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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MrMyth" data-source="post: 5482942" data-attributes="member: 61155">I realized the above post was more on keeping the empty rooms of a dungeon interesting, but might not have directly addressed your question about keeping the tension level rising. Especially in Dark Sun, where that sort of thing is a core part of the gameplay. I'd probably recommend similar ideas, but with more of the tidbits showing the brutality of the setting - or even tempting the PCs with very minor bits of relief.  As they explore crumbling ruins, they find a trickle of clean water dripping out of a crack - but it has barely enough for a single PC to drink a mouthful before it dries up. Another PC can maybe get a mouthful of grittier, putrid water - and the rest are left with only dust. Suddenly you've got some tension in the group, and a reminder of the harsh world they are in. And maybe that second PC might have a disease on the way... In another room, they might find a withered corpse with no sign of what killed it. If they investigate further, from what they can tell, the figure simply sat down to rest and then died right there. Maybe something stung him, maybe he just perished of thirst, but without them knowing for sure, it will keep them on edge and make them very paranoid about where they rest.  Or they can find a trap, but one that has been recently sprung. It is no danger to them - but it both gets them wondering about what other traps lie ahead, as well as what might have triggered this one. A double dose of tension! And, like before, including tidbits and scraps of info that help them learn about their enemies and the like. Sure, finding signs of the poisonous claws of the dune beast they stalk might help them better prepare to fight it - but make those signs fearsome enough (such as discovering places where the poison has burnt through stone, or killed strong men in only a few moments) will make them very, very cautious about getting close when they find the beast.</blockquote>

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