The Lion IN the Ropes

By Stephen Chenault
Editor: Tim Burns
Front Cover: Peter Bradley
Interior Art:Jason Walton
Art Direction//Layout/Production: Peter Bradley
Cartography: Peter Bradley

1818 North Taylor, #143,

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 The Lion In The Ropes
A Knight Upon the Green
“So this is Capendu? “Tis as quiet a place as any I’ve seen. The
tower yon needs some repair I see, but it will serve as quiet home
for this tired old soldier. It shall be an honor to display the lion
banner here. You have been too good to me, my King.”

“Tis not my land, noble Galveston, others lay some claim to it,
he suggested we give it to you. But I dare say, you’ll be as good a
neighbor as any can wish.” The paladin laughed quietly. “So do
not thank me until the land here serves you well.”

Galveston looked out over the rolling green hills of Capendu, he

could hear the sea in the distance. He sat quietly for awhile, mus-
ing on the peace which stood in marked contrast to the horror
of the great battles recently fought upon the Toten Fields, far to
the east. There he stood as a peer in the ranks of the righteous.
He fought alongside Kings and Dukes. He slew a giant at the feet
of the Arch-Magi, and saw the horror of battle without mercy. It
had, though he did not know it, ruined him for war forever more.
“I’m tired My Lord, and look forward to days of peace.”

“And you will have it my friend, you will have it.”

So did Lord Galveston, Knight of Renown, friend of Kings, and

soldier settle and make his home in Capendu. The villages of Cap-
endu, Arles, Tres, Contru and Mortsa welcomed him for the pro-
tection he brought and swore allegiance to him. He ordered the
old tower upon the banks of the river Rolth, restored. He called Using as a Prelude to Rune Lore
to the Bishop to the north to send clerics and architects. From his
The Rune Lore book contains a host of set piece adventures that
own stores of money, he built a large cathedral in Capendu, “Four
unfold along a coastal region. In Aihrde these lie north of the In-
Saints,” and installed the acolytes of Ore-Tsar there. And the
ner Sea upon the slopes of the Holmgrad Mountains. The Lion in
lands knew peace and prosperity.
the Ropes adventure is placed upon the southern shores of that
At least for a time. sea, south of Capidistria, where the adventures in Rune Lore, kick
off with Harbors Fowl.
A Warning to the Curious
Aye, stop with the prying! Stop the reading of this tomb forth-
The Adventure
with! Stop, unless of course, you are crafty enough to spin the tale Lord Galveston’s lands are plagued by murders. For the past several
of this bold adventure, to mesmerize the players at your own coun- months people have been disappearing. Some bodies have turned
cil, and to carry its several threads to their proper conclusions. up, their half-mutilated corpses found along the banks of the river.

Strange tracks of a cat-like creature have been found around the

Using this Module
villages, and rumors abound that a charon fiend, a dreaded beast
“A Lion in the Ropes” is a mystery. The module is designed for 4-8 of chaos, has come from the nearby wood and settled in the area.
characters of 2-4 levels. A cleric would be extremely helpful, as The latest victim is the Deacon of the Four Saints Church in
would a ranger or some character with rudimentary tracking skills. Capendu. His body, found torn and mangled in the river, sent the
alarmed villagers to the aged Lord Galveston for aid.
The adventure occurs in the lands of Lord Galveston, largely
within the village of Capendu, and specifically in and around Galveston is 101 years old and grown feeble. He can offer little aid
Four Saints Church. It requires some overland travel however, outside of hiring mercenaries. This he does, but in the meanwhile,
between the other villages and the tower of the aged Lord Galves- he orders that no one may leave their houses after dark and that
ton. Because the adventure involves several discordant threads all doors and shutters must be locked.
designed to challenge the players and to mislead them, the Castle
Keeper should thoroughly read the module and familiarize them- The source of the murders actually resides in Four Saints Church.
selves with the mystery. The engineers who built Four Saints placed her foundations on
the already existing ruins of an older building in Capendu, a prison
from the days of the long evil. Many poor souls lost their lives in

2 Castles & Crusades

suffering and pain in the pits of the prison’s dungeon. So great the Background for the Castle Keeper
suffering in the pits that some stayed, even beyond death, in tor-
tured agony, searching for peace. These orinsu (an ancient word Castle Kapund
meaning “Lost Souls”), have recently manifested themselves, Many years ago, when fell Aufstrag dominated the sprawling
haunting the Church and the surrounding villages. Every seven snowy wastes of Aihrde, the village of Capendu served as a border
to ten days the Orinsu rise from the crypts, animate the bodies of post upon the East-West Imperial Road. The legionaries built a
the churches’ gargoyles, or sometimes, even the saints rendered in squat border keep along the road, not far from the Greenwood, to
stain glass, and come forth into the darkness to kidnap and slay serve as both garrison and prison. They called it Castle Kapund,
whomsoever they find. after its first commander. Beneath its stone walls the legionaries
constructed a dungeon, wherein they kept all manner of “crimi-
The tracks around the village have nothing to do with the or- nals,” both innocent and guilty. Many goodly folk found their last
insu however; the cat-like beast stalking the villages is actually resting place in the dungeons of Castle Kapund.
a lion, recently escaped from a traveling circus. He still wears a
large wooden collar, dragging the twin ropes that bound him. The Eventually, merchants set up shop near Kapund to sell their wares
tracks of the ropes led the villagers to mistake it for the dreaded to the legionaries. Taverns, brothels and gambling houses sprang
charon fiend, an actual creature with the body of a lion and a up as well, and eventually, skilled craftsmen, armorers, weavers
mane of coiled serpents. and others settled in the area. In time, the small village of Ka-
pund-Ua grew up around the castle.
To complicate the situation a bandit group has moved into the re-
gion. Under the notorious half-ungern, Garrick Orange-Hair, they During the Winter Dark Wars, however, the legionaries neglect-
seek plunder and booty. ed the castle and abandoned it. They fled north and eventually
across the straights of Ursal to disappear forever into the east. The
When the Players enter the picture, the villagers and/or Galves- villagers stayed however and they tore down the castle, using its
ton attempt to enlist them to fight what they believe is a charon stone for houses and walls. Upon discovering the dungeon, they
fiend. The Players must first unravel the mystery of the lion in the filled the entrance with dirt and timber and promptly forgot about
ropes, find the bodies of the six orinsu in the dungeon underneath it. In doing so, they inadvertently created the orinsu which now
the Church, and then destroy them. To do so, they must overcome haunt the whole area. The village changed over time, grew and
Orange-Hair’s bandits and the animated gargoyles. expanded, the name too changed with time and dialects so that it
is citizens called it Capendu. Small satellite villages sprang up in
Advice from a Tired Castle Keeper the area and all lived in relative peace.
As its not much in my disposition to guide people (in the game or
Within the dungeon, however, buried in circular pits, were six men
out of it), I’m reluctant to include this section. But, I do think a
condemned to die. Forgotten by the legionaries and never found
few words might help you brother Castle Keepers out there. Read
by the villagers, the dead failed to find the peace that comes with
‘em if you want, ignore ‘em where you will.
burial or cremation. So their souls, racked with the uncertainty
This mystery revolves around three separate actors: the orinsu, of their own deaths, became lost, doomed to haunt the regions
the escaped lion, and the bandit, Orange-Hair. To track the move- underneath the ground and above it.
ments of all three, the Castle Keeper should create a time line
where each of the three is and what they are doing for the next 10 Lord Galveston and Capendu
days; once established, allow the characters to weave in and out of Lord Galveston settled in Capendu in 1045md. His vast stores of
it in a chaotic, albeit, realistic manner. money, earned on campaign in the east during the Winter Dark
Wars, went far in building the local economy, improving the roads,
To maintain the mystery of the adventure, you should have the
fortifying his tower, and constructing Four Saints. In the immedi-
party spot the escaped lion in the shadows at some point. By stress-
ate aftermath of the Winter Dark War, traffic followed the Klagen-
ing the tendril like ropes coiled around the beast’s neck you could
furt road through Capendu and to the coast. Galveston and the
add more fuel to the fire of the beastly charon fiend. Moreover, the
five villages managed quite nicely. The only ale house in the area,
lion’s tracks, ropes/tendrils included, should be spotted occasion-
Marlowe’s Tavern, expanded from a dirt-floored building into a re-
ally so as to entice the characters into thinking that the lion, and
spectable two-story establishment with rooms to let. The Church,
not the orinsu, is in fact the source of the murders.
Marlowe’s and a few of the more respectable land-holders, man-
The orinsu are men whose souls were never given proper burial. aged to shingle their roofs in the famous green ceramic tiles manu-
The characters can end their terror by either destroying them or factured in Klagenfurt. Galveston’s land and people knew peace
by giving them a proper burial (see In Dungeons, Dark Things and prosperity, and his lion banner hung with pride over his tower.
Sleep, room 10 below). The second method will not be easy
This prosperity did not last, trade patterns changed after the wars
for the players to envision, so help them out. Make certain the
and within a few short decades of the Empire’s fall, the commer-
party is aware of the importance of burying the dead. Mention the
cial sea routes expanded to other ports and locales. As others ben-
cemetery in the village and while the party is in room 9, The Cat-
efitted, Lord Galveston’s lands suffered. The trade route shifted
acombs, make reference to the importance of burying the dead
a hundred miles and the Klagenfurt road through the village of
held by the worshipers of Ore-Tsar.
Capendu saw less and less traffic.

Lion in the ropes 3

Lacking their main source of income, the villages began to dwindle
in size, and Lord Galveston grew in years. Young sons and daughters
left in search of work, south-east to Klagenfurt or to far off Avi-
gnon. The elders passed on, their bodies laid to rest in the cemetery
of Four Saints, the wealth of days gone by a distant memory. The
smaller villages of Contru and Morsa vanished almost without a
trace. The timber of their houses was pulled down and used in the
other villages, or fell into ruins and slowly rotted away. Only the
mound, upon which sat the Great Hall of Morsa remains of that
fateful village. Only the very old can point out its location.

Lord Galveston has reached the almost unheard of age of 101.

He is old and tired. His back is so bent that he almost faces the
ground. He cannot walk without the assistance of his four men-at-
arms, his only company. He lives in the tower and rarely ventures
forth. Occasionally, some of the elder villagers, those who remem-
ber the days of prosperity, travel to Tower Galveston to sing to the
elderly knight the songs of his youth, or deliver him personal gifts.
His once great wealth has slowly withered away.

The Mystery of Four Saints Church

When Galveston arrived in Capendu he ordered a stone Church
built upon the mound of earth where the old castle sat. Upon
discovering the dungeon the architects dug out the entrance way
and first few rooms, walled off the back rooms and added its fore-
most sections to the designs of the Church, using the rooms for
storage and other mundane purposes.

Eventually, however, an acolyte tore loose some of the stones of

the dungeon wall, discovering the forgotten rooms. The Curate
decided that the new rooms could serve as a burial catacomb for
fallen clergy. (In 1051md the Conclave of Bishops in Avignon
ruled that all clergy must be buried, not in the common cemetery,
but rather within the walls of the religious house wherein they Obviously, Galveston’s age hinders him from intervening in the
served). This act of consecrating the burial chamber created the villager’s affairs. He is aware of the murders, but has little resourc-
orinsu. Left to die in the deep cold pits, unburied and forgotten, es to aid his charges. His one effort involved hiring several rangers
the souls of the men hovered in a purgatory between life and to track the beast down. Because this was before the lion entered
death. The spells of the clergy laying their own to rest wrenched the area, the rangers found nothing. They refused the marks of
the souls back to the world of the living. Lost and in the pain of gold and left the region for adventure elsewhere.
terror, the unknowing orinsu began to haunt the church and vil-
lages, hunting for something, though they knew not what.
Placing This Adventure
For awhile they haunted the dungeon and the Church, their pol- A Lion in the Ropes is highly portable. Little is required to place
tergeists turning over chairs or snuffing out candles. Soon they it other than an area where there is a road and some habitation.
came to posses things, animating them. The roof-top gargoyles
and the stain-glass castings proved the perfect hosts for the rav- In Aihrde: Originally set near the Twilight Wood this official release
ing-mad Orinsu. They immediately began their silent reign of moves it north to the Hanse City States near the town of Klagenfurt.
terror, coming out about once every week or so (or at the CK’s This is largely to generalize it but also to establish the adventure as
discretion) to fly or crawl through the villages, hunting the living a kick off point for a adventures into the north, particularly those
in order to visit out the horror of their suffering. put forth in Rune Lore. Divorced from any other ongoing concept
A Lion in Ropes ports to any locale in Aihrde with ease.
The murders began several months before the party arrives in Cap-
endu. Every five to seven days a person has been killed. Fourteen A Lion in the Ropes
people have died, and only seven bodies have been found. Those
Two weeks after the rangers left, a lion escaped from a traveling circus
corpses found have been horribly mutilated and dumped into the
which had passed through Capendu some months previous and wan-
river, so that presumably, some of the missing drifted downstream
dered into the region. Villagers in Tres spotted the large beast moving
with the current. The villagers, simple farmers and craftsmen, are
along the banks of the river. They fled when one of their number mis-
terrified and unsure of what to do.
took the remnants of the lion’s rope leash for moving tendrils on the
creature’s neck, thus started the rumor of the dreaded charon fiend.
4 Castles & Crusades
The poor lion is a little tame and very hungry, and is prowling He’s heard that there are ancient Howes throughout these lands
about looking for stray dogs, chickens, or the occasional goat. If where the dead of the original kings of these lands were buried.
the characters attack the lion it will defend itself. Otherwise, it
avoids human contact. For more on the lion see below. There is a young priest in the village, but his master’s are all
dead and the Church leaders in the north don’t believe any-
Of Ghosts and Deacons thing is going on in Galveston’s lands.
Adelton, the deacon of Four Saints, sent to his masters in Klagen- Lord Galveston is very old and in need of aid. He has no heirs
furt for aid. None was forthcoming. Not believing that a charon but tis said some of his wealth remains. He’s kindly as well.
fiend was responsible, Adelton took it upon himself to unravel the
mysteries of the murders. The gargoyle/orinsu slew him, carried There are strange catacombs beneath the church in Capendu
his body to the top the church, tore at it for several days, and at for it was built upon the foundations of an old imperial castle
last deposited it on the banks of the Rolth River. The unfortunate whose dungeons saw the demise of many innocents.
incident left six young acolytes to deal with the terror of the mon-
ster and the fear of the villagers. Johannes offers them food and drink and a safe place to sleep. In
the morning they are packing up before sunrise and on the road,
in the opposite direction of the characters.
A Lion in the Ropes
Several days prior to arriving in the village of Arlet the party en- Wolf-Riding Scouts
counters and is entertained by Johannes Fever’s traveling Circus.
Within a few hours of leaving the Circus the party spies a lone
Johannes Fever owns and manages a traveling circus. He pass- wolf-rider, a goblin. The creature is part of Orange Hair’s gang and
es through almost all the villages south of Avignon and around is scouting potential targets. If the character try to follow him he
Klagenfurt. He’s very famous as his traveling troop of gypsies and retreats. He always keeps a huge distance between the party and
troubadours entertain locals with their wild animals and outland- himself. He follows them until they arrive in Capendu at which
ish freaks, including the famous Bearded Elf, Gelion, Pugh the point he vanishes.
orc-skinned dwarf (he wears orc skins for clothes), and Hawk the
mad jailer, who talks for hours without stopping. Fever’s Circus Three Villages: Tres, Arlet and Capendu
also peddles milk tonics to cure any disease, magical disks that The party has been followed and harassed all day by the bandits wait-
return to the thrower (boomerangs), and other various items of ing for nightfall. As the party arrives in Galveston’s lands it begins
mischance and happenstance. to rain. The party approaches Galveston’s lands along the heights of
Flytrap Ridge. Spying a village in the distance, they cross the small
Once they are settled in the circus folk set them up with camp
river at the ridge’s foot and head for the safety of town’s stone walls.
stools around the central fire and offer food and drink. They wel-
Just after evening-fall the party enters the tiny village of Arlet.
come travelers and seek for a story or two. In turn they offer up
tales of their own, the most recent of which is the tale of Lord
Galveston’s troubles. Boots wet from crossing the small river, you tramp up onto
the remnants of an old road. A small village lies before you.
Hawk the mad Jailer will regale them with the tale of the dreaded Its mostly wooden cottages stand arrayed in neat order
Charon Fiend that haunts the lands of Lord Galveston, the lion along either side of the road. The dinner hour is only just
beast from the Twilight Wood which sports serpents for a mane! passed and the town is muted and dark. Shutters and doors
The Party will be given directions to the villages of Lord Galves- are tightly closed, and the gentle clanking of your armor and
ton, where they may find safe haven, warm food, and a warm re- equipment echoes in the still quiet. No dogs bark. There is
ception on the road to Klagenfurt. no sound but the ragged breaths of your tired band.
If the party inquires about the state of the business Johannes tells
them that times have become a little harder. Several years of bad har- Attempts to rouse the villagers will yield no results. The murders,
vests have left the locals on their route with less money than they particularly that of the deacon, have terrified the people, and they
would normally spend and the bandits have come out in ever greater have embraced wholeheartedly the commandments of their Lord
force. He can impart one or all of the below pieces of information: Galveston. Eventually, enough banging on doors or windows will
yield the following response:
The circus’ prize lion escaped about 2 weeks ago. More wan-
dered off than escaped as it is rather tame. They tried to track it “Look milords, we don’t want no troubles from yer! You can find
but to no avail. He is afraid the beast will starve without human safe lodging but a few miles down the road in Capendu. There be
aid. He is offering a 50gp award for return of the creature, or at a Church there. Four Saints, it’s called, and the acolytes will take
least information that leads to its return. you in and give you a warm, safe place to stay. But hurry now,
‘fore the evening grows too late and the road too dangerous.”
The bandit chief, Orange Hair has ranged out from the Twi-
light Wood. His band of miscreants numbers close on to a dozen No amount of cajoling will bring out the villagers. If need be, they
rogues and they are hunting these parts. use the name of Lord Galveston in hope that it will drive off the
unwanted visitors.

Lion in the ropes 5

 Reluctantly, you cease trying to convince someone to give The cold, pattering rain has long since soaked through
you lodging and you start off north along the road. An your cloaks, wetting your gear and clothes underneath.
eerie silence engulfs the village as you leave. In the dis- Wet, sore, and generally miserable, you climb the steps to
tance, to your left, a mile or so off the road, a fire burns the doorway where you are greeted by a large iron knocker
atop a tower, which looks to be on the far side of the river. with a devilish face. Knocking on the iron portal you hear
Rain begins to fall as you turn north-east toward the vil- a muffled shout and something heavy striking the floor.
lage of Capendu. The fire’s light is soon lost in the dark as A moment later a small panel slides back, exposing a wary
the rain picks up. Following the road for several miles you eye. “Who goes and what may we do for you?”
spy the dark silhouettes of scattered buildings surround-
ing what, even in the dark and rain, you can tell is a large Benjamin, the acolyte, is on night watch. He bolted the inner door
Church. No doubt you have arrived in Capendu. for fear of what lies beyond. Benjamin, like his other five brethren,
is young and inexperienced. He questions the travelers, but once
The party passed Tower Galveston, where the men-at-arms were he realizes that they mean no ill will, he unbolts the inner door
lighting watch-fires. In the dark, they also marched past the vil- and lets the party enter the church, locking it behind them.
lage of Tres, which sits on the far side of a hill a half-mile from the
road. They have arrived at the outskirts of Capendu. It is the custom of the Churches, monasteries and hospitals of the fol-
lowers of Ore-Tsar to welcome strangers (who are not harmful), and
Capendu and the Church of Four Saints travelers in particular, and give them refuge from the weather, ban-
dits, or whatever ails them. Though they do not charge for the ser-
Much like the previous village, Capendu lies dark and quiet. Being vice, plates sit near the door to collect donations. Often, these plates
later in the evening, no lights burn from under doors or windows. are in the hands of a statue of Saint Vivian, a Queen of Kayomar, who
Where Arlet’s cottages were made of wood and arrayed one or two devoted her life to rescuing the poor and downtrodden. Any humans
deep on either side of the road, Capendu’s homes are mostly stone in the party would be well aware of this custom and should be encour-
and seem to tumble out and away from the road in a haphazard aged to use this knowledge when dealing with the acolyte.
fashion. Some of these rather stout looking houses have tile roofs,
something unheard of in most farming communities. The cold wind and rain give way to the dry warmth of solid stone and
vaulted ceilings. Within the outer vestibule, closed off from the main
Marlowe’s Tavern, the Church of Four Saints, and the town Church by a second set of doors, the acolyte has placed a chair, table
fountain stand at the northern end of the town on the square. and a candle. A red, leather-bound book lies open upon the floor.
Marlowe’s is closed. No one answers if the party knocks. Smiling and inviting all in, he explains that the dormitory is closed.

“You are more than welcome to stay here, but one of my brethren has
The rain continues, pattering down on cloaks and packs,
fallen very ill and you will have to make do in the central nave, where
soaking through to your clothes and down to the skin. As
you can sleep on the pews. I ask only that you take off your wet clothes
you turn up the street and head for the Church, you pass
before passing into the inner vestibule and the nave beyond. I will fetch
a fountain, the worn visage of a lion stands in the pool of
some dry blankets and bread from the priory kitchen.”
stone. The church looms out of the darkness before you,
dwarfing the buildings across the square. Bowing, he opens the doors to the main nave. He crosses into the
dark, pausing twice to light two lanterns which serve to break the
The decorative stone walls stand as testament to both the skill and wall of dark.
wealth of the Church builders. The front facade consists of large
double doors set within a deep nave. The arched doorway, shaped The vanishing acolyte draws attention to the central nave. Thick
to represent two rearing horses, is crowned by stone renditions of marble pillars stretch into the blackness above and unfold into
four knights wearing the accouterments of war. They, in turn, look carefully crafted arches, all supporting the vaulted ceiling, barely
heavenward towards a greater statue of Ore-Tsar, who looks down visible in the inky darkness above. The characters catch a glimpse
with a benevolent smile. The Church’s bell tower reaches into the of a huge altar-stone in the Transept at the far end of the Nave.
darkness, easily 140 feet high. Grim faced gargoyles perch upon
the roof, looking over the village of Capendu. Passing through the doors and into the inner vestibule, the
beauty of the Church strikes you. Stone floors, marble pil-
Refer to for details on Four Saints Church. Read the following as
lars, and beautifully carved wooden pews reveal the piety
the party approaches.
of the villagers and the clergy. Many-colored stained glass
Here, at last, the characters see the warmth of a light. Hanging dominates the arched windows. The glass figures seem to
on a small post, just outside the arched doorway, they see a small move, in the flickering torch light, twisting, turning in one
lantern, its flickering flame casting strange shadows upon the faces direction, then another. Four wonderfully carved statues
of the saints and the god. line the central aisle.

Any knowledgeable player will be able to identify the statues, as

all are famous figures from the history of the church of Ore-Tsar.
6 Castles & Crusades
Each statue is also adorned with a plaque.
There is:

1) Saint William, first King of Anglamay,

who converted the whole of his realm to
the worship of Ore-Tsar.

2) Saint Albrecht the River King who

founded the Knights of Haven and made
war on the Dark in the east.

3) Saint Sixtus, the martyr and first Bish-

op of Avignon, who gave his life trying to
convince Kain the Warlord to spare his be-
loved city.

4) Saint Diago, who lost his life to the

north-men in Trondheim.

Each of the white marble statues cast noble

postures. They bear stern gazes that seem to
follow the viewer. Each overlooks the central
aisle and holds a weapon of cold steel.

A closer examination of the statues will re-

veal that the weapons are separate from the think, he disappeared while walking the road south to Arles, the village
stone and can be pulled out of the statue’s grip with relative ease. you passed through earlier this evening. Vanished without a trace he did.
The blades are as follows: Saint William’s is a +1 long sword, Saint A fine fellow, with a proud family, he even owned his own allodes, 3
Albrecht’s is a +2 two-handed sword, Saint Sixtus’ is a +1 maul hectares of land. So no one could believe that he’d run off, no one, no
and Saint Diago’s is a +1 mace. The characters should be discour- sir. But he was gone nonetheless.” The young acolyte makes the sign of
aged from taking the swords. Explain that the acolyte will throw Ore-Tsar and mutters a prayer. “They found him a week or so after,
them out, alert the village, or send for the Constable, Lord Gal- lying face down in the mud by the Rolth River. Torn and mangled, we
veston unless, however, they find the swords useful in combating barely had anything to bury.
the orinsu (see below). In that case the acolytes invite them to
use the blades. “They couldn’t find any sign of what had done that to him. Nothing at
all. So we buried him and made prayers for him. Then a week later,
In any case removing them is difficult. Only a worshipper of Ore-Tsar another fellow, young Giles, vanishes, never to be seen again. Folks
can do so without a struggle, anyone else attempting to wrest the blades started to get nervous. Two of our own, gone and dead, and no one
from the statues can only do so with a successful charisma check (CL knew how or why.”
3). A failed check results in 1-2 points of electrical damage.
Benjamin pauses for awhile, looking at the floor. “Then a traveler, a sol-
dier, who was encamped on the outside of town, was killed. More after
Talking with Benjamin
him, 13 of our folk, good honest people, one and all, are gone. Only 7
After a few minutes, the acolyte returns. He brings fresh blankets, have been found. Tracks were found too, those of a great cat. And only
a few flagons of warm ale, and three loaves of bread. He bids the a few weeks ago a fellow from the village of Tres saw a strange cat like
characters eat and make themselves at home in the south aisle. beast, 15 hands at the shoulder, with serpents coiled around its neck.
He asks polite questions as to why they are journeying on the road They say it was a charon fiend, come from the Twilight Wood.”
at such a late hour, where they are headed, and the like.
If the players did not interact with the Circus above, allow one of the
Should the characters respond to him with complaints about their players to know what the charon fiend is (see New Monsters below).
treatment in the villages, he nods in agreement. He imparts the fol-
lowing, Castle Keepers should read or paraphrase the below speech. “His lordship, Galveston, issued an order to one and all that no one was
to leave their homes after dark, and that all are must bolt their doors
“Twas not always so here in my Lord Galveston’s land. Not long ago and shutter their windows, and let no strangers in. You see, his lordship
people were friendly and welcomed travelers into their homes for food is old, just celebrated his 101st birthday, and he’s too feeble to do much
and drink. Marlowe’s tavern stayed open late into the evening and the anymore. So we’ve been left alone, to help ourselves.
locals enjoyed good mead and quiet talk. But, my worthies,” Benjamin
shakes his head in sadness, “that was before the murders.” “And that is when the unthinkable happened.” His chin visibly quivers
and he turns away. “The Deacon, Master Adelton, he sends for aid to
He pauses, gazing at the characters, a hint of fear crosses his youthful Klagenfurt. Nothing comes of course; Capendu is far from the city and
face. “They started several months ago. ‘Twas farmer Nessman first I his Imminence the Bishop. So, Master Adelton sets out himself, from

Lion in the ropes 7

these very doors,” he looks askance at the large, iron bound doors lead- RED HERRINGS AND TEA
ing to the outer vestibule. “I was up with him that night. When he left.
When we last saw him. He passed through and into the streets, telling Age Becomes You
me to close these doors and open only when he returns.
Tarlek dons a light cloak, takes a pack from the wall, and
“He never did, though I swear that I heard him shout once in fear before leads you through Capendu. The village is alive with ac-
he vanished.” Tears well up in the young boy’s eyes; his head slumps to tivity. Small groups of locals head for the fields, a burly
his chest. “Twas a goodly master, and kind man. You’d have liked him, fellow heaves a great axe, splitting logs of wood next to the
everyone did. We found him on the bank of the river. tavern, and a group of young girls are gathered around the
well, pulling water and gossiping with giggles and titters. A
“That t’were only a week and a day gone. We buried him in the crypt
thinly muscled woman in a chainmail shirt sitting with her
below this very hall.”
back to the Inn wall, smoking a pipe, watches you pass.
The acolyte falls silent for awhile. He suddenly rises, brushing aside Tarlek leads you down the road with an air of contented
questions with promises that Brother Tarlek will see to your needs. He happiness. He bows and nods to his fellow townsmen.
bids all good night and returns to his post in the outer vestibule. A “Good morning, Andrew, my dear Innkeep,” he remarks
moment later, his muted sobs carry through the hollow spaces of the to the man splitting logs, “I trust the day finds you well.”
Church, hanging ominously in the surrounding dark like tangible things. To which the Innkeep only nods, smiles a little, and goes
back to work. Others watch as you pass, some bow their
The characters should be allowed to settle down and plot what heads, not knowing whether you are simple travelers or
plan of action, if any, they are going to take. In any respect, their lords from Klagenfurt. A few moments of this and you pass
dreams are troubled with nightmares of dark evenings, strange from the village into the open country, journeying back
beasts and terrible shadows. down the road you tread the night before.

By the Light of Dawn The morning is warm and the sun burns off the fog within an hour.
The following morning, the party is rousted from their sleep by Tarlek sets a brisk pace, and after 30 minutes, he turns off the
Brother Tarlek, another young acolyte, thickly built with a large main road onto a trail that leads to the tower on the river bank.
beard. Tarlek doesn’t bother the travelers with questions, but rath-
er invites them to break bread with him in the Church kitchen This journey provides an ideal time for the party to find the tracks
where the acolytes are preparing the morning meal. of the lion crossing the road. Allow them to follow it for a short
while and then lose the trail in the grass. Where the ground is soft,
The party has several options. They should be encouraged to take the ropes score marks that look like tendrils.
up the challenge of solving the murders, and if necessary, tracking
down the dreaded charon fiend. Any hint that they will do so brings
To your right sits another small village, nestled under the
promises of the Church’s eternal blessings and benevolence for one
eves of the forested river bank. You can see a few farmers
and all. Tarlek will try to recruit the party to save the three villages
headed for the fields or working in and around the small
from the terror without any reward other than that which comes
wooden cottages. But Tarlek guides you along the track
from the strong helping the weak. He recommends that the party
and up a gentle rise, where you behold, jutting from the
meet with Galveston, and promises to take them as soon as they are
trees, a small hilltop tower and keep.
ready. If necessary, Tarlek assures the party that Lord Galveston will
pay the party for their services; how much, he cannot say.
Tarlek bids the party wait while he calls on Lord Galveston to
Tarlek, is a strong willed young man with complete confidence announce their presence. He promises to return within the hour.
in the Church’s ability to keep him and his from harm. The party
should not be allowed to push him around and cajole him into Tower Galveston (refer to map below) overlooks a bend in the
risking himself or sacrificing any of the Church’s wealth for the river between the villages of Tres and Arles (currently, the center
party’s own good (unless of course it aids the villages as well). of Galveston’s holdings). The keep consists of a fortified building
with a tower built into it. To approach Tower Galveston it is neces-
Tarlek (This 0 level chaotic good, human, cleric’s vital stats are sary to climb the steep, zig-zagging trail up the hill, in single file.
HD ½, HP 4, AC 10. His primary attributes are wisdom, intelli-
gence and charisma. His significant attributes are none. He carries There, one must cross a natural causeway to a small landing jutting
a holy symbol around his neck and wears simple cloaks and robes. out over the cliff face and looking over the river valley below. This
He carries a staff and has 5gp in a small pouch under his robes.) landing is where Galveston meets people he does not know, or trust.

If the party decides to present themselves to the Lord Galveston, Beyond that, the trail narrows and snakes underneath the keep’s
go to Red Herrings and Tea below. If they decide to pursue other walls until it ends at its base. The only entrance (aside from the
leads, such as searching along the river bank, skip ahead to Visita- secret way, refer to map 2), are large, iron-bound double doors
tions from Beyond further below. built into the rock of the hill and the mortar of the keep’s walls.

8 Castles & Crusades

 A Tall Drink at Marlowe’s
The morning wanes. You relax in the clearing at the base
Tarlek takes the party back to Capendu, to Marlowe’s Tavern.
of the tower hill. The warmth dries the remaining damp
Marlowe’s is owned by Andrew Travis, it sports a large front room
from your clothes. A gentle breeze picks up. Yesterday’s
and kitchen and a low outbuilding where there are five rooms to
hard miles and the evening’s grisly tale melt away as you
rent. All the rooms are small, and supplied with a cot, side table
sink further and further into the glade’s comfort. An hour
and a metal wash bowl. Travis is a young friendly man who wel-
or so passes before Tarlek returns. You pick up the trek
comes the party and tries to make them feel at home. His beer
reluctantly, exchanging the warm sun and soft grass for a
is good and the food always fresh. His wife, Lysra, and daughter,
hard tramp through the still damp woods and up the wind-
Terry, help him run the place.
ing, snaky path to the hill-top keep above.
A small group of townsfolk have gathered at Marlowe’s for lunch.
As mentioned previously, Lord Galveston is an extremely old man. Once settled, Tarlek offers the party sanctuary in the church, or
He has four men-at-arms in his employ, all are fiercely loyal, but they can stay in the back rooms at Marlowe’s. He also offers them
all a little old for their job. If the party made a favorable impres- what little aid he and the other acolytes can give. Although the
sion on Tarlek, Galveston will greet the party on the small landing apprentice clerics have no spells, the church has a library that the
mentioned above. Otherwise, Galveston, greets the party from the party may access. If the party desires to research the region and
roof of the gate house. the monster, they should be allowed to learn of the history of Lord
Galveston, the villages, tower, and the church; also, an exhaustive
Lord Galveston greets the party wearing a chain shirt and leaning search of the church records reveals the history of Castle Kapund
heavily on a great two-handed claymore, the unusually sharp blade (see notes above). Castle Keeper’s should be careful to avoid
glistening green in the morning sun. He is very old and stoops over mentioning the prisoners who were left behind as this knowledge
his own shadow like a weathered tree. His head frequently bobs to would not have made it into the church records.
the left and right as he looks the party. His face is a mass of wrin-
kles, and he peers through almost lifeless, pale blue eyes. When the townsfolk learn that the party is going to hunt and
slay the beast, they offer free room and board, and the smith and
Regardless of where he meets the party, Galveston treats with leather worker will offer them assistance in maintaining their gear.
them in a forthright manner, being kind and respectful, if a bit fa- The CK should not allow the party to take advantage of these of-
therly. He expects the same. If not shown due respect, he becomes ferings of good will. If they do so, the villagers will cut them off and
very short and offers little aid, and even less reward. Assuming all eventually drive them from the territory.
goes well, he imparts words of advice, and promises to reward the
party with gold and jewels. Bailey Quarters

Read or paraphrase the following if needed: If the party needs an NPC to help tracking the monster, or to but-
tress its strength there is a female ranger, Bailey Quarters, staying
“I too was young once, much like yourselves, just beginning on my life’s in Marlowe’s Tavern. She was the female leaning against the tav-
road. Those were good days, the fire of youth burnt in my heart with an ern, smoking as mentioned above. Bailey is young, passing through
avenger’s fury! I fought at the Great Tree, at the very side of St. Luther Capendu on her way north. She has recently left the city of Kla-
don’t you know.” He pauses, his head bobbing a little on his thin neck. genfurt to adventure on her own. She is stout and resolute and
“Nay, you wouldn’t want to hear tales of those days. But hear this my will take up the quest and aid the party with little objection. She
youthful friends, often things seem what they are not, and they are what is a competent ranger and tracker.
you don’t think they could be. Our world was built upon the ruins of
another, and the stones of our halls cover a deeper dark. The very hous- Bailey Quarters (She is a chaotic good, human, 2nd level ranger
es of our gods rest upon the broken tombs of this other world, and it is to whose vital stats are: HD 2d10, AC 15 and HP 17. Her primary
these tombs that our paths lead. Track this beast that haunts my land, attributes are strength, dexterity, and wisdom. Her significant at-
whatever it is, but always look at the world around you for the truth.” tribute is strength 13, dexterity 13, wisdom 13, and charisma 12.
She wears mail hauberk, and carries a longsword, throwing axe,
Galveston retires with promises of a reward, but refuses to state short bow, sundry gear, and 25gp in a pouch.)
any figures until the task is done. If the party balks, one of the
men-at-arms repeats that their efforts will be well worth their time. NOTE: If the party explores the church and discovers the dun-
geon, skip to In Dungeons Deep. The party should be allowed
Men-at-arms (These neutral, 1st level fighter’s vital stats are to explore the dungeon but not to discover the secret door which
HP 5 each and AC 15, HP 5 each. Their primary attributes are leads to the pits and the final resting place of the undead. This
strength, constitution, and dexterity. Their significant attributes should occur after the section marked Where the Innocent Lie.
are strength, 12. They carry spears (ad6), longswords (1d8), and
light crossbows (1d4). They each have a mail shirt and a small A Tiger by his Tail, or A Lion by his Rope
iron shield, small helm, spear, longsword, dagger, light crossbow
Back in Capendu, Tarlek informs the party that it is nigh time for the
with 12 bolts and 5gp.)
dreaded charon fiend to strike again. The village will be locked up
tight, only the Church remains open, its doors unlocked, but closed.

Lion in the ropes 9

The party should quickly realize that the only way they are go- CL 2). Otherwise, they find only tell-tale signs of the creature’s
ing to catch the beast is to stake out the village streets and keep tracks, crossing the road, or in freshly tilled lands (track check
watch, waiting for the creature’s arrival. Follow the timeline below CL 1). If they track the lion to its lair skip ahead to the section
but adjust it as needed for cicumstances. marked, The Lion.

Promptly at dark, the villagers retire to their homes, and lock their Second Evening
doors and windows. Andrew Travis will be the last to close, lock-
ing up Marlowe’s tavern an hour after dark. With a heartfelt wish The village remains largely quiet during the day. Few come out
of good luck, he bolts his windows and bars his doors, allowing no to Marlowes to eat or drink and Andrew entertains the party wit
one entry afterwards. The party must fend for itself. The Castles mead and talk. He’s a fair bard and can sing a piece when asked.
Keeper should make note of the character’s positions. Otherwise nothing occurs during the day.

The Orinsu have indeed risen from the crypts. The presence of The second night is much the same, though without rain.
the party, however, confuses them and they have become very
wary. They manifest within the gargoyles on the roof hovering in Upon your second evening’s vigil, it is cool but without
the shadows of the church spires. An elf or any party member with rain. The mud of the street clings to your boots and stains
unusually sharp hearing may hear them moving about on a suc- your cloaks. Hour after hour drifts by, until around mid-
cessful wisdom check (CL 5). Otherwise, the gargoyles keep a safe night when a great commotion arises just outside of town.
distance, flying about just beyond eye sight. They follow the party A roaring and growling, the like’s of which you have never
to the edge of town. heard, carries through the night. An unearthly quiet set-
tles around you. You count your heartbeats as the minutes
If, by chance, one of the party members should be on the roof they
tick by, then, a shadow, moving upon the roof of Marlowe’s
have a small chance of spotting an animated gargoyle, wisdom CL 5).
tavern. It moves through the dark with ease, slinking slowly
The lion is holed up in an embankment on the Rolth River. It is along without a sound. It pauses, cold pale eyes lock on
hungry, tired, and unable to fend for itself. It is settling in. If the your still frame. Shadows of tendrils move about its neck.
party attempts to track the lion, they will find no leads, only a few The dreaded charon fiend has found you.
tracks in Capendu itself. They must stake out the village and wait
for the lion to come to them. The creature is obviously the lion, the shadows of the night playing
tricks on the character’s minds. Upon the slightest movement of
CK Note: The action here is more suspense than combat. The char- anyone in the party, the lion will leap off the roof and vanish into
acters should, wherever they hole up, hear strange sounds mingled the dark, heading immediately for its lair by the river (see map 1).
in the blowing wind; the noises might be a popping sound, shutters,
owl’s hoot, thunder in the distance etc. Investigating the noises should Tracking the beast will be near impossible at night (CL 7). The
yield no results, though many attribute checks will engage them. party may be able to follow him out of town, but the dark should
inhibit any further attempts to locate the creature.
First Evening
All the while, the orinsu watch through gargoyle eyes and wait,
yet to overcome their fear of the strong and intent party. They
As the last lights go out in the village, the dark grey evening
creep around in the shadows (see gargoyle below), trying to ob-
descends upon you. After awhile, it begins to rain. At first,
serve the party. In their grief torn madness and undeadly state,
the clouds spit and sputter, but by midnight, the water de-
their minds are unable to focus on the world around them. The
scends in a steady drizzle, once more soaking through your
characters bold stance has confused them.
cloaks, dampening armor, gear and clothes. Little disturbs
the quiet of the evening. An occasional owl sounds in the NOTE: The Castle Keeper can easily build suspense by using the
dark, and somewhere to the south, a dog bays and barks. orinsu. They can make sounds, make the party feel as though they
Several more hours pass as you wait, soaked and tired, see- are being watched, and move through the shadows on the edge of
ing nothing but the faint light of dawn in the east. Slowly, a party members vision.
the clouds turn from black to grey in the morning’s light.
The rain continues. The little light illuminates a dreary With the arrival of dawn, the party will be able to track the lion
world of mud and grey hopelessness. Your night’s watch (CL 2). The creature’s footprints are easily discerned by even the
was fruitless. most inexperienced tracker. It is only a few hours walk to the lair.
A determined party could be their by noon, where they find the
The party is wet and tired from their night’s vigil. Tarlek and the other creature under a river embankment. The lion is cornered.
acolytes prepare warm soup and bread for them and allow them to It is holed up under a huge tree root, the hole only a dozen or so
rest that day in the sanctuary of the church. He promises that the feet deep.
creature, staying true to form, will strike again in the next day or so.
As word spreads that the beast is cornered, the villagers gather to
If the party leaves the village to search for the creature, they can watch the outcome of the fight. The mayor of Tres, Arthur Carls-son,
find tracks along the riverbank leading toward Tres (track check a large man with balding pate, offers the party any needed equipment,

10 Castles & Crusades

 with the beast will reveal its tame nature. Characters may remem-
ber that the circus people mentioned an escaped lion, if not allow
them an intelligence check to recall it (CL 3).

Lion (This neutral creature’s vital stats are HD 5d8, HP 37, AC

15. Their primary attributes are physical. They attack with 2 claws
for 1d4 points of damage each or a bite for 1d10 points of damage.
The lion uses a rake attack if it successfully bites its victim. The rake
gives its hind legs a +3 to hit and inflicts 1d4+2 points of damage.)

Once the beast is subdued or slain the villagers are overjoyed.

Whether the party believes the lion to be the source of the murders
or not, the villagers, particularly in Tres, are exceedingly grateful
and offer the party food and drink. As word spreads through the
valley, the party’s reputation grows and they are welcomed as the
champions of the hour. Travis offers free drink and food to the
party. Old Galveston sends his thanks and promises a reward to be
delivered up the next day of worship (the Castle Keeper should set
this within the next few days).

Visitations from Beyond

but shies away from allowing those in his charge to fight the beast. If
need be, he and his sons take up clubs and enter the fray. Orange, the Color of Fear
While the characters are enjoying the spoils of their victory at
Arthur Carlson (This 2nd level neutral fighters vital stats are
Marlowe’s Garrrick Orange-Hair, the half ungern bounty hunter
HD 2d10, HP 14, AC 11. His primary attributes are intelligence,
turned bandit has a group of 15 ungern, 11 rogue goblins, two of
strength and constitution. He has no significant attributes. He
which ride wolves and 12 wild dogs. While the party returns to
wears padded armor and carries a short sword and shield in battle.
Capendu, Garrick descends Flytrap Ridge and crosses the Rolth
He usually has a pouch of 30gp on him).
River near the village of Tres. He is set on destroying the village
William Kirby, (This 1st level neutral fighters vital stats are HD and looting it in order to impress upon the other villages that he
1d10, HP 9, AC 11. His primary attributes are strength, constitu- should be paid “protection” money.
tion and dexterity. He has no significant attributes. He wears pad-
His plan goes afoul from the beginning. The mayor of Tres, Ar-
ded armor and carries a club in battle. He has a short bow with 5
thur Carls-son, still excited over the battle with the lion, organizes
arrows. He usually has a pouch of 5gp on him).
a fierce defense along the river bank. Though two of his men are
Rodger Perry, male human War1: (This1st level neutral fight- slain, he manages to get word to Galveston, who, mounted on a
ers vital stats are HD 1d10, HP 9, AC 11. His primary attributes great war horse, leads a sortie with his men-at-arms. One of Gal-
are strength, constitution and dexterity. He has no significant at- veston’s men is horribly wounded and they fall back to the tower in
tributes. He wears padded armor and carries a club in battle; he defeat. Orange-Hair pursues them and lays siege to the tower. He
also has a spear. He usually has a pouch of 5gp on him). manages to invest the forest where the trail is, but his attack on the
tower is repulsed. He loses three ungern upon the causeway.
The Lion
By morning, word is brought to the party that an ungern band has
attacked Galveston. The villagers plead for their lord’s rescue. If
At last you’ve tracked the creature to its lair. The den lies the party takes up the challenge, they find a worried Orange-Hair
beneath an embankment on the river. Tree roots, washed encamped in the trees around castle Galveston.
clear of dirt and mud shield the opening of the relatively
shallow, dark hole. Its entrance is half submerged in the Garrick Orange-hair (This lawful evil ungern’s vital stats are
river. Peering within, you see mud and roots. The water HD 4d8, HP 28, AC 17. His primary attributes are physical. He
trickling around your feet gurgles in the quiet. A low omi- carries a double bladed +1 battle axe in combat. He wears a chain
nous growl breaks the silence of the scene. shirt and uses a shield. He also has a short sword, 2 hand axes and
a tulwar. In his pouch is mixed coin worth 25gp and a bag of gems
The Castle Keeper should attempt to maintain the secret of the lion’s worth 75gp and two orc brew cure light wounds potions.)
identity as long as possible. Visibility is poor and conditions wet and Ungern, 11 (These lawful evil creature’s vital stats are HD 2d8,
muddy. The ropes around the lion’s neck can still be mistaken for ten- AC 16 and HP 13, 12, 12, 9. Their primary attributes are physi-
drils, even in these close quarters. Regardless of the party’s actions, they cal. They can attack with weapons or with 2 claws for 1-2 or gore
should at some point discern that the embattled creature is a lion. for 1-6+2 points of damage. They each carry a +1 chain coat,
The lion defends itself if attacked. If enticed with food, it emerges bardiche, dagger and 4-40gp worth of jewelry and coin.)
and eats from the party’s hands. Any magical communication
Lion in the ropes 11
 Goblins, 11 (These lawful evil creature’s vital stats are HD 1d6, the Council of Light and the dark lords of Aufstrag. The orinsu
AC 13, HP 3. Their primary attributes are physical. They carry chose one of the devil shaped panes to animate. This particular
light crossbow, shortsword, studded leather armor, and 1-10sp.) pane, at the left rear of the church, has blood upon its claws. A long
line of blood has flowed across the bottom of the window, onto the
Wolves (These neutral creature’s vital stats HD 2d8, HP 8, 10, ledge, and down at last to the floor, where it has congealed in a small
12, 12, 14, 15, AC 13. His primary attributes are physical. He pool, still sticky to the touch. Any search of the are reveals this, but
attacks with a bite for 2-8 points of damage.) a general search requires a successful wisdom save (CL 2).
Dogs, 12 (This neutral creatures vital stats are HD 1d6, HP 2, If the party fails to find any signs, a monk discovers the blood
AC 11. He attacks with a bite for 1d4 points of damage.) while cleaning the windows.
The wild dogs serve as the bandit leader’s eyes and ears and will never If the characters wish to search the church’s roof, they can access
attack, if shot at or harassed in any way, they flee and regroup later. it through an old stairwell attached to the rear of the building that
rises on narrow steps to the roof 80 feet above. As the party or
Orange-Hair’s determination to terrorize the valley has been ter-
party members clamber onto the roof, a horrid sight greets them.
ribly shaken. He did not expect the villagers to defend themselves,
The mystery of the missing monk is solved.
nor the tower guards to launch a sortie. If the party attacks, he
becomes thoroughly confused. Unless the party is utterly inept,
he immediately retreats across the river. Though a tough fighter, At first you are greeted by an odd smell, heavy with
Orange-Hair has no desire to die. At no time will he stand and the stench of blood. Climbing through the small portal
fight at the risk of his own life. If 1/4 of his band falls, he flees with onto the roof ’s top you are greeted by a grisly scene.
the survivors, leaving the wounded behind. The two slanted sides of the roof rise to meet a walk-
way which stretches the length of building, designed
Where the Innocent Lie for those who must work on the roof for repairs, but
it is also where one might easily hide from view and
But meanwhile, the orinsu have at last overcome their fears, decid- watch the town below. But where the portal opens, the
ing to visit their rage upon the villages once more. Still wary of the walkway has been expanded into a small landing, and it
party, they await an opportune moment to strike. When the party is upon this landing where the grisly remains of Tarlek
is away from the church, battling Orange-Hair, celebrating their re- lie. The innocent monk’s bloody smock and habit lie
cent victory, or visiting Lord Galveston at his tower, they attack the amidst the ruins of blood and splintered bone. Little is
apprentice cleric on duty, none other than young Tarlek. found of his actual body.
Much relieved by the party’s apparent victory, Tarlek opened the
doors to the church to let in the cool spring air. He is last seen by his An ill feeling creeps over you. A murder occurred upon your
brother and sister acolytes lighting the lantern outside the church. watch, under your very noses. The sky, dark and overcast,
does little to assuage your growing fears. A dreadful howl-
The orinsu rise from the deep, animate the gargoyles, and strike the ing ascends from below, building in intensity until at last it
hapless Tarlek. They carry his body to the church’s roof, treating it in washes over you and vanishes into angry clouds above.
an evil manner. All that remains by morning is a trail of blood that
has trickled down the slanted roof, into the gutters, and fallen to the The rooftop search summons the orinsu from below. With howling
ground below. The larger part of the body is dropped into the river early curses they crawl up the walls and onto the roof. They animate the
that morning, though some remains are left on the roof (see below). gargoyles and attack the party. Only 2-4 of the orinsu join in the attack.
When the party returns to the church, they find the doors wide There are 16 small and 2 large gargoyle statues on the roof. The
open, several of the lamps burned cold and Tarlek’s flagon of wine orinsu begin to possess them. If one is destroyed, the orinsu move to
untouched. The young acolyte is missing. Rousing the acolytes the next until there are no statues left. can leave one host and move
yields nothing further. to another with amazing speed, one round to break free of their host
and another round to enter another one. The Castle Keeper should
A search of the grounds, however reveals a small gold taper in the take note of this. When one gargoyle statue is shattered the animate
grass at the bottom of the front steps (Tarlek dropped it when the can move to another, until there are no more statues. (see Orinsu
gargoyles swept down upon him), a sandal to the church’s left, and below). There are 16 gargoyle statures on top of the roof.
blood on the ground near the rear of the building. Small stains can
be found on the church walls, some older than the others. The If the characters successfully turn the orinsu animated gargoyles it
casual observer notice (wisdom, CL 2)any one or all of these signs, destroys the orinsu permanently.
assuming that they look in the proper location. A detailed search
of the grounds increases the likelihood (CL 1). Orinsu Small Gargoyles, 16 (These chaotic evil creature’s
vital stats are HD 1d10, AC 13, HP 9 each. Their primary at-
Clues exist inside the church as well. Five of the malignant orin- tributes are physical. They attack with 2 claw for 1d2, a bite for
su chose to animate the gargoyles upon the rooftop, but the sixth 1d4, or a gore for 1d2 points of damage. They fly at a speed of 20
chose to animate one of the stained glass pictures. As mentioned, feet per round. They have darkvision 60 feet.)
the glass depicts many scenes from the Winter Dark Wars, between

12 Castles & Crusades

 Orinsu Large Gargoyles, 2 (These chaotic evil creature’s vital Room 4: Barred Door.
stats are HD 3d10, AC 15, HP 18 each. Their primary attributes
are physical. They attack with 2 claw for 1d4, a bite for 1d6, or The hallway extends for 50 feet beyond the turn and ends in a
a gore for 1d4 points of damage. They fly at a speed of 40 feet per large iron-bound, brass door. The door is locked and shows no
round. They have darkvision 60 feet.) signs of recent tampering. It is doubtful whether any of the monks
have been down here in months, if not years.
As the party drives the last of the creatures off, howling shouts of
the damned erupt from below, taper off, and grow quiet. The or- The door has been sealed shut and locked for over 5 years. The
insu have returned to their tombs and the party must follow them monks, though they know that it leads to more rooms have been
into the deeps of the dungeon. forbidden to go beyond it. The lock will have to be picked (CL 2).
If this fails, the mortar around the hinges is greatly weakened and
In Dungeons, Dark Things Sleep a determined effort will batter down the door after an hour’s work.

Any acolytes remaining at this point show the party to the entrance Room 5: Storage.
of the catacombs and storerooms. As the party prepares to descend
into the dungeon the Castle Keeper may wish to remind them of the
swords placed in the hands of the four statues of the saints. The old wooden door gives way with a loud creak, and
small whirlwinds of dust spin around as the door opens.
Within is a room long disused. Old tools, their wooden
An iron rail and locked gate block access to the steps which hafts long since rotted away, are piled haphazardly about.
lead into the dark below. Brother Orn opens the gate and
offers a prayer for your safe return. “Below are the bodies of Lying amidst the debris is a trunk, tightly sealed. Within are a
our Brethern, but seems that some foul creature has taken dozen bundles of yellowed paper. The top bundle consists of 6 war-
up abode in our catacombs. May Ore-Tsar guide you, keep rant sheets. Each one has the heading Wanted for Treason, a name
you safe and bring you back to us in health.” With that he following with a list of charges. Many of the charges are vague,
walks quietly away and leaves you to the task at hand. such as: Insulting Gestures, and Calling on the Council. After the
charges are listed, there is a trial date, the seal of the Empire, and
The stone steps, relatively new in construction, give way
an execution date. Each one of the six reads: Consigned to the pits.
to a hallway which bears the imprint of work done long
ago. Old grey stones, long worn smooth by the passage of These are the warrant sheets for the six doomed men, the orinsu,
time, beckon you into the dark beyond. located in room 10. Their names are listed and still readable. The
names of the men can be used against their restless orinsu (see
Room 1: Storage Room. below, room 10).

The door is new and unlocked. Within are a 10 large barrels and There are two iron crowbars amongst the rubbish and a pick axe blade.
5 crates containing foodstuffs, wine and beer. There are also piles
of cookware, dishes and silverware, all unused; they are roughly Room 6: Armory.
50gp value.

Room 2: Storage Room. The thick, wooden, iron-bound door is unlocked, but
jammed. It opens slowly with great effort. Beyond you see
The door is new and unlocked. Within are two barrels of torches, four a tightly organized room with racks of armor. Twelve suits
small barrels of cooking and lamp oil, a shelf with several hundred of mail hang on the main rack. Twelve shields hang on
small packages of candles of varying size, and six sturdy lamps. There the walls, six on the east wall and six on the west. Twelve
are also 14 empty barrels which obviously contained oil at one time. high spiked helms rest upon a long shelf over the armor
rack. The breast plates, with chain sleeves and skirts, are
Room 3: Vestment Room. obviously of Imperial Aufstrag design, as are the spiked
helms. The Crescent moon emblazons the shields. Clearly,
The door is new and locked, a padlock has been added for extra an armory from the days long gone.
security. The room is used frequently, for it is clean and dust free.
Within are clothing racks, shelves, a large armoire, and four trunks.
The equipment is in surprisingly good shape. The shields need
The racks hold four white habits with gold trim, each worth 10gp. new straps, as do the helms, but are otherwise valuable. The armor
The shelves have two miters, with gems mounted upon them and has suffered a little more. The leather straps for the breast plate,
ten white and silver hats with gold and silver trim. The miters are and the straps attaching the leggings and sleeves are seriously de-
worth 25gp apiece, the hats 5gp. Within the armoire are a dozen generated and will more than likely break if worn. The armor acts
finely tailored smocks, each worth 2gp. In the trunks, wrapped in as half-plate, AC +5.
velvet, are religious staffs and wands (10 total, each worth 50gp).
It should be obvious to the party that this is the vestment room, Room 7: Ruins.
used by the clerics of the church above. They should be strongly This room served as some manner of storage room. It is empty but
discouraged from looting its contents. for the metal remains of old casks and barrels.
Lion in the ropes 13
There is actually a small cavity beneath a flagstone un-
der the debris. Finding it requires moving the debris
and a dexterity check (CL 2). Inside is a metal chest
about 2’ x 2’ and 18” high. Upon the top are magic
runes which read: Initiate of the Winter Runes. The box
is locked and trapped. If the lock is tampered with be-
fore the trap is disarmed an unklar’s breath spills into
the room from the key hole and attacks the party.

Unklar’s Breath, 1 (This creatures vital stats are HD

1d10, AC 17, HP 3. Their primary attributes are men-
tal. They attack with a paralysis attack. Anyone who
inhales the breath of Unklar, must make a successful con-
stitution save or be paralyzed for 2d4 rounds. For each
round paralyzed the victim takes 1d4 points of damage as
the breath eats away the lungs. A remove curse, remove
paralysis, dispel magic, neutralize poison, remove disease
or similar spell, or any healing potion or magic item cures
the victim of the paralysis, though not the damage taken.)

Within, the chest is lined in purple velvet cloth, still in

good shape. Lying on the clothe, neatly rolled and sealed
with the seal of the Wizard Guild, The Paths of Umbra,
is a magical scroll, with the 1st level wizard spell, somnam-
bulate inscribed upon it. Beneath the scroll is a magical
rune stone, with the same spell etched into its surface.

The rune stone (see below) is actually one of the first

spells necessary for the Winter Runes incantation, a
plane traveling spell. Wizards, illusionists, clerics and
druids may use the scroll as a normal spell. The rune
stone acts as a magic item. See New Magic below.

Room 8: Preparation Room

The door to this room has been torn away. Several

counters line the walls, and shelves stand above each
counter. A long table dominates the center of the room. A plaque, firmly attached to the podium reads:
The table is blood stained, though the stains are several weeks old.
“A Prayer for the Dead.
Upon the shelves and counters are various cutting instruments,
fresh rolls of bandages, and jars of a thick yellow fluid. Several new In death know peace,
dark habits with hoods hang upon the wall beside the open door.
The quiet of earth’s decay,
This is the preparation room for the monks. Their fallen com-
rade’s bodies are cleaned, bandaged and placed in a fresh habit Rest now sorrowful ghost,
with shroud.The yellow fluid is embalming fluid. This process
keeps the body from decaying and reduces the smell over the long With holy word, entombed, stay.
term. There is little of value here.
That even the dead should rest we offer them their names and
Room 9: The Catacombs sanctified dirt upon their chest and we cast holy incantations
upon them to give them peace. For we know that the restless
dead are damned and with us they stay.”
This room greets you with a musty odor, a smell of ancient de-
cay. A large brass candelabra stands in the room’s center, next to The inscriptions on the east wall read as follows: Top Left: Our Beloved
it is a large metal cask, filled with fresh dirt. A finely carved po- Deacon, Master Hugh Adelton, Too Soon Lost, 1097. Top Right: Brother
dium sits in front of the candelabra. Upon the east wall are four Delain, 1096. Bottom Left: Sister Adelia, 1095. Brother Ulros, 1095.
small iron doors, fitted into the wall. They are latched, though
unlocked. Upon each is a brass plaque bearing an inscription Within the tombs are the bodies of the above mentioned monks.
in the Vulgate tongue. Upon the west wall are two excavated Deacon Adelton’s is relatively fresh, though it has been covered
alcoves. Small and square, they are obviously burial tombs. in the embalming fluid and bandaged. The smell of the tomb if
opened is strong though not over-powering. All four bodies have

14 Castles & Crusades

dirt sprinkled upon them from chin to toe. The two alcoves are Orinsu (6) (This chaotic evil creatures vital stats are HD 10,
empty, awaiting occupants. AC 16, HP 24 apiece. Their primary attributes are mental. They
attack by animating a host and using that creature’s abilities. If
The dirt is soil taken from Capendu’s cemetery and is used to forced to fight as a spirit they are able to attack with a psychic blast
sprinkle the dead with consecrated ground. It may be used in the that amounts to a slam attack for 1d6 points of damage. They
final encounter with the orinsu, see room 10. have darkvision for 60ft.)
If the party conducts a detailed Search of the room, the false wall Orinsu Large Gargoyles, 4 (These chaotic evil creature’s vital
will be revealed upon a successful dexterity check (CL 2). If only stats are HD 3d10, AC 15, HP 18 each. Their primary attributes
casual observations are made, then CL 4. are physical. They attack with 2 claw for 1d4, a bite for 1d6, or
a gore for 1d4 points of damage. They fly at a speed of 40 feet per
Room 10: The Crypt
round. They have darkvision 60 feet.)

With only a little effort you pull down a large section of the Zombies (These neutral evil creatures’ vital stats are HD 2d8, HP
false wall. A heavy musty odor engulfs you; the stench of 8, 9, 11; AC 11. They have no primary attributes. They attack with
old decay pervades the darkened room beyond. Your light one claw* that does 1d8 damage plus possible rot grub infestation.)
flickers in the dust, causing shadows to twist and turn. As each of the orinsu is turned or buried, the soul, freed from its
Peering in, you see rack-lined walls, and tables covered in undead state, flies from the room, up through the church, and into
long unused implements of torture: pliers, spiked chains the night sky, howling and moaning as it goes. The sound fades as
and cleaving blades. On the far wall of the room, a pair of the creature passes on to the halls of the dead.
manacles hang from the ceiling, the remnants of a skeletal
arm dangling from one chain. Eight perfectly symmetrical The jeweled eyes of the four gargoyles are each large opals, worth
pits dominate the center of the room, each about 3 feet in 100gp (total 800gp). There is a ring of protection +2, one of the
diameter. Four ancient statues, each of huge gargoyles are zombies and a +1 mace lies beneath one of the others.
in the room. The winged monsters, grafted into the room’s
corners, seem to stare at you, their dark stone eyes follow Concluding the Adventure
you as you cross the room.
With the Orinsu destroyed, the party and villagers realize that the
true source of the murders has been overcome. Galveston ac-
The room has not been used since the imperial forces left it many knowledges the party’s efforts and success in a public ceremony
years ago. Castle Kapund’s last captain constructed the false wall in on the following god’s day. He rewards them each 250gp and a
order to hide the dungeon from enraged townsfolk or avenging lords patent of land ownership within the valley. Each party member
of the Council of Light. The room has sat undisturbed for many years. receives 10 acres of land to be held as an allod (they owe no dues
Here is where the six died. Their long decayed bodies each lie or service for the land). They are also granted, upon Galveston’s
in a separate pit. When observed, the bodies appear as twisted death, Tower Galveston and all the feudal holdings of the villages
zombies with rags on their bones. The pits are narrow and about of Capendu, Tres and Arlet. The villagers welcome their new lords
12 feet deep. and ladies with shouts of appreciation and welcome!

The spirits can only be destroyed in one of the following ways: The Castle Keeper may wish to modify these treasures for his/her
own adventure. If so, exchange the tower and land for equal mon-
If the zombie bodies are turned, the orinsu are consigned to oblivion. ey, 1000gp per party member for a total of 1250gp.
The zombies will animate only if someone crawls down into the pits
physically threatening them and only if the orinsu has not occupied For those who wish to continue the adventure in Rune Lore, impress
another host. The zombies can only be permanently destroyed by a upon the characters the mysterious nature of the rune stone found
cleric through turning. If the zombie itself is chopped down, burnt in Room 8 above. If queried about it Galveston explains that these
or otherwise destroyed the corpse will no longer be able to defend stones were used by the wizard Nulak-Kiz-Din to travel through
itself, but the orinsu will still be able to animate another host. the planes, that is all he knows, and no more. However, he has a
good friend, a Sage in Capidstra that may know more. He offers the
The only other way to destroy the orinsu is to lay them to rest. The characters a writ of passage, explaining to the characters to give the
corpses must be named, consecrated earth thrown upon them, Sage, Mendlethrone, the writ and he will help them without cost.
and a burial spell cast over them. Any number of spells will serve An overland journey to Capidstra lands the characters in that town
this purpose, bless, consecrate ground, sanctuary, or the ordain spell and at the door step of the adventure Harbors Fowl.
found in room 7. If the characters succeed in laying the orinsu to
rest they are awarded double the experience point value.

If any move is made to attack the zombies, the orinsu invade and
animate the giant gargoyle statues in the corners. It takes three
Orinsu to animate one of the stone monstrosities, once done they
will fight ferociously to defend the zombies.

Lion in the ropes 15

New Monsters is physically defeated, burnt, or otherwise destroyed, the orinsu
OIrinsu will seek out another host to animate. If no host is available, the
orinsu remains bound to the area as an ethereal spirit.
NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1-8
SIZE: Medium The only way to destroy the orinsu itself spirit is to “lay it to rest.”
HD: 3d10 To do so, the orinsu’s former living host must be recognized by
MOVE: 20ft. name. Then consecrated earth must thrown upon them, and
AC: Special (see below) some sort of burial consecration spell must be cast. Any number
ATTACKS: See below of spells will serve the purpose such as bless, consecrate, prayer, re-
SPECIAL: Mimics non magical abilities of host creature move curse, sanctuary, or similar spell). Characters that succeed in
SAVES: Same as host creature laying an orinsu to rest receive x2 xp value
INT: None
In Aihrde
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
TYPE: Undead The orinsu are common creatures in Aihrde as the long and bitter
TREASURE: 3 Winter Dark and the brutal 20 year Winter Dark War left count-
XP: Special (see Appendix) less dead, whose bodies were never properly laid to rest. And
though these all are not subject to becoming the orinsu, enough
Orinsu are ethereal spirits without form or substance. If spied
of them were cursed or placed under some banishment to keep
on the ethereal plane, they appear as pain-wracked versions of
their souls bound to the world where their fallen bodies lay in rot.
their former selves. These souls, usually spawned from those who
suffered a horrible death due to torture, starvation, or other evil The followers of the Red Duke often build their temples where
circumstances, search for their place in the afterlife. The spirit, they know some orinus haunts. They bind these spirits to them
wracked by earthly pain, is unsure as to whether it should pass on and use their unbridled chaos to keep intruders at bay.
from the realm of the living. It remains in the foggy middle, tied to
its place of death as an undead creature.
New Magic Items
Orinsu do not have corporal forms, nor are they able to mani-
Arthul Rune Stone
fest in such a manner. They possess the ability to animate objects,
usually statures or the like, bringing their life “to life” for a short Casting time 1, Range 10’ feet, Duration See below
duration of time.
The arthul rune holds the power to place the user or another into a
They are only found near their bodies, wherever those may be state of semi-hybernation. By activating the rune the heart rate and
found. In order for them to use their animate ability they must be breathing of the recepient slows, eye lids close, and all tension is
near a statue, painting, or similar object that depicts a creature removed as the recipient of the spell settles into a state of hiberna-
the spirit can identify with. For game purposes any corporal figure tion. The spell reduces the body’s need for nourishment, including
from rat to diety is considered corporal. water and air. The recipient can survive without food or water for
4 days per level of the caster. They must have air, however, they
Combat: In combat the orinsu animate the nearest, most threat- can survive with 10% of the normal amount required, meaning that
ening object and attack. They gain all of the combat abilities of they can survive at very high altitudes without undo affect. When
the host they animate. Once the host is destroyed, or near de- the rune is no longer able to keep the recipient alive, it expires.
struction, the orinsu flees it and searches for another host to ani-
mate. If none exist, it returns to its earthly remains. When the rune is activated it produces a puff of smoke. As soon as
the wielder breaths the magical smoke they slip into the trance like
Animate: Orinsu remain near the remains of their former bodies, but somnabluation.
they manifest in a number of ways. They may appear as simple pol-
tergeists, moving candle sticks and books in the late of night, or they The recipient is not wholly asleep and is aware of what goes on
may walk the earth, haunting the living. When desiring to affect the around them as if they were in a deep echo chamber. Sounds, sights,
living world, orinsu manifest themselves by animating objects. The smells all seem to be at a great distance. They user can break free
bodiless spirits worm their ways inside a statue, a figure in a painting, of the sorcery at will, but it takes 1d4 rounds to become functional
or their former bodies (treat as zombie, lesser zombie, or skeleton). again.
The more powerful orinsu may even animate a fallen character. The
animation process takes one round, both to enter and to leave a host. The user can be violently knocked out of the somnambulance if
Orinsu animates may never venture more than 1 mile from their they are stricken or otherwise attacked. In such cases they are auto-
earthly remains that once housed their uncorrupted spirit. matically wrenched from the spell’s influence and suffer 1d6 points
of damage.
Defeating an Orinsu: If the orinsu animates the earthly remains
of its former host, it is treated as undead. The undead host can The arthul rune stone can be inscribed upon any type of ore and
only be permanently destroyed by a cleric through turning. A holds up to 20 charges; it must be recharged with other spells to
successful turning check, regardless of turning damage inflicted, keep its magic whole. Activating the rune requires the non magic-
consigns the orinsu to oblivion and destroys it. If the undead host user to make a successful constitution check.

16 Castles & Crusades

Rune Spells water and even air. The recipient can survive without food or wa-
Rune spells are specially crafted spells and cannot be written into ter for 1 week per level of the caster. They must have air, however,
a spell book, nor added to a cleric or druids repertoire of spells. they can survive with 10% of the normal amount required, mean-
The rune can be inscribed upon a totem and memorized from that ing that they can survive at very high altitudes.
totem as a normal spell, or prayed for by the cleric and druid.
The recipient is not wholly asleep and is aware of what goes on
Somnambulate (Roan ot Arthul), Level 1 runemark, all spell casters around them as if they were in a deep echo chamber. Sounds, sights,
smells all seem to be at a great distance. Once under the influence
CT 1 R Touch D 1 hour per level of the spell they cannot act upon theses stimuli unless they make
SV Special SR Yes Comp V, M a successful wisdom save at which point they break from the spell.

The spells sends the recipient into a restful sleep-like state. The They can be violently knocked out of the somnambulance if they are
heart rate and breathing slows, eye lids close, and all tension is stricken or otherwise attacked. In such cases they are automatically
removed as the recipient of the spell settles into a state of hiberna- wrenched from the spell’s influence and suffer 1d6 points of damage.
tion. The spell reduces the body’s need for nourishment, including

Lion in the ropes 17