Ruined castles are a classic adventure locale, particularly in borderland or contested regions. A castle’s lofty, crumbled walls and towers can hold many foul things (along with the treasure those foul things have accumulated). 

Use these tables, to add depth and verisimilitude to the ruined castles in your campaign. 

Outside the Castle

A ruined castle’s approaches are an excellent place to start building the atmosphere and flavour of the upcoming adventure. It’s also a great place for the GM to sow hints about the castle’s history and what might currently lurk within.

1. Thick stands of brambles and bushes ward the ruin’s approaches. Here and there, game trails force their way through the dense undergrowth.

2. Tracks in the dried mud betray the presence of animals—perhaps deer, foxes and wolves—along with other more dangerous bipedal predators.

3. Partially hidden by thorny bushes, and the boughs of two youngish saplings, a tumbled pile of moss-covered stones hints at an ancient burial.

4. The mouldering remains of a brown cloak are snagged on a thorny bush. They flutter in the breeze; inattentive—or paranoid—PCs may assume the cloak is a lurking enemy.

In the Ruined Castle

Ruined castles are ripe with the possibilities of adventure, but present different challenges to those of a normal dungeon for adventurers to overcome. One of those challenges is the abundance of outdoor, open space. A castle likely has a courtyard, outbuildings and more; it’s likely the PCs will choose to explore all such areas in search of loot.

1. Moss and lichens grow in patches across the castle’s crumbling walls. In places, the growths entirely obscure the stonework. 

2. A scattering of rubble mars the mud and weeds of the castle’s courtyard. Here and there stands of taller grass, tangled brambles and small bushes complete the look of decrepitude. 

3. The blackened, crumbling carcass of a cart lie amid the rubble and ruin. One of its wheels is missing. Perceptive PCs find the wheel’s shattered remains a short distance away, languishing in a patch of thick weeds.

4. The battlements atop this section of wall look to be in particularly bad repair. Moss grows thick across the wall  here—and could be the only thing holding the crenelations in place!

Inside the Ruined Castle

Many things are attracted to ruined castles—for even in their decrepit state they offer shelter and protection from both the elements and enemies. Sometimes organised bands of bandits or raiders inhabit a castle while other times the above-ground portion of the ruins is home to vermin and other—four-legged or winged—predators.

1. Scratches and marks on the wall record the names of the folk that once dwelled here. Some of the names appear with a date alongside. Some are surprisingly recent.

2. Charcoal smudges on the wall show where someone once stubbed out a torch.

3. The faint smell of mould and rot hangs in the air. Shortly thereafter, the party discover a pile of rotting wood and fabric mouldering away against a wall. (It looks like a tapestry fell over a piece of furniture).  

4. The flagged floor is rough and uneven—some of the flagstones have shifted with the passing of the years.

Under the Ruined Castle

Ruined castles almost always have dungeons, burial vaults and cellars. Such locales are the favourite haunts of undead, necromancers and other foul things trying to hide from the sun’s harsh radiance. Heroes often explore such places, in search of gold and glory.

1. Water oozes through the wall—from the cracks between the faced stone blocks—to collect in a small pool on the floor. The air is musty. 

2. Dusty cobwebs festoon the ceiling, obscuring it from sight. In places, they hang from the ceiling and drift gently in the breeze.

3. The sound of water dripping into some far off pool or puddle reaches the party’s ears.

4. The skeletal remains of a warrior lie sprawled across the flagstones. A spear rammed through the unfortunate’s ribcage pins the remains to the floor. One skeletal hand still clutches the spear’s shaft as if the he tried to pull the spear free before succumbing to his wounds.

Want More?

The material in this article appears in 20 Things #27: Ruined Castle. Members of our Patreon campaign got 20 Things #27: Ruined Castle free as a thank you for their awesome support. Join today!