ConquerorThe Manor of Lord Aldemar
The house breathes, the mirrors keep count, and no one leaves whole.
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One with the House. As long as the manor still stands, Aldemar cannot be permanently destroyed: at 0 hit points he disperses and rises again after 1d4 days somewhere else in the house, unless the entire manor is cleansed or destroyed.
Wall Walk. Aldemar can move through walls, ceilings, and floors as if they were difficult terrain. If he ends his turn inside an object, he is pushed out of it.
Shadow Grip. If a creature comes within 10 feet of Aldemar for the first time on a turn, he can use his reaction to force a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15); on a failure, the creature is frightened of him until the end of its next turn.
Choking Grasp. Spell Attack: +7, range 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (4d6+4) necrotic damage, and the target can't regain temporary hit points until the end of its next turn.
Possession (1/Day). Aldemar attempts to possess a humanoid within 5 ft. The target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw; on a failure, the target becomes possessed and Aldemar vanishes from sight into its body. The possessed creature acts according to Aldemar's will until the effect ends by a healing spell or until Aldemar leaves the body as a bonus action.
The Story
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.
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The fifth edition (5e). It is compatible with the common 5e rules and includes stat blocks and encounters.
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