The Enigma of Ebonstone Keep

Deep in the heart of the Ebonstone Mountains lies an ancient fortress that was once the envious seat of power for a long-forgotten sorcerer-king. Ebonstone Keep, now a haunting ruin, is said to hold secrets and treasures from a bygone age. Those who dare venture within are greeted not just by the echoes of the past but by the very fabric of reality itself, which has warped over centuries of eldritch experimentation. Remarkably, the sorcerer’s experiments were fueled by an insatiable lust for knowledge, leading to bizarre anomalies and unspeakable horrors. As adventurers step through the formidable stone archway, they are drawn into an intricate web of magic, deceit, treachery, and hidden truths that time has encoded into the walls.

Room 1: Entry Hall of Shadows

Entering this dimly lit hall, adventurers feel an unsettling chill. Flickering sconces cast moving shadows that seem to dance over the massive stone walls carved with bizarre runes. The air smells of ancient dust laced with a hint of sulfur, suggesting something unnatural lurks here.

• Monsters: 2d4 Shadows
• Trap: Hidden pressure plates trigger dart mechanisms from the walls. Save v. Blast or suffer 1d6 damage.

Room 2: Chamber of Echoes

This circular room is dominated by a grand crystal orb at its center, pulsating with light. The walls are inscribed with detailed frescoes depicting celestial battles. A soft humming resonance fills the air, creating disorienting echoes that confuse sound-based magic.

• Effect: Resonant echoes disrupt verbal spellcasting (arcane casters must succeed on a Spells save to cast spells in this room).
• Treasure: The Orb of Echoes (grants the ability to mimic any spell's verbal component with a successful check).
  • Magic Item: Grants 1/day use of mimic spellcasting—once per day, may cast a spell heard within 1 turn.
  • Apparent value: 2,000gp
• Mechanism: Touching the orb can release a resonating spell that temporarily stuns intruders.

Room 3: The Wyrm’s Decay

The remains of a colossal sapphire-scaled wyrm lay sprawled across the floor, its body encrusted with gem-like crystals. What was once a proud beast is now a husk, and scavenging vermin scuttle amongst its remnants, creating an eerie atmosphere.

• Monster: 1d6 Giant Tiger Beetles (HD 3, surprise on 1–3, acidic bite)
• Treasure: 500gp worth of sapphires (approx. 2 stone)

Room 4: The Alchemist’s Catacombs

A series of long, low-ceilinged rooms lined with shelves filled with arcane ingredients, vials, and tomes. An unsettling quiet permeates this area, broken only by the occasional bubbling of potions. The scent of herbs and burnt chemicals stings the nostrils.

• Trap: Poison Gas (Save v. Blast or take 2d6 damage + nausea, -2 on all throws for 1 turn)
• Treasure: 1 stone of rare alchemical reagents (worth 750gp, trade good usable in potion crafting)​

Room 5: Eldritch Observatorium

Stargazer’s equipment scattered about this open chamber hints that it was once used for cosmic research. An enormous ceiling mural displays celestial arrangements where illusions come to life if gazed upon too long.

• NPC Encounter: 2d4 NPC Warlocks (Dark Path: Demonology), levels 3–6, seeking cosmic truth
• Interaction: They are neutral unless disturbed.
• Treasure: Scroll of Augury, apparent value: 1,500gp

Room 6: Hall of Reflections

This long hallway is lined with obsidian mirrors that seem alive, each revealing potential alternate realities. The walls thrum with energy, and glances into the mirrors show glimpses of possible futures and past regrets.

• Trap/Puzzle: Speaking to mirrors incorrectly summons a Phantasmal Horror illusion (as per Phantasmal Horror spell, Arcane 5)​
• Effect: If defeated by illusion, no XP. Proper interaction reveals minor clues (Judge’s discretion).

Room 7: The Void Gate

A massive archaic stone archway stands at the far end of the keep, jagged and pulsating. This is the entrance to another dimension, an abyss of color and sound. Caution is paramount, for too close an approach might entice the gate to unleash its chaotic contents.

• Monster: 1 Animated Statue, Crystal
• Tactics: Attacks intruders who approach within 20 feet of the archway. Reflects one spell per round (1 in 6 chance) and blinds with an aura burst once every 3 rounds (save vs. Blast or blinded 1d4 rounds).
• Hazard: The Void Gate itself emits a pulse of planar distortion every round. Anyone who ends their turn within 10' must save vs. Spells suffer a Transformation (Judges Journal, p. 94).
• Treasure: Essence of Chaos: A condensed magical mote in a brass sphere set behind the statue.
  • Allows one-time casting of any spell of level 6 or below. Cannot be identified without Arcane Engineering or Collegiate Wizardry throw (14+).
  • Apparent value: 4,000gp

Room 8: The King’s Audience Chamber

An elaborate chamber filled with the spectral remnants of court meetings. The grandiose table is adorned with scrolls and dust-laden goblets. Spirits of past advisors endlessly bicker, allowing adventurers to glean valuable secrets of the past.

• Effect: Bickering spirits can be questioned with a successful Theology or Knowledge (Occult) throw (14+)
• Treasure: Scepter of Connectivity
  • Allows speak with dead once per day
  • Apparent value: 2,500gp

Room 9: Lair of the Forgotten Sentinel

A wide room housing a statue of a massive sentry imbued with life-like qualities. Its eyes glow ominously, and the ground is littered with rusted armor.

• Monster: Forgotten Sentinel (treat as Construct HD 8**); magical construct with 3 major abilities

Treasure: Banded Plate Armor +2, Spellward. The wearer is protected by layers of magical wards as strong as his steel, able to expend five layers to resist hostile spells, elemental effects, and spell-like effects as the spell spellward. The armor’s expended layers are recovered at a rate of two per turn.

Room 10: The Crypt of Lost Knowledge

Dark, molded stone passages lead to this final room. Here, important tomes lie around a central pedestal, appearing alive with flickers of memory. A sense of being watched cloaks the room.

• Trap: Magic ward—Reading incorrectly triggers Memory Block: Spells save or lose spellcasting ability for 24 hours.
• Treasure: Book of Forbidden Knowledge
  • Grants 1d3 spells of level 5–6. Each use requires a save or suffer effect from Tampering with Mortality table.
  • Only usable by Arcane casters.
  • Can be transcribed with great difficulty.
  • Apparent value: 7,500gp

Conclusion

Game Masters can link The Enigma of Ebonstone Keep to larger campaigns by revealing it as a lost stronghold the players must reclaim to stand against rising darkness in the land. Perhaps the entities within the keep have been sending out manifestations or rifts that threaten local towns, causing them to enlist the players’ aid. The narrative can develop into an intricate tale of recovery, discovery, and the ethical dilemmas of wielding power too great for human hands. Use the anomalies and treasures within the keep to enhance player attributes and shape future encounters, ensuring a rich, immersive experience.