History Literature / BeneathNightmareCastle

* EnfantTerrible: You might get attacked by knife-wielding ''children'' in the Streets of Neuberg.

* WouldHurtAChild: In Neuburg you may end up fighting some murderous, knife-wielding street urchins for your life.

* AnAxeToGrind: The Runic Axe, owned by a Dwarf gardener: while it is a powerful, magical weapon, it also turns the wielder into a frenzied berserker unable to withdraw from a battle once he's engaged.

* MookLieutenant:
** While most of the Southern Swordsmen have relatively low SKILL and STAMINA in the single digits, you might get into a fight with an elite swordsman (accompanying a dwarf) which has surprisingly high stats of '''SKILL 9 STAMINA 18'''.
** You can find another Swordsman with SKILL 11 later on, though he only has STAMINA 6.

* SamusIsAGirl: [[spoiler:You find out near the end that Senyakhaz, the person responsible for Tholdur's situation and for kickstarting the whole mess, is a rather beautiful woman and [[KnifeNut a skilled knife-fighter]].]]

* ProngsOfPoseidon: The Trident of Skarlos subvert the first two types mentioned in the trope description: it's a Dwarven weapon made of a blueish metal which can be used with one hand, must be assembled and deals extra damage to sorcerous creatures or undead.

* MookLieutenant: While most of the Southern Swordsmen have relatively low SKILL and STAMINA in the single digits, you might get into a fight with an elite swordsman (accompanying a dwarf) which has surprisingly high stats of '''SKILL 9 STAMINA 18'''.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[ApologeticAttacker: Please, I don't want to hurt you, the armor is making me do this]]. Please get out of here!]]

''Beneath Nightmare Castle'' is the twentyfifth entry in the ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' series of gamebooks, written by Peter Darvill-Evans.

Much like Literature/HouseOfHell, ''Beneath Nightmare Castle'' takes an approach closer to a horror story than a fantasy one; namely the grotesque alien madness of the [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian Horror]] such found in horror classics like Literature/TheCallOfCthulhu and Literature/AtTheMountainsOfMadness. Along with the usual scores of Skill, Stamina and Luck, you also start with a score of Willpower, which determines your sanity and will, which slowly decreases each time you have to roll a Willpower Test or you see something really disturbing or creepy. If your Willpower drops below 6 and you fail a test, you [[NonStandardGameOver go insane from the ordeal and your quest is over]].

!!''Beneath Nightmare Castle'' contains examples of:

* BackFromTheDead: Xakhaz was thought dead and long defeated, his carcass sealed under the Keep. "Thought" being the keyword here...

* BlobMonster: Several of the disgusting creations of Xakhaz include the deadly Brain Defiler, the grotesque Death-Kiss Protoplasm and the obese Vlodblad. [[spoiler: The Luminous Warrior is really a giant slug-thing compressed in a suit of armor.]]

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Baron Tholdur is under the spell of Senyakhaz and completely unaware of what's really going on in his castle. Subverted with the Spiked Maiden, she is aware of what's going on but she cannot do anything about it.
* BlackEyesOfEvil: The Tentacle Woman. It's not mentioned in the text, but can be seen in the removed illustration.
* CognizantLimbs: If you, for some unfathomable reason, decided to pick up a severed Blood-Lurcher's tentacle and put it in your sack, after some time you'll find out that it devoured some of your provisons to turn into a [[PersonalSpaceInvader Death-Kiss Protoplasm which tries to latch on your face]].

* DeletedScene: The infamous, deleted illustration for paragraph 50 (the encounter with the woman with the tentacles coming out of her mouth), which was left out because of it's disturbing nature. Can be seen [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fightingfantasy/images/d/d7/BeneathNightmareCastleBanned.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20081112011236 here at your own risk]].
* DistractedByTheSexy: One room in the dungeon reveal three beautiful girls that entertain you with a captivating dance, [[spoiler: who're actually Senyakhaz and two illusions, trying to mesmerize you enough to lure you into a trap.]]

* DragonInChief: Since Xakhaz spends the story as a SealedEvilInACan, it is Senyakhaz who drives the plot, leading the Southern Warriors, [[spoiler: Making Baron Tholdur her slave while passing as his advisor]], reviving him, and helping him prepare his return. Xakhaz is only faced after she is dealt with.
* EldritchAbomination: The incomprehensible alien hideousness of the grotesque ancient horrors stalking Neuberg is enough to rip a man's mind into tatters of madness ''on sight'' '''before''' they do the same to his body.
** Xakhaz himself takes the cake. His new makeshift body is a humongous, writhing, grotesque amalgation of monstrous body parts, defying logic.

* EvilWeapon: The Runic Axe forces you to fight all your opponents to the death, while the sword of Vlax the Slayer still hosts the soul of the bloodthirsty owner in the hilt and will possess you if you wield it.

* GiantSpider: A massive one is summoned by Senyakhaz, [[spoiler: but is really an illusion.]]
* InTheHood: Senyakhaz in the throne room of Tholdur, [[spoiler: hiding, among various things, her real gender.]]
* InfinityPlusOneSword: The Trident of Skarlos, if you manage to find both its components (and the spearhead is mandative to find the handle): it was made to kill undead and sorcerous creatures, which means it gives you more Skill, deals extra damage to those foes and restores some of your Willpower and Luck upon finding it. [[spoiler: It also ''really'' enjoys ripping Xakhaz's undead body apart.]]

* MasterOfIllusion: Senyakhaz is incredibly skilled with this type of magic. [[spoiler: You can uncover her if you have the Trident of Skarlos.]]
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: You can end up killing people who were out to help you, and you ''will'' end up if you wield the Runic Axe. [[spoiler: You can also get a second-rate ending if you smash the portal machine in Senyakhaz's room, which means that you won't be able to reach Xakhaz.]]
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Xakhaz is an evil sorcerous mad-scientist revenant cultist with a body made of spare bodyparts and tentacles. [[spoiler: Plays against him, as he's both undead and a sorcerous creation, which means that the Trident of Skarlos will butcher him like there's no tomorrow.]]

* SamusIsAGirl: [[spoiler: You find out near the end that Senyakhaz, the person responsible for Tholdur's situation and for kickstarting the whole mess, is a rather beautiful woman and [[KnifeNut a skilled knife-fighter]].]]

* SinisterScimitar: The sword of Vlax the Slayer, which results in DemonicPossession if you wield it. Also, the warriors from Zagoula patrolling Neuburg are armed with scimitars.
* SpikesOfVillainy: The Spiked Maiden. Zigzagged in that she's the sweetest girl ever, but it's the Armor itself that controls her.
* StuffBlowingUp: [[spoiler: If you didn't find the Trident of Skarlos or the Talisman of Loth, but you did find a green luminous orb, you can OneHitKill Xakhaz by throwing him the orb, which will detonate in the middle of his body.]]

* TownWithADarkSecret: Neuburg under Xakhaz' threat, with terrified people, murderous street urchins, hostile guards and monstrous abominations shambling in the night, looking for blood.
* TunnelKing: Subverted, digging through the dirt under the pavement of your cell does lead you somewhere else... namely, into a deeper, locked out part of the keep, forcing you to return to your cell. [[spoiler: On the bright side, it is the same area that contains the handle of the Trident of Skarlos, which is incredibly useful for your quest.]]

* WouldHurtAChild: In Neuburg you may end up fighting some murderous, knife-wielding street urchins for your life.

* LovecraftCountry: A menacing town of unfriendly and paranoid folks secretly harboring ancient horrors older than mankind? Neuberg is a medeival Innsmouth in all but name.

* TunnelKing: Subverted, digging through the dirt under the pavement of your cell does lead you somewhere else... namely, into a deeper, locked out part of the keep, forcing you to return to your cell. [[spoiler: On the bright side, is the same area that contains the handle of the Trident of Skarlos, which is incredibly useful for your quest.]]

* WarGod: Oiden, whose followers are on your side, it's highly implied to be this.

Much like Literature/HouseOfHell, ''Beneath Nightmare Castle'' takes an approach closer to a horror story than a fantasy one; namely the grotesque alien madness of the [[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian Horror]] such found in horror classics like Liteature/TheCallOfCthulhu and Literature/AtTheMountainsOfMadness. Along with the usual scores of Skill, Stamina and Luck, you also start with a score of Willpower, which determines your sanity and will, which slowly decreases each time you have to roll a Willpower Test or you see something really disturbing or creepy. If your Willpower drops below 6 and you fail a test, you [[NonStandardGameOver go insane from the ordeal and your quest is over]].

* AndIMustScream: The Baron's daughter is very lucid and aware of her situation, but she cannot do anything for her predicament as the Armor forces her to attack anyone who comes near.

* StuffBlowingUp: [[spoiler: If you didn't found the Trident of Skarlos or the Talisman of Loth, but you did found a green luminous orb, you can OneHitKill Xakhaz by throwing him the orb, which will detonate in the middle of his body.]]

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Baron Tholdur is under the spell of Senyakhaz and completely unaware of what's really going on in his castle. Subverted with the Spiked Maiden, she is aware of what's going on but she cannot do anything for it.

* LovecraftCountry: A menacing town of unfriendly and paranoid folks secretly harboring ancient horrors older than mankind? Neuberg is a medeival Innosmouth in all but name.

As you can see from the title and description, ''Beneath Nightmare Castle'' takes an approach closer to a horror story than a fantasy one. Along with the usual scores of Skill, Stamina and Luck, you also start with a score of Willpower, which determines your sanity and will, which slowly decreases each time you have to roll a Willpower Test or you see something really disturbing or creepy. If your Willpower drops below 6 and you fail a test, you [[NonStandardGameOver go insane from the ordeal and your quest is over]].

* CombatTentacles: The Mottled Kraken, the Bloodlurchers and, infamously, a woman-like mutant that spawns a mass of tentacles from her mouth (a picture which was removed from the book as it was considered too scary).

* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Xakhaz is an evil sorcerous mad-scientist revenant with a body made of spare bodyparts and tentacles. [[spoiler: Plays against him, as he's both undead and a sorcerous creation, which means that the Trident of Skarlos will butcher him like there's no tomorrow.]]

''Beneath Nightmare Castle'' is the twentysixth entry in the ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' series of gamebooks, written by Peter Darvill-Evans.