Mystery Keep of the Blind Baron
‘Warden’, collectively they think of themselves as the
8.
4. 5.
7. 6.
3.
1. 2.
What is this place?
Blind Baron Hawkwell lives in Hawkwell Keep. Unknown
to the Baron the tomb of the evil Lord Dreadstone is
concealed beneath his home.
Hooks: A ruby necklace belonging to little Elsie
Hawkwell, the Baron’s daughter, went missing when
she was playing in the cellar. She doesn’t want to get in
trouble and asks the heroes to help her find it.
Rumours and clues: Smiling Mary, the Baron’s cheerful
cook complains of strange noises coming from beneath
the wine cellar.
Old Jethro, the grumpy retired jester says Hawkwell
Keep was built on top of the ruins of a prison that
belonged to Lord Dreadstone before his defeat.
Appearance: The walls are crumbling and decayed, but
the worst damage has been recently repaired. Initially,
the only light is whatever the heroes bring with them.
The Keep’s Rooms
1. The Ladder
Hidden behind some wine casks a ladder descends into a
tunnel through a hole cut in the floor. Did someone dig
down, or up? Carved over the lintel leading to room 2 are
the words ‘Dreadstone’s Dungeon’.
2. Skeletal Sentries
Two skeletons are chained to the wall. As the heroes
enter the room they spring up with a rattling noise, at
the same time a portcullis drops, closing the way back.
The skeletons are harmless, but the rattling noise alerts
the Council who rush into corridor 3 to defend their lair.
3. Corridor
This is an unremarkable corridor, rapidly filling with
six remarkable guards. They wear ill fitting robes and
armour, and refer to each other by important sounding
titles like ‘Chancellor’, ‘Bishop’, ‘Commander’ and
Dreadlord’s Council. They are attempting to keep his
regime going until he returns, even though there are
only a few of them.
4. Wailing Willie’s Haunt
This room is home to Wailing Willie. Willie was a
prisoner who died in Lord Dreadstone’s dungeons, he is
furious about the Council’s plans. He can’t do anything
about them though as Percival has bound him to this
room, trusting that he’ll scare off intruders. Will the
heroes talk to him or attack?
The door leading to room 7 is sealed by an iron door,
which boasts a very large lock. From the far side can be
heard the sound of panicked chanting.
5. The Council Chamber
This well lit room is dominated by a circular table on
which are various elaborate documents. These seem to
be a plan for how to organise the kingdom following the
return of the Lord Dreadstone.
6. The Minotaur’s Cell
Old tales say Lord Dreadstone was accompanied in
battle by a ferocious minotaur. Whether the raging beast
held in cell six is the same one is hard to know, but it’s
certainly furious. A complex iron key is on the floor,
apparently thrown through the bars of the door. Will the
heroes open the door?
7. Percival’s Study
This room is lit by an oil lamp hung from the ceiling. A
collection of musty tomes detailing necromantic rituals
are open on a desk. Many of them have notes scrawled
in the margins. The room is covered in sticky magical
spiderwebs that Percival has just conjoured. How will
the heroes get through?
A lever on the wall here opens the portcullis in room 2.
8. Dreadstone’s Tomb
Aging banners and shields hang from the walls. On a
dias is a stone coffin, the lid of which has been carved
into a likeness of Lord Dreadstone. A ruby necklace
has been placed across its neck. The desperate Percival
Sakwright, the current ‘High Priest of Dreadstone’ is
attempting a ritual to bring Lord Dreadstone back to life!
Can the heroes stop him before he succeeds?
What’s going on?
A handful of Lord Dreadstone’s supporters are sneaking
into his tomb each night, where they make plans to
bring him back to life and take over the kingdom. When
the heroes break into their lair they must accelerate
their plans, Percival goes to undertake the ritual, and to
protect him the others throw the key to his room into
the minotaur’s cell.
Map generated with:
watabou.itch.io/one-page-dungeon