Can a town exist in a dungeon(my players, stay out)?

[blackshirt5]

Actually, the Underdark does exist in my world(it's called the HollowWorld, however). It's just that for some reason(probably by design), it doesn't connect with any part of Leeds Castle that they know of(although it might connect in the depths, no one is sure).

And I haven't actually put a lot of work into this, only a few hours or so. I'm gonna keep working on this throughout the campaign however.

 

[blackshirt5]

And I'm gonna have to steal the name Datt Hrothgar for an NPC in Fortresstown, it's just such a cool name. Is that cool with you?

 

[Datt]

Why thank you very much! I too like the name alot.
You can use it, but it has to be a dwarven NPC! Like I would know otherwise. *at self*

 

[Psion]

Undermountain (which I have imported into my campaign) has a similar concept...
Skullport.

Though it's a cool concept, I have often had troubles buying into the existence of such a city for the reasons umbran cited... and unlike FR authors, I am a lot more hesitant to use "magic" as the answer to everything.

 

[willpax]

It's your world, so whatever fits with the logic of the world is fine (I want to make that my first point).

To my mind, a settlement like that can only occur on a natural and very lucrative trade route (as others have posted) or if some group with many resources has decided that the exploration of this dungeon is a high priority in terms of resources and length of commitment.

This group would have the resources to make this area viable. Perhaps the settlement's chief resource is a large (non-portable) artifact that produces a variety of foodstuffs in huge quantities (even with some variety, however, the inhabitants are always eager for outside food--even with 12 MREs, I bet soldiers want something different every now and then). Combine this with a few decanters of endless water, and you have the food supply for a viable settlement.

Why people would want to come there is another matter. It could be that this dungeon has a kind of legendary status among the Adventurer's Guild, and it is a kind of status symbol for people in the guild to live here. Perhaps the legends might explain why this dungeon would be interesting to some parties in the world--opponents or supporters of the mad god, religious groups, wizards seeking secrets--the groups that could be funding this are potentially numerous.

IN fact, finding out the secret agendas of the people funding it could become an adenture in itself. . .

 

[Voadam]

Another option is to have it be a single church or organization that sets up a base camp for long term clearing of the place, they encourage adventurers to come in and risk the dangers, but they have long term plans to slowly do it step by step themselves if no adventurers come through. They would offer a secure haven in the safer upper levels including many services for hire such as healing, weaponsmithing, etc.

If there is something down below a cleric organization wanted cleared out or secured, they would have an interest in funding and staffing such an outpost.

BTW, insane Vode/Voadam? I am just misunderstood, maybe a little eccentric. No need for name calling or aspersions.

Goal is to keep Vode/Voadam out. Fine I can tell when I'm not wanted, but your town will rue the day it barred me! Just wait till I get my ring back, then you'll be sorry.

 

[Larry Fitz]

Create Food/Water spells would certainly solve your problem, every 5th level Cleric feeds 15 people a day with a single third level spell slot? 10th level clerics are feeding 30? That means five 10th level clerics utilizing 2 slots each are feeding 300 people a day. More than enough to handle the town you describe. Those same 5 clerics are also creating 20 gallons of water per orison slot each, if they each dedicate three slots that is 300 gallons for uses other than drinking (which is not really enough to support your city, but could allow it to survive until a better method was worked out). A more permanent solution involving a decanter of endless water or some other gate to the plane of water could also work.

 

[Umbran]

The fact that Vode has to pass through the Catacombs, the Armory, and the Dark Labyrinth, after having lost his ring that allowed him to bypass all the dangers of those levels...

Okay, so what's keeping from sitting at the entrance and laying waste to anyone trying to enter?

Good point about the import of food however, Umbran. Methinks that maybe the elves aren't as happy down there, but Dwarves could grow fungus foods and such, and raise their underground livestock.

Hm. Depends on the magic available for upkeep. Underground ecologies still depend upon input from the outside world. You can farm fungus, eat it and feed it to your livestock. But the fungus needs an energy rich soil, and that needs to come from above-ground, or from magic.

 

[d20Dwarf]

Man, this sounds like an awesome dungeon. I love the idea of Fortresstown and as far as fantasy roleplaying is concerned, I don't see why it couldn't exist. I'm just a sucker for big dungeons, and it sounds like you've got it all figured out, blackshirt.

My only question is: when can my PC prove his mettle within it?

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Oathbound's initial adventure, Dark Welcomes, featured a dungeon town. Basically a place run by escaped monsters were adventurers and their potential opponents could share a drink and relax.

Cups and Sorcery had a very nice depiction of the border town life of a dungeon city. In that world anything more than a certain number of feet below the surface was in a different nation than the kingdoms above the surface so the dungeons tended to get filled with cantinas and duty free stores pretty dang quick.