THE CASTLE OF

THE ROBBER KNIGHT

“For two days you have wandered, and now you have
arrived at your destination. A grassy hill towers
before you. On its crest rests a ruined fortress –
the Castle of the Robber Knight. The warmth of the
inn’s fire in the village seems distant now, but you all
remember the old woman’s words. Long ago, a wicked
robber knight named Rothgar Wolfsbane plagued this
area, pillaging and plundering wherever he could.
He fought against everyone – humans, dwarves, and
elves – but it was the orcs who eventually brought
about his downfall. An orc clan marched on Wolfs-
bane’s castle and stormed it. Many lives were lost
that day, but in the end Wolfsbane fell and his castle
was ravaged by flames. Brave fortune hunters have
felt compelled to explore the robber knight’s castle
in search of ancient treasures, but none have ever
returned. Will you be the first?”

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 his adventure is a simple introduction to Dragon­ interesting place. In other words, there is no set ending to
bane. Many more adventures can be found in the The Castle of the Robber Knight.
game’s core set. If you are a player, stop reading Start by showing the picture on the previous page to
now. The rest of the text is for the GM only. the players and read the text above it. Draw the outline of
Adventures in Dragonbane have no predetermined plot the castle using the map on page 116 and fill it in as the
but are often about letting the player characters explore an player characters explore the different rooms of the castle.
Best of luck!

THE SITUATION
A long time ago a brutal robber knight ravaged the area in Now, many years later, the sounds of battle have faded
which this adventure takes place. His name was Rothgar but the ruins of the robber knight’s castle still stand.
Wolfsbane, and he fought everyone in his path – humans, On moonlit nights, passing travelers have heard the
dwarves, elves, and orcs. The sound of his dreaded war blast of Wolfsbane’s war horn and seen the headless robber
horn made the blood of his enemies run cold. knight appear in ghostly form. Rumors tell of caravans
So loathed was Wolfsbane that the elder folk, who and adventurers disappearing near the ruin, and nowadays
for ages had been sworn enemies, put aside their feuds most people take detours around the hill.
and united to face their common foe. Eventually, a horde It is true that the robber knight walks again in his
of orcs laid siege to the castle where Wolfsbane was castle. But what nobody knows is that a band of goblin
entrenched. The battle for the castle was bloody and many bandits led by the cunning Jaldo are summoning the head-
orcs fell to the robber knight’s blade, but in the end, they less wight to scare people away from the ruin. They have
overpowered him – Rothgar Wolfsbane had his head cut made the castle their own and it is from there that they set
off by an orc scimitar while his castle was engulfed in out to raid the surrounding area.
flames. The robber knight’s reign of terror was over.

LOCATIONS
Here are a number of locations the player characters can ✦ The Shrubbery: The road is partially overgrown and
explore in and around the robber knight’s castle. has not been used for a long time. The goblins prefer
to travel along a narrow path that runs parallel to the
road. The player characters discover it if they investi-
1. OLD ROAD gate the area.
Barely visible under brush and weeds, an old paved road ✦ The Helmet: Halfway up the hill is an old helmet of
winds its way up the hill. At its end looms a dark, dilapi- charred metal, partially hidden in the undergrowth.
dated castle ruin. A raven caws somewhere nearby. Despite its age, it is perfectly usable (armor rating +1,

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 RANDOM EVENTS
THE GOBLINS
For each full stretch the player characters spend in the
castle, perhaps searching a room or taking a short rest,
There are roughly ten goblins living in the castle.
you can roll D6 on the table below.
A couple of scouts are always keeping watch
high up in the old oak tree. A group of them D6 EVENT
are usually resting in the cellar alcoves while 1 Goblins. Two goblins suddenly appear. After
the others scurry around the castle on various a moment of confusion, they draw their short
errands. The goblins may ambush the player swords and attack with a shriek.
characters, be encountered in the cellar (loca-
tion #5), or show up as a random encounter. As 2 Rooting Pig. Merle the pig grunts contentedly in
GM, you can also have the player characters run a corner. When it notices the player characters,
into goblins whenever you see fit. it freezes with a startled oink and flees through
the nearest exit. If they hurt Merle, they will have
Movement: 10 Damage Bonus: — HP: 9 made an enemy for life in the orc Grunta (see the
cellar, location #5).
Armor: Leather (1)
3 Evil Spirits. Suddenly the air begins to vibrate and
Skills: Awareness 10, Evade 10, Sneaking 12
a cold whirlwind swirls around the player charac-
Weapons: Short bow (skill level 12, damage ters. The outlines of three long-dead warriors in
D10), short sword (skill level 10, damage D10) chainmail appear in the howling wind, reaching out
to the player characters as if to drag them into the
realm of the dead. Everyone must make a WIL roll
to resist fear before the wraiths disappear.

bane on AWARENESS rolls). The helmet looks nasty with 4 Storm. Dark clouds gather over the castle.
sharp spikes sticking out of the sides. Have the characters Suddenly the sky opens up in torrents of rain
roll MYTHS & LEGENDS – on success, they realize that and thunder rumbles through the valley. For the
the helmet was forged by orcs. Anyone who wears it will remainder of the adventure, all ranged attacks
get into trouble when they encounter the robber knight’s are rolled with a bane while outdoors.
wight later in the adventure 5 Ravens. A flock of ravens suddenly bursts from a
crack, heading straight at the player characters.
Everyone must make an EVADE roll, and those
2. GATE HOUSE who fail take D3 piercing damage from the
At the end of the road rises an old castle that must once ravens’ beaks and talons. Then the cawing flock
have been an impressive sight. Now it is a run-down ruin flies off towards the top of the tower.
with partially collapsed walls silhouetted against the gray
sky. In front of you is a broken-down gate of charred, rotten 6 Trap! The goblins have set a cunning trap in the
wood. The wind wails faintly as it seeps into the courtyard. form of a suspended warhammer that is trig-
gered when a player character (the one with the
✦ The Gate: The double gate of charred wood hangs lowest AGL) accidentally steps on a loose stone
open at the entrance to the courtyard. or floorboard. The player character who triggered
✦ The Snare: If the players say they examine the gate, they the trap must succeed with an EVADE roll or take
can make a SPOT HIDDEN roll. Success reveals a thin 2D6 bludgeoning damage.
trip line strung at knee height across the entrance. The
trip line is connected to bells on the inside of the gate. If
the player characters fail to detect the trap, it will trigger to the courtyard. On the other side of the hole is a long
when they pass through the gate and the goblins will plank that can be used as a makeshift bridge – anyone
ambush them from the tree in the courtyard (location #3). using it gets a boon on the roll. On failure, the player
✦ The Hole: There is a dark hole just inside the entrance. character tumbles into the cellar (location #5) and
The ground has collapsed into the old cellar, leaving a takes 2D6 bludgeoning damage. Each player character
four-meter drop onto cold, hard stone. The player char- can break the fall with another ACROBATICS roll,
acters must succeed with ACROBATICS to get across reducing the damage to D6.

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 THE CASTLE

5
4

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3. COURTYARD ✦ The Back of the Painting: If a player character exam-
The broken walls of the castle rise up around you, framing ines the painting closely or looks around the room and
a courtyard filled with rocks and rubble. A gnarled old oak succeeds with SPOT HIDDEN, they will find a note on
tree reaches for the sky from the center of the courtyard. the back of the canvas. It reads: “The scoundrel Rothgar
In the northeast corner is a stone staircase leading up to a Wolfsbane made me paint this portrait of him. If I do
rickety old tower. To the west, an open door gapes into a not make it out of here alive, I curse his name for all
stone building by the western wall. To the east there is a eternity! – Embarius.”
wooden hatch in the ground. ✦ The Sleeping Goblin: The goblin chief Jaldo has made
himself a little den among the rotten tablecloths and
✦ The Oak Tree: The long-dead oak tree serves as the broken crockery in the corner cupboard. He is fast asleep
goblins’ lookout tower and is where they ambush after the night’s festivities, with an empty wine bottle
intruding adventurers. Its branches allow the goblins and an old, unusually large drinking horn in his arms
to move with ease between the castle walls and other (a successful CRAFTING roll reveals that it is actually
locations without having to walk on the ground. a war horn). The horn may become important later in
✦ The Hiding Goblins: If the player characters triggered the adventure as it can be used to summon the undead
the trap in the gatehouse (location #2), the goblins have robber knight. If the player characters make too much
prepared an ambush. They wait until the characters have noise, Jaldo wakes up and sneaks out through a hole to
explored a location in the castle and come back out into warn his henchmen, who prepare an ambush in the oak
the courtyard. Then they strike by hurling themselves tree in the courtyard.
from the branches. Each player character may then roll
AWARENESS – those who fail count as surprised and Jaldo’s Sob Story: If the player characters surprise Jaldo
act last in the first round of combat (see the combat and wake him up, he realizes that he is outnumbered
rules). The goblins outnumber the player characters by and pretends to be a poor lonely goblin who got lost and
one. They all act on the same turn and share an initia- sought shelter in the castle. He quickly concocts a ram-
tive card. bling and ill-conceived story about a brutal orc clan taking
✦ Treasure: If the player characters climb the oak tree, over the castle and forcing him into the cupboard. Jaldo
they notice something glittering in a hole in the trunk. offers to show them where the orcs are hiding – he plans
Here the goblins have stashed some loot for unexpected to lead them to the cellar, where the not-so-violent orc
expenses. Roll once on the treasure tables on page 121 Grunta is confined, and lock them in.
to see what it is.

4. GREAT HALL
JALDO
What must once have been the great hall of the castle is
now a sad mess of half-rotten rafters, broken dishes, and
fallen mortar. The center of the room is dominated by a Small, sneaky, and very imaginative. Jaldo has
long oak table, and a large painting hangs askew on the the gift of the gab and has gathered a dozen
north wall. You hear a faint gurgling sound coming from a goblin followers with promises of wine, silver,
cupboard in the corner. and a home of their own – promises which, to his
great surprise, he actually managed to keep by
✦ The Oak Table: This is where the robber knight and finding the castle and quickly realizing that he
his adjutants used to eat. Now the table is covered could use the legend of the robber knight to his
in debris – pottery shards, old tin cups, broken wine advantage.
bottles, and moldy food scraps. The latter indicates that
someone has been eating here recently. A successful Movement: 10 Damage Bonus: — HP: 10
CRAFTING roll reveals that the pottery shards and Armor: Studded leather (2), open helmet (+1)
wine bottles are contemporary items of halfling origin.
✦ The Portrait: A large painting hangs askew on the Skills: Awareness 12, Evade 10, Sneaking 12
north wall. It depicts a stern man with evil gray eyes, a Weapon: Scimitar (skill level 12, damage 2D6)
wicked grin, and raven hair swept behind his head. He
wears a full suit of armor and carries a horned great
helm under his arm.

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5. CELLAR ✦ The Goblin Den: The alcoves along the southern wall
Below the hatch is a steep stone staircase leading under- are equipped with simple mattresses made of straw and
ground. It is damp and smells of earth. The stairs end sticks. Unless the alarm has been raised, there are gob-
in a large space with stacks of barrels lining the eastern lins (one more than the player characters) resting here.
wall. The southern part of the room has several alcoves
that the torchlight cannot reach. In a corner sits a large
orc who turns to you in surprise.
GRUNTA
✦ The Hatch: The wooden hatch to the cellar is not
locked when the player characters arrive, but it is
bolted from the outside. The hatch has armor rating 8 Grunta is an orc without a home or purpose.
but can be forced open with 20 points of damage. Cast out of her clan, she wandered the lands in
✦ Grunta: In the darkness of the cellar lives the orc search of a new one. Her constant companion is
Grunta, cast out from her clan and used by Jaldo and Merle the pig, whom she rescued from a hungry
his goblin bandits. Grunta’s only job is to blow the wolfman. They have been inseparable ever since.
robber knight’s horn and summon his wight on Jaldo’s When she met Jaldo and his goblins, Grunta was
command (the goblins’ lungs are too weak, so there is blinded by the promise of new friends and fell for
little more than a pitiful squeak when they try to blow his lies. Now she is stuck in the cellar because
the horn). Grunta is deeply unhappy and wants to she is too afraid to leave – afraid of Jaldo and
leave the castle but does not dare for fear of Jaldo. Her the robber knight’s wight and that the goblins
only joy in life is Merle the pig. might eat her beloved pig. If there was a chance
✦ The Skeleton: If the player characters investigate the to escape with Merle, she would take it.
room and succeed with SPOT HIDDEN, they find a
skeleton hidden under the rubble. Rusty chains reveal Mov.: 10 Damage Bonus STR: +D4 HP: 12
that the deceased was chained to a wall. Searching Skills: Awareness 14, Evade 10
through the bones, they find a rolled-up piece of
parchment with a sketched self-portrait of a young Weapon: Small wooden club (skill level 12,
man, titled “The artist Embarius in his youth”. damage D8)

THE ETERNAL WATCH OF ROTHGAR WOLFSBANE

When Rothgar Wolfsbane fell during the orcs’ siege There are three ways to overcome the
of the castle many centuries ago, only his corporeal robber knight:
form died. Despite losing his head, Wolfsbane was so
filled with hatred and cursed by so many that he was ✦ Defeating it in combat. However, the robber
doomed to eternal undeath. Since then, he has been knight rises again after one shift (about six
patrolling the castle as a headless wight, forever hours) and continues to haunt the castle.
looking for his mortal enemies: orcs. ✦ Crushing the robber knight’s skull at the bottom
The robber knight can materialize at the GM’s of the tower (#6). If this happens, the wight runs
discretion, but the wight can also be summoned by amok for two rounds (its Ferocity increases to
someone with strong lungs (STR 14 or higher) blow- 3) before collapsing in a pile of bones. Then the
ing Jaldo’s war horn (location #4). The wight attacks entire castle begins to shake and collapse. All
all living creatures except the person carrying the player characters must make an EVADE roll (not
horn. Orcs or people wearing the orc helmet (loca- an action) every round they remain inside the
tion #1) are attacked first. castle walls. On the first failure they take D6
With a little bit of cunning, the player characters bludgeoning damage, the second failure inflicts
can convince the undead robber knight that the gob- 2D6 damage, and so on.
lins are in fact tiny orcs (this wight is so blinded by ✦ Delivering the skull to the headless wight. If this
its hatred of orcs that it can be PERSUADED with a happens, the wight stops and puts its head in
successful skill roll). If they succeed, the characters place. Then it lets out a long sigh and collapses
can just sit back and enjoy their brilliant idea while as described above. The castle crumbles in the
the wight makes short work of the goblins. same way.
✦ Treasures: In one of the alcoves, the goblins keep THE ROBBER KNIGHT
some stolen goods of little value. Player characters who
poke around a bit and succeed with SPOT HIDDEN
can find something valuable – roll once on the treasure The robber knight is a wight and handled as a
tables on page 121 to see what it is. monster as per the rules. It carries a morning-
star (bludgeoning damage 2D8).

6. TOWER Ferocity: No. of PCs−1   Size: Normal

What must once have been a mighty stone tower is now
Movement: 10   Armor: 8   HP: 38
just a hollow shell. The floors above have collapsed, and
the roof is long gone. All that remains are fallen stones, Resistance: Takes half damage from non-­
mossy stone walls, and a stone staircase that winds its way magical weapons, except fire which inflicts
down, partly covered in rubble and debris. normal damage.
MONSTER ATTACKS
✦ The Ravens: A flock of ravens has nested high up in D6 ATTACK
the tower. Where the third floor once was there is now
1 Unholy Roar! A ghastly scream erupts
only a small stone ledge protruding from the wall. A
from the wight’s headless neck and cuts
player character who succeeds with an ACROBATICS like a rusty blade through the player
roll can climb up to the ravens’ nest. Roll once on the characters’ souls. Everyone within
treasure tables on page 121 to see what’s there. 10 meters suffers a fear attack.
✦ The Stairs: The way down is almost completely
2 Horrifying Threats! The wight turns
blocked by stones from the collapsed floors, but it to an unlucky player character within
is possible to get past the rubble by crouching and 10 meters and whispers horrifying
moving carefully. threats from its throat. The victim
✦ Hoofprints: A successful SPOT HIDDEN roll reveals becomes Scared, suffers a fear attack,
the muddy hoofprints of a pig leading down the stairs. and gets a bane on their WIL roll.
✦ Falling Boulder: When the player characters are 3 Hand of the Dead! The wight raises
halfway down the stairs, a large stone further up comes its hand and gestures at a player char-
loose and bounces towards them. Have everyone make acter within 10 meters, who is thrown
an EVADE roll – those who fail are pushed forward 2D4 meters and lands prone. The attack
and end up in the water at the end of the stairs, taking inflicts the same amount of bludgeoning
D8 bludgeoning damage. damage and cannot be dodged.
✦ The Pig: The staircase disappears into black water at 4 Sweeping Attack! With surprising
the bottom level of the tower. Decades of rainwater speed, the wight sweeps its morningstar
have turned what was once a wine cellar into a deep in a deadly attack. All player characters
well. On a ledge by the water, Merle the pig has made within 2 meters suffer 2D8 bludgeoning
himself a nest. If the player characters have not yet damage. The attack can be parried.
encountered Merle (see random encounter #2), he is 5 Crippling Cold! The wight grabs an
resting in the nest and greets the adventurers with a unfortunate player character who feels
surprised grunt. the chill of death spread through their
✦ The Helmet: If the player characters peer down into body. The victim takes D6 damage (armor
the depths, they see something shimmering in the has no effect) and must make an EVADE
black water. The well is four meters deep and it takes roll (not an action) on their next turn in
a successful SWIMMING roll to reach the bottom and order to act at all. If the roll fails, a new
find the treasure. Roll twice on the treasure tables on attempt can be made on the next turn.
page 121 to see what it is. There is also a grinning The victim also becomes cold and cannot
heal HP or WP until they get warm.
skull inside a rusty, horned helmet – this is the skull of
Rothgar Wolfsbane, which can be used to banish the 6 Power Attack! With creaking joints, the
wight. If the player characters have seen the portrait wight swings its morningstar in a powerful
in the great hall (#4), they immediately recognize the attack against a player character. The
helmet that the robber knight carried under his arm. victim takes 4D8 bludgeoning damage and
is knocked down. The attack can be parried.
The helmet has armor rating +2 but gives a bane on
AWARENESS rolls and ranged attacks.

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