I started throwing this together in my head a few weeks ago, and I'm ready to put together a first piece. I'm not sure if the graphic will appear properly on Blogger ... so if it doesn't, you can find it on the wiki, here.
This is intentionally presented with little preamble. The set up is as follows: the players enter any location, such as a tavern, an inn, a shop or any similar location, and find there several casualties, all badly wounded. One will mistake a random player for a friend, and will begin babbling that the players must "stop the invaders" and that they "went through the downstairs door." If the players go downstairs, they will not find any door in the cellar ... but a search for a hidden door will automatically reveal one. This will lead the players into the top left of the map.
Additional information should be something the DM can add - such as how to close the open gate and so on, which can be done by hand or a lever. The dungeon description is intended as a guideline which the DM can elaborate upon.
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| Updated First Level |
For space, the dungeon material is written in 6 pt. font. It is completely readable on the wiki.
Comment. It would be a good encouragement for me taking the time to continue with this idea.
UPDATE:
There's a flaw on this map. The heavy reinforced door cannot be "locked and barred" from the inside. There either has to be a secret door among the library, or the door cannot be locked and barred.
My original idea for what was beyond that door changed; that's why the error happened. I'm going to leave it as it is ... so I am probably going with the secret door idea.
FURTHER UPDATE:
Upon further reflection, and having had an additional idea, I've decided to change the door so that it is unlocked. I will repost the image when I have the updated areas (inspiration!) added.
I've been looking to spice up my game a little. This will be a nice changeup. I'll use it on Sunday and post comment on how it went.
ReplyDeleteOkay ... but I have plans for a lot more content.
ReplyDeleteInteresting presentation. Would you run it just with the map? Be hell on an ink-jet to print out.
ReplyDeleteThe clues are interesting. Will you be expanding this particular level?
Wandering monsters?
I don't do anything on paper, as my combats are presented on a display screen slaved to my lap top. So I hadn't thought of that. But it can be redrawn for use.
ReplyDeleteThis is the complete level, but my plans are to expand on this, and draw maps connected to the three shafts.
My dungeons are rarely ever written before hand like this. The clues here would be along the level of those I would make up on the fly in the middle of the campaign, working out later events according to what clues occur to me in the present. I always have a 'theme' I work on. There is a theme here, a purpose to this collection of rooms.
Nothing in it would be random in the normal sense of D&D; there wouldn't be any random monsters because of the nature of the 'dungeon' However, events will occur that will appear random to the players, so the effect of unlikely events won't be lost.
Ah, that's right, you mentioned that before. So your text would be hidden, they'd just see the graphics.
ReplyDeleteI think I like seeing how and why you do it as much as I like seeing the final result here. Not every level in my dungeon has random monsters, but I was just curious if you had that going on here.
I would have a lot of fun with the young man NPC. He's a wild card. Oh yea... :)
I think the map looks interesting enough, though it's hard to judge without seeing the rest. I certainly hope you'll continue and give us a look at what's down those shafts.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of dungeons being done in this kind of map-o-centric format.
ReplyDelete