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Message: <blockquote data-quote="nijineko" data-source="post: 6273005" data-attributes="member: 52240">Perhaps not directed at me, but I'll respond anyway... plots are the most important element, as they determine everything else.what is a dungeon? a location designed by someone for a specific purpose, which may, or may not have been taken over and repurposed by someone else. If you know the plot behind a location, the structure and layout of the location just fall into place. take an abandoned and ruined temple for example: who was it to, what rituals were performed, what beliefs shaped this building? this will determine how many sacred areas there are, what kind, and what sorts of thing might still be ther (traps, creatures, magic, etc..) how did they live? did the priests live off of offerings? if so, they won't have a kitchen area, or may only have a minimal food prep area; but on the other hand, they will have lots of storage areas. do the priest live on-site? if so, there will be dorms and/or living quarters. does the worshipped being have a reputation to uphold? then said living quarters will be out of sight, as will storage locations and any non-impress-the-masses functions. and so forth. now, for a repurposed area, the questions are the similar, but will focus on what advantages will the new owner see in the spaces in question - which will determine which areas are populated and worked, and which areas are unpopulated... or will be empty enough to let outside creatures wander in and take up quiet residence. geography has always played a large role in the shape of structures, so again, plot will determine why someone wants to build here, and then geography will determine what they actually can build here, as modified by available specials... (psionics, magic, science, and so forth). encounters are easy: what lives in the area, and why would it object (if it would) to the presence of the players? in the case of intelligence and purpose driven encounters: why are they here, what do they want from the player characters or what is their goal with respect to the PCs, how much do they know of the PCs, and do they have a reason for special preparations specifically versus the PCs? Are they smart, suspicious, hostile, cautious? then scouts, backup forces, lines of retreat, and observers (as modified by available geography and specials).if the plot is thought through logically, then the encounters practically write themselves. as do adventures for that matter. after all, what are adventures? answer = somebody wants something and is trying to get it, and for some reason the PCs are going to do something with regards to that. ie: plot. ^^</blockquote>

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