by J.C.

Connors

A
harsh wind snapped Enfys’ cloak and threatened to sweep her off #1
her feet. She spit the snow and ice from her mouth and pulled
her hood farther down on her face. She’d rather have her own It was already a freezing morning when you set out for the legendary
cloak blind her than the freezing winds. “Castle of Madness” – the mysterious castle that is said to emerge
from blizzards once every seven winters. Now, as it grows dark,
Coming alone to find the Castle of Madness was perhaps the worst the mountains’ glacial winds of this valley make the temperature
mistake she’d ever made. Still, Enfys strongly believed that trekking seem hundreds of times colder. Both hands wrap your winter cloak
through knee-deep snow in search of this lost, frozen keep would be the tightly around your body, but somehow you can still feel the ice-
ultimate test of survival. If she could survive here, she could survive sharded winds as if on bare skin.
anywhere.
You squint your eyes down at your weapon and wonder if it has
Fierce howls pierced through the moaning gales like a knife. Enfys become frozen to your belt. Nothing alive can possibly live in these
slipped her gloved hand down to her worn sword. Just tundra wolves, temperatures, you reassure yourself, pushing back thoughts of the
she told herself. Wolves only attacked the weak – they’d have to find living dead you’ve heard emerge with the castle.
another meal today.
Soon, you can make out the faint ruined form of the castle up
ahead. The old crone’s rotting map was right! Your best guess tells
About the Adventure you it’s another hour’s walk in the harsh cold. Before you have time
The Castle of Madness is an introductory solo adventure for to think about the longer walk, you spot a gaping black opening in
Dungeons & Dragons 5E. This adventure was originally writ- the snow. It must be a cave. The crone told you that underground
ten for the unpublished RuneQuest: Slayers roleplaying game, tunnels could also lead into the castle. Could this be one? Or is it
but has been adapted to D&D. While you need to have some the lair of some beast?
passing knowledge of D&D to play this adventure, it is fairly
beginner friendly. A GURPS Fantasy version is also available on If you decide to explore the cave, go to 12.
www.1shotadventures.com
If you decide to continue your cold trek to the castle, go to 19.
This adventure is best for 2nd level characters, though you can also
play it with a 1st level character and a henchman ally. If you don’t
have your own character, two pregenerated characters to pick from
#2
are included at the end of the adventure. Double-wrapping your hands to protect them from the cold, you
dig under some broken statues. In a few minutes you’ve uncovered
If you’ve never played a “Choose Your Path” adventure before, it’s a beautiful antique mace, its metal head coated in an unusual
easy. Just start with paragraph #1. Read it, and choose from one blue lacquer.
of the choices that the text gives you, and go to that numbered
paragraph. Just don’t read the entries in order! As you find any Digging some more, you realize something – the weapon still has a
items you’d like to keep (which are bold-faced), jot that down on frozen hand attached to it! A second later, your boot brushes aside
your character sheet. the remains of the man’s face! The blue skin is cracked and broken.
Apparently, some warrior died wielding this mace.

1
v1.0
Make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. If you succeed, you may #7
pry the weapon lose. Otherwise, you have no stomach for such
matters and decide to abandon your search. You stride forward with confidence and crack open the half-broken
door but quickly realize that you can’t see – it’s too dark to make
(If you take this mace, it does 1d6 bludgeoning damage and out anything but dim silhouettes. You fumble to get a torch lit as
weighs 4 lbs.) you hear a hissing cackle that chills your bones.

If you go through the servant’s door, go to 14. Make a DC 10 Dexterity check. If you succeed, go to 38.

If you go through the guardhouse door, go to 11. If you fail, you can’t get your torch lit on time. Write down the
word DARKNESS and go to 38.
#3
#8
Snow crunching underfoot, you jog along the intact half of the
castle. Just as you begin to tire, you spot a broken gateway, where You’re in luck – the strange monster is too busy with his meal to
once armored guards stood with tall halberds. The portal lies open notice you. You glance around the icy room and notice that there
and shattered and leads into the courtyard of the castle. is a small tunnel that continues past the creature. With any luck,
you can get to it without him noticing you.
You swing under the broken gate and look around. Dozens of
statues – most crumbled – litter the courtyard. You see two doors If you decide to sneak by, go to 44.
beyond the statue graveyard. The smaller one seems to be a servant’s
entrance; the other seems to be a guardhouse door. If you decide to turn around, go to 22.

If you search the courtyard, go to 43. Or, you can draw out your weapon and attack! Go to 17.

If you go through the servant’s door, go to 14.

#9
If you go through the guardhouse, go to 11.

#4
You see a woman, half-dressed, standing in the room. Her skin is
icy pale. She picks up the remnants of her clothes and stares at you,
her ice blue eyes burning into the back of your head. Before you
can even wonder about the true nature of this delicate creature,
she disappears in a flurry of fine ice. You shake your head and
enter the room.

Go to 45.

#5
You manage to loop the grapple around the gargoyle’s wing. Con-
fident in your skill, you begin the treacherous climb.

CRACK! The gargoyle breaks away and you plummet to the

snowy ground. The fall does 1d4 damage. Tending your sore arm
from the fall, you decide to circle around the castle and look for
another way in.

Go to 3.

#6
As you are about to leave, you spot a tarnished, silver ring on one
of the skeletons. You pull it off and examine it. Apparently, it was
the captain of the guard’s signet ring. Pocketing it, you head out
the door for the servant’s entrance.

Go to 14.
2
 #11
You approach the guardhouse door and push on it. No luck. Ap-
parently, the guardhouse door is either locked or frozen shut.

You can use your dagger to try prying the lock. Go to 18.

Or, you can try to force the door open. Go to 40.

#12
It feels warmer the moment you step into the cave, though the
winds make an eerie whining sound throughout these dark tunnels.
Fortunately, you had enough foresight to bring a torch. Stretching
your numb fingers several times, you take out your tinderbox and
light the torch. The heat seems to melt your very face.

Taking a deep breath, you walk down the winding tunnels making
mental notes of its rock formations in case you get lost. It seems
as if someone, or something, walked these tunnels in the recent
weeks. In a few minutes, you see that the tunnel turns and branches.

If you head down the more trodden path, go to 9.

If you head down the icier path, go to 22.

If you trod down the warmer, rock path, go to 54.

As you quietly move along the dark tunnel, you hear a disgusting
noise from up ahead. You hear pained squeals and horrible rending #13
sounds about forty paces in front of you. Your skin crawls at the
thought of what lies ahead. You spot something unusual – a small trap door in the side of the
room. Smiling, and remembering that guardhouses often keep valu-
If you turn around and go back the other way, go to 22. able weapons locked away, you head towards the door. Kneeling
down, you pry it open easily – the lock has long since rusted away.
If you quietly venture ahead, go to 31.
Inside the cubby hole is a pitted iron shortsword. It probably
If you scream a battle cry and charge, go to 49.
wouldn’t last a single swing, so you toss it aside. Behind the blade,
however, is a steel-plated shield. Painted on its face are three white
#10 bears. Though the paint is a little worn, it apparently protected the
shield from the elements. You carefully take the shield out, brush
You dash past the creature into the smaller tunnel beyond him. off some ice, and strap it to your back.
You quickly jog down the cavern leaving the disgusting crunching
noise behind you. Go to 6.

The tunnel winds its way for about twenty minutes until you can
make out a bright white light from up ahead. When you come to #14
this exit, you notice a thick layer of snow covering the cave open-
You need to duck your head to get into the servant’s entrance – the
ing. You pull out your weapon and start digging. Your heart is
doorframe collapsed years ago. After your eyes adjust to the dim
pounding. Make a DC 5 Constitution check. If you fail, you are
entranceway, you see that some great creature entered the castle
exhausted and suffer disadvantage on your next roll.
here. Giant footprints have cracked through the wood of the floor
Suddenly, from behind you, you hear the roar of the ice fiend. Dig here, and age-old blood has been spattered against the walls. It gives
faster! Make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. you a shiver to think of what kind of creature attacked the castle.

If you succeed, go to 26. Digging through some old supplies, you uncover a skeleton of a
dead servant. You’re not sure if it was a man or woman, as only
If you fail, go to 20. tattered cloth lies around its bones.

If you search the area around the corpse, go to 16.

If you continue onwards, go to 33.

3
 Ice Fiend
Large humanoid, chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (hide) Speed 30 ft.

Hit Points 28 (3d10+9)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

16 (+3) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 7 (-2)

Damage Immunities cold

Senses Darkvision 60’, passive Perception 10
Languages Giant
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 3)
slashing damage.

Berserk Fury. When at 5 hp or less, the fiend gains multiattack, making two claw
attacks simultaneously.

Regeneration. The fiend regains 3 hit points at the start of its turn. If it takes acid
or fire damage, this trait does not function at the start of the fiend’s next turn.

#15 You can trade blows with the fiend, or jump into tactical combat
using the battle map is provided at the end of the adventure. In
The cliff isn’t as steep as you imagined, and many of its hand and this case, the ice fiend starts adjacent to the bone pile, and you start
footholds aren’t covered with ice. Make no mistake – this still isn’t at the entrace to the lair on the right side of the map. However,
an easy climb, and you should be careful. Make a DC 12 Strength if you’ve written AMBUSHED on your character sheet, you start
(Athletics) check to climb up the sheer surface. the battle closer to the fiend (on the blood stained snow hex), and
If you succeed, you carefully climb down the mountainside and the ice fiend gets to move first.
approach the castle. Go to 36. The fiend’s tactics are simple – he will rush towards you to attack.
If you fail, you plummet down the rocky cliff! Take 1d6 dam- If the fiend drops to 5 hp or less, make a DC 12 Wisdom check for
age. If you’re still conscious, you limp towards the castle. Go to 36. the fiend. If he fails, he retreats, attempting to escape to a tunnel
Otherwise, your twisted and crumbled body is soon found by tundra exit. If he succeeds, he viciously fights to the end and goes berserk
wolves... (see his ability, above).

If the ice fiend is defeated or retreats, go to 21.

#16 If you died or fell unconscious, your adventure sadly ends here.
As you rummage through the tattered remnants of the skeleton, Seven years from now, brave adventurers seeking the Castle of Madness
your hand scrapes across something razor sharp! You raise your discover the half-eaten remains of your frozen corpse...
bloody hand to your mouth and probe the wound with your
tongue. You take 1 hp of damage. #18
Kicking aside some torn cloth, you see a glass dagger half-embed- You kneel down in the snow and peer through the keyhole. Just
ded in the wood. as you suspected... the door is locked with an older type of lock.
If you try to pry the sharp dagger out, go to 24. Several stone pegs keep the door in place. Your knife might be able
to do the trick, but it’s formidable.
If you decide to leave it alone, go to 33.
Since the door uses an old stone lock, it is easier to defeat than a
more modern, iron lock. To pry the lock, make a DC 12 Dexterity
#17 check (rogues may use their Thieves’ Tools proficiency here too).

You are in a battle with an ice fiend, a massive beast with a shark- If you succeed, go to 30.
toothed maw and claws the size of long knives. You’ve only seen
one in your life – and that was a carcass a hunter brought back If you fail, you can try breaking the door down. Go to 40.
to your village when you were a child. This one seems twice the
If you’ve already failed breaking the door down, or just want to
size of that one!
try the servants’ door, go to 14.

4
 #19 cold, biting winds. You glance down at the floor as you run, and
are startled to see several large footprints walking in the direction
You stumble another half-hour in the snow. The cave was prob- you’re going. You draw out your weapon to be on the safe side,
ably the home to a pack of yetis, or ice fiends. It’s a good thing and continue your journey down the dim hall.
you avoided it.
Almost an hour later, you find the tunnel going uphill. You slow
Unfortunately, the cold winds have begun to take their toll. Make down you pace – no need to get tired before reaching the castle.
a DC 8 Constitution (Survival) check. If you fail, you suffer 1 hp Suddenly, bright sunlight hits your eyes. You’ve found an exit!
damage from hypothermia and are exhausted and suffer disadvan- You crawl out the small tunnel and find yourself looking over the
tage on your next roll. edge of a tall cliff! Almost directly below you lies the Castle of
Madness. Once you manage to get down the cliff, you’ll be near
You stare up at the looming castle. Its stone has been covered with the walls of the castle.
sheets of ice as thick as your body. With any luck, you won’t have
to climb up the walls to find an entrance. If you try climbing down the icy cliff, go to 15.

If you decide to circle around the castle looking for an entrance, If you try walking around the wind-torn cliff, go to 52.
go to 3.

If you decide to use your pitons and rope to climb the wall to a #23
window, go to 35.
Some of the tapestries are still together; others are torn and de-
stroyed. Two, in particular, catch your eye. One tapestry shows a
#20 striking, blue-eyed maiden in ornate armor, the other shows a runed
axe lying on a gilded table, being presented to a white-haired queen.
You can’t dig fast enough. The ice fiend bounds up the cavern
roaring in anger at your intrusion. You turn your weapon on to Make a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check to examine these old
the foul beast! tapestries further.

Write the word AMBUSHED on your character sheet. Go to If you succeed, go to 57.
17.
If you fail, go to 51.

#21
You spit a curse at the defeated fiend. You quickly search the
creature’s lair but find nothing of interest other than some bloody
bones and fiend teeth. You spend some time bandaging your
wounds. This counts as a short rest. You can spend one or more
Hit Dice, up to your maximum number of Hit Dice. For each
Hit Die spent, roll die and adds your Constitution modifier. You
regain hit points equal to the total #24
Anxious to leave this chamber before the ice fiend finds the courage Wrapping some cloth around your hand for protection, you try
to come back, you push your way down a long twisting corridor. to wedge the glass dagger out. With any luck, this exotic dagger
The end of the tunnel appears about twenty minutes later, but it’s will be worth a lot of silvers. Or maybe you’ll decide to keep it as
been completely frozen shut with ice and snow. You draw your a backup weapon.
weapon out and start pounding. Make a DC 7 Strength check.
If you succeed, you break down the door quickly. If not, you are Make a DC 10 Dexterity check. If you fail, the dagger slices
exhausted from the work and your next roll will be at disadvantage. through your gloves and deep into your hand. Take 1d4 damage.
If you succeed, you carefully pry the glass-like dagger out without
In a few minutes you manage to break through. You push your injury. This is a very fine dagger +1, enchanted to be shatterproof
body out the hole you’ve made and feel something hard and stone- despite the fact that it looks to be made from glass.
like in front of you.
You continue onwards. Go to 33.
Go to 47.
#25
#22
Deciding to head towards the main part of the castle, you skip the
Your body warms as you jog down the icy path. Though the walls of bedrooms and head down a long, winding hallway. Much to your
this tunnel are frozen solid, it is much warmer in here than in the surprise, the castle in this part looks sturdy and complete. Perhaps

5
it looked like this years ago when it was a newly built stronghold. You take the chariot toy and figurine and place it gently into your
You come to a stairway going downwards. The stairs are covered sack. Your niece might like this one
with a slick ice.
The small bed in the room is still intact, but as you come closer,
Make a DC 8 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If you succeed, you you notice an oily and rancid smell coming from the mattress.
carefully make your way down into a large castle chamber. Go to 33.
If you return to the main corridor and go down it, go to 25.
If you fail, you slip down the steps and land hard on the hard
stone. Take 1d4 damage. You curse your clumsiness and stand up. Go If you draw your weapon and lift the mattress, go to 58.
to 33.
#29
#26 You carefully climb the steps, but suddenly some of the stone
You barely make out the form of the ice fiend at the far end of crumbles underfoot. Your chin hits against the marble railing
the cavern tunnel, but you know he’s coming fast! You slam your hard as you slide down to the bottom of the steps. Make a DC 8
weapon again and again against the ice and snow. Suddenly, sun- Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or take 1d4 damage from the fall.
light rushes out to blind you. You leap through the hole you’ve
If you’re still alive, you can try climbing the steps again. Go to
created and scramble out. Your head hits against something hard!
50.
You look up and see a crumbled statue of an armored warrior in
front of you. You look around... you found a way into the courtyard Or, you can forget the cursed stairs and go down the main cor-
of the Castle of Madness! You shake your head and look around. ridor. Go to 25.
The creature’s roar seems to have died off, so you’re safe for now.

Dozens of statues – most broken – litter the courtyard. You see #30
two doors beyond the statue graveyard. The smaller one looks to
have been a a servant’s entrance; the other door, more reinforced, You push the door inwards and hear it slam against the wall sharply.
seems to be a guardhouse door. Waiting for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, you look around
the room. A dozen skeletons in tattered armor lie against the
If you search the courtyard, go to 43. walls of the room. You swallow hard, and then quickly examine
the skeletons. You see no injuries on them. Apparently, these men
If you go through the servant’s door, go to 14. locked themselves in this room and died here.
If you go through the guardhouse door, go to 11. You let out a small cry when you see a pale blue rat scurry across
the floor. You’ve never heard of ice rats before, but you chide
#27 yourself for having been startled so easily.

You slowly pad into the icy maze, trying to remember the turns you Searching the room, you find that most of the weapons and ar-
take. Every once in a while you hear a soft moan from ahead of you. mor have rusted away a long time ago. Make a DC 12 Wisdom
To track the creature, make a DC 7 Wisdom (Perception) check. (Perception) check.
Rangers of the mountains may double their proficiency bonus.
If you succeed, go to 13.
If you succeed, go to 37.
If not, go to 6.
If you fail, you soon hear the moans die out. You return to the
slushy path and decide to turn around, rather than risk getting lost
in this cold maze. If you head down the more trodden path, go to 9.
#31
If you head down the icier path, go to 22. You silently pad up the trodden path. The cave comes
to a sharp turn. You peer around the bend and see
#28 a hulking, blood-covered ice fiend
ing apart a half-dead seal. He’s
chew-

Unfortunately, most of the bedroom entries have collapsed and licking his knife-sized claws
now lie blocked with rubble and debris. You go down the hall, and seems to be enjoying the
pushing on doors until you find one that opens. pitiful squeals the seal is mak-
ing. Make a DC 10 Dexterity
Peering into the room, you quickly discover that this was once (Stealth) check.
a child’s bedroom. Old wooden toys lie on the floor. Many are
broken, others are still intact. You pick up a finely-carved wooden
chariot toy. It seems to be holding figurine of a white-haired queen.

6
 If you succeed, go to 8. Wisely, you tie a piece of long cord to a nearby stalagmite. You
can follow the cord back to this tunnel branch in case you get lost.
If you fail, go to 41.
Go to 37.

#32 #35
The man’s leg is broken, but perhaps you can keep him alive until
you head back this way. The cave is warm enough to keep him You remove your rope and grapple and find a nice target – a broken
alive, and there’s enough water for him to live on. gargoyle near an open window. To climb up the steep, icy castle
wall, you’ll need to make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
“I will not live more than a few hours. My goddess visited me just
a few minutes ago, “ he continues. If you succeed, go to 42.

“Well, she’ll make good company until I come back,” you say as If you fail, go to 5.
you bandage and splint his leg. “Listen, I won’t be at the Castle of
Madness for more than a day. When I come back, I’ll bring you #36
with me. I’d take you now, but unless you can offer me a king’s
treasure, I can’t afford it.” A little sore and tired, you stare up at the looming castle ruin. As
the wind rushes through the broken turrets, you hear noises that
The man nods gratefully, “I appreciate any effort you might make.” sound like the screams of lunatics – no wonder they call this place
the Castle of Madness.
You finish bandaging him and leave him some food. “I’d make you
a fire, but the creature you mentioned might come back. Wouldn’t The castle’s stone walls have been covered with sheets of ice as thick
want you to lose another leg.” as your body. With any luck, you won’t have to climb up the walls
to find an entrance.
The man grasps your shoulder. “Let me warn you... the trodden
path leads to the home of the creature. I went down the icier path If you decide to circle around the castle looking for an entrance,
at first, but found an impassable cliff. The creature attacked me go to 3.
and dragged me to his lair before I escaped.”
If you decide to use your pitons and rope to climb the wall to a
The warrior closes his eyes to rest, and you decide it is better to leave window, go to 35.
him now. You head back to the slushy path and go back to the main
cavern. Write down the word RESCUER on your character sheet.
#37
If you head down the more trodden path, go to 9.
You find an injured hunter leaning against a cavern wall. He looks
If you head down the icier path, go to 22. at you, his face ghastly and frostbitten. “How long have you been
here?” you ask.
Or, you can leave the cave and trek to the castle through the
snow. Go to 19. The wounded man swallows hard, “I don’t know. Three days, per-
haps? Got lost tracking the most magnificent elk you’ve ever seen.
#33 An unnatural creature ambushed me and snapped my leg like a
dry branch. I crawled away as fast as I could, but now I’m lost and
You continue onwards, and find yourself in a banquet hall of sorts. decided I have no stomach for running anymore.”
Shattered plates and a broken banquet table lie in the middle of
You look down and see the man’s leg twisted at an impossible angle.
the room. Several tapestries hang from the walls, and there seems
You grimace. This man will not make it out of these caves alive.
to be a large hole in the floor under a particularly tattered one.
Make a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check. If you succeed, go to 32.
If you examine the hole, go to 55.
If not, keep reading.
If you examine the tapestries, go to 23.
“I know,” he answers, grinning as if he heard your thoughts. “I
will not live more than a few hours. My god visited me just a few
#34 minutes ago and told me himself!”

In the bravest voice you can muster, you shout your name and “Let me warn you,” he continues. “The trodden path leads to
clan. You hear a soft whisper from the passage ahead. “Help me, the home of the creature. I went down the icier path at first, but
please. My leg is broken.” found an impassable cliff. The creature attacked me again there
and dragged me to his lair before I escaped.”
You call out to the injured man, “Keep talking so I can find you.”

7
 Blood Man
Medium undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 10 Speed 30 ft.

Hit Points 26 (3d10+9)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

15 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 5 (-3) 6 (-2) 5 (-3)

Saving Throws Wis +0

Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60’, passive Perception 10
Languages Understands All Languages It Spoke In Life But Can’t Speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Claw Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 +
1) slashing damage.

Seep Blood. Once a target is wounded, the blood man attempts to seep its cor-
rosive blood into its target. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit 9 (2d6 + 2) necrotic damage and the target must make a DC 10 Con saving
throw or be exhausted.

The man shudders. “Here, take this ring and give it to my the guard If you’ve written down the word DARKNESS, you’re in extra trouble.
captain in Winterhaven. He will contact my family and tell them of The blood-creature can see in the dark, but you get disadvantage
my useless death. And if you see that great elk, hunt it down, roast to your attack rolls (unless you have a spell or ability to help cancel
it over a fire... and think of me.” that penalty).

He hands you an amethyst ring and you nod. The warrior starts The blood man’s tactics are to first wound its target with its claws,
shaking and shuddering, and you decide it is better to leave him now. and then grapple them to use his bloody seep ability to begin to
You head back to the slushy path and go back to the main cavern. dissolve and absorb its victim.

If you head down the more trodden path, go to 9. If the creature is slain, go to 48.

If you head down the icier path, go to 22. If you died, your adventure ends here. Perhaps heroes more stalwart
than yourself will return to the castle to defeat this gruesome creature.
Or, you can leave the cave and trek to the castle through the snow.
Go to 19.
#39
#38 The ice and cold soon begins to numb your fingers, so you decide
to give up your search. The snow is too deep now in the courtyard
You draw your weapon, expecting danger. The stench from this dark to find anything of value.
room is choking you. You stare across the litter-filled room and gasp
when you see that the whole room is covered in a liquid that can If you go through the servant’s door, go to 14.
only be blood. In the middle of the room, you can barely make out
If you go through the guardhouse door, go to 11.
a skinny, man-like creature wearing practically nothing. You see that
his eyes are bloodshot and his skin is a disgusting mottled-red. He
lets out a half-hiss, half-cackle and stumbles towards you. #40
You’re in mortal combat with this inhuman beast. This creature will The old door is heavy, and may even be locked, but you push with
not run from you... only one will remain after this fight. Because all your might. Make a DC 12 Strength check to break down the
of his horrific nature, you must first resist his power of fear (see the sturdy door.
description above).
If you succeed, go to 30.
You can trade blows with the blood man or jump into tactical combat
using the battle map provided at the end of the adventure. In this If you fail, you can try prying the lock. Go to 18.
case, make a DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check. If you succeed, the
If you’ve already failed prying the lock, or just want to try the
blood man starts near the door and you can choose your starting
servant’s door, go to 14.
position on the map. If you fail, you start adjacent to each other
near the doorway.

8
 #44
To sneak past the ice fiend, you must succeed at a DC 14 Dexterity
(Stealth) check.

If you succeed, go to 10.

If you fail, go to 41.

#45
You swing your body over the icy sill of the window and leap into
the dim room. The white light shines through the window and il-
luminates the remnants of this old bedroom. A broken bed lies in
the corner of the room, its decorative blanket still well preserved in
the cold. A dresser with a shattered mirror sits opposite the bed, and
you can almost feel the ghosts of the nobility who once slept here.

You look through some of the dressers, and find nothing but old
clothes. No, wait. Underneath a fine blue chemise is a tarnished
silver tiara. Smiling, you place the jewelry and the blue chemise
in your sack. You walk to the door and peer out. Dark stairs lead
upwards into a turret, and to the right, a corridor heads down to
more abandoned bedrooms.

If you climb the stairs, go to 50.

If you head to another bedroom, go to 28.

If you skip the bedrooms and go down the corridor, go to 25.

#41
As the ice fiend is licking his claws clean, his beady black eyes falls #46
on you. He lets out a roar from his wierd, circular mouth, tosses the
You carefully press your ear to the door, holding your breath to
mortally wounded seal against the side of the cave, and charges you!
keep the stench from interrupting your concentration. Suddenly,
Draw out your weapon and go to 17! you feel this horrible pain in your ear. You tear your ear from the
door only to discover that you’re bleeding from hundreds of pores
on the side of your face. You gasp and draw out your weapon.
#42
Take 1d4 damage from the wound. If you’re still alive, you can
You loop your grapple around the neck of the broken gargoyle. either run from the castle and go to 53...
Testing the rope a few times, you hoist yourself and scramble up
the thick rope. In a few seconds, you reach an icy window sill. ...or, you can bravely confront this dangerous menace behind the
door. You relight your torch and angrily tear the half-broken door off
If you peer into the room first, go to 4. its hinges. Go to 38.
If you quickly scramble in, go to 45.
#47
#43 You look up and see a crumbled statue of an armored warrior in
front of you. You look around... you found a way into the courtyard
You dig around the bases of the various statues, looking for any-
of the Castle of Madness! Beyond the graveyard of dozens of bro-
thing of value. Make a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
ken statues are two doors. The smaller one seems to be a servant’s
If you succeed, go to 2. entrance; the other seems to be a guardhouse door.

If you fail, go to 39. If you search the courtyard, go to 43.

If you go through the servant’s door, go to 14.

If you go through the guardhouse door, go to 11.

9
 #48
With an unnatural gurgle, the gruesome thing falls to the ground,
dead. Lighting a new torch to better see the room, you discover
that this was once a servant’s chamber. There is a framed picture
on the wall of what seems to be the servant tending to a a strik-
ing, white-haired queen. You’re startled at the realization that the
servant in the painting looks like the creature you just fought.

You rummage around the room looking for anything of value.

Make a DC 10 Constituton check. If you succeed, go to 56.

If you fail, you do not have the stomach to rummage through

the room’s bloody contents. You decide to come back to the castle some
other day –- perhaps with friends –- and discover its secrets in the
safety of numbers. Go to 60.

#49
You race down the icy corridor, weapon clenched tightly in hand.
Screaming a battle cry, you charge headlong into a gruesome sight.
A blood-covered fiend has his teeth half-sunk into a squealing
seal. He looks at you in surprise, throws the half-dead seal into
the cavern wall, and roars his own battle challenge!

Go to 17.

#50
Holding on to a marble railing, you begin to climb up the long
spiral stairs that surely leads up to one of the castle’s turrets. As
you make your way up, you notice that the steps are worn and If you fail, you plummet down the cliffside! Take 1d6 damage. If
icy from years of being exposed to the elements. Make a DC 10 you’re still conscious, you plod towards the castle. Go to 36. Otherwise,
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. your unconscious body is found by roaming grave ghouls and you are
hungrily devoured alive...
If you succeed, go to 59.

If not, go to 29. #53

You run from the castle, glad that you have managed to find the
#51 few valuables that you did. Perhaps one day you will gather friends
and return to the castle.
You try to stuff both tapestries into your bag, but they’re just
too heavy. Unless you succeed a DC 18 Strength check, you can Go to 60.
only carry one of them. Choose now and write that down. You
can take either the maiden tapestry, or the axe tapestry. When
you’ve decided, you wander over to examine the hole in the floor. #54
Go to 55. As you walk down the rock path, the ground beneath your boots
turns to slush. Several minutes later, you find yourself walking
through ankle-deep water. You fill up your waterskin from this
#52 source – it’s better than eating snow. You light a torch, as most of
the light from the cave entrance has faded away.
The cliff is icier than expected. You grasp and claw your way around
the cliff, the winds threatening to pick you up and toss you over. As you continue onwards, the ground becomes steadier and
As you circle around the cliff, a powerful gust picks up and sends smoother. You kneel to examine it, and find a thick, half-frozen
you hurling towards the edge! Make a DC 10 Dexterity check. red liquid on the ground. You study it closer – blood!
If you succeed, you catch on to the edge and manage to pull Before you have time to think about your grisly discovery, you hear
yourself to safety. Go to 36. a moan from up ahead. You take a few steps forward, but see that

10
the passage you’re in twists and turns in a dozen directions. An
icy labyrinth lies ahead.
#58
Grasping your knife tightly – the space around the bed is too small
If you shout your name and make your presence known, go to 34. to wield your main weapon – you kick over the mattress. You jump
back in shock when you see a half-eaten, bloodless corpse staring
If you calmly sneak up and try to see what’s making the sound, go to 27.
up at you.

#55 Turning away in revulsion, you stagger back before you steady your-
self for a second look. The man has only been dead for a few weeks
Careful of the crumbling floor, you peer down into the dark hole. – he’s dressed in a wind-torn cloak and has well-worn boots on the
A horrible reek hits you, and you involuntarily snap your hand remains of his feet. Apparently, this man was exploring the castle
over your nose. Even in this cold weather, something down the like you. What ate him and stuffed his body in this bed, however,
hole smells really bad. is beyond your imagination.

You look down further into the pit and see that the ground is You leave the room and head down the corridor. Go to 25.
about ten feet below where you stand. You could jump down.

Make a DC 6 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If you fail, you twist #59

your ankle for 1 hp damage.
Your foot slips up the stairs once, but your tight hold on the railing
Brushing yourself off, you look around the dimly lit chamber. You saves you from a nasty fall down the steps. You have to drag yourself
realize your torch is sputtering. Within seconds, the darkness in up the last few steps, since the ice is about as thick as your fist.
the chamber closes around you. You can barely make out a worn
Pulling your way onto a cold landing, where the wind whips through
door, a few feet away, indecipherable writings slashed into its wood.
open windows and chills you to the bone, you glance around this
If you creep up to the door and listen, go to 46. ancient lookout tower. It seems all barren, except for a lone crossbow
mounted on the wall. You pull it down and strap it to your back.
If you go forward bravely and push the door aside, go to 7. You’ve never used a crossbow before, but it may come in handy later.

You kick the dirty snow beneath the crossbow and find what you
#56 were looking for – a single, rusty bolt. You’ll have one shot with this
crossbow. Happy that you found anything at all in this crumbling
Gritting your teeth you pull up the bloody, torn mattress that lies
tower, you carefully make your way down the stairs.
on the floor. A silver sparkle catches your eye. You reach down and
pick up a beautiful silver and glass scepter. Perhaps it belonged You can go explore the bedrooms more. Go to 28.
to the noble pictured in this room. Confident that you’ve found
a great treasure, you throw your burning torch on the mattress Or, you can skip the bedrooms and go down the main corridor.
and let the room ignite. You’re determined to clean out the filth Go to 25.
of the creature that lived here.

Dashing out of the smoky room, you leave the Castle of Madness #60
behind. Surely more treasure and adventure lies within its walls,
You arrive back in the town of Winterhaven a little injured, but safe.
but you feel better returning with trusted friends. Perhaps with
You quickly head to the local merchant’s bazaar to sell the wares that
a party of adventurers, the yetis and blood men will not pose as
you found. The merchants are all very impressed - many of the goods
much of a threat.
you found were antiques and are quite valuable.
Go to 60.
If you’ve written down the word RESCUER, you managed to
drag the wounded warrior back to Winterhaven. You discover his
#57 name is Jrak Kul, a lieutenant in Winterhaven’s town watch, and a
member of the secretive Martyrs of War clan. The Martyrs reward
You’re smart enough to know that it’s not the design on the tapestry you handsomely for his safe return – 200 gp – and invite you to
that is worth gold, but the fabric itself. Carefully examining both join their ranks.
tapestries, you see that the runed axe one is cheaper and shoddier
than the finely woven fabric of the armored maiden tapestry is. Congratulations – you have bested the Castle of Madness, and you
have quite the tale to tell the folks at the tavern. For completing the
Satisfied that you’ve made the right choice, you tuck the heavy maiden adventure, gain 400 XP plus whatever XP you gained from slaying
tapestry into your bag. You decide to examine the hole in the floor. the castle’s monsters. Furthermore, you can sell some of the items
Go to 55. you gained from the castle, or keep them for a future adventure!

11
 Treasures of the Castle
Special Thanks
Treasure Value Thanks to Jason Behnke and Steve Holmes for the art in this adventure
Glass dagger +1 550 gp (originally from the unpublished Avalon Hill RPG, RuneQuest: Slayers).
Silver tiara 100 gp Also, thanks to Liam Connors for the D&D characters and playtesting!
Antique mace 10 gp
Blue chemise 20 gp If you enjoyed this adventure, all the author asks is that you give a shout
Ice fiend teeth 10 gp out and let me know how it went. Send a note to @SageThalcos on
Guard’s signet ring 100 gp Twitter.
Steel-plated shield 12 gp
Amethyst ring 120 gp
Maiden tapestry 100 gp
Axe tapestry 10 gp
Silver-glass scepter 150 gp
Chariot toy 10 gp
Crossbow 25 gp

12
13
 Fiend Caves

14
15
Name: King Coppertong - a formidable dwarven merchant
Player: Age: 89
Class: Fighter Race: Dwarf
Level: 2 Alignment: Neutral good
Speed: 25’ Inspiration

+2 15
STR  Athletics
+4
save

 Acrobatics
DEX
+1 13
 Sleight of Hand
 Stealth
+1
save

+3 16
CON +5
save

+1 12
INT  Arcana
 History
 Religion

 Investigation
 Nature
+1
save

WIS
+0 9
 Animals
 Insight
 Medicine
 Perception
 Survival
+0
save
Abilities

Fighter Training: You are proficient in all armor and shields, and simple and
CHA
+0 10
 Deception
 Intimidation
 Performance
 Persuasion
-0
save
martial weapons. You are also proficient in Strength and Constitution saves.

Fighting Style (1st): Duelling. You get +2 to damage rolls when using one-
handed weapons.

Passive Wisdom Second Wind (1st): On your turn, use a bonus action to regain 1d10 + 2 hit
10 (Perception) points. You must rest before using it again.

Action Surge (2nd): You can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a

+2+2 Proficiency Bonus moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular
action and a possible bonus action.. Once you use this feature, you must finish a
short or long rest before you can use it again.

+1 Initiative

Spell Save Spell Attack

Armor Class
Armor: 16
19 Shield:
Dexterity:
+2
+1 Main Weapons
Weapon To-Hit Damage Type Weight
Battleaxe +4 1d8+4 slashing 3 lbs
Hit Points (2d10)
Max: 24
Con: +3 (+1)
HD Used:
24 Temp:
 Equipment
Gold & Gems
Item Weight Notes
Chain mail 55 lbs. AC 16 50
Shield 6 lbs. +2 AC
2 handaxes 2 lbs. 1d6 damage
Explorer’s pack
Fur cloak
Ice wine elixir Heals 1d4+1 damage
Background
One night, while drinking the new batch of Solginul ice
wine, an old crone went into a long-winded tale about the
Castle of Madness - the old keep that emerges from the
mountains once every seven years. She swore she had an
old map to its secrets, a map drawn by her father a gen-
eration ago. Promising the old woman free trinkets from
your store, you copied her map and prepared for a short
expedition. The journey was far less treacherous than you
would have believed - just a day’s walk through the White
Canyon, past the abandoned goblin ringfort, and through
the constant storm that protects the Sealed Vale...

Weight Carried: lbs (5X Str is -10’ Speed; 10X Str is -20’ Speed and Disadvantage)

Actions
Languages Racial Traits: Hill Dwarf Attack
Hardy and Slow: +2 Constitution, +1 Wis-
Attack, shove, or grab (Ath-
Common, Dwarvish dom, 25’ move
letics vs. Athletics/Dexterity)
Dark Vision: Dwarves can see even in dim
light within 60’.
Move

Poison Resilience: Advantage on poison Dash to increase your Speed,

saving throws, resilence vs. poison damage. or disengage to escape attacks
of opportunity
Experience Combat Training: Proficient in battleaxe,
handaxe, hammer, and warhammer
301 One ally gets advantage on
Help

Stonework: Double your Intelligence (History) their next ability check. Or

profiency bonus when studying stone. foe within 5’ of your ally has
disadvantage.
900
XP Needed Tough: +1 hit point per level
Dodge

All attacks against you have

Resting Attribute Modifiers disadvantage
Attribute 4-5 -3
Short Rest (1 hour): Spend 1 or more Attribute 6-7 -2
HD (+Con bonus) to regain health. Attribute 8-9 -1
Stabilize

Attribute 12-13 +1
Long Rest (8 hours): Regain all lost Attribute 14-15 +2 DC 10 Medicine check
HP and spent HD equal to have the Attribute 16-17 +3
PC’s total HD. Attribute 18-19 +4
17
Name: Enfys Loom - a good-natured pyromancer
Player: Age: 29
Class: Sorcerer Race: Human
Level: 2 Alignment: Neutral good
Speed: 30’ Inspiration

-1 9
STR  Athletics
-1
save

 Acrobatics
DEX
+2 14
 Sleight of Hand
 Stealth
+2
save

+1 13
CON +1
save

+2 15
INT  Arcana
 History
 Religion

 Investigation
 Nature
+4
save

WIS
+0 11
 Animals
 Insight
 Medicine
 Perception
 Survival
+0
save
Abilities

Sorcerer Training: You are proficient in daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, and
CHA
+3 16
 Deception
 Intimidation
 Performance
 Persuasion
+5
save
light crossbows. You are also proficient in Intelligence and Charisma saves.

Spellcasting (1st): You know four cantrips and two 1st level spells:
Green-Flame Blade (0) Fire Bolt (0)
Mage Hand (0) Blade Ward (0)
Passive Wisdom Feather Fall (1st) Burning Hands (1st)
10 (Perception) False Life (1st)
You have 3 level one spell slots. You cast spells with Charisma.

Draconic Origin, Gold (1st): You get +1 hp maximum per level. When you
+2 Proficiency Bonus aren’t wearing armor, you get AC 13 + Dex modifier.

Font of Magic (2nd): You have 2 sorcery points. Spend a bonus action and

+2 Initiative 2 points to create a temporary 1st level spell slot; or, expend a slot to create
sorcery points equal to that slot’s level.

DC 13
Spell Save
+5
Spell Attack
Armor Class
15 Armor: 13
Shield:
Dexterity: +2 Main Weapons
Weapon To-Hit Damage Type Weight
Quarterstaff +1 1d6-1 bludgeoning 1 lb
Hit Points (2d6) Fire Bolt spell +5 1d10 fire
Max: 14
Con: +1 Burning Hands spell auto 3d6 fire, Dex save for
HD Used:
14 Other: +1 half damage
 Equipment
Gold & Gems
Item Weight Notes
Explorer’s pack 50
Arcane focus
2 daggers 1d4 damage
Fur cloak
Healing potion Heals 2d4+2 damage

Background
You last saw your brother, Brynmor, two years ago. You
don’t know what happened to him. He was studying with
that arrogant archmage Jacob Hermanity, and then one
day, he just vanished from his house. No sign of him,
except for a crumpled up wanted poster of a bandit and
a torn journal page that mentioned the “Castle of Mad-
ness.” You questionsed Hermanity, but the wizard refused
to answer your questions. Did your brother seek out the
mysteries of the Castle, which only appears once every
seven years? Determined to find an answer, you questioned
the people of Solginul until you found an old crone who
claimed to have an old map that would lead you to the
legendary Castle...
Weight Carried: lbs (5X Str is -10’ Speed; 10X Str is -20’ Speed and Disadvantage)

Actions
Languages Racial Traits Attack
Attributes: Humans receive +1 to all attributes Attack, shove, or grab (Ath-
Common letics vs. Athletics/Dexterity)
Language: You know one bonus language.
Draconic, Dwarven
Move

Dash to increase your Speed,

or disengage to escape attacks
of opportunity
Experience
301 One ally gets advantage on
Help

their next ability check. Or

foe within 5’ of your ally has
disadvantage.
900
XP Needed
Attribute Modifiers
Dodge

Attribute 2-3 -4 All attacks against you have

Resting Attribute 4-5 -3 disadvantage
Attribute 6-7 -2
Short Rest (1 hour): Spend 1 or more
Attribute 8-9 -1
HD (+Con bonus) to regain health.
Attribute 12-13 +1
Stabilize

Attribute 14-15 +2
Long Rest (8 hours): Regain all lost DC 10 Medicine check
Attribute 16-17 +3
HP and spent HD equal to have the
Attribute 18-19 +4
PC’s total HD.
 Henchman
Name Cariyen Kraye
Type Professional tracker
Description Loyal to his friends, but quiet HP
11
Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha

+1 +2 +1 +0 +10 +1
12 13 12 10 10 12
Notes Armor Class Move

Chaotic good
Speaks Common
13 30’
Perception (+2)
Survival (+2) Attack

Leather armor Longsword

To Hit Damage
Backpack and supplies +3 1d8+1 slashing
Hunting knife Notes

None

Passive Perception 12

Use this henchman along with a 1st level character, or along with
one of the 2nd level characters to ease the difficulty.

20