 rounds) or 3 phase throughs +16
  melee (1db Con + stun 1d4 rounds) or
  3 rays of light +11 ranged (2d8) or 3
  shaped force fields +8 ranged (2d8)
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Alternate forms, blind, reflect attacks
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
   Blindsight, damage reduction 15/
  darkness, incorporeal traits, invis-
  ibility, energy resistance (light and
  electricity) 20, spells, undead traits
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +14
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Str –, Dex 23, Con –, Int 17, Wis 16,
  Cha 10
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Concentration +3, Handle Animal +5,
  Heal +8, Knowledge (lore) +13,
  Knowledge (the Mists) +13, Move
  Silently +16, Sense Motive +8,
  Spellcraft +18
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Blind-fight, Improved Initiative,
  Mobility, Silent Spell
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  The Mists
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Solitary
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  10
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  drained magical treasures
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Always neutral
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Unique
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  —
  This creature, seemingly made of living light, is
  neither living nor dead.
  The ambient is a unique creation of the Mists,
  a being of energy and force. An amorphous floating
  mass of quivering light changes shape and solidity
  at will, the ambient is often mistaken for a natural
  phenomenon rather than a living entity. It lives
  and draws sustenance from the black waters of the
  Well of Life and the mystic energies of magic and
  life. It does not tolerate intruders long, using its
  brilliance to drive back creatures of the Darque
  while testing other intruders.
  Possessing an alien intelligence, the only
  sounds the ambient produces are musical tones
  similar to wind chimes. It is difficult to communi-
  cate with the entity. The ambient manifests colors
  that might be interpreted as emotions though they
  are not completely analogous and have no real
  human equivalents. It turns red when content or
  amused indicating that it does not feel threatened.
  Its hue shifts to purple when it is trying to under-
  stand, empathize with or manipulate others. A
  green tint signals either annoyance or perceived
  threat. When its surface turns a pulsing silvery-
  blue, it is intrigued or interested. Lastly, when its
  light darkens and takes on a black and gold hue, the
  creature seems curious and playful.
  
  151
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  Normally the ambient rests in a dormant stage
  looking like a pool of water or a floating mist. Once
  disturbed by heat or energy, the ambient bursts into
  animation, flowing together and coalescing into a
  more coherent form to observe and interact with
  interlopers. The ambient has the power to control
  the very essence of its domain, the Mists and the
  Darque, to create, reshape and animate a variety of
  challenges from its substance, including mazes and
  obstacles, dangerous terrains, weatherlike manifes-
  tations and even supernatural effects that emulate
  up through 3rd level sorcerer spells. Its actions are
  a wondrous and confusing sight.
  If the ambient is sufficiently amused and sati-
  ated, it may grant a trespasser his innermost desire,
  though this is rarely what the recipient thinks of as
  his greatest wish. The ambient can alter anything
  within its domain, transforming it through a vari-
  ety of methods. It may create a mirror that passes
  through a creature, changing the creature as it does
  so. It can create a clone of its very being and then
  infuse the mortal with this light. It may absorb its
  prize into the womb of its domain then give birth
  to a new being. The ambient’s actions seem capri-
  cious and random, and however it chooses to act,
  it is rarely as expected. Its gifts always bear an
  unexpected burden that plagues their recipients for
  the rest of their lives.
  Combat
  The ambient disguises its intelligence until it
  has taken the measure of its foes, creating chal-
  lenges and observing reactions for a time. A creature
  acting violently or drinking from the Well of Life
  elicits a personal response from the entity. It ini-
  tially ignores or reflects attacks back onto its
  attackers, until it suffers a significant degree of
  discomfort. When it does attack, the ambient fires
  beams of burning light at its foes or reshapes itself
  into a living weapon of razor sharp force. It may also
  engulf a victim with its substance or phase through
  an attacker, temporarily stunning and draining
  Constitution from its opponents. Lost Constitu-
  tion may be recovered at a rate of 1 point per half
  hour of rest. If Constitution falls to 0, the victim is
  permitted a DC 15 Fortitude save to fall uncon-
  scious, otherwise he dies and the ambient absorbs
  his form. The ambient may attack up to three
  targets a round, but takes only one attack per
  target. It may also use any of its special abilities in
  lieu of a normal attack.
  The ambient cannot die, for it draws its exist-
  ence from the Mists, but it may be dispersed for 1d8
  hours by reducing its hit points to 0. Unfortu-
  nately, since the ambient holds the creatures of the
  Darque at bay, vanquishing the ambient releases
  the Darque to attack at will.
  Alternate Forms (Ex): This creature of living
  liquid light can alter its shape and form at will. The
  ambient can assume many forms, including a glim-
  mering cloud, a scintillating rain or iridescent
  droplets of dew. It can be transparent, ephemeral,
  reflective or hard; the more solid its nature, the
  thinner its form. Its most common form is that of a
  blob of light. It cannot attack during the round in
  which it changes forms.
  Blind (Ex): Instead of attacking during a
  round, the ambient can generate a flash of dazzling
  light to blind its opponents. Victims must make a
  DC 20 Reflex save. Failure results in blindness for
  25 rounds minus 1 round per point of Constitution.
  A successful save blinds the target for 1 round and
  stuns her for 1d4 additional rounds.
  Reflect attacks (Ex): The ambient can reflect
  the effects of an attack back on the attacker or onto
  another target. The creature must succeed on a
  normal attack roll (the target is considered flat-
  footed). A successful hit means that the damage of
  one attack affects the new target.
  Invisibility (Ex): The ambient can dim its
  light, becoming invisible, as the spell. This is a full-
  round action. While invisible, the ambient cannot
  use any of its special abilities or attacks.
  Spells: As a 9th level sorcerer.
  The Darque
  Large Aberration
  Large Aberration
  Large Aberration
  Large Aberration
  Large Aberration
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  6d8 (30 hp)
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  + 4
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  40 ft. (8 squares), shadow step 120
  ft., spider climb 40 ft.
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  19 (+4 Dex, –1 size, +6 natural), touch
  13, flat footed 15
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+7
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Dark limb +8 melee (2d6 +2) or
  shadow darts +4 ranged (1d6)
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Dark limb +8 melee (2d6 +2) or
  shadow darts +4 ranged (1d6)
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  5 ft. /10 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Engulf, frightful presence, grow a
  limb, incapacitate, phased trample
  (damage 3d4, stuns)
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Incorporeal, shadow blend, shadow
  step, silent image
  
  152
  DM’s Appendix
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +11
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Str 15, Dex 18, Con 21, Int 11, Wis 16,
  Cha 5
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Listen +9, Sense Motive +9
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Alertness, Blind-fight, Combat
  Reflexes, Mobility
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  The Mists
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Pack or hive
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  5
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  None
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Usually chaotic neutral
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  7-8 HD (Large); 9 HD (Huge)
  Out of the gloom they bound, congealed shadows
  whose baying freezes hearts with fear.
  Darque creatures have the malleability of liv-
  ing shadows. Some assume the shape of great,
  slinking cats or hulking ursine monsters. Others
  are nimble apes or snorting boars. All that is sure is
  that they are not of any of the realms, but dwell in
  the dark and swirling Mists, waiting to bound forth
  when summoned or in pursuit of fleeing prey. Once
  they have caught a scent or tasted blood, they are
  indefatigable hunters.
  The darque are fiercely territorial and treat all
  trespassers as prey. They devour flesh and fire as
  well as suck warmth from the marrow of the living.
  Swift and sure of foot, they cling to any surface,
  possessing the ability to spring from shadow to
  shadow so that they can leap to ambush their
  victims.
  Combat
  The darque prefer to hunt in
  dimly lit and shadow-filled or dark
  environs that gives them the am-
  bush advantage. Bright or magical
  lights banish the shadows, encour-
  aging the darque to retreat till a
  more opportune time. Sometimes,
  they attempt to extinguish any
  flames or lights.
  Engulf (Ex): The creature may
  envelope its foe in its shadowy sub-
  stance as a swallow whole attack
  (see Monster Manual). The creature
  must succeed in two successive
  grapples to do so. Engulfed victims
  must make a Fortitude check (DC equals 15
  + 1 for each round after the first) or lose
  1d6 Constitution. When Constitution
  drops below 0, the victim suffocates.
  Grow a Limb (Ex): In lieu of one of its attacks,
  the creature may form another limb, head or weapon
  to gain an additional attack per round. A creature
  may gain a number of attacks equal to its number of
  hit dice. For every 5 points of damage it suffers, it
  loses one attack.
  Incapacitate (Su): The beast may attack to
  incapacitate, inflicting only nonlethal damage to its
  foe. A successful incapacitation attack requires the
  victim to make a Fortitude save (DC 13 +1 per point
  of damage inflicted by attack). A successful save deals
  nonlethal damage only, but a failed save results in
  some minor handicap or incapacitation — blinding,
  choking or partial paralysis in a limb for 1d4 rounds.
  Partial paralysis results in a penalty of-1 per successful
  attack to any Strength or Dexterity action and any
  Fortitude and Reflex saves for the effect’s duration.
  Phased Trample (Su): A creature of the darque
  may make a trample attack against an opponent by
  running through it. This action is the same as the
  trample attack (see Monster Manual). If the attack
  is successful, the beast may make a trip attack (see
  Player’s Handbook), and victims must make a DC
  18 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1d4 rounds.
  Shadow Blend (Su): In
  environments rife with
  shadows, a darque creature
  can fade into the shade
  making it essentially in-
  visible (total concealment)
  until it moves. Bright light
  negates.
  Shadow Step (Su):
  The beast can travel swiftly
  by stepping into any Me-
  dium or larger shadow and
  emerging from another
  shadow up to 120 feet dis-
  tant as a normal move.
  Silent Image (Sp):
  Instead of attacking, a
  darque creature may cre-
  ate at will a phantom
  image from the
  substance of
  shadow as if
  casting silent im-
  age at a level equal
  to the creature’s hit
  dice.
  
  153
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  The Lost (Echoes or Shells)
  Medium Aberration (Shapechanger)
  Medium Aberration (Shapechanger)
  Medium Aberration (Shapechanger)
  Medium Aberration (Shapechanger)
  Medium Aberration (Shapechanger)
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  3d8+9 (23 hp)
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  +3
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  40 ft. (8 squares), warp 300 ft.
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-
  footed 14
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Weapon +3 melee (1d6+1); Missile
  weapon +3 ranged (1d6)
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Weapon +3 melee (1d6+1); Missile
  weapon +3 ranged (1d6)
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
   5 ft. /5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Shadow magic, shadow creations
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Imitate skill, know language, major
  creation, memory read, mimic voice,
  regenerate +2/cold, magic and
  mental, blindsight, shape change
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +3
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Str 13, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 11,
  Cha 16
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Bluff +5 , Hide +3, Move Silently +3
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Blind-fight, Endurance
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  The Mists
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Colony (1-20 or 5-100)
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  2
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  False shadow creations
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Usually lawful neutral
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  4-5 HD (Medium); 6 HD (Large)
  There is more sight and sound than substance to
  these creatures approaching from the shadows.
  The lost draw their substance and sustenance
  from the Mists. As living fields of force, they can
  bend and reshape light to take on any appearance
  they choose. Also called echoes or shells, these
  entities interact on both a physical and mental
  level with other creatures, appearing to speak their
  language while actually communicating mind to
  mind. A shell may imitate any sound or animal cry.
  In their natural form, the lost are shimmering fields
  of force that reform into other shapes as needed.
  They may alter the texture of their surface to
  simulate any substance and can wrap themselves
  with envelopes of light to take on the appearance
  of flesh and fur.
  Using their power to command the substance
  of the Mists, they can create clothing, tools, weap-
  ons and almost any other substance as if using major
  creation. In addition, these entities can reshape the
  ethereal matter of the Mists to recreate any envi-
  ronment within 100 feet of the creature. When
  encountered away from the depths of the Mists, the
  lost may still alter their appearance, but their
  ability to create substance is limited to their per-
  sonal space and to the emulation of attack forms
  such as magic and missiles.
  Though the motives of the lost are uncertain,
  they often act in concert, reacting to intruders by
  adopting appearances and emulating events drawn
  from their target’s memories. A shell may recreate
  images of friends, foes and events to fight or frighten
  aggressive creatures. Rarely does a shell change
  shape within sight of another creature. Most meet-
  ings with the lost result in the character reliving
  some event from his past with a chance to alter his
  actions to determine what might have been.
  Shells do not appear to sleep or eat, though
  they may simulate these activities. They draw
  sustenance from the Mists and may feed on alterna-
  tive sources of energy by draining magic or absorbing
  lightning and flame attacks, from which they suffer
  only minimal damage. They take nonlethal dam-
  age only from most attacks except for cold, magic
  or mental attacks. These inflict normal damage.
  Shells move by willpower as if hovering just
  above the landscape, or they may instantaneously
  warp (personal teleport) up to 300 feet away, though
  this is reserved for ambush or retreat.
  
  154
  DM’s Appendix
  Combat
  A shell can emulate any form of physical
  combat, using claws and bites in bestial form or
  weapons and missiles as a humanoid. Any weap-
  ons, however, evaporate within an hour of being
  separated from the shell. Shells attack in a manner
  consistent with the memory they recreate, though
  they act more intuitively because they do not need
  to see and are surprised only by impulsive and
  irrational actions.
  Imitate Skill (Ex): In conjunction with its
  memory-read ability, the lost may imitate the use of
  any Skill at the level of the creature they are
  imitating, but suffer a -2 penalty when using that
  skill.
  Know Language (Su): In conjunction with its
  memory-read ability, this creature can speak tele-
  pathically in any language its subject understands,
  though the subject imagines he hears a voice.
  Major Creation (Sp): The lost can reshape
  the Mists within a 100 foot radius as a 10th level
  sorcerer to duplicate any setting or environment.
  Several lost can work together to extend this range
  by 100 feet per additional lost.
  Memory Read (Su): The lost possess the
  natural ability to read the memories, but not the
  thoughts of those within 120 feet. They use this
  knowledge to imitate a character or creature previ-
  ously encountered. Those whose memory is being
  read may once every ten minutes attempt a DC 18
  Will save to notice something different or incon-
  gruent with his or her memories.
  Shadow Creations/Magic (Sp): The lost may
  manipulate the substance of the Mists to create
  tools, weapons and armor or to simulate the use of
  1st through 4th level sorcerer spells that the crea-
  ture they are imitating might reasonably possess.
  These items and spell-like effects dissolve or dispel
  when moved beyond a 100 foot range of its creator.
  Chapter Two: The Curse
  of Ashington Manor
  his section contains a description of the
  magic item central to The Curse of
  Ashington Manor along with a new mon-
  ster and descriptions of major NPCs.
  New Magic Item
  The following item is particularly suited to
  The Curse of Ashington Manor, though DMs may
  find it useful in their own campaigns with some
  adjustment.
  Rozaleen’s Tarokka Deck
  This minor artifact is a slightly worn tarokka
  deck created by a brilliant artist who had an eye for
  extreme grotesquery. It remained a prized heirloom
  for a particular family of Zarovan Vistani for gen-
  erations, until its final member, Rozaleen, was
  murdered just as she was blossoming into woman-
  hood. The passage of time has obscured the identity
  of the deck’s maker. Some believe only Madame
  Eva, the Zarovan’s powerful matriarch, Madame
  Eva, could create a tarokka deck of such great
  power. Others hold that the deck must have been
  a product of the dark beings that drove the Vistani
  into an eternally nomadic existence, citing as proof
  the deck’s inherent power, macabre imagery and
  the fact that it brought the family that possessed it
  suffering and doom. With the death of Rozaleen,
  the full power of the deck (as well as the curses it
  carries) is likely to become as forgotten as its
  creator.
  The back of the cards in Rozaleen’s Tarokka
  Deck displays a Vistani symbol of death. The front
  of the cards all contain images incorporating the
  traditional iconography of the tarokka but which
  focus on Vistani suffering in every way imaginable.
  
  155
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  The only exception to the litany of horror
  seems, at first glance, to be the cards of the Fortuna
  Magna, or the high deck. The traditional images
  associated with these cards either incorporate a
  beautiful Vistani woman directly, or are seen in the
  background while Vistani women in the fore-
  ground perform everyday chores, dance, or read the
  cards. A closer look reveals that the images show
  the same Vistani woman. If placed in a particular
  order (The Mists, The Innocent, The Raven, The
  Hero, The Artifact, The Temptress, The Mari-
  onette, The Spirit, The Beast, The Hangman, The
  Prison, The Broken One, The Horseman and The
  Dark Master), they show her decaying from a
  vibrant young girl to a withered crone and ulti-
  mately to a lichlike figure. Characters succeeding
  in a DC 15 Spot check (if examining the entire
  deck) or a DC 10 Spot check (if looking only at the
  Fortuna Magna) may recognize the pattern.
  Any character who is at least one-quarter
  Vistani who handles Rozaleen’s Tarokka Deck
  must make a DC 13 Fortitude save. If she succeeds,
  she feels a strange sensation creep across them… a
  sense that the deck is alive with magical energy and
  that every Vistani who has used it has somehow left
  a bit of her essence with the deck. However, the
  character also feels a sense of loss and incomplete-
  ness. If the character fails the saving throw, she is
  overwhelmed by the sensations, falls unconscious
  for 1d6 rounds and must make a DC 19 Horror save.
  If the horror save is failed, the character suffers a
  minor horror effect (see the Ravenloft Player’s
  Handbook). While unconscious, the character
  experiences the sights, sounds and extreme suffer-
  ing of Rozaleen’s final moments as if it were
  happening to the character. (See Chapter two for
  details of Rozaleen’s fate.)
  A check of the deck by someone with at least
  passing familiarity with the tarokka shows that two
  of the cards are missing — the Five of Swords from
  the lesser Deck of Fate and the Innocent card from
  the Fortuna Magna. Any character with the slight-
  est touch of Vistani blood in her veins, however,
  has an instinctive feeling that this deck still has the
  power to tell the future, even with the missing
  cards. In fact, this deck has a capacity and flexibil-
  ity that goes well beyond normal tarokka decks.
  (See the Ravenloft Dungeon Master’s Guide
  Chapter Four for information on the effectiveness
  of tarokka decks.)
  The deck is unusual in that it retains prophetic
  powers even in the hands of those not of the creator’s
  bloodline. Any person, male or female, regardless of
  whether or not they possess Vistani blood, can use
  Rozaleen’s Tarokka Deck to read the future with
  some degree of accuracy. Additionally, the deck
  functions with cards missing, even if those cards have
  been destroyed. (Naturally, the readings are not as
  reliable as those made with a full tarokka deck.)
  Characters with even a trace of Vistani blood
  can use the deck to do augury with a reading once per
  day, as well as divination as if cast by a 10th level
  cleric (with an 80% chance of success), once per day.
  One-quarter and half-Vistani can use the deck
  as if it was created by a full-Vistani blood-relative
  with the effectiveness outlined in Chapter Four of
  the Ravenloft Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  In the hands of a full-blooded Vistani, the
  deck is even more powerful. When a full-blooded
  Vistani uses Rozaleen’s Tarokka Deck, the cards do
  no so much foretell the future as determine it.
  Whenever the deck is used to see the future or fate
  for a particular individual, the information re-
  vealed by the cards will occur. When used by a
  full-blooded Vistani, the deck flawlessly picks the
  focus card that describes the subject of the reading,
  and the past card is also always accurate. Of course,
  the tarokka deck is always open to a certain degree
  of interpretation by the Vistana using the deck, so
  to some extent, the deck allows the Vistani to
  dictate the subject’s fate. If the Vistana attempts to
  put a positive spin on the reading, there is no
  particular risk to her. However, if she acts with
  malice and attempts to doom the subject to a dire
  fate, she must make a base 2% powers check. If the
  Vistana is aware of the powers of the deck, the
  check is at a base of 4%.
  The deck also places a curse on whoever uses
  it. After performing a reading with the deck, the
  character suffers a -2 penalty to all saving throws
  and skill checks, and all undead she comes into
  contact will focus their attacks on her first. (The
  undead may change their target if a greater threat
  to their existence is nearby, but the cursed charac-
  ter will always be the first target of choice.)
  This curse lasts until the next full moon, or
  until the character is the subject of remove curse.
  (The DM should not inform the player of this
  curse, but instead allow the player to figure it out.)
  This curse takes effect only with the first reading
  the character performs during each lunar cycle.
  Repeated readings don’t increase the penalty, nor
  does the curse return if other readings are per-
  formed during the same lunar cycle.
  
  156
  DM’s Appendix
  New Monster
  This section introduces a new monster inte-
  gral to The Curse of Ashington Manor. DMs may
  wish to incorporate the following creature into
  their own campaigns as well.
  Vehrteig
  Medium Humanoid
  Medium Humanoid
  Medium Humanoid
  Medium Humanoid
  Medium Humanoid
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  1d6 +2 (6 hp)
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  +2
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  30 ft. (6 squares)
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  14 (+2 Dex, +2 leather armor), touch
  12, flat-footed 12
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+1
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Dagger +0 melee (1d4) or unarmed
  (1d2, plus venom) or dagger +2 ranged
  (1d4)
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
   Dagger +0 melee (1d4) or unarmed
  (1d2, plus venom) or dagger +2 ranged
  (1d4)
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Charm person, death gaze, fascinate,
  venom, spells
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Bardic Knowledge, bardic music,
  mutual recognition, sense evil
  countersong, immunity to aging and
  divination, exceptional recuperative
  powers, inspire courage +1, immunity
  to sinkholes of evil
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Str 11, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 11,
  Cha 15
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Bluff +8, Concentration +3, Decipher
  Script +3, Diplomacy +6, Escape
  Artist +4, Gather Information +4,
  Sense Motive +6, Spot +2, Perform
  +3 (sing), Perform +2 (lute).
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Negotiator
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Any Ravenloft or Gothic Earth
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Solitary
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  6
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Standard
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Usually neutral evil
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  By class
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  +4
  The dark-haired beauty continued to sing, her
  angelic voice horrifically at odds with the orgy of
  violence unfolding in the grand hall, as men who hours
  earlier had been comrades-in-arms hacked each other
  to pieces. A warrior charges at her, blood-encrusted
  axe upraised, only to fall dead at her feet as his eyes met
  her calm, dark-eyed gaze. She never stopped singing.
  The Vistani fear few supernatural horrors, but
  first among those they dread are the vehrteig.
  Vehrteig are a race of humanoids whose pres-
  ence in the domains goes unnoticed and undetected
  by most. When detected, they are often assumed to
  be succubae, because they are present at the center
  of extreme cases of perversion, corruption and
  violence. Unlike their demonic counterparts, how-
  ever, vehrteig don’t necessarily encourage
  perversion and corruption — they merely feed on
  it.
  In a manner that is not understood, vehrteig
  sustain themselves by absorbing the negative ener-
  gies released when mortals inflict pain and terror
  upon one another or engage in other perverted
  acts. Like a hungry man drawn to the smell of a
  roasting pig, so is a vehrteig drawn to the
  paranormal stench of suffer-
  ing and evil. Once present
  at a “feast,” the vehrteig
  latches onto the most evil
  perpetrator and does what-
  ever she can to encourage
  his evil and perverse acts to
  get even worse. Once the
  vehrteig has sated herself,
  she uses her powers and
  natural venoms to drive
  the evil-doers insane and
  turn them upon one an-
  other. By kissing, scratching
  or intercourse with the most
  evil person present, the
  vehrteig infuses the evil-
  doer with a powerful
  venom, turning him into a
  paranoid, homicidal
  maniac. This
  results
  
  157
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  in one final orgy of violence, as the evil ones attack
  and destroy one another. Ironically, any surviving
  victims of the abusers often view the vehrteig as
  their savior, believing her presence caused their
  tormentors to turn on each other.
  As mentioned, the existence of the vehrteig is
  not widely known. The Vistani are all familiar with
  them, however, and the two races share both a
  supernatural and historical bond.
  The Vistani fear the vehrteig because they are
  immune to the most potent Vistani weapons — the
  evil eye, curses and prophetic powers. Fortunately,
  Vistani can recognize a vehrteig since the creature
  exudes a supernatural aura that causes the hairs on
  the back of a Vistana’s neck to stand up. When
  possible, Vistani will flee rather than confront a
  vehrteig.
  Only the Vistani elders, who pass the knowl-
  edge along only to certain acknowledged successors,
  know the nature of the historical bond between the
  vehrteig and the Vistani. Speculations abound,
  some rumors holding that the vehrteig are servants
  of the great evil that drove the Vistani into the
  Realm of Dread, and that they are here to seek out
  a way for their master to visit retribution upon its
  hated enemies.
  Vehrteig are always females. They share many
  of the Vistani’s physical characteristics and are
  most often assumed to be half-Vistani by giorgios.
  How they reproduce is unknown even to the Vistani,
  but some speculate that they arise spontaneously
  from sinkholes of evil. Others believe they are the
  dark powers made flesh. Some believe the vehrteig
  are sent from the worlds beyond the Mists, as
  mentioned above.
  Vehrteig are fluent in Patterna, and most
  know several other domain languages. Aside from
  Patterna, vehrteig do not appear to have a native
  language, another source of speculation among the
  Vistani.
  Combat
  Vehrteig avoid physical combat whenever
  possible, relying instead on their special abilities
  and charming personalities to either defuse a con-
  frontation before violence is directed toward them,
  or to encourage someone to fight on their behalf.
  When cornered, they rely on spells and dirty tricks
  to defend themselves. More often than not, they
  attack unarmed, attempting to scratch or bite their
  target and infect them with their insanity-causing
  venom. (The poison won’t help the vehrteig im-
  mediately, but may give it some revenge from the
  grave should the vehrteig fall to her attacker.)
  Aging Immunity (Su): Vehrteig are immune
  to all natural and unnatural aging. Only violent
  death can end their lives.
  Charm Person (Sp): Twice per day, vehrteig
  can use charm person as a spell-like ability. The
  ability functions as a 2nd level arcane spellcaster.
  The vehrteig must make eye contact with the
  person she wishes to charm.
  Death Gaze (Sp): Once per month, the
  vehrteig can kill a victim with a single look. After
  locking eyes with the target, the vehrteig need only
  exert the smallest amount of will to cause his death
  (a free action). The target receives a Fortitude save
  with a -2 penalty if he has previously been charmed
  by the vehrteig, and an additional -4 penalty if he
  has her venom coursing through his veins. If the
  save fails, the target dies instantly. If the saving
  throw is successful, the target suffers 10d6 points of
  damage. The target might die from the damage
  even if the saving throw is successful.
  Divination Immunity (Ex): Vehrteig are im-
  mune to all spells and spell-like effects that draw
  upon the school of divination. It’s as though they
  are divorced from reality, or so intertwined with it
  that magic cannot trace their presence or predict
  their path.
  Exceptional Recuperative Powers (Ex): A
  wounded vehrteig heals 50% of its total hit points
  for each day of total rest, 25% of its total hit points
  if active. These regenerative powers work on all hit
  point damage so long as the vehrteig is not reduced
  below -10 hp; she appears to be dead once she drops
  below 0 hit points, but she will revive three hours
  after her “death,” returned to 0 hit points. Any
  attribute point drain or loss is recovered at the rate
  of two attribute points per day.
  Evil Eye Immunity (Ex): Vehrteig have com-
  plete immunity to all of the powers of the Vistani
  evil eye.
  Sense Evil (Su): Vehrteig can detect evil (and
  thus potential sources or nourishment). By making
  a DC 11 Spot check, a vehrteig can sense whether
  a given location is a sinkhole of evil. They receive
  a +1 bonus to the check for each rank of the
  sinkhole.
  Sinkhole of Evil Immunity (Su): Vehrteig
  are immune to the spiritual weight of their prime
  feeding grounds.
  
  158
  DM’s Appendix
  Venom (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 19, initial
  and secondary damage progressive paranoia peak-
  ing at homicidal rage. The save DC is
  Constitution-based. A successful save postpones
  the effect for 1d8 days; a failure brings on the
  paranoia in 2d4 hours. Spells and potions that
  neutralize poison negate the vehrteig venom.
  A kiss or scratch from a vehrteig infuses a slow-
  acting venom into the target. If given two rounds
  to prepare for combat, the vehrteig can lick the
  blade of a dagger and deliver its venom with a stab.
  The venom is only good for one attack. If fighting
  unarmed, the vehrteig need only inflict 1 point of
  unarmed damage.
  Spells: A vehrteig casts arcane spells as a 1st
  level bard.
  Typical Bard spells Known (2 0-level; save DC
  13 + spell level): 0 — daze, lullaby, mage hand,
  message.
  Mutual Recognition (Su): Vehrteig and
  Vistani share a mysterious bond that allows them
  to sense and recognize the presence of one another.
  Whenever a vehrteig and a Vistani comes within
  15 feet of one another, the DM should roll a secret
  DC 12 Fortitude save for each character. If the save
  is successful, a chill runs down the character’s spine
  and her eyes are drawn straight to the vehrteig (in
  the case of a Vistani) or the Vistani (in case of a
  vehrteig). Even if the sensed character is hiding or
  behind a barrier such as a wall, the person sensing
  the vehrteig or Vistani still looks where the sensed
  person is.
  Vistani learn the legends of vehrteig from
  childhood, so each knows that if they ever experi-
  ence a strange feeling and have their eyes drawn to
  an attractive human female, they know they have
  encountered an ancestral foe from the Worlds
  Beyond. When possible, the Vistani will attempt
  to escape the presence of the vehrteig, while the
  vehrteig will do her best to make the Vistana’s
  immediate future as difficult and painful as pos-
  sible, usually through the victims currently under
  her sway.
  Vehrteig Characters
  The vehrteig’s favored class is bard. Most
  vehrteig are 1st level bards. Their disarming nature
  allows them to ingratiate themselves with victims
  or put potential foes off guard. Exceptional vehrteig
  are accomplished bards, or have levels in the rogue
  or sorcerer classes.
  Nonplayer Characters
  The following individuals are major charac-
  ters in The Curse of Ashington Manor and may be
  useful as NPCs for a DM running a game based on
  this story.
  Lord Herod Ashington
  (Vile Nobleman)
  Male Human Ari 2/Exp 2/Rog4:
  Male Human Ari 2/Exp 2/Rog4:
  Male Human Ari 2/Exp 2/Rog4:
  Male Human Ari 2/Exp 2/Rog4:
  Male Human Ari 2/Exp 2/Rog4: Cr8; Medium-size humanoid
  (human) (5 ft. 11 in. tall); HD 2d8+2d6+4d6; HP 41; Init +5;
  Spd 30; AC13, touch 13, flatfooted 12; Atk +6 melee (1d4+4
  dagger or 1d6 +4 rapier) +1 ranged (does not typically carry
  ranged weapons); SA sneak attack +2d6, trap sense +1; SD
  evasion; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7; Str 16, Dex 13,
  Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 15.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +3, Bluff +6, Climb +5, Diplomacy
  +45 Handle Animal +5, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana)
  +6, Knowledge (local history) +5, Knowledge (royalty and
  nobility) +5, Spellcraft +5, Search +5, Sense Motive +5, Spot
  +4,Use Rope +5; Coldhearted†, Improved Initiative, Iron
  Will, Persuasive.
  Languages: Mordentish*, Balok.
  Signature Possessions: Matched set of a +2 dagger and +2
  rapier featuring the Ashington family crest on the hilt, ring of
  protection +2, amulet of protection from the evil eye +4
  (grants a +4 protection to saving throws to resist the evil eye
  ability of Vistani).
  †This feat is described in Legacies of Blood: The Great
  Legacies of Blood: The Great
  Legacies of Blood: The Great
  Legacies of Blood: The Great
  Legacies of Blood: The Great
  Families of Ravenloft
  Families of Ravenloft
  Families of Ravenloft
  Families of Ravenloft
  Families of Ravenloft. All powers checks are reduced by –
  2%, with 0 or negative results being treated as “this act does
  not warrant a powers check.”
  Herod Ashington is a dark-haired man in his
  early thirties. He has sharp features and dark hair,
  which he wears in a pony tail. His eyes are pale blue
  and seem to cut straight through to the very soul of
  those he looks at. His bearing and diction mark him
  as a member of society’s upper-crust, and he does
  everything with the confidence of someone who is
  the master of all around him. During his years as an
  adventurer, he developed a taste for the austere
  fashions of Lamordia, and he favors such garb to
  this very day. Regardless of how he is dressed,
  however, he wears the finest of clothes and carries
  the highest quality of weapons.
  Background
  Ashington was once a proud and noble house,
  but it completed its slide into evil and decadence
  with the ascension to adulthood of Herod
  Ashington. He spent his childhood cruelly abusing
  servants, his young adulthood roaming the land as
  part of a band of “adventurers” more feared than
  respected by the locals in the areas they operated,
  
  159
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  and returned home following the death of his
  parents to assume the title of Lord Ashington.
  Ashington’s father and grandfather had both
  been dabblers in magic and the occult. Although
  Ashington himself is not a spellcaster, he has
  enough theoretical knowledge to speak intelli-
  gently about the arcane arts. Further, during his
  time wandering the realms, he worked with a pair
  of darklings. These hate-filled Vistani outcasts
  taught him much about how their kind conduct
  themselves and how much of their supposedly
  supernatural abilities is nothing but showmanship.
  They even gave him an amulet of protection from the
  evil eye, which he wears always. The information
  given to him by the darklings and the theoretical
  knowledge he has of magic has caused him to
  dismiss virtually everything the Vistani do as trick-
  ery; he puts no stock whatsoever in their supposed
  “second sight” and their ability to foretell the
  future.
  Since becoming lord of Ashington Manor, he
  has gathered around him a group of friends who
  take pleasure in debauchery. Several times a month,
  he gathers with them to have parties of drunken
  perversion. Several unfortunate “guests” who hap-
  pened to be traveling the roads near Ashington
  Manor on the nights of these parties have met their
  end as “party favors.”
  Ashington’s final night among the living was
  spent tormenting and then murdering Rozaleen.
  Following that, he sated his lust with a beautiful
  female bard, in actuality a rare creature known as a
  vehrteig. The vehrteig’s poison drove Ashington
  mad, causing him to kill his friends. The vehrteig
  then killed Ashington herself.
  Current Sketch
  Ashington dies the same night he murders
  Rozaleen, and his spiritual essence is trapped in
  Ashington Manor. His ghost doesn’t manifest it-
  self until the final night of the curse and the very
  reality of the house starts to come undone.
  Combat
  Ashington is an expert swordsman, delighting
  in cutting down his foes. If faced with a superior
  enemy, he is not above resorting to trickery or
  calling upon friends and hirelings to join in the
  fight. Even if he is in a duel, he will summon
  supporters if threatened with defeat; he has no
  honor, and neither do any of those who are with
  him.
  Maekon (Deadly Singer)
  FemaleVehrteig Brd6/Rog4:
  FemaleVehrteig Brd6/Rog4:
  FemaleVehrteig Brd6/Rog4:
  FemaleVehrteig Brd6/Rog4:
  FemaleVehrteig Brd6/Rog4: CR 16; Medium humanoid
  (vehrteig); (5 ft. 6 in. tall); HD 6d6 + 4d6; HP 40; Init +8; Sp
  30; AC16, touch 14, flat-footed 12; Atk +8 melee (1d3+1/20
  unarmed or 1d4+2/20 dagger) or +11 (by weapon); SA charm
  person, death gaze, fascinate, venom, sneak attack +2d6,
  suggestion, spells; SQ immunity to aging and divination,
  countersong, evasion, exceptional recuperative powers, in-
  spire courage +1, immunity to sinkholes of evil, trap sense +1,
  uncanny dodge, bardic traits, mutual recognition, sense evil,
  trapfinding; AL NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +13, Will +6; Str 12, Dex
  19, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 16
  Skills and Feats: Bluff +12, Concentration +7, Decipher Script
  +8, Diplomacy +15, Gather Information +9, Intimidate +8,
  Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (local history) +7, Knowl-
  edge (monster lore) +7, Knowledge (planes) +6, Knowledge
  (Vistani) +8, Languages (Vaasi), Listen +7, Move Silently +9,
  Perform (lute) +8, Perform (singing) +8, Ride +7, Search +7,
  Sense Motive +10, Sleight of Hand +10, Spellcraft +9, Spot
  +7, Tumble +8, Use Magic Device +9 (+11 when using scrolls);
  Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Ne-
  gotiator.
  Languages: Patterna*, Balok, Mordentish, Vaasi.
  Typical Bard Spells Known: (3/4/3; save DC 13+ spell level)
  0– daze, detect magic, lullaby, magehand, open/close, read
  magic; 1st– cause fear, charm person, comprehend lan-
  guages, hypnotism; 2nd– detect thoughts, hold person,
  suggestion.
  Lord Herod Ashington
  
  160
  DM’s Appendix
  Signature Possessions: Ring of protection +2, ornate lute,
  macabre tarokka deck with the Innocent and Myrmidon cards
  missing (Rozaleen’s Tarokka Deck; Maekon loses this item
  when she appears in The Curse of Ashington Manor, but she
  often plays with it up until that time. (She is immune to the ill
  effects of the deck.)
  Maekon appears to be a human woman in her
  mid to late twenties. She has pale, flawless skin and
  long delicate limbs. Her night-black hair and dark
  eyes make her appear even paler. Her facial features
  are the very image of classical nobility, and she
  carries herself with refined grace whether she is
  striking up a tune in a bar or preparing to deliver the
  killing blow to an evil being she has had her fill of.
  She travels far and wide across the dread
  realms and is well-known in bardic circles — even
  if she is believed to be her own granddaughter. To
  the dismay of fellow bards, Maekon prefers “mascu-
  line” fashions whether traveling or performing.
  She is always dressed in boots, trousers and shirts,
  and more often than not in riding leathers or
  hunting outfits. However, when worn by Maekon,
  such outfits become more sexy and alluring than
  the most revealing garbs of Vaasi streetwalkers or
  Akiri dancing girls. A reason for the way she dresses
  is the fact that she travels light — she never carries
  more than a couple of saddlebags and a rucksack.
  Background
  Maekon’s early history and origins are shrouded
  in mystery. She has wandered the domains for at
  least three centuries, although leaders among the
  Vistani claim she is older than that. Maekon in-
  curred the wrath of Strahd von Zarovich when she
  spurred citizens of Vallaki to lynch a family of
  Vistani some 280 years ago, so she tends to avoid
  Barovia. She is rumored to have been the mistress
  of one of Vlad Drakov’s earliest and most brutal
  lieutenants — a human monster whose hunger for
  violence eventually claimed himself and his entire
  family — and a portrait that bears a striking resem-
  blance to her hangs in the governmental palace in
  Lekar; she is believed to have been present in Nova
  Vaasa when a cat-worshiping cult that sacrificed
  humans was at its most powerful and to have been
  at the court of Lord Bakholis when he met his end
  by the hand of Gabrielle Aderre. The Vistani also
  blame her for more than a dozen of the more
  heinous examples of giorgios attacking wandering
  Vistani.
  Although viewed by the Vistani as one of the
  more notorious of her kind, they also say that she
  is clearer in the purpose she serves in the Land of
  Mists than many other vehrteig. Most vehrteig
  seize upon any petty evil and amplify it until their
  appetites are stated. Maekon usually zeroes in on
  men and women who are already monstrously evil
  and causes them to self-destruct in one final orgy of
  deadly debauchery. As such, the Vistani view this
  terrible creature as a strange sort of friend to inno-
  cents in the domains since she culls the worst of
  those who might hurt them.
  Maekon has a particular dislike for the Zarovan.
  She has often gone out of her way to make their
  lives difficult. In the case of Rozaleen, Maekon was
  inclined to let her at least escape with her life, but
  Lord Ashington had already succumbed to homi-
  cidal insanity from Maekon’s venom. Rozaleen’s
  death was fated once she had been captured.
  Current Sketch
  The terrible deaths at Ashington Manor had
  no more influence on Maekon than the thousands
  of others she had witnesses or caused over her many
  centuries of existence. When she took Rozaleen’s
  tarokka deck, however, she became linked to the
  curse in a subtle and undeniable way. Every 17
  years, she must return to Ashington Manor where
  she takes part in a funhouse-mirror reflection of the
  events that led to her coming to own the rare
  tarokka deck. This has limited the range of her
  Maekon
  
  161
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  wanderings in recent decades, causing an increased
  number of mass killings in the domains around
  Ashington Manor.
  Maekon also knows the true origins of
  Rozaleen’s Tarokka Deck. She knows that it is an
  artifact that originates beyond the misty borders of
  Ravenloft, yet for the last several decades she has
  treated it as a toy — often augmenting bardic
  performances with mock fortune tellings. She is
  confident that nothing that stems from the deck
  can result in harm to her, so although she has
  become convinced that the deck is somehow tied
  to her urges to return to Ashington Manor, she
  doesn’t believe it can cause her to come to harm.
  Her attitude changes when the deck magically
  removes itself from her pack to reincorporate itself
  in the events of Ashington Manor. Not knowing
  why this occurs, she grows nervous and fearful.
  Combat
  Maekon attempts to avoid physical confronta-
  tions whenever possible. She uses both her powerful
  personality and magical abilities to either turn the
  would-be combatant into a soon-to-be-doomed
  lover or to convince others to fight for her. Failing
  that, she either attacks with what few offensive
  spells she knows, or attempt to catch foes unaware,
  stabbing them with her dagger and scratching
  them with the nails of her offhand, hoping to infect
  them with her venom. She naturally hopes to end
  the fight while she is still standing, but if she should
  go down, at least she knows her foe will eventually
  die as well. (She always assumes that anyone who
  defeats her will be unaware of her extraordinary
  healing powers and that she will revive in time to
  enjoy — and feed from —her enemy’s demise in a
  blaze of insane violence.)
  Lair
  Maekon is an eternal wanderer. She seldom
  spends more than three or four days in any location
  and rarely visits the same place more than twice
  within a fifty year period. The exception to this is
  the Meistersinger competition in Kartakass. She
  attends at least one of these each decade — and
  sometimes she even takes part in the competitions
  without causing death or mayhem.
  Rozaleen, Doomed Vistani Girl
  Female Zarovan Vistana Exp1/Sor1:
  Female Zarovan Vistana Exp1/Sor1:
  Female Zarovan Vistana Exp1/Sor1:
  Female Zarovan Vistana Exp1/Sor1:
  Female Zarovan Vistana Exp1/Sor1: Cr2; Medium-size hu-
  manoid (human) (5 ft. 1 in. tall); HD 1d6 + 1d4; HP 8; Init +1;
  Spd 30 (6 squares); AC11, touch 11, flatfooted 10; Atk +1
  melee (typically 1d4+1 dagger, but presently unarmed); SA
  Evil Eye; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +5; Str 10, Dex 12, Con
  10, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 12.
  Skills and Feats: Appraise +2, Bluff +6, Craft (Painting) +3,
  Diplomacy +4, Heal +3, Hypnosis +3, Knowledge (the planes)
  +2, Perform (Singing) +6, Scry +4, Sense Motive +3, Survival
  +5; Negotiator, Self-Sufficient.
  Languages: Patterna*, Balok, Mordentish.
  Typical Sorcerer Spells Known (5/3; save DC 11 + spell level)
  0 – detect magic, detect poison, dancing lights, resistance;
  1st – animate rope, detect undead.
  Signature Possessions: Rozaleen’s Tarokka Deck
  Rozaleen is a 17-year-old Vistana whose natu-
  ral beauty is coming into its full bloom. She wears
  a multilayered, brightly-colored skirt and a loose-
  fitting white blouse with billowing sleeves. She ties
  her raven-black hair back with a strip of bright red
  cloth and wears golden bracelets on her wrists and
  left ankle.
  Background
  Rozaleen was born into a small caravan of
  Zarovan Vistani, the only daughter of a seer so
  powerful that other Vistani sought her out for
  insight into the future. Sadly, her mother died
  while giving birth to her. At an early age, Rozaleen
  showed that she had inherited her mother’s great
  powers, particularly when using the mysterious
  tarokka deck that had been passed down to her
  over countless generations. (See Rozaleen’s Tarokka
  Deck above details.)
  As Rozaleen grew older, she became increas-
  ingly eager to take on formally the mantle of her
  mother — that of a seer among the Zarovan. Her
  father, however, feared for her safety and sanity. He
  didn’t want her exposed to the burdens of fortune
  telling too early in life and insisted she wait. He
  tried to explain to her the unique and dangerous
  nature of the tarokka deck she had inherited from
  her mother, but Rozaleen felt that he was treating
  her like a baby. After one particularly vicious
  argument that ended with her father threatening
  to scatter the tarokka deck in the Mists, Rozaleen
  gathered up her belongings (including the tarokka
  deck that was her birthright) and left her family
  behind.
  Shortly after leaving, Rozaleen decided to use
  the tarokka deck to help guide her movements,
  despite the fact she had been taught her entire life
  never to lay her own fortune. The cards told her of
  a dark fate that loomed in the near future, not at all
  the exciting life she had pictured. She decided to
  retrace her steps and return to her family, but ran
  into a pair of corrupt noblemen named Hanford
  
  162
  DM’s Appendix
  and Rostoff before she could reach her caravan and
  safety. They thought the little gypsy girl would be
  the perfect accent to a night of debauchery with
  their good friends.
  Current Sketch
  After being brought to the isolated Ashington
  Manor, Rozaleen suffered many hours of abuse and
  humiliation that culminated in her murder at the
  hands of Lord Ashington. The cards had foretold
  this. What had not be been evident in the cards was
  that she would leave a fortune uncompleted and
  that she would bring a curse down upon the heads
  of her tormentors and herself.
  Rozaleen, Ashington and the others involved
  in her death are trapped in an unusual haunting
  and repetition of history. Until the final tarokka
  pattern Rozaleen was laying when Ashington mur-
  dered her is completed and until her curse has been
  broken, Rozaleen’s ghost continues to haunt
  Ashington Manor. Approximately every 17 years,
  around the anniversary of her death, distorted
  reflections of her abuse and slaying replay them-
  selves out in the building. (The curse comes to a
  head every seventeen years, because that was
  Rozaleen’s age when she was killed.)
  Combat
  When she was alive, Rozaleen was not much
  of a combatant. All the spells she knew were
  divinatory in nature, and the only weapons she
  carried was a small knife…and she wasn’t terribly
  adept at using it. She relied upon her brothers and
  father for protection. She didn’t even realize how
  dangerous the world could be until she fell into the
  hands of Ashington and his lackeys.
  As an undead, Rozaleen doesn’t attack, nor
  can she be attacked. Turning and other attempts to
  dispel or destroy her automatically fail. She is
  essentially doing nothing but replaying her final
  moments, except for when she appears by her grave
  in area 14 (see Chapter Two).
  Lair
  Rozaleen wandered the domains with her fam-
  ily in a pair of Vistani vardos, never staying in one
  place for more than two or three days. As a ghost,
  Rozaleen now haunts Ashington Manor, the place
  of her death.
  Chapter Three:
  The Brood of Blutkalte
  his section contains information for DMs
  intending on running an adventure
  around the events of The Brood of
  Blutkalte.
  New Monster
  The creature whose story makes up the heard
  of The Brood of Blutkalte is detailed below. Chapter
  Three gives information on how to alter this char-
  acter to suit individual campaigns.
  Sebastian Blutkalte
  Ghost, Dread Doppelganger, 2nd-
  Ghost, Dread Doppelganger, 2nd-
  Ghost, Dread Doppelganger, 2nd-
  Ghost, Dread Doppelganger, 2nd-
  Ghost, Dread Doppelganger, 2nd-
  Level Rogue, 1st-Level Assassin
  Level Rogue, 1st-Level Assassin
  Level Rogue, 1st-Level Assassin
  Level Rogue, 1st-Level Assassin
  Level Rogue, 1st-Level Assassin
  Medium Undead (Augmented
  Medium Undead (Augmented
  Medium Undead (Augmented
  Medium Undead (Augmented
  Medium Undead (Augmented
  Monstrous Humanoid)
  Monstrous Humanoid)
  Monstrous Humanoid)
  Monstrous Humanoid)
  Monstrous Humanoid)
  (Shapechanger) (Incorporeal)
  (Shapechanger) (Incorporeal)
  (Shapechanger) (Incorporeal)
  (Shapechanger) (Incorporeal)
  (Shapechanger) (Incorporeal)
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  7d12 (46 hp)
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  +5
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  20 ft. (4 squares), fly 30 ft. (perfect)
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  17 (+1 Dex, +6 deflection), touch 17,
  flat-footed 16, or 17 (+1 Dex, +6
  natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+7
  Rozaleen
  
  163
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Incorporeal touch +6 (1d4 ability
  damage) or +7 against ethereal foes
  or slam +7 melee (1d6+2)
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Incorporeal touch +6 (1d4 ability
  damage) or +7 against ethereal foes
  or 2 slams +7 melee (1d6+2)
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  5 ft./ 5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Detect thoughts, draining touch,
  dream walk, grave summoning,
  malevolence, malevolent
  shapechanging, manifestation
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Change shape, darkvision 60 ft.,
  glamer, incorporeal traits, multiple
  personality disorder, rejuvenation,
  turn resistance, undead traits
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +6
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Str 14, Dex 13, Con—, Int 13, Wis 14,
  Cha 22
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Bluff +11*, Craft (alchemy) +5, Craft
  (sewing) +6, Craft (sculpting) +1,
  Disguise +16*, Hide +16*, Listen +19*,
  Move Silently +8, Search +10*, Sense
  Motive +10, Spot +16*
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Any
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Solitary
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  10
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  See below
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  always chaotic evil
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  By character class
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  +7
  The old man shuffles as he approaches, a strange,
  unfocused look in his eyes.
  Sebastian Blutkalte is the ghost of a dread
  doppelganger with a multiple personality disorder.
  He can be extremely powerful, but his mental
  disorder keeps his powers in check. First, his mul-
  tiple personality disorder prevents him from acting
  in his own best interests in every situation. Second,
  he cannot use all of his abilities at one time.
  Sebastian’s disorder is not as severe as that of
  some sufferers, however. He has a limited number
  of alter-egos and no personality fragments. He did
  not suffer significant ability damage when he be-
  came mad. Unlike other multiple personality
  disorder sufferers, Sebastian does not need to make
  Will saves to keep from changing personalities at
  inopportune times. Perhaps this is due to the lim-
  ited number of personalities he possesses, or perhaps
  it is a favor granted by the dark powers to keep
  Sebastian from being discovered.
  Sebastian’s subconscious thoughts drive his
  actions and personality changes to follow the most
  sinister plot possible. Sebastian does not contem-
  plate his state as a ghost or as a sufferer of a disorder.
  For example, his personalities do not consider
  where they have been or why they occasionally
  carry each other’s belongings. Sebastian’s subcon-
  scious makes sure that he does what he needs to do
  to continue his ruse, and his personalities are not
  consciously aware of what drives them.
  Sebastian has acquired some equipment over
  the years. He has an assortment of poisons that he
  either bought or created, as well as some bottled
  diseases. Typically, he carries blue whinnis and
  large scorpion venom for use on weapons, such as
  the multiple daggers he keeps for use by The
  Grandfather. He uses bottled blinding sickness, oil
  of taggit, striped toadstools and arsenic for poison-
  ing food and drinks. He especially likes to
  experiment with new concoctions. As an assassin,
  he can use most poisons with relative impunity. As
  
  164
  DM’s Appendix
  a ghost, he can simply abandon any body that
  becomes accidentally diseased.
  Sebastian carries a +1 straight razor of wounding
  for use by The Mother. He also carries spools of very
  strong thread and sewing needles. His pockets are
  filled with miscellaneous items for use with his
  doppelganger glamer ability. Sebastian does not
  need a real weapon for The Father. He uses his
  Malevolent Shapechanging ability to create a spade
  (treat as a greatclub) whenever it is needed.
  Sebastian has grown very skilled at moving his
  equipment around. He hides his items somewhere
  using one body, and then he walks away. He then
  possesses another body. His personality remembers
  exactly where he left his equipment, and he uses
  the new body to go retrieve it.
  Combat
  Sebastian has limited attack powers while in
  ghost form — his only incorporeal attack is his
  draining touch. As a result, he uses his malevo-
  lence ability whenever possible. Sebastian prefers
  to possess physically powerful people such as town
  guards or laborers. These people generally have
  weaker minds, as well.
  While Sebastian is in possession of a body, he
  must use his malevolent shapechanging ability to
  resemble one of his alter egos. His damaged mind
  will not let him possess a body without changing it.
  Note that Sebastian can only possess a body for 10
  hours at a time, so a host may periodically escape
  from Sebastian’s grasp. In addition, unlike the
  magic jar spell, ghosts cannot be trapped inside the
  corpse if their host dies. Finally, if the host is
  rendered unconscious, the ghost is forced from the
  body.
  While using his malevolent shapechanging
  ability, Sebastian fights according to the dominant
  personality. As The Grandfather, he uses a poi-
  soned dagger. As The Father, he uses a spade. As
  The Mother, he uses his +1 straight razor of wound-
  ing. In every case, he prefers to set up a situation
  where he is in control against a limited number of
  foes. He avoids a fair fight if at all possible. His
  favorite combat tactic is to use his assassin’s death
  attack, though he often uses the paralyzing varia-
  tion. A paralyzed foe gives him more options.
  Sebastian may use his dream walk ability to
  send dreams to player characters to torment them
  or to enlist their aid in releasing him.
  As with all ghosts, Sebastian will reform if
  killed. However, Sebastian does not need to make
  a level check to reform; his powerful psyche will
  keep him around until his torments are resolved.
  Sebastian is also not restricted to any particular
  location. He is free to roam about the realm spread-
  ing terror wherever the conditions are fitting.
  Rogue Abilities, Assassin Abilities: Sebastian
  can use all of his rogue and assassin abilities.
  Dread Doppelganger Abilities (Su): Sebastian
  has the change shape, detect thoughts and glamer
  abilities of a dread doppelganger. Change shape only
  works while Sebastian is in ghost form (but see
  malevolent shapechanging, below). Sebastian can-
  not consciously control the shape he takes.
  Malevolent Shapechanging (Su): When the
  ghost template is applied to a creature with the
  shapechanger subtype, malevolent shapechanging
  may be selected as one of a ghost’s special attacks.
  The malevolence special attack is a prerequisite for
  malevolent shapechanging. When a ghost uses its
  malevolence special attack to possess a host, it may
  use its change shape ability as if the host had that
  ability.
  Grave Summoning (Su): Grave summoning
  is a ghost special attack that allows a ghost to use its
  powerful emotional resonance to draw a victim to
  their doom. Once per day, the ghost may conduct
  a ritual that culminates in the inscription of the
  name of a victim on a gravestone. The ghost
  writing ability can be used for the inscription, or
  the ghost could perform the ritual while possessing
  a body. Once the victim’s name is inscribed, a
  compulsion similar to dominate person takes effect
  if the victim is within range. The range is 400 feet
  plus 80 feet per rank of the ghost. The victim gets
  a Will save to resist the effect. The DC is 10 + + the
  ghost’s Hit Dice + ghost’s Charisma modifier. If the
  victim fails, they will proceed as if dominated to the
  location of the headstone. Once there, the victim
  will “lie in his grave”. The victim remains domi-
  nated until buried or attacked or until 24 hours
  have passed. A ghost cannot ever summon the
  same person to their grave more than once.
  Spells: As a 1st-level assassin, Sebastian knows
  two spells — sleep and true strike. However, based
  on his intelligence modifier, he may only cast one
  spell per day.
  
  165
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  Chapter Four:
  Noises in the Night
  his section contains information for DMs
  intending to run stories based on Noises
  in the Night.
  New Monsters
  Following is a description of a new crea-
  ture with multiple forms. Though a central
  part of Noises in the Night, this monster
  may spark many ideas for other games
  featuring one or more of its many vari-
  ants.
  Bogeymen
  Bogeymen are terrifying
  distillations of evil, given
  form as the traditional ter-
  rors of childhood: death,
  disease, 
  mutilation,
  disempowerment, losing
  the love of a parent and so
  on. They feed off the suf-
  fering and pain of
  innocents, combing
  darkened streets, hos-
  pitals, playgrounds
  and asylums for vic-
  tims, secure in the
  knowledge that they
  will never be discov-
  ered by those powerful
  enough to stop them but
  strangely curtailed by
  the laws of the stories
  from which they come.
  Bogeyman sub-
  type: Bogeymen are a
  subtype of fey found
  only in Ravenloft.
  As well as the abili-
  ties discussed in
  Chapter Five, all bo-
  geymen 
  have 
  the
  following traits, unless other-
  wise noted:
  Bogeymen Vulnerabilities
  (Ex): As well as any indi-
  vidual vulnerabilities a
  bogeyman may possess, no bogeymen are able to
  harm those protected by bless spells or the relevant
  protection or magic circle spells. They all take 2d4
  damage from holy water and can be turned by
  clerics of good deities as
  undead (although not by
  clerics of neutral deities
  who can turn undead).
  Eyes of Inno-
  cence (Su): The
  true evil of bogey-
  men is clear only to
  the imaginative and
  innocent; all others
  see them as nor-
  mal people, or
  don’t notice
  them at all.
  
  166
  DM’s Appendix
  Table A–1: Sample Bogeymen, Part One
  The Bad Thing
  The Bad Thing
  The Bad Thing
  The Bad Thing
  The Bad Thing
  Mister Fox
  Mister Fox
  Mister Fox
  Mister Fox
  Mister Fox
  Monsieur Croquemitaine
  Monsieur Croquemitaine
  Monsieur Croquemitaine
  Monsieur Croquemitaine
  Monsieur Croquemitaine
  Small Fey (Bogeyman)
  Small Fey (Bogeyman)
  Small Fey (Bogeyman)
  Small Fey (Bogeyman)
  Small Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  3d6+3 (16 hp)
  4d6 (17 hp)
  6d6+12 (38 hp)
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  +3
  +1
  +6
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  40 ft.
  30 ft.
  30 ft.
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  17 (+1 size, +1 Dodge, +3 Dexterity,
  13 (+1 Dexterity, +2 deflection),
  14 (+2 Dexterity, +2 deflection),
  +2 deflection), touch 16, flatfooted 13  touch 13, flatfooted 12
  touch 14, flatfooted 12
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
  +2/+4
  +3/+6
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Claw +2 melee (1d3+1)
  Dagger +5 melee (1d4+2)
  Slam +7 melee (1d4+3)
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Claw +2 melee (1d3+1)
  Dagger +5 melee (1d4+2)
  Slam +7 melee (1d4+3)
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  5 ft./5 ft.
  5 ft./5 ft.
  5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Spell-like abilities
  Charm, gifts of grief, murder Improved grab, strangle
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Eyes of innocence, vulnerabilities
  Alternate form, eyes of
  Eyes of innocence, spider
   innocence, scent, vulnerabilities climb, weapon resistance,
  vulnerabilities
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6
  Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +6
  Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +6
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Str 12, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 17, Str 15, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 15, Str 16, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 12,
  Cha 14
  Wis 14, Cha 16
  Wis 12, Cha 8
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Bluff +8, Climb +7, Hide +11, Intimidate +8,
  Bluff +10, Diplomacy +10, Jump +9,
  Balance +11, Escape Artist +11, Hide
  Sense Motive +9, Spot +9
  Knowledge (local) +9, Listen +9, +11, Listen +10, Move Silently +11,
  Sense Motive +9, Spot +9, Swim +9 Open Locks +10, Spot +10
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Dodge, Lightning Reflexes
  Power Attack,
  Improved Initiative, Power
  Weapon focus (dagger)
  Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Any
  Any
  Any
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Solitary
  Solitary
  Solitary
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  3
  4
  5
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  None
  50% items (90% cursed)
  None
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Lawful evil
  Neutral evil
  Chaotic evil
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  4-5 HD (Small)
  5-7 HD (Medium)
  7-8 HD (Medium)
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  —
  —
  —
  Linguist (Ex): Bogeymen can speak any lan-
  guage spoken in any community where stories
  about them are told.
  See in Darkness (Ex): Bogeymen can see in
  darkness as clearly as a human can see in broad
  daylight.
  Taint of Evil (Su): Bogeymen are so evil that
  they leave their taint on everything they touch.
  Attempting to contact the bogeyman or its missing
  victims mentally places the mentalist in direct
  contact with that evil, provoking a Madness save.
  Psychics who touch the corpses of victims must
  also make a Madness save as the victim’s last
  moments are experienced first-hand.
  The Bad Thing
  The diminutive creature resembles a broken ape
  with the face of a malevolent, vicious child.
  At three feet tall, the Bad Thing is no bigger
  than the children it torments, but its form is night-
  marish and broken. Its apelike body is covered in
  bristling black fur. Its arms are long and thin, the
  gnarled fingers resembling nothing so much as tree
  branches. Jutting from behind it is a bulbous spider’s
  abdomen. The front pair of its four legs are short
  and bandy; the back pair are the long and delicate
  legs of a giant spider. Most horrifying of all is its
  face: that of a macabrely distorted child. Features
  that may once have been soft and innocent are now
  leathery and creased with malice; instead of care-
  
  167
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  free pleasure, its tiny black eyes glow with vicious
  joy and more than a hint of fear.
  The Bad Thing is a wicked creature that wields
  terror and intimidation like an artist, painting the
  rural villages it haunts with misery and evil. Al-
  though all bogeymen are cowards, the Bad Thing is
  almost crippled by fear and inadequacy. It never
  appears when adults are present and only targets
  the young and infirm. Even then, it rarely emerges
  from the shadows. Simply put, the Bad Thing is a
  petty bully. It attacks innocents from the shadows,
  trying to bend them to its will, in the vain attempt
  to give itself a feeling of power. Out of all the
  bogeymen in Ravenloft, the Bad Thing is possibly
  both the most repulsive and the most pathetic.
  The Bad Thing enjoys spreading fear and evil.
  It does not often kill its victims. Instead, it steals
  their innocence and leaves them emotionally dis-
  turbed. Sometimes, it does no more than scratch
  on their windowpanes with its twiglike fingers, or
  make loud noises just outside their bedchambers,
  feeding off the fear this inspires. Sometimes, it
  speaks to its victims in its grating voice, threaten-
  ing them with any number of unsavory acts if they
  do not obey it. Refusal pricks the Bad Thing’s
  already tender pride, and in its vengeful rage it will
  mutilate pets, break precious objects, soil food and
  even dart out of its protective shadows to pull its
  victim’s hair or viciously claw its innocent target.
  It maintains this relentless victimization until it is
  driven away or the child gives in. Eventually,
  victims are either driven insane from the constant
  harassment, or begin to perform evil acts willingly,
  anticipating the Bad Thing’s next demand. Once
  this is achieved or the victim refuses to be intimi-
  dated, the Bad Thing moves on.
  Combat
  The Bad Thing does not fight with weapons,
  but uses its fear-invoking powers to frighten and
  corrupt its victims.
  Eyes of Innocence (Su): The Bad Thing is
  such a coward that it never emerges from its hiding
  places when adults are present. How it might avoid
  their attention, if it has any supernatural way of
  doing so, is unknown.
  Spell-like Abilities: 2/day— cause fear, charm
  person, deeper darkness, ghost sound, ventriloquism;
  1/day—scare. These abilities are as the spells cast
  by a 3rd-level sorcerer. The save DC, where appli-
  cable, is 12 + spell level.
  Vulnerabilities (Ex): The Bad Thing is
  crippled by feelings of inadequacy. So tender is its
  pride, laughing at it strikes a terrible blow into the
  Bad Thing’s shriveled heart. It is forced to recog-
  nize its own pettiness and dissolves into the ground,
  swearing revenge against those who ridiculed it.
  Mister Fox
  The dapper gentleman wears old-fashioned cloth-
  ing and carries a large leather bag as he approaches,
  smiling.
  Mister Fox is a charming, friendly gentleman,
  with sharp features, reddish-brown hair and green
  eyes that always have a smile twinkling in them. He
  is dressed in the slightly old-fashioned clothes of a
  well-to-do (but not too rich) traveling scholar or
  merchant, an image enhanced by the large leather
  bag he always carries. This bag is by far the most
  notable feature about him: the handles and clasp
  are made of bleached bone, and the leather is
  midnight black. Occasionally, the leather bulges or
  twitches, as though something is alive inside, and
  when opened, the distant sound of screaming can
  be heard. The other sign of Mister Fox’s true evil is
  the bushy fox’s tail that sometimes can be seen
  poking from under his coattails.
  Unlike other bogeymen, Mister Fox is charm-
  ing and vivacious, full of good humor. He always
  gives small toys and presents to children he takes a
  shine to, and his good looks and kind nature have
  won the hearts of many a young girl. Of course,
  beneath this pleasant exterior, Mister Fox is a
  black-hearted murderer. The children who take
  his gifts undergo horrifying transformations, while
  any young woman who agrees to be his wife is taken
  back to his lair, the House at the End of the White
  Road, and slowly and sadistically butchered. Even
  those who resist his advances are not safe from him;
  Mister Fox can charm the parents or guardians of
  those he truly desires into willingly handing over
  the bewildered innocent to his malevolent atten-
  tions.
  In some stories, Mister Fox agrees to meet his
  innocent new wife at the House at the End of the
  White Road. In these tales, the girl enters a dark,
  dark forest, following a road that glitters like a
  ribbon of moonlight. To prevent her getting lost,
  Mister Fox marks the trail by slitting a sow’s throat
  and dragging it behind him. The woman must
  follow the gory trail until she reaches the House,
  where her own, equally terrible fate waits.
  
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  DM’s Appendix
  Combat
  Mister Fox prefers to use guile and subtlety
  instead of physical combat. His repertoire of abili-
  ties gives him a wide choice of ways to elude or win
  over those who might oppose him. When forced to
  fight, he uses a dagger in human form (see below)
  or his natural weaponry in fox form.
  Alternate Form (Su): As a standard action,
  Mister Fox can transform into a cunning and
  vicious fox. This transformation restores hit points
  as though Mister Fox had rested for a day. The
  bogeyman’s statistics are unchanged, except he
  gains a +4 racial bonus to Dexterity, his Speed
  increases by 10 ft and he becomes Small. Instead of
  wielding a dagger, Mister Fox bites for 1d4+2
  damage when in fox form. Mister Fox can stay in
  fox form for a maximum of one hour per day, but
  can change back and forth as he desires up to that
  limit.
  Charm (Sp): Mister Fox can cast charm person
  three times per day (DC 15). Innocents gain a +4
  sacred bonus to this save. Once charmed by Mister
  Fox, a person will do anything he requests, up to
  and including exchanging their children for some
  worthless trinket from his bag, or agreeing to be his
  wife.
  Eyes of Innocence (Su): To adults, Mister
  Fox seems to be a perfectly normal traveler. They
  can’t see his tail, notice nothing unusual about his
  bag and don’t notice that his smile doesn’t genu-
  inely reach his eyes. The innocent, of course, can,
  but these clues are often too little, too late to save
  them.
  Gifts of Grief (Su): Stories about Mister Fox
  almost always revolve around the trinkets he gives
  to children from his demonic bag. All are, at first,
  desirable and normal toys: a spinning top, a small
  painting, a bag of marbles, and so on. However, the
  gifts soon reveal their true nature, forcing horrific
  transformations on their victims. The girl who
  accepts Mister Fox’s picture vanishes, only to ap-
  pear in the artwork. The skin of the boy who takes
  his marbles begins to stiffen and whiten, until he
  solidifies into a marble statue. The new owner of
  Mister Fox’s top vanishes, but their screaming
  voice can be heard whenever the top is spun.
  Others simply vanish, leaving no trace. When a
  focus for the spell remains, break enchantment can
  return these trapped children to normal, but doing
  so earns Mister Fox’s ire.
  Murder (Ex): If Mister Fox successfully hits
  an opponent with his broad-bladed dagger while
  flanking them, they must make a DC 17 Fort save.
  If they fail, Mister Fox can choose to kill them
  instantly or, more frequently, to paralyze them for
  1d6+4 minutes. Mister Fox usually uses this time to
  carefully butcher his victim, keeping them alive as
  long as possible to fully appreciate his skills with his
  knife. This ability can affect elves and anyone of
  7th level or less with the Improved Uncanny
  Dodge ability.
  Vulnerabilities (Ex): Mister Fox is repelled
  by foxglove flowers. He is unable to enter any house
  with foxgloves growing in the garden, and won’t
  approach anyone carrying them. If the flowers are
  strongly presented to him (like garlic to a vampire),
  he flees. Unlike most bogeymen, Mister Fox’s vul-
  nerability doesn’t destroy him, it only repels him.
  Monsieur Croquemitaine
  A cadaverously thin man with hollow cheeks
  stands before you looming like a spectre.
  Although Monsieur Croquemitaine is of aver-
  age height, he appears much taller due to his
  painful slimness. He is cadaverously thin; his cheeks
  are hollow and his eyes narrow and black, the dirty
  and sun-burnt skin falling around them in folds due
  to the lack of muscle beneath. The laborer’s clothes
  he wears hang on his emaciated frame like rags on
  a scarecrow. These clothes were once as fine as any
  working man could afford, but long, hard wear has
  made them filthy and ragged. The only parts of his
  body that appear well nourished are his wiry arms,
  inhumanly long fingers and his teeth, which are
  huge yellow and gray tombstones like horses’ teeth.
  Monsieur Croquemitaine is usually only en-
  countered at night. He is a bogeyman that haunts
  dark alleys, windowsills and bedchambers, waiting
  to kidnap his prey. Despite his emaciation, Mon-
  sieur Croquemitaine possesses incredible wiry
  strength. He can effortlessly climb walls to reach
  his prey and is perfectly capable of wringing
  someone’s neck or dragging them bodily away. He
  is able to unlock even the tightest window, his
  long, white fingers wriggling between the cracks of
  the shutters to reach the latch. Occasionally, he
  hangs just below the windowsill, and drops things
  into the street beneath. When someone opens the
  window to investigate, he grabs them by the throat
  and drags them outside. Some of his victims are
  strangled in their sleep and left for their families to
  discover, while others simply vanish — bundled
  into a sack and dragged back to his wagon. This
  rickety old farm cart is drawn by a ragged, un-
  
  169
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  healthy looking ox. When it moves, its wheels
  leave tracks of fresh blood for a few meters, when it
  suddenly vanishes. No one has ever discovered
  what happen to those he kidnaps in this gory cart.
  Combat
  Monsieur Croquemitaine fights with his slam
  attack as well as his other physical powers. He
  prefers to attack from surprise, with his victims at
  a distinct disadvantage.
  Eyes of Innocence (Su): To adults, Monsieur
  Croquemitaine seems to be a simple farmer or
  laborer. A strange fog seems to descend over their
  minds; even if a farm hand would seem out of place
  in a given situation (such as sitting outside Cha-
  teau Delanuit on the night of a ball), adults won’t
  consider his presence unusual. Only in extreme
  circumstances, when he is engaged in something
  that cannot be ignored, will they act against him.
  Children and other innocents, however, are always
  able to see the fiendish potential for evil contained
  in his emaciated frame.
  Improved Grab (Ex): If Monsieur
  Croquemitaine manages to hit with his slam at-
  tack, he deals normal damage and may attempt to
  start a grapple as a free action, without provoking
  an attack of opportunity. This ability may be used
  against Medium-size or smaller creatures.
  Strangle (Ex): While grappling with an oppo-
  nent, Monsieur Croquemitaine can strangle them
  for an additional 1d4+3 damage. If the attack that
  allowed the bogeyman to gain a hold was also a
  critical hit, the victim immediately begins suffo-
  cating.
  Spider Climb (Sp): Once per day, Monsieur
  Croquemitaine may spider climb as a sixth level
  sorcerer.
  Weapon Resistance (Ex): Monsieur
  Croquemitaine’s emaciated body is almost entirely
  free of bone, supported instead by a network of
  cartilage. This gives him his unnatural ability to
  slither through narrow windows and unlock shut-
  ters from the inside and also means he takes only
  half damage from bludgeoning weapons.
  Vulnerability (Ex): Monsieur Croquemitaine
  is a creature of the night. While he is able to move
  about during the day, he is unable, or perhaps
  unwilling, to hunt. Likewise, if confronted with
  bright light while attempting to kidnap a child, he
  must make a DC 17 Will save or flee. If he is
  somehow trapped in a beam of sunlight for one full
  minute after night has fallen, the murderous fey is
  destroyed—forced back into his dispersed state for
  another generation.
  Madame Croquemitaine
  This jolly woman is immense in size and always
  seems to be eating something.
  Madame Croquemitaine is the opposite of her
  husband in almost every way. Where he is taciturn,
  she is jolly and talkative. While he drives their
  wagon during the day and hunts at night, she
  kidnaps her victims during the day. He lurks in dark
  streets and bedrooms, she in playgrounds, parks
  and other ‘safe’ areas where children play. Mon-
  sieur Croquemitaine is thin; his wife is grotesquely
  fat. Curtains of flab hang from her body. Her head
  is separated from her mounded shoulders by rolls of
  chins rather than a neck. She is always eating, and
  food stains her fine but well-worn clothing. Her
  mole-ridden skin glistens with oil and sweat.
  Madame Croquemitaine is never seen without
  a bag of sweets, which she uses to capture her
  victims. She sits in parks throughout the western
  Core, munching on a roast chicken or sandwich,
  and eagerly engaging anyone who passes in conver-
  sation. Children and other innocents are offered a
  sweet from her bag. In some cases, this makes her
  victim vulnerable to the murderess’ suggestions,
  and they are lured into a nearby alley where Mon-
  sieur Croquemitaine waits with their wagon. In
  others, the child is instantly struck dead or para-
  lyzed, bundled up in Madame Croquemitaine’s
  voluminous skirts and dragged away. Her husband
  whips the tired ox, the wagon creaks slowly away,
  and the only clue for the distraught parents and
  other authorities is a seldom-noticed trail of drying
  blood. She and her husband are said to devour their
  victim — she eating the fat, he the lean — in their
  home in a dark wood somewhere, although the
  exact place varies from legend to legend.
  Combat
  Madame Croquemitaine eschews combat
  whenever possible, preferring to lure her victims
  through her special power (see below).
  Eyes of Innocence (Su): To an adult, Ma-
  dame Croquemitaine appears to be a normal, slightly
  overweight, woman. Most people do not seem to
  notice her, and even those she engages in conver-
  sation are unable to remember her clearly enough
  to describe her once the conversation is over. She
  is perfectly capable of kidnapping an innocent in
  full view of a group of oblivious adults. Only the
  
  170
  DM’s Appendix
  imaginative and innocent — her prey — are able
  to see her in her evil corpulence.
  Sweets (Sp): Madame Croquemitaine hunts
  with her sweets. These delicious treats are capable
  of unleashing a number of different horrors on
  those foolish enough to eat them. One per day,
  Madame Croquemitaine can choose to cast one of
  charm person, hold person or, much more rarely,
  death (DC 15 + spell level) on the last person to
  have eaten one of her sweets. Madame
  Croquemitaine creates this effect herself, acting
  through the sweets. By themselves, they are not
  magical.
  Weapon Resistance (Ex): Because of the huge
  amounts of fat surrounding her body, weapons that
  rely on pure force to injure opponents are less
  effective against Madame Croquemitaine. As such,
  she takes half damage from all bludgeoning attacks.
  Table A–2: Sample Bogeymen, Part Two
  Madame Croquemitaine
  Madame Croquemitaine
  Madame Croquemitaine
  Madame Croquemitaine
  Madame Croquemitaine
  Alligator Lenny
  Alligator Lenny
  Alligator Lenny
  Alligator Lenny
  Alligator Lenny
  The Scissorman
  The Scissorman
  The Scissorman
  The Scissorman
  The Scissorman
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Medium Fey (Bogeyman)
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  Hit Dice:
  6d6+27 (53 hp)
  8d6+32 (66 hp)
  10d6+10 (53 hp)
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  Initiative:
  +3
  +2
  +4
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  Speed:
  30 ft.
  30 ft.
  30 ft.
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  Armor Class:
  13 (-1 Dexterity, +2 natural, +2
  17 (+2 Dexterity, +1 Dodge, +2 16 (+4 Dexterity, +2 deflection),
  deflection), touch 11, flatfooted 11
  natural, +2 deflection), touch 14, touch 16, flatfooted 12
   flatfooted 14
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple:
  Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
  +4/+9
  +5/+7
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Attack:
  Slam +5 melee (1d4+2)
  Slam +10 melee (1d4+5
  Scissors +12 melee (1d4+6/17-
  plus disease)
  20)
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Full Attack:
  Slam +5 melee (1d4+2)
  Slam +10 melee (1d4+5
  Scissors +12 melee (1d4+6/17-
  plus disease)
  20)
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  Space/Reach:
  5 ft./5 ft.
  5 ft./5 ft.
  5 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Special Attacks:
  Sweets
  Cause disease, putrescent aura
  —
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Special Qualities:
  Eyes of innocence, weapon
  Eyes of innocence, vulnerabilities Eyes of innocence, frightful
   resistance, vulnerabilities
  presence, healing, isolation,
  passwall, vulnerabilities
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Saves:
  Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +6
  Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +8
  Fort +4, Ref +11, Will +8
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Abilities:
  Str 14, Dex 8, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 12, Str 20, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 11, Str 15, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 12,
  Cha 14
  Wis 14, Cha 8
  Wis 13, Cha 13
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Skills:
  Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Gather
  Balance +12, Climb +13, Hide
  Balance +13, Bluff +13, Hide
  Information +11, Hide +10,
  +13, Jump +13, Listen +10,
  +14, Intimidate +14, Jump +13,
  Knowledge (local) +10, Listen +10,
  Move Silently +12, Spot +10,
  Listen +13, Move Silently +15,
  Spot +10
  Swim +13
  Spot +14
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Feats:
  Improved Initiative, Run, Toughness Dodge, Power Attack,
  Power Attack, Weapon focus
  Weapon focus (slam)
  (scissors), Weapon finesse
  (scissors), Weapon
  specialization (scissors)
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Environment:
  Any
  Any
  Any
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Organization:
  Solitary
  Solitary
  Solitary
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  Challenge Rating:
  5
  7
  8
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  Treasure:
  None
  Coins, goods
  Scissors (as keen dagger +2)
  (gems and jewelry only)
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Alignment:
  Chaotic evil
  Chaotic evil
  Lawful evil
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  Advancement:
  7-8 HD (Medium)
  9-12 HD (Large)
  11-12 HD (Medium), 13 HD
  (Large)
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  Level Adjustment:
  —
  —
  —
  
  171
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  Vulnerability (Ex): Despite her ravenous appe-
  tite, Madame Croquemitaine is unable to stomach
  even one of the sweets she offers to her victims. If one
  of her sweets should ever pass her lips, she is instantly
  struck down in incredible pain and forced to disperse.
  Alligator Lenny
  The tall, massively built person who approaches
  appears to be a human or perhaps an ogre until he
  grows near enough to reveal his glowing red eyes and
  blunt, forward-thrusting snout.
  Alligator Lenny is a massive creature. In the
  eternal gloom of his watery home, he could easily
  be mistaken for a particularly muscular laborer,
  possibly even an ogre. He is more than six feet tall,
  with powerful shoulders nearly two thirds as wide.
  His hands are callused spades. Tendons and rip-
  pling muscles stand out all over his brawny frame.
  On closer inspection, however, it is clear Alligator
  Lenny is no natural creature. His nose and mouth
  jut forward into a short, blunt snout, and the irises
  of his eyes glow red in the darkness. A terrible
  stench of decay seems to emanate from every pore
  in his cracked and broken skin. Most of his teeth
  are covered in rot, and the whites of his eyes are
  yellow with jaundice. The only things kept in good
  order are the necklaces of coins and other pieces of
  jewelry he always carries with him.
  In Darkon, a terrifying brute stalks the sewers,
  drains and waterways. Stories of his glowing red
  eyes, peering malevolently from sewer gratings or
  benighted lakes, are common in Richemulot. In
  Nosos, his scaled hand brings illness to those who
  play in the street with the poor and death to those
  who travel abroad in the rain. He is driven by an
  almost insatiable lust for blood and for coins and
  other valuables. He is Alligator Lenny, the bogey-
  man created by children who drowned in wells or
  died, lost and alone, beneath the city.
  Despite his brutish appearance, Alligator
  Lenny is a canny creature, able to plan his subtle
  attacks and move with surprising speed to carry
  them out. He enjoys stalking his victims slowly,
  glaring out at them from darkened openings, creep-
  ing up on them until his stench is almost
  overpowering, before falling back again, deliber-
  ately giving away his presence with a scuffed footstep
  or a splash of water. Not until his victim flees,
  sobbing in terror from the thing behind them, does
  he pounce — leaping out in front of them and
  letting them run into his arms. Of course, he has
  also been known to surge out of a river or well, or
  stretch a massive arm through a storm water drain
  to drag a poor child into the drain. He is strong
  enough to tear them apart if they are not physically
  capable of fitting through the gap, but this quick
  death is perhaps preferable to what lies in wait for
  his smaller victims. Those who are dragged into his
  dark underworld are slowly and sadistically mur-
  dered (often held under the water until they pass
  out, then revived and held down again, until they
  finally die), stripped of their valuables and aban-
  doned to the vermin.
  Combat
  Alligator Lenny prefers to attack from a posi-
  tion of stealth, using surprise and his immense
  strength to his advantage.
  Cause Disease (Ex): Alligator Lenny’s cracked
  and jaundiced hide is not simply a horrifying cos-
  metic effect. He is literally crawling with disease.
  Simply entering the bogeyman’s putrescent aura is
  enough to infect someone with filth fever (Forti-
  tude save DC 10). People who drink from water
  that has been in contact with him for some time
  (such as a well or lake where he has lurked) must
  save as well, at the same DC. Those who are
  unlucky enough to touch or be touched by him can
  be afflicted with one of any number of diseases. The
  DM should choose a disease based on the strength
  of the victim; particularly appropriate diseases in-
  clude filth fever, slimy doom or devil chills.
  Eyes of Innocence (Su): Adults are unable to
  see Alligator Lenny, detecting only a faint, lingering
  smell. He seems to fade into the background. The
  sound of his footsteps becomes the scurrying of rats or
  the yowling of a stray cat. His victims seem to have
  been mauled by some kind of animal, or to have
  perished from natural causes, such as drowning.
  There always seems to be another, more rational
  explanation for his deeds. Of course, children and
  other innocents are always able to see and hear him.
  Putrescent Aura (Ex): A terrible, nauseating
  stench emanates from every pore on Alligator
  Lenny’s corrupt body, fouling the air around him
  and polluting any area that he lingers in. This
  hideous aura extends for 10 feet around him, al-
  though it can be detected at far greater distances
  and is enough to turn the stomach of even the most
  jaded necromancer. No natural animal or beast
  will willingly enter Alligator Lenny’s aura, and any
  living being that does so must make a DC 15
  Fortitude save or become nauseated. The DC rises
  to 20 for creatures with the Scent quality.
  
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  DM’s Appendix
  Vulnerability (Ex): As a creature of corrup-
  tion and decay, Alligator Lenny is affected by
  symbols of purity and health, such as posies, rose
  petals or lavender. He is unable to directly harm
  anyone carrying these or similar items and pressing
  one of these flowers against his snout is enough to
  kill him. He is also immune to turning, unless one
  of these medicinal items is used in addition to the
  cleric’s holy symbol, or if the cleric has access to the
  Healing domain.
  The Scissorman
  At first glance, the man standing before you looks
  and dresses like a tailor; only when he gets close are his
  insectoid features revealed in their grotesqueness.
  In many ways, the Scissorman looks like a
  cross between a well-to-do tailor from Mordent or
  Paridon and a gigantic praying mantis. He is easily
  seven feet tall, with big eyes and exceptionally long
  legs. His hard, dry skin, which is strangely like the
  carapace of a beetle, enhances his insectoid ap-
  pearance. Flakes of dusty skin fall away from him
  with every movement. He is thin but muscular and
  always dresses in a fine crimson and black pinstriped
  suit, complete with gaiters, cane and top hat. He
  occasionally appears with his mouth sewn shut, but
  this is unusual—those few who have met him and
  survived describe him as a pleasant conversation-
  alist, often engaging in witty banter.
  The Scissorman is a polite, urbane gentleman
  in every respect — except one. He uses a huge pair
  of shiny silver shears to attack and mutilate his
  victims. Children who disobey their parents, suck
  their thumbs or are otherwise “naughty” some-
  times attract a midnight visit from this fiend. He
  appears silently in one corner of the room, seem-
  ingly materializing out of the shadows. Occasionally,
  this macabre visitation is heralded by the “snip-
  snip” of scissors. The Scissorman toys with his
  victim, indulging in games of cat-and-mouse, be-
  fore finally moving in for the kill. Once he has
  finished, his victims are often beyond recognition,
  but not always dead. Some are left alive, driven
  insane by pain and terror, with their tongues cut
  from their heads. Somehow, these wounds often
  seem to be self-inflicted — leaving the insectoid
  tailor free to pursue his endless search for materials
  to make his clothes.
  Combat
  Scissorman uses his scissors as a weapon when
  necessary, but he prefers to avoid combat alto-
  gether, saving his scissors for other uses.
  Eyes of Innocence (Su): Adults are com-
  pletely unable to see the Scissorman, unless he
  wishes them to. Unlike other bogeymen, children
  also become unable to see him in the presence of
  adults. To them, the terrifying shape looming out
  of the closet simply becomes a trick of the shadows
  or a pile of clothes when an adult is summoned and
  a candle is lit. Once they are gone, of course, the
  Scissorman returns.
  Frightful Presence (Su): By slowly snipping
  his scissors and grinning, the Scissorman can strike
  fear into the hearts of his victims. Witnesses must
  make a DC 18 Fear save. This is a mind affecting
  fear effect, and those who make their saves are
  immune to it for one day.
  Healing (Su): Once per day, the Scissorman
  can use his tailoring abilities to heal his wounds by
  sewing them shut. This requires a full-round ac-
  tion, after which he is restored to full hit points.
  Unlike a ghost, he needn’t rest afterward and can
  return immediately to his games. However, while
  sewing, the Scissorman loses his Dexterity bonus to
  his Armor Class, and if he is hit, the healing
  attempt is ruined for that day.
  Isolation (Sp): The helpless victims of this
  terrifying madman often spend their last few min-
  utes screaming vainly in fear and agony, while
  those outside the room are unable to hear a thing.
  Once per day, the Scissorman is able to isolate his
  victim’s bedchamber (or similar room) from its
  surroundings. In effect, any sounds are silenced, and
  all the door and windows are affected by hold portal
  spells. Both these abilities take effect as though cast
  by a 9th-level sorcerer.
  Passwall (Su): At will, the Scissorman is able
  to move through solid walls. This is how he gains
  access to his victims, and how he escapes again
  after he has finished.
  Scissors (Ex): The shining silver blades that
  give this bogeyman his name are unnaturally sharp.
  They have the combat abilities of a keen dagger +2.
  Vulnerabilities (Ex): Despite his many pow-
  erful abilities, the Scissorman is easily dealt with.
  Water eats into his dry and dusty skin like acid,
  rusting his shears and dissolving his features. A
  single cup of water thrown into his face is enough
  to send him fleeing into the night in agony, while
  a liter of water can immediately destroy him. Note,
  however, that other fluids — like blood — don’t
  affect him in this fashion.
  
  173
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  Chapter Five:
  To Honor and Obey
  o Honor and Obey doesn’t contain a lot
  in the way of overt gaming tools. Its
  magic is subtle, elixirs rather than gar-
  gantuan contraptions or ancient items
  of arcane might. Its monsters are all too
  human. Closer examination, however, reveals quite
  a few tools for an enterprising DM to use to torment
  her players. We’ve presented a few of those below.
  New Class: The Voodan
  Not all faiths honor the gods directly. In
  many cultures, spirits of the natural world
  and messengers of the gods are far more
  heavily involved in mortal affairs than are
  the gods themselves. Why pray to a deity
  who does not hear, when you can direct
  your petition to the entity that god
  placed as lord over luck, or death, or
  rain or wealth? If you seek succor in
  the depths of a swamp, should not
  the swamp itself be the recipient of
  your pleas?
  This, then, is the source of the
  voodan. A divine caster who wor-
  ships neither gods nor nature itself,
  but rather spiritual entities who fall
  somewhere in between, the voodan is
  possessed of only limited spellcasting
  ability, but has other mystic capabilities
  granted him by the loa, spirits of the
  natural world. The voodan does not
  deny the existence of greater powers
  such as deities; he simply chooses to
  focus his veneration on beings nearer
  to him.
  Adventures: Most voodan tend
  to remain relatively close to home,
  sometimes because they serve as
  community leaders, often because
  the power of the loa —less than
  that of a god — is limited to a
  certain geographical area.
  Adventure often comes to
  them, however, as the
  voodan is frequently re-
  sponsible for protecting
  his people from spiritual
  and supernatural threats.
  Those who do go out into the world seeking adven-
  ture may be acting in the interests of one or more
  of their patron loa, but may simply be seeking their
  own fortune. The loa rarely restrict the behavior of
  their followers, so long as they are granted proper
  respect and the voodan does not act in ways com-
  pletely contrary to his patrons’ interests.
  Characteristics: Voodan are incredibly pow-
  erful spellcasters, though they cannot cast as swiftly
  or as flexibly as the other casting classes. Given
  sufficient time to prepare, however, their mastery
  of both the spiritual and natural worlds makes
  them exceedingly potent.
  Many voodan serve to protect their home-
  lands, and most come from relatively wild
  regions. Thus, voodan are all reasonably adept
  at combat, though they are proficient with
  fewer of the tools of war than their clerical
  counterparts.
  Alignment: Voodan can be of any
  alignment; the loa run the entire gamut
  of moral and ethical behavior, so a
  voodan can always find kindred spir-
  its from whom he can draw power.
  Very few voodan are lawful, simply by
  virtue of the fact that they tend to
  develop in wilder, less urban regions,
  but this is not a requirement of the
  class. Good voodan usually aid their
  neighbors and serve as protectors and
  advisors, while evil voodan often hire
  themselves out as “witchdoctors,” pro-
  viding curses and foul mystical
  concoctions to anyone who can pay.
  Religion: Voodan worship the loa,
  spirits put in place by the gods to serve
  as messengers, caretakers and guard-
  ians of the physical world. The voodan
  acknowledge the gods’ existence, but
  they never pray directly to them. As
  emissaries of the divine, the loa are
  responsible for heeding and grant-
  ing (or refusing) petitions.
  Voodan do not choose a single,
  specific loa to whom they
  grant the entirety of their
  veneration. Rather,
  voodan tend to call
  upon whichever loa is
  appropriate to their
  current 
  circum-
  stances. (A voodan lost
  
  174
  DM’s Appendix
  in a bog might call on the Maiden of the Swamp,
  even if he normally devotes most of his veneration
  to Kurkva, the Wailing One.) Voodan do, how-
  ever, choose a particular loa to whom they feel
  closest and devote more of their efforts and cer-
  emonies to that loa in particular. It is this “patron”
  loa that grants the voodan most of his spells.
  Voodan do not congregate in great church
  hierarchies. Most temples to the loa are maintained
  by a single voodan, or perhaps a voodan and his
  students. While all voodan respect one another as
  servants of the loa, they feel no intrinsic sense of
  loyalty, and two powerful voodan might be bitter
  rivals as easily as they might be allies.
  Races: In the Ravenloft setting, in which
  Souragne is the only domain from which voodan
  hail, humans make up the entirety of the class. (If
  any nonhuman voodan do exist, they are so rare as
  to make up a statistically negligible proportion.) In
  other settings, elves, half-orcs and halflings from
  wilder regions sometimes gravitate toward worship
  of the loa. Gnomes and dwarves rarely find the faith
  appealing, but some of the monstrous humanoid
  tribes adopt it.
  Other Classes: Voodan get along reasonably
  well with arcane spellcasters, as they believe that
  arcane magic simply represents a different means of
  borrowing the loas’ power. They are less sanguine
  around clerics or druids, believing such individuals
  to be either disrespectful of the loa, or deluded
  regarding the source of their power. All others,
  they tend to judge on a case-by-case basis, though
  they often have much to discuss with rangers, who
  frequent the same sorts of areas and do not rely as
  heavily as druids on divine magic not granted by
  the loa.
  Role: The voodan’s role in a party varies
  considerably depending on which spells he can
  access at a given time. Some may serve as healers,
  others as combat casters, still others as scouts.
  Because they see themselves as closest to the enti-
  ties that dictate the course of the natural world,
  voodan often see themselves as natural leaders, or
  at least as guides and advisors to those who com-
  mand.
  Game Rule Information
  Voodan have the following game statistics.
  Abilities: Wisdom determines how powerful a
  voodan’s spells are and how many he can cast in a
  day. Charisma is at least as important, as nearly all
  the voodan’s other class features are based on that
  ability. Constitution is useful for surviving the
  harsh environments in which many voodan dwell,
  and Intelligence enables them to acquire the skill
  points needed to thrive there.
  Alignment: Any, but a voodan’s alignment
  must be within one step of his chosen patron loa’s.
  Hit Dice: d8.
  Voodan, Not Vodoun
  Just as the standard cleric of d20 fantasy
  does not represent a true priest of any real-
  world religion, so too is it vital to remember
  that the so-called “voodan” of Souragne —
  while clearly inspired by the beliefs of Vodoun
  as it is practiced in the Caribbean and the
  American south — are not meant to accu-
  rately recreate or represent it. The loa of
  Souragne are not the loa of Vodoun; the Lord
  of the Dead is not Baron Samedi, for in-
  stance, nor does the Maiden of the Swamp
  correspond to any true loa. As are the deities
  presented in the core D20 rules, the loa
  presented here are fictional.
  You can, of course, choose to portray a
  voodan more in keeping with a real world
  houngan, and have him worship the Baron, or
  Legba, or any one of the hundreds of loa
  honored in vodoun. You could also choose to
  play a cleric who worships Jesus, or a paladin
  who follows Vishnu. Remember that unlike
  its fictional counterpart in the Ravenloft
  setting, Vodoun is a living and thriving reli-
  gion, with sects and variants that encompass
  millions of worshippers. Treat it with the
  respect it is due.
  Background: As worship of loa tends to be a
  cultural phenomenon, most voodan-to-be realize
  at a relatively young age that they feel a particular
  pull toward the faith and petition one of the local
  voodan to accept them as a student. Some do come
  to the calling at an older age, but this relatively
  rare.
  Most voodan come from relatively rural or
  wild environments. Worship of the loa is far more
  common in small villages on the edge of civiliza-
  tion than it is elsewhere; only a handful of sizable
  cities claim the faith as their dominant religion.
  
  175
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  Class Skills
  The voodan’s class skills (and the key ability
  modifier for each skill) are Concentration (Con),
  Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal
  (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int),
  Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profes-
  sion (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival
  (Wis), and Swim (Str).
  Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
  Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int
  modifier.
  Class Features
  All the following are class features of the
  voodan.
  Weapons and Armor Proficiency: Voodan
  are proficient with all simple weapons and with
  light armor.
  Spells: Voodan cast divine spells, which are
  drawn — under certain restrictions, as described
  below — from several different spell lists. Al-
  though these spells function as those cast by other
  spellcasters in most respects, they do possess a few
  fundamental differences. As with a cleric, the
  voodan’s alignment may prevent him from casting
  certain spells opposed to his moral or ethical be-
  liefs.
  When preparing their daily allotment of spells,
  wizards pre-cast the greater portion of the spell, and
  clerics pray for the ability to cast the spell at a later
  time. Voodan, however, spend their hour of prepa-
  ration time creating a number of small charms,
  called gris-gris (pronounced GREE-gree). These
  charms can take any number of forms, from small
  carved tokens to primitive dolls to elixirs. Each
  gris-gris is, essentially, the physical form of one of
  the spells the voodan has prepared for the day. This
  is not item creation in the traditional sense; each
  gris-gris is a spell stored in physical form, for all
  practical purposes, and its presence means the
  voodan may cast that spell once, just like wizards or
  clerics may only cast a spell once after they’ve
  prepared it. Any material components or foci re-
  quired for the spell must be present during
  preparation time, rather than during casting. When
  it comes time to actually cast the spell, the voodan
  need only have the gris-gris on his person, though
  it still requires the standard amount of time to cast
  the spell.
  All of this is, for the most part, purely cos-
  metic. When it comes to actual mechanics, a
  voodan casts spells very much like any other caster
  who pre-prepares his spells. It simply takes a differ-
  ent form. The one advantage to the voodan’s
  method, however, is that he is capable of giving his
  gris-gris to someone else. This means the voodan
  cannot cast the spell, but the other individual can;
  see below for more.
  To prepare a gris-gris or cast the associated
  spell, a voodan must have a Wisdom score equal to
  at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for
  a saving throw against a voodan’s spell is 10 + the
  spell level + the voodan’s Wisdom modifier.
  Like other spellcasters, a voodan can cast only
  a certain number of spells (prepare a certain num-
  ber of gris-gris) of each spell level per day. His base
  daily spell allotment is given on Table A–4: The
  Voodan. In addition, he receives bonus spells per
  day if he has a high Wisdom score.
  Voodans pray for their spells while creating
  their gris-gris. Each voodan must choose a time at
  which he must spend 1 hour each day in quiet
  contemplation and craftsmanship to regain his
  daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no
  effect on whether a voodan can prepare spells. A
  voodan may prepare and cast spells as described
  here, provided that he can cast spells of that level,
  but he must choose which spells to prepare during
  his daily meditation. He does not require any
  special materials for creating gris-gris. Voodan tend
  to prefer more aesthetic charms where possible, but
  simple twigs and grasses tied into rough figures and
  rocks painted in religious symbols, will do in a
  pinch. If unused, gris-gris lose their power within 24
  hours, requiring the voodan to prepare new spells
  the following day.
  Primary Schools and Preparing Gris-Gris: Every
  loa has a selection of three schools associated with
  it. A voodan must select two of the three schools
  offered by his patron loa to be his primary schools.
  When preparing his spells/gris-gris for the day, he
  may draw from the bard, cleric, druid and ranger
  spell lists. (The bard spells are cast as divine spells
  in this instance, not arcane.) If a spell appears on
  more than one of these lists, the voodan may select
  it at the lowest level slot available. However, only
  spells from the voodan’s two primary schools func-
  tion as those in the book. Spells cast from outside
  those two schools take up a spell slot one level
  higher than normally required.
  For instance, Mensonge is a voodan of
  Ohuwaghnn, the Serpent King, granting him a
  choice of Divination, Necromancy and Transmu-
  tation. He elects Necromancy and Transmutation
  
  176
  DM’s Appendix
  as his primary schools. When preparing gris-gris for
  his 3rd-levels spells on any given day, he can select
  both animate dead and plant growth, as those are
  both 3rd-level spells from his allowed spell lists and
  primary schools. However, if he wishes to prepare
  create food and water, he must prepare it as a 4th-
  level spell, because it is a 3rd-level spell from
  outside his select schools.
  Bestow Gris-Gris: The single largest difference
  between voodan gris-gris and a cleric’s spells is that,
  because gris-gris are physical manifestations of the
  spells, the voodan can give them to allies for their
  own use. This functions, in many respects, like an
  innate imbue with spell ability. The voodan selects one
  or more of his prepared spells and gives the gris-gris to
  someone else. That person then has the option of
  using the gris-gris and casting the spell herself. The
  voodan can not cast the spell; furthermore, the spell
  slot remains unusable to the voodan until either the
  bestowed gris-gris is used, or until it expires after its
  24-hour lifespan, whichever comes first.
  A gris-gris bestowed on someone else, how-
  ever, does not function as well as if the voodan had
  cast it himself. This, combined with the fact that
  the voodan cannot cast the prepared spell himself
  once he has given the gris-gris to another, inspires
  most voodan to limit the number of gris-gris they
  give away in a given day.
  Apply one of the following modifiers to any
  spell / gris-gris used by someone other than the
  voodan who created it. The negative modifier
  applies to both effective caster level and any rel-
  evant save DCs, all of which begin at the base
  values of the voodan who crafted the gris-gris.
  Domain Spells and Spontaneous Casting:
  Each loa, in addition to three schools, also has three
  domains associated with it. The voodan chooses
  one of those three domains. He does not gain the
  associated domain ability, as a cleric would, nor
  does he gain extra slots per day to prepare domain
  spells. At any time, however, the voodan can “lose”
  any prepared spell in order to cast the spell of that
  same level from his chosen domain.
  Turn/Rebuke Chosen Spirit (Su): At 1st level,
  the voodan chooses one category of “spirit” that he
  may turn or rebuke, exactly as a cleric of his level. He
  may choose a second variety at 6th level. Good
  voodan need not turn, and evil voodan need not
  rebuke; unlike clerics, they can choose which option
  they prefer at character creation, regardless of align-
  ment. Other than the choice of which sort of creature
  to turn/rebuke, this ability functions exactly as does
  that of the cleric and can be used a number of times
  per day equal to 3 + the voodan’s Charisma modifier.
  Options for the choice of spirit include:
  • Animals
  • Elementals
  • Fey
  • Outsiders
  • Undead
  Remember to account for the added difficulty
  of turning undead when using voodan in the
  Ravenloft setting.
  Voice of the Spirit Realm (Sp): Beginning at
  2nd level, the voodan may either speak with animals,
  speak with dead, or speak with plants as a spell-like
  ability. He may use this ability number of times per
  day equal to the voodan’s Charisma modifier.
  Mount of the Loa (Su): Once per day, begin-
  ning at 4th level, the voodan may allow his patron
  loa to “ride” him for brief periods. During this time,
  the voodan gains any one of the following abilities:
  • +2 to any single ability score.
  • +2 to any single saving throw.
  • +1 to attack and armor class.
  • +4 points to skills, divided among one to
  four skills as the voodan chooses.
  The bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to
  2 + the voodan’s Charisma modifier, if positive (and
  not counting any enhancement to Charisma he may
  have gained by using this selfsame ability). The
  voodan cannot use this ability when engaged in an
  activity of which his patron loa would not approve.
  At 10th and 16th levels, the voodan gains an
  additional daily use of this ability.
  Table A–4: Gris-gris Modifiers
  User of the 
  User of the 
  User of the 
  User of the 
  User of the gris-gris
  gris-gris
  gris-gris
  gris-gris
  gris-gris
  Modifier
  Modifier
  Modifier
  Modifier
  Modifier
  A voodan, but not the one
  who created the gris-gris
  –1
  A worshipper of the loa,
  but not a voodan
  –2
  Anyone else
  –3
  The gris-gris must be granted deliberately by the
  voodan. Stealing a gris-gris from an unwilling voodan
  prevents him from casting that spell until he can
  create a new gris-gris at his prayer time the next day,
  but it does not allow the thief to cast the spell.
  
  177
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  The Loa of Souragne
  As mentioned above, the religion of the do-
  main of Souragne does not make use of any loa
  worshipped in true Vodoun, but a pantheon unique
  to the Ravenloft setting. The loa of Souragne
  number in the thousands, representing all manner
  of natural forces, locations and concepts. Many
  communities worship their deceased ancestors as
  loa. As such, it would be impossible to present
  anything resembling a comprehensive list here.
  For voodan and other characters from Souragne,
  however, we present here a selection of the greatest
  loas of the Souragnian faith, equally useful in a
  Ravenloft campaign or any fantasy game with a
  Vodoun-bent. Your DM may, of course, create
  others as she chooses.
  Table A–4: The Voodan
  ———— Spells per Day ————
  Level         Base
  Level         Base
  Level         Base
  Level         Base
  Level         Base
  Fort
  Fort
  Fort
  Fort
  Fort
  Ref
  Ref
  Ref
  Ref
  Ref
  Will
  Will
  Will
  Will
  Will
  Special
  Special
  Special
  Special
  Special
  0      1st
  0      1st
  0      1st
  0      1st
  0      1st
  2nd   3rd
  2nd   3rd
  2nd   3rd
  2nd   3rd
  2nd   3rd 4th   5th
  4th   5th
  4th   5th
  4th   5th
  4th   5th 6th   7th
  6th   7th
  6th   7th
  6th   7th
  6th   7th 8th   9th
  8th   9th
  8th   9th
  8th   9th
  8th   9th
                    Attack
                    Attack
                    Attack
                    Attack
                    Attack
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
  Save
                    Bonus
                    Bonus
                    Bonus
                    Bonus
                    Bonus
  1st             +0
  +2
  +0
  +2
  Turn/rebuke 1st
  3       1
  —    — —   — —   — —    —
  chosen spirit, bestow
  gris-gris
  2nd           +1
  +3
  +0
  +3
  Voice of the spirit realm 4       2
  —    — —   — —   — —    —
  3rd            +2
  +3
  +1
  +3
  —
  4       2
  1        — —   — —   — —    —
  4th            +3
  +4
  +1
  +4
  Mount of the loa, 1/day 5       3
  2       — —   — —   — —    —
  5th            +3
  +4
  +1
  +4
  —
  5       3
  2       1
  —   — —   — —    —
  6th            +4
  +5
  +2
  +5
  Turn/rebuke 2nd
  5       3
  3       2
  —   — —   — —    —
  chosen spirit
  7th            +5
  +5
  +2
  +5
  —
  6       4
  3       2
  1       — —   — —    —
  8th           +6/+1
  +6
  +2
  +6
  —
  6       4
  3       3
  2      — —   — —    —
  9th            +6/+1
  +6
  +3
  +6
  —
  6       4
  4       3
  2      1
  —   — —    —
  10th          +7/+2
  +7
  +3
  +7
  Mount of the loa, 2/day 6       4
  4       3
  3      2
  —   — —    —
  11th           +8/+3
  +7
  +3
  +7
  —
  6       5
  4       4
  3      2
  1       — —    —
  12th          +9/+4
  +8
  +4
  +8
  —
  6       5
  4       4
  3      3
  2      — —    —
  13th           +9/+4
  +8
  +4
  +8
  —
  6       5
  5       4
  4      3
  2      1
  —    —
  14th          +10/+5
  +9
  +4
  +9
  —
  6       5
  5       4
  4      3
  3      2
  —    —
  15th          +11/+6/+1
  +9
  +5
  +9
  —
  6       5
  5       5
  4      4
  3      2
  1        —
  16th          +12/+7/+2
  +10
  +5
  +10
  Mount of the loa, 3/day 6       5
  5       5
  4      4
  3      3
  2       —
  17th          +12/+7/+2
  +10
  +5
  +10
  —
  6       5
  5       5
  5      4
  4      3
  2       1
  18th          +13/+8/+3
  +11
  +6
  +11
  —
  6       5
  5       5
  5      4
  4      3
  3       2
  19th          +14/+9/+4 +11
  +6
  +11
  —
  6       5
  5       5
  5      5
  4      4
  3       3
  20th         +15/+10/+5 +12
  +6
  +12
  —
  6       5
  5       5
  5      5
  4      4
  4       4
  The Maiden of the Swamp
  Seen as somewhat flighty and unpredictable
  yet ultimately benign, the Maiden of the Swamp is
  one of the two most widely worshipped loa in all
  Souragne. She holds dominion over healing, those
  lost in the wild and growing things. Some view her
  as a servant of the Lord of the Dead, one who
  handles those tasks to which he is ill-suited; others
  consider her the only being of Souragne who can
  thwart his will. The Maiden is portrayed as a
  beautiful yet hauntingly sad woman of fey mien,
  clad in the simple attire of the lowest-born peasant.
  Alignment: Chaotic good.
  Schools: Abjuration, Conjuration, Enchant-
  ment
  Domains: Animal, Healing, Plant
  
  178
  DM’s Appendix
  The Lord of the Dead
  The other of Souragne’s greatest loa, the lord
  of the dead is the single most dominant power of
  the entire faith. All those who die in Souragne are
  left unburied for four days, so that the Lord of the
  Dead may claim them as his own, should he choose.
  Many ceremonies serve no purpose other than to
  appease him. The Lord of the Dead is portrayed as
  a walking corpse in old-fashioned but well-kept
  finery.
  Alignment: Lawful evil.
  Schools: Divination,
  Enchantment, Necro-
  mancy
  Domains: Death,
  Knowledge, Repose
  Brahmbei, the
  Oracle
  The shaper of fate and
  the seer of all things to come,
  Brahmbei was once the most
  powerful of the loa. He has
  grown old, however, and his
  powers have waned before those
  of the Lord of the Dead and the
  Maiden of the Swamp.
  Brahmbei is still a potent fig-
  ure, however, and the people of
  Souragne pray to him for luck
  and knowledge. Due to his age,
  Brahmbei does not see as clearly as
  he once did and is prone to occa-
  sional fits of absent-mindedness.
  Further, he has been known to
  deceive those seeking knowledge,
  if he doing so serves to direct them
  toward their eventual destiny. He
  is portrayed as a kindly old man,
  occasionally doddering but still
  possessed of a powerful pres-
  ence and piercing gaze.
  Alignment: Lawful neutral.
  Schools: Abjuration, Divina-
  tion, Illusion
  Domains: Knowledge, Law, Luck
  Kurkva, the Wailing One
  Kurkva is the rain, the clouds and the open
  sky. Once wed to the earth itself, or so legend has
  it, he lost his beloved when she splintered into
  many smaller loa (including the Maiden of the
  Swamp and numerous lesser loa of specific places
  and animals). Thus does Kurkva always grieve; the
  winds are his cries, the rains his tears, the thunder
  his shouts of anguish. Despite his grief, however,
  Kurkva continues to do his duty to the world,
  directing his rains and winds where the natural
  order requires they fall. Followers pray to him for all
  matters relating to rain and
  weather. He is portrayed as a
  middle-aged man clad all in white.
  Alignment: Neutral.
  Schools: Conjuration, Evoca-
  tion, Transmutation
  Domains: 
  Air,
  Travel, Water
  Lethede, the Lady
  of Roads
  The wanderer and pa-
  tron of travelers, Lethede
  is not an especially power-
  ful loa, but she is very widely
  revered. Those far from
  home, those lost, and those
  whose loved ones are absent
  pray to Lethede. She is also
  patron of those who must un-
  dertake a spiritual journey, or
  face an upcoming life change.
  Lethede is portrayed as a dark-
  skinned young woman, her
  garb somewhat beaten and
  worn from travel, but her fea-
  tures tireless and determined.
  Alignment: Lawful neutral.
  Schools: Abjuration,
  Conjuration, Transmuta-
  tion
  Domains: Protection,
  Strength, Travel
  Madris Orundi, the
  Dancer
  Easily one of the most popular of loa, if not the
  most popular, the Dancer is the patron of artists
  and lovers. She is muse, inspiration and match-
  maker. Her most frequent prayers come from young
  people requesting that she ensure that the object of
  their affections return those feelings, but she lis-
  tens equally to old married couples and artists
  
  179
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  seeking a creative spark. She is portrayed as a
  woman in early middle-age, still possessed of the
  beauty of her younger years, but with the grace,
  poise and wisdom of one who has had some time to
  live in the world.
  Alignment: Neutral good.
  Schools: Divination, Enchantment, Illusion
  Domains: Good, Luck, Protection
  Ohuwaghnn, the Serpent King
  Reviled as few other loa are, Ohuwaghnn
  represents the dangerous beasts of the swamp and,
  by extension, the hazards of the wild in general.
  While he has a few devout followers, most who pray
  to him seek to propitiate him, to turn his wrath
  aside, rather than to ask any true boons of him.
  Ohuwaghnn despises most of humanity and seeks
  a return to primal days when people dwelt only in
  scattered communities (if they lived at all), and the
  beasts of the wild dominated the land. He is nor-
  mally portrayed as a great serpent, though he also
  appears in a few images as a gaunt man with
  reptilian eyes.
  Alignment: Chaotic evil.
  Schools: Divination, Necromancy, Transmu-
  tation
  Domains: Animal, Destruction, Trickery
  Ovun Borundir, the Warrior
  Evoked by those who are going into battle,
  professional soldiers and brawlers alike, Ovun
  Borundir is the patron of all who live and die — and
  kill — by violence. He is not evil per se, but neither
  does he favor those who fight for righteous causes.
  In his eyes, it is not the reason for battle, but the
  battle itself, that is worthy. He is portrayed as a
  large man clad in armor, carrying a great mace and
  pierced by various swords and spears that seem to
  bother him not at all.
  Alignment: Chaotic neutral.
  Schools: Abjuration, Evocation, Transmuta-
  tion
  Domains: Protection, Strength, War
  Sehkelo, the Queen in Gold
  Mother of the rebellious and violent
  Tonthomba, Sehkelo is revered as the sun, the
  disperser of darkness, the queen of the sky. (She is
  also mother of the loa of the moon, but he is not
  considered a primary loa and is not included here.)
  Although she brings the oppressive heat of the
  long Souragnian summer, this is considered a nec-
  essary evil to her presence and her efforts to banish
  the darkness. She is the patron of those who seek to
  thwart evil and who seek knowledge for the better-
  ment of all. She is portrayed as a blonde warrior
  woman clad in golden raiment, carrying a spear.
  Alignment: Lawful good.
  Schools: Abjuration, Divination, Evocation
  Domains: Fire, Sun, War
  Tonthomba, the Burning Man
  One of the wildest of the loa, Tonthomba is as
  capricious as the flame he represents. He is vital to
  civilization, providing light in the dark and heat in
  winter, but he is also one of the world’s greatest
  destroyers, easily angered, difficult to control. He is
  revered by all who use fire, which means nearly all
  civilized men and women pray to him at some
  point. He is particularly worshipped by pyromani-
  acs and devotees of chaos and destruction. He is
  usually portrayed simply as a great being of flame;
  when he appears as human, it is as a muscular young
  man with deep red hair and flaming eyes.
  Alignment: Chaotic evil.
  Schools: Conjuration, Evocation, Enchant-
  ment
  Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Fire
  Ulwaddithri, the Consuming One
  The Lord of Death may be the most feared of
  the dark loa of Souragne, but Ulwaddithri is the
  most reviled. The Consuming One represents the
  poisonous air of the deep swamp, the wasting touch
  of sickness, the hollow suffering of famine. She is
  plague and want and all things unwholesome.
  Many Souragnians pray to her, not to invoke her,
  but in hopes of assuaging her and directing her
  attentions elsewhere. Very few who are not hope-
  lessly mad worship her as their primary loa.
  Ulwaddithri is portrayed as a beautiful, seductive
  woman, save for her left arm and leg, which are
  wasting away to disease and rot.
  Alignment: Neutral evil.
  Schools: Conjuration, Necromancy, Trans-
  mutation
  Domains: Death, Evil, Trickery
  
  180
  DM’s Appendix
  New Spells and Feats
  he voodan of Souragne have developed
  spells and techniques unknown else-
  where. Several of those appear in “To
  Honor and Obey,” and are presented
  here in their entirety for use in your
  games. Although neither of these spells are techni-
  cally evil in terms of subtype, casting them on an
  unwilling target calls for a powers check as though
  they were indeed evil. These spells and techniques
  are unique to the voodan, and they intend to keep
  them that way. It should be all but impossible for
  any non-voodan — player character or NPC — to
  acquire them.
  New Spells
  Touch of the Doppelganger
  Transmutation
  Level:
  Level:
  Level:
  Level:
  Level: Brd 4, Sor/Wiz 4
  Components:
  Components:
  Components:
  Components:
  Components: V, S
  Casting Time:
  Casting Time:
  Casting Time:
  Casting Time:
  Casting Time: 1 round
  Range:
  Range:
  Range:
  Range:
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
  Target:
  Target:
  Target:
  Target:
  Target: One creature plus caster
  Duration:
  Duration:
  Duration:
  Duration:
  Duration: Permanent
  Saving Throw:
  Saving Throw:
  Saving Throw:
  Saving Throw:
  Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
  Spell Resistance:
  Spell Resistance:
  Spell Resistance:
  Spell Resistance:
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  The caster changes physical appearance with
  the spell’s target. Every physical feature, from gen-
  eral shape to hair color to the tiniest birthmark or
  scar, is perfectly duplicated. No amount of physical
  examination will reveal the change, though be-
  havior that rings false may tip off those who know
  the individuals well that something is off. So long
  as both of those involved in the spell live, true
  seeing and similar magic reveals the truth. Once
  one is dead, however, even that option disappears,
  and nothing short of a wish or divine intervention
  reveals that the survivor’s form is unnatural.
  The creature targeted must be within one size
  category of the caster and must have the same
  number of limbs (though the limbs need not be of
  the same type). Both involved individuals retain
  their personalities and metal abilities, but they
  trade all physical abilities. They do not trade any
  extraordinary, spell-like, or supernatural abilities.
  Heart and Soul
  Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
  Level: Clr 8, Sor/Wiz 8
  Components: V, S
  Casting Time: 1 minute
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
  Target: One humanoid
  Duration: Permanent
  Saving Throw: Will negates
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  The target of the spell becomes a complete
  slave of the caster. She initiates no behavior on her
  own, takes no actions, will not even eat or defend
  herself unless ordered to do so. She will, however,
  follow any orders given to the best of her ability;
  this includes anything overtly suicidal or against
  her (former) alignment. Essentially, the body lives
  and retains its memories, but the soul of the indi-
  vidual has either gone to the afterlife, or been
  trapped so far in the subconscious that it is no
  longer in control. The orders may take a great deal
  of time to carry out, and the individual might seem
  completely normal while so doing—until and un-
  less events occur to disrupts his activities. At that
  point, it becomes clear that the individual pos-
  sesses no decision-making abilities whatsoever.
  Unlike the dominate spells, this spell does not
  create a telepathic bond. The caster must deliver
  all commands verbally and in a language the sub-
  ject can understand.
  Spells such as dispel magic or even break en-
  chantment will not restore a victim of heart and soul.
  Miracle or wish, however, can do so. Further, raise
  dead or resurrection — if cast within the standard
  period of time from the moment the target suffered
  heart and soul — will restore the soul to the body
  and break the effects of the spell.
  New Feats
  Brew Greater Potion [Item Creation]
  You can create potions of greater potency and
  higher spell-level than normal.
  Prerequisite: Brew Potion, Caster level 9th
  Benefit: You can create a potion of spells up to
  9th level. Your choices in what sorts of spells to
  imbue into the potion are limited, however. The
  spell must be one that targets a specific number of
  creatures, not an area or an inanimate object.
  Further, once you have determined the cost to
  create the potion as per the standard potion brew-
  ing rules, you must then increase that cost by 50%.
  Otherwise, this feat works as Brew Potion.
  Normal: With the standard potion brewing
  rules and feats, you can only create potions of spells
  up to 3rd level.
  
  181
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  
  182
  DM’s Appendix
  
  183
  Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends
  
  184
  DM’s Appendix
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