Vault of Horror #27

In the storm-lashed darkness, a desperate smuggler named Shannon gambles everything on a fabled shipwreck, only to find himself stranded and terrified when his crew refuses to face the legend of the Sea Hag. Drawn to a distant lighthouse, he finds refuge with Heather, the lighthouse keeper’s daughter—only to realize too late that the sea’s ancient horror has been waiting for him all along.

In "Coffin Spell!", the Crypt-Keeper spins a tale of greed and dread as two grave robbers, Nadyi and Janos, grow desperate to satisfy their employer’s need for fresh corpses. When they stumble upon a mysterious mausoleum brimming with sealed coffins, their search for a bigger wagon becomes a nightmare when the coffins burst open—unleashing a horde of vampires. As the men flee, Janos makes a chilling confession: one of the creatures has marked him, and his transformation is just beginning.

In "The Catacombs," two thieves flee with stolen silver, seeking refuge in the labyrinthine underground tunnels to hide their loot. As one betrays the other, the survivor finds himself hopelessly lost—only to return, in terror, to the body he left behind. When the lamp flickers out, the darkness becomes something far more dangerous than mere disorientation.

In "Out of Sight...", the Old Witch introduces a chilling tale of deception and betrayal at a fading carnival. The Great Brain, a man whose mind could identify any object blindfolded, belittles his loyal partner Benny after a failed performance. When Benny seeks comfort from the only woman who ever truly cared for him—Hulda—the Brain’s jealousy turns sinister, forcing her to submit to his will. Enraged by what he sees, Benny vanishes into the shadows, only to return moments later with a shocking revelation for the crowd.