The "Empty" Rooms of Undermountain [Archive] - Wizards Community

The "Empty" Rooms of Undermountain [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
dave_the_DM
06-18-07, 11:15 AM I have seen a few posts talking about the UM book coming out, as well as talk of previous supplements. Most people seem to be concerned about the volume of "empty space." I say, "don't worry about it", and here's why:

I have ran UM since its inception, and I have never grown tired of it (oh I may take a break now and again, but when I pick it up, its fresh once more:D ).

The core rooms are there to give you a starting point... an idea of what UM is about, but then YOU have to breathe life into it for it to work. UM and Waterdeep are intertwined...

Let me quote the Blackstaff:

"...remember what is above, and what is below-for so great is the color and wealth of undermountain, and so great the naked villainy and savagery of Waterdeep, that it can be hard indeed to tell one from the other when darkness cloaks them both."

This is the essence of the campaign. Intrigue, both above and below drives the adventure.

Let me recommend highly that if you want to run a great Waterdeep/ Undermountain campaign you go to ebay, or RPGnow and get your hands on "Volo's Guide to Waterdeep." One of the absolute best supplements on a city ever written for an RPG... bar none, and an enjoyable read. This will set the tone, and get you "into the streets of the place."

While you're there let me suggest you also download the original boxed set, the deep levels, the "lost level", the Waterdeep boxed set, and the "city system" maps!

The interesting thing about Undermountain is that everybody knows about it. There is a public entrance to the thing, and people PAY to use it. At any one time there are five or six adventuring parties searching the thing of various power and level.

One of my favorite things to do with the neophyte explorers is introduce them to other neophytes who go in before them... then of course find their bodies in the dungeon later... or one of the "survivors" comes running down the hall, bloodied and insane... etc.

Or hardened adventures who meet a similiar fate, or can relay good info.

As the party explores the "empty" rooms, there are still things there... graphetti is a nice touch... warnings, or brief descriptions of monsters or traps.

Body parts scattered here and there, leaks from the above sewer with the occasional slime or mold present, etc.

Factions are key to filling in the "blank" areas. Those with an agenda will quickly get your imagination pumping. For example, on level two I created a temple to the god of Murder... and everyday at noon and midnight there is a human sacrifice... many of whom are wayward adventurers who fell afoul of the god's minions. "Murder Patrols" actively scour the dungeon looking for victims. Trained "attack trolls" leashed on chains lead the way, and their coming isn't exactly quiet!

It is typical for the characters to run into trouble in one direction, only to get sandwiched as something from the other direction decides to make a meal of them...

Teleports will quickly make knowledge of the exit location useless, and the adventure quickly becomes one of escape and survival over exploration.

NPCs from above may have business within... either in a nondescrpt area... or even Skullport.

The Port of Shadows is another thing entirely... here you could run a complete campaign alone... and it is only a part of level THREE!

With just a fraction of info from the supplements, and your own imaginaltion... A well run UM campaign can run for years, and the characters never leave Waterdeep!

I for one am looking forward to the new material. I will absorb all the new ideas... expand upon what I like, and toss what I don't.
Shiftkitty
06-18-07, 03:28 PM My PCs found the "empty" rooms not quite so empty...:devil:

I never used UM as a tourist attraction, but I did make sure that the party knew that they weren't the only ones down there. They wisely chose a different corridor when the one they were going to travel down was suddenly occupied by a huge barbarian running toward them, tears in his eyes and pale as a ghost and shrieking like a little girl.
dave_the_DM
06-18-07, 05:07 PM My PCs found the "empty" rooms not quite so empty...:devil:

They wisely chose a different corridor when the one they were going to travel down was suddenly occupied by a huge barbarian running toward them, tears in his eyes and pale as a ghost and shrieking like a little girl.

:D Now that's the Undermountain I've grown to know and love! :evillaugh
Shiftkitty
06-18-07, 09:16 PM A mighty wizard by name of Willow Uffgart, or "Uffy" (and is not a short little dude trying to return a princess infant to her rightful place, he's a 7'9 wizard) has built his home, Wizardspire, over a known entrance to Undermountain out in the nearby wilderness. His basement door leads into it, and over the years, the player has become convinced that he's finally mapped it all. (Insert evil cackle here.)

My husband and I are both interested in the d20 version. I hope it hasn't been wussed out. Know anything about it, oh fellow evil DM?
dave_the_DM
06-19-07, 07:17 AM My husband and I are both interested in the d20 version. I hope it hasn't been wussed out. Know anything about it, oh fellow evil DM?

I'm afraid not. However, by looking at the table of contents they provided in the "excerps" section, it would seem that the coverage is similiar to the original boxed set in that there are core rooms, and the rest is "empty".

I hope there is more infor on the Citadel of the Bloody Hand, and a few of the lesser known levels... :D

Between the original boxed set, the web series, and my own stuff, undermountain and waterdeep are pretty well covered for me. Some fresh ideas are alway welcome though
Dielzen
06-19-07, 11:16 AM I got my book yesterday.

From a quick skim the book covers small portions of each of the major levels (to include a couple of the "never touched" levels you listed in your other post), similarly to the old boxset treatment (1/10 of each level is detailed).

From this quick skim I didn't get the impression that much new lore was added, although quite a bit of detail was given on various factions in UM and their plots/plans.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
dave_the_DM 06-18-07, 11:15 AM	I have seen a few posts talking about the UM book coming out, as well as talk of previous supplements. Most people seem to be concerned about the volume of "empty space." I say, "don't worry about it", and here's why: I have ran UM since its inception, and I have never grown tired of it (oh I may take a break now and again, but when I pick it up, its fresh once more:D ). The core rooms are there to give you a starting point... an idea of what UM is about, but then YOU have to breathe life into it for it to work. UM and Waterdeep are intertwined... Let me quote the Blackstaff: "...remember what is above, and what is below-for so great is the color and wealth of undermountain, and so great the naked villainy and savagery of Waterdeep, that it can be hard indeed to tell one from the other when darkness cloaks them both." This is the essence of the campaign. Intrigue, both above and below drives the adventure. Let me recommend highly that if you want to run a great Waterdeep/ Undermountain campaign you go to ebay, or RPGnow and get your hands on "Volo's Guide to Waterdeep." One of the absolute best supplements on a city ever written for an RPG... bar none, and an enjoyable read. This will set the tone, and get you "into the streets of the place." While you're there let me suggest you also download the original boxed set, the deep levels, the "lost level", the Waterdeep boxed set, and the "city system" maps! The interesting thing about Undermountain is that everybody knows about it. There is a public entrance to the thing, and people PAY to use it. At any one time there are five or six adventuring parties searching the thing of various power and level. One of my favorite things to do with the neophyte explorers is introduce them to other neophytes who go in before them... then of course find their bodies in the dungeon later... or one of the "survivors" comes running down the hall, bloodied and insane... etc. Or hardened adventures who meet a similiar fate, or can relay good info. As the party explores the "empty" rooms, there are still things there... graphetti is a nice touch... warnings, or brief descriptions of monsters or traps. Body parts scattered here and there, leaks from the above sewer with the occasional slime or mold present, etc. Factions are key to filling in the "blank" areas. Those with an agenda will quickly get your imagination pumping. For example, on level two I created a temple to the god of Murder... and everyday at noon and midnight there is a human sacrifice... many of whom are wayward adventurers who fell afoul of the god's minions. "Murder Patrols" actively scour the dungeon looking for victims. Trained "attack trolls" leashed on chains lead the way, and their coming isn't exactly quiet! It is typical for the characters to run into trouble in one direction, only to get sandwiched as something from the other direction decides to make a meal of them... Teleports will quickly make knowledge of the exit location useless, and the adventure quickly becomes one of escape and survival over exploration. NPCs from above may have business within... either in a nondescrpt area... or even Skullport. The Port of Shadows is another thing entirely... here you could run a complete campaign alone... and it is only a part of level THREE! With just a fraction of info from the supplements, and your own imaginaltion... A well run UM campaign can run for years, and the characters never leave Waterdeep! I for one am looking forward to the new material. I will absorb all the new ideas... expand upon what I like, and toss what I don't.
Shiftkitty 06-18-07, 03:28 PM	My PCs found the "empty" rooms not quite so empty...:devil: I never used UM as a tourist attraction, but I did make sure that the party knew that they weren't the only ones down there. They wisely chose a different corridor when the one they were going to travel down was suddenly occupied by a huge barbarian running toward them, tears in his eyes and pale as a ghost and shrieking like a little girl.
dave_the_DM 06-18-07, 05:07 PM	My PCs found the "empty" rooms not quite so empty...:devil: They wisely chose a different corridor when the one they were going to travel down was suddenly occupied by a huge barbarian running toward them, tears in his eyes and pale as a ghost and shrieking like a little girl. :D Now that's the Undermountain I've grown to know and love! :evillaugh
Shiftkitty 06-18-07, 09:16 PM	A mighty wizard by name of Willow Uffgart, or "Uffy" (and is not a short little dude trying to return a princess infant to her rightful place, he's a 7'9 wizard) has built his home, Wizardspire, over a known entrance to Undermountain out in the nearby wilderness. His basement door leads into it, and over the years, the player has become convinced that he's finally mapped it all. (Insert evil cackle here.) My husband and I are both interested in the d20 version. I hope it hasn't been wussed out. Know anything about it, oh fellow evil DM?
dave_the_DM 06-19-07, 07:17 AM	My husband and I are both interested in the d20 version. I hope it hasn't been wussed out. Know anything about it, oh fellow evil DM? I'm afraid not. However, by looking at the table of contents they provided in the "excerps" section, it would seem that the coverage is similiar to the original boxed set in that there are core rooms, and the rest is "empty". I hope there is more infor on the Citadel of the Bloody Hand, and a few of the lesser known levels... :D Between the original boxed set, the web series, and my own stuff, undermountain and waterdeep are pretty well covered for me. Some fresh ideas are alway welcome though
Dielzen 06-19-07, 11:16 AM	I got my book yesterday. From a quick skim the book covers small portions of each of the major levels (to include a couple of the "never touched" levels you listed in your other post), similarly to the old boxset treatment (1/10 of each level is detailed). From this quick skim I didn't get the impression that much new lore was added, although quite a bit of detail was given on various factions in UM and their plots/plans.