The blueprint for Gothic horror in D&D. The adventurers are drawn into the mist-shrouded land of Duskvale, trapped by the will of Count Count Vorlag von Draken, an ancient vampire lord imprisoned in his own domain. To escape, they must uncover Count Vorlag's tragic history, find the relics that can harm him, and storm Castle Crimson itself.
Story Arcs
Prisoners of the Mist
The adventurers enter the land of Duskvale, a realm shrouded in perpetual mist and ruled by the vampire Count Count Vorlag von Draken. The mists close behind them — there is no escape without confronting the master of Castle Crimson. The party must explore the oppressed village of Duskvale, seek allies among the fearful populace, and receive a Tarokka card reading from Madame Vespera that reveals the locations of three artifacts and the identity of Count Vorlag's enemy within the castle.
Gathering the Relics
Guided by the Tarokka reading, the adventurers must locate the three relics that can weaken Vorlag: the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind (which can hold vampires at bay), the Sunsword (a sentient blade of radiant energy), and the Tome of Vorlag (which reveals his history and weaknesses). Each relic is hidden in a different location across Duskvale, guarded by undead, monsters, or environmental hazards.
Castle Crimson
Armed with the relics and knowledge of Count Vorlag's weaknesses, the adventurers storm Castle Crimson — a towering Gothic fortress of crumbling towers, shadowed halls, and hidden crypts. Vorlag is aware of their coming and toys with them, appearing as a charming host before unleashing his full vampiric power. The final confrontation takes place in the castle's crypts, where Count Vorlag's coffin rests beside the tomb of his beloved Ilona.
Session Outlines
These outlines are for planning reference only. Actual sessions are not created by the template.
Into the Mists
The party travels along a road that gradually becomes shrouded in thick mist. The gates of Duskvale open to admit them and close behind — there is no going back. They find a crumpled letter from the Burgomaster of Duskvale begging for help against a great evil. The road to the village passes through dark woods where wolves howl and shadows move. Arriving in the village of Duskvale, they find a terrified populace, boarded windows, and the wailing of a woman mourning her dead father. Introduce Markov and Elena Kolev.
The Tarokka Reading
The party seeks out Madame Vespera at the Mist-Wanderers camp outside the village. The Tarokka card reading is the pivotal scene — draw cards to determine the locations of the three relics, the identity of Count Vorlag's enemy within the castle, and where the final confrontation will take place. This makes every playthrough unique. After the reading, Vorlag himself may appear — charming, terrifying, and utterly in control. He invites the party to dinner at his castle. Whether they accept is up to them.
The Village and Its Sorrows
Deeper exploration of Duskvale. The church is haunted by the former priest's son, now a vampire spawn trapped in the undercroft. Markov begs the party to escort Elena to safety — she is the reincarnation of Ilona, Count Vorlag's lost love, and the count will stop at nothing to claim her. The party may also encounter Malrik, Count Vorlag's dusk elf chamberlain, who delivers a formal invitation to the castle. Undead prowl the streets at night.
The First Relic
Based on the Tarokka reading, the party seeks the first relic. Possible locations include the crypts beneath the church, a hidden cave behind a waterfall, or the attic of a haunted mansion. Each location has its own guardian and hazards. The relic's power is immediately apparent — it radiates warmth and light in this land of darkness. Count Vorlag's spies (bats, wolves, Mist-Wanderers scouts) report the party's movements to their master.
The Second Relic
The search for the second relic takes the party deeper into Duskvale's dangerous wilderness. Possible locations: the ruins of a windmill inhabited by night hags, a werewolf den in the forest, or the tomb of a fallen paladin. Each site has moral complexities — the hags offer bargains, the werewolves might be cured, the tomb's guardian tests the party's virtue. Vorlag grows more aggressive, sending vampire spawn to harass the party at night.
The Tome of Vorlag
The party finds the Tome of Vorlag, which reveals his tragic history: Vorlag was a mortal prince who made a pact with dark powers to gain immortality and win the love of Ilona, his brother Stefan's bride. He murdered Stefan on their wedding day, but Ilona threw herself from the castle walls rather than be taken. The Dark Powers granted Vorlag eternal life as a vampire — and eternal imprisonment in Duskvale. Understanding his history is key to defeating him.
Entering Castle Crimson
The party enters Castle Crimson through the massive front gates, which swing open at their approach — Vorlag is expecting them. The castle is enormous: a great hall with organ music playing itself, dining rooms set for guests, a chapel desecrated by dark magic, towers with dizzying stairways, and hidden passages behind every wall. Vorlag appears as a gracious host, offering wine and conversation before the horror begins. Animated armor, phantom warriors, and Count Vorlag's brides lurk throughout.
The Final Confrontation
The climactic battle with Vorlag in the heart of Castle Crimson. The Tarokka reading determines the exact location — his throne room, the chapel, the overlook tower, or the crypts. Vorlag fights with the full arsenal of a centuries-old vampire: charm, shapeshifting, wall-walking, summoning wolves and bats, and regeneration. He uses the castle itself as a weapon — locking doors, collapsing stairs, and retreating through walls to strike from ambush. Only the relics can overcome his regeneration. When destroyed, his body crumbles and the mists part, allowing the party to leave Duskvale at last.
NPCs
Count Count Vorlag von Draken
Vampire · Lord of Duskvale
The master of Castle Crimson and the absolute ruler of Duskvale. Once a mortal prince and conqueror, he traded his soul for immortality and has ruled his domain for centuries. He is cultured, charming, and utterly evil — a monster who still mourns his lost humanity. He is obsessed with Elena, whom he believes to be the reincarnation of his beloved Ilona.
Elena Kolev
Human · Burgomistress's Daughter
A brave and compassionate young woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Ilona, Count Vorlag's lost love. She has been bitten by Vorlag twice and will become a vampire spawn if bitten a third time. She carries a rapier and fights with determination despite her fear. She refuses to be reduced to a damsel and insists on fighting alongside the party.
Markov Kolev
Human · Son of the Burgomaster
Elena's brother and the de facto leader of the village of Duskvale after their father's death. Known as "Markov the Lesser" by the cynical villagers, he is determined to protect his sister and his people. He is a competent fighter but knows he is hopelessly outmatched by Vorlag. He begs the party to escort Elena to safety.
Madame Vespera
Human (Mist-Wanderers) · Tarokka Card Reader
An ancient Mist-Wanderers seer who dwells in a camp outside the village of Duskvale. Her Tarokka card readings reveal the locations of the relics and the key to defeating Vorlag. She has her own mysterious history with the count and knows far more than she reveals. Her readings are never wrong, though their meaning may not be immediately clear.
Malrik
Elf (Dusk Elf) · Castle Chamberlain
Count Vorlag's loyal chamberlain and enforcer, a dusk elf who has served the count for centuries. He carries an aura of death — the screaming souls of his victims swirl around him, dealing psychic damage to those nearby. He is coldly efficient, utterly loyal to Vorlag, and an extremely dangerous combatant who fights with twin scimitars.
Stefan von Zarovich
Human (Ghost) · Count Vorlag's Brother (Deceased)
The ghost of Count Vorlag's younger brother, murdered by Vorlag on his wedding day. His spirit lingers in the castle, particularly near his tomb in the crypts. He was kind, noble, and beloved — everything Vorlag secretly wished he could be. His ghost may aid the party at a critical moment, or his tomb may hold one of the relics.
Cyrus Belview
Human (Mongrelfolk) · Castle Servant
One of the Belview family, inbred servants who have served Castle Crimson for generations. Hunchbacked and misshapen, Cyrus is oddly kind-hearted despite his grotesque appearance. He knows many of the castle's secret passages and may help the party if treated with genuine kindness rather than revulsion.
Escher
Human (Vampire Spawn) · Count Vorlag's Consort
One of Count Vorlag's vampire consorts, a former bard who was turned centuries ago. He is beautiful, melancholic, and resentful of his eternal servitude. He may be convinced to betray Vorlag — not out of courage, but out of jealousy over Count Vorlag's obsession with Elena. He knows the castle intimately but is treacherous and may betray the party if it serves his interests.
Locations
Village of Duskvale
A squalid village huddled in the shadow-sm of Castle Crimson, perpetually shrouded in mist. The buildings are dark, the windows boarded, and the few villagers who venture outside do so with eyes cast downward. The village reeks of despair. No one smiles here, and strangers are regarded with suspicion — or pity.
Castle Crimson
A towering Gothic fortress perched atop a thousand-foot pillar of stone, its spires clawing at the perpetually overcast sky. The castle is a labyrinth of grand halls, crumbling towers, hidden passages, and dark crypts. Organ music echoes through empty corridors, doors open and close by themselves, and the very walls seem to watch intruders. It is both Count Vorlag's home and his prison.
Mirror Pool Encampment
A small Mist-Wanderers camp on the shores of a dark, still pool surrounded by mist-draped trees. Colorful wagons circle a central bonfire where the Mist-Wanderers sing, dance, and tell fortunes. Madame Vespera's tent is the largest, draped with silks and heavy with the scent of incense. The Mist-Wanderers are the only people who can freely enter and leave Duskvale.
The Svalich Woods
Dense, primeval forest that covers most of Duskvale. The trees are ancient and gnarled, their branches forming a canopy so thick that sunlight (what little there is) never reaches the forest floor. Wolves, dire wolves, and worse hunt these woods. The mist is thickest here, and travelers easily lose their way.
Old Bonegrinder Windmill
A dilapidated windmill on a hilltop overlooking the village, now home to a coven of night hags disguised as old women. They bake "dream pastries" that grant narcotic visions of happiness to the despairing villagers, creating addicts who trade anything — even their children — for another dose.
The Ruins of Drowned Fen
A drowned village on the banks of the Luna River, destroyed by Vorlag centuries ago when one of Ilona's reincarnations appeared there. Now a swampy ruin haunted by scarecrows and the spirit of the witch Crone Morvana, who believes she is Count Vorlag's mother. The swamp is treacherous, and will-o'-wisps lure travelers to their doom.
Quests
Escape Duskvale
The mists of Duskvale have trapped the party in Count Vorlag's domain. The only way out is to destroy the vampire lord himself. Find the weapons that can harm him, learn his weaknesses, and end his curse — or be trapped here forever, slowly drained of hope and life.
Protect Elena Kolev
Elena bears the face of Count Vorlag's lost love Ilona and has already been bitten twice. A third bite will make her a vampire spawn forever. Escort her to a place of safety — if such a place exists in Duskvale — and keep her from Count Vorlag's clutches.
Find the Three Relics
Madame Vespera's Tarokka reading revealed the locations of three powerful relics: the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind, the Sunsword, and the Tome of Vorlag. Each is hidden somewhere in Duskvale, and each is essential to defeating the vampire lord. Recover all three before assaulting Castle Crimson.
Lay the Dead to Rest
Duskvale is plagued by restless undead — the victims of centuries of Count Vorlag's predation. Father Donavich's son screams in the church undercroft. Ghosts haunt the old ruins. Even Stefan's spirit is trapped. Show mercy to the dead where you can, and put down those who cannot be saved.
Uncover Count Vorlag's History
Understanding Count Vorlag's past is key to defeating him. The Tome of Vorlag, conversations with ghosts and Mist-Wanderers, and clues within Castle Crimson itself reveal the tragedy of a prince who sold his soul for love he could never have. Knowledge is power against an ancient evil.
Encounters
Wolves in the Mist
Packs of unnaturally large wolves shadow-sm the party through the Svalich Woods, their eyes glowing red in the mist. They attack from all sides, howling in coordinated patterns. These are Count Vorlag's servants, testing the party's strength.
The Vampire Spawn Ambush
Vorlag sends his vampire spawn to test or punish the party. They attack at night, climbing walls and dropping from rooftops with supernatural speed. Their charm gaze can turn party members against each other.
Night Hag Coven
The three night hags of Old Bonegrinder reveal their true forms when threatened. They fight with claw attacks, magic resistance, and their nightmare haunting ability. One turns invisible while the others distract. They attempt to bargain for their lives, offering dark knowledge.
The Haunted Crypts
The crypts beneath Castle Crimson are full of restless dead. Wights in ancient armor, wraiths drifting through walls, and specters of Count Vorlag's past victims emerge from sarcophagi and shadows. The crypt of Stefan is a sanctified haven, but reaching it requires fighting through waves of undead.
Count Vorlag von Draken
The final confrontation with the master of Shadowvale. Vorlag fights with centuries of tactical experience, using his lair actions (closing doors, summoning swarms, casting shadows) to separate and demoralize the party. He charms the strongest fighter, retreats through walls to regenerate, and returns at full strength. Only the Sunsword and Holy Symbol of Ravenkind can truly harm him.
Factions
The People of Duskvale
Neutral Good
The oppressed inhabitants of Duskvale have lived under Count Vorlag's shadow-sm for centuries. Most have given up hope and cower in their homes after dark. A few brave souls, like Markov, still resist. The dream pastries offered by the night hags provide temporary escape but deepen their despair. They need heroes to believe in.
The Mist-Wanderers
True Neutral
Nomadic people who can pass freely through the mists of Duskvale. They have a complicated relationship with Vorlag — he allows them freedom in exchange for their service as his eyes, ears, and occasional agents. Not all Mist-Wanderers serve Vorlag willingly, and Madame Vespera works subtly against him, but trusting any Mist-Wanderers completely is risky.
Count Vorlag's Court
Lawful Evil
The vampire spawn, undead servants, and living thralls who serve Count Vorlag. His vampire consorts — Escher, Ludmilla, Anastrasya, and Volenta — each have their own personalities and jealousies. Malrik, his chamberlain, is utterly loyal. Together they maintain the castle and carry out Count Vorlag's will throughout Duskvale.
The Keepers of the Feather
Chaotic Good
A secret society of wereravens who oppose Vorlag from the shadows. They run the winery that produces Duskvale's wine and use their shapeshifting abilities to spy on Count Vorlag's forces. They are the party's most reliable allies, offering safe houses, intelligence, and healing. They guard the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind.
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