Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion LAIR OF THE SITH When Black Roses Bloom The Gothic Conversion Requires the AD&D Ravenloft Adventure When Black Roses Bloom, to play by Igor Comunale
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 1 When Black Roses Bloom The Gothic Conversion Requires the AD&D Ravenloft Adventure When Black Roses Bloom, to play by Igor Comunale DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. All other original material in this work is copyright 2022 by Igor Comunale and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.
his conversion updates to the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons the AD&D Second Edition When Black Roses Bloom adventure set in Ravenloft. This adventure is suitable for characters from 4th to 6th level. This conversion assumes a four 5th level characters party, but can be easily adapted for lower or higher level characters. T Adventure Summary Lord Soth's early history is summarized in the original module in the section "A Dark Knight's Tale." As this adventure begins, Soth has been trapped in Sithicus for more than twenty years. He is starting to lose hope that he will ever find his way back to Krynn, and has become bored with a domain that offers no military challenges and no worthy opponents. He is a conqueror in a cage. Some time ago, Soth captured a powerful illusionist who wandered into his domain. To earn his freedom, the illusionist, Tindafalus, constructed for Soth a series of six magical memory mirrors. By entering these mirrors, Soth can relive his greatest victories and reshape his worst defeats, subtly changing events until they occur exactly as he would have desired. In recent months, Soth has spent so much time inside the memory mirrors that he is becoming unable to distinguish between his memory of the events as they originally happened and the "memories" created by the mirrors. Because his history is the key to the creation of Sithicus, and because the domain is dependent on the death knight for its continued existence, the changes in Soth's memory are unhinging the domain. Sithicus is literally coming apart at the seams. Its land is dissolving into mist and the elves that populate it are starting to lose their memories and their sense of self. The heroes can prevent the domain from disappearing completely into the mists only by venturing into Soth's stronghold of Nedragaard Keep, entering each memory mirror in turn, and altering the event it contains so that Soth's fantasy is spoiled. This returns Soth's mind to Sithicus. Then the heroes must convince Soth to restore his land. The key to success lies in Soth's unquenchable desire for the dragon highlord, Kitiara. As told in "A Dark Knight's Tale," Soth's seneschal (steward) on Krynn, Caradoc the ghost, entered the Outer Plane of Baator to capture Kitiara's spirit in a medallion (even as he travelled that plane, Caradoc thought it was actually the Abyss (natives of Krynn mistakenly believe that Kitiara's goddess, Takhisis, resides in the Abyss). Caradoc never delivered the medallion to Soth, and for years the death knight has sought it feverishly. Recently the elves of Sithicus have seen Kitiara's spirit roaming the wilds. Soth has ordered his new seneschal, the dwarf Azrael, to find this apparition. So far Azrael has failed. What has happened? Just what Caradoc did with the mystic medallion remains a mystery. The powers of the mists of Ravenloft recreated Caradoc and the missing medallion to torment the death knight. The false amulet lay with the ghostly Caradoc's "mortal remains" when Soth destroyed the traitorous seneschal's ghostly form, and so it was lost to him. Starving wolves found the grisly corpse and devoured the bones, rawhide flesh and all. One even wolfed down the small false medallion—and then, for unknown reasons followed Lord Soth into the new realm of Sithicus. Over the years, the black sapphire at the center of the false medallion (the part of the medallion that held Kitiara's spirit) became cracked. Through this crack, from time to time, this spirit tried to emerge, seen as a ghostly image of Kitiara. This is the "dark-haired woman with the crooked smile" whom the elves sighted. The apparition wandered the domain because the wolf carrying the medallion roamed freely. Recently, the false gem in the medallion worked itself free. It passed through the wolf, and now lies in its lair—a small cave near Kendralind. Kendralind is a village of vampiric kender (a halfling-like race native to Krynn). Born of Sithicus, the kender vampires will die with the fading domain. Thus, one month ago the villagers chose one of their own, Tickelmop Toothfang, to travel to Nedragaard and urge Lord Soth to heal Sithicus. They did not realize that the memory mirrors were the root of the problem, and Tickelmop was at a loss when she encountered the ghostly image of Soth on his throne. Returning to her village, she reported defeat. A few days ago, Tickelmop made a strange discovery while out hunting. Cutting open the corpse of a wolf she had killed, she discovered a medallion inside its stomach. One face of the medallion bore the emblem of a rose. Familiar with the story of how Soth's first seneschal Caradoc had been sent to trap Kitiara's spirit inside a medallion, Tickelmop concluded that this must be it. Having returned to Nedragaard, she plans to use the false medallion to get the attention of Soth. Her plan will fail, because she lacks the sapphire that holds Kitiara's "spirit." However, the heroes meet Tickelmop, investigate, and can locate the sapphire in the wolf's lair. Yet, the lair is lost amid the chaos in Sithicus. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 2 Introduction
The heroes must first rouse Lord Soth and have him quiet the land. Once the death knight returns to awareness, the heroes who find the false sapphire also find that events have overtaken them. They are trapped between Soth, his forces, the false spirit of Kitiara, and the mysterious powers whom she serves. Running the Adventure To manage the adventure using this conversion, you need the main rules of Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition (Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual). Non-player characters and monsters that are not present in these sources are presented at the end of this conversion. The adventure presents all the necessary informations about Lord Soth and his background. If you want to consult additional sources, you can find plenty of informations on this famous villain on the internet. Lord Soth's story is introduced in the novels of The Chronicles and Legends trilogies by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. In this novels you can find everything concerning Lord Soth that happened before his apparition in Ravenloft. You can find also informations about the domain of Sithicus and Lord Soth after having entered Ravelonft in the AD&D 2nd Edition sourcebooks Ravenloft: Realm of Terror and Ravenloft Campaign Setting, Revised. Lord Soth is also featured in the Ravenloft novels Knight of the Black Rose and Spectre of the Black Rose by James Lowder. Characters' Progression If the characters are at 5th level, they level up during the adventure with an event-based progression as follows: • Characters gain 6th level when they reach Lord Soth and the memory mirrors. • Characters obtain 7th level at the end of the adventure. Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen If you wish you can play this adventure with characters native of the world of Krynn. Dragonlace: Shadow of the Dragon Queen contains all you need to build characters from Soth's home world. Soth is transported in Ravenloft after the event told in the Legends trilogy novel by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. If you have played through the adventure presented in Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, you can even use When Black Roses Bloom as a sequel to that adventure. Perhaps some years after the adventure, the characters may be snatched by the Mists and deposited in Sithicus to confront again the dreaded death knight. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 3
his section describes the necessary updates to play the adventure with the rules of Dungeons & Dragons 5 th Edition. The updates follow the same order and have the same title as the parts in the original adventure. If a reference to a part of the adventure is absent, then it means that it does not require any modification and can be used in its original form. T The text appearing in this way is intended to be read or paraphrased to the characters when they arrive at a certain place or certain events occur, as described in the text. The text that appears in these boxes contains additions to the adventure and game recommendations for the DM. Introduction Starting the Adventure If the characters are outside of Ravenloft, they are lured in the Demiplane of Dread by the apparition of the ghost a former companion (or you can substitute it with a ghost of a dead relative or ally encountered in a precedent adventure). The lure is an illusion produced by the Dark Powers. There is no way to disbelieve this illusion. If this is the first adventure in Ravenloft for your characters, they could be also brought in Sithicus by the Mists. If you've already used this method in the past, use the one indicated in the original adventure. The Mists work well only if not overused. If the characters are already in Ravenloft and you want to send them to find the “skull-headed serpent”, the poison of this creature is similar to purple worm poison. Forgotten Fragments Any who try to leave Sithicus hear a ghastly keening that grows louder as they approach the border, producing feelings of unease that build into a great panic. To press on, a character must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw with disadvantage or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened character runs back into Sithicus. If the saving throw succeeds and the characters persist in crossing the border they automatically gain an indefinite madness. Those driven mad gain permanently a flaw: “I fear the sound of music, especially singing”. The Black Moon Waxing/waning half or gibbous moon: Non-evil wizards Horror Opportunity: Dark Moon Rising You can choose to ignore the effects of the moon phases of the Black Moon: they can slow down your game with excessive book keeping and give to the group's wizard or sorcerer an excessive and unmotivated penality. You could keep the beneficial effects to spellcasters using Necromancy spells simulating the Black Moon's corrupting influence making all this school's spells always stronger, as if they were cast with a 1 level higher spell slot. Make the characters spot the Black Moon as an empty void in the sky occasionally obscuring the stars. Only evil characters should be able to see it clearly. To every other character it should be an evanescent and mysterious threat following every step they take. and sorcerers have disadvantage to saving throws versus spells, while evil wizards have advantage. Full moon: Non-evil wizards and sorcerers have disadvantage to saving throws versus spells and can't cast Horror Opportunity: A Dying Land While the characters travel through Sithicus, you can show other signs of the destruction Soth's absence is causing. The Trees Weep Blood! While the characters are walking in the forest, tell to the one of them with the higher passive Perception that it feels some drops fall on its hand. Probably it's going to rain. Than tell the character it instinctively watches its hand seeing red drops of blood. The blood is dropping from the leaves above. Then all the characters realize that the trees are weeping blood from their bark, their branches and their leaves. The Screaming Crevice. A rift open near the characters, but it is somewhat different from the others they've already experienced. This rift exhales a strange black vapour. If the characters examine the crevice, tell them they hear a far lament coming from the depths of the earth. The lament soon grow louder and becomes a terrible scream, like that of a dying man suffering. The sound is deafening and every character must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution check or be deafened for 1 hour. The Dead Tell No Tales. After a long day march, the characters sees something strange tied on a tree ahead on their trail. When they come nearer, they discover the strange thing is the corpse of an elf. His hands are nailed on the tree trunk with long iron nails and he seem having suffered a lot before dying. This poor elf was captured and tortured by Azrael. He didn't knew nothing about the ghost with the crooked smile, but Azrael left him here to die anyway. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 4 Conversion
spells using higher level spell slots. Evil wizards have advantage to saves versus spells and cast Necromancy spells as if they were cast with a 1 level higher spell slot. A Land Torn Asunder To avoid the falling tree, every character must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity check or take 1d4 bludgeoning damage and be knocked down by the heavy branches. A Cry in the Wilderness Quallan has the statistics of a scout. A “skull-headed serpent” is a poisonous snake. Its poison is lethal and functions like purple worm poison (saving throw DC 10, 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one). The Ghost Patrol The characters face Azrael (armed with Blood Fury) and 8 skeletons. If at any time Azrael has fewer than half of his hit points remaining, he flees burrowing into the earth. The elves in danger use the statistics of scouts. A City in Chaos A giant stag beetle gone wild may attack the characters amid the confusion of the elven cities. The Vistana thieves have the same statistics of a bandit (add Sleight of Hand +5 to the skills). Magic Item: Blood Fury Weapon (battleaxe), legendary (requires attunement) You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. In addition, you can make one attack with it as a bonus action on each of your turns. Curse. This axe is cursed, and becoming attuned to it extends the curse to you if you are of a non-evil alignment. As long as you remain cursed, you are unwilling to part with the axe, keeping it within reach at all times. You also have disadvantage on attack rolls with weapons other than this one, unless no foe is within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear. Whenever a hostile creature damages you while the axe is in your possession, you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or go berserk. While berserk, you must use your action each round to attack the creature nearest to you with the axe. If you can make extra attacks as part of the attack action, you use those extra attacks, moving to attack the next nearest creature after you fell your current target. If you have multiple possible targets, you attack one at random. You are berserk until you start your turn with no creatures within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear. Horror Opportunity: Fleeting Memories After having experienced how the elves are slowly loosing every memory of their past and of themselves, you can make the characters fear the same fate for themselves. Tell to a player his character is experiencing memory lapses. It is forgetting simple things like names or some minor events he experienced recently. Do this thing when you deem it opportune changing every time character. Nothing is really happening to the characters, but this menace should be enough to make them feel stronly the urgency of their mission. Magda will meet the characters at the camp. She holds her magic weapon, the Cudgel of Kulchek. Into the Keep Soth's keep is inhabited by 13 banshees and 13 skeletal warriors. Keening Spirits During the day, the banshees are barely visible. Only characters with at least a 15 passive Perception may spot them at 30 feet or more during light hours. Within 30 feet the banshees are visible, but they appear somewhat more inconsistent than during the night. Encounters in the Keep The characters may experience some minor encounters while exploring the keep. Use the following table to determine these encounters nature. It's recommended to use these encounters sparingly to spice up events. Nedragaard Keep Encounters d8 Encounter 1 swarms of bats 2 swarms of centipedes 3 swarms of spiders 4 shadows 5 grey oozes 6 specters 7 skeletons 8 giant wolf spiders Magic Item: Cudgel of Kulchek Weapon (quarterstaff), legendary (requires attunement by a true descendant of Kulchek) You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. In addition, you inflict 3d6 force damage each time you strike with this weapon. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 5
Horror Opportunity: No Rest for a Banshee The banshees of Nedragaard Keep never sleep and constantly wander in the fortress. These monsters don't need to be always physically aggressive, especially during the day. The characters may encounter a banshee wandering the hallways of the keep at any time. If a banshee spots living beings, she will try to scare them off, attacking only if they seem to pose a real menace or if they enter a banshee's lair. The banshee will use her incorporeal movement to surprise characters, trying to use at best her horrifying visage. The undead will then leave through the floor or the ceiling. These banshees are tragical figures and not simple monsters to kill: make the characters understand how the banshees seem always suffering or weeping, how their face always shows hatred and despair. The banshees can be lethal if used to attack the characters at every turn and they will soon loose their impact on the character if used as just “another threat to hack”. Stables (Area 13) The only creature in the stables is Soth's nightmare. Garden (Area 29) The garden is illuminated by some permanent light spells. The bushes are 6 thorn slingers (see Tales From the Yawning Portal). Krellantha's potion can be simply removed or substituted with a potion of greater healing. Specific Encounters Music Room (Area 11) The harpsichord is a cursed magic item, an harpsichord of discord. If this instrument is played by someone who is skilled with it, every other character hearing its music must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or attack the player or the nearer target for 1 minute. A character Variant: Vestiges of the Past Lord Soth's keep wasn't a place inhabited only by nobles and soldiers. It was also a place full of servants and hired personal intent on daily duties. Instead of arbitrarily populating Nedragaard Keep of monsters, you may wish to make the characters encounter undead servants and hirelings working as they were still alive. Probably most of them will be common skeletons, but some of them may have become more exotic kinds of undead. These undead are generally oblivious of the character's presence, but some intelligent undead may instead begin conversations with the characters oblivious to be dead. These undead don't know what's happening to their lord and go on with their useless duties as they still mattered to someone. Horror Opportunity: The Ghost Cupbearer The tragic fate befallen to Lord Soth hit many innocents in its wake. You can substitute the mimic with a more tragic alternative. Waylan, Soth's young cupbearer, died and returned as a ghost. Now he is tied to this room and manifests himself when someone gets close to the throne. The characters are affected by his horrifying visage, but Waylan is of lawful good alignment and don't want to do them any harm. He will try to befriend the characters, attacking only to defend himself. Waylan wished to become one day a Solamnic Knight, but the tragic events of the past stripped him of this possibility. You can make Waylan tell the same informations the mimic would have told to the characters. may attempt another saving throw at the end of every round, ending the effect on itself on a successful saving throw. Grand Hall (Area 12) A swarm of rats move overhead. They will not attack unless they are attacked first by the characters. The throne is a mimic. Temple of Mishakal (Area 38) The fragments of the statue are smeared with Oil of Taggit poison. Temple of Paladine (Area 48) Any character touching the statue takes 7 (2d6) fire damage. If a character hold Oathmaker, he takes 21 (6d6) fire damage. This damage diminishes by 1d6 every 10 minutes. After 1 hour the sword is cool and can be recovered without taking any damage. The statue has AC 15 and 50 hit points. Library (Area 52) Between the many books kept here, there is a manual of gainful exercise and Black Moon Rising, a common book describing the Order of the Black Robes (the order of evil wizards in the Dragonlance setting) and the effects of the Black Moon on spellcasting. Guard Post (Area 70), Vaults (Areas 71-76): 4 gargoyles guard this area. They have no wings so they cannot fly. On the thief's corpse the characters can find a ring of feather falling. Bedroom (Area 84): In Azrael bedroom there is a poisonous snake. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 6
Magic Item: Oathmaker Weapon (longsword), legendary (requires attunement by a paladin or warrior of good alignment) Oathmaker was forged for the special purpose of defeating knights who have turned to evil and broken their Solamnic oaths. It was secretly placed here by Paladine to vex Lord Soth. You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. When you hit a fiend or an undead with it, that creature takes an extra 1d10 radiant damage. It has the following additional properties. Divine Blessing. When you hold this weapon, you can- 't be charmed or frightened. Oathbraker can cast the heal spell on you once per day. It can also cast on you divine favor on you at will. It decides when to cast these spells and maintains concentration on divine favor so that you don't have to. Sentience. Oathmaker is a sentient lawful good weapon with an Intelligence of 12, a Wisdom of 16, and a Charisma of 19. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon can speak, read, and understand Common, and can communicate with its wielder telepathically. Its voice is deep and solemn. While you are attuned to it, Oathmaker also understands every language you know. Personality. Oathbreaker speaks with a strong and reassuring voice, inspiring its wielder with words of encouragement and urging to acts of courage and valour. The sword purpose is to hunt and defeat oath breakers, with a particular disdain for Knights of Solamnia who disowned their vows. The sword hates cowards and can rebel itself if its wielder commits acts of cowardice. In this case, a conflict between it and its wielder occurs immediately. Seneschal's Study (Area 88): In the pile of papers there is a scroll of protection from undead. Soth's Private Study (Area 89): The study is affected by a permanent darkness spell. It cannot be dispelled. In this room, the characters can find several spell scrolls: 2 of protection from energy, one of blur, and one of minor image. Between the scrolls, there's also a cursed one: if a character reads it, it must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or the character is blinded for 1 hour. Azrael's Plan The apparition of the ghost seems so real that the characters must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 7
Magic Item: Wand of Illusions Wand, rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster) This wand has 7 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast the major image spell from it. For 1 charge, you cast the 3rdlevel version of the spell. You can increase the spell slot level by three spending 3 additional charges to cast the 6 th level version of the spell. The wand regains 1d6+1 expended Charges daily at dawn. If you expend the wand's last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the wand crumbles into ashes and is destroyed. or be frightened for 1 minute and be compelled to flee. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Azrael is holding a wand of illusions. Kender Kindred Tickelmop Toothfang is a kender vampire. Throne Room The doors are protected by a permanent effect similar to a globe of invulnerability. The spell is centred on the doors and doesn't extend to the surrounding area. Magic Item: Memory Mirrors Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement) These powerful magical items create detailed illusions tied to Soth's past. Some time ago, Soth captured a powerful illusionist who wandered into his domain. To earn his freedom, the illusionist, Tindafalus, constructed for Soth a series of six magical memory mirrors. By entering these mirrors, Soth can relive his greatest victories and reshape his worst defeats, subtly changing events until they occur exactly as he would have desired. Soth believes that by repeating these events and righting what went wrong, he can escape from Sithicus. Soth is practiced enough in the use of the memory mirrors to enter all six of them at once. Reviving the Past. The worlds within the memory mirrors tap into the past and fantasies of the attuned creature. The landscapes, people, and creatures that populate the mirrors recreate scenes and events from its past and allow the attuned creature to replay these events with different outcomes. The attuned creature may enter and exit a mirror at will, unless it's killed inside a mirror or the fantasy it is experiencing is spoiled. In this case the attuned creature may not re-enter that mirror for 24 hours. Addiction. Using a memory mirror is highly addictive. After the first use by an attuned creature and every time it enters in a mirror, that creature must succeed on a DC 25 Wisdom saving throw or be addicted to the illusory versions of its past. The creature forgets the world outside the mirrors and spends all its available time inside of them. With time, it is compelled to enter once in each mirror and create multiple versions of himself in different illusory worlds. After having visited each mirror at least one, the creature's body becomes incorporeal and impervious to any form of damage or spell. The creature exist in the real world in stasis with no need to drink, eat or sleep. The real body of the creature begins to fade away and will be completely consumed after 1 month. Only a wish spell may save the creature severing its attunement with the mirrors. Other Creatures Entering the Mirrors. Any creature may enter inside the mirrors and be transported as a character in the memory of the attuned creature. An immaterial image of the entering creature remains in the real world and this creature may interact with the fantasies of the attuned creature. If in some way the creature entered in a mirror find how to spoil all the false memories, he can save an addicted victim bringing it back in the real world. Every false memory must be spoiled to attain this so every mirror must be visited. Other creatures entering in the mirror may exit at any time finding the right portal inside the memory. To exit a mirror, the creatures must locate the spot where they entered. Here they find a two-dimensional oval of utter blackness. Only these creatures heroes can see this oval; it is invisible to the illusory creatures and characters who inhabit the mirror. The oval cannot be dispelled or otherwise altered by magic; it is a permanent feature and integral part of the memory mirror. If a creature dies inside one of the memories, it is expelled from the mirror and returns to the real world with no damage. Other creatures can use magical items and equipment they find within a mirror, but only while in that mirror. These items disappear when the bearers leave the mirror, turning into mist in the creatures' hands. Items carried into the mirror are unaffected with the exception of magical charges spent and spell components used. Any creature who leaves a mirror cannot re-enter in that mirror for 1d4 hours. Destroying the Mirrors. The mirrors remain attuned to their owner for the duration of that individual's life. When that character dies (in the real world) the mirrors shatter in a violent explosion that inflicts 1d6 slashing damage to anyone standing within 5 feet of them. Until then, it is impossible to damage the mirrors. Weapons and tools (even magical ones) bounce harmlessly off their surfaces, and the mirrors completely resist all magical spells and effects. The wrought-iron frames, however, are non-magical; they simply serve to mount the mirrors to the wall and can be damaged. The mirror itself consists of a half-inch-thick slab of silvered glass that may not be cut, broken, or scratched. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 8
Additionally, the doors are closed with superb locks and to pick them a character must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity check with disadvantage. Mirror 2: Murder Trial Caradoc is a noble. The High Knights have the same statistics of the idealized Lord Soth. They don't have an holy avenger as weapon, but they are armed with longswords of sharpness. Lord Gutriem has Wisdom 18 and adds to his statistics the following action: Spellcasting. Gutriem casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15): 1/day each: aura of purity, banishment, bless, cure wounds, dispel magic, heroism, lesser restoration, revivify, thunderous smite, zone of truth The jailers are 2 veterans. Mirror 3: The Cataclysm In this memory, the characters will meet the Kingpriest of Istar. The temple guards use the statistics of a guard. Mirror 4: Conquest of Palanthas 6 Draconian Infiltrators (Fizban's Treasury of Dragons) attack alongside Lord Soth. Tanis Half-Elven fights Lord Soth in duel, he wears the Crown of Power. Tanis is not attuned with the crown of power and can't use its powers. Mirror 5: Kitiara's Contest In this fantasy, the characters may end up fighting Kitiara. The squires have the statistics of guards. Skie is a young blue dragon. Lord Pal is a knight. Return of the Lord The Elf's Clue Even the invisible light of the Black Moon has on Shimmerweed the same effect of bright moonlight (see the box below). Kender vampires cannot stand the sight of shimmerweed. The mere sight of these flowers is enough to keep a vampire from drawing within 30 feet of them. If moonlight is falling on these flowers, the prismatic display they release is enough to actually harm a kender vampire, inflicting 1d4 points of damage for each round that the plants are within 60 feet of the vampire. Because the kender vampires avoid this area, they do not realize that the shimmerweed conceals a small cave in the hillside. Here the wolf that swallowed the medallion made its lair. Inside is the missing gem, and the rest of the wolf pack, who will attack anyone who venture into their cave. The pack is composed by 8 wolves. Magic Item: The Crown of Power Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement by a creature of evil alignment) The ancient history behind the Crown of Power is clouded in mystery. It was built during the Age of Dreams on the world of Krynn, when the ogre ruler wore it as a symbol of his power. With the fall of ogres into the brutes they are today, the Crown was lost. The crown was later found and became the symbol of power of the Kingpriest of Istar. It would continue to pass from Kingpriest to Kingpriest for a long time. After the Cataclysm, Takhisis stole the crown and corrupted it, making it a powerful evil artifact. Then, sometime prior to the War of the Lance, Takhisis gave Ariakas the Crown to better control his troops and Dragon Highlords. He would wear this until the final confrontation at the Temple of Neraka, when a half-elf named Tanis Half-Elven would slay the great "Emperor of Ansalon" and took it from him. The half-elf threw it into the amassed armies and the Dragon Highlords fought for it until one did. The Blue Wing Highlord Kitiara Uth Matar took up the crown and wore it, putting her control over the dragonarmies. It is unknown what became of the Crown of Power following her death though, but it is rumored to still exist even to this day. Protection. The creature attuned to the crown is protected by its magic. While you are wearing the crown, you are constantly under the effect of the spells globe of invulnerability and shield. Power to the Emperor. The attuned creature gains the ability to cast many spells through the crown's power. These spells don't require material components. While you wear the crown, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells (save DC 18) from it: At Will: command, magic missile 3/day: charm person, heroism, ray of enfeeblement, suggestion 1/day: charm monster, fireball, geas Destroying the Crown. Up to this date, there is no known way to destroy the crown. Some sages speculate it could be destroyed with a divine intervention, but this is a wild guess at least. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 9
Shimmerweed Shimmerweed is a most unusual, and beautiful, variety of plant that is found in temperate regions. Although it is wholly inoffensive and has few natural enemies, shimmerweed can be one of the most dangerous things a party encounters as it strolls through the wilds. Shimmerweed is a type of wildflower that grows in small patches. Although on first inspection it looks much like a dandelion gone to seed, a closer look reveals that the plant consists of a crystalline material much like fine spun glass. Its beautiful and delicate appearance is enhanced by the way it catches rays of moonlight and refracts them through its petals, unleashing a dazzling spray of brilliant colours on the area around it. An average plant stands six to 18 inches tall. The defensive mechanism a shimmerweed patch has is its dazzling light show. When the moonlight that feeds the plant is caught in its crystalline petals, it is enchanted and becomes so brilliant as to affect all creatures who gaze upon it with a confusion spell. Shimmerweed cannot tolerate bright sunlight on its delicate petals, thus it opens only at night. Those who come across it by day, in fact, are unlikely to take notice of the patch, for it looks like nothing more than a grove of common weeds. The plant’s sensitivity to light is, however, a great weakness for it. Sudden exposure to a bright light source, such as a light spell, overloads its ability to draw nourishment with its petals, causing it to instantly shatter into fine dust. A patch destroyed in this manner is forever dead and cannot sprout again. Plants destroyed by any other means grow back in about one month. The dangerous thing about shimmerweed patches is that many creatures use them to hunt prey. It is not uncommon for an intelligent monster or animal to set its lair near a patch of shimmerweed and wait for it to confuse travellers. Once creatures are helpless, these lurking hunters spring to the attack and slaughter their prey. The Black Rose Bloom Soth, distrustful of the heroes, has been following them ever since they left Nedragaard, using his reserve of oil of etherealness to subtly watch from a distance. Soth wears the Caradoc's amulet missing its stone around his neck. Concluding the Adventure The end of this adventure ca bring the characters on Lord Soth's home world, Krynn. Due to the effects of the Mists, the characters may emerge in any Krynn's age. You may bring the characters to the time of the Kingpirest, when Soth was alive, or even during the War of the Lance or the Time of Mortals. You can find inspiration in numerous Dragonlance novels and game materials. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 10
Azrael Azrael has three forms he can assume at will: dwarf, giant badger, or dwarf-badger hybrid. In his dwarven form, Azrael stands about four feet tall. He has dark hair and a bone-white beard formed by a moustache and mutton chop sideburns; his chin is bare. The left side of his face, his left arm, and part of his chest are puckered with scar tissue from an old burn. Azrael was born in Brigalaure, a dwarven city located deep underground in a world on the Prime Material Plane. He was a lazy fellow who refused to learn either his father's craft of ironworking or his mother's craft of jewel cutting. Cast out of his home, he took revenge by murdering his entire family. While on the run from the politskara of Brigalaure, Azrael heard a voice speaking to him out of the darkness of one of the city's deepest caverns. In return for continued attacks on Brigalaure's citizens, Azrael would gain enormous power. Azrael readily agreed and was transformed into a werebadger. Azrael was drawn into Ravenloft when a mist arose about him while he was hunting in one of Brigalaure's caverns. He entered the Demiplane of Dread through the domain of Forlorn. Later he spent some time in Barovia and in Gundarak, a domain that disappeared shortly after the Grand Conjunction failed. In Barovia, Azrael met Lord Soth and through sheer persistence became the death knight's companion and follower. When Soth walked out of Barovia into the mists, Azrael followed him into the newly created domain of Sithicus. Azrael considers killing his "craft" and takes pride in making his craft as gruesome as possible. He is not above making a profit from a bloody night's work and always tears open the pockets of his victims to see if they carried valuables. To this day, Azrael does not know what dark power turned him into a werebadger. He is a true lycanthrope and cannot be cured. Azrael serves as seneschal to Lord Soth, attending him in Nedragaard Keep. His badge of office is the silk doublet he wears, embroidered with the black rose of his master. Azrael is loyal to Lord Soth and slavishly tries to please him. But he is not stupid, and he might strike out on his own or even switch allegiances if Soth were permanently incapacitated. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 11 Who's Doomed
Giant Stag Beetle Giant beetles are similar to their more ordinary counterparts, but thousands of times larger: with chewing mandibles and hard wings that provide substantial armor protection. Beetles have two pairs of wings and three pairs of legs. Fortunately, the wings of a giant beetle cannot be used to fly, and in most cases, its six bristly legs do not enable it to move as fast as a fleeing man. The hard, chitinous shell of several varieties of these beetles are brightly colored. While their shells protect beetles as well as plate mail armor, it is difficult to craft armor from them, and a skilled alchemist would need to be brought in on the job. Giant stag beetles are woodland beetles are very fond of grains and similar growing crops, and they sometimes become great nuisances when they raid cultivated lands. Like other beetles, they have poor sight and hearing, but they will fight if attacked or attack if they encounter organic material they consider food. The giant stag beetle’s mandibles are usually not less than 8 feet long. The worst damage from a stag beetle raid is that done to crops; they will strip an entire farm in short order. Livestock suffers too, stampeding in fear and wreaking more havoc. The beetles may even devour livestock, if they are hungry enough. The Kingpriest Beldinas Pilofiro was the last Kingpriest of Istar. He actually was born with the name Beldyn. His parents were unknown, due to him being an orphan. He had long brown hair, pale blue eyes, and had a youthful appearance. Towards the end of his life, he was surrounded by an aura of silver light so bright that people couldn't see him as he really was: a tired, scared man who was always looking for evil that was out to "get him." Beldyn was an orphan child living on the streets of Xak Tsaroth when he met Brother Voss. As a child, he healed a woman who was sick with gray fever. When Voss saw this, he immediately took Beldyn to the head patriarch of Paladine’s temple in Xak Tsaroth. The patriarch declared Beldyn's powers blasphemy because he couldn't understand how an untrained child could have such power, but Voss trained him anyway. Later, the patriarch found out that Voss was training Beldyn, they were both banished from Xak Tsaroth along with some followers. Brother Beldyn lived in a monastery in the Kharolis Mountains for three years, and spent another year and a half as the head of that monastery. His life changed when First Daughter Ilista found him. Ilista was on her way to the monastery housing Beldyn when she was attacked by a Wyvern. Beldyn healed her of her wounds. He traveled through Luciel on his way to Govinna to challenge Durinen and to find the Crown of Power. Beldyn exposed Kingpriest Kurnos corruption and overthrew him, thus becoming the next Kingpriest. He took the name Beldinas Pilofiro, rejected the Doctrine of Balance, and declared war against all forms of evil on Ansalon. Later on, tensions mounted between the Holy Empire of Istar and the Orders of High Sorcery, which ultimately resulted in Beldinas being stabbed. This event triggered the Lost Battles. After the destruction of the Towers of High Sorcery in Daltigoth and Losarcum, Beldinas's forces brokered a peace treaty with the wizards. The wizards retreated back to Wayreth. Four years later, Beldinas again allowed slavery for heretics and anyone of evil or neutral faiths. Twelve years later, Beldinas saw evil everywhere. He expanded his war by attacking some sects from the Gods of Good. Beldinas instituted the Araifas, or thought-readers, after Sargonnites tried using a hierarch of the court to get close to him. They were given free reign over the city, causing the deaths of many innocent people. Beldinas's enemies united against him, and First Son Revando attempted to depose Beldinas and end his mad Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 12
war. He nearly succeeded, but the plotters were betrayed from within and killed. At the end, Beldinas invoked the gods to allow him to destroy all evil by allowing him to become a god. He was very driven by pride, wrath, envy, and even fear into doing this. The gods were furious with his demand, and hurled the fiery mountain down upon the city of Istar. The Cataclysm destroyed all traces of the once-mighty empire, and Beldinas was killed in the gods' awesome power. Kitiara Kitiara Uth Matar, or "Kit", was one of the most infamous figures during the War of the Lance. As the Blue Lady, Kit controlled the Blue Dragonarmy. When the Queen of Darkness was defeated at the Temple of Neraka, Kit was able to keep most of her forces intact. Years later, she backed her half-brother Raistlin Majere in his bid for godhood and sent her army to Palanthas in a battle known as the Blue Lady's War. Kit perished from wounds suffered by the elf wizard Dalamar near the end of the war, and her body was taken from Palanthas by Lord Soth. Her presence and charisma were such that Kit’s blue dragon Skie and Lord Soth would both spend years trying to find her soul. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 13
Lord Soth Lord Soth is a death knight, a corrupted Knight of Solamnia cursed by the gods for betraying that order's sacred oaths of honour and service to the cause of good. Soth has ruled the domain of Sithicus for twenty years, and in all that time has never given up his search for a gateway back to his native Krynn. Soth is still driven by his desire to bring the dragon highlord Kitiara Ulth Matar back from the dead as his undead consort. At first, Soth decided that Kitiara's spirit must have somehow escaped from the medallion. He was utterly merciless in extracting information from any who saw the apparition. Despite Soth's pursuit of every lead, not one shred of evidence was ever found. Soth has concluded that Kitiara's "ghost" was nothing more than an illusion. In Sithicus, there is only one moon. Soth is compelled to sing to remember his crimes in song on any night when it is full: an event that occurs every eight days. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 14
Magda the Wanderer Magda is the descendant of an ancient Vistani hero known as Kulchek the Wanderer. She leads a small tribe of 14 Vistani who travel in nine wagons. All have forsaken their surnames and simply call themselves "The Wanderers." They spend no more than one night in any location. Magda is in her mid-40s and has raven-black hair streaked with white. She retains some of the beauty that she had as a young woman, but her green eyes are hooded with secrets and her face bears the worried creases of someone who has had to overcome great misery and fear. Her right shoulder bears three deep scars—a legacy of a gargoyle's clawed attack. Magda is the sole survivor of a Vistani tribe that roamed the domain of Barovia. Their oma (grandmother and leader), Madame Girani, was burned alive in her vardo by Lord Soth. Count Von Zarovich, vampire lord of Barovia, murdered the rest of the tribe in gruesome fashion, including Magda's brother Andari. Magda became Lord Soth's unwilling companion and was forced to guide him as he searched for an exit from Barovia. She at last escaped him in Gundarak. There she formed a new tribe from Vistani who had survived Lord Gundar's depredations. This new tribe inadvertently wandered into the newly formed domain of Sithicus and now is trapped there. In vengeance for her betrayal, Lord Soth refuses to let Magda cross the border and leave his domain. When she tries, he sings a barrier to stop her. Although Soth has not yet harmed her tribe, Magda searches for a way out of Sithicus. She questions allnewcomers and pursues any lead. Perhaps for this permitted her to roam freely; if she finds a way out, he certainly will use it to return to Krynn. Like many Vistani women, Magda can foresee the future. She sometimes uses a crystal ball to aid her. Magda's constant companions are a hound that she has named Sabak, after Kulchek's mythical bloodhound and a large rook she calls Shadow. The hound is a normal dog, but it has keen intelligence and responds to a large number of simple commands in the Vistani language. The rook, unbeknownst to Madga, is actually a manifestation of the Dark Powers. It knows three words: "Through... Dark... Lord". Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 15
Ogre Chieftain An ogre chieftain is a particularly big and strong exemplary of his race. They are often bullies, using their strength to command over other ogres. They are often more clever than their cousins, but they're anyway cruel and selfish as any other ogre. They tend to lead bands of ogre brigands, raiding other races to gain riches and food. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 16
Skeleton, Warrior A skeletal warrior appears as a cracked and yellowing skeleton covered with shards of decaying flesh. Its eyes are black holes containing pinpoints of reddish light. It is clad in the blackened armour and rotted trappings it wore in its former life. Formerly powerful fighters, skeleton warriors are undead lords forced into their nightmarish states by powerful wizards or evil demigods who trapped their souls in golden circlets. The sole reason that skeleton warriors remain on the Prime Material plane is to search for and recover the circlets that contain their souls. Skeleton warriors are usually found near the areas where they died in their former lives, or where they were buried. A skeleton warrior usually has a sizeable collection of treasure, the remnants of a lifetime of adventure. Since a skeleton warrior is preoccupied with recovering its circlet, protecting its treasure is not a priority. Skeleton warriors are used by their controllers as bodyguards, servants, or workers. Since skeleton warriors are obsessed with their circlets and are therefore undependable, evil creatures and other undead seldom associate with them. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 17
Tanis Half-Elven Tanis is one of the famous Heroes of the Lance. He spent most of his life divided between his elven and human origin. He confronted Lord Soth many times on Krynn, often surviving barely but always thwarting the death knight's plans. He was bounded in his youth romantically to Kitiara, but the two never really got along, not sharing the same morals, ideals and ambitions. Later, he wed the elven princess Laurana, choosing his first love over the moody human woman. Lord Soth hates Tanis for his shared past with Kitiara and especially for his role during the siege of Palanthas and after the death of Kitiara. Tickelmop Toothfang Tickelmop Toothfang's pointed ears, long ponytail, and wide eyes give her an impish, elven look. She stands four feet tall and is slightly built, but is as muscular as a gymnast. Closer inspection in good light reveals that her skin is very pale, almost withered. She is quite gaunt, and her bones are visible beneath her skin. Her rare smiles reveal long, pointed teeth. When she talks, it is in a hissing whisper. Tickelmop is one of 50 kender whose village was drawn into Sithicus from Krynn some 15 years ago. Lord Soth killed half of them in hideous experiments, and the other half were turned into vampires. From their village of Kendralind they unwillingly serve Soth. Tickelmop feeds on blood: she must drink blood (animal or human) daily. If the heroes allow her to accompany them, Tickelmop feeds on them secretly, in the dead of night when they are asleep. Any hero who observes Tickelmop feeding (and who does not already realize that she is a vampire) must make a horror check. Tickelmop's vampirism is not contagious. Tickelmop, like all kender vampires, cannot leave the domain. Should she cross the border she would immediately turn to dust. If the domain is destroyed, the vampires of Kendralind will perish. Although a vampire, Tickelmop has retained many characteristics that mark her as a kender. She has no appreciation of personal property and quickly appropriates for her own use any items left "lying around." She is fearless, and she enjoys taunting the heroes—but in a harsh, sarcastic fashion at odds with the light-hearted quips of a normal kender. Whereas a normal kender is playful and carefree, Tickelmop is gloomy and grim. She has no spirit of independence and is completely subservient to Lord Soth. Whenever the black moon is full, she sits down to weep for those parts of herself that are forever lost. A servant of her master, Tickelmop knows all the passwords needed to get by a skeletal warrior. However, Tickelmop despises Soth, and only fear guarantees her service. She would gladly betray him if the betrayal did not endanger her. Possibly, if the heroes win her respect, she might even sacrifice herself to save them from great danger. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 18
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. When Black Roses Bloom - The Gothic Conversion 19