You wake up in a bed. The last thing you remember is a delicious meal, a glowing orb and a voice laughing. Out the window, endless mountains, shrouded in mist as the sun goes down. You need to get out of here.
THE CHASE
This adventure is a funnel where the players must escape a Vampire's castle, which consists of two towers atop mountain peaks, connected by a bridge. The players begin in the bedrooms at 2B and 2F at sundown, without any starting equipment but their clothes. The exit to the castle is in 1N in the east tower. The Vampire in 2A begins the scenario asleep. He can't go outside until the sun fully sets, which happens at the end of the time allotted for the scenario, but might be woken before then by the players.
THE TOWERS
WEST TOWER
Make too much noise up here and the RENFIELDS come up the stairs to investigate.
2A: Opulent but cluttered, filled with ceremonial armor suits and tapestries and shelves of old books. A coffin leaned against the wall holds the VAMPIRE. The room holds a total of 2,500 SP in goodies, but each turn of looting risks waking up the undead creature.
2B: Bedroom. Many beds, heavily curtained windows. 75 SP in furnishings, enough improvised weapons to equip a group.
2C: A balcony with arrow loops looking out over the bridge below. The tower to the east and the canyon below are visible in the light of the setting sun.
2D: An empty stone fountain in the center of this room, ringed by sacrificial slabs with channels leading to the pool.
2E: Steep stairs down to 1F.
2F: Bedroom. Many beds, heavily curtained windows. 75 SP in furnishings, enough improvised weapons to equip a group.
EAST TOWER
2G: Balcony with arrow loops looking down onto bridge.
2H: Barren interior hallways with arrow loops looking down into 1N.
2I: Storage room filled with crossbows and bolts.
2J: Stairs down to 1Q.
THE BRIDGE
WEST GATE
1A: Kitchen. Rarely but recently used. Preserved food so old it's moldy. 150 SP in unused dinnerware.
1B: Servants' quarters and furniture storage. Beds, a desk.
1C: Undead stable. Two DEATH KNIGHTS mounted on zombie horses stand idle, ignoring intruders unless they attack or unlock the secret door to 1E.
1D: Opulent dining room with a half-finished meal on the table. A pair of RENFIELDS sweep up the remains of a broken crystal ball. 150 SP in silverware.
1E: Gatehouse with heavy but unlocked doors. Tapestry on north wall depicts handsome aristocrat rescuing a baby from dire boars. Arrow loops on south wall. Secret door to 1C raises up after players exit to 1J.
1F: Stairs up to 2E.
1G: Withdrawing room. Nice furniture ill-maintained. Cabinets with 50 SP of liquor.
1H: Defensive room with murder holes looking into 1E.
1I: Armory. Players' starting equipment is here, plus one shield, one longsword, one halberd, one coat of chain.
BRIDGE
1J: Long bridge between two towers with five foot high stone railings. Deep valley below, mountains all around. A road dimly visible in the fading light, snaking down the crags below the east tower. DEATH KNIGHTS charge players here unless blocked into 1C.
EAST GATE
1K: Arrow loops covering gatehouse 1M. Two long pikes abandoned on floor.
1L: Mostly bare hallway with decrepit paintings of enormous mountains and tiny human figures. Paintings are too decayed but frames are worth 150 SP.
1M: Gatehouse with heavy but unlocked doors (can be barred from inside).
1N: Decorative fountain with UNDEAD DRAGON chained to the stone bowl. Dragon can reach any point in the room but not leave it. High ceiling with arrow loops looking down from second level. Fountain bowl holds 1,043 SP in coins. Door to the east is the EXIT of the castle.
1O: Arrow loops covering gatehouse 1M.
1P: Bare stone hallway, empty crates stored here.
1Q: Stairs up to 2J.
NPCS AND CREATURES
DEATH KNIGHTS
The Death Knights are skeletons clad in plate and shield, wielding lances from horseback. They are not Wights, they can't drain levels and they take damage from normal attacks. They wake up when the players reach the bridge and pursue them across it, or if attacked while dormant in the stables. If not stopped at the gate to the east tower they get in a fight with the Undead Dragon, instincts as Knights taking over.
RENFIELDS
The Vampire charmed the two most capable looking idiots to act as servants and bodyguards while he was asleep. This duo of adventurers knocked crystal ball over while cleaning up dinner, freeing the adventurers from their charmed sleep. The Renfields fight as Level 1 Fighters clad in chain and shield. It would take a Remove Curse or Dispel Magic to break the Charm effect, which the Level 0 pregens are unlikely to have on tap.
UNDEAD DRAGON
The undead dragon is a mindless zombie chained up in the east tower. It can't fly or use breath attacks but will attempt to do both, which could give the Level 0 characters a moment of respite. They can simply run past it and accept some losses on the way to freedom (through the east gate), or climb to the top floor of the castle and rain crossbow bolts on it with impunity until it's dead. The Dragon will attack the Knights and Renfields if they come near, but not the Vampire.
VAMPIRE
Szlatcha Borgo the Vampire mass charmed the Level 0 characters at dinner using the crystal ball in his dining room. He planned to sacrifice them in 2D after a nap, but his idiot servitors broke the crystal while cleaning up dinner, waking the characters up. He's in his coffin at the beginning and might sleep through the entire adventure if the players get out quickly. He wakes up at the end of the adventure, or if the players stick around to loot 2A.
The Szlatcha is annoyed with his servitors for letting his sacrificial victims escape. He uses his charming gaze to recruit a couple Level 0 characters and prevent the rest from escaping while he slaughters them one by one. He uses his bat or mist form to move around quickly after dark. There's little the players can do to harm him. If they make it out the EXIT of 1N he can't pursue them.
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