There are several magical mechanics that are part of the Dread House. The GM is free to play these up or down as desired. Persistent Effects Although it appears normal, the house actually exists in two dimensions – the material world, and hell - specifically, the part of hell where the Dread Lords reside. It is a place of ghosts and demons. This situation is responsible for some magical aspects of the house. Fire Resistance: The house is almost completely resistant to fire. If any part of it is ignited, it burns itself out in moments. This fire protection does not extend to objects within the house. Damage Regeneration: A version of the Dread House exists on earth and in hell and each serves as a backup for the other. Mechanically, anything altered or destroyed in one dimension is left whole in the other. As a result, the house has the ability to fix itself by copying any parts of the house from the dimension where it is not broken and using them to replace the parts of the house that ARE broken. This effect is tied to the solar calendar and happens multiple times a year. However, during The Days of the Dead, the phenomenon is tied to the grandfather clock in the foyer of the Old Entry (1st Floor, Area 24), and happens every hour, on the hour. If desired, the GM is free to define and describe this as a persistent regenerative effect, and have the house “heal” as the group watches. The reality, however, is that as long as the curse of the Dread Wedding is not broken, the house cannot be permanently damaged. Only the natural decay of age defies this rule. Time affects the house as normal, with rot, decay, mold, and all the other glories of neglect creeping into the once magnificent estate. Once the Ceremony of the Dread Wedding begins, the house returns to the material world for the last time. When that happens the house becomes the “better” of its two versions, repairing damage as it does. However, from that point on, its connection to hell is broken and this effect ceases. Therefore, whatever happens to it in the real world is permanent (see EV19 The Dread Wedding). Aura of Darkness: All magical light sources within the house are magically dimmed, losing a level of brightness. Natural light sources, such as torches, lanterns, or candles, burn normally. Aura of Disease: Inside the house, under it, and on its roof, all saving throws against disease are done at -2. Furthermore, living creatures that are immune to disease are now susceptible, and must make saving throws vs. disease as if they were not immune. They fail only on a natural or modified roll of 1. Aura of Undeath: After killing everyone in the house it was his masters’ bidding that the Pumpkin Man hold all of the souls of the deceased in the house to suffer in torment forever. A creature of purest evil, he interpreted this in his own way - he raised the souls of all those who died in the house – EVER. He thus raised the spirits of over 200+ years

of Tashmere ancestors, servants, and friends. Furthermore, when adventurers or investigators die during the storyline The Dread Wedding, their souls become held by the Pumpkin Man. The GM is free to do whatever they want with this fact. Perhaps the player stays with the group as a ghost that they can see and talk to. Perhaps their spirit comes under the control of the Pumpkin Man and is forced to attack them! Or perhaps their soul leaves the house, showing their friends a way out

The House At Midnight At midnight during the Days of the Dead, the following effects occur: • The clock in the Old Entry (1st Floor, Area 24) chimes throughout the house and the Bell Tower rings immediately after. • The house performs the Hellshyft (if it has not already). • All damage done to the house that day is healed. For example, windows and doors that were previously smashed are now repaired. • Starting at midnight, there are always strange noises such as creaks, groans, shouts, screams, the rattling of chains, yells, cries for help, and so on in the house. Echoes and reverberations of sound are common. This makes it virtually impossible to sleep or locate people via sound. • Demons, Devils, and other creatures manifest within and without of the house, performing strange deeds, and creating horrifying visions and apparitions (See Dread Apparitions below). • The Bride’s Carriage leaves the carriage house and begins to hunt prey (G9). • Spirit leaves the stables (G10). • The Fireball of Francois de Niall begins to fly (G18). • All doors that lead outside the house become unlocked if they were previously locked. • The Midnight Hour/The Quickening Night: Starting at midnight, time warps, stretching and compacting to the needs of the adventure. The group has until dawn on the material world to finish the wedding and break the curse. How many actual hours the group must stay in the house until dawn breaks is up to the GM. The GM can stretch The Midnight Hour to be as many hours as needed, ending it when the clock strikes one. This allows the group to explore a large portion of the house or grounds without “burning the clock.” Alternatively time can accelerate at whatever pace the GM desires, with the final hours before dawn rushing by in minutes. • FOTHOT: Dread ghosts become slightly Unbound, able to move up to 100 feet from the area in which they manifest • FOTHOT: All creatures in the house with a CR of 7 or less gain the advanced simple template/+2 to all rolls (including damage rolls); +1 to special ability DCs; +2 to AC, +2 hit points per hit die.