The_Gneech
Explorer
Inconsequenti-AL said:
In the basement, duh!
-The Gneech
Where should I put my dungeon?
- Thread starter Inconsequenti-AL
- Start date
In the basement, duh!
-The Gneech
Inconsequenti-AL
Breaks Games
diaglo said:the library one was done in Dungeon a few years ago...for 1st lvl PCs.
and done by homebrew referees for years before that...
Who said there's no ideas under the sun!
The_Gneech - do you think it needs soundproofing?
The_Gneech
Explorer
Inconsequenti-AL said:
Only if the screams bother you at night...
-The Gneech
PS: I vote for the Library. It worked for Indiana Jones! The family plot on a baronial estate is a cool idea, too.
Kugar
First Post
Don't forget Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade had crypts that you has to bust up the library floor to get to. I love the librarian scenes.Inconsequenti-AL said:Who said there's no ideas under the sun!
The_Gneech - do you think it needs soundproofing?
Otherwise, most churches are built on holy ground. Some of the sites had very good reasons to be concrated, too bad that people have such short memories.
Maybe the local druid sealed it by planting a massive tree on top or it. Over the years it has gained sentiance and is now a treant. Those buggers can be tough to negotiate with.
Maybe the enterance is in plain sight, but covered with a forbidance spell. The PCs have to go and convince a higher level caster to remove the spell for them.
Enterance could be located halfway down the town's well. That should be challenging for low level characters.
That's all I have off the top of my head.
Kugar
Be a rat bastard DM: the Library was dismantled, the stone text books were used to pave the streets, text face down. The players have to look for a type of stone (color or shape) then put the pages back together. 
For dungeons in urban settings some of my favorites That I've used have been;
Former tower/castle/fortress now being used as a prison for political prisoners (ala Tower of London or Bastille). Making it possible to bribe the guards helps.
Royal Gardens The main chamber of the old temple has been exposed, filled with water and now is a reflecting pool in a very off limits private garden.
In the Public baths. As a variation to the above, one of the pools in the public baths is a portion of an old temple (hence all the marble) and houses an entrance at the bottom. This makes it very difficult to enter with equipment without raising notice.
In a sewer that is backwashed by tides. Not original, but it helps place time limits on the players.
In a racially or culturally distinct section of the city. PC's will stand out and locals may not only be unhelpful but hostile. Normal city watches may not come here and gangs or the criminal underworld can be in control. This can be combined with the other ideas.
A rather rough bar/tavern where everyone will want to join in, or at least get a cut of the treasure. This can be fun with non linear layouts as wandering patrons turn a traditional dungeon crawl into a bar fight with monsters. When I ran this one I allowed beer to temprarily cure up to 1/2 of all damage. Meant everyone kept returning to the bar for a little more. Combined with the alchohol rules from the Equipment Guide this was devastating by morning.
Monument Possibly an old ruin, or simply something erected on top of one, it helps to have a time lock that is keyed to some event such as solstice. That this happens to occur only duriing a public holiday using the location is just coincidence.
Hope this helps.
Former tower/castle/fortress now being used as a prison for political prisoners (ala Tower of London or Bastille). Making it possible to bribe the guards helps.
Royal Gardens The main chamber of the old temple has been exposed, filled with water and now is a reflecting pool in a very off limits private garden.
In the Public baths. As a variation to the above, one of the pools in the public baths is a portion of an old temple (hence all the marble) and houses an entrance at the bottom. This makes it very difficult to enter with equipment without raising notice.
In a sewer that is backwashed by tides. Not original, but it helps place time limits on the players.
In a racially or culturally distinct section of the city. PC's will stand out and locals may not only be unhelpful but hostile. Normal city watches may not come here and gangs or the criminal underworld can be in control. This can be combined with the other ideas.
A rather rough bar/tavern where everyone will want to join in, or at least get a cut of the treasure. This can be fun with non linear layouts as wandering patrons turn a traditional dungeon crawl into a bar fight with monsters. When I ran this one I allowed beer to temprarily cure up to 1/2 of all damage. Meant everyone kept returning to the bar for a little more. Combined with the alchohol rules from the Equipment Guide this was devastating by morning.
Monument Possibly an old ruin, or simply something erected on top of one, it helps to have a time lock that is keyed to some event such as solstice. That this happens to occur only duriing a public holiday using the location is just coincidence.
Hope this helps.
Inconsequenti-AL
Breaks Games
Hand of Evil said:Be a rat bastard DM: the Library was dismantled, the stone text books were used to pave the streets, text face down. The players have to look for a type of stone (color or shape) then put the pages back together.
Oh that's priceless - the 'Indiana Jones' puzzle spread over a few hundred square yards of street!
I think I'll incorporate Thanees idea in there - the 'friends' they've already made in the thieves guild will get interested in why they're running around pulling up paving slabs. Make it some of the pickpocket 'Oliver Twist' children.
This is all coming together nicely!
Inconsequenti-AL
Breaks Games
Hand of Evil said:Be a rat bastard DM: the Library was dismantled, the stone text books were used to pave the streets, text face down. The players have to look for a type of stone (color or shape) then put the pages back together.
Oh that's priceless - the 'Indiana Jones' puzzle spread over a few hundred square yards of street!
I think I'll incorporate Thanees idea in there - the 'friends' they've already made in the thieves guild will get interested in why they're running around pulling up paving slabs. Make it some of the pickpocket 'Oliver Twist' children.
This is all coming together nicely!
TheAuldGrump
First Post
One of the peculiarities of old cities is that they are built on top of themselves, particularly in places where the agreed upon method of trash removal is the tried and true method of 'throw it out the window.' Take a look at Troy!
Among other possibilities - an area of the city that burned down, and new buildings created above the old ruins. (Seatle Washington, London England) So the easiest way to get to the dungeon is.. through another dungeon, filled with rats, homeless people using the ruins as free shelter, and 'traps' (rotting cieling beams, flooded areas, weakened floors... and everyones favorite - green slime.)
Areas that have sunk into the soft clay and been built over. (Boston Massachusetts, Chicago Illinois) Lots of flooding, submerged passages, etc. I f the lake has spread over the years the only entry might well be just below the shore.
And in a more contemporary setting an industrial area now abandoned. (Flint Michigan) Empty factories make great sites for battles along catwalks, swinging from chains over pits filled with chemical nastiness, etc.
And for building above the dungeon - how about an opera house or theater?
Or a tannery with leaking vats... drip, drip, drip...
The Auld Grump
Among other possibilities - an area of the city that burned down, and new buildings created above the old ruins. (Seatle Washington, London England) So the easiest way to get to the dungeon is.. through another dungeon, filled with rats, homeless people using the ruins as free shelter, and 'traps' (rotting cieling beams, flooded areas, weakened floors... and everyones favorite - green slime.)
Areas that have sunk into the soft clay and been built over. (Boston Massachusetts, Chicago Illinois) Lots of flooding, submerged passages, etc. I f the lake has spread over the years the only entry might well be just below the shore.
And in a more contemporary setting an industrial area now abandoned. (Flint Michigan) Empty factories make great sites for battles along catwalks, swinging from chains over pits filled with chemical nastiness, etc.
And for building above the dungeon - how about an opera house or theater?
Or a tannery with leaking vats... drip, drip, drip...
The Auld Grump
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