Derk (SoA MythCraft) (2024)

[back to Soliloquy of Annihilation]

Heartland of Derk

Derk is the seat of Dracula’s power. His enormous castle occupies a large valley and mountainside where the town of Helsing was once built. To its east, the Haunted Forest sprawls between Dracula’s castle and the capital of Derk, Icepoint, where King Dekland V rules the country in fearful deference to Dracula’s wishes.

Derk’s landscape is dark and twisted. Dracula has cast powerful spells and utilized large, industrial devices that spew vapor and smoke into the atmosphere, resulting in constant cloud cover. Derk’s grasses and trees are all wilted and warped due to the lack of sunlight. Its animals are gaunt and prone to feral temperaments. Finding edible food in Derk’s wilderness is quite difficult, requiring a DC 16 AWR/Foraging, INT/Nature, or LUCK/Scavenging check for a hero to scrounge 1 ration, or a DC 24 check for a hero to scrounge 2 rations.

As the heroes travel through Derk in the beginning of the campaign, they are relatively unknown and more powerful monsters will not pay attention to them. Use the random encounters from the “Departure” section of the Narrative chapter when running random encounters for your party until they reach at least level 6.

Once your party has reached level 6, Dracula’s forces and affiliates will have heard of the heroes and take them more seriously. At any point in the campaign when the heroes travel through the countryside of Derk at this point, use the following random encounter tables instead.

Note that once the heroes reach Derk, intense cloud cover and billowing smoke render the landscape shrouded from the sun. During daylight hours, creatures can see as far as they typically could, but the entire region is considered dim light unless an artificial light source is implemented.

Random Encounters

Roll on the table below to determine the number of random encounters that the heroes must contend with on a given travel day.

Encounter Type

Exploration Encounters

Most of the exploration encounters that the heroes face will be significantly less difficult than they were when the heroes were lower level. However, their journey across Derk’s heartland may also bring them into contact with a couple dangerous new environmental threats.

Ashfall

Ash rains from the sky as a result of the great volcanic chasms that have been opened in

Derk’s heartland. Each hero gains 1 Fear. For the next 1d6 hours, each hero that breathes must make an END check. The DC starts at 8 and increases by 3 for each consecutive hour. Whenever a hero fails, they gain 1 Fatigue.

Quicksand

The hero with the lowest AWR stumbles into quicksand. They may make a DC 20 STR or INT check; on a failed check, they escape the quicksand but gain 1 Fatigue. If they fail, they also lose 2 rations or 1 weapon of their choice. Regardless of whether the hero succeeded or failed, they gain 1 Fear.

Navigating a Ravine

Each hero must make two skill checks in order to descend a ravine and climb up the other side. For each hero, the sum total of these skill checks must be at least 24. Heroes may use STR, DEX, END, AWR, or INT if they can make a reasonable pitch as to why. Any hero whose sum rolls are lower than 24 takes 2d4 falling damage and suffers 1 Fatigue.

Abandoned Farmstead

The heroes venture across a farmstead that has obviously been attacked. Smoke still trails from certain portions of the house and the barn, though there do not appear to be any active fires. Heroes that explore the wreckage can find the slaughtered remains of farmhands and livestock.

Any hero may make a DC 13 LUCK/Scavenging check, finding each of the following items on a success:

1. 1d10 arrows
2. 1d8 rations that are still good
3. 1d20 sc
4. 1 pitchfork (use the stats of a spear, but it cannot be thrown)

If the heroes attempt to Recoup or Take a Rest in the vicinity of the farmstead, they must face the Feral Hellspawn random encounter.

Thunderstorm

A massive thunderstorm sweeps across the plains and hills. If the heroes do not seek shelter, all nonmagical fires are extinguished and 10% of their rations spoil. Furthermore, each hero gains 1 Fatigue as they are drenched to the bone.

If the heroes do seek shelter, any number of heroes must make AWR/Sheltering skill checks. Take the average of each check that was made; on a DC of 14 or higher, the heroes find shelter, do not gain Fatigue, and avoid their rations spoiling.

Destroyed Wagon

The heroes come across a wagon that has clearly been destroyed violently. Its wooden wheels are shattered, its canvas shredded. Any sign of its rider or its horses is long gone, though old blood stains the ground.

Heroes may make a DC 16 LUCK/Scavenging check. Any hero that succeeds finds one item as determined by 1d4:

1. 1d12 arrows or crossbow bolts (based on the hero’s weapon of choice)
2. 1d6 rations that are still good
3. 2d20 sc
4. 1 buckler, 1 dagger, and 1 knife

If the heroes attempt to Recoup or Take a Rest in the vicinity of the destroyed wagon, they must face the Desperate Bandits combat encounter.

Combat Encounters

Fiend and its Minions

A fiend from Hell has decided to take control of a swathe of countryside. When the heroes move through its territory, the fiend takes offense and attacks. Determine the stats of the fiend by rolling or selecting from the table below.

Using any Hellspawn stat block, along with Imp and Spineclot stat blocks, make the total ML of the encounter (including the leading fiend) equal ½ of the party level + 2. You may add other stat blocks as makes sense for the fiend; a Bonewraith would attack with at least a few Skeletons and Zombies, for example. The leading fiend calls off the attack and retreats once it is Bloodied, but it does not care if any of its minions are killed.

Lesser Fiend and its Minions

This encounter is identical to the Fiend and its Minions encounter, except that the total ML of the encounter should equal ½ of the party level. Furthermore, use this list, instead of the list from the Fiend and its Minions encounter, when determining which fiend stats to use.

Feral Hellspawn

A mindlessly roving pack of Hellspawn attack the heroes. Using any Hellspawn stat block, make the total ML of the Hellspawn equal ½ of the party level. These Hellspawn have no concept of self-preservation and will all fight until killed.

Desperate Bandits

A party of bandits waylay the heroes and attempt to steal all of the heroes’ food and coin. These bandits will let the heroes pass if each hero pays them 200 sc. Otherwise, they will attack. As desperate as they are, they will fight until killed. A hero may make a DC 22 CHA check to dissuade them from doing this; if successful, then the bandits are Demoralized for the first round of combat.

There is 1 Bandit Marauder per hero plus 1 Bandit Captain.

Wandering Vampire

The heroes encounter a Vampire that is just looking for some fun and thinks that terrifying or killing heroes sounds like a good time. The Vampire will flee once Bloodied, but will fight tactfully.

Croftian Soldiers

A contingent of soldiers from Pendragon’s army in Kamelot spot the heroes. Using the following creatures, build a dangerous or deadly encounter (ML = ½ party level +2 or +4).

Once half of the creatures have been killed, the rest retreat; alternatively, you may designate one creature as the leader of the soldiers. If that creature becomes Bloodied, then they call for their soldiers to withdraw.

Pack of Werewolves

A pack of werewolves stalk the party. The heroes may notice this by succeeding on contested AWR checks; the creature with the lowest DEX/Sneaking may roll 2d20, keeping the higher roll, as they keep their distance for the first day. They attack the party while they are attempting to Take a Rest. Once half of the werewolves in the pack are dead, the remainder will retreat.

The pack of werewolves should have a total ML equal to ½ the party level. Add Wolves, Dire Wolves, and Alpha Wolves as needed to reach the desired total ML.

Vampire Warlord

A Vampire Centaur, Vampire Courtier, Vampire Draugr, Vampire Jotun, or Vampire Reaver attacks the party, possibly leading a handful of underlings.

After determining which type of vampire is attacking the party, add any assortment of Hellspawn until the encounter ML is ½ the party level +4. Once the Vampire is Bloodied, it will retreat, but will order its Hellspawn to keep fighting until dead.

Whitebreak

Whitebreak. The largest city in Derk, Whitebreak is a cosmopolitan city filled with a wide variety of colorful characters. Whitebreak is responsible for over half of Derk’s economy, and is considered by most the most important city in Derk—Icepoint is an insular afterthought. Even under the control of Dracula, Whitebreak remains a tough, resilient city, filled with vampires, those who ally with Dracula out of fear, hidden rebels, and open rebels.

Weather

Whitebreak is located in Derk, and thus the steam from Dracula’s castle blankets the entire city in dark fog. Frigid winds are common in Whitebreak, as it sits on the coast.

The Culture of Whitebreak

One of the largest trading hubs in the world, and certainly the largest in the country, Whitebreak’s culture is fueled by merchants, sailors, thieves, prostitutes, and nobles who monopolize it all. Whitebreak has always been an exuberant and chaotic city, where one has to watch their back and their wallet to avoid being swindled.

Everyone in Whitebreak, without exception, wears a face covering. These serve a dual purpose: 1) protection from the cold and the wind, and 2) protection of one’s own identity. No one can see if someone has fangs or not if they cannot see their mouth. Vampires, although they generally have control, do not want to out their identity, lest they be hunted. Non-vampires do not want to our their identity, lest they be hunted. Most everyone has grown tired of the endless fighting in Whitebreak, and this cultural phenomenon has emerged so that life may keep going.

Note that, should the party enter Whitebreak without face coverings, this would make them an immediate target of suspicion and eavesdropping. Likely, a keen-eyed vampire would peer closely and notice the lack of fangs, causing them to become targets of vampiric rogues.

Since the beginning of Dracula’s reign, Whitebreak has also become an increasingly volatile city. Information is a highly prized commodity. Taverns are dangerous as people must lower their face coverings to take bites or drink. Tavern brawls are common.

Economy

It is worth noting that the economy of Whitebreak is back on its feet and thriving after a dismal dive when Dracula’s regime began. Most everything is back to normal, with the exception of a serious lack of salt. Salt used to be imported from Icepoint by the boatload, but production has recently stopped. The demand for salt remains high but the supply is low, leading to skyrocketing prices.

Taverns and Tankards

Whitebreak is a highly prominent port city governed by a culture of suspicion, resilience, and exchange of goods and information. Taverns are by far the most popular (and interesting) aspect of the city. For this reason, you may wish to give your players the following options, or roll on the table to see which one they randomly stumble into.

Furthermore, note that any NPC (unless stated otherwise) may be found in any given tavern, or in the marketplace, or in an alleyway. The NPCs listed below are intended to help the heroes figure out what they might need to do next.

Note that all taverns are bustling and busy. This is important, in case a Tavern Brawl occurs in any of them.

Taverns and Inns of Whitebreak

When you roll on the Tavern/Inn table above, consult the matching subheading below to see details about said Tavern/Inn.

The Breaking Point

Whitebreak’s oldest and largest tavern. All the stereotypes of a tavern are true here—boisterous bards, bloody brawls, and endless ale are all part of the Breaking Point experience. The Breaking Point is notable for its famous Fireflagon, a highly alcoholic and oddly spicy drink that is absolutely free… if you make it through three flagons of it. Very few people have ever successfully consumed three flagons without projectile vomiting. Those who can keep it down might burp flames!

The Breaking Point also has a large table seating eight players with a game of cards that has been going on for centuries, according to the legends. Folk can leave the table between the game’s rounds, or opt in when a new seat is available. A seat at the table is highly coveted, and there is almost always a crowd watching the game closely.

The Breaking Point Encounters

When you roll on the table above, consult the matching subheading below to determine what happens or whom the heroes meet.

Bones

A mysterious, cloaked figure brushes against the player on the way back to his seat. The cloaked figure turns, and although the player cannot see their eyes, they immediately feel chills, and a bit uneasy. The figure shuffles away, and the player may notice his arm has a plain black-leather armguard, though he does not have a bow.

The character is Bones, an undead Hondu vampire hunter who collects the skulls of vampire heads who he burns. His right arm is covered by the armguard (which is actually a Spirit Bow), and also covers the fact that his arm is nearly entirely bone, though the rest of his body is (mostly) flesh. When he is bored, he gnaws on his own arm, although he will not do this in public.

Bones is haunting and off-putting, but he will quickly ally himself with the party if he observes that they are opposed to Dracula. He will even work with heroes that are themselves vampires if they make it clear that their ultimate target is the vampire lord himself. He is a mysterious and lonely character, but he will quickly warm up to new friends given the opportunity.

Sidequest: Rumors of a Vampire

Assuming the players earn the trust of Bones, Bones tells them of a dragonfolk named Cassio Asak. Bones suspects Cassio of being the culprit of several murders and missing bodies as of late. Bones accuses Cassio of being a powerful vampire, who needs to be stopped. Cassio is often seen hanging around Unicorn’s Delight. Bones asks that the players find Cassio and kill him, for a reward. Cassio has the stats of a Vampire with Ancerran forbiddances. In life, Cassio was atheistic, so no religious iconography has any effect on him.

If the players complete this quest, Bones pays them 150sc, and they earn 1 Goodwill.

Paunch IV

An elderly dragonfolk who has fond memories of when he was the Fireflagon drinking champion. His bad liver keeps him from drinking in excess anymore… but he still has a glass on occasion. He is friendly and attempts to keep an optimistic spirit about him despite the troubling times. If Paunch gets riled up, he may rile up the rest of the tavern, leading to the Cheers! encounter (see below).

Cheers!

Someone is attempting to drink three flagons of Fireflagon! The elf man attempting the challenge is halfway through the second flagon, and has attracted a crowd. After some intense buildup, he fails the challenge, vomiting everywhere and causing a disappointing scene.

A DC15 AWR check will reveal that the drinker has fangs.

Should a party member wish to attempt the challenge, they must succeed a DC16 END check for the first flagon. If they fail but get above a 10, they are Sickened, but may keep attempting the challenge. If they roll 9 or less, then they are Sickened and immediately vomiting, ending the challenge. If they succeed the first check, they then must succeed respective DC 18 and 20 END checks for the second and third flagons. A failure of either check results in being Sickened and immediately vomiting, ending the challenge. A hero that is Sickened in this way remains Sickened for 1d6 minutes.

A success of all three challenges results in the character immediately earning 4 Social Goodwill in the town. All services and food of the Breaking Point are now free for the character and their companions. Additionally, the character may make a DC 13 LUCK check. On a success, they belch flames in a triumphant roar, earning an extra 2 Goodwill.

Tavern Brawl!

For the Breaking Point, if a Tavern Brawl breaks out (which is awfully common), the reason is likely that someone was caught cheating at the infamous cards table. Bones is a notable character in this tavern. He has the statistics of an Assassin. In any case, see the Tavern Brawl encounter table below for various things that may occur within the brawl.

Holy Water

An old temple of a long abandoned religion that has been converted into a brothel. Religious iconography has been removed, and the stained glass window at the front of the sanctuary has been replaced entirely with red glass to aid with ambient lighting. Portions of the wall have handheld fans engraved into the architecture itself, and those cannot be removed.

Holy Water is primarily a brothel, but the sanctuary has a bar and some tables for serving food. The waiters and waitresses are all scarcely dressed. The bar is famous for what are described as “unholy concoctions” that enhance emotion.

Holy Water Encounters

When you roll on the table above, consult the matching subheading below to determine what happens or whom the heroes meet.

“Bloom”

An elven woman prostitute who tries her best to maintain a seductive character, but who clearly has reached her breaking point. She is in a terrible financial situation, which has led her to work for the tavern. Her real name is Sylvia, and she is desperate for a way out.

“Cherry”

A human woman prostitute who is a vampire. She uses her position to turn as many people as possible, despite the written agreement all members of the brothel must sign to keep their face coverings on. “Cherry” may only be encountered within Holy Water. She has the stats of a Vampire Courtier, and in life she was a worshiper of Ahuromazdi. A pendant representing a half-moon covering half of the sun causes her to be Sickened and makes her take one fewer action on each of her turns.

Jolskew Snofferbom

A kooky old urkou barkeep who runs the bar filled with concoctions. He is himself a potion brewer, and drinks his own potions. He is explosive and highly emotional due to his own potion intake. He wants to make sales and cannot handle someone coming to the bar and not ordering a drink or two. The party may run into him as he takes a break, but attempts to direct them to the bar. If they refuse, he may attempt to sell them little trinkets and doodads. Use the Trinkets table from the CRB, charging 2 sc per trinket. Jolskew has 10 randomly determined trinkets on his person.

Unholy Concoctions

One of the characters mentioned above has drunk a few too many potions, and is causing a scene.

If “Bloom” is overly emotional, she lashes out at the entire institution. If “Cherry” is overly emotional, she is overbearing in attempting to seduce one of the party members… in order to turn them. If Jolskew Snofferbom is overly emotional, he angrily attempts to sell anything to the players. He may even threaten them to try and get some cash.

Tavern Brawl!

For Holy Water, if a Tavern Brawl breaks out, the reason is two men, both drunk on emotional potions, fighting over who has the right to sleep with “Cherry,” who is feigning adoration of both. “Cherry” is a notable character for this encounter, and has the statistics of a Vampire Courtier. See the Tavern Brawl encounter table below for various things that may occur within the brawl.

Unicorn’s Delight

Formerly pitched as a fanciful fae-themed tavern with whimsy at every table, the branches and plants that line the decor have since wilted. Unicorn’s Delight is openly vampire owned and vampire run, and serves blood as its primary beverage of choice. It is a dark, mysterious, and seedy joint.

Face coverings are still commonplace in Unicorn’s Delight, and secrets even more tightly kept. Some non-vampires come (and force themselves to drink blood) in order to garner tightly kept secrets or in order to make people believe that they are vampires. Coming to Unicorn’s Delight and not ordering a goblet of blood is extremely suspicious and immediately puts a target on one’s back.

The giant blue bouncer who sits at the door does not wear a face covering, and is clearly a Vampire Jotun.

Players must succeed a DC13 END or CHA check to drink blood and keep it down. The players may choose which attribute they wish to use.

Unicorn’s Delight Encounters

When you roll on the table above, consult the matching subheading below to determine what happens.

Cassio Asak

A mysterious, tall and slender figure sits in the corner. One of the players feels the gaze of this figure locked on the party, making them uneasy. Upon making eye contact with the party member, the figure beckons them to an empty seat across from him. This figure is Cassio, a Dragonfolk vampire hunter.

Cassio notices that the party are travelers, and infers that they may be anti-vampire. He is eager to recruit their help. Note that Cassio is actually a vampire, masquerading as a vampire hunter, and attempting to put gullible adventurers on the trail of a real vampire hunter.

Sidequest: Rumors of a Vampire

Assuming Cassio earns the trust of the players, Cassio tells them of a hondu named Bones. Cassio suspects Bones of being the culprit of several murders and missing bodies as of late. Cassio accuses Bones of being a powerful vampire, who needs to be stopped. Bones is often seen hanging around the Breaking Point. Cassio asks that the players find Bones and kill him, for a reward. Bones is an undead hondu, and has the statistics of an Assassin. He also has the magic item Spirit Bow.

If the players complete this quest, they may take the Spirit Bow from Bones’ dead body. Cassio will pay them 30 sc for completion of the quest, and they gain 2 Aristocratic Goodwill but lose 4 Social Goodwill in the city.

The Seer

A creepy seer watches one randomly selected player. She sits in the center of the tavern, and keeps her eyes firmly on said chosen player. The player feels as though they are being watched, and when they notice the figure in the middle of the room, the Seer casts occult spell Dark Smile on one of the players. On a success, the players paranoia causes them to want to leave Unicorn’s Delight as quickly as possible, viewing everyone as a bloodthirsty monster. This may cause the player to make a scene, causing suspicion against the party to rise.

The Seer may continue to follow the party after they leave the tavern, keeping an eye on them and increasing their paranoia. Should combat occur somehow, the Seer has the statistics of a Hew Witch (Greater).

Blood on the Floorboards

A man stabs another man in the stomach, and then snaps his neck in the middle of the room. His body crumples, and blood begins to trickle from his mouth and stomach wound.

This immediately causes a ruckus, but an unusual one. The dead man is clearly not a vampire, as he is now… dead. The murderer's identity is unknown. A vampire killing a non-vampire makes sense, and would be encouraged by the general crowd of this tavern. But if he is a vampire, why would he be so open about it? That would immediately put a target on his back. Everyone is confused, and the murderer takes control of the scene by shouting things such as “swindle me out of my money and you’ll end up like him!” The murderer also brandishes a silver knife, causing all to back away. The bouncer is quick to the front of the crowd, but even he is nervous around a silver blade.

The identity and reasoning of the murderer may be determined by the MC. Here are some ideas:

• A drunk who has gone mad, and the person he murdered truly did swindle him out of money.
• A human attempting to pass as a vampire. Encourages the people in the tavern to drink up, as the blood pools at his feet.
• A vampire attempting to pass as a human. Exceptionally aggressive with the knife. His goal may be to become a target of other vampires, convince non-vampires (such as the party) to protect him, and then double cross them.

The tension in the room must be delicately handled. If it is handled poorly, a Tavern Brawl might break out.

Tavern Brawl!

No one wants to fight in this tavern, it is too dangerous. For Unicorn’s Delight, if a Tavern Brawl breaks out, a Jotun Vampire takes center stage in the combat. He is the bouncer for the tavern, and extremely powerful. Cassio Asak is a notable character in this tavern—he has the statistics of a Vampire. A Tavern Brawl in Unicorn’s Delight has the potential to be exceptionally deadly. See the Tavern Brawl encounter table below for various things that may occur within the brawl.

Guts and Glory

A seedy bar with an animal fighting ring, popular among gamblers and merchants who exchange animals on the black market. By far the dingiest and grimiest tavern in Whitebreak, this establishment generally attracts seedy characters. Keep a close eye on your valuables while in this tavern!

There is a room backstage where all the monsters are kept in cages. It is extremely inhumane.

Guts and Glory Encounters

When you roll on the table above, consult the matching subheading below to determine what happens.

Gonzales

One of the players (perhaps the player with the lowest AWR, for comedic effect) notices a really bad pickpocket attempting to steal their money. Upon being caught, Gonzales the kleppin rat attempts to talk his way into good graces with the player and the party. Everything Gonzales says is extremely exaggerated and contradictory. He may claim that he’s the best pickpocket in the world and he’s shocked he was caught, and then immediately say that he was not pickpocketing the player at all, but in fact returning money that fell on the ground, which he found when he slipped on the (nonexistent) lantern oil spill over near the bar. Gonzales is an extremely fidgety, fast-talking, and quirky character.

Monfrey “Fingerbiter” and the Ring

The best dressed person in the room, Monfrey “Fingerbiter” is a wealthy kleppin mole who runs the establishment. He sometimes acts as a ringleader of sorts for the animal fighting ring, and encourages everyone to gamble.

Should the players gamble on the ring, the exact animals used are inconsequential. The table below offers a quick resource to pull from. All of the animals are mangled in some capacity.

Guts and Glory Animals

First, determine the two animals that are about to fight. Next, see which animal the players place their bets on. In this stage, determine how much money they bet.

The animals then fight. To determine the winner, roll 1d20 against a player who bet money, who also rolls 1d20 + their LUCK. The higher number wins. If the player loses, they lose all the money they bet. If they win, they earn all their money back and gain 4d10sc.

A Tavern Brawl!

A brawl breaks out over someone allegedly cheating, casting enhancement spells on the animal they wanted to win. Soon, the whole tavern is involved! For this Tavern Brawl, include two randomly selected monsters from the table above. They are notable characters for this encounter, and may cause chaos, but their ultimate goal is survival, getting food, and/or escaping the building. See the Tavern Brawl encounter table below for various things that may occur within the brawl.

Moonshiver Tavern and Inn

On the pricier ends of taverns in Whitebreak, Moonshiver Tavern and Inn is a venue that highly values the arts. It boasts the biggest constructed stage in Derk, and hosts numerous troubadours, entertainers, and storytellers a night.

The Moonshiver family has existed and run this tavern since before the reign of Dracula, and their business first suffered, then strengthened since the takeover. While the family is not necessarily tied to the court of Dracula, the name on its surface might imply so. Furthermore, Moonshiver is a powerful name in town, and thus receives a lot of political pressure from Dracula-allied politicians and high ranking officials.

The institution claims neutrality… but many have observed vampire friendly tendencies, such as the recent addition of serving blood as a beverage. Furthermore, garlic is no longer served in the tavern.

Moonshiver Tavern Encounters

When you roll on the table above, consult the matching subheading below to determine what happens.

Veliza Moonshiver

Veliza Moonshiver is a human woman, a waiter and an actor, representing the family and serving food to whoever needs it. She is worn thin and eager for a break, clearly she has a low position within the family business but still runs most of it. She may spill rumors with the party regarding her own family, who she is concerned is slowly turning into vampires themselves. While she remains unturned, she is concerned about how many of her relatives have begun to act weirdly. She may talk about her sister, Mirabel, who disappeared in the Haunted Forest years ago. Veliza has always dreamt of the romance and grandeur of disappearing into a dark forest, leaving the troubles of her life behind.

Joth “Wrecker” Rekar

An incredibly wealthy old trollfolk man who owns many of the ships in the port. He is filthy rich, lazy, and always looking to take advantage of someone. Spotting the party, he may ask them if they want to make some quick money, leading to the sidequest below.

Sidequest: A Night with “Bloom”

Joth wants to sleep with “Bloom” from Holy Water, but does not want to be caught at a brothel for the sake of his public image. He asks the party to pay enough money to get “Bloom” over to this tavern. He promises to pay the party well for their troubles.

Should they accept, they must go to Holy Water and pay 30sc. “Bloom” breaks when she hears the news. Already at the end of her rope, being tossed around to a different tavern to sleep with a man who couldn’t even bother to come himself is too much for her to handle. Weeping, she goes with the party.

If the party delivers “Bloom,” they receive 75sc each as well as a promise that Joth will sail them wherever they want to go, free of charge until the next port.

If the party does not deliver “Bloom,” things turn violent. Whenever the party leaves the tavern, Joth and his sailors track them down, confronting them either in a street or an alleyway. Joth has the statistics of a Mob Boss with the addition of being a vampire, and is accompanied by 2d4+3 Sailors, all of whom are also vampires. If the party kills Joth, they lose 10 Goodwill, as he is a well known wealthy sailor in this port town. This loss of goodwill means any price listed below for sailing is tripled.

An Unexpected Spotlight

A randomly selected player is called on by a troupe of entertainers onstage. Ringled by a flamboyant half-human half-elf man, the troupe wants to incorporate this randomly selected audience member (the player) into their act. “C’mon up on stage!” they call to the player.

Refusal to get onstage makes the hero lose 1 Social Goodwill in the town. If the player accepts, they must complete one of the randomly selected actions from the table below. For all checks, the DC is 15. If the player succeeds, they gain 5 Goodwill. If the player fails, they lose 1 Social Goodwill. If the player fails dramatically, getting under a 5, they lose 2 Social Goodwill instead. If the player succeeds dramatically, getting over of a 25, they gain 3 Social Goodwill.

The Life of an Actor is Rough

A Tavern Brawl!

A guest complains about undercooked food, which turns into a heated argument between multiple people, and things get personal quickly. Joth is a notable character for this tavern, and has the statistics of a Mob Boss. See the Tavern Brawl encounter table below for various things that may occur within the brawl.

A Tavern Brawl!

Tavern Brawls are exceedingly common in Whitebreak. Most of the everyday citizens of Whitebreak likely have the statistics of Merchants, Sailors, or Thieves. Certain tavern brawls may have more detailed instructions on special characters that may be in them. Below is a table of various things that may occur within a brawl, which is an easier and more interesting alternative than trying to run a 30+ character initiative order. Include at least 1 minor NPC (not including the NPCs that might be the focus of the combat based on the location) for every 2 heroes; these NPCs roll initiative and participate in the combat as normal.

For this combat, roll initiative as normal. Any special characters (such as Bones, or Cassio Asak) may have their own initiative turns. When it is a player’s turn, they first roll on the A Tavern Brawl! table. Then, they take their turn as normal. Attempting to leave the tavern (assuming the party is not directly next to the door) takes at least 1d4 rounds to navigate the now fighting crowd.

Note that a great deal of money is left unattended during this brawl, and many try to take advantage of scooping up cash. The players may also try to do this, and they gain access to the special action:

(2 AP) Scoop Money: Make a DC16 LUCK/Fortuity check. On a success, the player scrounges 2d10 + their LUCK roll minus 16 sc (e.g. Robert rolls a 19, so he gets 2d10+3 sc). On a failure, someone notices they are trying to steal, and immediately strikes them for 1d6 physical damage.

A Tavern Brawl!

Ports

Whitebreak is a port city, and the party may purchase rides on a ship from the harbor for 30sc a person. The ships are headed towards Icepoint and the Arctic Sea. It takes the heroes 4 days to reach Icepoint, or 3 weeks to reach any Noordan port city.

Icepoint

Icepoint. The capital of Derk, although not its largest city, Icepoint is a stony fortress city on the northern coast from which Dekland V decrees laws and settles disputes. Already far removed from the heart of Derk, and insular by the nature of its geography and architecture, Icepoint has an unfavorable reputation among the people of Derk. Controlled by governors loyal to Dracula, the policies of the city favor the creatures of the night over any mortal who lives there. Silver, alchemy, and carpentry are outlawed.

The city itself is surrounded by a heavily fortified wall. Guards patrol the wall constantly, and admittance to the city involves a brief but thorough investigation of all goods. Any items with any sort of magical trace are immediately confiscated by the city. Garlic is burned, and anyone transporting garlic is detained.

As soon as the party enters the city, they are likely greeted by Isabelle Vide’ni (see below).

Weather

Icepoint is far north, and (as indicated by the name) is often plagued with frigid winds and icy storms. The steam from Dracula’s castle blankets the country of Derk, and Icepoint is no exception. The sun is never seen in Icepoint—all is overcast gloom and despair.

The Manors of Icepoint

Icepoint was once home to a group of rival noble houses, all vying for power and influence. These noble houses still exist, although some are now long abandoned, notably the Amadeus Estate. Icepoint has always been a wealthy city, and it was once true that with some grit and guile a house could rise in the ranks.

Dekland V

The king of Derk, he is openly aligned with Dracula. Some speculate he does so out of fear and hope that he may survive if he cooperates, while others speculate he has been turned. Either way, he is rarely seen. His decrees are the only indicator he is still alive, and his decrees are wildly unpopular.

The most significant policy (which was enacted only recently) was the damming of the river. Siphoning water from the nearby sea, a large part of Icepoint’s economy once revolved around various mills that sat on the river, utilizing waterwheels to power lumber, textile, and grain economies. Furthermore, alchemists would boil the ocean water to create drinking water, which would quickly cool in the frigid outdoors. This is also how Icepoint produces its large amount of salt, which is a major export for the city. Since the dam has been constructed, no running water is available in the city. This has had a catastrophic effect on the economy and living conditions of all non-vampires within the cities walls. Rats and birds in the city commonly carry Boilplague or worse.

Isabelle Vide’ni

A vampire elven woman who looks remarkably young for her age—the mayor of Icepoint. Despite being home to the king of Derk, Icepoint also has a mayor, who oversees local affairs quite closely. Isabelle keeps a close eye on everything that occurs within her city's walls. Her vanity, power, and flair are immediately evident to all who cross her path. While she exudes diplomatic charisma and a welcoming air, she will not hesitate to imprison and turn (or slaughter) anyone who causes issues within the walls of Icepoint. The city guard is kept under her thumb. They constantly report to her. It seems as though Isabelle always knows what happens at any given moment in the city. Paranoia runs so high that rumors say even the clouds have eyes that watch for her, and the rolling mist whispers in her ear.

Before Isabelle was a vampire, she was already quite interested in the Occult. She is a powerful caster who has dabbled so much that her appearance has been marred permanently, with a third eye on top of her forehead. Out of vanity and a desire to keep the appearance of a normal elven mayor, she maintains a hairstyle with thick bangs covering the top of her forehead.

Isabelle is not to be crossed. However, if the party is reckless and attracts her attention so much that she herself has to get involved, she has the statistics of a Vampire with the addition of having access to all Occult Chants and an Occult Power of 13. She is also accompanied by one Vampiric Mist wherever she goes. She has a flair for the dramatics and exerting demonstrations of control through fear, so she enjoys the use of Occult Chant Sonorous Voice. She prefers manipulating others into groveling into submission rather than getting her hands dirty actually fighting. She typically leaves that for her guards.

Icepoint Random Encounters

Icepoint is crawling with creatures of the night. Depending on how the party approaches moving about the city, they may encounter suspicious characters, or some trouble with the city guard. Most people keep their head down and move with purpose from place to place.

Combat and Trouble

The City Guard

The streets of Icepoint are swarming with guards, all keeping an eye out for any sort of suspicious activity.

City guards are Veteran Soldiers or Knights Errant with the Draculean Vampirism template.

Starving Monstrosities

The disparity of wealth in Icepoint is absurd, leading to even greater depths of poverty and starvation than a normal city might have. The alleys of Icepoint host a variety of starving animals and creatures… as well as very well fed creatures who eat despair, memories, and agony.

This encounter takes place in an alleyway or slums of the city.

Use Stitched, Despairfae, and/or Vetala stat blocks, along with any assortment of Hellspawn stat blocks, to create a difficult encounter (ML = ½ party level + 2).

Social Encounters

When you roll on the Social table above, consult the matching subheading below to read an example NPC that may exist in this city.

Butterfingers

A talkative, bumbling halfling who appears to be awkward and unaware of his surroundings. He will make a DEX attack (+3) against a player’s ANT, stealing 2d12 silver coins on a success.

If an extended conversation occurs, Butterfingers knows rumors about Isabelle, and is quite fearful of how much she watches. He has eccentric theories, that nearly all inanimate objects are mimics under her control.

Wade Zareph

A teenage human boy, who has a despairing yet hardened look in his eye. He is running errands in town for his mother, and is desperate for any aid (financial or otherwise) that the party may offer. He may let them know, shrouded in code, that his family is taking refuge at the Temple of Tovare. If he believes that the party will be able to help him and his family, he may tell them that he is looking to buy “fermented oil” but cannot find a vendor that sells it in town.

Eliyahu

A clergy member of the Temple of Tovare. Eliyahu is a middle aged dwarf who is carrying large amounts of food in various sacks. He is odious—an amalgamation of different spices and food wafts from his sacks. His breath smells of garlic.

Seeing that the party is against Dracula and his court, Eliyahu may invite the party back to the Temple, where he promises more information and a place to rest.

Daniel Papoulka

A disgruntled kleppin beaver who used to work at the mills, before they were closed down. He is completely broke, out of options, and close to resorting to crime. He is currently surviving thanks to the generosity of the clergy at the Temple of Tovare, but he would never say that if any prying ears are near. Daniel is completely fed up with the regime, and should he get worked up, he might cause a scene that turns unwanted heads and eyes.

Jowls

A hondu man of hefty build who is likely a little intoxicated. He is most likely encountered either in a tavern or near one. Jowls is interested in exchanging stories—he loves talking to visitors, and has totally outlandish tales about sailing the Arctic Sea (that probably did not happen). He offers to buy the party food and drinks, and he is a little wealthier than he looks.

Jowls is secretly working for the government, which explains his wealth. He gets information and immediately tells it to the city guard.

Ichtaca the Spinster

An older fiendblood woman who specializes in potion brewing and alchemy. Years of time around fires, cauldrons, and boiling pots has left her skin marred and burned, with the area around her eyes significantly blackened. While she despises the vampiric regime and works secretly against them, her frightening visage allows her to blend into the ranks of the creatures of the night.

She has a small but nice house in the wealthier part of town. Upon establishing trust with the party, she may offer to host them during their time in Icepoint. Ichtaca also has ties with the Temple of Tovare, and she knows Eliyahu personally (although they refrain from any public acknowledgment of each other’s existence).

She may go on eccentric rants, regarding old oil that she heard used to be kept under the Temple of Tovare. It must be fermented by now… it’s been there for so long…

The Temple of Tovare

The Temple of Tovare has been completely ransacked, and the insides entirely burned. What was once a magnificent cathedral is now a depressing reminder of Icepoint’s better days. The structure of the temple has remained relatively intact, with the only real damage being missing patches of the roof, and a few shattered windows. The main source of damage is the loss of all literature and the destruction of furniture, which occurred when Dracula’s forces raided the place many years ago.

Eliyahu (see above) is a dwarf clergyman who still takes care of the grounds… or at least what’s left of them. If trust is established with Eliyahu or they say the codeword “fermented oil,” he may show them to the catacombs.

The catacombs of the Temple are home to a couple dozen or so people who have been displaced by the current horrible regime, and job shortage with the dam. With little to no drinking water, and silver coins outlawed, the clergy do the best they can. Many sleep on the ground. The few blankets are given to children first, then the women. The existence of these catacombs is a tightly kept secret—if the government knew of it, they would surely destroy it, and there would be no hope left in Icepoint.

Ciri's Selections

Formerly a well-reputed pawn shop that was renowned for a reasonable selection of magic items, Ciri's Selections has been closed and has fallen into disrepair in the wake of Dracula coming to power. However, if the heroes have spoken with any NPCs that are not overtly allied with Dracula, then they can learn that Ciri's Selections has opened another store in a nondescript location. If the heroes have learned this, they can find the undercover store by making a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The party may make this check once every 2 hours until they find the shop.

Ciri is an elderly female halfling who simply likes collecting things. Over the course of her life, she has amassed a great many trinkets and souvenirs from across Ancerra. After Dracula conquered Derk, he confiscated her entire collection, so she is rather depressed and has only rebuilt a very small selection of goods. Ciri can sell the heroes 8 spell scrolls that have randomly determined arcane spells costing 15 or fewer SPC. Each spell scroll costs 60 sc. Ciri can also sell the heroes potions of healing, alchemist's fire, and holy water, though the last item costs 100 sc instead of its normal price. Ciri can also sell the heroes a spell scroll with the Seal/Unseal spell on it for 80 sc. Finally, she has three spell scrolls with the Unerring Sphere spell on them, but these spells only allow heroes to use other Unerring Spheres, not make their own. Each of these scrolls costs 80 sc.

The Amadeus Estate

When the heroes are ready, they may explore the Amadeus Estate in Icepoint. Doing so will help them unearth several secrets of Dracula’s past that will aid them in their fight against him.

However, the heroes have become more and more of a nuisance for Dracula. Vampires in Icepoint are on the lookout for them, and Faust’s entire criminal network is keeping their eyes out for the heroes.

Once the heroes reach Icepoint, if they have come in contact with anyone connected to Faust or if Squick’s betrayal mechanic comes into effect, then vampires in Icepoint will begin closing in on the heroes.

The heroes may make DEX or INT checks contested by a Vampire’s AWR check. If any one of the heroes fails, then a vampire will learn of the heroes’ intentions to go to the estate and will follow them there. If all of the heroes succeed, then they may spend the first 4 hours of the dungeon exploration without provoking any combat (unless they go into the Hidden Caverns area). This means that it is possible for them to complete the entire dungeon without any combat.

If the heroes confront and defeat a vampire, then word of the vampire’s disappearance will quickly spread among Dracula’s other subordinates in the city. Every 2 hours while the heroes are in the estate, another group of monsters will come. These will either be a group of assorted Hellspawn led by a Sanguine Flame, or will be Vampires, Vampire Courtiers, or humanoid NPCs with the Vampire Template applied to them. These encounters should range from medium difficulty (ML = ½ the party level) to deadly (ML = ½ party level +4) at an incrementally increasing rate.

Failing the skill checks presented in this dungeon primarily results in the heroes having to spend more time before they figure out how to proceed, potentially provoking additional combat encounters.

The Estate

The heroes may explore the Amadeus Estate. The estate’s key locations are presented below in the approximate order that the heroes would explore them without the assistance of magic. Note that some of the challenges and puzzles in this estate may be mitigated by the use of magic or other abilities.

1. Welcome Terrace

The Amadeus Estate’s wrought iron gateway is chained closed. The padlocks can be broken or picked with a DC 20 STR or INT check; otherwise, the gateway must be climbed. This takes no check if any of the heroes have a climb speed and rope. Otherwise, the heroes must make a STR check to climb over the gateway. If any heroes roll below a 10, then this endeavor takes 30 minutes before all heroes can successfully climb over the gateway.

Once past the gateway, the heroes can see the extent of the Amadeus Estate, or what remains of it. The whole estate has fallen into a tremendous sinkhole. The welcome terrace has a cobbled road that leads to what once must have been a congregational front courtyard. The courtyard has broken into a jagged cliff that plunges down 80 ft before leveling out into a pile of debris. Much of the main manor is still intact, but given that it has also fallen this distance, the glass windows have shattered, a couple of the towers have crumbled into rubble, and the shingled rooftops have mostly caved in.

2. Outbuildings

Two outbuildings were spared from the sinkhole and remain intact, if in a state of disrepair, near the lip of the cliff. Both are accessible by breaking windows and then opening the doors from the inside, or by succeeding on a DC 12 STR or INT check to break or pick the locks.

One outbuilding appears to be a suite of servant rooms complete with a personal kitchen and living area. The other is a shed full of garden tools. Harmless rats occupy both buildings.

The servants’ quarters also has a staircase descending into the cellar.

3. Outbuilding Cellar

Beneath the servants’ outbuilding, there is a storage cellar. This cellar is long and low, with hard-packed earthen walls held in place by wooden joists. One end of the cellar opens into air where the sinkhole pulled off the entire wall.

From this vantage, the heroes can see into one of the manor’s towers. This tower is still intact except for a large portion of its roof. By extending a ladder or wooden planks across the gap between the cellar and the tower’s caved-in rooftop, the heroes could walk across the open air and drop down into the tower.

The tower is stable despite its dilapidated appearance, but if the heroes fall from this height they risk taking 7d4 falling damage.

4. Astronomy Tower

The tower that the heroes can climb down into is an astronomy tower. Remarkably, the large stationary telescope in the center of the tower survived the fall except for a hairline fracture in its largest lens. There is a great deal of cloud cover over Icepoint at all times these days due to Dracula generating smoke and steam throughout the country, but the telescope appears perfectly functional.

There are various astronomy charts scattered about the room, detailing the stars’ paths across the sky each year and highlighting notable constellations.

The astronomy tower has a wooden spiral staircase that descends to the second floor’s grand hall. This staircase has rotted; heroes must make a DC 14 DEX check when walking on it. On a fail, they fall, taking 3d4 falling damage.

If the heroes point the telescope at the northernmost star in the Rose Knight’s Lance constellation and light shines through the skyward lens of the telescope, then the light refracts through the viewing lens and points to a specific stone on the far wall of the tower. If the heroes press on this stone, then another portion of the stone wall a few feet away pops open. Inside, they can find a key that unlocks the nonmagical lock to Pietro’s bedchambers.

In order for the heroes to point the telescope at the correct star, they must either clear away the cloud cover (as with the Control Weather invocation or similar magic), or use the astronomy charts to determine where the star would be. Correctly interpreting these star charts requires a DC 16 INT/Astronomy check. If the heroes fail this check, then it takes them 2 hours to position the telescope correctly. The tip of the Rose Knight’s Lance is the north star and does not move from season to season, but the telescope will still need to be positioned precisely in order to see it.

5. Second Floor Grand Hall

At the base of the astronomy tower’s staircase, the second floor grand hall runs the length of the manor. Stone rubble and wooden roof tiles are strewn about its length, covering most of the once-fine red rug underneath the detritus. The grand hall connects to the Amadeus master suite, Anastasia’s tearoom, and Pietro’s Bedchambers. It also has a grand stone staircase that descends to the ground floor’s grand hall.

Pietro’s bedchambers are locked with both a mundane key and with the Seal/Unseal spell cast at 20 SP. Heroes may find the mundane key in the astronomy tower, or break or pick the mundane lock by succeeding on a DC 22 STR or INT check. If the heroes do not have access to the Seal/Unseal spell, they may buy a 20 SP Seal/Unseal spell scroll in Ciri's Selections in Icepoint for 80 sc, though this adds at least 3 hours to their exploration time and the library may be closed based on the time of day.

The heroes may also continue exploring, and might find the Hidden Caverns that offer an alternative entrance into Pietro’s rooms.

6. Amadeus Master Suite

The Amadeus master suite is primarily occupied by a large bed that has been impaled in the middle by a wooden cross beam. It has a variety of other formerly exquisite furniture, such as a mahogany wardrobe and matching bedside desk, both of which have been completely destroyed in the collapse. The suite shares a doorway with Anastasia’s tearoom, and have an access point to a dumbwaiter that descends to the kitchens on the first floor.

7. Anastasia’s Tearoom

This room has had its far wall mostly destroyed in the collapse, offering a clear view of the rubble-strewn courtyard forming the base of the sinkhole. The tearoom’s furniture is mostly intact, though broken porcelain shards are scattered across the floor.

The room has a variety of stuffed chairs and small tables. One of these chairs has a diary on it. If the heroes skim through it, they can determine that this diary is Anastasia Amadeus’s personal diary. The heroes may make an INT check to see how quickly they can skim the diary for useful information. On a roll of 20 or higher, they may do so in half an hour. On a roll of 19 or lower, it instead takes them 90 minutes.

Upon reading the diary’s most pertinent parts, the heroes learn that Pietro became fascinated with astronomy as a child, preferring the night’s elegance and mystique to the day’s blunt candor.

The heroes also learn that Pietro loved fairy tales and read one particular book from the personal library repeatedly, idolizing the knights and heroes in these tales.

8. Ground Floor Grand Hall

The ground floor’s grand hall connects to the second floor’s hall via a great stone staircase. The ground floor’s halls connect to the Amadeus personal library and a public dining hall. It also connects to a doorway that is completely blocked and unopenable without the creative use of powerful magic. A several ton pile of stone is on the other side of the doorway. Heroes can get to this room if they climb down through the hidden caverns.

The main doorway to what was once the courtyard is blocked by rubble, but the heroes can clamber out onto the courtyard through a window.

9. Courtyard

The courtyard is almost entirely difficult terrain, covered in rubble and debris from the collapse. The heroes may search the ruins for any clues. Have them make a DC 20 AWR check. On a success, then after 30 minutes they find an Unerring Sphere in the deep shadows near the cliff from which they originally entered. On a failure, they still find this object, but it takes them 90 minutes.

If the heroes cannot access the Unerring Sphere’s recording, they can purchase an Unerring Sphere spell scroll for 80 sc at Ciri's Selections. This spell scroll does not allow heroes to create new Unerring Spheres, but only to view others. Ciri encourages them to purchase multiple; you never know when it will come in handy. Once the heroes access the recording within the Unerring Sphere, they see the following. They can see Pietro clearly, given that he is not yet a vampire.

Read Aloud: The glassy surface of the Unerring Sphere depicts the Amadeus welcome terrace as it must have been prior to the estate’s collapse. Beautiful topiary bushes resemble abstract swirls and geometric shapes. The tall, brooding human in the dark clothing can only be Pietro. His parents stand nearby, and many other nobles gather into the courtyard, paying their condolences to Pietro “For the most untimely death of the innocent Theresa,” according to a noble that you recognize as a much younger Edgar Hawthorne.

As more nobles pile into the courtyard, you also recognize Abraham van Helsing and Joana Harker, both many years younger and happier despite attending a funeral.

Pietro eventually calls on the nobles to attend him. “We gather today in memory of Theresa, my beloved wife,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. “She was unjustly killed two weeks hence, and truly, my heart died with her. My name - Pietro Amadeus - means the Rock of Godly Love. This is what I tried to be for her, yet now she is… gone. No, from this day forth I shall be known by a new name, a single simple name with no surname: A name meaning the Dark One’s Song. From this day forth, you shall know me as Dracula.”

Pietro extends his hands and bathes the courtyard in deadly magic, scouring all of his guests. Even his parents were not exempt from the attack. Whoever was holding the Unerring Sphere drops it at this point, and the projected image continues to play from its perspective on the ground. A great rumble tears through the earth, and a fissure opens up. The Unerring Sphere rolls forward, causing your perspective to display a nauseating flash of color as it shows you the ground, then the sky, then the manor, then the ground again. Through a series of sound and color, you know that you are witnessing the estate collapse.

10. Library

The library is mostly destroyed. Bookshelves fell and splintered in the collapse. Many books became torn at the seams, and dozens of pages are scattered throughout the room. Many pages appear to have been partially eaten by rats or worms.

The heroes may search the library, making AWR checks. On a roll of 20 or more, they quickly find a large tome of fairy tales that is luckily still in fine condition. On a roll of 19 or lower, they find this tome, but it takes them 1 hour.

The book of fairy tales is battered but intact. Flipping through it, the heroes find that the book’s spine naturally folds open to one story in particular. A tattered cloth bookmark still marks this page, which has also been dog-eared enough times that the dog-ear fold of paper has since fallen away.

The story is of the Rose Knight, a noble and elegant hero who struggled to weigh his heart against his responsibilities when he fell in love with a peasant girl.

11. Dining Chambers

The dining chambers consist of several long wooden tables that seem in reasonably good condition. Many of the chairs around these tables have not fared so well and are either splintered or clearly rotten. A jumble of silverware is on the floor, along with the fragmented remains of plates.

The dining chambers also have a side door leading to the grand kitchen.

12. Grand Kitchen

The grand kitchen is full of harmless rats that scurry away when the heroes come. There is no edible food remaining in the kitchen, and the fireplaces are dark, having been unused for many years.

A dumbwaiter near one of the preparation counters connects to the Amadeus master suite.

The kitchen has a staircase that would have once descended into the food cellars. In the wake of the sinkhole causing the estate to collapse, the staircase instead descends to a narrow natural passage leading to the hidden caverns.

12. Hidden Caverns

The hidden caverns are just a geological anomaly beneath the estate, a collection of air pockets in the earth that became exposed to the estate after the collapse. By squeezing through the initial passage that the heroes can find at the base of the grand kitchen’s stairs, the heroes can find themselves in an uneven stone cavern.

In the smaller cavern, two Ghosts attack the heroes. These are Pietro’s parents; despite having been killed by their own son, these ghosts are more protective of Pietro than they are angry at him. They will fight to keep the heroes away from Pietro’s room.

It opens up to another similar, slightly smaller cavern on the opposite end from the stairs. The smaller cavern has a tight opening allowing heroes to squeeze back up into the Amadeus estate in what appears to be a guest room that was inaccessible from the other side due to heavy debris blocking the doors.

The ceiling of this guest room is partially caved in. Heroes can use rubble and broken furniture to climb up to the next floor, which brings them inside Pietro’s bedchambers.

13. Pietro’s Bedchambers

Pietro’s bedchambers contain a single large bed, a writing desk with an unfinished letter that begins “Dearest Theresa,” and a wardrobe that fell over on its side from the collapse. If the heroes read the incomplete letter, they see that Pietro was rambling at great length, almost incoherently, about his plans to do anything, kill anyone, go anywhere, and literally move heaven and hell to save her.

On the writing desk next to the letter, there is a silver necklace with a pendant of the Tovarian tree of life. This necklace is extremely helpful when fighting Dracula at the end of this campaign.

Inside the wardrobe, the heroes can find Pietro’s personal diary.

The most recent entry in Pietro’s diary is perhaps the most pertinent. Pietro intends to collect Theresa’s ashes in a sacred urn and bury them at the base of one of her apple trees, where she and Pietro first met one another all those years ago. He intends to imbue her ashes and the urn that holds them with power to rival that of any holy relic.

Using this information, the heroes can deduce where they might find Theresa’s ashes in the dungeons beneath Dracula’s Castle.

If the heroes read the previous entries in Pietro’s journal, then they may freely access any information in Dracula’s backstory up to the section titled “The Song of the Dark One.” Notably, there are minor contradictions between this journal and Hawthorne’s account of Pietro. In Pietro’s journal, Theresa was a servant of Abraham van Helsing and tended the Helsing estate garden instead of a public orchard outside of the town. The heroes may at first chalk this up to a minor discrepancy due to Hawthorne’s secondhand information, but this is in fact a key clue as to the nature of the demiplanes of Heaven and Hell. The heroes will learn more within Dracula’s Castle itself.