Ideas for underground travel events

[Infiniti2000]

Another idea is something like <insert hazard type> rain. Let's call it acid rain for now, but you can use any other substance you want, including something like poison flowing from some nearby fungal monstrosities. The passages goes deeper and deeper and becomes more damp. Obviously, as the dwarf points out, they're travelling underneath a lake of some sort. Part of the way through is an acid pool that does not block the passage. Underneath the passage is a hot vent (e.g. magma pool). The effect on this is that the acid evaporates, collects on the ceiling, which causes condensation due to the coldness of the lake. The player's have to somehow negotiate this hazard -- possibly with a combat encounter of an acid-resistance (or immune) creature in the middle of it! Maybe 2d6 per round, half damage with a reflex save...

Don't get too caught up in the real-world physics, though. I have no idea if something like acid or poison or whatever could really evaporate and collect like that. I couldn't care less, either, but it "sounds right" and seems interesting.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Underground should not be any different than above ground, in both cases players are going from point A to point B, through a corridor. How wide it is, now that is the question. Funny as it sounds, there are rules of the road, nothing major just things like (they sound like they come from the wild west):

• You do not approach a camp without anouncing yourself.
• You do not leave a fire unattended.
• You do not take another person's mount.
• You pass on information on the way you just came from to other travellers.
• You provide aid as needed.

From those you can see a number of events.

more later...

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

I kinda like the boat-on-a-turtle idea, maybe if the turtle were something a bit weirder... give it lobster claws or something?

As for a race to pilot the craft, I'm not so sure. Could play it as a mysterious hooded race, as an homage to Charon, the Ferryman of the River Styx? Or something amphibious, like blind albino cave grippli or something?

(Actually, your idea of mounting the boat on a monster reminded me of the ship in the film Time Bandits that was worn by a giant. Good times )

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A pale albino drow renegade with a penchant for purple velvet overcoats...

And here I thought you were going to talk about Prince!

That said, an underground riverboat has some nice possibilities: the mysterious ferrymen; attacks by tentacled things/pirhana-like horrors-- from below or above; pelted by rocks/spears/poo from the shadowed bank; conflicts between the ferrymen faction and the toll bridge faction; etc.

Journey to the Center of the Earth, anyone?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

For additional fun, you could have them find some edible mushrooms (or mutant myconids!) that produce the "Alice In Wonderland" effect.

IOW, they shrink for a while.

Now, instead of dealing with the usual barriers Underdark adventurers face, all of a sudden, that mundane cave spider becomes a challenge!

 

[Hand of Evil]

Other travellers:
Old trader - another travller is having issues; lane mount or injury. If players stop and help, they are told of a shortcut.

The Bridge - standard stuff, rope bridge or old bridge that can go at any time.

Ant Lions - sandy area with sand traps

Flash Flood - good way to take items away from players. Passageway is a drainage way for water from the surface. This can take the players to a new location or strip them of some of there items. Note, the end of this passage could be a dumping ground of items and such if the players think about it.

The underground lake - another standard.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Link to pocket dimesion or plane - like the river styx, there are places that can cross into other realms and dimesions, this is where a cave will all of a sudden open into a vast cavern, at least it looks like it. You can then have castles, jungles, ice or seas.

Up and Down passages - always a good for a laugh or two.