Lost Citadel of the

Scarlet Minotaur
A 1st-3rd-level adventure for Shadowdark RPG

“The Red Devil will find you, one way or another."

-Muggins Greenbottle, renowned tomb robber

Video walkthrough of the adventure at youtube.com/thearcanelibrary

 Overview
ROOM KEY
The keyworded descriptions at the start of each location are safe to
share with the players. The bulleted details beneath are for the GM.

BACKGROUND
Long ago, a mighty enclave of warriors lived inside the Lost
Citadel. They worshipped bulls in ever-bloodier, cultish rituals that
culminated in their leader, Minoros, transforming into the Scarlet
Minotaur. This immortal avatar of rage slaughtered the warriors in
a single night of mayhem. However, some of their servants escaped
through the unseen halls used by the lowly. These beastmen hid in
the fallen citadel, trapped by superstitious fear of the outside.

FACTIONS
Beastmen. These grey-furred, feral beings have evaded the Scarlet
Minotaur for generations. They dwell in Area 23, believing dragons
wait outside to devour anyone who leaves the citadel. Endless fear
has made them vicious and craven. Their leader, Rogath, rules by
the might of his claws.

Ettercaps. Recently, a group of ettercaps crept into Area 4 from the

caves below the citadel. They slink through the minotaur-haunted
halls, tempted by forgotten gems and gold. They plan to depart "as
soon as we have enough loot," a moment which never seems to
arrive. They are leaderless and unanimously greedy.

The Scarlet Minotaur. Towering, blood-red, snorting and frothing. It

plows through the labyrinthine halls of the Lost Citadel looking for
creatures to slay. The minotaur returns to Area 18 between patrols.

52
 RUMORS
Ancient kings who dwelt in the citadel possessed magical
1
weapons that were feared far and wide.
2 A savage minotaur drenched in blood stalks the citadel's halls.
3 Piles of gems and gold lie about as if totally forgotten.
4 Beware when touching the body of a dead citadel dweller.
5 Opportunistic, grey-furred beastmen haunt the shadows.
6 The citadel is rife with secret rooms and passageways.

THE LOST CITADEL ENVIRONS & ENTRANCES

The Citadel. Cicadas buzz in the arid scrubland around the citadel.
Thick, sandy blocks and coral-red columns hold up its tiered
rooftops (30'-40' high, flat). The enclosed interior is a cool, dark maze
of vaulted chambers and halls that funnel into a central courtyard.

• Southeast Doors. To Area 1. Carved with bucking bulls, mid-leap.

• Northeast Hall. Shattered door lies before stairwell to Area 10.
• Southwest Hall. Open tunnel, leads into the labyrinth, Area 22.
• Courtyard. Area 18, open-air. Rooftop climbers can reach it.

ORDER OF BATTLE
Beastmen. Retreat toward Area 14 or Area 23, avoiding Area 18.
Know location of all secret doors. Lead enemies into bull statue
traps. Will not leave hiding to help others. Terrified of making noise.

Ettercaps. Creep along the ceiling, avoiding bull statues. Unaware

of secret doors. Retreat toward Area 4 and gang up to assist allies.
Distracted by treasure. Reluctant to enter Area 18.

The Scarlet Minotaur. Pursues its quarry and never retreats.

Unaware of secret doors. Forgets about unseen foes in 1d6 rounds.
Returns to Area 18 at least once an hour.
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 Areas 1-27
Danger Level. Risky. Check for an encounter every 2 crawling
rounds or after the PCs make loud noises (1d6, 1 = encounter).

Light. Total darkness unless noted. All denizens are dark-adapted.

Doors. Stone. 1:6 chance of being stuck shut. Unlocked unless noted.

NPCs. See pg. 64 for beastmen and ettercap NPC generators.

The Scarlet Minotaur. Each time you roll on the Random

Encounters table after the first, apply a cumulative -2 to the result
(treat results below 1 as 1). Reset this count each time an encounter
with the Scarlet Minotaur occurs.

RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
d8 Details
1 The Scarlet Minotaur (Area 18) stalks into sight, bellowing
challenges and pawing the stone
2 1d4 ettercaps and 1d8 beastmen clash in a bloody melee
3 A dry gust of wind extinguishes all torches and lamps
4 1d6 ettercaps creep along, searching for gold and gems
5 The skeletons of 1d6 dead adventurers or warrior-mages
stagger into sight
6 2d4 beastmen argue in hushed whispers over who gets to
eat the centipedes they just trapped in a bag
7 1d4 darkmantles swoop out, bobbing and spinning in a
territorial warning dance
8 A cave creeper rushes along the ceiling toward light

54
1. MURAL CHAMBER
Walls: Floor-to-ceiling murals painted in vibrant jewel tones. Red
Pillars: Tapered, banded in black marble at top and bottom.
• Murals. People in white robes kneeling in a room of red pillars
before a colossal, onyx bull with horns lowered.
▶ Hidden Niche. Behind bull statue. Silver-inlaid bull horn (30 gp).
• Ettercap NPC. Eska (weaselly, disloyal). Just hid a stolen pearl
in Area 2. Hides on the northeast corner of ceiling. Screeches an
alarm and flees toward Area 4 if attacked.
▶ Escapes. Three ettercaps from Area 4 set an ambush in Area 2.

2. BLINDING CAVE
Walls: Flecked with countless, smooth shards of quartz. White
Bundles: Man-sized, several stuffed into cave corners.
• Ettercap Ambush. If Eska in Area 1 raised alarm, three hostile
ettercaps from Area 4 cling to 20' ceiling.
• Walls. Dazzlingly reflective. DC 12 DEX when entering with bright
light or blinded for 1d4 rounds (ettercaps are unaffected).
▶ Prying. Carefully extracted piece of cave wall serves as a mirror.
• White Bundles. Five beastmen wrapped in ettercap silk. 1:6
chance one still lives. Pearl (40 gp) hidden inside one's mouth.

3. WEB-CHOKED CAVE
Walls and Floor: Covered in thick, gauzy sheets of webbing.
• Webs. Sticky. DC 12 STR to break free and move each turn. Highly
flammable (1d6 damage to stuck creatures, burns 1d4 rounds).
▶ Rolled Parchment. Stuck in webs, 10' up. Scroll of Hold Portal.
• Secret Tunnel. Hidden by a wall of webs. Ettercaps reseal it each
time they pass through.
▶ Chittering. Listeners hear shrill, tittering whispers from Area 4.

55
4. ETTERCAP NEST
Creatures: Group of purple-furred, potbellied humanoids with
spindly legs. Snarling at each other about a missing pearl. Cave:
Cramped, tufts of spiderweb everywhere. Floor: Neat piles of gold
and lustrous objects. Ceiling: Low (10'), three narrow shafts (1').
• Ettercaps. Five. Three go to Area 2 if Eska (Area 1) raises an alarm.
Might parlay, but are fatally treasure-crazed. Squeeze through
ceiling shafts with scoops of each other's loot if outclassed.
▶ NPCs. Skir (animated, loud), Yisha (tiny, sinister), Grisk (old,
irritable), Uliss (lumbering, dull), Chee (silver fur, elegant).
• Treasure. 12 evenly-valued piles (some belong to wanderers). Eska
(Area 1) stole a pearl from Grisk's share and hid it in Area 2.
▶ Details. 200 gp, 2 pearls (40 gp each), alabaster statuette of
a bull (20 gp), 2 silver incense bowls (15 gp each), jade snake
bracelet (20 gp), necklace of thick gold links (30 gp).

5. ROBING CHAMBER
Skeleton: Pinned to wall. Hands clasp a spear jutting from ribcage.
Walls: Chipped mosaic of cavorting dolphins. White robes on pegs.
• Skeleton. Wears decaying, crimson-dyed leather armor. Bronze
shortsword hangs from belt.
▶ Spear. Driven deep into stone with inhuman force. Bronze tip.
• Robes. Four. Musty, rotten. Bronze key to Area 21 in one's pocket.

6. BATHHOUSE
Statue: A life-sized, snake-haired woman with arms raised and
mouth open in a scream. Stone Basins: Smooth, human-sized.
• Statue. Turning the hinged arms down causes scalding water to
spew from mouth (DC 12 DEX to leap aside or 1d4 damage).
• Basins. Six. Coiling snake carvings. Stone plugs wedged in drains.
▶ Removing Plugs. Cumulative 1:6 to unleash a scarab swarm.

56
7. BULL STATUE
Bull Statue: Towering (10'), bronze. Horns lowered for a charge. Hall:
15' high. Pairs of deep holes punched into wall opposite statue.
• Statue. Motion-activated. 3:6 chance/round it animates and
charges to end of hall (ignores Scarlet Minotaur). DC 15 DEX or
2d6 damage and knocked flat. Trots back to position and resets.
▶ Emerald. 120 gp, embedded in statue's forehead. Shattering (AC
20, 1 HP) deactivates statue but reduces gem's value to 20 gp.

8. BLOOD BOWLS
Alcoves: Square, black plinths each hold a simple terracotta bowl.
• Bowls. Six. Stamped with a seal that shows a warrior kneeling in a
black rain, arms and mouth open to the sky.
▶ Blood. Filling a bowl with fresh blood charges the blood with
healing magic (1d4 HP, must drink). Once used, bowl crumbles.

9. SORCEROUS PILLARS
Pillars: Four pairs, painted rich jewel tones. Capped in black marble.
Body: Purple, spindly humanoid lies facedown halfway across room.
Greatsword: Bronze, brightly polished. Blade is sunken into a black
marble altar beyond the pillars.
• Pillars. Moving past each pair activates their effect. Returning
past the pair ends it. In order, from north to south:
▶ Red. Anything flammable on you ignites. 1d4 damage/round.
▶ Blue. Sea water fills your lungs. You drown in 1d6 rounds.
▶ Green. Poisoned. DC 12 CON on your turn or lose turn.
▶ Purple. You go blind and move at half speed.
• Body. Ettercap. Scorched fur. Mouth and chest matted with salt
rime. Claw marks around eyes.
• Greatsword. DC 12 STR to remove from altar. +1 greatsword called
Asterion. A creature cannot move the wielder against their will.
57
10. BULL STATUE
• Bull Statue. As Area 7. Skeleton stuck on horns covers emerald.

11. PRISON
Door: Hefty stone slab with keyhole. Cold and damp to the touch.
• Door. Unlocked, barricaded from inside. DC 18 STR to force.
▶ Listening. Faint metallic, clinking sound on other side.
▶ Keyhole. Darkness with a few points of bobbing, red light.
• Inside. Four skeletons in tattered, red leather armor shuffle
around, knocking into manacles anchored to floor. Four bronze-
shod spears braced through handle (broken if door opened).
▶ Walls. Scratched in ancient Common: "Days since the Beast
appeared." About 40 tally lines below it, gradually fainter.

12. ARMORY
Floor: Tangled heaps of gaping skeletons. Walls: A bronze dagger
sticks in the stone by its point. Alcoves: Splintered, wooden racks.
• Skeletons. Twelve. Several are cut completely in half. Tatters of
red-dyed armor, shattered shields, and bronze shortswords.
▶ If Touched. Cumulative 1:12 chance one rises as wight (once
only). Otherwise, skeleton nearly rises, but collapses into dust.
▶ Treasure. The wight wears a gold Scarab of Protection.
• Racks. Red shield with black bull painted on it, three spears.
• Walls. Scorch marks and scratches. Deep, sweeping gouges at
chest and head height.
• Beastmen. Three listen from Area 14. If PCs are noisy/destructive,
adjust their attitudes one step toward hostile.

13. BULL STATUE

• Bull Statue. As Area 7. 40 gp scattered at statue's feet.

58
14. HIDDEN HALL
Hall: Silent and narrow. Stale, dead air. Smell: Urine and body odor,
eye-watering. Floor: Scattered with rat bones and centipede husks.
• Beastmen. Three. Ragged, grey fur. Each stands by one of the
doors, listening. They regroup in Area 14 if PCs enter. If PCs are
noisy, adjust their attitude one step toward hostile.
▶ NPCs. Haruut (stocky, mistrustful), Grall (young, timid), Chops
(long jowls, blustery). They speak in harsh whispers and cringe
at loud sounds.
• Secret Doors. All visible from this side.

15. JAR STORAGE

Terracotta Jars: Clustered in corners. Fat and rounded, various
heights. Air: Sulfuric scent. Sound: Occasional faint squeak and hiss.
South Door: White, jagged lines gouged into the stone.
• Jars. 20 jars sealed with cork and wax. Stamped with images of
people carving wheat with scythes. Sticky, black mush inside.
▶ Explosive. Shaking/striking jar causes it to shatter from sulfuric
gas buildup. DC 12 DEX or 1d4 damage. Possible chain reaction.
▶ Treasure. Cumulative 1:20 chance of finding an ivory egg shot
with grey veins inside one (40 gp). It's actually a cockatrice egg.
• South Door. Carving in Common: "R.I.P. Orwyn the Younger."

16. OFFERING BOWLS

Halls: A weighty, stone bowl in each. Chest-high. Murals: Rows of
peasants pour jars of gold coins and wheat into massive, grey bowls.
Imperious, red-armored warriors with bronze spears supervise.
• Stone Bowls. Smooth and worn. Placing food or gold inside
grants a Luck Token (once per character).
• Human NPC. Giuseppe Baldini, N herbalist (crotchety, middle-
aged, poor). Wants treasure. Hides behind southeast bowl.

59
17. BROKEN BULL STATUE
Bull Statue: Towering (10'), bronze. Head and horns smashed deeply
into cracked wall. Body: Pinned between wall and bull head.
• Statue. No longer functions. Shattered emerald (20 gp)
embedded in forehead.
• Body. Young, human man in chainmail and helm. Carries bastard
sword and shield (splintered). Dark green cloak.
▶ Backpack. Torch, 10 pitons, 60' rope, withered apple, and a silver
locket with a painting of a smiling, red-haired woman (5 gp).

18. CENTRAL COURTYARD

Bull Statue: 20' tall, black onyx, rippling muscle. Horns lowered
and dotted with white objects. Courtyard: Sandy flagstones, sun-
scorched. Heaps of bleached bones. Red Pillars: Free-standing,
some shattered and crumbling. Cast cool, dark shadows.
• The Scarlet Minotaur. 3:6 chance of being present. If not,
cumulative 1:6 chance per round it returns. Minotaur: 9' tall, wine-
red fur. Charges at shadows, headbutts pillars, snorts and bellows.
Two-headed, bronze +1 greataxe called Bloodlust; wielder deals
x4 damage on a critical hit.
• Bull Statue. 30 humanoid skulls in various states of rot punched
onto horns like necklace beads. Some have traces of grey fur.
▶ Ritual Sacrifice. Punching a freshly beheaded humanoid skull
onto a horn grants +1 point of Strength. Each additional time:
cumulative 1:4 chance of transforming into a beastman.
• Bones. Trampled and crushed. No skulls. Piles of dented armor
and broken weapons, both steel and bronze.
▶ Treasure. Each round spent sifting reveals one of the following:
1. Scarred mithral shield carved with prowling tiger (40 gp),
2. Bag of 60 gp stamped with long-dead emperor, 3. Scroll of
Burning Hands in bronze tube adorned with jade dragons (80
gp), 4. Silvered longsword with half-moon pommel (30 gp).
60
19. BAS-RELIEF HALL
Creature: Gangly, gray-furred humanoid sprawled on the ground
facedown. Lumpy burlap sack near hand. Walls: Bas-relief carvings
dense with human figures and scenes.
• Beastman NPC. Brell (frail, panicky). Fell and cracked his head
fleeing from a sound. Wakes up in 1d4 rounds.
▶ Traits. Scorned younger brother of beastmen leader, Rogath
(Area 23). Naively loyal. Hopes to earn his brother's affection.
▶ Burlap Sack. Two dead rats, necks snapped. A gift for Rogath.
• Carvings. Scenes of acrobats leaping over charging bulls and
warriors fighting in ritualistic combat.
▶ Hidden Niche. Behind a bull-leaper. Silver, horned helm (15 gp).

20. MOSAIC ROOM

Floor: Mosaic of rich orange, yellow, and red tiles in a swirl pattern.
• Mosaic. Pattern camouflages a mottled ochre jelly. 3:6 chance of
stepping on it without careful inspection.

21. THRONE CHAMBER

Door: Bronze, emblazoned with sun and projecting rays. Locked.
• Door. Key is in Area 5. Each failed attempt to open without key
causes door to glow hot. Cumulative 1:6 chance it shoots three
random rays of fire (+4 attack, 2d6 damage each).
• Inside. Bronze throne with skeleton (not undead) impaled by a
golden spear. Red pillars with script in ancient Common.
▶ Skeleton. Sits on throne (50 gp, two gear slots). Wears a gold
diadem with a pearl (60 gp). Hands clasped around +1 spear
called Vigilant. Its wielder cannot be surprised.
▶ Pillars. Lists of tributes paid to the Bull God, Oros, by the
Warrior-Kings. Damanthus the Brave gave gold, Sarpen the
Wise gave wheat, and Minoros the Cruel gave blood.

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22. LABYRINTH
Halls: Narrow, 20' tall, shadowy at top. Tight corners. Hot wind
rushes through. Floor: Skirls of sand blown in from outside.
• Sand. Fading, cloven hoofprints. Two handspans wide each.
• Dead-Ends. Clusters of gourd-sized, terracotta jars. Various earth
tones and shapes. Most are smashed.
▶ Intact Jars. 1d6 per dead-end. Each has 1d4 gp, handful of
ash, and pinkie-sized, human doll of colorful thread. Taking
anything: 1:20 chance of ghost haunting on next full moon.

23. BEASTMEN LAIR

Creatures: 15 hunched, grey-furred humanoids chewing on
centipedes and speaking in harsh whispers. One lounges on a mat
of rat pelts, picking his teeth. Room: Grimy, cramped, scattered with
rodent bones. Smell: Unwashed bodies, urine.
• Beastmen. Hostile toward noise-makers. Superstitious about the
(non-existent) dragons that wait outside the citadel to eat them.
▶ NPCs. Rogath (hulking, lazy, feared leader). Minions: Grenton
(wiry, mistrustful), Hargol (eyes point in different directions,
agrees to everything), Beetle (scuttles, elaborate plan-maker).
▶ Alliance. Rogath wants Scarlet Minotaur dead so he can be king
of the citadel. Cheerfully sends his hated brother, Brell (Area 19),
and his non-minions into danger to help this effort.
• Secret Doors. All visible from this side. A beastman guards each.

24. LOOKOUT ROOM

Creatures: Two shaggy, stooped humanoids listen sullenly at doors.
Room: Filthy, low ceiling. Stench: Wet animal and dung.
• NPCs. Irvog (young, earnest), Blort (scarred face, disciplined). If
PCs are noisy, adjust their attitude one step toward hostile.
• Secret Doors. All visible from this side.

62
25. TRAINING CHAMBER
Armor Stands: Five suits of red-dyed leather reinforced with bronze
studs. Weapon Rack: Bronze weapons covered in a rime of dust.
Walls: Countless chips and nicks.
• Armor. Touching armor or taking a weapon off rack causes three
suits to spring to life (animated armor) and attack for 1d4 rounds.
• Weapon Rack. Five short swords, longswords, shields, and spears.

26. HALL OF KINGS

Alcoves: Bronze, lifelike statue of a man on a raised pedestal in each.
• Statues. Athletic, proud, similar facial features. Draped in robes,
wearing diadems with pearls (40 gp each). Each holds a weapon.
▶ Inscriptions. In ancient Common. Damanthus, Son of Aster
(greatsword), Sarpen, Son of Damanthus (spear), Minoros, Son
of Sarpen (greataxe).
▶ Diadems. Trapped. Touching the pearl causes the statue to
swing its weapon (+5 attack).

27. SACRIFICE CAVE

Cave: Chilly and damp, high ceiling (30'). Dripping stalactites. Pool:
Crimson water, murky and still. Smell: Coppery, metallic tang.
• Spirits. Dozens of smoky, humanlike shadows flicker at the edge
of darkness. If the light ever goes out, they descend with ghostly
shrieks, dealing 1d8 damage/round to each character.
• Pool. 20' deep. Cursed water clouded with blood. DC 12 CON
for each round of contact or temporarily lose 1 point of Wisdom
(heals after rest). If 0 Wisdom, permanently become catatonic.
▶ On Bottom. Graveyard of dozens of human and bull skeletons.
Among them are 200 gp, a Wand of Blind/Deafen, three onyx
bull statuettes (15 gp each), Boots of the Cat, and a tiny bottle
that houses the soul of a mighty sorcerer named Malfune.

63
 NPCs
BEASTMEN NPCS
d10 Names Appearances Behaviors
1 Rat / Gobbo Patchy / Sickly Glares / Lurks
2 Barto / Hule Scarred / Fat Whispers / Burps
3 Egor / Ralk Broken jaw or nose Scratches / Snorts
4 Dent / Borvin Stooped / Short Picks nose / Growls
5 Nila / Bugg Elderly / Stout Creeps / Rushes
6 Tail / Ludo Missing ear or tooth Yawns / Drools
7 Skred / Billo Braided hair / Bald Limps / Sulks
8 Halda / Yarv White fur / Skinny Paces / Chews nails
9 Crag / Dorel Clean / Blank stare Polite / Complains
10 Lorga / Mouse Wild eyes / Lanky Curses / Silent

ETTERCAP NPCS
d10 Names Appearances Behaviors
1 Skalt / Trisk Groomed / Rotund Preening / Haughty
2 Kreel / Bisky Singed fur / Gangly Twitches / Cowers
3 Slivin / Slaask Blue eyes / Spotted Bossy / Skeptical
4 Tiri / Vilis Pained / Hunched Delicate / Squeamish
5 Chiska / Liss Springy / Withered Hasty / Alarmist
6 Jarla / Miri Sickly / Molting Distracted / Mutters
7 Char / Squill Missing limb / Tall Clicks claws / Hisses
8 Fisk / Yeek Scarred / Lumpish Nosy / Gossips
9 Chirr / Vim Filthy / Hulking Critical / Sarcastic
10 Rask / Miska Jewelry / Clothing Rude / Surly

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65
The Lost Citadel
Animated Armor

25

26

27 Beastmen
S
Beastmen 24
23 S

Ochre Jelly
L S
20
Brell Scarlet Minotaur
S
21 19 18

L
In/Out
22

In/Out

22

15
16

22 Giuseppe B

Broken

L Locked: DC 20 DEX pick, DC 18 STR force B Barricaded: DC 18 STR

 B Bull Statue: Motion-activated, 3:6 charge, DC 15 DEX or 2d6

N
In/Out

B 10

B
7

12
11 13
Wight

Skeletons
6
S S Scarab Swarm
B
B

Beastmen
14
5

1 Eska
3

S
In/Out 2
17
4

Ettercaps

S Secret Door: Wall silently rotates when pushed