Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheWhateverSlayer 05-02-07, 08:23 AM	Ideas for a massive dungeon crawl adventure....More like an underground campaign setting, with a surface feel to it... 1) Traps 2) Unique Creatures 3) Intigue Story Lines 4) Anything Fresh This is a colaberated MASSIVE Dugeon Crawl Campaign Setting something to get lost in yet not get bored in the process. Thank You for any input and I will share our progress as time goes on...... The Wizard's Bard
daggeroflath 05-02-07, 08:52 AM	Is your name the Wizard's Bard or the Whatever Slayer? I'm confused.
TheWhateverSlayer 05-02-07, 08:56 AM	The Whatever Slayer is the Wizard's Bard and neither is a name. Yet that has little to do with Dungeon Crawl you could have PM me.
MagicMouth 05-02-07, 12:49 PM	Well, some more information on what kind of feeling you want to invoke in your campaign could be useful. High fantasy? Dark fantasy? Humor? Horror? Details, please. And when you mean "Unique Creatures", does that mean completely new ones, or would it suffice with templated monsters (and class levels as well, perhaps)?
TheWhateverSlayer 05-02-07, 08:00 PM	First I am thinking any feeling could fit at times as the plan in to make this MASSIVE. So you could recieve different styles of campaigning within different areas. To give you an idea of what I am talking about, this is nearly a campaign setting in itself. The only focus is that it is subterrainian. Just like one continent may have an oriental persuasion, the next may have high magic, etc. So one area could be deep dark magic, then you travel several miles down near a volcanic core that increases the temperature and some of the magic bearing denziens don't travel hear and magic is less seen. Then there could be dead zones where magic is unavailable or does not work correctly being a wild magic that causes random effects. I hope that answers that a little better. Creatures besides the common availible mosters, I am looking for fresh ideas weather they be completly new creations or modifications to other beasts. In the darkness you see it, but just too late.
Return of the Flumph 05-02-07, 08:02 PM	Answer two questions, and my creativity will be at your disposal: 1. Who made the dungeon? 2. Why are the PC's exploring it?
armeniantwins 05-02-07, 08:40 PM	Because I'm bored: Something I have used (and have succeeded with) before was a massive cavern, supported by wooden supports. Tons of wooden platforms stretch up and down along dozens of wooden columns, connected by 5 ft. wide ladders. The PCs were given small rods that coudl Shatter on touch. The PCs were forced to fight against flying creatures, while also shattering the supports to help destroy everyone.
TheWhateverSlayer 05-02-07, 09:02 PM	Answer two questions, and my creativity will be at your disposal: 1. Who made the dungeon? 2. Why are the PC's exploring it? 1). More caverns and chasms rather then the generic term dungeon. Mostly earthquakes, plate-shifts, and underworld denziens. 2). This is more of a campaign setting rather then a single adventure. They were raised in the environment and like any adventurer seek; glory, fame, riches, honor, revenge, power, or whatever suits yourself and your players. I hope that helps. Because I'm bored: Something I have used (and have succeeded with) before was a massive cavern, supported by wooden supports. Tons of wooden platforms stretch up and down along dozens of wooden columns, connected by 5 ft. wide ladders. The PCs were given small rods that coudl Shatter on touch. The PCs were forced to fight against flying creatures, while also shattering the supports to help destroy everyone. Interesting concept; are the PCs walking on these ladders and if so do you apply saving throws, and/or skill checks?
Return of the Flumph 05-02-07, 09:12 PM	Wait, a huge natural dungeon being explored by natives? Basically, this is an Underdark campaign setting.
TheWhateverSlayer 05-02-07, 09:21 PM	Wait, a huge natural dungeon being explored by natives? Basically, this is an Underdark campaign setting. Basically but does not neccesarily need to be natives, in the thoughts of drow, druegar, etc. Enslaved surface dwellers is an option as well and I absolutely want ties to the surface. I want a surface feel to some of the major parts. Sculpted walls, wooden doors, and other things that you don't normally find in an underdark campaign. I looking for uniqueness not the norm.
Return of the Flumph 05-02-07, 09:48 PM	Okay, so in this world, the underdark is made at least partly of artificial or smoothed-out caverns and dungeons. Sort of like what would happen if Undermountain expanded until it filled up the entire planet of Toril. Nice. Okay, I recommend we start by thinking about general ecology (what is there to eat down here, how much water, is there any light, etc) before coming up with the starting town.
TheWhateverSlayer 05-03-07, 06:42 AM	Okay, I recommend we start by thinking about general ecology (what is there to eat down here, how much water, is there any light, etc) before coming up with the starting town. I believe each regeon would differ. Well lit areas, with gardens and more civilized creatures. where the next regeon may be dark, carnivorous creatures, more wild in nature. So on and so forth. I want it to be fresh, yet keeping to the fantasy theme.
Return of the Flumph 05-03-07, 11:09 AM	Some features of this world: Macroprotists: Similar in appearance to giant kelp, these huge, plantlike organisms slowly bore through stone, connecting caverns to each other and playing host to numerous other symbiotic plants and fungi. While they really meanly on geothermal power to survive (their roots are always near a volcanic vent), their symbiotes help them absorb minerals from the rocks, filter nutrients from groundwater, and carry out photosynthesis in areas where there is light. When a macroprotist dies, it leaves behind a network of twisting tunnels where its body used to be. These plants are one of the biggest contributers to the tunnel networks that connect the underdark. Sunball: Whether they occured naturally, are magical artifacts made by the artificers of a long-dead civilization, or were placed in the underdark as a gift from the gods, the sunballs are a neccessity for surface dwellers to colonize the underground frontier. Hovering in the air in the largest and most expansive caverns, these 10x10 foot golden spheres give off a prepetual daylight effect, allowing surface dwellers to see clearly and grow photosynthetic crops in these areas. Touching a sunball deals 4d6 points of fire damage to whoever was stupid enough to do it. No known force can destroy or supress a sunball (though the mind flayers are impatient to discover one that can (plothook)). Lifts: The entire underdark is laced with the remnants of mysterious architects of old. The most important feature they left behind were the magical platforms-some stone, some metal, and some made of magical force-that can carry creatures through specific horizontal and vertical shafts for rapid transport through large regions of the underdark. Activated by lever or switch, these platforms are useful...but also hazardous; highwaymen and carnivorous monsters have taken to stalking some of the shafts.
RevIron 05-03-07, 12:05 PM	See also What's A DM to do rooms: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=619435 What's A DM to do NPCs and Monsters http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=299444 For stuff that might be worthwhile - and which I nearly posted when reading your original message. My stuff probably isn't any good for what you need, but some of it is exactly the sort of stuff your looking for (but I'm not going to go through those threads to find it).
MagicMouth 05-03-07, 01:51 PM	Hmm, I was thinking of the reason why there would be so big dungeons (or one REALLY big one). 1) The surface world is dominated by massive monsters of great power (Dragons or Giants come to mind), these creatures have enslaved many races. Many years ago a large number of rebels of nearly all other species fled into the underworld to build a new world for themselves benetah the ground where the colossal overlords couldnīt reach them. It did not take long for these new realms to come into conflict with one another, however: they were simply too different, and the lack of space and food was also a factor. In this campaign the PCs could act as "normal" adventurers, but also participate in political conflicts or try to liberate more people on the surface world. And the great masters probably have agents spread throughout the ranks of the insurgents... 2) In ages past the races of the world was enslaved by the monsters that made their homes in the subterranean dephts, and they brought many slaves to their realm. But this did not last forever, and the oppressed peoples rose up against the tyrants and shattered their kingdoms. Afterwards the released slaves settled down in the modified lairs of the old masters: they dared not return to the surface world, for in that open terrain they would be easy found by surviving monsters. Also, they did not know how tight the mastersī grip on the surface was. Now, countless realms have risen and fallen in the underground throughout the years, but the remnants of the old tyrants still hunger for the day when they will reclaim the dephts... This variant would be similar to the one above, but in this case the old masters are a more subtle, unknown threat. 3) A magical disaster of epic proportions threatened to annihilate every living creature on the surface. Facing extinction, a cabal of mighty mages managed to create a number of "safe houses" beneath the ground, where a select few of each race would wait until the apocalypse had ended and then return to the surface to repopulate it. Years went by. Not daring to open the gates to the surface yet, the havens began to expand into the rest of the underworld in search of more resources. It was only a matter of time before they came into conflict with each other... and the things that hide from the light of the sun. This would be a more "dungeon frontier" setting where the PCs explore new tunnels and search for valuable materials for their respective havens, all the while fighting the beasts that make their homes in the darkness.
Return of the Flumph 05-03-07, 03:09 PM	3 works well in unison with both of the others (the survival/leadership/fronteir aspect). I vote a mixture of 2 and 3.
MagicMouth 05-03-07, 06:28 PM	3 works well in unison with both of the others (the survival/leadership/fronteir aspect). I vote a mixture of 2 and 3. Hmm... something like this perhaps: As the havens began to expand they encountered not only wild beasts, but also very powerful subterranean empires filled with intelligent monsters. War was inevitable, but the surface races had relatively little experience with tunnel fighting, and in time almost all of them were enslaved or killed. The years of slavery were horrible, to say the least, but the surface races did learn quite a bit about the construction of dungeons and how to survive in them. A brave few heroes managed to start an underground resistance among the slaves, subtly working against their masters until they started an entire rebellion. The conflict was incredibly bloody for both sides, but in the end the heroes of the surface races, using wit as much as raw power, managed to slay several overlords of the dephts. In the confusion that followed, the slaves were able to fight back the rest of the monstrous hordes. Both sides retreated: the surface races to find a new life, the monsters to hide and lick their wounds. The slaves had learnt much by toiling for the masters, and built dungeon complexes of their own. They also occupied some old monster lairs and modified them for their own needs. In the centuries that followed the conflicts between the two sides mostly took the shape of small skirmishes. The surface races have managed to create several small kingdoms, and there is even some growing tension between these realms. The monsters, on the other hand, occupy the remnants of the ancient empires, and they hatefully plan to rebuild their might. Unfortunately, their forces are very shattered and fight amongst themselves at least as much as with the surface races. Nevertheless, there are rumors that a few of the overlords of old managed to survive... Between the various realms and bastions there are miles, miles and miles of corridors, rooms, vaults and chasms. Seeing as the occupied areas have been cleansed of everything valuable, all factions send parties to retrieve wealth and resources from this no manīs land. These groups are also told to look for large habitable sites: space is, after all, a premium in the underworld. And what of the surface? Some daring members of the surface races go out in search of the original havens which hold the gates to the lands above, but the locations of these sites have been lost to legend. Also, many fear that the gods evoked the apocalypse as a punishment for the sins of the mortals, and that trying to return to the surface would attract dire divine attention. Other rumors say that new creatures have taken over the land now that the original inhabitants are dead... or are they? Because of the difficult terrain and the natural advantage most monsters have, the surfacersī main defence is probably in the form of experienced adventurers and explorers such as the PCs, rather than large armies. This would probably mean that most individuals with PC class levels are seen as heroes of the realms: this can obviously be an advantage as well as a drawback.
Return of the Flumph 05-03-07, 06:37 PM	I like. I like a LOT. Now we just need to decide what chased the surface races underground in the first place and decide what role each major race (humanoid and monstrous) plays, and world creation can begin. One idea I've had for a while is a setting where the quintessential "savage" races are all twisted reflections of the common ones. This seems a good opportunity to use that idea; during the years of slavery, the evil Overlord dudes bred monstrous versions of all their slave races from normal stock. These races also helped overthrow the Overlords during the revolution, they were too violent and agressive to make peace with, and so they continue to be at odds with both the common races and the Overlords. Some of them are more peaceful, and others can be found fighting for either side as mercenaries, but for the most part there is little peaceful contact. Orcs were bred from dwarven stock. Hobgoblins came from humans (bugbears are an elite breed of hobgoblin bred in a "super soldier" project) Goblins came from halflings. Kobalds came from gnomes. Drow came from elves.
MagicMouth 05-03-07, 07:05 PM	I like. I like a LOT. Now we just need to decide what chased the surface races underground in the first place and decide what role each major race (humanoid and monstrous) plays, and world creation can begin. One idea I've had for a while is a setting where the quintessential "savage" races are all twisted reflections of the common ones. This seems a good opportunity to use that idea; during the years of slavery, the evil Overlord dudes bred monstrous versions of all their slave races from normal stock. These races also helped overthrow the Overlords during the revolution, they were too violent and agressive to make peace with, and so they continue to be at odds with both the common races and the Overlords. Some of them are more peaceful, and others can be found fighting for either side as mercenaries, but for the most part there is little peaceful contact. Orcs were bred from dwarven stock. Hobgoblins came from humans (bugbears are an elite breed of hobgoblin bred in a "super soldier" project) Goblins came from halflings. Kobalds came from gnomes. Drow came from elves. Thank you! :D I like your ideas on the "savage" races as well. I was thinking that maybe Dwarves, Gnomes, Halflings, Goblins and all those "little folks" could have greater influence than in other worlds, thanks to the fact that their smaller stature makes it easier to navigate and adapt to the tunnels. This would likely make them some of the most capable settlers and explorers.
Return of the Flumph 05-04-07, 01:09 AM	How's this for a campaign background for this setting: Not so long ago as many would imagine, life came into being. The deities of this world were all nature gods; elemental beings who created a vibrant world filled with healthy life of all kinds. In addition to plants and animals, they created anthropomorphic races (lizardfolk, minotaurs, etc) who lived in a tribal, animistic society, in harmony with their surroundings, and fey creatures who helped oversee the balance of nature and ensure its continuation. However, when the gods began to intermarry and have children, the new generation of godlings was not so patient or unambitious. They created their own races-the humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes-not to be a part of nature, but to rule over it. With the encouragement of the younger gods, the humans expanded unforgivingly, clearing forests and draining swamps to make way for their farmland. The dwarves hollowed out the pristine mountains, destroying their natural state in their self-interested quest for gems and precious metals. The elves used their magic to twist nature to their will, shaping trees into living houses and turning the animals into utilitarian magical beasts. The gnomes experimented with scientific and natural principles without respect for what they toyed with, and created machinery that harmed the environment. The halflings were the ultimate merchants of this industrialized society, moving goods and ideas from place to place, making the civilized world smaller even as it expanded, which prompted even more expansion. The old gods grew angry at this, and made war on their children. Just as the new gods were defeated by their parents in the heavens, the civilized races were attacked and overpowered by the anthropomorphic and fey races on the Prime Material. The young gods were exhiled from their home plane and forced to create their own, and their civilized races withdrew under the ground. While all this was going on, the terrible Overlords of the Underdark (who worshipped their own gods) were having trouble with slave labor. The subterranean monsters they used as thralls were rebellious, unintelligent, and unreliable. In order to maintain their decadent and pampered lifestyle, they would need new laborers. The coming of the civilized races to the underdark was seen as a divine boon by the Overlords. Magic Mouth's plot summary begins here. Basically, the surface is controlled by the anthropomorphs who don't want the civilized races to return. The civilized races (and the savage strains that were bred from them) have just escaped their Overlords and are establishing their own underground societies. There are three pantheons of gods; the nature gods, the civilized gods, and whatever archfiends the Overlords worship. The savage races probably worship a mixture of civilized and Overlord gods. BTW, what should the Overlords be? Aberrations? Dragons? Fiends?
TheWhateverSlayer 05-04-07, 02:55 AM	WOW Macroprotists: Love this idea. AWESOME Sunball: Great Idea Lifts: A little here or there for me but easily usable Great Ideas From the return of the flumph Plots and background are awesome to date. I will be driving all day tomarrow so I will have little to say but, everything is great so far. Someone tell me how to upload maps and I will draw some stuff up for comprimise. I am by far a greater artist then writer. Now don't get me wrong I have a fabulous Imagination just terrible writing skills. But I will be putting in my 2c as this project grows. I do want to add though I think the surface and subterrainian lands need to be seperate but would like to keep the surface usable and inhabitted as well. Somewhat like a massive expanded Undermountain under the lands of Toril. But with some severe seperations from the Forgotten Realms. I would like to see different as well as adaptible to any type of campaign setting. What I would like to suggest is assignments to this project and possibly some kind of counsel. Basically we decide areas of expertise that we know best. Expand our individual projects. Then open those projects up for discussion amongst those of us most involved and make descisions on what works best and what doesn't. This would be democratic and probally bring the best results. Some feedback on this would be appreciated. I think I would be suited at cartography as well as charactor developement. In some cases warfare and political structures.
TheWhateverSlayer 05-04-07, 03:02 AM	Basically, the surface is controlled by the anthropomorphs who don't want the civilized races to return. The civilized races (and the savage strains that were bred from them) have just escaped their Overlords and are establishing their own underground societies. There are three pantheons of gods; the nature gods, the civilized gods, and whatever archfiends the Overlords worship. The savage races probably worship a mixture of civilized and Overlord gods. BTW, what should the Overlords be? Aberrations? Dragons? Fiends? Now basically as I said I am against closing out the surface as being un civilized, but if this seems to be the best suited approach then I will go for it, and if that is the case the overlords should be in my opinion Dragons Thus after the games name sake Dungeons & Dragons. Thus the would would have submitted to the power of the overloards the Dragons and banished themselves for survivals umongst a massive Dungeon. Again only my opinion and I am always open to any suggestions.
Anuvrix 05-04-07, 10:22 AM	Dragons got tired of getting hunted and of mortals encroaching upon their territory. So they banded together and drove the people underground. Dragons rule the skies and the world above. they stick the others underground for eternity, or until they fight back.(campaign idea) As for some parts of the above world still civilized, maybe some highly defended cities are still ther and active, but must be defended from constant Dragon attacks.(campaign hook) The People have to act fast, the number of strongholds on the surface is decreasing....
TheWhateverSlayer 05-04-07, 10:45 AM	Dragons got tired of getting hunted and of mortals encroaching upon their territory. So they banded together and drove the people underground. Dragons rule the skies and the world above. they stick the others underground for eternity, or until they fight back.(campaign idea) As for some parts of the above world still civilized, maybe some highly defended cities are still ther and active, but must be defended from constant Dragon attacks.(campaign hook) The People have to act fast, the number of strongholds on the surface is decreasing.... Yes, Yes, yes...... I love this Idea but I would like an agreement to this before we go forth with it.
Return of the Flumph 05-05-07, 12:34 PM	Okay, a vote from whoever's interested in this project: 1. My idea (common races driven underground by the anthropomorphic races and subsequently enslaved by dragons) 2. Anuvrix's idea (dragons drove the common races mostly underground, where they were enslaved by some other type of creature)
MagicMouth 05-05-07, 05:05 PM	Okay, a vote from whoever's interested in this project: 1. My idea (common races driven underground by the anthropomorphic races and subsequently enslaved by dragons) 2. Anuvrix's idea (dragons drove the common races mostly underground, where they were enslaved by some other type of creature) I vote for nr. 1 because I think it is especially original and cool. Nr. 2 is also good, but I simply prefer the first.
Dracomortis 05-05-07, 06:21 PM	If you need some new monsters, you might find some of the ones we've done over at the New Monster Request Thread (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=678970)to be useful. You might also try the Monster Archive (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=155813), or the Monster Hybrid Game (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=835759) for some interesting cross species.
TheWhateverSlayer 05-05-07, 10:08 PM	For the vote I would like to see #2 for the reaseons I stated earlier. If I am correct as I see it right now that would be 2 to 2 on the voting assuming Return of the Flumph and Aunuvrix for their own ideas. So if this is correct as it strands right now we need a swing vote to decide it. I do like botideas though and am not against either and fully support both.
Dracomortis 05-06-07, 07:45 AM	I'll vote for the second one. The first one is also interesting, but there would have to be a lot of dragons to enslave an entire world's worth of inhabitants, even confined to a small region underground, especially considering they have no innate ability to do so - they either have to rely on spells such as dominate monster or use sheer intimidation, both of which can be overcome by outside forces and are thus unreliable at best. This isn't to say that it isn't plausible, it just seems to imply either a large number of dragons or a small number of other races. Option two provides for another race to enslave the creatures, such as the neogi or the tsochar, who have innate abilities to enslave or control other creatures with a much higher degree of accuracy and permanency than mere spells. Races like the illithids might even occassionally raid the surface, enslave less powerful species of dragons, and bring them back underground where they serve as elite body guards. Hells, you might even be able to pull off both choices. One race, presumably some sort of aberration or outsider, has enslaved the general populace but also has several species of dragons enslaved. The dragons, in turn, are allowed to have a small number of their own slaves. The only thing this leaves to question is what, exactly, still lives on the surface.
Return of the Flumph 05-06-07, 12:07 PM	I was thinking that some dragonlike race (maybe apply half-dragon template to something) could be the general populace of the slavers, with true dragons being the ruling elite. Whatever, Anuvrix's idea won, and I'm fine with it; aberrations are my favorite monster type anyway
Dracomortis 05-06-07, 01:46 PM	I was thinking that some dragonlike race (maybe apply half-dragon template to something) could be the general populace of the slavers, with true dragons being the ruling elite. So basically the dragons sit in their lairs producing offspring, and they let their bastardized halfbreeds do all the manual labor? Sounds cool, but now I'm torn between both ideas. Hmm...what if the dragons drove the other races underground and then enslaved them? Sort of like "We ran underground to get away from the dragons...and found even more dragons down there". So now the survivors are stuck between being slaves for the subterranean dragons or being meals for the surface dragons. Given the limited number of existing dragon species that live below ground, we would probably have to come up with some new ones to help add variety to the batch. The surface dragons, of course, could be taken from chromatic, metallica, gem, and any other species of true dragons.
TheWhateverSlayer 05-06-07, 06:24 PM	Still sounds somewhat like a draw to me after reading dracomortis reanalysis so here is what I suggest coming up with a formula that combines the two. I am going to do a little research and study and see what I can offer. Plus I will also reevaluate what has already been offered as suggestions. I will post within in this thread a few NEW surface monsters I will also post these in one of the monster threads. So we can fine tune them and make them applicable for this setting. I will attempt to add some gaming material later today.
TheWhateverSlayer 05-06-07, 10:22 PM	Chaos Gaurdians (SQ) Detect Thoughts, Alter Self, Phase, Bink Similar in aspect to a doppleganger, but the motive and creation of the beast greatly differs. Chaos Gaurdians would resemble troglodytes in natural form carrying some traits of a doppleganger and some traits of the plane-touched. The creatures are the base troops of the "Dragons" of the surface. Chaos Gaudians main purpose in life is to capture and slay those against the Order imposed by the Dragons. They police the surface and entrences to the underworld. More details can be offered if these appear to be an appropriate creature to this setting.