Ed Laprade
First Post
THEM! Giant ants. The players probably won't be expecting Them!
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D&D 5E Sewer Monster Mash
- Thread starter WarpedAcorn
- Start date
KahlessNestor
Adventurer
I do LOOOVE me some oozes! The paladin carrying the torch failing his perception and walking straight into the gelatinous cube. Black puddings!
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Sent from my SM-G900P using EN World mobile app
aco175
Legend
I always liked to set up sewers with overlapping areas to other places. Side tunnels that lead to some catacombs with some undead led by a wraith or ghoul king. Secret passages leading to a thieves den guarded by a roper. Coastal tidal pool where pirates smuggle illicit goods. Think of them as mini-dungeons in themselves.
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
We've done this about... oh 15 years ago now, in the 3.X era
We acceded the under-city of Rel Astra (or was it Rauxes? anyway, the capital of The Great Kingdom in Greyhawk), fleeing enemies above. We got involved in a vicious conflict between goblins (sneaky, trap users, shamans) and were-rats (strongly influenced by the skavens from warhammer... heck those are a great inspiration, look them up!). We played one side against the other but eventually had to flee to the lower levels.
The lower levels were inhabited by tons of ghouls. Waves after waves. Eventually, their leader, a mad lich (the two headed Xaene), "tested" us in battle and deemed us worthy to fulfil a quest for him, in exchange for the way out.
We acceded the under-city of Rel Astra (or was it Rauxes? anyway, the capital of The Great Kingdom in Greyhawk), fleeing enemies above. We got involved in a vicious conflict between goblins (sneaky, trap users, shamans) and were-rats (strongly influenced by the skavens from warhammer... heck those are a great inspiration, look them up!). We played one side against the other but eventually had to flee to the lower levels.
The lower levels were inhabited by tons of ghouls. Waves after waves. Eventually, their leader, a mad lich (the two headed Xaene), "tested" us in battle and deemed us worthy to fulfil a quest for him, in exchange for the way out.
MNblockhead
A Title Much Cooler Than Anything on the Old Site
Lot's of things at play here. Ignoring what the overall environment of the area is (tropical, temperate, etc.), I would look at what makes sense given that giant rats under control of were-rats would likely be pretty much in charge. I wouldn't expect lots of competing groups, unless this is a huge sewer complex beneath a large and old city. I like to take inspiration from the real world as as starting point.
Starting with the rats, I would next ask what would likely live in the sewers to hunt the rats? Something that would be difficult for the were rats to eradicate? Regular and giant weasels, ferrets, and foxes; regular and giant centipedes, spiders, and scorpians; giant and regular fogs and toads. Not not everything needs to be giant. That can start to feel silly and a normal sized poisonous snake can be dangerous on its own. Snakes will use man-made structures like drain pipes and sewers as their hibernacula, so instead of a giant snake, you can have a party fall into a pit of hundreds of snakes.
I'm not a big fan of crocs and gaters in sewers, unless it fits with the surrounding environment.
What are things that rats may like to have around, say to hunt as food, that can still be dangerous? Like giant beetles for example.
For neutral yet creepy encounters spec out some funky worm monsters based on tobiflex worms, bryozoans, tubificids, etc. Oozes of course make sense.
Potential allies: lost pets like a dog may latch on to a party that treats it with kindness.
Don't forget some fun and silly flavor. In the real world, there have been goats and cows and such that fall into sewers.
If you want factions or powerful monsters that have stake out turf in the sewers despite the wererates:
- one or a small number of mind flayers who hid there after their colony was destroyed
- a Froghemouth that somehow got into the sewers when young and now too large to get out of a large cavernous area where it lairs. It is served by a fanatical group of bullywugs who worship it and bring it food, such as giant rats and foolish humans who wander into the sewers
Starting with the rats, I would next ask what would likely live in the sewers to hunt the rats? Something that would be difficult for the were rats to eradicate? Regular and giant weasels, ferrets, and foxes; regular and giant centipedes, spiders, and scorpians; giant and regular fogs and toads. Not not everything needs to be giant. That can start to feel silly and a normal sized poisonous snake can be dangerous on its own. Snakes will use man-made structures like drain pipes and sewers as their hibernacula, so instead of a giant snake, you can have a party fall into a pit of hundreds of snakes.
I'm not a big fan of crocs and gaters in sewers, unless it fits with the surrounding environment.
What are things that rats may like to have around, say to hunt as food, that can still be dangerous? Like giant beetles for example.
For neutral yet creepy encounters spec out some funky worm monsters based on tobiflex worms, bryozoans, tubificids, etc. Oozes of course make sense.
Potential allies: lost pets like a dog may latch on to a party that treats it with kindness.
Don't forget some fun and silly flavor. In the real world, there have been goats and cows and such that fall into sewers.
If you want factions or powerful monsters that have stake out turf in the sewers despite the wererates:
- one or a small number of mind flayers who hid there after their colony was destroyed
- a Froghemouth that somehow got into the sewers when young and now too large to get out of a large cavernous area where it lairs. It is served by a fanatical group of bullywugs who worship it and bring it food, such as giant rats and foolish humans who wander into the sewers
KahlessNestor
Adventurer
WarpedAcorn
First Post
I love Oozes too! But we already had an adventure that was Ooze centric, so I will probably shy away from that...however the idea of a Golem inside a Gelantinous Cube is pretty awesome and I might have to make that happen!
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
When there's a chance to use carrion crawlers, always use carrion crawlers.
If you've got any fire-happy spellcasters, some explosive sewer gas (properly hinted at prior) during combat can be a good trick, too.
If you've got any fire-happy spellcasters, some explosive sewer gas (properly hinted at prior) during combat can be a good trick, too.
WarpedAcorn
First Post
Ohhhhhhh....good idea about the fire-happy spellcaster!
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