I actually had to write this out, because I wanted to contribute to this thread and had NO CLUE what to add… so here is mine:
535) In memory of gauntlet:
When the PCs are hunting something down, let them find and identify two different teleportation circles. Both Circles lead to the same place, so don’t worry about the actual decision the players make about which one to enter. Smile after they are teleported into a large square room lined with either walls of force/wind/prismatic and let them hear a methodic laugh. If the party tries to split up, the teleportation circles are set on a contingency that requires that “X” number of people must stand in the circle for it to work.
The PC’s have entered level 1 of the “Game.” All PCs, no matter what level, start on floor 1. Figure out how much experience the party needs in order to level up one time, and figure out how many Kobolds that will take. They must fight through that many kobolds to get out of floor one. Once again they are presented with two teleportation circles after they clear out that floor. No matter what circle they take, they end up on the floor matching the party’s new level. Do the same thing you did with the kobolds, with the new creatures.
All of these rooms must be square.
1: Kobolds
2: Medium Sized Skeletons
3: Medium Sized Zombies
4: Medium Sized Monstrous Spider
5: Large Vipers
6: Shadows
7: Minotaurs (Now getting wickeder)
8: Wraiths
9: Xill
10: Hydra (8 headed)
11: Mind Flayers
(Continue on down the list if necessary, gradually increasing difficulty.
When the PCs die, count up all their experience and tell them they earned an extra life. Take away most of their experience (you should have this figured out beforehand) so they are left with just enough to “almost” reach the next level, and take away the rest from them. Start them in the first room with two portals, they should choose the other path (other teleportation circle). Let that circle lead them where they want to go.