God of War, dungeons, and my game

[RangerWickett]

First, people in my games please stay out. Tom, you're welcome to come in, but Michael, Ted, etc., vamalos.





How many people here have played the PS2 game God of War? It takes real world Greek myths and uses them to create one of the most high-powered, epic fantasy action games of all time. The game is a little short, but it still manages to have you fight a giant hydra that's attacking a ship you're on, grapple Medus and rip her head off so you can turn other monsters to stone, and then enter the Dungeon of Pandora, atop the back of Atlas, where you face numerous challenges in order to retrieve Pandora's Box, which you need to defeat Ares, the God of War.

Well, you see, I kinda want something like that in my d20 Modern game. Can you help me create a dungeon that uses real world myths?



Okay, my players, seriously now, get out.






My current campaign will lead up to the party trying to recover the treasure of Camelot from the Dungeon of Avalon. Trapped between the human world (Terra) and the fey world (Gaia), the island of Avalon protects more than just the once and future king. It also has a secret dungeon created by Merlin, Gawain, and a group of seelie fey to protect the treasure of the great dragon slain by the knights of the round table.

Now, this dungeon isn't going to come up for months or more, but I'd like to start planning it now so that when they do get there, it will be suitably impressive. I want puzzles, a few monsters, a few traps, and above all a variety of challenges so that the dungeon doesn't become boring. It should have a decidedly mythic feel, primarily grounded in Arthurian tales. I'll post ideas in a little while, but I'd like to hear some of your ideas first, so I don't bias planning.

 

[palleomortis]

Nice, I like the idea. Sounds like a good one to me. Kinda sucks having your players in the same forum tho, eh? My DM is in here, so I try to stay out, but my will save isn't the best.

 

[diaglo]

see if you can find the real pics of Tintagel.

 

[carpedavid]

Just as a general comment, one of the things I really liked about God of War was that the "puzzles" were far more sophisticated than the normal "box-pushing" type normally found in those sorts of games. I appreciated that you actually had to look around the environment to figure out how to get somewhere/activate something.

I'd suggest things along the lines of having to cross a chasm, but the bridge has long since crumbled. Along the sides of the chasm, though, are enormous statues of the Arthurian knights. The PCs can try to fell the statues to create a new bridge in whatever manner they see fit.

And if they get creative and cross the chasm in some other fashion, more power to them.

 

[Gothic_Demon]

You absolutely must have the Black Knight, who will have to be defeated in single combat by someone for them to enter further.

Also, how about some logic puzzles, to stretch the players rather than the PCs? Such as, figuring out where each of Arthur's Knights sat at the round table, by their personalities and how they'd clash if they sat next to each other?

 

[RangerWickett]

I like the ideas so far. Lemme see how I'll inject them into the rough outline I already have.

A good action location needs 3 or 4 movements, scenes, set-pieces, etc. I want to make sure I reference all the Arthurian stuff the players know, plus some other stuff that's been added in recent fiction, or hinted at but never explained.

I want 4 areas with different themes.

1. Merlin as magician.
2. Mordred as leader of an army on behalf of the Unseelie Court.
3. Arthur as the favored of the Seelie Court.
4. Arthur as a Christian ruler, with his knights of the round table.

So we have one magical area requiring intelligence (Merlin), one combat and tricky evilness area (dark fey), one area full of references to Celtic and Norse myths (light fey, druids), and one area with Christian trials, a la Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but more impressive.

The place can exist on different planes, so size isn't an issue, but consistency is. It needs to feel like it fits together, and it needs to feel ancient. I'd like there to be at least a little back-tracking and intersecting between the areas, so that they can go through the dungeon in different orders.

And I need to figure out what's so gosh-durned important in the dragon's treasure.

 

[diaglo]

And I need to figure out what's so gosh-durned important in the dragon's treasure.

The Holy Grail of course silly.

but you could use the one from Monte Cook's Book of Eldritch Might.. The Black Grail

 

[RangerWickett]

Ooh, what's that one do?

And while the Holy Grail is an obvious answer, it's been done too much. Likewise, no Lance of Longinus/Spear of Destiny. I need something a bit more obscure. If the game somehow turns incredibly comic between now and then, it will end up being the National Treasure, complete with "Ooh, scrolls from the library at Alexandria." Ugh, that movie saddened me.

In the setting I have, dragons don't have a fear aura. Instead, they have any aura that stuns or knocks unconscious fey and magic-users, which is why the stories are always about knights fighting dragons, not wizards. I wonder if I could do anything along those lines. Some sort of powerful weapon?

Well, let's go down the list of ancient items that existed by the 4th or 5th century, that aren't around today:

The Holy Grail, Spear of Destiny, Crown of Thorns

Weapons of various mighty warlords -- Caesar, Alexander, etc.

Excalibur. Hmm. That's always a nice one. I know most stories say the Lady of the Lake gave it to Arthur, but I recall there were a few others. Anyone remember any details.

Grendel's arm.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Start checking out this site if you have not already done so:
http://www.pantheon.org/mythica.html

Something to look for: mead of eternal life
Goibniu

An Irish/Celtic smith god, son of the goddess Danu. He manufactures swords that always strike true, and he possesses the mead of eternal life. He makes the arms for the Tuatha Dé Danann together with Credne and Luchtainel. As a brewmaster he was unsurpassed and his beer gave the drinker immortality. The Welsh called him Govannon.

False Face sickness

An ailment incurred by lack of respect for the False Face masks or the Faces of the Forests. Symptoms include the obvious mooning face (swelling); eye and ear inflammation, nose bleeds and toothaches. The mask that cause the illness can also cure the illness when worn by the patient.



this featured item page could be useful too. http://www.pantheon.org/areas/featured/

 

[Saba Taru]

Well, you see, I kinda want something like that in my d20 Modern game. Can you help me create a dungeon that uses real world myths?

[SNIP]

My current campaign will lead up to the party trying to recover the treasure of Camelot from the Dungeon of Avalon. Trapped between the human world (Terra) and the fey world (Gaia), the island of Avalon protects more than just the once and future king. It also has a secret dungeon created by Merlin, Gawain, and a group of seelie fey to protect the treasure of the great dragon slain by the knights of the round table.

Now, this dungeon isn't going to come up for months or more, but I'd like to start planning it now so that when they do get there, it will be suitably impressive. I want puzzles, a few monsters, a few traps, and above all a variety of challenges so that the dungeon doesn't become boring. It should have a decidedly mythic feel, primarily grounded in Arthurian tales. I'll post ideas in a little while, but I'd like to hear some of your ideas first, so I don't bias planning.

That's a tall order! Hrm...

What about taking a lesson from the Anglo-Saxons? You could have "flyting" contests (which could potentially be hilarious) and puzzles involving "kennings" (might be too obscure for most people, but it's guaranteed to stand out in the text of a puzzle). Arthurian legend is most likely based on older legends, so no reason not to use what the ancients had to teach.

I'd also throw in an aura of "ubi sunt" to add to the solemn, ancient atmosphere. Now that I sound like an Old English dictionary, I'll see myself to the door.