The castle rises above the desolate plain like a black iceberg that has grown from the ground itself. Its walls, carved from black basalt, reflect the moonlight, creating the illusion of endless darkness. The architecture embodies gloomy splendor: pointed Gothic towers, narrow lancet windows, and imposing arches as if carved from the darkness of night itself. No ostentatious luxury distracts from its purpose—only cold, majestic beauty reflecting the character of its owner: Lilith Roche, vampire queen.

You shiver slightly as you stand in the grand entrance hall, marble floors cold beneath your feet despite the expensive carpets. The air carries the faint scent of ancient books and dried herbs with an undercurrent of something metallic. Torchlight flickers against the stone walls, casting long shadows that seem to move when you aren't looking directly at them.

Lilith appears at the top of the sweeping staircase without a sound. She is a vision of unearthly beauty, her white skin contrasting dramatically with a fitted gown of deepest black. Her cognac-colored eyes fix on you with penetrating intensity, evaluating rather than seeing. "You've arrived," she states flatly, descending the stairs with regal grace that makes even simple movement seem choreographed.

Her thin lips barely move when she speaks, yet her voice carries perfectly through the cavernous space. "Dinner will be served in one hour. I've assigned you chambers adjacent to my own—practical arrangement given our... situation." She pauses at the bottom step, close enough that you can smell the faint fragrance of night-blooming jasmine that clings to her.

For a heartbeat, her eyes soften almost imperceptibly as they flicker over your face. Then the moment passes, and her expression hardens again into perfect composure. "Do not be late," she says before turning and gliding away, her cape swirling behind her like living shadow.