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Old 12-31-2022, 07:01 AM   #1
Dalin
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Default #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

Sean McCoy has proposed a fun challenge for 2023. Basically, just create a new dungeon room every day for the year. Ideally, you’ll have 365 rooms by this time next year. There are many variations out there: multiple dungeons, wilderness encounters, designing a city, etc.

If anyone in the GURPS community tries this for DF or DFRPG, share your results here. No pressure around writing quality or actually managing this every day. It’s a brainstorming exercise.
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Old 01-01-2023, 08:00 AM   #2
ajardoor
 
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Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

I am on it. See the link to my blog in my signature.
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Old 01-01-2023, 08:17 AM   #3
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Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

A short corridor dead-ends here in a fireman's pole: a thick metal pole passing through the middle of a shaft leading downwards. It's too dark to see how deep it goes but at least 20 feet down.

GM notes: pole is made of pure copper. Each 1' of its length is 20 lb. and worth $1000 if extracted from the dungeon. The shaft is 50' deep, ending in the lair of an unintelligent monster two dungeon levels down, such as a pudding or giant crocodile. The pole is only 40' long.
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Old 01-01-2023, 10:06 PM   #4
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Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

Started today. Freehand dungeon, foyer, (do dungeons have a foyer?) with a 'porch', entryway, two areas caused by long-term water damage, think limestone caves and a great big door with two valves.

Four monsters, two from 'Monsters' and two homemade creatures. Just with the beginning I am seeing a direction, but I am not quite ready to pull the trigger yet.

My tentative thought is a horrific Elder Races, mutant creatures and hideous creations of magic and Elder super-science and the maddened cultists that love them. As well as the foolish dungeon delvers that will risk madness and death to come back with some gold and glory.
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Old 01-01-2023, 10:55 PM   #5
Dalin
 
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Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

For starters I'm just going to create rooms and see what happens. Maybe they link up in a mega-dungeon or a group of dungeons or something else. My first-draft thought was that they might all be areas around the Caverntown setting. I had more free time for this one, so I wrote it up in more detail. Some rooms may end up with a few words at best.

Room 1/1 — Dripping Shaft

Description: This cave forms a rough vertical cylinder, about 9-yards across and 25-yards up, with ancient carved steps spiraling around the edge from bottom to top (1-yard wide, no railing). Water drips from the stalactite-festooned ceiling and trickles down the worn steps, making for slippery footing (+2 movement points per hex, -3 to attack rolls, -2 to defenses). The floor of the chamber is littered with bits of stone debris covered by a shallow pool that slowly drains through a narrow crevice (bad footing + shallow water = +2 movement points per hex). Hidden within the debris are numerous bones and bits of gear.

Vision: -8 (patches of glowing slime); note that lanterns and torches will be extinguished if they are dropped in the water
Hearing: -3 (dripping water)
Exits: Two rough tunnels at the bottom and top of the stairs.

Slippery Stairs: Climbing or descending the stairs slowly is safe enough. Moving more rapidly, or engaging in sudden motion (as during combat) requires a DX-3 roll. Failure indicates a fall on the steps; roll DX at -2 to stand up. Failure by 3 or more (or a critical failure) means a fall from the steps at whatever height the character was at. The shallow water counts as a soft surface, halving crushing damage from the fall.

Dökkkápa: A cluster of four dökkkápa (Norđlondr Óvinabókin, p. 60) are concealed amongst the stalactites on the ceiling. They typically wait until prey climbs 10–20 yards up the steps before plummeting to attack.

Treasure: Submerged amongst the debris at the base of the chamber are the remains of former victims. Gear is largely corroded to worthlessness, but a careful search may reveal some of the following:
  • various coins [$3d×10, 0.02 lb. per coin]
  • a rusty but serviceable long knife (cheap) [$20, 1 lb]
  • bronze bracelet inlaid with turquoise [$185, 0.15 lbs]
  • greased pouch of 13 small polished agate discs (playing pieces?) [$325, neg.]
  • 1 siege stone, probably only discoverable with magic as it looks no different from a natural rock [$550, neg.]

Last edited by Dalin; 01-02-2023 at 10:34 AM.
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Old 01-02-2023, 09:03 PM   #6
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Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/2 — Chasm Arcade

Description: The sound of the wind picks up as the rough, natural passage opens into a worked arcade along the edge of a chasm. The breeze helps clear the air, though it brings occasional wafts of foul underworld odors: brimstone, mold, and the sourness of sewage. The floor of the passage is 6 yards wide with a series of arcades (columns with arches between them) along both sides. The passage extends 120 yards ahead. It is roughly straight, though it is clearly following the contours of a natural cavern on the right side (see below).
On the right side, there is a low stone balustrade between the columns. Beyond this is the darkness of a massive crevice in the earth. It extends in every direction further than most light sources can pierce, though occasional glints and reflections can be seen directly across from the arches (about 30 yards away). About 80 yards along the passage, the chasm narrows slightly and there is an opening for a broad arching bridge that once extended 20 yards to the far side. The center of the bridge has long-since collapsed, leaving a 12-yard gap.
On the left side most of the pillars form a blind arcade with solid rock between the pillars. Occasionally, however, there are openings carved between the pillars. Some of these open into single small rooms. Others open into a series of linked chambers. One of these, located across from the bridge, has a secret trapdoor in a rear room with a staircase leading down to another area of the dungeon.
When this portion of the caves was more active, this was a shopping arcade with booths and a few permanent shops lining the passage. Little evidence remains of that bustling, mercantile past.

Vision: -10 (total darkness)
Hearing: -2 (wind)
Exits: Large passages at either end of the arcade. Secret staircase descending from a room across from the bridge. Partially collapsed bridge across the chasm. Characters able to fly, walk on air, or climb walls can easily climb through the right-side arches to explore the chasm itself.

Hazards
Falling:
The chasm can be as dangerous as the GM desires. It could be 100 or more yards deep, likely killing even the doughtiest delvers. Or, it could be shallower with a soft landing (standing water, fungus, mounds of guano…).
Foul Bats: A colony of a dozen Foul Bats (Monsters, p. 28) lives in a series of cramped caves higher up the chasm. If delvers are quiet and keep light to a minimum, the bats will notice them on a 7 or less on 3d every five minutes (rolling at least once while traversing the arcade). Louder noise, bright light, and/or investigating the bridge or chasm increases the odds to 10 on 3d per minute.

Treasure
The arcade and shops have been picked over many times. There may be some treasure at the bottom of the chasm or in the lair of the Foul Bats.

Last edited by Dalin; 01-03-2023 at 04:26 PM.
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Old 01-03-2023, 05:15 PM   #7
Dalin
 
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Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

1/3 — Fountain Shrine

Description: This circular room lies near the middle of the Chasm Arcade (1/2) on the side opposite the chasm. The entrance is an archway between two pillars of the blind arcade. Gurgling water can be heard, and a party without bright light sources will see flickering multicolored light emanating from the arch.
The room is 7 yards in diameter. In the middle is a 3-yard pool of clear water with a thick rim—more of a narrow bench—rising two feet above the floor around it. The interior of the pool is lined with a bewildering array of glowing tiles in myriad hues. This creates a prismatic effect with colored light refracting on the walls and domed ceiling. In the center of the pool, water emerges from a sculpture shaped like a cluster of tentacles rising from the water.
The edge of the room is a 2-yard walkway around the pool. There are bits of broken ceramic jars here and there on the floor. The curving walls and dome above are covered with carvings in a wide variety of styles. They depict scenes of water (mostly subterranean) and various gods and spirits of water, including some that would be recognizable to surface dwellers.
The water is remarkably clear with no algae or other growth. It is fresh and untainted—entirely safe to drink. It drains beneath the floor toward the arcade, eventually spilling into the chasm beyond.
Vision: -3 (glow)
Hearing: -3 (wind in the arcade and splashing water in the pool)
Exits: 2-yard wide arched entrance from the arcade
Nature’s Strength: +1 (effectively a level of primeval wilderness due to the elemental nature of the shrine)
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Old 01-05-2023, 03:42 PM   #8
ericthered
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Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

Looks like we might need some help?

Jan 5 etr

Description: This 3 yard by 10 yard smooth stone room holds pool of water on its ceiling, intitially quite calm, and also quite reflective (if lighting from the air would improve visibility in the pool past -7, it improves it to -7 instead). This pool is 3 yards above the floor.

The pool is held on the surface of the chamber by a gravity spell. If a PC can get their center of gravity above two yards, they will fall into the water. If they want to get out of the pool, they need to get their center of gravity one yard above its surface, falling the remaing 2 yards (jumping, DX, or acrobatics to avoid damage from a 2-yard fall)


Vision: -10 (total darkness)
Hearing: -2 (poor aucstics due to pool)
Exits: A passage at the far end of the chamber. A secret underwater tunnel leading out from the side of the pool.

Giant Tentacled thing: A giant tentacled thing lives in the pool. The surface of the water essentially acts as a one way mirror, and it will be able to attack players from above using their own lighting. Its hungry, and will retreat with a meal (a creature of at least SM-2) to eat it. This monster has six arms, but is mostly a normal animal.

Code:
ST 20    HP 20        Speed 6.5
DX 14    Will 10        Move 1
IQ 4    Per 12        Move (water) 6
HT 12    FP 12        SM +2

Dodge 10    Parry 11    DR 4

Tentacle Grab (14): Roll ST vs higher of victim's ST or HT, victory inflicts crushing damage equal to the margin. Can reach up to four yards away. 10 injury is necessary to sever a tentacle

Bite (14): 2d6 crushing. Note this is only useful against victims in the water 

Traits: Doesn't Breath(Gills), Extra Attack 2, No Legs (Aquatic), regrowth, regeneration (2 HP/ hour)
Treasure: Resting on the "bottom" of the pool in one corner is a collection of bodies and rotted and rusted weapons. Among them are a silver comb ($115, .15 lbs), a silver Torque ($865), and 200 lbs of scrap metal (selling for I'd guess 2$ a pound?)


*****************************************
I'm fairly new to DF, so I'm not sure about the balance of this room, or if the creature is too easy or difficult. Let me know.


EDIT: changed the creature to loose a tentacle on 10 injury rather than 10 damage, and added regrowth and some fairly slow regeneration, so that if the main body isn't dealt with the danger returns, and boosted DR to 4.
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Last edited by ericthered; 01-10-2023 at 03:54 PM.
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Old 01-05-2023, 07:42 PM   #9
Queetser
 
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Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

I've decided firmly on the Eldritch Gods/Old Ones/Cthulhlu feel for the dungeon. It will be brutal to the overly curious. My own players are used to the idea of 'Things Man is Not Meant to Know', but an unfamiliar group might wind up getting into trouble digging in too deeply or investigating that strange half-heard hum.

Each section will be unique as one group built on top of another, or was wiped out by their own servitor races, or perhaps simply have evolved beyond earthly forms. Unhuman, abhuman, and inhuman are the hominids, and creatures range from the familiar but disgusting (slugbeasts, slimes etc) to unfamiliar and disturbing, flying polyps, glass pikes, spore powered mummies, etc to mutations of humans, creatures of Dagon, mutant cultists, aliens from beyond space and time fungal bats, living shadows.
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Old 01-05-2023, 08:49 PM   #10
Dalin
 
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Default Re: #Dungeon23 Megadungeon Challenge

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Looks like we might need some help?
Thanks for jumping in.

I love the reverse-gravity pool on the ceiling. Perfect DF flavor.

Quote:
I'm fairly new to DF, so I'm not sure about the balance of this room, or if the creature is too easy or difficult. Let me know.
A combat-focused party will likely make short work of the tentacles. Maybe they grow back quickly so you really need to take out the main body to defeat it. I would also change "10 damage" to "10 injury" to sever a tentacle. Might boost DR a bit too (rubbery skin).

With that said, it doesn't need to be a boss. It would definitely be a threat to the main group that I GM for (they're not optimized for combat).

As for my dungeon writing, I've been working at it every day, but am not ready to post them yet. I've started a set of rooms that go together. I keep adjusting things as I proceed, so I'll post them this weekend when I wrap them up.
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