This decadent inner-city home brims with gothic luxury and hides a sinister secret. It contains many traditional spaces like a formal sitting room, dining room, ample kitchen with attached servant quarters and bathrooms full of the latest porcelain fixtures. Would work great for hosting the players for a suspicious dinner party, or even see my roleplaying notes and suggestions below. A hidden chamber in the basement opens by the twist of a torch and reveals a demonic ritual circle ready to be completed. what will they summon? did they summon it already? are the players the sacrifice or simply dessert?
inspired by both my current fixation on anne rice’s new orleans gothic and watching wuthering heights. i wanted something luxurious, creepy and old.
Belladorn Hall – 4k Gothic Horror Manor Map with a Basement Secret
[ambient playlist]
[combat playlist]
This is high-stakes, epic combat music with gothic undertones; a little dramatic, but depending on the CR of the devil boss you use, might be fitting!
[roleplay suggetsions]
below, find some roleplay suggestions for family members including very simple roleplay cards to give you an idea of who they are. all art is made with SilentSam’s Dark Fantasy Character Creator
The players may be hired as additional security for the manor in the days leading up to a high-profile wedding between Morgan Simonet and the sole daughter of a neighboring, extremely wealthy noble family. They can stay in the guest quarters, following the recent firing of their live-in servant, who was allegedly stealing from them.
Elenydd Simonet
Personality Trait
Elegant, superstitious, anxious, devoted to her family.
Ideal
Family above all
Bond
I must maintain the respectability of my family.
Flaw
I trust in anyone who trusts in the same Gods or Ideals I do.
Ideas
Elenydd believes in the God of Renewal (Ts’ehayi in my world, Lathander in 5e) and believes her family’s hardships will lead to success if she prays and is faithful enough.
Secrets
Elenydd suspects her husband is having an affair, but will only share with someone she trusts. He has been sneaking out late and smells of an ashy, spicy perfume.
Thibaud Simonet
Personality Trait
Drunk, paranoid but hides it well, plays the role of the fool.
Ideal
Money solves everything.
Bond
I gambled and lost. I owe a lot of money to a lot of bad people.
Flaw
I would do anything to stay wealthy.
Ideas
Thibaud is like to throw money at any problem he has, including the party asking questions, if he can’t just pretend to know nothing and be an idiot first.
Secrets
Thibaud made a pact with an Archdevil to get endless wealth; his daughter suddenly received a marriage proposal from a neighboring wealthy and noble family with only one son. On the day of the wedding, he needs to do his ritual in the basement. The servant has actually be killed and its heart cut out; see body in cage in basement.
Louie Simonet
Personality Trait
Kind, mild-mannered and meek.
Ideal
One day, I’ll become a knight.
Bond
I’m terrified in the face of any danger or threats.
Flaw
I fear being a disappointment more than anything.
Ideas
Louie is reclusive and spends most of his time reading manuals and journals of knights and knightly behavior. Definitely a gentleman.
Secrets
He heard his father and the servant arguing in the basement while getting a midnight snack and fled in fear when he heard signs of a struggle. Doesn’t want to say anything because he can’t stand the thought of being disowned or otherwise receiving any wrath from his father and feels guilty over his weakness in time of need. Can be convinced to help at the pressing of his hypocrisy and his beliefs
Morgan Simonet
Personality Trait
Intelligent, witty and bold. Annoyed at having to be married.
Ideal
I always question everything.
Bond
I love my siblings and will go through with this marriage to ensure their stability.
Flaw
I loathe my mother’s piety and believe her religious charity is the source of my family’s problems.
Ideas
Morgan is presented as this intelligent free-thinker, but she knows the least about the family. She spends all her time trying to avoid her parents so she has no idea what’s actually going on.
Secrets
She knows her family is having major money trouble. Believes the party to be guards against violent reclamation of their wealth to settle their debts — the only thing she’s right about.
Gwyneth Simonet
Personality Trait
Obedient, oblivious and cheerful, Gwyneth is too young to understand the reality.
Ideal
I love my family more than anything.
Bond
My father is the BEST dad in the whole world. Anyone who says otherwise is stupid!
Flaw
Everyone says I’m too naive, but I don’t know what that means.
Ideas
Gwyn is young, maybe 8, bright-eyed and happy. She seems like she wouldn’t know anything because she’s just a child, but she knows more and will reveal the most if the players play with her.
Secrets
While playing with dolls, Gwyn would reveal that her sister’s fiancée hates the family and has often said mean things to her about her clothes and hair while at church. Isn’t it weird that they’re getting married?
Things to find within the manor itself:
- Papers on the servant’s desk indicate the servant resigned with a simple resignation letter. An investigation check may reveal that it is the same handwriting as the father, if they see any of his handwriting.
- The diary on the nightstand of the master bedroom could contain mysterious notes about meeting with a mysterious A for a few weeks and finally getting his debts sorted. Tears stain the page.
- The papers on the master bedroom desk show extreme debts, letters from debt collectors demanding repayment
- The servant’s personal things like clothes are still in the guest quarters
Any confrontation with Thibaud could result in him summoning a devil of whatever CR is appropriate for your players/levels. I think this works best as a low level, small one shot or insert.
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