Schismatrix Dungeon

[fourthmensch]

I have been working on a dungeon concept for a little while now, and I need you fantastic EN World minds to help me flesh out its ecology with lots of beasties for the PCs to mingle with and/or kill.

I pretty much looted the concept of Kitsune's headquarters from Bruce Sterling's Schismatrix. If you haven't read it, then you should--its an amazing book. The basic idea is an entire complex that is a single vast organism designed to be a building (of sorts). So the walls are muscles studded with eyes and teeth, the floors are patterned with fingerprints, the doors are huge sphincters, the air is bloodhot and flooded with pheramones, and the ceilings bristle with hair. Communication is even possible with the dungeon itself (the "Wallmother") via tentacles that come out of the wall and attach to your head, forming a telepathic link.

I think its a really cool spin on the standard idea of a "dungeon," but I'm having trouble coming up with monsters to put in there that won't seem out of place. I'd really prefer the creatures to be relatively low CR; I'm sending the PCs in there at 2nd-3rd level. Any ideas?

 

[Ghostknight]

Off the top of my head (and with no books handy) I would look at tweaking some of the jellys. Change them into anti-bodies, parts of the immune system or even digestive system. Thus the reason for acid attacks. Also, acid traps with low CRs also fit the mold, being valves that open/shut to digest food (the characters) in certain areas.

Another possible monster may be a stirge variation, used by the dungeon for cleansing itself by removing infected areas etc, they attack characters to remove them!

 

[Whisper72]

Also think of worms and carrion crawlers similar to the stirge idea (i.e. as cleansers).

Furthermore, naturally undead: the risen forms of those who have been digested before (skeletons, the skeleton is all that remains, or incorporeal ones, the shades of those whose bodies have been destroyed).

Also, flesh golems may be around, acting as 'semi sentient' extrapolations of the dungeon itself. These flesh golems could form out of the walls or the ground, thus surprising the PC's. For CR mileage, weaken them somewhat in terms of HP and immunities/special defenses etc.

 

[thullgrim]

variations on insect swarm, perhaps oozes, molds, puddings, phantom fungus perhaps with a reworked description.

THullgrim

 

[Flyspeck23]

Design your own monsters. As Ghostknight already said, ochre jelly might be a good starting point, or any other ooze for that matter - gelatinous cube or gray ooze (but change the description to some degree...).

The oozes have some fitting special attacks and qualities, like the already mentioned acid, but also engulf, paralysis, transparent, constrict, split.

 

[allenw]

For a similar concept in 3.0 terms, check out the description of "Neth, the Plane That Lives" in Manual of the Planes.

 

[fourthmensch]

For a similar concept in 3.0 terms, check out the description of "Neth, the Plane That Lives" in Manual of the Planes.

Thanks, that helps a lot. I appreciate all the good ideas! But I wasn't familiar with the Manual of the Planes before, and it helped me crystallize the whole concept. Again, thanks for the help!

 

[Piratecat]

Sphincter? I barely know her!

Sounds like a great adventure. Nice design.

 

[micr0c0sm]

There was a post not too long ago about a living airship - a lot of material in that thread could be applied to this. I can't search so if someone could look up (Title: Living Airship) that would be great.

 

[Piratecat]

Anyone can sort threads by clicking on the yellow headings, or by using the boxes at the bottom of the screen. What you're looking for was posted by RangerWickett less than a month ago. Sort by author and scoot over to his threads, and you should find it.

Here's the link, to save time:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=78354