Salutations, Castle Whiterock fans!

We're officially well over the hump of the Castle Whiterock campaign, but still have some distance to go (and stretch goals to reach) before Mega Dungeon Month is over.  With just a little over a week remaining, we're hopeful we'll blow through the remaining two stretch goals before the end, adding more player handouts and the cool tarot deck to the treasure trove of Castle Whiterock gaming goodness headed you way.

Speaking of troves, remember it's not just Goodman Games producing cool Castle Whiterock material as part of Mega Dungeon Month. Our friends over at Gaming Honors have a little something called Siege on the Cerulean Spire detailing a time-traveling tower that arrives suddenly in the cavernous depths under Castle Whiterock. If that sounds like your jam (and it certainly does to me!) check out their Backerkit campaign here.

With that out of the way, let's hear from Bob Brinkman about his experience working on Castle Whiterock and some of the dangerous foes and locales you or your players might encounter in the dungeon:

By Bob Brinkman

While many of the designers involved in the project may be familiar with Castle Whiterock, I initially went into the project (enthusiastically) blind. This meant that, as I reviewed the adventure, I was free to consider how things would develop and expand into this newest incarnation, without the weight of nostalgia shaping my choices. There is something liberating about encountering a classic without any preconceptions. Nostalgia is great, but it isn’t the best of design choices after all.

 

Of all the monsters I worked on, I believe Anhkhotep to be my absolute favorite. This villain is no mere mummy, instead he is a primal undead being, outfitted with suitably powerful raiment that speaks to a history stretching back before living memory. While thoroughly befitting of the final threat of any adventure, here he is merely the menace confronted at the end of a single level, and he is a challenging foe indeed. That framing, a threat that is not the climax of the whole campaign, required careful calibration. He needed to be genuinely dangerous, while still leaving room for the escalating threats deeper in the dungeon.

 

One of the fun "fiddly bits" with Anhkhotep is that he may be encountered in one of two forms. The actions taken by the PCs as they journey through the level may leave him weakened, though still very much a threat, but should they miss a single step, they are confronted by the mummy at the fullness of his power. This rewards attentive play without punishing less thorough parties with an insurmountable wall. Both encounters are worth having; one simply leaves the players feeling clever, while the other reminds them just how dangerous it is to leave stones unturned beneath Castle Whiterock.

 

Of course, there is more to the adventure than monsters (no matter how diabolical) and the Inverted Tower of the dark elves is certainly a fun location. Why should intelligent races, living in massive caverns, simply dwell upon the floor level, where anything might stumble across them? No, the dark elves beneath Castle Whiterock are devious in ways that most players will not have encountered before, and discovering the location of the ancient outpost now home to the elves of House Forlorna carries its own particular satisfaction.

 

The history of the Inverted Tower ties in with Castle Whiterock while also intertwining with the legend of Chalychia, the Devil Lich. I was delighted that the events of Crypt of the Devil Lich tie into Castle Whiterock and, for those who have made that journey, there is an additional layer of lore waiting for them here. The world of Castle Whiterock is larger than any single level, and these connections are a reminder that there is always more adventure to be had beyond whatever new content sits before you.

 

If you are new to Castle Whiterock, you are in for a wild ride. If you are familiar with Castle Whiterock’s prior incarnation? Hang on to your seat!