Things to Talk To in the Dungeon

[Rechan]

Are you looking for ideas or specific role-playing encounters?

Just ideas for now.

 

[TanithT]

Speaking of that game, I've been working on a dungeon complex, and one of the things I focused on was giving them some neat things to interact with. This place used to be a palace retreat for mages, so it has a legion of completely-invisible unseen servants to keep the place clean. The servants are entirely and completely benign, and are also under orders to fetch anything someone asks for. So once the PCs figure it out, they'll be able to fetch food and drink while walking around the dungeon, as well as mundane supplies, and the like.

A grumpy bound fire elemental used by the mages to do the cooking and central heating. He might have a bit of a "flaming" prima donna personality and be quite persnickety about how the cooking gets done, as well as being the long-suffering type with a martyr complex. Think C-3PO crossed with Gordon Ramsay. Could be fun to interact with, as well as potentially dangerous to offend if you're in the radius of his effect.

 

[Rechan]

There are some great suggestions in here; I've been taking notes for my upcoming game!

Speaking of that game, I've been working on a dungeon complex, and one of the things I focused on was giving them some neat things to interact with. This place used to be a palace retreat for mages, so it has a legion of completely-invisible unseen servants to keep the place clean. The servants are entirely and completely benign, and are also under orders to fetch anything someone asks for. So once the PCs figure it out, they'll be able to fetch food and drink while walking around the dungeon, as well as mundane supplies, and the like.

Some companion entity whose skill set ranges from conversation to massage to physical pleasure (a Geisha-like spirit). And of course the spirit's attention-starved. Its entire existence was about pleasing others and it hasn't had anyone to even talk to in centuries! It might follow the PCs just to have someone to engage with.

 

[Hand of Evil]

an sential item within a Gelatinous Cube -

 

[Michael Silverbane]

Good players: Will roleplay and talk to the sphinx.

Bad players: "Yeah, we know, the answer to your riddle is "man", now give us our XP already." *bored expressions*

Munchkin players: *completely ignores anything the creature says* "Hey cool, a sphynx. It's only got 8d10+8 hit points and gives good XP and loot. You tank in front and the rogue can sneak up from behind while I cast debuffs. We can take it."

If you have bad or munchkin players, the solution is to punch them in the face, collect their xp, and move on to a new game.

 

[TanithT]

If you have bad or munchkin players, the solution is to punch them in the face, collect their xp, and move on to a new game.

Works great for a house game, less well if you're working for a convention and can't boot paying members just for being munchkins.

My solution was to throw some +5 vorpal chainmail into a random loot pile. Invariably it would get grabbed up by a munchkin who was not smart enough to consider minor details like the probable mechanism of effect of a vorpal enchantment cast on thousands of tiny little rings. Hilarity (and hamburger) would ensue that was documentably their own fault.

[MENTION=6677945]SnowleopardVK[/MENTION]: Actually I haven't, sorry.

 

[MortalPlague]

A grumpy bound fire elemental used by the mages to do the cooking and central heating.

That I will have to use. Especially fun since he doesn't have any duties anymore, since the palace is mostly deserted (other than one notable lich who keeps to himself).

Some companion entity whose skill set ranges from conversation to massage to physical pleasure (a Geisha-like spirit).

Also fun, though I'll have to spring that one after the PCs have gotten used to the unseen servants.

 

[SnowleopardVK]

[MENTION=6677945]SnowleopardVK[/MENTION]: Actually I haven't, sorry.

Seriously? That sounded so much like Calcifer.

Well enjoy the XP anyways, as it was still a rather cool idea you had.

 

[DnD_Dad]

You don't always have to fight or kill monsters. You can negotiate, trick, or just talk to them.

 

[GSHamster]

Sometimes victims don't have to be sympathetic. Consider a devil trapped in a magic circle. He might want to bargain with the PCs, offer them wealth and power in exchange for being freed.

Or instead of human/elven slaves, what about a tribe of orcs with goblin slaves?

After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.