The Manor of Lord Aldemar

The manor on the hill casts a shadow that falls against the sun, and whoever sleeps there dreams the dreams of the dead. A pale butler opens the door before you even knock: 'The master was expecting you.' Dinner is laid out, the clock ticks that should have stopped years ago, and from above comes a pounding that, the butler assures you, has always been there.

The house is alive. It shifts its corridors, seals its doors, and feeds on the memories of its guests. In the mirrors, reflections move a fraction too late, and each mirror holds captive the soul of someone who once sat at this table. Lord Aldemar died a century ago, but the house refused to let him go, and now it refuses to let you.

You search yellowed portraits and hidden rooms, unravel how the last lord met his end, and learn to read the mirrors without being trapped inside them. Every mirror you break frees a soul, but also weakens the walls between you and whatever breathes in the cellar.

The climax draws you to the beating heart of the manor, where Lord Aldemar dwells as the Shadow in the Walls, bodiless yet wearing the whole house around you, hungry to make you eternal guests. Break the curse and the house falls asleep at last; fail, and by tomorrow night your portrait hangs in the hall, and the butler is already expecting new guests.