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filling up my dungeons

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
circumnavigate
Oct 25, 2008 15:09:22 One of the things that I feel I'm having a little trouble with is all the stuff that is IN my dungeons. That is, other than monsters, treasure and key plot point objects/things.

I'm talking about things like chains on the wall, candelabras, potted plants...things like that. I like these things because they make the environment more real. I never would want to spend too much time on them because that wastes time, and could make the PCs think they are more important than they are.

However, I do think they are important for a few reasons: 1. If you only tell the PCs about the important things, they will know exactly where to go, and I like there to be a little mystery, at least a little guessing or interacting with the environment. 2. They paint the scenery well. Sure you can call something a cabin in the woods, but it's just not creepy unless its filled with taxidermy.

With all that said, I enjoy things that are creepy, interesting and creative, but I also *just* mundane enough to be scenery and not terribly important.

So I'm looking for lists. Items that go in rooms, and rooms of all sorts, from prisons to mansions, from tree houses to the boudoir of a pit fiend. Does anyone out there have suggestions, lists of their own, or references?

Thanks all!
#2
matthewswift
Oct 25, 2008 16:30:40 There's never a toilet in any dungeons I've seen. Never.

Bones from a previous critter's meal...

Dungeon interior design 101:

1. Make the dungeon feel lived in, even if it's inhabitted by undead.

2. What is the dungeon's purpose? If its sole purpose is to kill things, have dead things. If not, have the bare necessities of life pop up every now and then.

3. Find a random item thread or mundane item generator.
#3
ff6shadow
Oct 25, 2008 16:33:16 I usually give a basic layout, then fill in details as they ask.

For example:
It seems to be a bedroom. Their is an armoire on the left wall, a bed in the far right corner, with a small table siting beside it.

Then is they ask.

A candelabra stands near the table, holding several partially melted candles.
The table has a small drawer in it.
The bed is better quality than you would normall see, but appears to be slightly lumpy.

Checking.
The drawer is locked.
The bed is lumpy, Upon further checking, their might be things hidden in the matress.
The candles are still warm. Somebody was here recently.
The wardrobe is full of good clothing. (Perception DC 15 to see lockbox hidden in the back.

So I plan in extreme detail, but only provide those details if the PC's bother to ask. I never point out anything that isn't immediately obvious to the casual passerby. So my players have gotten to know that I never give them the important items in a room.
#4
space_dragon
Oct 25, 2008 17:12:53
There's never a toilet in any dungeons I've seen. Never.

Really? Many dungeons I've seen (and made) had refuse-pits, where an otyugh or gelatinous cube feasts on a pile of waste of various sorts. I always assumed a pit with an ooze or other filth-eater at the bottom was the dungeon equivalent of a toilet.
#5
aethergrey
Oct 26, 2008 7:00:16 Just scribble the room's function on your notes, and then when you come to describe it say something like:

This room looks like it was used as a games room, a dartboard adorns one wall, there's a mat that was probably used for wrestling matches, cards, dice and scrawled on sheets of parchment lie around some floor cushions and the entire room is littered with the remains of years worth of snacks.

Use an offhand manner so that your players understand you are making it up on the spot and it really isn't important other than flavour.
#6
cornholio89
Oct 26, 2008 8:12:15 It all depends on the dungeon, if it is a fortress of great importance you may find weapons, papers (orders), spoils-of-war, desks, oil lamps, candles and much more. If the dungeon is a mansion, it can get complicated. It depends on what kind of mansion, if it is a well-kept masion you will find marble floors, elegant tapestries, hand crafted tables, lots of books, cabinets, lots of china and silver eating utensils, beautiful carpets, a very large foyer with exotic plants in elegant planters, hand carved bed frames with silk sheets and many other nice things, perhaps ornate armor displays and fish aquariums and nice paintings.

Bad mansions however, if we are talking a decrepit "haunted" mansion or a mansion that belonged to a mad man then we would find cobwebs galore, dusty or worn out furnature, scary gargoyles, burnt candles, satanic paintings, alters, statues, books or other malevolent paraphernalia, "animated" ornate armor, bones possibly, empty or broken oil lamps, creaky stairs, termite infested wood work, broken windows or other broken glass objects. The mansion itself would look like the devil himself drew up the blueprints.
#7
circumnavigate
Oct 26, 2008 15:50:47 Yeah yeah, that sort of stuff. All good things...but does anyone know of a where there are long lists of this stuff? Random generators, that sort of stuff?
#8
doomsought
Oct 26, 2008 16:24:26 a chamber pot is always good for laugh.

Maybe some rats in cages and a small rat racing ring, something for the minions to do when they aren't dieing for their master.
#9
matthewswift
Oct 26, 2008 16:37:49
Really? Many dungeons I've seen (and made) had refuse-pits, where an otyugh or gelatinous cube feasts on a pile of waste of various sorts. I always assumed a pit with an ooze or other filth-eater at the bottom was the dungeon equivalent of a toilet.

Not the kind of toilet I'd (or any dungeon critter) would plan on using. I always figured those places at the bottom of a long nasty tube, or in just a straight sewer. Otyugh gets in the refuse pit and I doubt the oblins will be using it too much longer. ;)
#10
circumnavigate
Oct 28, 2008 1:05:33 so no one with good room/environment generators or lists?
#11
cornholio89
Oct 28, 2008 5:42:27
so no one with good room/environment generators or lists?

In D&D, you use 100% of your imagination for creating worlds and filling them with stuff, whether your trying to think of things to put in a small room or even trying to fill up a galactic or universal map with planets and star systems! You cant rely on generators because even if you do, it spews out randomized information and compiles it into a logical piece of data that may not be relevant to your needs or requirements. Don't you get it circumnavigate? YOU are the generator, nothing or nobody else (unless you have a co-DM). And no offense on any level, if you lack a proficient imagination for D&D, then I suggest opening your mind to more literature. Fiction or non fiction read more books on everything from volcanic and geological science books, to swashbuckling adventure books or even biographies of famous pioneers such as Lewis and Clark. And of course this is with all due respect. Trust me if you do that, you can come up with an adventure that can be a New York Times "Bestseller". Or even think of ways you can fill up a mansion like you said.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 circumnavigate Oct 25, 2008 15:09:22	One of the things that I feel I'm having a little trouble with is all the stuff that is IN my dungeons. That is, other than monsters, treasure and key plot point objects/things. I'm talking about things like chains on the wall, candelabras, potted plants...things like that. I like these things because they make the environment more real. I never would want to spend too much time on them because that wastes time, and could make the PCs think they are more important than they are. However, I do think they are important for a few reasons: 1. If you only tell the PCs about the important things, they will know exactly where to go, and I like there to be a little mystery, at least a little guessing or interacting with the environment. 2. They paint the scenery well. Sure you can call something a cabin in the woods, but it's just not creepy unless its filled with taxidermy. With all that said, I enjoy things that are creepy, interesting and creative, but I also just mundane enough to be scenery and not terribly important. So I'm looking for lists. Items that go in rooms, and rooms of all sorts, from prisons to mansions, from tree houses to the boudoir of a pit fiend. Does anyone out there have suggestions, lists of their own, or references? Thanks all!
#2 matthewswift Oct 25, 2008 16:30:40	There's never a toilet in any dungeons I've seen. Never. Bones from a previous critter's meal... Dungeon interior design 101: 1. Make the dungeon feel lived in, even if it's inhabitted by undead. 2. What is the dungeon's purpose? If its sole purpose is to kill things, have dead things. If not, have the bare necessities of life pop up every now and then. 3. Find a random item thread or mundane item generator.
#3 ff6shadow Oct 25, 2008 16:33:16	I usually give a basic layout, then fill in details as they ask. For example: It seems to be a bedroom. Their is an armoire on the left wall, a bed in the far right corner, with a small table siting beside it. Then is they ask. A candelabra stands near the table, holding several partially melted candles. The table has a small drawer in it. The bed is better quality than you would normall see, but appears to be slightly lumpy. Checking. The drawer is locked. The bed is lumpy, Upon further checking, their might be things hidden in the matress. The candles are still warm. Somebody was here recently. The wardrobe is full of good clothing. (Perception DC 15 to see lockbox hidden in the back. So I plan in extreme detail, but only provide those details if the PC's bother to ask. I never point out anything that isn't immediately obvious to the casual passerby. So my players have gotten to know that I never give them the important items in a room.
#4 space_dragon Oct 25, 2008 17:12:53	There's never a toilet in any dungeons I've seen. Never. Really? Many dungeons I've seen (and made) had refuse-pits, where an otyugh or gelatinous cube feasts on a pile of waste of various sorts. I always assumed a pit with an ooze or other filth-eater at the bottom was the dungeon equivalent of a toilet.
#5 aethergrey Oct 26, 2008 7:00:16	Just scribble the room's function on your notes, and then when you come to describe it say something like: This room looks like it was used as a games room, a dartboard adorns one wall, there's a mat that was probably used for wrestling matches, cards, dice and scrawled on sheets of parchment lie around some floor cushions and the entire room is littered with the remains of years worth of snacks. Use an offhand manner so that your players understand you are making it up on the spot and it really isn't important other than flavour.
#6 cornholio89 Oct 26, 2008 8:12:15	It all depends on the dungeon, if it is a fortress of great importance you may find weapons, papers (orders), spoils-of-war, desks, oil lamps, candles and much more. If the dungeon is a mansion, it can get complicated. It depends on what kind of mansion, if it is a well-kept masion you will find marble floors, elegant tapestries, hand crafted tables, lots of books, cabinets, lots of china and silver eating utensils, beautiful carpets, a very large foyer with exotic plants in elegant planters, hand carved bed frames with silk sheets and many other nice things, perhaps ornate armor displays and fish aquariums and nice paintings. Bad mansions however, if we are talking a decrepit "haunted" mansion or a mansion that belonged to a mad man then we would find cobwebs galore, dusty or worn out furnature, scary gargoyles, burnt candles, satanic paintings, alters, statues, books or other malevolent paraphernalia, "animated" ornate armor, bones possibly, empty or broken oil lamps, creaky stairs, termite infested wood work, broken windows or other broken glass objects. The mansion itself would look like the devil himself drew up the blueprints.
#7 circumnavigate Oct 26, 2008 15:50:47	Yeah yeah, that sort of stuff. All good things...but does anyone know of a where there are long lists of this stuff? Random generators, that sort of stuff?
#8 doomsought Oct 26, 2008 16:24:26	a chamber pot is always good for laugh. Maybe some rats in cages and a small rat racing ring, something for the minions to do when they aren't dieing for their master.
#9 matthewswift Oct 26, 2008 16:37:49	Really? Many dungeons I've seen (and made) had refuse-pits, where an otyugh or gelatinous cube feasts on a pile of waste of various sorts. I always assumed a pit with an ooze or other filth-eater at the bottom was the dungeon equivalent of a toilet. Not the kind of toilet I'd (or any dungeon critter) would plan on using. I always figured those places at the bottom of a long nasty tube, or in just a straight sewer. Otyugh gets in the refuse pit and I doubt the oblins will be using it too much longer. ;)
#10 circumnavigate Oct 28, 2008 1:05:33	so no one with good room/environment generators or lists?
#11 cornholio89 Oct 28, 2008 5:42:27	so no one with good room/environment generators or lists? In D&D, you use 100% of your imagination for creating worlds and filling them with stuff, whether your trying to think of things to put in a small room or even trying to fill up a galactic or universal map with planets and star systems! You cant rely on generators because even if you do, it spews out randomized information and compiles it into a logical piece of data that may not be relevant to your needs or requirements. Don't you get it circumnavigate? YOU are the generator, nothing or nobody else (unless you have a co-DM). And no offense on any level, if you lack a proficient imagination for D&D, then I suggest opening your mind to more literature. Fiction or non fiction read more books on everything from volcanic and geological science books, to swashbuckling adventure books or even biographies of famous pioneers such as Lewis and Clark. And of course this is with all due respect. Trust me if you do that, you can come up with an adventure that can be a New York Times "Bestseller". Or even think of ways you can fill up a mansion like you said.