Dungeons as economic lynch pins

[Hypersmurf]

DM: "You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike"

A while back, I was toying with the idea of including a text adventure in a d20 Modern game as a 'puzzle'. The combination to a safe, which changed every day, could be determined by 'read note' or something similar in a room in a text adventure on a computer in the office where the safe was stored.

The PCs would have received a clue that the game on the computer was somehow relevant.

I was quite looking forward to, firstly, the opportunity for reading boxed text to be completely appropriate, and secondly, the chance to respond to half of the things the players tried with "I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean. Can you try rephrasing it?"



-Hyp.

 

[The Shaman]

In addition, there should also be a place to hire lantern bearers, porters etc.

And buy mules.

Taking a mule into the dungeon is OL' SKOOL, BOI!

 

[Tarangil]

Hmmm.... additional funds may be garnered by having PC's followed using crystal balls. A 'cinema' is installed where villagers, visitors and adventurers currently recuperating can follow and bet on the exploits of the adventurers currently within the complex. Naturally all betting services are run by the villagers....

That's a cool idea, It's use would also be applied with punishing criminals. Strip em naked, give em a stick and send them in and watch....the ratings go up. That would also pose a problem for PC's because the criminals strong and cunning enough to survive could also be a thorn in the sides for the players, or the players may be talked into letting one Break out.

 

[Old Fart]

There's an excellent adventure hook for a mid-to-high level evil PCs. Based on the premise of the town:

1) The townsfolk are greedy.
2) The local residents are not capable of cleaning the dungeon out themselves. Otherwise, they would have already done so to take 100% of the treasure therein, being as how they are greedy
3) They are collecting 10% of the treausre in the dungeon as a tax, plus very likely more than that by the various shops. taverns, etc. Probably more like half the wealth of the dungeon by the time all is said and done.
4) Ergo, screw taking on the dungeon, just loot the town. That's where most of the money is. Sure there are adventurers there, but they'd have to be really lawful good to lift a finger to save the jerks who have been robbing them blind with high prices and fees. You've got magic shops full of items, own treasuries full of loot, etc.

As an alternative, PC's go into dungeon and cut a deal with the residents to share the sacking of this greedy little burg.

 

[Tonguez]

How about another twist

The Dungeon is infact a Bank overseen by a Dragon <select type> who has been sitting on the hoard for centuries (and who is under a geas to never abandone his post). The Orcs, Ogres and other such monsters are in fact his paid staff, including clerks, cooks and primarily security guards with the job of keeping those pesky humans out.

The towns folk are greedy and want to steal the hoard - the Dragon and his dungeon dwelling minions are just doing their job!

There's an excellent adventure hook for a mid-to-high level evil PCs. Based on the premise of the town:

1) The townsfolk are greedy.
2) The local residents are not capable of cleaning the dungeon out themselves. Otherwise, they would have already done so to take 100% of the treasure therein, being as how they are greedy
3) They are collecting 10% of the treausre in the dungeon as a tax, plus very likely more than that by the various shops. taverns, etc. Probably more like half the wealth of the dungeon by the time all is said and done.
4) Ergo, screw taking on the dungeon, just loot the town. That's where most of the money is. Sure there are adventurers there, but they'd have to be really lawful good to lift a finger to save the jerks who have been robbing them blind with high prices and fees. You've got magic shops full of items, own treasuries full of loot, etc.

As an alternative, PC's go into dungeon and cut a deal with the residents to share the sacking of this greedy little burg.

 

[the Jester]

First of all, I really like this idea. A big dungeon can, indeed, have a dramatic effect on an area's economy- a "gold rush" style inflation can take over when a little village suddenly has an influx of thousands of gps. And pcs, in my experience, tend to toss money around a little when they've got it. They won't much care if their beer costs a whole gp.

Seems to me like the town prolly would hire a high-level adventurer for protection against other adventurers who make trouble. I could even see him taking over the town behind the scenes.

 

[jdrakeh]

Seems to me like the town prolly would hire a high-level adventurer for protection against other adventurers who make trouble. I could even see him taking over the town behind the scenes.

Oooo... I like that!

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

DM: "You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike"

ROFLMAO..


Thank you Zappo, I needed that!


As to the OP.. some options for refilling are:
Shades of Ravenloft, the demiplane sheds some of its less evil beings here
Depths of Kyber, as in Eberron, demons in the deep manufacture Aberations to send upwards.
Deepspawn.. an interesting critter if I ever saw one.

Two of these options give the the big secret ending to go after at very high levels.
I like the premise