How to Map/Pace a Ruined City?
- Thread starter Wik
- Start date
Jack7
First Post
Wik, CB is on the right approach here in one sense. Real ruined cities, or formerly inhabited areas which are then abandoned or ruined, are not just two dimensional fields of exploration.
I vad a lot and have been on archaeological expeditions, so I've seen this first hand.
Depending on how long a formerly inhabited area has been ruined, and/or whether it was then later re-occupied, and/or weather and geographic conditions, a "ruined city" becomes a very 3-dimensional expression of prior occupation.
Some buildings will be for all practical purposes completely wasted or disintegrated, others buried, some only partially buried (large buildings, temples, etc might still be visible or might appear as basically large barrows or mounds - i.e.., seeming like artificial hills - and many structures will later appear to be something they are or were not, until properly cleared and examined, etc).
(The idea of architectural multi-purposing, counter-purposing, and misdirection is an important one when examining ruins - often one's first assumption about prior use will be totally wrong or at least only vaguely or partially correct. This can be easily worked into a game though it is often over-looked. An adventurer comes upon a ruined temple and of course it must be a ruined temple. But was it in fact a ruined temple? If it's a totally alien or dead culture or species, how do you know on first examination? chances are you'll be wrong in such cases.)
Most ruined cities will likely have been abandoned or partially abandoned at one time or another, then re-occupied, modified, etc. Meaning, as was suggested with the sectional grid idea that the implication will be that one should view certain areas of the ruined city as having been thriving at a given period, while others are in decay. This also means that development of the city at any given period will not be homogenous. Construction will be under-way in the forum while the walls are in decay, or a palace undergoes refurbishment while the granaries are burned in a fire. All of these normal developmental processes mean that just as with a human body, different rates of development, repair, growth, decay, and stratification are underway at any given locale at any given time.
You might consider a series of questions related to the background of your ruins in order to better flesh out and enhance your design. For instance:
Why was city abandoned? For how long? Was it ever later reoccupied? For how long? Was it possibly re-occupied by a people different from the original inhabitants? What was the city constructed of (this will tell you basically how it weathered and what ruins are likely to have survived, in what state of decay)? What was the architecture like (did the inhabitants build up, out, down, or some combination of these things)? Did they have readily available resources, food, water, etc, or did they have to import these necessities? What was the major occupation(s), produce, or function of the city? What is the surrounding environment, geography, terrain, and weather conditions, and have such circumstances changed over time (telling you how and in what manner the city has been preserved, or degenerated). How long was it occupied and by exactly whom (cities occupied for long periods of time will have well-developed and distinct stratas of existence, and some occupants are better or more active builders than others)? How big an area did it occupy and for how long? What was the greatest extent of development? What was the median state of development? What was the state of existing technology? And so forth and so on.
A good examination of real world archaeological ruins and techniques will give you a great number of useful ideas, as will a good text of archaeological excavation methodologies.
But the important thing to remembered is that a ruined city, like a living one, is not simply a 2-Dimensional space, to be examined and mapped merely on a horizontal plane of investigation. Rather it is a very varied 3-Dimensional space, and even a 4-Dimensional space - assuming you or your players also want to examine prior stratification, occupation, and development.
With magic involved it might even be possible to examine the future state of the ruins, or even a future period of re-occupation. In D&D I've done present period examinations and excavations of ruins, past-time or regressive examination of ruins, and even games involving future-time exploration of a set of ruins. Making it a truly active rather than merely passive 4-Dimensional plane of exploration. Leading to a possible set of solutions for your sand-box campaign.
But my best advice is do not become entrapped by the idea of thinking of a city as just a 2-Dimensional grid or space. It's at least a 4-Dimensional "Super-structure." So it's useful to map it that way.
Good luck with your design and project.
I vad a lot and have been on archaeological expeditions, so I've seen this first hand.
Depending on how long a formerly inhabited area has been ruined, and/or whether it was then later re-occupied, and/or weather and geographic conditions, a "ruined city" becomes a very 3-dimensional expression of prior occupation.
Some buildings will be for all practical purposes completely wasted or disintegrated, others buried, some only partially buried (large buildings, temples, etc might still be visible or might appear as basically large barrows or mounds - i.e.., seeming like artificial hills - and many structures will later appear to be something they are or were not, until properly cleared and examined, etc).
(The idea of architectural multi-purposing, counter-purposing, and misdirection is an important one when examining ruins - often one's first assumption about prior use will be totally wrong or at least only vaguely or partially correct. This can be easily worked into a game though it is often over-looked. An adventurer comes upon a ruined temple and of course it must be a ruined temple. But was it in fact a ruined temple? If it's a totally alien or dead culture or species, how do you know on first examination? chances are you'll be wrong in such cases.)
Most ruined cities will likely have been abandoned or partially abandoned at one time or another, then re-occupied, modified, etc. Meaning, as was suggested with the sectional grid idea that the implication will be that one should view certain areas of the ruined city as having been thriving at a given period, while others are in decay. This also means that development of the city at any given period will not be homogenous. Construction will be under-way in the forum while the walls are in decay, or a palace undergoes refurbishment while the granaries are burned in a fire. All of these normal developmental processes mean that just as with a human body, different rates of development, repair, growth, decay, and stratification are underway at any given locale at any given time.
You might consider a series of questions related to the background of your ruins in order to better flesh out and enhance your design. For instance:
Why was city abandoned? For how long? Was it ever later reoccupied? For how long? Was it possibly re-occupied by a people different from the original inhabitants? What was the city constructed of (this will tell you basically how it weathered and what ruins are likely to have survived, in what state of decay)? What was the architecture like (did the inhabitants build up, out, down, or some combination of these things)? Did they have readily available resources, food, water, etc, or did they have to import these necessities? What was the major occupation(s), produce, or function of the city? What is the surrounding environment, geography, terrain, and weather conditions, and have such circumstances changed over time (telling you how and in what manner the city has been preserved, or degenerated). How long was it occupied and by exactly whom (cities occupied for long periods of time will have well-developed and distinct stratas of existence, and some occupants are better or more active builders than others)? How big an area did it occupy and for how long? What was the greatest extent of development? What was the median state of development? What was the state of existing technology? And so forth and so on.
A good examination of real world archaeological ruins and techniques will give you a great number of useful ideas, as will a good text of archaeological excavation methodologies.
But the important thing to remembered is that a ruined city, like a living one, is not simply a 2-Dimensional space, to be examined and mapped merely on a horizontal plane of investigation. Rather it is a very varied 3-Dimensional space, and even a 4-Dimensional space - assuming you or your players also want to examine prior stratification, occupation, and development.
With magic involved it might even be possible to examine the future state of the ruins, or even a future period of re-occupation. In D&D I've done present period examinations and excavations of ruins, past-time or regressive examination of ruins, and even games involving future-time exploration of a set of ruins. Making it a truly active rather than merely passive 4-Dimensional plane of exploration. Leading to a possible set of solutions for your sand-box campaign.
But my best advice is do not become entrapped by the idea of thinking of a city as just a 2-Dimensional grid or space. It's at least a 4-Dimensional "Super-structure." So it's useful to map it that way.
Good luck with your design and project.
Wik
First Post
Funnily enough, I was an anthroplogy major before switching paths, and I've done a fair share of archaeology, too. In fact, I was thinking of adapting some stuff from greek archaeological sites (particularly some of the Cretain ruins) for my ruined city.
My main concern with this post was, in fact, how to map the silly thing. I have the location pretty firmly established in my mind.
Very good advice, and consider it heeded.
***
I guess I should give a bit more detail on what I'm doing, and how it will be implemented.
The city is called "The Mazeworks", and was once a series of canyons and grottoes eaten away through rainfall - an arid region of limestone. The local Minotaur tribes used it as a congregating site for their quasi-religious astrological gatherings (minotaurs, in my world, being very anti-religious). The Tiefling empire (back before they were technically "tieflings", for all intents being roman-like humans) established a base here, to use it as a northern fort city and trading post, and named it "Kael Tessera".
While there, the imperials had to deal with frequent minotaur uprisings. Much of their "city" was built over the mazeworks, while the minotaurs lived in the lower levels (which became a lower-class city). The imperials would descend "into the maze" during the day, but would quickly come back up when night fell, as minotaurs used the dark to go hunting. So, the lower levels are a mixture of natural caves, the remnants of shanties, and impromptu greco architecture, while the upper levels are built almost like, say, Venice. Many nice buildings, connected by bridges, with frequent guardhouses, warehouses, and markets.
With the demon scourge, the place was flooded with devils and demons (they are functionally the same thing, in my setting). The minotaurs fled to the hills, and fragmented into feuding tribes. Much of the city is plagued by undead (old citizens), devils, and the ghosts of minotaurs.
The goal of the PCs will be to get to a specific building, while also dealing with a rival (an expedition from one of the Tiefling city-states to the south). I plan on making this expedition take several days, if not weeks, in a sort of skill challenge.
I like the idea of a basic city map, though I guess I'll probably make the "maze" portion a skill challenge. I was thinking using a wide-scale map, and dropping numerous individual buildings that would be so-called five-room dungeons (each giving a clue as to the location of the main building, rewarding exploration).
There would also be random encounters (devils, minotaur ghosts, feral minotaur exiles, undead, tiefling legionnaire squads, various animals and solo monsters, as well as natural hazards and role-playing opportunities).
The idea of "Street grids" is a good idea for when an encounter happens, as I can just place them together on the fly. If I do it right, and keep things hidden, it will look as if I've actually mapped the entire city, which could be really cool.
And Celebrim - I love that "random find" table, though I'm unsure whether I'll factor it into my random encounters table, or make it an individual thing. I only have a few random find ideas, right now, though.
Keep the ideas coming!
blargney the second
blargney the minute's son
WWFOD? (What would Fallout do?)
-blarg
-blarg
Who lives there now? Are there organized gangs? Lonely squatters? How do they change or adapt to the parts of the city that they occupy? For example, a group of devils and Tieflings may turn several city blocks into an armed camp. Their area is walled off with crude barricades and regularly patrolled. On the other hand, a tribe of feral minotaurs might simply claim a portion of the maze as their hunting ground and wander through it without settling permanently anywhere. The edges of their territory are marked with ceremonial totems, but are otherwise left undefended.
It is all about layers and a timelines - first it the map of the place the city would be, then a map of the city before it became ruins.
What was the cause? If people just left, was it fast or slow? If slow there is not going to be much left behind. War? Things will be destroyed, buildings will fall placing their ruins in a shape, hitting other buildings.
How long ago? Life after People a show on The History Channel was great for this. Land reverts to what it was before there was a city there. Without maintenance, things breakdown.
I do a combo, you have a path through the ruins, then the ruins have zones, each zone has a dungeon. All this I spead out on my map where the city was, based on the timeline, I then add a wilderness around the zones.
What was the cause? If people just left, was it fast or slow? If slow there is not going to be much left behind. War? Things will be destroyed, buildings will fall placing their ruins in a shape, hitting other buildings.
How long ago? Life after People a show on The History Channel was great for this. Land reverts to what it was before there was a city there. Without maintenance, things breakdown.
I do a combo, you have a path through the ruins, then the ruins have zones, each zone has a dungeon. All this I spead out on my map where the city was, based on the timeline, I then add a wilderness around the zones.
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Celebrim
Legend
I love random tables. The trick is to build enough randomness into the table that its actually useful instead of burdensome.
Random finds are meant to provide structure and place to a setting when you haven't actually filled in all that structure and place. Effectively you are creating something that looks like a prepared encounter on the fly. They are meant to supplement and not replace wandering monsters. You get a random find roll for moving from a place to new place regardless of the time you take getting there. Conversely, you get a new wandering monster encounter per unit of time regardless of whether you move.
1) Remains of Former Expedition: Camp site. You find a camp site with ashes, empty potion bottles, discarded cotton bandages, painted runes indicating some sort of circle of protection, discarded wineskins, etc.
2) Remains of Former Expedition: Excavation. You find signs that someone was removing rubble, digging, and shoring up loose ruins with logs. The party can continue the excavation with 1d12 hours of labor. 50% of these go nowhere significant, 10% collapse on party for 5d50 damage unless a DC 20 craft stone check is made, 10% collapse but lead to #3 below, buried in the rubble with x4 normal treasure, and 30% lead to a 5 room dungeon containing a CR appropriate challenge and treasure.
3) Remains of Former Expedition: Physical remains. You find the bodies of an adventuring party. Most of their gear is worthless or has been looted, but 40% have a minor treasure (art item(s) or magic item(s) worth 2d20x100 gp) which has survived time relatively intact and undiscovered which can be found with a DC20+1d12 search check.
4) Remains of Former Expedition: Victims. Roll on the random encounter table. The party finds the physical remains of a maximum number of such monster dead among the ruins. 95% of the time all treasure has been removed, but 5% of the time some small object was missed as #3 above.
5) Remains of Former Expedition: Clue. DC 20 search check finds cryptic message scrawled on ruins in random language. This is clue about some prepared encounter in the city.
For above, you'll need to decide how recent they are. Some might date back to the time of the tiefling empire. 'Remains of Former Expedition' could probably be its own subtable if you really worked on it.
6) Evidence of Monsters: Ad-hoc religious site: Some latter inhabitant (demons, ghouls, minotaurs, tieflings) has for some reason turned the area of the ruins into a make shift shrine. An scavanged and altered icon of some sort, rudely crafted altar, totems, sacrificial implements, stone basin, strange crudely painted runes and the remains of sacrifices are joined by bits and peices of scavanged artifacts from other parts of the city. 5% of the time a minor treasure can be found here. 50% of the time the area is Desecrated (as the spell), and 25% of the time a minor guardian (CR - 2) gaurds the site from anyone who might defile it. Wandering monsters are checked 20 times more frequently here.
7) Evidence of Monsters: Abandoned Lair: Some inhabitant of the city has laired at this site in the recent past, and the evidence of that (bones of victims, crude belongs, gauno, stench, etc. as appropriate) is evident. Make a wandering monster check to indicate type. There is a 10% chance that the monster will return if the party stops to do an extensive search, and only a 5% chance that such a search will turn up a minor treasure.
8) Evidence of Monsters: Occupied Lair: Make a wandering monster check. They didn't find you, you found them.
9) Evidence of Monsters: Tracks: Make a wandering monster check. It left tracks or other spore here. 20% can be tracked to a lair as #8, track DC 20+1d12.
I've got to write some code, or I would.
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Raven Crowking
First Post
"You must spread some Experience Points around before giving it to Celebrim again."
Celebrim
Legend
Ok, fine, more ideas:
10) Archealogical Find: Fresco: A large fragment of relatively intact mosaic, fresco, or frieze can be found here decorating a wall, well, altar, arch or obelisk. It depicts a significant event from the history of the city. 50% have some runes or heiroglyphs which accompanies the work that names the event and its major participants, which can be deciphered with decipher script check of DC 20+1d12.
11) Archealogical Find: Major cultural artifact: DC 15 search check to stumble across an artifact of significant cultural importance to the people that built the city: a stone calendar, canopic jars, a large ewer, a palanquin, a board game, the implements for playing some team sport, a measuring rod, etc. 5% of these items are magical but investigated prove to do something of no obvious utility to the PCs. 20% of items are rare, and count as a minor art treasure to a collector. However, if the item is both rare and magical there is a 50% chance that it is a priceless object of art and legend, and worth 100 times normal (2d20x10000!) to wealthy collector of the esoteric and arcane. A DC 20+1d12 appraisal check is required to identify the rare items from the merely interesting (failure by more than 10 indicates you think a ordinary item is rare), however all such items regardless of value weigh 1d100x1d6 lbs and are thus difficult to transport.
12) Archealogical Find: Rosseta Stone: DC 15 search check, you find a fragment of fired clay or stone which contains a portion of the runic language commonly used around the ruins together with a translation into a more common tongue. The object weighs 1d10x1d4 lbs, but gives a +1d10 circumstance bonus to all decipher script checks through out the city and allows such checks to be attempted untrained. Multiple stones additive up to the maximum bonus of +10.
13) Archealogical Find: Memorial: A statue or other memorial to a cultural hero is found here, along with a description naming the individual and their deeds (decipher script check of DC 20+1d12). 70% are simply honors, but 15% are associated with a plundered tomb or grave, and 15% conceal an unplundered tomb containing the remains of said hero. 80% of these contains some minor treasure, but 50% contain an undead of CR+2.
14) Hazard: Dead Zone:This is the boundary of an area 10x1d6 feet across where the ethereal plane is no long coterminus with the material. Anyone accidently walking to the boundary of a dead zone is checked and takes 1d6 nonlethal damage. Once on a dead zone boundary, it is easy to detect its edge. A DC 25 Know(Planes) check will recognize a dead zone boundary for what it is and what it means. Falling or being shoved into a dead zone forces a living character to make a DC 15 fortitude save or die as the soul is ripped from the body. The body is instantly animated as a zombie. If the save is made, the character takes 1d6xcharacter level nonlethal damage. Although the reason for the empediment might not be obvious to the character, it's difficult to force yourself to pass into a Dead Zone willingly - a DC 20 Will save is required. Within a dead zone, all creatures are treated as if they were effected by a Dimensional Anchor. Ethereal creatures are unable to enter a dead zone, and outsiders are generally reluctant to do so. It is 50% likely that a delay of 1d6x10 minutes is required to go around a Dead Zone.
15) Hazard: Pit: A cavity in the ground has been covered by a thin layer of rubble or debris, concealing a 20' pit that requires a DC 20+1d12 search check to notice. If not noticed, a random character falls in. 30% of these falls lead to a 5 room dungeon containing a CR appropriate challenge and treasure.
16) Hazard: Green Slime: The ubiquitous dungeon hazard may be found here in some shadowy place.
17) Discovery: Holy Ground: This appears to be a memorial as #13 above, but the hero honored here was a true hero. As a result, the area 1d6x10' around the memorial is Consecrated (as the spell) 50% of the time or Hallowed (as the spell) 50% of the time. Characters walking into the ground make a Sense Motive check (DC 20) to notice an unusual calm and tranquility to the place (this gives good aligned characters a sense of well-being, and makes evil ones nervous), and the whole area radiates a faint aura of Good. Wandering monsters in this area are only half as likely. Plundering any tomb present here desecrates the site.
18) Hazard: Maze Trap: A seemingly innocuous portal actually conceals a portal to a demiplane, dumping the characters into a maze in a pocket diminsion constructed by some long forgotten Minotaur spellcaster. Noticing the trap requires a DC 28 search check, or a mere DC 18 search check if a DC 25 Knowledge (Planes) check is also made by the same character. Navigating the maze requires passing a skill challenge. Retries are allowed to escape, but each contest consumes two hours of time and after each failure 20% are found to contain a CR equivalent foe that was stalking the character party. 80% of the time the exit returns the characters back to their starting point, but 20% of the time they will be in some distant part of the city after escaping (possibly without even realizing they've been plane hopping).
19) Remains of Former Expedition: Blast Zone The characters encounter evidence that a fireball, lightning bolt, or other powerful evocation was used here. Stones are shattered, glass is melted, there are scorch marks, considerable ashes, etc. If the characters linger for more than 10 minutes, make a wandering monster check.
20) Discovery: Anti-magic zone: This is a region 10'x1d6 in diameter where magic does not work. It is generally only noticable if the characters have ongoing spell effects which wink out when it is entered.
21) Discovery: Locked Portal: The players discovery a substantial portal of metal or stone that proves difficult to open. It is wizard locked by a wizard of level 2d10+5, has a glyph of warding on it, and runes indicating a circle of protection of some sort. It's is 80% likely that it contains a 5 room dungeon containing a hazard of CR+2d4 and appropriate treasure, but 20% when opened prove to contain only empty rooms and nothing of apparant value (perhaps looted long ago).
22) Discovery: Unholy Ground: This appears to be a memorial as #13 above, but the hero honored here was a blackground of the foulest sort. As a result, the area 1d6x10' around the memorial is Desecrated (as the spell) 50% of the time or Unhallowed (as the spell) 50% of the time. Characters walking into the ground make a Sense Motive check (DC 20) to notice an unusual taint to the place (this gives good aligned characters a sense of disgust, and makes evil ones feel invigorated), and the whole area radiates a faint aura of Evil. Wandering monsters in this area are twice as likely. Concecrating any tomb present here with holy water removes the taint and wins an award of 500 XP to a good aligned party.
23) Hazard: Unstable Ruins:Areas of a ruin prone to collapse are actually fairly rare, as minor earthquakes and the elements tend to knockdown anything that can be easily knocked over. However, in this area the ruins have been sheltered from the elements and loose stacks of rubble represent a serious hazard. Detecting the instability before the area is entered requires a DC 20 craft stoneworking check. Otherwise, a DC 15 balance check by all characters in the hazard area is required to prevent a collapse. Vigorous activity like digging, combat, evocation spells etc. automatically causes a collapse. Collapses do 5d10 damage, reflex save DC 20 for half (counts as a trap). Failure by more than 5 pins the character in fallen rubble, requiring a DC 20+1d10 strength check to extricate. Digging or other stonework requires a DC 20 craft stoneworking check to prevent a second collapse (which also increases the difficult of extraction by an additional +1d10). 80% of trapped characters bear significant weight and suffer 1d6 damage per round unless that they pass a DC 20 endurance check. The remainder however can alternatively extricate themselves with a DC 20+1d12 escape artist check. It is 80% likely that a delay of 1d6x10 minutes is required to go around an area of unstable ruins.
24) Hazard: Shriekers: This area is overrun by a large number of shrieking fungi - survival DC 20 to detect and recognize as such. If the area containing the Shriekers is entered, a DC 15 movesilently check is required by all players or the fungi release a percing shriek. Roll immediately for a wandering monster. It is 60% likely that finding a route around the fungi will cause a delay of 1d6x10 minutes.
10) Archealogical Find: Fresco: A large fragment of relatively intact mosaic, fresco, or frieze can be found here decorating a wall, well, altar, arch or obelisk. It depicts a significant event from the history of the city. 50% have some runes or heiroglyphs which accompanies the work that names the event and its major participants, which can be deciphered with decipher script check of DC 20+1d12.
11) Archealogical Find: Major cultural artifact: DC 15 search check to stumble across an artifact of significant cultural importance to the people that built the city: a stone calendar, canopic jars, a large ewer, a palanquin, a board game, the implements for playing some team sport, a measuring rod, etc. 5% of these items are magical but investigated prove to do something of no obvious utility to the PCs. 20% of items are rare, and count as a minor art treasure to a collector. However, if the item is both rare and magical there is a 50% chance that it is a priceless object of art and legend, and worth 100 times normal (2d20x10000!) to wealthy collector of the esoteric and arcane. A DC 20+1d12 appraisal check is required to identify the rare items from the merely interesting (failure by more than 10 indicates you think a ordinary item is rare), however all such items regardless of value weigh 1d100x1d6 lbs and are thus difficult to transport.
12) Archealogical Find: Rosseta Stone: DC 15 search check, you find a fragment of fired clay or stone which contains a portion of the runic language commonly used around the ruins together with a translation into a more common tongue. The object weighs 1d10x1d4 lbs, but gives a +1d10 circumstance bonus to all decipher script checks through out the city and allows such checks to be attempted untrained. Multiple stones additive up to the maximum bonus of +10.
13) Archealogical Find: Memorial: A statue or other memorial to a cultural hero is found here, along with a description naming the individual and their deeds (decipher script check of DC 20+1d12). 70% are simply honors, but 15% are associated with a plundered tomb or grave, and 15% conceal an unplundered tomb containing the remains of said hero. 80% of these contains some minor treasure, but 50% contain an undead of CR+2.
14) Hazard: Dead Zone:This is the boundary of an area 10x1d6 feet across where the ethereal plane is no long coterminus with the material. Anyone accidently walking to the boundary of a dead zone is checked and takes 1d6 nonlethal damage. Once on a dead zone boundary, it is easy to detect its edge. A DC 25 Know(Planes) check will recognize a dead zone boundary for what it is and what it means. Falling or being shoved into a dead zone forces a living character to make a DC 15 fortitude save or die as the soul is ripped from the body. The body is instantly animated as a zombie. If the save is made, the character takes 1d6xcharacter level nonlethal damage. Although the reason for the empediment might not be obvious to the character, it's difficult to force yourself to pass into a Dead Zone willingly - a DC 20 Will save is required. Within a dead zone, all creatures are treated as if they were effected by a Dimensional Anchor. Ethereal creatures are unable to enter a dead zone, and outsiders are generally reluctant to do so. It is 50% likely that a delay of 1d6x10 minutes is required to go around a Dead Zone.
15) Hazard: Pit: A cavity in the ground has been covered by a thin layer of rubble or debris, concealing a 20' pit that requires a DC 20+1d12 search check to notice. If not noticed, a random character falls in. 30% of these falls lead to a 5 room dungeon containing a CR appropriate challenge and treasure.
16) Hazard: Green Slime: The ubiquitous dungeon hazard may be found here in some shadowy place.
17) Discovery: Holy Ground: This appears to be a memorial as #13 above, but the hero honored here was a true hero. As a result, the area 1d6x10' around the memorial is Consecrated (as the spell) 50% of the time or Hallowed (as the spell) 50% of the time. Characters walking into the ground make a Sense Motive check (DC 20) to notice an unusual calm and tranquility to the place (this gives good aligned characters a sense of well-being, and makes evil ones nervous), and the whole area radiates a faint aura of Good. Wandering monsters in this area are only half as likely. Plundering any tomb present here desecrates the site.
18) Hazard: Maze Trap: A seemingly innocuous portal actually conceals a portal to a demiplane, dumping the characters into a maze in a pocket diminsion constructed by some long forgotten Minotaur spellcaster. Noticing the trap requires a DC 28 search check, or a mere DC 18 search check if a DC 25 Knowledge (Planes) check is also made by the same character. Navigating the maze requires passing a skill challenge. Retries are allowed to escape, but each contest consumes two hours of time and after each failure 20% are found to contain a CR equivalent foe that was stalking the character party. 80% of the time the exit returns the characters back to their starting point, but 20% of the time they will be in some distant part of the city after escaping (possibly without even realizing they've been plane hopping).
19) Remains of Former Expedition: Blast Zone The characters encounter evidence that a fireball, lightning bolt, or other powerful evocation was used here. Stones are shattered, glass is melted, there are scorch marks, considerable ashes, etc. If the characters linger for more than 10 minutes, make a wandering monster check.
20) Discovery: Anti-magic zone: This is a region 10'x1d6 in diameter where magic does not work. It is generally only noticable if the characters have ongoing spell effects which wink out when it is entered.
21) Discovery: Locked Portal: The players discovery a substantial portal of metal or stone that proves difficult to open. It is wizard locked by a wizard of level 2d10+5, has a glyph of warding on it, and runes indicating a circle of protection of some sort. It's is 80% likely that it contains a 5 room dungeon containing a hazard of CR+2d4 and appropriate treasure, but 20% when opened prove to contain only empty rooms and nothing of apparant value (perhaps looted long ago).
22) Discovery: Unholy Ground: This appears to be a memorial as #13 above, but the hero honored here was a blackground of the foulest sort. As a result, the area 1d6x10' around the memorial is Desecrated (as the spell) 50% of the time or Unhallowed (as the spell) 50% of the time. Characters walking into the ground make a Sense Motive check (DC 20) to notice an unusual taint to the place (this gives good aligned characters a sense of disgust, and makes evil ones feel invigorated), and the whole area radiates a faint aura of Evil. Wandering monsters in this area are twice as likely. Concecrating any tomb present here with holy water removes the taint and wins an award of 500 XP to a good aligned party.
23) Hazard: Unstable Ruins:Areas of a ruin prone to collapse are actually fairly rare, as minor earthquakes and the elements tend to knockdown anything that can be easily knocked over. However, in this area the ruins have been sheltered from the elements and loose stacks of rubble represent a serious hazard. Detecting the instability before the area is entered requires a DC 20 craft stoneworking check. Otherwise, a DC 15 balance check by all characters in the hazard area is required to prevent a collapse. Vigorous activity like digging, combat, evocation spells etc. automatically causes a collapse. Collapses do 5d10 damage, reflex save DC 20 for half (counts as a trap). Failure by more than 5 pins the character in fallen rubble, requiring a DC 20+1d10 strength check to extricate. Digging or other stonework requires a DC 20 craft stoneworking check to prevent a second collapse (which also increases the difficult of extraction by an additional +1d10). 80% of trapped characters bear significant weight and suffer 1d6 damage per round unless that they pass a DC 20 endurance check. The remainder however can alternatively extricate themselves with a DC 20+1d12 escape artist check. It is 80% likely that a delay of 1d6x10 minutes is required to go around an area of unstable ruins.
24) Hazard: Shriekers: This area is overrun by a large number of shrieking fungi - survival DC 20 to detect and recognize as such. If the area containing the Shriekers is entered, a DC 15 movesilently check is required by all players or the fungi release a percing shriek. Roll immediately for a wandering monster. It is 60% likely that finding a route around the fungi will cause a delay of 1d6x10 minutes.
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WampusCat43
Explorer
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