The Forgetting of Lockwood Manor

Cairn Adventure Series 4

An adventure module for Cairn 2e by Yochai Gal

Credits: Written by Yochai Gal. Illustrated by Robbi Burns. Layout by Adam Hensley. Edited by Yossi Krausz. Developmental Editing by Derek B.

Published by Cairn Press in October 2026.

Text and layout are released under CC-BY SA 4.0.

Introduction

What Everyone Knows

Decades ago, Marius Lockwood, heir to a wealthy family, returned to his familial holdings with his wife Luciana and young daughter Anna. Less than a year later, the estate fell silent, and little was heard from the family again.

Characters should be able to recognize well-known family crests such as that of the Lockwoods. Meanwhile, rumors abound regarding a new waterborne illness that slowly kills its victims by filling their lungs with moss.

White Ravens

Popular among those who live close to the Wood, the followers of the White Raven (or “the Flock,” as they prefer to refer to themselves) believe strongly in the power of the Wood and in keeping its forests and creatures healthy. They can be identified by tattoos of a white bird on their wrists, necks, or backs. Every settlement keeps a Flock unique to their community, and their devotees distrust organized religion as a whole.

The House of Burgesses

An assembly of wealthy, land-owning lords and ladies. Cunning, assertive, and convinced of their own superiority, they can accomplish great things when acting as a single body. Unfortunately, their efforts are often undermined by individual squabbles, petty disputes, and their never-ending lust for power and prestige.

What’s Really Going On?

A few short months after arriving at the mansion, Marius began an affair with a servant, Isobel. Young and inexperienced, she fell in love with Marius and threatened to reveal their relationship to his wife. Marius, fearing the loss of his status in the family, murdered Isobel and buried her body in a nearby grove (see 11. Glade). What Marius did not realize was that young Isobel was a Half-Witch whose spirit cursed the Lockwood family and its descendants, infecting their water supply (9. Well) with Moss Sickness.

Soon after, Luciana began to show signs of the infection, her body slowly withering into an amalgam of human and plant. As her condition worsened, Marius withdrew from elite society, becoming more reclusive and paranoid by the day, even installing scrying mirrors to spy on his staff. Eventually he sealed the estate off from the outside world and ejected the rest of his servants. He then confined Luciana to their bedroom and forbade any visitors.

Eventually, Marius realized that in order to create a cure he would need a sample from a healthy relation — Anna. To ensure her safety, Luciana told her daughter to flee, and to drink a vial of Void Ichor (6. Workshop), which would erase all memory of her from the world. Aided by Mora the Cauchemora, Anna fled into the Wood, drinking the potion only once she was a safe distance away from her father.

Not wishing to experience the memory-death of her beloved daughter, Luciana took her own life. Upon discovering his wife’s corpse, Marius flew into a rage, and in a fit of madness took an experimental version of the cure for Moss Sickness, transforming him into a shambling mound. Today he roams the mansion, spreading the infection into nearly every room. Only 16. Yellow Room remains untouched.

In time, the estate fell into disrepair, the neglected hedges returning to a wilder form. Decades later, Isobel’s spirit continues to haunt the estate, wailing in sorrow and desperation.

Warden Notes

Hooks

• Burgess Lisbeth Milo has quietly made inquiries about the Lockwood estate, a once-grand villa north of Waterfall City. Milo seeks a capable group of adventurers to venture into the mansion and acquire any personal effects belonging to a woman named Anna Lockwood, as well as any information pertaining to her last known whereabouts. She offers 100gp per person as payment, and the party may keep any irrelevant items or treasure for themselves. Milo is Luciana’s grandniece, although she will not reveal this information to the characters.
• The village of Reprieve has suffered from a spate of strange waterborne illnesses over the past few weeks. The local Flock (Warden’s Guide) are asking adventurers to investigate a decaying mansion just north of the village. The Flock will pay 500gp (total), provided a cure is found and the illness stops. In addition, the Flock will owe the party a favor.

Ending the Adventure

Buried beneath the rock pile in 11. Glade, Isobel’s frail form continually infects the mansion’s water supply (9. Well). To break the curse, her name must be spoken aloud over her buried corpse. If left unresolved Isobel’s curse will continue to spread into the Wood and local streams, spreading the infection throughout the region.

Important Information

The adventure should begin outside of the estate (1. Gates). Roll a Die of Fate to determine the weather and time that the party arrives. Make a Reaction Roll for creatures encountered throughout the adventure, except for when encountering Isobel and Marius.

Sensory Details

There is no artificial light anywhere in the mansion, and most wall sconces, candelabras, etc., are too dew-heavy to be lit. The interior smells heavily of damp earth and moss, like a forest floor after heavy rains.

Mirrors

Mirrors are installed in every room except for the Workshop. The mirrors appear normal, but occasionally shimmer a phosphorescent green. In fact, each mirror acts as a viewpoint from the mirror in the 18. Private Chambers. If the glued wood backing is removed from the back of a mirror, the reverse side of the glass glows in the dark, but does not provide true illumination.

Blue Moss

Shed by Marius, especially if he is wounded. Harming the moss will draw him towards it (make a Dungeon Event roll). The moss covers nearly every surface of the mansion.

• Studying it reveals that it twitches every few minutes.
• It is drawn to nearby flesh, but will bend away from heat. A character touching the moss has a 4-in-6 chance of being infected with Moss Sickness.

Moss Sickness

A viral disease that spreads through water droplets or blood contact. Symptoms start with infected individuals coughing up a bluish moss and eventually dying of asphyxiation over the course of about a month. The cure is detailed in Marius’s journal (6. Workshop), but can only be implemented by a Greenwise or herbalist. A healthy relative of the patient is also required for the cure to work. If Isobel’s spirit is put to rest, the curse will end and any living victims of the curse will be cured.

NPCs & Creatures

Isobel

Isobel’s spirit haunts the mansion grounds, furious and spiteful. She does not understand that she is dead, nor can she directly interact with the physical world. The arrival of her spirit is always precipitated by a drop in temperature, and exposed sources of light flicker. Anyone encountering Isobel makes an immediate WIL save to avoid feeling Panic until she is gone. She never remains in any location for more than a single Dungeon Exploration Cycle. Speaking her name while in her presence causes her to flee towards her body in 11. Glade. If Isobel’s name is spoken aloud over her corpse, her spirit will be freed and the curse she has wrought will finally end.

Mossling

3 HP, 5 STR, 14 DEX, 12 WIL, toxic spores (d6, blast)

• Greenish bipedal growths spawned by various experiments. Intelligent.
• Susceptible to Moss Sickness and know to avoid the blue moss.
• Critical Damage: Painful chemical burns appear on target areas.

Infected Mossling

1 HP, 2 STR, 16 DEX, 4 WIL, infected spores (d10, blast)

• Blue-green Mosslings infected with Moss Sickness.
• Critical Damage: Spores dig into exposed skin (2-in-6 chance the victim contracts Moss Sickness).

Marius

Marius still roams the mansion as a Shambling Mound, spreading moss through every room except for 16. Yellow Room, which he avoids. He is always aggressive and cannot be reasoned with. If not already encountered, he is in 6. Workshop.

Shambling Mound

9 HP, 15 STR, 6 DEX, 12 WIL, tendrils (d8+d8)

• If defeated, he will re-form in 1d4 hours. Only the Purple vial in the vat in 6. Workshop can kill him permanently.
• Damage from non-bladed weapons is impaired.
• Critical Damage: Target is infected with Moss Sickness.

Dungeon Events

d4	Encounters
1	Marius	Inside: Heavy footsteps cause the manor to shudder. Outside: A dark figure lurches past an open window.
2	Mossling	A faint giggle is heard from deep in the dark, low to the ground. Something moves in shadow.
3	Infected Mossling	Nearby plant life shudders ever so slightly. There are streaks of blue shimmering through the green.
4	Isobel	A sudden drop in temperature followed by an anguished sigh from somewhere nearby.

d4	Environment
1	The floor is unstable and near-collapse. Make a DEX save or take d4 STR damage from the broken wood.
2	Moisture from the ceiling drips down, extinguishing open flames.
3	A deep floral scent wafts in from a westerly direction. There is an acidic finish to the smell, followed by nausea.
4	A howling wind drifts over the grounds. The manor moans and shifts in response.

The Mansion

Entrance

1. Gates

Ornate iron gates, heavy with rust, block the path. Thick, unmanicured hedges extend from the gates in all directions. A heavy mist enshrouds the area, obscuring the ground. Do not roll for an encounter at this location.

• Gates: 12 feet high and ajar, but only wide enough for a slim person not wearing a backpack to slip through. The word “Lockwood” is engraved on top, and split in the middle.
  • The letter “O” in “Lock” is embedded with a small gem worth 25gp.
  • If the gate leaves are opened any wider, they emit a loud creaking sound that echoes throughout the area (make a Dungeon Event roll).
  • On the other side of the bars, the greenery is tall enough to obscure the view from the ground.
• Hedges: 10 feet in height, they extend in both directions for a few hundred feet before turning north in parallel.
  • If the party follows the hedges in either direction, they will eventually find themselves back at the gates. If the party tries to retrace their steps, the gates reappear almost immediately. This is an effect of Isobel’s curse.
  • Climbing atop the hedge will reveal the mansion (3a. Entry) to the north, as well as a burnt building to the west (2. Servant’s Quarters).
• Mist: A trail leads north through the gates, then splits off to the west.
  • A large rusted lock lies near the gates, obscured by the mist. A red key is still inside the cylinder. If the key is removed, the key reverts to a puddle of useless fluid (see Key Syrup in 6. Workshop).

2. Servant’s Quarters

A small collapsed building of tarnished wood and stone. An iron stove peeks out from amid the rubble. A small path runs north from the building.

• Building: Burnt beds and tables of shabby quality, originally supporting up to four servants.
• Stove: Blackened and bent as if from a small explosion.
  • Marius sent the servants away without the time to properly douse the stove. When the fire began, there was no one to douse it.
• Rubble: Broken masonry, bedframes, and charred personal items litter the floor.
  • A piece of wall-mirror survived the fire, though its frame did not. The back of the glass is unusually phosphorescent and glows in the dark.
  • Buried in the ashes is a red ruby necklace worth 150gp. A gift from Marius to Isobel, it bears her name in engraved text. Anyone wearing the necklace finds that they cannot remove it (even by force). It can only be removed by one who was wronged by the wearer, but later forgave them. If Isobel is put to rest, the necklace returns to normal.
• Path: From the back of the building is a path leading to the intersection of 9. Well and 10. Outdoor Theater.

First Floor

3a. Entry

An asymmetrical, two-floor mansion with steep roof lines clad in fish-scale shingles. The facade looks built from an unusual greenish wood, and moss-covered stone steps lead onto an empty porch boasting two large red doors. The family crest is hung on the lintel above.

• Mansion: Heavy, thorny bushes hug the first floor of the building, obscuring a small window. Large bay windows are barely visible on the second floor.
  • Cutting the foliage can be accomplished within two turns, but only with heavy effort and the appropriate tools.
  • The small window leads into 5. Kitchen, but it is too dark to see anything inside. It is unlocked.
  • The bay windows lead to 12. Dining Room. The blinds are closed.
  • Both 10. Outdoor Theater and 9. Well are visible on the west side.
• Wood: Plant growth penetrates the wood, tinging it green.
  • The surface of the mansion is extremely slippery and nearly impossible to climb without specialized tools and relevant skills.
• Doors: Closed but not locked. Leads to 3b. Vestibule.
• Family crest: A shield; the field is a grid of blue and gold squares. The gold squares contain red diamonds, and the blue squares contain white crosses with pointed bottoms.
  • The crest (bulky) is untouched by moss and can be removed with proper tools. It is worth 100gp to the right buyer.

3b. Vestibule

A small but ornate waiting room with a pale couch pushed against the west wall. A single mirror is installed on the east wall. A short hallway leads to an open room to the north.

• Couch: Cracked leather. Pale blue moss grows through the cracks.
  • Moss: Created by Marius as he moved into 4. Ballroom.
• Mirror: A minor crack in the corner disturbs the glass. The gap it creates glows faintly, but only in total darkness.

4. Ballroom

A decadent ballroom and audience chamber with a tiled floor mosaic. Thick blue vines spill from a chandelier hanging in the center of the room. Blue moss grows from between the tiles near the west exit. A short set of stairs on the east side leads up to the second floor.

• Mosaic: Depicts a large crowd watching a dancer (Luciana) with her arm extended. On one finger is a real diamond ring. It can be pried loose in one turn and is worth 250gp.
• Vines: A Creeper in disguise. Attacks any living creature that crosses the room (DEX save to avoid).
• Moss: Shaped vaguely like footsteps. Created by Marius as he moved into 5. Kitchen.

!Dining Room

Creeper

4 HP, 12 STR, 13 DEX, 5 WIL, tentacle vines (d6, blast)

• Inert until a living creature comes near. Hates fire.
• Drain: Once bound, the victim loses 4 STR per round until they are completely drained of blood. The Creeper is defenseless when it is feeding.

5. Kitchen

Rusted cutlery is scattered atop a moss-covered table. A small mound of plant life grows between a small table and metal sink. Blue moss grows out of the cracks in the floor. A square-shaped mirror is installed in the ceiling. A window on the south side of the room is obscured by overgrowth.

• Mound: Thick moss grows from the corpse of a human.
  • The body belongs to the house cook, Jacob. Suction-shaped marks are visible along his legs, as he was fatally wounded by the vines in 4. Ballroom before crawling into the kitchen and expiring.
• Moss: Shaped vaguely like human footsteps.
  • Created by Marius as he moved from 4. Ballroom, through the kitchen towards 6. Workshop.
• Mirror: Operates like any other mirror in the mansion, providing a “top-down” view of the room when operated from 18. Private Chambers.
• Window: Obscured by foliage (see 3a. Entry). Unlocked.

6. Workshop

A tall cabinet with 30 small drawers is installed on the west side. A long workbench stands in the center of the room, a large vat placed atop it. Moss grows in small cracks, starting at the south entrance and stops near the workbench. There are no mirrors in this room. If he has not yet been encountered, Marius is here.

• Cabinet: Each drawer holds a different sample of herb or other plant, and each takes one turn to examine (see table below). Only an expert in plant life could identify them all. If looking for a specific herb, roll the Die of Fate!
• Workbench: Topped by a vat and tube set, as well as a journal.
  • Journal: Filled with difficult-to-read script and high-level botany jargon. Details the research of an M. Lockwood, trying to find a cure for his wife’s illness (the “Moss Sickness”). There is a definitive cure described in the text that any Greenwise can implement, provided a healthy relative of the infected is available. One sentence toward the end is quite clear: “Beginning trials on Anna tomorrow, as a precaution. Finally, the cure is at hand!” On the back of the journal is an appendix describing the workings of each potion held atop the Vat, but only their effects. No colors are indicated.
• Vat: Empty. Atop it is a rack bearing four bottles of liquid of varying colors.
• Red: Key Syrup. Pour into any lock; a single-use key will shape to match. 3 uses.
• Black: Void Ichor. Drink and all who knew you will forget you forever and ignore any references to your person, written or spoken. 1 use.
• Blue: Brittle Blade. Reacts with metal, sharpening its edge. The blade deals enhanced damage, then shatters on contact with blood. 2 uses.
• Purple: Flowering Death. Causes instant death to plant life, spreading and consuming all it touches until it makes contact with water. 1 use.

Workshop Cabinet Items

d6	Item	Effect
1	Dried Poultice	Heals 1d4 STR, 2 uses.
2	Length of Cat’s Hair	Feline agility, but easily distracted by shiny objects. 2 uses.
3	Soapberry Seeds	Small balls stained with black powder. Creates unyielding darkness. 2 uses.
4	Vial of Royal Jelly	Cures deprivation and can be consumed as Rations. 4 uses.
5	Essence of Bat Wing	Levitate uncontrollably for 1d4 minutes. DEX save to avoid disaster. 1 use.
6	Dried Foxglove	Understand the growls and chirps of the Wood for an hour. Must be smoked (become deprived). 1 use.

7. Greenhouse

The glass panels of the ceiling are mostly intact, casting a kaleidoscope of light onto the overgrown plants growing here. A sheepskin shroud covers a small area, and a manure-like fragrance is faintly detectable nearby. A small window is open on the east side.

• Plants: Unusual varieties. Some respond to touch; others make giggling sounds.
• Shroud: Hidden beneath is Green Rot, a bioluminescent fungus. While alive, it can provide light equivalent to a candle until it is exposed to direct sunlight.
• Fragrance: Originates from a small yellow flower with purple leaves called the Dreaming Daisy. Spending more than one Dungeon Cycle here causes panic, as the victim suffers horrific hallucinations.
• Window: An angled view of 16. Yellow Room. A rope made of sheets is visible.

8. Western Hall

Narrow wooden walls and bare wooden floors. Mirrors are installed on opposite ends of the hall, which turns sharply halfway. Stairs ascend to the second level on the East side.

• Mirrors: The turning point halfway down the hall acts as a blind spot. The floor is unusually scuffed here.
  • Servants would meet here so as not to be overheard by Marius.

9. Well

Trees line the north and east sides of a rectangular outdoor space. In the center is a small well. To the north is a small path through a thick copse of trees.

• Trees: Grow thick and close together. A larger person would struggle to pass through.
  • Stepping through the trees on the east side reveals a path to 16. Yellow Room through the rope made of sheets hanging from an open window.
• Well: A functioning rope and bucket hang over the well.
  • A sip of water from the well causes intense visions followed by a brutal hangover for d4 hours. (Attacks are impaired and the drinker is deprived.) They also become infected with Moss Sickness.
  • The visions are at first an amorphous sense of fierce anger and loss, followed by the image of a young woman’s face, bloody sheets, and the color blue.

10. Outdoor Theater

A wooden stage is constructed on the west side in front of a thick copse of mossy trees. A red curtain hangs over the stage, suspended from a rope strung between two long poles, and a large, angled prism is hung from a wooden pole near the east entry. Fine wooden chairs make a semi-circle around the stage.

• Prism: A powerful beam of light emanates from the object, pointed directly at the chairs and stage.
  • Shadows cast by the PCs from the prism dither and twitch eerily.
  • The prism is an artifact of great value (500gp). The device will not function during total darkness. Two individuals are required to safely move the prism.
• Chairs: In excellent condition despite their exposure to the elements.
  • Any character standing directly in the light of the prism finds they cannot move, as invisible bonds lace around their arms and legs. Moments later the curtain opens, and the shadows of the trapped onlookers bound onto the stage, where they morph into two “actors” ready to perform a play.
  • The shadow actors then pantomime a love affair between a man and a woman (Marius and Isobel) over three acts. It begins with their initial dalliance, is followed by Isobel’s pleas to elope, and ends with her eventual murder. The play is 3 dungeon cycles long, after which the audience is released. Disrupting the prism light or pointing a bullseye lantern at the shadow breaks their bond, dispersing the stage shadows as well.
  • If Isobel’s soul is laid to rest (see Ending the Adventure), the theater returns to normal.

11. Glade

A small clearing amongst the trees. At the center is a large mound piled with rocks.

• Clearing: No moss grows here, not even on stones.
• Rocks: Heavy, they require 3 turns to clear. Beneath the rocks is blackened earth.
  • Beneath the rocks is an impromptu grave for Isobel. Her corpse is still fresh, as if she died from having her throat slit just a few hours ago. On her neck is a small tattoo of a White Raven.
  • The dirt is muddy and raw, as Isobel’s necrotic energies have flowed into the water table below and into the well at 11. Glade.

Second Floor

12. Dining Room

An enormous empty wooden table occupies the room. Six small sculptures are arranged in alcoves along the east wall. Single mirrors are installed on the east and west walls. An empty chandelier hangs from the ceiling. Large bay windows face the south. A set of stairs descend on the west side.

• Sculptures: Busts of men and women of the Lockwood line. All but two are broken. One of the surviving busts is of a serious-looking woman with shoulder-length hair. The other is that of a high-cheeked young girl with long hair. Both are bulky and valuable only if sold unbroken (100gp each).
• Chandelier: Free from vines and can be re-lit.
• Windows: Completely covered by vines and foliage.

13. Hall of Rooms

Branched passages of gaudy yellow, wood wet with rot. Bluish moss covers nearly every spot of floor. On the east side are two rooms, one with a red door with an upside-down broom leaning against the outside and another with a blue door. On the west side is a yellow door.

• Moss: Only the floor nearest to 16. Yellow Room is free from moss.
• Red Door: Locked but easily forced. The broom can be moved aside with ease (see Cauchemora). See 14. Red Room.
• Blue Door: Unlocked. See 15. Blue Room.
• Yellow Door: Locked but easily forced. See 16. Yellow Room.

14. Red Room

The air here is fresh despite the lack of ventilation. A wooden privy is installed on the east side, opposite a small bureau with figurines arranged on top.

• Air: The walls and furniture are free of mold or age.
• Privy: Perfectly clean. Something shiny glints inside, six feet down.
  • After murdering Isobel, Marius tossed the blood-stained knife here.
• Figurines: Typical except for one, an old woman (Mora, see opposite) with goat-like eyes. She will remain in disguise until she can determine the party’s intentions, but will transform if picked up.

Cauchemora

An immortal spirit bound to serve a family so long as their descendants live. Their origin is the Wood, and they long to return to it. They take many forms, but are most often found as minuscule humans or black cats (their goat-like eyes never change). They love beer, hay, and whistling. They find sunshine uncomfortable and prefer the company of birds and squirrels. Household items (such as brooms) placed against doors act as a ward against the Cauchemara, and are often used to control their movement.

When angered, they can cause terrible nightmares and delusions in the minds of their enemies. Like people, they can be good or evil. They cannot be harmed by normal means, and have perfect memory.

Mora the Cauchemora

Mora is not her true name, but simply a nickname that Anna provided her. She quite likes it. She will return kindness with kindness.

When Luciana became ill, Mora cast a protective ritual on Anna, staving off the Moss Sickness. As Marius became increasingly paranoid, he began to suspect that Mora was working against him. Indeed, she provided Anna with the Key Syrup and Void Ichor (6. Workshop) needed to escape her father. As punishment, Marius trapped Mora in 14. Red Room by placing an upside-down broom against the door of the room. If the broom is ever moved, the ritual keeping Mora trapped there will be broken, and she will be free to move about the estate.

Mora happily reveals everything she knows about the history of the Lockwood family for a bit of food (especially hay). As a spirit, she is not affected by the effects of the Void Ichor and knows everything that has transpired between Marius and Isobel, and Anna and Luciana. Although she knows how to end Isobel’s curse and will happily inform characters that are kind to her, she will not act against Marius. Once freed she will wish for nothing more than to leave the cursed mansion and find Annafranax as quickly as possible.

15. Blue Room

The door to this room is painted blue. A simple bed is arrayed in the center of the room perpendicular to a small set of drawers. A tall mirror is installed on the north side.

• Bed: Sheets appear unused. The mattress below is stained blood-red.
  • Isobel was stabbed to death on this bed by Marius, who cleaned the sheets (but not the bed) before stashing the murder weapon in the privy (14. Red Room).
• Drawers: Bed linens and pillow cases are folded neatly within.
• Mirror: Unlike every other mirror in the mansion, this one is completely mundane.
  • Attached to the wall; with heavy effort (enough to trigger a Dungeon Event), the frame will swing open, revealing a secret tunnel to 18. Private Chambers.

16. Yellow Room

The door to this room is painted yellow. A bare bed is placed near an open window on the west side, and small dollhouse sits atop a small table nearby. Weather-beaten children’s toys are scattered across the wooden floor.

• Bed: The bed sheets are missing.
  • A small journal is stuffed between the mattress and frame. Written by a 13-year-old girl, it details the family’s move to the mansion and the early stages of her mother’s illness. It ends with remarks about her father exhibiting strange behavior. The final entry reads: “I am scared. Mother is helping me get away very soon” She says to run as far as I am able, and once I am free, to drink the black syrup from father’s workshop…” The entry is signed: Annafranax Milo Lockwood.
• Window: A curved awning protects the room from elements.
  • Looks out onto 7. Greenhouse and the copse of trees adjacent to 9. Well.
  • Rotting bed sheets hang from the windowsill, touching the earth below. The sheets will break if an adult tries to climb them.
• Dollhouse: A perfect replica of the mansion. The secret passage connecting 15. Blue Room and 18. Private Chambers is clearly visible in the toy structure.
• Floor: Untouched by corruption. Marius will not enter this room under any circumstances and will ignore any who enter it.

17. Library

Rotted bookshelves form winding paths throughout the room. A writing desk sits along the west wall, bedecked with a set of quills and ink bottles.

• Bookshelves: Mostly rotted. What’s left can be discovered with a thorough search (one book discovered per turn).
  • Field Guide to Natural Wonders: Any blood spilled on the page displays an illustration of the wounded creature, as well as basic facts and weaknesses.
  • Decorum of Stately Pleasures: Normal-looking. Shake it to reveal its real contents: smut.
  • Survive: Small and blank, but smells faintly of cinnamon. Pages can be eaten as Rations (5 uses). Can become a thick stew with a little water. Never goes bad.
• Desk: Sturdy but beginning to rot. The central drawer is unlocked.
  • Drawer: Contains various records for home goods, deliveries, and food. A list of household staff is written at the bottom: Jacob, Lester, and one that is crossed out. Only the letters “…bel” are still visible.
• Bottles: Labeled with symbols.
  • Circle: Blood-red. Opens a harmless fist-sized hole in any object or creature until it is washed off. 3 uses.
  • Butterfly: Bright purple. An animal drawn with this ink comes to life as a familiar, bound to whomever drew it. Attempts to draw anything else will not work (the ink returns to the bottle). 1 use.
  • Blank: Completely transparent; the bottle appears empty. Whatever it touches becomes invisible. 4 uses.
  • Dash: Darkest black. Quickly nullifies any of the other inks (including itself). 6 uses.

18. Private Chambers

A bed occupies the center of the room, a humanoid shape pressed into its center. A small writing desk and chair are pushed against the east wall, below a curtained window. A long mirror hangs on the south wall, and a hanging shelf is laden with personal effects.

• Shape: The desiccated corpse of a woman lies atop the mattress, a shard of glass in one hand.
  • The woman is Luciana. She cut her wrists with broken glass so as to avoid the pain of forgetting her own daughter due to the effects of the Void Ichor (6. Workshop). Her corpse is an amalgam of decayed human flesh and plant residue.
• Desk: Contains moldering clothes and useless personal effects. There are only a few items of value.
  • A token bearing the Milo family crest (a green ouroboros set against a red field). Luciana wore it on the day she married Marius.
  • An ornate necklace valued at 532gp.
• Window: Opening the blinds displays a view of the east hedges, surrounded by forest. It is a two-story drop to the ground, cushioned only by thorny overgrowth.
• Mirror: The mirror shows no reflection. A small section of the mirror is missing.
  • If the glass held by Luciana is returned to the mirror, it heals and displays a live view for any room in the mansion, even when that room is shrouded in total darkness.
• Shelf: Mostly small items of no value, as well as a standing illustration of Marius.
  • Beneath the shelf is a switch that activates the secret passage to 15. Blue Room, which swings open.
  • Anna would use this passage to visit with her mother after Marius locked Luciana away.

Dungeon Exploration Cycle

• Each turn, a PC may move ~40ft and take one action. Using the action to move instead allows up to 120ft, but risks a Dungeon Events roll (see below).
• A Dungeon Events roll is triggered when the party spends more than one turn in a room, moves haphazardly, enters a new area or level, or creates a disturbance.
• Actions are any non-passive activities: searching, forcing doors, listening, disarming traps, combat, spellcasting, resting, etc. Loud or noticeable actions may trigger an encounter. Some actions take multiple turns to complete.
• Searching one object or location exhaustively takes one turn and reveals hidden treasure, traps, or secret doors. Larger or more complex areas may take longer. Searching first is safer, but costs time.
• Resting one turn restores all HP, but requires light and a safe location. Resting does not restore Fatigue.

Dungeon Events Table

1	Encounter	Roll on an encounter table. Possibly hostile. (See Reactions Table).
2	Sign	A clue, spoor, track, abandoned lair, scent, victim, etc is discovered.
3	Environment	Surroundings shift or escalate. Water rises, ceilings collapse, a ritual nears completion, etc.
4	Loss	Torches are blown out, an ongoing spell fizzles, etc. The party must resolve the effect before moving on.
5	Exhaustion	The party must rest (triggering another roll on this table), add a Fatigue, or consume a ration.
6	Quiet	The party is left alone (and safe) for the time being.

Reactions Table

When the PCs encounter an NPC whose reaction to the party is not obvious, the Warden may roll 2d6 and consult the following table:

2	3-5	6-8	9-11	12
Hostile	Wary	Curious	Kind	Helpful

Lockwood Manor Map & Dungeon Events

d4	Encounters
1	Marius	Inside: Heavy footsteps cause the manor to shudder. Outside: A dark figure lurches past an open window.
2	Mossling	A faint giggle is heard from deep in the dark, low to the ground. Something moves in shadow.
3	Infected Mossling	Nearby plant life shudders ever so slightly. There are streaks of blue shimmering through the green.
4	Isobel	A sudden drop in temperature followed by an anguished sigh from somewhere nearby.

d4	Environment
1	The floor is unstable and near-collapse. Make a DEX save or take d4 STR damage from the broken wood.
2	Moisture from the ceiling drips down, extinguishing open flames.
3	A deep floral scent wafts in from a westerly direction. There is an acidic finish to the smell, followed by nausea.
4	A howling wind drifts over the grounds. The manor moans and shifts in response.

Back Cover

The Forgetting of Lockwood Manor is a gothic horror adventure about an estate where the crimes of its past residents live on, even after death!

Taking inspiration from the Winchester Mystery House, Swamp Thing, and Slavic folklore, this adventure is sure to provide a haunting experience for even the most seasoned characters, who must rely on their wits, gear, and resourcefulness to survive.

Dare you enter the manor?

The Forgetting of Lockwood Manor is the fourth entry in the Cairn Adventure Series by Yochai Gal, written for Cairn Second Edition.

ISBN: 978-1-971897-22-6