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You are Enfys, a good-natured pyromancer. You have the following spells. Please note their effects and use wisely!
Cantrips - Simple spells that can be cast at will
o Poison Spray: @@color:green; The target of your attack will need to make a Consitution save or take 1d12 HPs of damage.@@
o Mage Hand: @@color:green; A spectral. floating hand appears. You can control the hand to manipulate an object, open a door, etc. You cannot attack, activate magic items, or carry more than 10lbs.@@
o Fire Bolt: @@color:green; You hurl a mote of fire at an enemy. The target takes 1d10 HPs fire damage, no saving throw.@@
o Blade Ward: @@color:green; You create a mystical ward about yourself making you resistant to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing attacks.@@
Spells - More powerful magic, each spell can only be cast @@color:red; once@@ per day
o Feather Fall: @@color:green; You and up to 5 people can float to the ground without taking any falling damage. (Not much use in a fight!)@@
o False Life: @@color:green; Gives you a temporary pool of 1d4+4 HPs to expend before you take actual damage.@@
o Burning Hand:s @@color:green; Flames shoot from your hands doing 3d6 HPs damge, or half that for a successful Dexterity save.@@
[[Let's get started... |dd01-001]]<<widget "xdice">><<set $roll to 0>><<for $counti to 0; $counti lt parseInt($args[0]); $counti++>><<set $roll += random(1, parseInt($args[1]))>><</for>><<set $roll += parseInt($args[2])>><<if $debug>>@@color:yellow; Rolled: $args[0] d $args[1] + $args[2]. Result: $roll@@<br><</if>><</widget>>
<<widget "xcheck">><<set $skillok to 0, _xx to random(1, 20), $roll to _xx + $args[1]>><<if $roll gte $args[0]>><<set $skillok to 1>><</if>><<if $debug>>@@color:yellow; Rolled _xx + modifier of $args[1]. Needed to be gte DC $args[0]. Result: $skillok@@<br><</if>><</widget>>
<<widget "xhps">><<set $pc.chps += $args[0]>><<set $pc.chps to $pc.chps.clamp(0, $pc.shps)>><<if $pc.chps lt 1>><<goto dead>><</if>>
<<if $debug>>@@color:yellow; HPs $args[0]@@<br><</if>><</widget>>
/* Inventory XINV "list" | "pickup" item | "drop" item | "has" item */
<<widget "xinv">><<set $xinvOK to 0>><<switch $args[0]>><<case "pickup">><<set $inv.push($args[1])>><<case "drop">><<for _xic to 0; _xic lt $inv.length; _xic++>><<if $inv[_xic].name eq $args[1]>><<if $inv[_xic].quantity gt 1>><<set $inv[_xic].quantity -=1>><<else>><<set _xis to $inv.splice(_xic,1)>><</if>><</if>><</for>><<case "has">><<for _xic to 0; _xic lt $inv.length; _xic++>><<if $inv[_xic].name eq $args[1]>><<set $xinvOK to 1, $xinvcontents to $inv[_xic]>><</if>><</for>><<default>><<for _xic to 0; _xic lt $inv.length; _xic++>><<set _xis to ", ">><<if _xic gt ($inv.length - 2)>><<set _xis to "">><</if>><<if $inv[_xic].quantity gt 1>><<set _xis = "(" + $inv[_xic].quantity + ")" + _xis>><</if>><<= $inv[_xic].name + _xis>><</for>><</switch>><</widget>>
/* Inventory XSPELL "list" | "drop" spell | "has" spell */
<<widget "xspell">><<set $xspellOK to 0>><<switch $args[0]>><<case "drop">><<for _xic to 0; _xic lt $spells.length; _xic++>><<if $spells[_xic].name eq $args[1]>><<set _xis to $spells.splice(_xic,1)>><</if>><</for>><<case "has">><<for _xic to 0; _xic lt $spells.length; _xic++>><<if $spells[_xic].name eq $args[1]>><<set $xspellOK to 1>><</if>><</for>><<default>><<for _xic to 0; _xic lt $spells.length; _xic++>><<set _xis to ", ">><<if _xic gt ($spells.length - 2)>><<set _xis to "">><</if>><<= $spells[_xic].name + _xis>><</for>><</switch>><</widget>>
/* Refresh side bar and footer */
<<widget "xrefresh">><<replace "#story-caption">><<display "StoryCaption">><</replace>><<replace "#dd01footer">><<display "PassageFooter">><</replace>><</widget>>/* --- Base character values --- */
/* has extra prof (+2) in INT and CHA */
<<set $pc = {forename:"Enfys", surname:"Loom", sex:"female", str:9, strmod:-1, dex:14, dexmod:2, con:13, conmod:1, int:15, intmod:4, wis:11, wismod:0, cha:16, chamod:5, perc:10, prof:2, init:2, ac:15, shps:14, chps:14, xps:301, gps:50}>>
<<set $inv = [{name:"bedroll", quantity:1, type:"p"}, {name:"mess kit", quantity:1, type:"p"}, {name:"tinderbox", quantity:1, type:"p"}, {name:"waterskin", quantity:1, type:"p"}, {name:"rope & grapple", quantity:1, type:"p"}, {name:"fur cloak", quantity:1, type:"p"}, {name:"healing potion", quantity:1, type:"u"}, {name:"torch", quantity:10, type:"u"}, {name:"rations", quantity:10, type:"u"},{name:"dagger", quantity:2, type:"w", dam1:1, dam2:4, dam3:0}, {name:"quarterstaff", quantity:1, type:"w", dam1:1, dam2:6, dam3:-1}]>>
<<set $spells= [{name:"Feather Fall", quantity:1}, {name:"False Life", quantity:1}, {name:"Burning Hands", quantity:1}]>>
<<set $cweapon to "quarterstaff", $light to 1, $vantage to 0, $rescuer to 0>>
/*
<<set $debug to 1>>
*/It feels warmer the moment you step into the cave, though the winds make an eerie whining sound throughout these dark tunnels. Fortunately, you had enough foresight to bring a torch. Stretching your numb fingers several times, you take out your tinderbox and light the torch. The heat seems to melt your very face.<<xinv "drop" "torch">>
Taking a deep breath, you walk down the winding tunnels making mental notes of its rock formations in case you get lost. It seems as if someone, or something, walked these tunnels in the recent weeks. In a few minutes, you see that the tunnel turns and branches. Will you...
o [[Head down the more trodden path|dd01-009]]
o [[Head down the icier path|dd01-022]]
o [[Head down the warmer, rock path|dd01-054]]You stumble another half-hour in the snow. The cave was probably the home to a pack of yetis, or ice fiends. It's a good thing you avoided it.
Unfortunately, the cold winds have begun to take their toll. <<xcheck 8 $pc.conmod>><<if $skillok>>You make a survival check.<<else>><<xhps -1>><<set $vantage to -5>>You are suffering from hypothermia and are exhausted.<</if>>
You stare up at the looming castle. Its stone has been covered with sheets of ice as thick as your body. With any luck, you won't have to climb up the walls to find an entrance.
You could [[circle around the castle|dd01-003]] looking for an entrance, or [[use your rope and grapple|dd01-035]] to climb the wall to a window.<<if $debug>>----
<<set _xx to passage()>>Passage: _xx
<<set _xx to previous()>>Previous: _xx
----<</if>>As you quietly move along the dark tunnel, you hear a disgusting noise from up ahead. You hear pained squeals and horrible rending sounds about forty paces in front of you. Your skin crawls at the thought of what lies ahead. What will you do?
o [[Turn around and go back the other way|dd01-022]]
o [[Quietly venture ahead|dd01-031]]
o [[Scream a battle cry and charge|dd01-049]]Your body warms as you jog down the icy path. Though the walls of this tunnel are frozen solid, it is much warmer in here than in the cold, biting winds. You glance down at the floor as you run, and are startled to see several large footprints walking in the direction you're going. You draw out your weapon to be on the safe side, and continue your journey down the dim hall.
Almost an hour later, you find the tunnel going uphill. You slow down you pace – no need to get tired before reaching the castle. Suddenly, bright sunlight hits your eyes. You've found an exit! You crawl out the small tunnel and find yourself looking over the edge of a tall cliff! Almost directly below you lies the Castle of Madness. Once you manage to get down the cliff, you'll be near the walls of the castle.
You can try ...
o [[climbing down the icy cliff|dd01-015]]
o [[walking around the wind-torn cliff|dd01-052]]
o <<link "use the Feather Fall spell to float down" "dd01-036">><<xspell "drop" "Feather Fall">><</link>>As you walk down the rock path, the ground beneath your boots turns to slush. Several minutes later, you find yourself walking through ankle-deep water. You fill up your waterskin from this source – it's better than eating snow.
As you continue onwards, the ground becomes steadier and smoother. You kneel to examine it, and find a thick, half-frozen red liquid on the ground. You study it closer – blood!
Before you have time to think about your grisly discovery, you hear a moan from up ahead. You take a few steps forward, but see that the passage you're in twists and turns in a dozen directions. An icy labyrinth lies ahead.
Will you [[shout your name|dd01-034]] and make your presence known, or [[calmly sneak up|dd01-027]] and try to see what's making the sound.You silently pad up the trodden path. The cave comes to a sharp turn. You peer around the bend and see a hulking, blood-covered ice fiend chewing apart a half-dead seal. He's licking his knife-sized claws and seems to be enjoying the pitiful squeals the seal is making.
<<xcheck 10 $pc.dexmod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-008]]<<else>>[[Continue|dd01-041]]<</if>>You race down the icy corridor, weapon clenched tightly in hand. Screaming a battle cry, you charge headlong into a gruesome sight. A blood-covered ''ice fiend'' has his teeth half-sunk into a squealing seal. He looks at you in surprise, throws the half-dead seal into the cavern wall, and roars his own battle challenge!
[[Continue|dd01-017]]The cliff isn't as steep as you imagined, and many of its hand and footholds aren't covered with ice.
<<xcheck 12 $pc.strmod>><<if $skillok>>You carefully climb down the mountainside and approach the castle.<<else>>You plummet down the rocky cliff!<<set $roll to ( 0 - random(1,6) )>><<xhps $roll>><</if>>
[[Continue|dd01-036]]The cliff is icier than expected. You grasp and claw your way around the cliff, the winds threatening to pick you up and toss you over. As you circle around the cliff, a powerful gust picks up and sends you hurling towards the edge!
<<xcheck 10 $pc.dexmod>><<if $skillok>>You catch on to the edge and manage to pull yourself to safety.<br>[[Continue|dd01-036]]
<<else>>You plummet down the cliffside!<<xdice 1 6 0>><<set $roll to (0 - $roll)>><<xhps $roll>> Gathering yourself together, you plod back towards the castle.<br>[[Continue|dd01-036]]<</if>>/*
<<set $debug to 0>>
<<set $temp to {name:"maiden tapestry", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:100}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
<<set $temp to {name:"fred", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:10}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
<<set $temp to {name:"blogsy", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:10}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
<<set $rescuer to 1>>
[[test|test]]
*/A little sore and tired, you stare up at the looming castle ruin. As the wind rushes through the broken turrets, you hear noises that sound like the screams of lunatics – no wonder they call this place the Castle of Madness.
The castle's stone walls have been covered with sheets of ice as thick as your body. With any luck, you won't have to climb up the walls to find an entrance.
You could [[circle around the castle|dd01-003]] looking for an entrance, or [[use your pitons and rope|dd01-035]] to climb the wall to a window.I'm afraid you died!
<<button "Maybe try again?">><<run Engine.restart()>><</button>><span id="dd01footer">
----
<<set $col_hps to "green">><<if $pc.chps lt ( 2 * $pc.shps ) / 3>><<set $col_hps to "yellow">><</if>><<if $pc.chps lt $pc.shps / 3>><<set $col_hps to "red">><</if>><<print "Hit Points: @@color:" + $col_hps + ";''$pc.chps''@@ (Max $pc.shps) ">><<xinv "has" "rations">><<if $xinvOK>>| <<link "Eat rations">><<set $roll = random(1, 4)>><<xhps $roll>><<xinv "drop" "rations">><<xrefresh>><</link>><</if>><<xinv "has" "healing potion">><<if $xinvOK>>| <<link " Drink potion">><<xdice 2 4 2>><<xhps $roll>><<xinv "drop" "healing potion">><<xrefresh>><</link>><</if>>
Cantrips: @@color:green; Poison Spray, Mage Hand, Fire Bolt, Blade Ward @@ Spell Book: @@color:green; <<xspell "list">>@@
----
</span><<set $vantage to 0>>Snow crunching underfoot, you jog along the intact half of the castle. Just as you begin to tire, you spot a broken gateway, where once armoured guards stood with tall halberds. The portal lies open and shattered and leads into the courtyard of the castle.
You swing under the broken gate and look around. Dozens of statues – most crumbled – litter the courtyard. You see two doors beyond the statue graveyard. The smaller one seems to be a servant's entrance; the other seems to be a guardhouse door. Will you...
o [[Search the courtyard|dd01-043]].
o [[Go through the servant's door|dd01-014]]
o [[Go through the guardhouse|dd01-011]]You remove your rope and grapple and find a nice target – a broken gargoyle near an open window.
<<xcheck 15 $pc.strmod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-042]]<<else>>[[Continue|dd01-005]]<</if>><<set $vantage to 0>>You dig around the bases of the various statues, looking for anything of value.
<<xcheck 10 $pc.intmod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-002]]<<else>>[[Continue|dd01-039]]<</if>><<set $vantage to 0>>You need to duck your head to get into the servant's entrance – the doorframe collapsed years ago. After your eyes adjust to the dim entranceway, you see that some great creature entered the castle here. Giant footprints have cracked through the wood of the floor here, and age-old blood has been spattered against the walls. It gives you a shiver to think of what kind of creature attacked the castle.
Digging through some old supplies, you uncover a skeleton of a dead servant. You're not sure if it was a man or woman, as only tattered cloth lies around its bones.
You can [[search the area|dd01-016]] around the corpse, or [[continue onwards|dd01-033]].<<set $vantage to 0>>You approach the guardhouse door and push on it. No luck. Apparently, the guardhouse door is either locked or frozen shut. You can [[use your dagger|dd01-018]] to try prying the lock. Or, you can try to [[force the door open|dd01-040]].You loop your grapple around the neck of the broken gargoyle. Testing the rope a few times, you hoist yourself and scramble up the thick rope. In a few seconds, you reach an icy window sill.
Are you going to [[peek into the room|dd01-004]] first, or [[quickly scramble in|dd01-045]]?
You manage to loop the grapple around the gargoyle's wing. Confident in your skill, you begin the treacherous climb.
CRACK! The gargoyle breaks away and you plummet to the snowy ground.<<xhps -4>> Tending your sore arm from the fall, you retrieve the rope and decide to circle around the castle and look for another way in.
[[Continue|dd01-003]]You kneel down in the snow and peer through the keyhole. Just as you suspected... the door is locked with an older type of lock. Several stone pegs keep the door in place.
<<xinv "has" "dagger">><<if $xinvOK>>Your dagger might be able to do the trick, but it's formidable.<<xcheck 12 $pc.dexmod>>
<<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-030]]<<else>><<if random(1, 100) gt 95>>Opps! You broke your dagger.<<xinv "drop" "dagger">><</if>>
The lock defeats you. You can try [[breaking the door down|dd01-040]], or [[check the servant's door|dd01-014]] instead.<</if>><<else>>You can try [[breaking the door down|dd01-040]], or [[check the servant's door|dd01-014]] instead.<</if>>The old door is heavy, and may even be locked, but you push with all your might.
You try to break down the sturdy door.
<<xcheck 12 $pc.strmod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-030]]<<else>><<if random(1, 100) gt 95>>Arg! You hurt yourself.<<xhps -1>><</if>>The door is too strong, you can try [[prying the lock|dd01-018]], or [[check the servant's door|dd01-014]] instead.<</if>>You're in luck – the strange monster is too busy with his meal to notice you. You glance around the icy room and notice that there is a small tunnel that continues past the creature. With any luck, you can get to it without him noticing you.
Will you try to [[sneak by|dd01-044]], turn around and [[go back|dd01-022]], or [[draw your weapon and attack|dd01-017]]!As the ''ice fiend'' is licking his claws clean, his beady black eyes falls on you. He lets out a roar from his wierd, circular mouth, tosses the mortally wounded seal against the side of the cave, and charges you!
Draw out your weapon...
[[Continue|dd01-017]]''Inventory''
Money: @@color:red; $pc.gps@@ gps
Weapon: @@color:red; $cweapon@@
<<xinv>><<xinv "has" "healing potion">><<if $xinvOK>><br><<link "Drink Healing Potion?">><<xdice 2 4 2>><<xhps $roll>><<xinv "drop" "healing potion">><<xrefresh>><</link>><</if>>
----
''Character''
Name: $pc.forename $pc.surname
XPs: @@color:red; $pc.xps@@
----
''Abilities''
STR: $pc.str DEX: $pc.dex CON: $pc.con
INT: $pc.int WIS: $pc.wis CHA: $pc.chaYou see a woman, half-dressed, standing in the room. Her skin is icy pale. She picks up the remnants of her clothes and stares at you, her ice blue eyes burning into the back of your head. Before you can even wonder about the true nature of this delicate creature, she disappears in a flurry of fine ice. You shake your head, enter the room, and retrieve your rope.
[[Continue|dd01-045]]
You swing your body over the icy sill of the window and leap into the dim room. The white light shines through the window and illuminates the remnants of this old bedroom. A broken bed lies in the corner of the room, its decorative blanket still well preserved in the cold. A dresser with a shattered mirror sits opposite the bed, and you can almost feel the ghosts of the nobility who once slept here.
You look through some of the dressers, and find nothing but old clothes. No, wait. Underneath a fine blue chemise is a tarnished ''silver tiara''. Smiling, you place the jewelry and the ''blue chemise'' in your sack. You walk to the door and peer out. Dark stairs lead upwards into a turret, and to the right, a corridor heads down to more abandoned bedrooms.<<set $temp to {name:"silver tiara", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:100}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>><<set $temp to {name:"blue chemise", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:20}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
Will you [[climb the stairs|dd01-050]], head to [[another bedroom|dd01-028]], or skip the bedrooms and [[go down the corridor|dd01-025]]?Unfortunately, most of the bedroom entries have collapsed and now lie blocked with rubble and debris. You go down the hall, pushing on doors until you find one that opens.
Peering into the room, you quickly discover that this was once a child's bedroom. Old wooden toys lie on the floor. Many are broken, others are still intact. You pick up a finely-carved wooden ''chariot toy''. It seems to be holding a figurine of a white-haired queen. You take the chariot toy and figurine and place it gently into your sack. Your niece might like this one.<<set $temp to {name:"chariot toy", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:10}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
The small bed in the room is still intact, but as you come closer, you notice an oily and rancid smell coming from the mattress.
You can [[return to the main corridor|dd01-025]] and go down it, or draw your weapon and [[lift the mattress|dd01-058]]Deciding to head towards the main part of the castle, you skip the bedrooms and head down a long, winding hallway. Much to your surprise, the castle in this part looks sturdy and complete. Perhaps it looked like this years ago when it was a newly built stronghold. You come to a stairway going downwards. The stairs are covered with a slick ice.
<<xcheck 8 $pc.dexmod>><<if $skillok>>You carefully make your way down into a large castle chamber.<<else>>You slip down the steps and land hard on the hard stone.<<xdice 1 4 0>><<set $roll to (0 - $roll)>><<xhps $roll>> You curse your clumsiness and stand up.<</if>>
[[Continue|dd01-033]]Holding on to a marble railing, you begin to climb up the long spiral stairs that surely leads up to one of the castle's turrets. As you make your way up, you notice that the steps are worn and icy from years of being exposed to the elements.
<<xcheck 10 $pc.dexmod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-059]]<<else>>[[Continue|dd01-029]]<</if>>You try sneak past the ice fiend...
<<xcheck 14 $pc.dexmod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-010]]<<else>>[[Continue|dd01-041]]<</if>>You are in a battle with an ''ice fiend'', a massive beast with a shark-toothed maw and claws the size of long knives. You've only seen one in your life - and that was a carcass a hunter brought back to your village when you were a child. This one seems twice the size of that one!
[[Fight|youraction][$enemy = {name:"ice fiend", strmod:3, conmod:3, dexmod:0, hps:28, ac:15, dam1:1, dam2:8, dam3:3, xps:100, attack:"claws"}, $charparms = {winpass:"dd01-021", flag:0, n:999, fleepass:"no", protected:0}, $count_rounds to 0]]
<<silently>>[[Dummy|dd01-021]]<</silently>>In the bravest voice you can muster, you shout your name and clan. You hear a soft whisper from the passage ahead. "Help me, please. My leg is broken."
You call out to the injured man, "Keep talking so I can find you."
Wisely, you tie your rope to a nearby stalagmite. You can follow the rope back to this tunnel branch in case you get lost.
[[Continue|dd01-037]]You slowly pad into the icy maze, trying to remember the turns you take. Every once in a while you hear a soft moan from ahead of you.
<<xcheck 7 $pc.wismod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-037]]<<else>>You soon hear the moans die out. You return to the slushy path and decide to turn around, rather than risk getting lost in this cold maze. Will you head down the [[more trodden path|dd01-009]], or head down the [[icier path|dd01-022]]<</if>>You push the door inwards and hear it slam against the wall sharply. Waiting for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, you look around the room. A dozen skeletons in tattered armour lie against the walls of the room. You swallow hard, and then quickly examine the skeletons. You see no injuries on them. Apparently, these men locked themselves in this room and died here.
You let out a small cry when you see a pale blue rat scurry across the floor. You've never heard of ice rats before, but you chide yourself for having been startled so easily.
Searching the room, you find that most of the weapons and armour have rusted away a long time ago.
<<xcheck 12 $pc.wismod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-013]]<<else>>[[Continue|dd01-006]]<</if>>As you rummage through the tattered remnants of the skeleton, your hand scrapes across something razor sharp! You raise your bloody hand to your mouth and probe the wound with your tongue.<<xhps -1>>
Kicking aside some torn cloth, you see a ''glass dagger'' half-embedded in the wood.
Are you going to try to [[pry the sharp dagger out|dd01-024]], or [[just leave it alone|dd01-033]]?You continue onwards, and find yourself in a banquet hall of sorts. Shattered plates and a broken banquet table lie in the middle of the room. Several tapestries hang from the walls, and there seems to be a large hole in the floor under a particularly tattered one. You can...
o [[Examine the hole|dd01-055]]
o [[Examine the tapestries|dd01-023]]Double wrapping your hands to protect them from the cold, you dig under some broken statues. In a few minutes you've uncovered a beautiful ''antique mace'', its metal head coated in an unusual blue lacquer.
Digging some more, you realize something – the weapon still has a frozen hand attached to it! A second later, your boot brushes aside the remains of the man's face! The blue skin is cracked and broken. Apparently, some warrior died wielding this mace.
<<xcheck 10 $pc.wismod>><<if $skillok>>You pry the weapon loose. <<linkreplace "Do you wish to take the antique mace?">><<set $temp to {name:"antique mace", quantity:1, type:"t", dam1:1, dam2:6, dam3:0, worth:10}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>><</linkreplace>><<else>>Ugh. You have no stomach for such matters and abandon your search.<</if>>
Now, are you going through the [[servant's door|dd01-014]], or the [[guardhouse door|dd01-011]]?The ice and cold soon begins to numb your fingers, so you decide to give up your search. The snow is too deep now in the courtyard to find anything of value.
You can go through the [[servant's door|dd01-014]], or through the [[guardhouse door|dd01-011]]As you are about to leave, you spot a tarnished, silver ring on one of the skeletons. You pull it off and examine it. Apparently, it was the captain of the guard's ''signet ring''. Pocketing it, you head out the door for the servant's entrance.<<set $temp to {name:"signet ring", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:100}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
[[Continue|dd01-014]]You spot something unusual – a small trap door in the side of the room. Smiling, and remembering that guardhouses often keep valuable weapons locked away, you head towards the door. Kneeling down, you pry it open easily – the lock has long since rusted away.
Inside the cubby hole is a pitted iron shortsword. It probably wouldn't last a single swing, so you toss it aside. Behind the blade, however, is a ''steel-plated shield''. Painted on its face are three white bears. Though the paint is a little worn, it apparently protected the shield from the elements. You carefully take the shield out, brush off some ice, and strap it to your back.<<set $temp to {name:"steel-plated shield", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:12}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
[[Continue|dd01-006]]Wrapping some cloth around your hand for protection, you try to wedge the glass dagger out. With any luck, this exotic dagger will be worth a lot of silvers. Or maybe you'll decide to keep it as a backup weapon.
<<xcheck 10 $pc.dexmod>><<if $skillok>>You carefully pry the glass-like dagger out without injury. This is a very fine dagger +1, enchanted to be shatterproof despite the fact that it looks to be made from glass.<<set $temp to {name:"glass dagger", quantity:1, type:"w", dam1:1, dam2:4, dam3:1}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>><<else>>The dagger slices through your gloves and deep into your hand. You cannot shift it.<<xdice 1 4 0>><<set $roll to (0 - $roll)>><<xhps $roll>><</if>>
[[Continue|dd01-033]]Careful of the crumbling floor, you peer down into the dark hole. A horrible reek hits you, and you involuntarily snap your hand over your nose. Even in this cold weather, something down the hole smells really bad.
You look down further into the pit and see that the ground is about ten feet below where you stand. You jump down.
<<xcheck 6 $pc.dexmod>><<if not $skillok>><<xhps -1>>You twist your ankle on landing.<br><br><</if>>Brushing yourself off, you look around the dimly lit chamber. /* You realize your torch is sputtering. */ Within seconds, the darkness in the chamber closes around you. You can barely make out a worn door, a few feet away, indecipherable writings slashed into its wood. You can..
o [[Creep up to the door and listen|dd01-046]]
o [[Go forward bravely and push the door aside|dd01-007]]Some of the tapestries are still together; others are torn and destroyed. Two, in particular, catch your eye. One tapestry shows a striking, blue-eyed maiden in ornate armour, the other shows a axe with runes carved on its handle lying on a gilded table, being presented to a white-haired queen.
<<xcheck 15 $pc.intmod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-057]]<<else>>[[Continue|dd01-051]]<</if>>You're smart enough to know that it's not the design on the tapestry that is worth gold, but the fabric itself. Carefully examining both tapestries, you see that the ''runed axe'' one is cheaper and shoddier than the finely woven fabric of the ''armored maiden'' tapestry is.<<set $temp to {name:"maiden tapestry", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:100}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
Satisfied that you've made the right choice, you tuck the heavy ''maiden tapestry'' into your bag. You decide to examine the hole in the floor.
[[Continue|dd01-055]]You try to stuff both tapestries into your bag, but they're just too heavy. You can only carry one of them.
<<set $xroll = random(1,2)>><<if $xroll is 1>>You take the ''axe tapestry''.<<set $temp to {name:"axe tapestry", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:10}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>><<else>>You take the ''maiden tapestry''.<<set $temp to {name:"maiden tapestry", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:100}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>><</if>>
Now, you wander over to examine the hole in the floor.
[[Continue|dd01-055]]You find an injured hunter leaning against a cavern wall. He looks at you, his face ghastly and frostbitten. "How long have you been here?" you ask.
The wounded man swallows hard, "I don't know. Three days, perhaps? I got lost tracking the most magnificent elk you've ever seen. An unnatural creature ambushed me and snapped my leg like a dry branch. I crawled away as fast as I could, but now I'm lost and decided I have no stomach for running anymore."
You look down and see the man's leg twisted at an impossible angle. You grimace. This man will not make it out of these caves alive.
<<xcheck 15 $pc.wismod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-032]]<<else>>"I know," he answers, grinning as if he heard your thoughts. "I will not live more than a few hours. My god visited me just a few minutes ago and told me himself!"
"Let me warn you," he continues. "The trodden path leads to the home of the creature. I went down the icier path at first, but found an impassable cliff. The creature attacked me again there and dragged me to his lair before I escaped."
The man shudders. "Here, take this ring and give it to the guard captain in Winterhaven. He will contact my family and tell them of my useless death. And if you see that great elk, hunt it down, roast it over a fire... and think of me."
He hands you an ''amethyst ring'' and you nod. The warrior starts shaking and shuddering, and you decide it is better to leave him now. You head back to the slushy path and go back to the main cavern.<<set $temp to {name:"amethyst ring", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:120}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>> You can...
o [[Head down the more trodden path|dd01-009]],
o [[Head down the icier path|dd01-022]],
o [[Leave the cave and trek to the castle through the snow|dd01-019]].
<</if>>Grasping your knife tightly - the space around the bed is too small to wield your main weapon – you kick over the mattress. You jump back in shock when you see a half-eaten, bloodless corpse staring up at you.
Turning away in revulsion, you stagger back before you steady yourself for a second look. The man has only been dead for a few weeks – he's dressed in a wind-torn cloak and has well-worn boots on the remains of his feet. Apparently, this man was exploring the castle like you. What ate him and stuffed his body in this bed, however, is beyond your imagination.
You leave the room and head down the corridor.
[[Continue|dd01-025]]The man's leg is broken, but perhaps you can keep him alive until you head back this way. The cave is warm enough to keep him alive, and there's enough water for him to live on.
"I will not live more than a few hours. My goddess visited me just a few minutes ago," he continues.
"Well, she'll make good company until I come back," you say as you bandage and splint his leg. "Listen, I won't be at the Castle of Madness for more than a day. When I come back, I'll bring you with me. I'd take you now, but unless you can offer me a king's treasure, I can't afford it."
The man nods gratefully, "I appreciate any effort you might make."
You finish bandaging him and leave him some food. "I'd make you a fire, but the creature you mentioned might come back. Wouldn't want you to lose another leg."<<set $rations -=1>>
The man grasps your shoulder. "Let me warn you... the trodden path leads to the home of the creature. I went down the icier path at first, but found an impassable cliff. The creature attacked me and dragged me to his lair before I escaped."
The warrior closes his eyes to rest, and you decide it is better to leave him now. You head back to the slushy path and go back to the main cavern. Which way now?<<set $rescuer to 1>>
o [[Head down the more trodden path|dd01-009]],
o [[Head down the icier path|dd01-022]],
o [[Leave the cave and trek to the castle through the snow|dd01-019]].You carefully press your ear to the door, holding your breath to keep the stench from interrupting your concentration. Suddenly, you feel a horrible pain in your ear. You tear your ear from the door only to discover that you're bleeding from hundreds of pores on the side of your face. You gasp and draw out your weapon.<<set $roll = ( 0 - random(1,4) )>><<xhps $roll>>
You can either [[run from the castle|dd01-053]] or, you can bravely [[confront this dangerous menace|dd01-038][$light to 1]] behind the door, relighting your torch and angrily tearing the half-broken door off its hinges.You stride forward with confidence and crack open the half-broken door but quickly realize that you can't see - it's too dark to make out anything but dim silhouettes. You fumble to get a torch lit as you hear a hissing cackle that chills your bones.
<<xcheck 10 $pc.dexmod>><<if $skillok>><<xinv "drop" "torch">><<set $light to 1>><<else>><<set $light to 0>><</if>>[[Continue|dd01-038]]<h2>Your action</h2>
You have the following actions that you can perform:
Swap weapon from $cweapon to: <<xinv "has" "dagger">><<if $xinvOK>><<link "dagger">><<set $cweapon to "dagger">><<goto "enemyaction">><</link>><</if>> <<xinv "has" "glass dagger">><<if $xinvOK>><<link "glass dagger">><<set $cweapon to "glass dagger">><<goto "enemyaction">><</link>><</if>> <<xinv "has" "antique mace">><<if $xinvOK>><<link "antique mace">><<set $cweapon to "antique mace">><<goto "enemyaction">><</link>><</if>> <<xinv "has" "quarterstaff">><<if $xinvOK>><<link "quarterstaff">><<set $cweapon to "quarterstaff">><<goto "enemyaction">><</link>><</if>><<if not $light>><<xinv "has" "torch">><<if $xinvOK>><br><br>OR <<link "Light a torch">><<xinv "drop" "torch">><<set $light to 1>><<goto "enemyaction">><</link>><</if>><</if>>
OR Use a cantrip: [[Poison Spray|poisonspray]] [[Fire Bolt|firebolt]] [[Blade Ward|bladeward]]
OR Cast spell: <<xspell "has" "Burning Hands">><<if $xspellOK>>[["Burning Hands"|burninghands]]<</if>> <<xspell "has" "False Life">><<if $xspellOK>>[["False Life"|falselife]]<</if>>
OR [["Strike the " + $enemy.name + " with your " + $cweapon|useweapon]]You last saw your brother, Brynmor, two years ago. You don't know what happened to him. He was studying with that arrogant archmage ''Jacob Hermanity'', and then one day, he just vanished from his house. No sign of him, except for a crumpled up wanted-poster of a bandit and a torn journal page that mentioned the "Castle of Madness." You questioned ''Hermanity'', but the wizard refused to answer your questions. Did your brother seek out the mysteries of the Castle, which only appears once every seven years? Determined to find an answer, you questioned the people of Solginul until you found an old crone who claimed to have an old map that would lead you to the legendary Castle...
It was already a freezing morning when you set out for the legendary Castle of Madness – the mysterious castle that is said to emerge from blizzards once every seven winters. Now, as it grows dark, the mountains' glacial winds of this valley make the temperature seem hundreds of times colder. Both hands wrap your winter cloak tightly around your body, but somehow you can still feel the ice-sharded winds as if on bare skin.
You squint your eyes down at your weapon and wonder if it has become frozen to your belt. Nothing alive can possibly live in these temperatures, you reassure yourself, pushing back thoughts of the living dead you've heard dwell within the castle.
Soon, you can make out the faint ruined form of the castle up ahead. The old crone's rotting map was right! Your best guess tells you it's another hour's walk in the harsh cold. Before you have time to think about the longer walk, you spot a gaping black opening in the snow. It must be a cave. The crone told you that underground tunnels could also lead into the castle. Could this be one? Or is it the lair of some beast?
Will you [[explore the cave|dd01-012]] or [[continue your cold trek to the castle|dd01-019]]?You spit a curse at the defeated fiend. You quickly search the creature's lair but find nothing of interest other than some bloody bones and fiend teeth. You spend some time bandaging your wounds and take a short rest.<<xdice 2 6 1>><<xhps $roll>><<set $temp to {name:"ice fiend teeth", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:10}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
Anxious to leave this chamber you push your way down a long twisting corridor. About twenty minutes later you arrive at a door, but it's been completely frozen shut with ice and snow. You draw your weapon out and start pounding. <<xcheck 7 $pc.strmod>><<if $skillok>>The door is quickly broken down.<<else>>It finally gives way, but you are tired from the effort.<<set $vantage to -5>><</if>>
You push your body out the hole you've made and feel something hard and stone-like in front of you.
[[Continue|dd01-047]]<h2>Attack with your $cweapon</h2>
<<if not $light>><<set $vantage to -5>><</if>><<xinv "has" $cweapon>><<set $count_rounds += 1, $roll = random(1,20) + $pc.strmod + $pc.prof + $vantage>><<if $roll gte $enemy.ac>><<xdice $xinvcontents.dam1 $xinvcontents.dam2 $xinvcontents.dam3>><<set $enemy.hps -= $roll>><<if random(1,20) is 20>><<set $enemy.hps -= $roll>><</if>><<if $roll is 0>>You hit the $enemy.name, but caused no damage.<<else>>You hit the $enemy.name with your $cweapon. @@color:red; $roll@@<</if>><<if $enemy.hps lt 1>>
You have defeated the $enemy.name.<<set $pc.xps += $enemy.xps>>
<<link "Continue" $charparms.winpass>><</link>><<else>>
[[Continue|enemyaction]]<</if>><<else>>You missed.<br>[[Continue|enemyaction]]<</if>>A green mist floods from your left hand enveloping the $enemy.name.
<<set $count_rounds += 1, $roll = random(1,20) + $enemy.conmod>>
<<if $roll gte 20>>/* DC20 Hard, char has prof */ But the $enemy.name resists your poison.
[[Continue|enemyaction]]
<<else>><<xdice 1 12 0>>The $enemy.name took $roll HPs of acid damage.<<set $enemy.hps -=$roll>><<if $enemy.hps lt 1>>
You have defeated the $enemy.name.
<<set $pc.xps += $enemy.xps>><<link "Continue" $charparms.winpass>><</link>><<else>>[[Continue|enemyaction]]<</if>><</if>><h2>The $enemy.name strikes</h2>
<<set $temp to "youraction">><<if $charparms.protected>><<set $charparms.protected to 0>>The $enemy.name was unable to break through your wards.
<<else>><<set $roll = random(1,20) + 3>><<if $roll gte $pc.ac>><<xdice 1 8 3>><<set $pc.chps -= $roll>>You took $roll HPs of damage from the $enemy.name's $enemy.attack.
<<if $pc.chps lt 1>><<set $temp to "dead">><</if>><<else>>The $enemy.name missed you.<</if>><</if>>
<<link "Continue" $temp>><</link>>A fire mote flies from your left hand striking the $enemy.name.
<<set $count_rounds += 1>><<xdice 1 10 0>>
The $enemy.name took $roll HPs of fire damage.
<<set $enemy.hps -=$roll>><<if $enemy.hps lt 1>>You have defeated the $enemy.name.<<set $pc.xps += $enemy.xps>>
<<link "Continue" $charparms.winpass>><</link>><<else>>
[[Continue|enemyaction]]<</if>>You quickly decribe a complex sign in the air with your left hand. A greenish aura surrounds your body.
<<set $count_rounds += 1>><<set $charparms.protected to 1>>
[[Continue|enemyaction]]You hold your hands aloft with thumbs touching and fingers spread. A thin sheet of flames leaps forth from your fingertips towards the $enemy.name.
<<set $count_rounds += 1>><<xspell "drop" "Burning Hands">><<set $roll = random(1,20) + $enemy.dexmod>><<set $modifier to 1>><<if $roll gte 20>> /* DC20 HARD, char has prof */<<set $modifier to 2>>
The $enemy.name resisted your spell.
[[Continue|enemyaction]]<<else>><<xdice 3 6 0>><<set $roll = $roll / $modifier>>
The $enemy.name took $roll HPs of fire damage.<<set $enemy.hps -=$roll>><<if $enemy.hps lt 1>>
You have defeated the $enemy.name.
<<set $pc.xps += $enemy.xps>><<link "Continue" $charparms.winpass>><</link>><<else>>
[[Continue|enemyaction]]<</if>><</if>>You make a heart-shape with your fingers and immediately feel stronger.
<<xspell "drop" "False Life">><<set $count_rounds += 1, $roll = random(1,4) + 4, $pc.chps += $roll>>
[[Continue|enemyaction]]<<set $vantage to 0>>You look up and see a crumbled statue of an armored warrior in front of you. You look around... you've found a way into the courtyard of the Castle of Madness!
Beyond the graveyard of dozens of broken statues are two doors. The smaller one seems to be a servant's entrance; the other seems to be a guardhouse door. Will you...
o [[Search the courtyard|dd01-043]]
o [[Go through the servant's door|dd01-014]]
o [[Go through the guardhouse door|dd01-011]]You dash past the creature into the smaller tunnel beyond him, then quickly jog down the cavern leaving the disgusting crunching noise behind you.
The tunnel winds its way for about twenty minutes until you can make out a bright white light from up ahead. When you come to this exit, you notice a thick layer of snow covering the cave opening. You pull out your weapon and start digging. Your heart is pounding. <<xcheck 5 $pc.conmod>><<if $skillok>><<set $vantage to 0>><<else>><<set $vantage to -5>>You are exhausted.<</if>>
Suddenly, from behind you, you hear the roar of the ''ice fiend''. Dig faster!
<<xcheck 10 $pc.strmod>><<if $skillok>>[[Continue|dd01-026]]<<else>>[[Continue|dd01-020]]<</if>>You can barely make out the form of the ''ice fiend'' at the far end of the cavern tunnel, but you know he's coming fast! You slam your weapon again and again against the ice and snow. Suddenly, sunlight rushes out and blinds you.
You leap through the hole you've created and scramble out. Your head hits against something hard! You look up and see a crumbled statue of an armored warrior in front of you. You look around... you found a way into the courtyard of the Castle of Madness! You shake your head and look around. The creature's roar seems to have died off, so you're safe for now.
Dozens of statues - most broken - litter the courtyard. You see two doors beyond the statue graveyard. The smaller one looks to have been a servant's entrance; the other door, more reinforced, seems to be a guardhouse door. Will you...
o [[Search the courtyard|dd01-043]]
o [[Go through the servant's door|dd01-014]]
o [[Go through the guardhouse door|dd01-011]]You can't dig fast enough. The ''ice fiend'' bounds up the cavern roaring in anger at your intrusion. You turn your weapon on to the foul beast!
[[Continue|dd01-017]]You draw your weapon, expecting danger. The stench from this dark room is choking you.
<<if $light>>
You stare across the litter-filled room and gasp when you see that the whole room is covered in a liquid that can only be blood. In the middle of the room, you can barely make out a skinny, man-like creature wearing practically nothing. You see that his eyes are bloodshot and his skin is a disgusting mottled-red. He lets out a half-hiss, half-cackle and stumbles towards you.
<<else>>
You squint into the darkness. The floor is covered in a shallow black liquid. Blood? There is a human shape here that lets out a half-hiss, half-cackle and stumbles towards you. The lack of light means that you will be fighting at a disadvantage.
<</if>>
[[Fight|youraction][$enemy = {name:"blood man", strmod:2, conmod:3, dexmod:0, hps:26, ac:10, dam1:1, dam2:6, dam3:1, xps:100, attack:"claws"}, $charparms = {winpass:"dd01-048", flag:0, n:999, fleepass:"no", protected:0}, $count_rounds to 0]]
<<silently>>[[Dummy|dd01-048]]<</silently>>With an unnatural gurgle, the gruesome thing falls to the ground, dead. <<xinv "drop" "torch">>Lighting a new torch to better see the room, you discover that this was once a servant's chamber. There is a framed picture on the wall of what seems to be the servant tending to a striking, white-haired queen. You're startled at the realization that the servant in the painting looks like the creature you just fought.
<<xcheck 10 $pc.conmod>><<if $skillok>>You rummage around the room looking for anything of value.
[[Continue|dd01-056]]<<else>>You do not have the stomach to rummage through the room's bloody contents. You decide to come back to the castle some other day - perhaps with friends - and discover its secrets in the safety of numbers.
[[Continue|dd01-060]]<</if>>You run from the castle, glad that you have managed to find the few valuables that you did. Perhaps one day you will gather friends and return to the castle.
[[Continue|dd01-060]]You arrive back in the town of Winterhaven a little injured, but safe. You quickly head to the local merchant’s bazaar to sell the wares that you found. The merchants are all very impressed - many of the goods you found were antiques and are quite valuable.
<<for _xic to 0; _xic lt $inv.length; _xic++>><<if $inv[_xic].type eq "t">>You sell the $inv[_xic].name for $inv[_xic].worth gp<br><<set $pc.xps +=$inv[_xic].worth>><</if>><</for>>
<<if $rescuer>>You managed to drag the wounded warrior back to Winterhaven. You discover his name is ''Jrak Kul'', a lieutenant in Winterhaven’s town watch, and a member of the secretive ''Martyrs of War'' clan. The Martyrs reward you handsomely for his safe return - 200 gp - and invite you to join their ranks.<<set $pc.gps +=200>><</if>>
<<set $pc.xps +=400>>Congratulations - you have bested the Castle of Madness, and you have quite the tale to tell the folks at the tavern.
Why not try <a href="https://scaryroj.neocities.org/games.htm">another game</a>?Gritting your teeth you pull up the bloody, torn mattress that lies on the floor. A silver sparkle catches your eye. You reach down and pick up a beautiful ''silver and glass scepter''. Perhaps it belonged to the noble pictured in this room. Confident that you've found a great treasure, you throw your burning torch on the mattress and let the room ignite. You're determined to clean out the filth of the creature that lived here.<<set $temp to {name:"silver and glass scepter", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:150}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
Dashing out of the smoky room, you leave the Castle of Madness behind. Surely more treasure and adventure lies within its walls, but you feel better returning with trusted friends. Perhaps with a party of adventurers, the yetis and blood men will not pose as much of a threat.
[[Continue|dd01-060]]
Your foot slips up the stairs once, but your tight hold on the railing saves you from a nasty fall down the steps. You have to drag yourself up the last few steps, since the ice is about as thick as your fist.
Pulling your way onto a cold landing, where the wind whips through open windows and chills you to the bone, you glance around this ancient lookout tower. It seems all barren, except for a lone ''crossbow'' mounted on the wall. You pull it down and strap it to your back. You've never used a crossbow before, but it may come in handy later.<<set $temp to {name:"crossbow", quantity:1, type:"t", worth:25}>><<xinv "pickup" $temp>>
You kick the dirty snow beneath the crossbow and find what you were looking for — a single, rusty bolt. You’ll have one shot with this crossbow. Happy that you found anything at all in this crumbling tower, you carefully make your way down the stairs.
You can go and [[explore the bedrooms more|dd01-028]] or, you can skip the bedrooms and [[go down the main corridor|dd01-025]].You carefully climb the steps, but suddenly some of the stone crumbles underfoot. Your chin hits against the marble railing hard as you slide down to the bottom of the steps.<<xcheck 8 $pc.dexmod>><<if not $skillok>><<set $roll = ( 0 - random(1,4) )>><<xhps $roll>><</if>>
You can try [[climbing the steps again|dd01-050]] or, you can forget the cursed stairs and [[go down the main corridor.|dd01-025]]@@color:grey;Roger Butler-Ellis.<br>Original material by J C Connors@@