Castle Nightlos | Free Location for D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e

Designed by Hana the Lorekeeper

Perched high on a hill, Castle Nightlos looms as a chilling reminder of a noble family’s tragic fall, its eerie halls patrolled by an enraged fiend and a protective ghost. Will adventurers uncover its secrets, survive its horrors, or succumb to the curse that lingers within its ancient walls?

Castle Nightlos - D&D 5e

Medium castle

“Long before your time, before my grandfather’s time, there lived a noble family on the hill. But tragedy would befall them, for enemies lurked amongst their staff. . .”

—Beginning to the Night of Fright, as told by a local bard.

High up on the hill is a stone wall surrounding buildings and towers. Something radiates from the stones that dares you to approach, certain you won’t.

Stories from the Past. Many years ago, the Roxa family lived in Castle Nightlos. They were good lords who cared for the land and those living on it. In return, the clergy created a barrier around Castle Nightlos to protect them from otherworldly threats. A rival lord who sought to take over the land, with no risk to himself, paid several members of their staff to bring a simple, silver-backed mirror into the castle behind the steward’s back. They placed the mirror in an unused study and forgot about it as the months passed. On the night of the winter solstice, the mirror’s latent magic activated, summoning a horrifying fiend into the depths of the castle and bypassing the castle’s wards. The fiend slaughtered everyone within the castle before disappearing with a cackle and a whirl of brimstone-infused smoke.

Today, Castle Nightlos stands abandoned, a relic of long-passed times. Vines creep up the stone walls, and wooden walls crumble with age. The stables, kitchens, libraries, offices, bedrooms, and halls all stand abandoned. No one dares live in the castle, not even rats or ravens, though many have tried. Those who spend the night in the castle often report seeing candles with blue flames and blood-stained swords floating around them. Chills sweep down empty hallways, and screams and fiendish laughter alike chase people out before sunrise. Those who do not flee are found dead the next morning, with burns and claw marks covering their bodies.

Treasure? Rumor has it that the Roxa vault remains undiscovered to this day. While locals aren’t tempted by such rumors, young, hotblooded youth from neighboring settlements may come to test their luck. Unfortunately, all this has led to is a string of terrified or dead teenagers and no vault.

Flickering Lantern. Town guards who see Castle Nightlos on their evening patrols occasionally report seeing flashes of light in the castle windows and shadows on the walls. Given that no one lives in the castle, some dismiss these reports as stories from overworked minds.

Karliar

Male fiend (incubus), neutral

Description. As a shapechanger, Karliar can change his form, voice, and mannerisms on a whim; however, his natural appearance is that of a horrifying horned fiend with red skin and cloven feet. Karliar is driven by lust, pride, and the thrill of a hunt, and he toys with his victims before killing them. His loyalty is entirely bound by that of his summoner, which means he will have no qualms about killing a previous summoner if his current one demands it.

Occupation. Karliar is Castle Nightlos’s boogieman. At night, he wakes up and stalks the grounds, toying with anyone crossing his path. Because the castle’s wards are still active, he cannot travel beyond its walls.

Secret. Karliar was summoned to the Material Plane to kill the Roxa family, and he would have been released to the Infernal Plane once he completed his task. Despite the years, he remains summoned on the Material Plane, and he now realizes that at least one Roxa escaped his hunt. The shame and rage fuel his nightly stalks of Castle Nightlos, but he does not know that Armonetta is aware of his failure.

Armonetta dela Roxa

Female human (ghost), chaotic good

Description. Armonetta dela Roxa, despite her untimely demise, holds herself with as much grace as she did in life. She appears in her usual human appearance, with a long dress, corset, smart boots, and a circlet in her hair. She can also shift her appearance to that of a burned and slashed woman in a nightgown, which is how she looked when she died. Her voice is echoey and faint but can rise to a blood-curdling shriek (though this drains her energy to do so). In life, she had minor magical abilities, and these carried over to her spirit life.

Occupation. Of all the Roxas, Armonetta is the only one who has returned as a ghost. Since Karliar still haunts the castle grounds, she also haunts the castle’s halls and walls . . . with the intent of driving out intruders before the fiend finds them. To do so, she summons illusions and possesses unwitting visitors, sending them running toward the gates where Karliar cannot harm them. Because of this, she has gained the moniker “The Lost Lady.”

Secret. Armonetta’s younger sister, Melodai, was socializing with the daughter of a nearby lord on the night of the massacre, so she was far away from Castle Nightlos. Although it has been many years since her death, she takes perverse pleasure in knowing that Karliar failed to kill their entire family. She is unaware that Karliar knows he failed to kill all the Roxa.

Castle Nightlos - Pathfinder 2e

Medium castle

“Long before your time, before my grandfather’s time, there lived a noble family on the hill. But tragedy would befall them, for enemies lurked amongst their staff. . .”

—Beginning to the Night of Fright, as told by a local bard.

High up on the hill is a stone wall surrounding buildings and towers. Something radiates from the stones that dares you to approach, certain you won’t.

Stories from the Past. Many years ago, the Roxa family lived in Castle Nightlos. They were good lords who cared for the land and those living on it. In return, the clergy created a barrier around Castle Nightlos to protect them from otherworldly threats. A rival lord who sought to take over the land, with no risk to himself, paid several members of their staff to bring a simple, silver-backed mirror into the castle behind the steward’s back. They placed the mirror in an unused study and forgot about it as the months passed. On the night of the winter solstice, the mirror’s latent magic activated, summoning a horrifying fiend into the depths of the castle and bypassing the castle’s wards. The fiend slaughtered everyone within the castle before disappearing with a cackle and a whirl of brimstone-infused smoke.

Today, Castle Nightlos stands abandoned, a relic of long-passed times. Vines creep up the stone walls, and wooden walls crumble with age. The stables, kitchens, libraries, offices, bedrooms, and halls all stand abandoned. No one dares live in the castle, not even rats or ravens, though many have tried. Those who spend the night in the castle often report seeing candles with blue flames and blood-stained swords floating around them. Chills sweep down empty hallways, and screams and fiendish laughter alike chase people out before sunrise. Those who do not flee are found dead the next morning, with burns and claw marks covering their bodies.

Treasure? Rumor has it that the Roxa vault remains undiscovered to this day. While locals aren’t tempted by such rumors, young, hotblooded youth from neighboring settlements may come to test their luck. Unfortunately, all this has led to is a string of terrified or dead teenagers and no vault.

Flickering Lantern. Town guards who see Castle Nightlos on their evening patrols occasionally report seeing flashes of light in the castle windows and shadows on the walls. Given that no one lives in the castle, some dismiss these reports as stories from overworked minds.

Karliar

Male fiend (succubus), neutral

Description. As a shapechanger, Karliar can change his form, voice, and mannerisms on a whim; however, his natural appearance is that of a horrifying horned fiend with red skin and cloven feet. Karliar is driven by lust, pride, and the thrill of a hunt, and he toys with his victims before killing them. His loyalty is entirely bound by that of his summoner, which means he will have no qualms about killing a previous summoner if his current one demands it. Unlike most succubi, Karliar has a masculine true form.

Occupation. Karliar is Castle Nightlos’s boogieman. At night, he wakes up and stalks the grounds, toying with anyone crossing his path. Because the castle’s wards are still active, he cannot travel beyond its walls.

Secret. Karliar was summoned to the Material Plane to kill the Roxa family, and he would have been released to the Infernal Plane once he completed his task. Despite the years, he remains summoned on the Material Plane, and he now realizes that at least one Roxa escaped his hunt. The shame and rage fuel his nightly stalks of Castle Nightlos, but he does not know that Armonetta is aware of his failure.

Armonetta dela Roxa

Female human (ghost), chaotic good

Description. Armonetta dela Roxa, despite her untimely demise, holds herself with as much grace as she did in life. She appears in her usual human appearance, with a long dress, corset, smart boots, and a circlet in her hair. She can also shift her appearance to that of a burned and slashed woman in a nightgown, which is how she looked when she died. Her voice is echoey and faint but can rise to a blood-curdling shriek (though this drains her energy to do so). In life, she had minor magical abilities, and these carried over to her spirit life.

Occupation. Of all the Roxas, Armonetta is the only one who has returned as a ghost. Since Karliar still haunts the castle grounds, she also haunts the castle’s halls and walls . . . with the intent of driving out intruders before the fiend finds them. To do so, she summons illusions and possesses unwitting visitors, sending them running toward the gates where Karliar cannot harm them. Because of this, she has gained the moniker “The Lost Lady.”

Secret. Armonetta’s younger sister, Melodai, was socializing with the daughter of a nearby lord on the night of the massacre, so she was far away from Castle Nightlos. Although it has been many years since her death, she takes perverse pleasure in knowing that Karliar failed to kill their entire family. She is unaware that Karliar knows he failed to kill all the Roxa.

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