Macabre

Escape
A return to the Death House for character levels 3-4

Written by
Grand DM

Proofreading by
Anjelica the Red

Cover Art by
George Cotronis

Cartography By
Dyson Logos

Additional Art by
Jack Badashski
Public Domain

[Link]
 Author’s Note
Macabre is a strange word. You may be wondering just how you pro-
nounce it? The best example I can provide is McCob. The etymology of
the word is still disputed in some circles. For example, one suggestion is
it may be a French corruption of the Arabic makbara, or funeral cham-
ber. According to the Oxford Dictionary, it means Disturbing and horri-
fying because of involvement with or depiction of death and injury. That
definition fit the four corners this adventure perfectly, hence the name.

Ravenloft has always been a favorite campaign world of mine. I as smit-

ten with the original I6 module in 1983. When it become part of the
Dungeon Master’s Guild I immediately wanted to create something.
After playing the introductory adventure, Death House, I had a light bulb
moment. Although the players in my campaign vowed to never return to
the Durst Mansion, it had other plans for them. The idea of a living
haunted house just makes for wonderful gaming material.

This adventure was originally played as part of my home campaign in

the Game Tavern. When designing this short adventure I tried to incor-
porate some loose ends from the Death House. That being said, the
Macabre Escape is a deadly follow-up to the original adventure. I en-
courage you not to put on the kid gloves, but adjust encounters as needed
for your own table sessions. While Ravenloft is indeed a deadly place,
remember gaming should be a fun experience!

You will need the following reference material:

Curse of Strahd (or free Death House adventure)

Monster Manual
Player’s Handbook

Special thanks to the play-testers (guinea pigs) of this adventure:

Lauren Pace
Ike Horton
Melanie Horton
Eric Jimmerson
Jeff Schofield

Respectfully,

B.E. Pace aka Grand DM

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 Background
This is a follow-up micro adventure to the events which take place in
Death House. In the early days of the cult’s initial activity they were
much more cautious. Fearing the discovery of their grisly sacrifices, sev-
eral of the members designed a way to quickly escape the house. They
constructed a tunnel which stretched over a mile and left the immediate
area of Barovia. The hatch opened up into what is now a dilapidated
barn.

The tunnel was used when Strahd came to slaughter the cultists. Unfortu-
nately, the exit hatch was rusted shut and the cultists were trapped inside.
Strahd eventually found those trying to escape and dispatched them with
ease. Unlike the Death House, this area is not infused with the spirits of
the cultists. However, it is indeed haunted by several terrible ghosts and
violent memories.

The entrance to the tunnel is located inside the Servants’ Room closet
(Area 7B) of the Death House adventure. One of the hooks used for uni-
forms can be turned to make the wall shift. A character inspecting the
closet finds the movable hook with a successful DC 15 Intelligence
(Investigation) check. The Death House is a sadistic entity and wants
another chance to torment the player characters. The Macabre Tunnel
will only be revealed to the PCs when the Death House is ready.

Grand DM’s Tips

In traditional gothic horror there is a

pervading sense of uncertainty coupled
with a nearly insurmountable foe. This
micro adventure is designed to present
that feeling. The risk is great, but so is
the potential reward. The Death House
can sense the fear and agony of the
PCs. This is another opportunity for it
to enjoy those emotions and sensations.
Even if the PCs escape again, the Death
House should remain a constant
nightmare or threat.

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 Adventure Hooks
Most adventuring groups will be resistant to returning to the Death
House for any reason. Their experiences in that mansion of horror will
make it a hard sell for any Dungeon Master. Below are several options to
bring the PCs back to experience the Macabre Escape.

1. If you have not already run the Death House just add the Macabre
Escape to the ending events. When the PCs try to leave the house,
have it funnel them toward the escape tunnel. It will be their only
means of egress as all exit doors and windows will be bricked over
constantly.
2. The Death House summons the PCs. This may seem like a railroad,
but for purposes of this adventure the Death House is a dark power.
After opening the door to some other structure and stepping inside,
the PCs find themselves surrounded by the mists. When it finally
clears they are standing in front of the servant’s closet in the Death
House.
3. If one of the PCs kept the house deed, the are haunted with dreams
about returning. During one of the dream sequences the ghosts of
Thornboldt and Rosavalda whisper of unfinished business. They see
the entrance to the escape tunnel in their dream. After awakening
they feel an overwhelming compulsion to return and explore this
new area of the Death House.
4. The Death House has cursed all the former possessions of the Durst
family. Items bearing the windmill coat of arms have a chance to
teleport anyone in a 30’ radius to the Death House. This could be
used as a tool for a quick one shot throughout the Curse of Strahd
campaign. Especially if the PCs find windmill marked items they
need to interact with. This could be everything from a potion of heal-
ing, to an old chair they sat upon in a darkened tavern. It certainly
would make for a good
boogeyman type symbol,
even if only used once for
the Macabre Escape.

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Macabre Tunnel Map

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1. Headsman’s Crawl
The tunnel is purposely constructed to be narrow and then widen to cre-
ate a bottleneck for any pursuers. This enabled the cultists to easily dis-
patch anyone following by beheading them as they emerged from the
constricted space. A terrible ghost named Gervase eagerly awaits the
approach of the PCs here.

As the first character’s head becomes visible, Gervase will make a sur-
prise attack on them. If the PCs retreat back down the tunnel, Gervase
will pursue them. He is unaffected by squeezing in this narrow space. All
medium sized PCs or larger have half movement, disadvantage on attack
rolls and Dexterity saving throws while in the Headsman’s Crawl.

Gervase: Dusk Elf Butcher

Gervase was fascinated with necromancy and not very bright in life. His
skill set as a butcher was useful to the cult, and he was easily manipulat-
ed into joining. Gervase was smart enough to try and escape Strahd’s
wrath however, and was one of the first to enter the tunnel. While work-
ing his way through the Headsman’s Crawl he tossed his butcher cleaver
ahead of him. Unfortunately, it was picked up my Strahd who was pa-
tiently waiting on the other side. The vampire then used it to remove
Gervase’s head in one fell swoop.

As a ghost Gervase is extremely violent and almost feral. He haunts the

specific area of the Headsman’s Crawl all the way to the mid-point of the
escape tunnel. Gervase will attack the living on sight and will give no
quarter. He appears at first as only a decapitated head, disembodied meat
cleaver trailing it. His torso and limbs will blink into existence only when
using his Withering Touch.

Gervase, as Monster Manual ghost with these additional powers:

Spirit Rage. For one minute per day, Gervase adds +2 to his damage
rolls with his cleaver.

Meat Cleaver. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d8+2) slashing damage. As a bonus action on his turn, Gervase
may make a melee attack against a creature within 5 feet of the cleaver.

Note: If Gervase uses his Etherealness, the cleaver will drop to the
ground. Since it counts a magic weapon, mindful PCs may try to pick it
up. Gervase will become enraged at this and concentrate his attacks on
the PC holding his prized cleaver.

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 Grand DM’s Tips

Tactics: If the PCs try and retreat,

Gervase will use his Incorporeal
Movement to get to the back of the
line. Alternatively, he will try and
use Possession to take control of the
PC in the back of the line, thus
blocking the tunnel. The object of
this encounter is to make the players
feel claustrophobic all the while
being trapped with a horrific entity.

Treasure: Gervase’s Cleaver. Battleaxe, uncommon

Description: The dusk elves once knew powerful arcane secrets. This
allowed them to enchant various objects with extra functionality. This
cleaver also functioned as a meat hanger.

As an Immovable Rod, the handle of the cleaver has a button on one end.
You can use an action to press the button, which causes the cleaver to
become magically fixed in place. Until you or another creature uses an
action to push the button again, the cleaver doesn’t move, even if it is
defying gravity. The cleaver can hold up to 8,000 pounds of weight.
More weight causes the cleaver to deactivate and fall. A creature can
use an action to make a DC 30 Strength check, moving the fixed
cleaver up to 10 feet on a success.
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2. Screaming Darkness.
This damnable part of the tunnel is filled with a tenebrous cloud of
agony. Entering the area immediately causes the Blinded (special see
below) condition. Any attempt to cure the condition, mundane or magical
is futile. It is here that the majority of the escaping cultists were
slaughtered by Strahd. What remains is their congealed despair as a pal-
pable entity. This encounter is designed to give the players a brief sense
of what Strahd may be capable of. This expanse of the tunnel comes with
several challenges.

The PCs will feel an unusual cold as the hair on the nape of their necks
rise. All around them will be the screams of people being torn apart by
something. The noise is so loud, it almost drowns out any communication
between the characters. The players should roll initiative as normal to
determine who goes first. The Screaming Darkness is approximately a
40-foot murky cube that even extends into the walls of the tunnel.

A blinded creature can’t see and automatically fails any ability check that
requires sight. A PC may attempt to navigate the Screaming Darkness
with their hearing only. To do this a DC15 Perception check with
disadvantage is required every round. This permits the PC to move at
half speed in the direction of their choice. A failure indicates no progress
was made as they walk in circles. The dash action is an automatic failure
as running through the Screaming Darkness is completely disorienting.

Complicating this is a physical imprint of Strahd’s violence left behind.

Every round this imprint will make a multiattack against a random
character. The imprint can be attacked, and if destroyed will vanish only
to return within an hour. Once the characters emerge from the other side
of the Screaming Darkness, their senses return to normal and they are not
pursued by the Imprint.

Note: As this encounter progresses any PC attacked by the Imprint of

Strahd will see him in their mind’s eye. Describe his snarling face,
terrible fangs, and Gothic attire. Although the Imprint only has a flicker
of the true Strahd’s capabilities, it’s still a terrifying opponent. The
Imprint will not press its attacks on any PC reduced to 0 hit points as it
loses interest in them. However, recovering a fallen companion from the
Screaming Darkness may prove to be very difficult.

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Imprint of Strahd
Medium undead, chaotic evil.
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 144 ( 17d8 + 68)
Speed 30 ft.
Saving Throws Dex +9, Wis +7, Cha +9
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
Multiattack. The Imprint of Strahd makes two attacks every round.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic
damage.

Grand DM’s Tips

To make this encounter even more

memorable on each player’s turn require
them to close their eyes. Alternatively, hand
out blindfolds to all the players during the
encounter. Walk around the game table and
tap players on the shoulder when it’s their
turn. Have the players roll their dice and
then interpret the results they cannot see in a
flavorful way. This will take the players a
tad outside their comfort zone and make
them empathize with their characters. For an
additional sensory effect, loop some creepy
music with screaming in the background!

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3. Ossuary
The Durst family was wealthy
and offered to compensate well
for the construction of the es-
cape tunnel. Unfortunately for
the workers, that day never
came, as the cult murdered them
all. The only evidence of this
grisly act is the large pile of bones found in this storage chamber. A
character inspecting the remains and succeeding on a DC 14 Wisdom
(Medicine) check can verify these people died of crushing wounds.

However anyone conducting such an investigation will awaken the

violence here. A small whirlwind of dust and crushed bone will form at
the base of the bone pile. Soon thereafter, large disembodied fists will
coalesce from the remnants. These are Spiritual Weapons, as spell. They
are considered to be cast with a 3rd level spell slot and do 2d8+2 force
damage. The Spiritual Weapons will attack for one minute, or until the
PCs leave the area.

Treasure: Hidden within

the bone pile is a silver Grand DM’s Tips
cameo necklace. A DC
Tactics: These Spiritual Weapons are
15 Intelligence immune to damage, but their bone
(Investigation) check or pile is not. For every 15 points of
thorough role-playing damage dealt to the bone pile, remove
will find it. The chain is one of the Spiritual Weapons from
covered in dried blood combat. Alternatively, a successful
and a delicate clasp opens Turn Undead will force the Spiritual
the cameo. Inside is a Weapons to return to the bone pile for
small painting of a chil- twenty-four hours. Each Spiritual
dren playing with several Weapon should be granted
individual saving throws against any
ravens. One of the work- spell or effect.
ers which perished here
had ties to the Keepers of
the Feather.

If the cameo is returned

to the wereravens they will be grateful but insist the PCs keep it. This
kind gesture will then unlock the true ability of the Cameo of Wondrous
Power (Uncommon): This silver cameo can become a raven for up to 12
hours. Once it has been used, it can’t be used again until 2 days have
passed. While in raven form, the cameo allows you to cast the animal
messenger spell on it at will.

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4. Strahd’s Warning.
Written in a dark carmine color are several lines of
smeared text on the wall. A foul odor of raw iron and
churned earth can be detected here. A character suc-
ceeding on a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check will
know the metallic smell to be that of blood. After
slaughtering the escaping cultists, the raged Strahd
went into a feeding frenzy. Covered in blood, he de-
cided to leave a warning for any who would oppose
him in the future. Provide the players with Strahd’s
Warning Handout (page 16) so they may read the
message themselves. This encounter serves as a fur-
ther insight into what the ancient vampire is capable
of.

“It was only a matter of time before these groveling

fools meddled in my affairs. They wished to be curs-
ed, to accept the darkness. On this day I, Strahd von
Zarovich, have granted their wish. One by one, I tore
them apart, limb from limb. Now their twisted con-
science will remain to experience the event forever.
Everyone’s day to suffer me will come, I am The An-
cient, I am The Land, I am Strahd.”

For some unknown reason these bloody words will

not dry. In fact, they drip on a regular basis and con-
geal on the floor of the tunnel. This has given the
earth here a sticky and spongy feeling to the under-
foot. Unfortunately, this has also attracted several
ghasts which have clawed their way here from a dis-
tant graveyard. Occasionally an elongated tongue will
pierce the ground to lap up the filthy blood pools.

As long as the PCs do not disturb the sated ghasts

they will remain benign. However any provocation,
no matter how minor, will cause them to burst
through the ground and attack. The ghasts will not
pursue the PCs if they retreat and will return to their
eternal feeding. These foul creatures are partially
bloated and covered in funerary shrouds. Ghasts (4).

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5. Tools of the Damned.
This area of the tunnel contains mining and
excavation tools haphazardly stacked against
the walls. Several crates of wooden timbers
are also present which were to be used as
tunnel supports. Markings on the crates sug-
gest that the company of slain workers was
from the town of Vallaki. Knowledge of
their fate could curry favor with the Vallaki-
ans or the burgomaster himself, Baron Var-
gas Vallakovich. The Baron would consider
this further “happy news” since an age old
mystery would be solved and grant some
closure.

Treasure: Aside from shovels, hammers,

and picks any PC carefully inspecting the
tools will find Gauntlets of Ogre Power.
Stitched into the inside of the gloves is the
name Rotundo Oronovich. These once be-
longed to the foreman who used them to
move large pieces of excavated earth. Wear-
ing them in Vallaki may draw unwanted
attention, from those who know of the leg-
endary gloves.

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6. Death From Above.
This area contains a slime covered
hole in the ceiling. Thick excre-
ment has been carefully placed to
partially conceal its existence. A
passive Wisdom (Perception) score
of 16 or more will notice it. PCs
shining light into the hole or inves-
tigating it will draw the ire of the
mated Gricks (2) there. If the hole
is not noticed, the Gricks will drop
and attack what they perceive to be
the weakest target. For purposes of
this surprise attack choose the
smallest character in the party.

Any PC pulling up to explore the

space around the hole will find the
grick’s lair. Here they will also
locate several eggs which have
hatched quite some time ago. A
narrow tunnel winds itself back
toward the Death House. The Gricks have been gaining access to the
dungeon level through several earthen walls. None of these portals were
revealed by the Death House until now. One of the young the PCs may
have previously encountered in the larder (Area 28). If the players insist
on exploring the dungeon level again any monsters not previously defeat-
ed will still be present. In addition, 1d6 gricks will be present making
nests of their own.

Treasure: Items once belonging to laborers

from Vallaki were used to create part of the
grick nest. There is a 25% chance any item of
less then 10gp value in the Player’s Hand-
book can be found here while searching.

The most interesting item is a small glass bot-

tle with an undead faerie trapped inside. The
creature snarls and scratches at the glass as its
bat-like wings flap. If released for any reason
it will fly away immediately. Otherwise the
owner of the bottle may call upon the undead
faerie to cast Light, Darkness, or Faerie Fire
as spell, once per day.

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7. Exit Chamber.
As the PCs draw closer to the exit they will hear the characteristic strings
of a violin playing. The melody is haunting and sounds like something
that would be played at a funeral. Any bard PCs will immediately verify
this suspicion upon hearing the melancholy tune. Against the far wall a
ladder can be seen which leads up into darkness. Eventually the music
stops and the area becomes unnaturally cold/ So much the PCs can see
their breath when they exhale.

The ladder is not very sturdy and extends 60-feet to a

rusted iron hatch. Claw marks can be seen on the un-
derside of the hatch suggesting someone’s futile at-
tempts at escape. Three rounds of successful DC20
strength checks are required to turn the hatch wheel
and open it. Successes don’t have to be in a row, just
as long as there are three. The hatch leads to a dilapi-
dated barn one mile from the village of Barovia.

Estrilda: Vistani Violinist

In the early days of the cult they would routinely hire

Vistani musicians. They were often seen playing on
the portico of the Death House. This music would help
to drown out the screams of those being sacrificed in-
side. Estrilda was one such musician who accidently
learned of the cult’s secret activities. But rather than
being revolted by it, Estrilda was fascinated. Soon
thereafter she joined the cult and played her sorrowful
tunes as innocents were slain for the cult’s benefit.

As a ghost Estrilda is but a shadow of herself in life. All that remains is

her love of music and a strong hatred for the living. Estrilda haunts the
exit area of the escape tunnel and the immediate vicinity of the barn
above. Estrilda’s appearance constantly shifts between her countenance
in life and that of a decayed corpse.

Estrilda, as Monster Manual ghost with these additional powers:

Evil Eye (Recharge 6). As a bonus action, Estrilda can target a creature
within 10 feet that she can see. This version of the Evil Eye duplicates
the duration and effect of the hold person spell, and requires neither so-
matic nor material components. Estrilda’s spell DC is 13. If the target
succeeds on the save against the Evil Eye, it is immune to the Evil Eye
of all Vistani for 24 hours.

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Cutting Words. Estrilda has three bardic inspirations to use this power.
This allows her to sap the confidence and competence of others. When a
creature she can see within 60 feet makes an attack roll, an ability check,
or a damage roll, she can use her reaction to expend one use of Bardic
Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die of d6 and subtracting the
number rolled from the creature’s roll. Estrilda can choose to use this
feature after the creature makes its roll. The creature is immune if it can’t
hear Estrilda or if it’s immune to being charmed.

Grand DM’s Tips

Tactics: The ghost Estrilda will blink into exist-

ence and immediately use her Horrifying Visage.
As a bonus action she will then use her Evil Eye
for hold person on any melee combatant that
avoided the Horrifying Visage. Estrilda abhors
the living and greatly enjoys tormenting them.
She will routinely use her Etherealness to attack
the PCs on subsequent rounds from above and
below. Additionally, she will play her haunting
violin while ethereal, making this encounter even
more terrifying. If anyone attempts to climb the
ladder and escape, Estrilda will wait until they are
at the highest point and use her Possession. If
successful, she will then force the PC to jump off
and take 10d6 damage from the fall.

Treasure: Estrilda’s Violin. Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attune-

ment)

Description: This beautiful instrument is crafted from stained wood with

strange crystal strings. The latter is capable of producing enchanting mu-
sic. A gold plate affixed to its back reads: Stradivari.

The instrument has 3 charges. While playing it, you can expend
1 charge as an action to cast the charm person spell (save DC 13) on a
humanoid within 30 feet of you, provided that you and the target can
hear each other. The instrument regains its expended charges daily at
dawn.

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It was only a matter of
time before these
groveling fools meddled
in my affairs. They
wished to be cursed, to
accept the darkness. On
this day I, Strahd von
Zarovich, have granted
their wish. One by one, I
tore them apart, limb
from limb. Now their
twisted conscience will
remain to experience
the event forever.
Everyone’s day to suffer
me will come. I am The
Ancient, I am The Land, I
am Strahd.
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All other original material in this work is copyright © 2016 Ultanya

Publishing and published under the Community Content Agreement for
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Gaming Outside the Box, are trademarks of [Link], aka Grand DM.

Credits

Artwork on cover © 2016 George Cotronis, used with permission. All

rights reserved.
Artwork on 6,7, 8 &13 © 2016 Jack Badashski, used with permission.
All rights reserved
All stock or public domain art used under permission or licenses.

Disclaimer

Grand DM is not responsible for player characters which are now head-
less, torn asunder, artificially aged 4d10 years, eaten by ceiling crea-
tures, or forced to endure creepy violin music. All complaints should be
filed with your Dungeon Master, who is already secretly planning your
demise next adventure. Welcome to Ravenloft, I hope you enjoy your
stay!

Contact Information
Ultanya Publishing
PO BOX 95
Colmar, PA 18915
Email: realmofultanya@[Link]

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