In Crimson armor, our legendary Crimson Knight stood against darkness, his valor a beacon in the night of our despair. May the gods rest his soul.
Dungeon’s Inscriptio
In the annals of the Kingdom of Flangorn, few figures are as revered as Sir Alaric, known to history as the Crimson Knight. His tale begins hundreds of years ago, when Flangorn was besieged by the sorcerer, Vallick the Malevolent.
Alaric was not a man of noble birth but of extraordinary valor and strength. His armor, stained in the blood of a dragon he had slain single-handedly, gave him the moniker of the Crimson Knight. He led the charge into Vallick’s fortress, breaking the sorcerer’s hold over Flangorn and restoring peace to the land. He turned the tide of the war, and his legend grew with each retelling.
Outliving the Legend
Sir Alaric became a symbol of hope and resilience. Hence, when he fell in battle, defending Flangorn from a horde of abyssal demons, the kingdom mourned deeply. In his honor, the people erected a grand dungeon, the Crimson Keep, a place where his armor and his most treasured possessions were kept. This dungeon, adorned with reliefs depicting his many victories and acts of heroism, became a sacred site, where citizens left offerings and tributes to their beloved, fallen hero for decades.
Alas, as centuries passed, the memory of Sir Alaric began to fade, and with it, the sanctity of the Crimson Keep. A ruthless band of brigands, led by Kev the Twisted, discovered the abandoned dungeon and claimed it as their lair. They defiled the hallowed halls with their presence, looting the offerings and hoarding treasures from across the land. The desecration of the Crimson Keep has not gone unnoticed. The spirit of Sir Alaric stirs restlessly, unable to find peace while his legacy is tarnished.
Adventure Hook
- Heroes. Flangorn calls for heroes! The mission is simple: enter the Crimson Keep, vanquish the brigands led by Kev, and restore the honor of the Crimson Knight. It is a quest of great peril, for the brigands are many and they have tampered with the traps within the dungeon to work for them. Flangorn’s authorities offer the heroes to keep one item of their choosing from within the dungeon; they shall earn the eternal gratitude of a kingdom and the blessing of a legendary hero (1,500 gp, 7 XP).
Level 3 Adventure
- Danger. Deadly. Check for a Random Event every crawling round or after loud noises (3-in-6 chance). In case of repetition, the heroes stumble upon a group of brigands: two peasants, a bandit, and one thug.
- Light. Some areas feature magical braziers that stay ever-burning with permanent light spells.
| RANDOM EVENT d6 | Details |
| 1 | A hidden alcove unexpectedly opens, revealing a golden urn worth 150 gp (2 XP). But a swarm of centipedes attacks as well. |
| 2 | As the adventurers approach a grand mural, the painted figures come to life, reenacting a legendary battle between the Crimson Knight and Vallick. The heroes see how the knight’s weapon and shield glow with mesmerizing colors in this vision. |
| 3 | The ground trembles and a section of the wall crumbles. A random character is hit by rubble (1d8 damage, DC 14 DEX for half). |
| 4 | A strong current of air traverses the entire dungeon. All light sources, including the dungeon’s braziers, are extinguished. |
| 5 | Six bandits attempt to ambush the characters (DC 13 WIS to hear them). If detected, the heroes may ambush them in return. |
| 6 | The party of heroes stumbles upon a group of shiny sets of red armor. The vengeful spirits of warriors past are immortal guardians of this place. Their only objective is to test the party’s combat prowess. The four animated armors fight until slain. |
1. Main Landing
Beneath the towering archway of the Crimson Keep, ancient runes flicker faintly, casting eerie shadows over the worn stone steps that descend into the dark.
Two bandits and four peasants are about to leave when the characters stumble upon them at the bottom of the stairs. Kev’s men do not recognize the heroes’ faces so they adopt a defensive stance. One of the peasants does not stay to fight but rather flees to inform the others.
- Treasure (3 XP). The heroes can retrieve 28 gp from the enemies. The brigands also have a leather bag with 100 gp worth of silverware taken from the dungeon.
2. Crimson Crypts
Half the alcoves cradle a plinth adorned with the bones and rusting armaments of a loyal ally of the Crimson Knight, the rest show golden jars, keeping the ashes of the valiant. This hallowed space, cloaked in the heavy air of history and sacrifice, echoes with the unspoken tales of bravery and knightly honor.
Two corpses lie near the locked door at the end of the corridor (area 3). The pool of blood underneath is recent and still reflects the light. A shadow with half its Hit Points hears the noise and approaches from the dark.
- Disturbing the Dead. If the characters interact in any way with a plinth, a skeleton materializes to defend it. In the case of the ash-filled jars, a shadow Each plinth holds 15 gp worth of silver and offerings (1 XP), while each golden jar is worth 20 gp (1 XP). One of the jars is free for the taking: the two dead people died trying to take it but released an angry spirit (DC 12 INT). However, pilfering this sacred place is deemed a horrid insult to the Crimson Knight’s heritage (see area 9).
3. Locked Vault
The brigands were not capable of bypassing this lock. A skillful Thief might do the trick, although they require Thieves’ Tools for this task (DC 16 DEX check).
- Treasure (5 XP). Leather bags with 546 gp, 5,289 sp, and 32,986 cp. A matched trio of warhammers (10 gp each), a fine suit of chainmail (60 gp), a goblin-made clockwork dragon doll (45 gp), two lustrous pearls (40 gp each), and a potion of invisibility (80 gp). Taking this treasure awakens all the undead described in area 2.
- Trap. If the heroes fail to notice the pitfall trap, the first of them that enters may fall to area 7 (DC 13 DEX).
4. Crossbow Trap
The two automated crossbows shoot anything that approaches (ATK 1 bolt +3, 1d8) They reload magically every minute. Heroes must jump to reach the other side (DC 12 STR check). The crossbows can be destroyed (10 HP each). The chest at the end of the corridor is an illusion, though. A detect magic spell reveals this fact.
5. Teachings of the Crimson Knight
Four bandits, one thug, and three peasants are prepared and aiming at the door with slings and bows if they are warned about the intruders (see area 1). Kev’s men have already found the ladder that descends to area 6.
- Battle. The enemies stand in between the two chasms (see map), and use ranged weapons to stop the heroes. They draw swords or clubs when forced to do so.
- Falling. Creatures thrown into the openings take 1d10 damage as they fall 55 feet into the pool in area 9.
6. Costly Treasure
Only one of the four chests contains treasure (GM’s choice). One of them is an illusion. Another one explodes (3d6 damage, DC 13 DEX for half), while the last one throws poison darts (1d10 damage, 13 CON). One of the statues, a wingless gargoyle, awakens when the real treasure chest is revealed. It fights until slain.
- Treasure (3 XP). An ivory tusk carved with a knight battling demons (80 gp), a large, green scarab encased in amber (75 gp), and a leather bag with 257 gp.
7. Resting Chamber
The characters may spend one crawling round reading the documents in this area peacefully. They learn the Crimson Knight’s story and exploits. And this grants them a luck token too. Two wights emerge from the sarcophagi if the characters disturb their tombs. Pressing a hidden button (DC 13 WIS) opens a path to area 8.
- Spiked Pit. This room is concealed by an illusory wall. Creatures that fall from area 4 take 4d6 damage.
8. Crimson Caverns
Creatures that fail the jump in area 4 end up here. They take 2d6 damage from the fall (DC 12 DEX for half). This area is filled with gnawed bones and skulls. These are the feeding grounds of four giant centipedes. The mindless insects flee if reduced to half their HP.
9. The Crimson Knight’s Tomb
The legendary knight’s tomb is a vast hall dominated by a colossal, limestone statue of Sir Alaric, gallantly wielding a spear and shield as if standing an eternal guard. An altar stands solemnly, surrounded by a pool of shimmering crimson waters, said to be sanctified by the knight’s indomitable spirit.
Two bandits, one thug, and two peasants are what remains of the group of brigands. Their leader Kev (thief) is here. It is a long shot, but the characters may attempt to negotiate with them or persuade them to yield (Reaction check with disadvantage). Once the battle starts, the enemies surrender if they witness Kev drop to 0 HP.
Development
Worthy Successors
The characters take care of all brigands without touching the treasure. They came to protect the knight’s honor. If so, the knight’s ghost praises their good hearts and reveals his tomb under the statue. The heroes may take one of the following: shield of the crusader, boomerang spear (+1 spear, it flies back to its owner when thrown), crimson armor (+1 plate mail, 1/day, undead, demons, and devils attack with disadvantage for 5 rounds). If the heroes take more than one, they summon the anger of the Crimson Knight and must fight (see below).
Neutral Outcome
The heroes do their job but they also pilfer some of the sacred chambers of the dungeon. Flangorn’s authorities pay the agreed-upon reward but the heroes become enemies of all Crimson Knight’s followers and believers. This may have unforeseen consequences (GM’s choice).
Bad Hearts
The heroes are just thieves with different faces. The Crimson Knight’s spirit (wraith) does not reveal the tomb with the magical treasure, and it shall do everything it can to stop these poor excuses for heroes.
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