10K // Dungeons

This page is a compilation of the dungeons from /rDnDBehindTheScreen's 10K Dungeons thread. Be sure to visit and contribute!

Currently at 213/10000

Last updated: Sun Mar 04 03:14:52 CST 2018

2.13% Complete
Dungeon NameDungeon TypeDescription
What's in this place that reeks of death? Your footsteps echo loudly as you climb down the stone staircase into the silent dark. In the flickering torchlight, you see a stone sarcophagus at the far end of the chamber. Is the lid open? Suddenly, there is movement to your left... A tomb can be distinctive by the art and architecture of its builders, the fame or notoriety of the person interred therein, the strange things that happen to those who venture within, the rumors of treasure that may be stored inside, and the unintended denizens. Every tomb tells the store of someone's life and death, but ancient and haunted tombs likely tell many stories... I'll post a few examples.
Pine Hill Mass grave There are no trees on Pine Hill. Indeed, there's not much hill, either; it's really more of a broad, grassy mound of soft earth. Should you find a particularly soft patch, however, you might find out exactly what it was made for. Under the thick layer of sod is a series of tunnels and warrens, dedicated to one purpose: the storage of thousands of bodies. The muddy wooden floor is actually the lids of innumerable, unmarked pine coffins, stacks of which form the walls as well. Tales from those few who have managed to crawl out of the maze of pine boxes tell that while many of those buried are nameless, faceless, and buried with nothing, a few bear the marks--and trappings--of great wealth. Careful with that axe, though... you never know when Pine Hill will chop back.
Pine Ash Pond Ash Marsh The site of a previous mass burial site that was filled with pine coffins. A group of reckless adventurers caused a fire to run rampant on the burial site rousing some of the dead. Now Pine Ash Pond is a marsh swarming with ash caked scampering skeletons.
Anumir’s Slumber Forest Tomb A small cave, its entrance choked with vines, is the final resting place of Anumir the druid. In life the he protected the forest and all of its creatures, in death the favor is returned.
Celerik’s Folly Stronghold Turned Tomb? The stronghold’s walls were thick; the spells were all in place, none could enter or leave. Celerik and his followers would survive the coming apocalypse and their descendants would emerge to repopulate when the spells fell and lands were once more inhabitable. The prophecies never came to pass, centuries have gone by and the spells have fallen, yet none emerge…
The Mausoleum of Karak Jabbal Desert Tomb Beyond the Red Sand Waste in the shadows of the Diamond Mountains is the magnificent mausoleum of the ancient prince Karak Jabbal. An adherent of the Way of Light, Prince Karak built his monument on a promontory that receives a cleansing bath of sunlight every dawn as was the prince's custom. The prince did not plan for the powerful curse placed upon this place. Every afternoon, when the sun dips below the mountains, the dead walk about this place. The corpses of workers who perished in the monument's construction were buried in the sand near the foundations, and they are not welcoming to visitors.
Great Burial Mound Primitive Burial Site One of the oldest known tombs in the world appears as little more than a small hillock on the river's floodplain. Many travelers have mistaken the burial mound for a hill, on which they can keep watch in the night. What they have not planned for are the wights that emerge from the mound in the wee hours who attempt to drag any above below into their dark tunnels. On a stormy night, the tunnels are especially treacherous as the river is likely to swell its banks and drown any living things unfortunate enough to be inside the mound.
The Tomb of St. Anglos Urban Tomb Beneath the cathedral is the resting place of the legendary knight St. Anglos who slew the sea dragon Karadaxos, paving the way for the village at the river's mouth to become the thriving center of trade that it is today. The tomb has been sealed off to most pilgrims for two decades, but wealthy merchant families still do homage to St. Anglos's bones on nights when the moon is new. Rumors suggest that the wealthy citizens who visit the tomb are part of an offshoot death cult of the Sea Queen, but those are just rumors, right?
Jack's Rest was In the quaint town of Derrin-upon-Smarn they take pride in their yearly celebrations of All-God's-Eve, a time to joke about demons, make decorations and generally make fun of all the enemies that the God's have acquired in their long existences. Each autumn the townsfolk have a competition to see who can grow the largest pumpkin, gorging on pumpkin and pumpkin related treats. When they are done they pile the pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns in a valley to the west of town. All is well with this lovely little town and its lovely little tradition. One year a young lad named Jacob decided that his jack-o-lantern, although it wasn't particularly large, would at least be on the top of the pumpkin pile! He climbed to the top as the rest of the village watched, cheering him on. He placed his pumpkin on the peak of the pyramid, had one joyous moment and then-! Disaster. The pyramid fell and crushed Jacob to death in front of his young friends, his family and the entire village. The body was never recovered. They stopped the ritual for a while, but as the years passed they started to do it again. It has taken on a sombre tone. The woods and the farmland around the pyramid has started to change. The trees never grow leaves. Ravens roost there year round. And this year... This year young children have started to disappear. Each time a child vanishes a pumpkin appears beside the pyramid, complete with a lit candle behind a jaunty face. Some say they've seen a hole in the pile of ancient vegetable matter - a hole large enough for someone to go inside. To go and see where Jack rests.
Echo Hall An ancient church library A church famous for helping wayward women deal with the sin of giving birth. A woman, filled with dread and prone to the vapours, who left her child on a shelf, without swaddling clothe or comfort. She ran away, and the child was not found until the next day, when it was too late. Since then the children brought to the church sometimes fall mysteriously ill and die. Each time one dies the Hall changes slightly. Noises are heard. Things move. It is unnaturally cold - the chill of being naked and alone in a strange new world. Mutters and Echoes. Footsteps, voices and the shuffling sound of someone leafing through the pages of a book. All of these things Echo backwards and forwards, a dozen times at least, sometimes growing quieter, but just as often getting louder with each rebound.
The Temple of Itet Desert Ziggurat This ancient ziggurat lies deep in the bone-littered desert known as the Vale of Vultures. Its exterior has been ravaged by wind and time, but its interior is as beautiful as ever: exquisite sculptures of long-dead sultans, enormous murals of exotic gods painted in black and gold, and columns so tall their upper reaches disappear into shadow. The Temple was originally intended to house the mummified bodies of the Sultans of the Vale, but after humans abandoned the Vale, a tribe of black jackalweres reclaimed the Temple for their God-to-Be, Itet. Once an ordinary jackalwere, Itet fell in love with a werewolf named Naatha, a notorious murderer and priestess of the Fellowship of Demise, which worships all gods of death regardless of alignment. Naatha rejected Itet's love, claiming she loved only death. Itet vowed to become a god of death and kill all others, making him synonymous with Death and thus the object of Naatha's love. Though not a god yet, Itet has already transcended his mortality, attaining a form similar to that of a wraith. He dwells on the highest floor of his Temple, guarded by jackalweres, specters, and mummies. Itet wears a tattered black robe over the gold-bejeweled attire of a pharaoh and wields a stylized scythe.
The Mollusks Last Rest Dead Giant Snail Millions of years ago, a titanic snail searched the seabed for food, but as a living being it died and washed ashore. The coast smells bad around these parts and the ground is soft. A low pitched howling can be heard at all times. It becomes stronger with the storms as gusts of air fly through the windings of a broken shell. The smell of rotting fish and algae fills the mist around those daring to enter the corridors, fragile and riddled with holes. Some mad fisherman told me that the center was made out of pure pearl, but why should I believe him? The other day he said that the dead fish inside were walking too. What a silly old man.
The Salted Fields Air Burial Ground Since anyone can remember, the mountain tribes have laid their dead on this plateau to be eaten. The ground is littered with bones and their fragments, most of them gnawed clean and broken to get that delicious marrow. Vultures and flocks of smaller birds can be seen circling above during day, but during the night, the feast begins. Lately there have been human screams during the birds' meals, it appears that not only the dead are brought here.
The Groundhog Stone Primitive Death Cult Tomb The Groundhog Stone is a monolith sitting on top of a cliffside that, when seen from the valley below, looks vaguely like a Groundhog. Beneath it are tunnels, dug straight through dirt and rocks with no struts. Many have entered, the few who came back were... different. Below the maze, riddled with the animated bodies of those who got lost, lies the hall of the late Groundhog King. Every night him and his subordinates hold the same feast, which they had on their last day. They will invite any adventurer who arrives to join them. It is a firework of gluttony, debauchery and lust, culminating in a shamanic ritual. Every man and woman is given a mug of poison which kills them, but raises them the next day to keep feasting.
Pilgrim's Shelter Small Mountain Hut Less and less people have taken the pilgrimage these days, too many didn't return. The hut lies a days climb from the holy mountain's icy peak, just below the tree line. There is a natural well with clear water and a reserve of firewood for the cold nights. A dense pine forest encroaches on the small clearing, and by night you can hear otherworldly howling outside. Behind the hut lies a small field with clean cut grass. A few dozen unhewn flat rocks are spread out on it, memories of those who did not make it, freezing in the ground. Back in the day, groups of pilgrims would spend their night in front of a flickering stove and prepare for the final sprint. They say a warm fire inside will lure the pilgrims. Even the dead ones.
Professor Scatty's Lab A Door in the Academy's Basement Nobody has been in these cellars for ages. The old tracts had been sealed after a few too many experiments with the wrong kinds of magic, and the renovated west wing proved much more comfortable than the lightless hallways beneath it. At the end of one of those corridors, a rune of protection is etched into a rotting door. The walls behind it are lined with flasks, jars, and alchemistic tools. Most of the flasks contain a dead creature or a miniature golem. One of the cabinets emits a faint glow, the ghostly inhabitants are screaming and banging angainst the walls of their prisons. In front of it lies the mangled corpse of the Professor, and a shattered bottle.
The Forsaken Throne The Catacombs Of A Palace Disappearing children are nothing new in the capital. Most of them weren't even noticed. Orphans and beggars, abducted in the night by people in dark robes, never to be seen again. They take them towards the hill that the palace was built on, but none reach the gates. They disappear in sewers and tunnels, into the shadows. Ages ago, the palace was not on a hill. It was in the middle of the city, its golden minarets glowing from the fire around it. The Lich had broken the eastern gate and his skeletal hordes were torching every house in sight, when a magic blast from inside the palace turned the building into rubble, and all undead fell to the ground like puppets. Since then no necromancer has touched the city. The ones who tried saw their undead minions return to their lifeless form before they could even reach the city gates. The new palace was built on the rubble of the previous one. Soon, people forgot about the old keep under the hill, and what may still be inside. It is a throne room. Desecrated by bloody runes and ancient rituals, where thousands of children were gutted to feed their souls to the king. The old king is still sitting where he last sat down, when the gate fell hundreds of years ago. Harnessing the magic of his seat, protecting his city, but at what cost?
Hells Kitchen A Seemingly Regular Graveyard The Graveyard started smelling after the last flood. Bodies were flushed out of their supposedly final resting place, some of them scattering all over the place. The smell has gotten worse lately, burnt flesh mixing with the unmistakable odour of decay. Some blame it on the lazy undertaker, who doesn't properly burn the bodies. Others however savour it and flock to the crematory for a midnight snack.
Smugglers Rest Multiple Shipwrecks Rounding the this hazardous point you come upon the welcoming and calm waters of Smugglers Rest. This deceptively calm natural harbor is filled with sharp hidden reefs, and notoriously aggressive sharks. Near to shore sits a pile of ships smashed against one cliff face. There are also numerous wrecks sitting on the bottom. Many of them are connected by rotting rope bridges and gangplanks. The long abandoned crews have been driven mad by the isolation and hunger. They will now eat anything or anyone they come across.
The Tomb of Sergi Blackshield Urban tomb Deep inside the sprawling City of the Dead lies the tomb of the noted warrior Sergi Blackshield, who held Blackshield Pass against an ork horde for two days and two nights. He was buried with his ancestors and his coffin surrounded with the Black Roses of Mourning that grow in darkness, and hundreds of mourners followed the funeral procession into the graveyard. Sadly, the Blackshield line died out many generations ago, and now his tomb is crumbling, dusty and choked with fallen rubble. But the grave keeper has heard strange noises from inside and has found booted footprints near the tomb. Who would go there- what lies within?
Dungeon of Scarlet Rot Hidden Necropolis / Lich's Lair Hidden below the surface of the earth where the town of Wyrmsfall stands is a menacing secret. When Scarlet was plagued by visions and nightmares of unnamable creatures from the Far Realms the town laughed it off. But Scarlet became obsessed with stopping the events she saw from happening. Craving more and more knowledge about the Far Realms and those events she pushed the limits of her arcane abilities. Scarlet sealed herself away preforming the rites needed to achieve Lichhood until she could prevent the events she saw that usher the end of the world. Namely those adventurers from ever finding the tome of the yellow king.
The Lich's Study Mountain Laboratory Long ago, in the south where the forest meets the mountains, a Lich ruled. He was slain, his phylactery destroyed, by an Elf lord and his knights. However, few beings are willing to touch or investigate the works of the necromancer and so his haunts are scattered across the mountains. The relics of amazing power, the gruesome experiments, and the concocted horrors still reside there and torment those who dare venture near them. The most common of the Lich's residences are the laboratories where it would experiment upon the bodies of the living and dead. Tombs lie here, many still containing countless deceased and other things ready for experimentation, undisturbed since he was destroyed.
The Tomb of Lunacy Tomb with multiple split, converging, and dead end paths As PCs explore the hallways, no matter what direction they choose to try to take, they always take the path the monster in the middle desires them to. They're convinced it's the path they chose themselves. Each player needs to make a DC20 WIS save to break the effect, and anyone still under the effect won't believe anyone trying to tell them what's happening, convinced they're the ones that are confused. Path monster has them take is riddled with traps. Any lasting effect ends when the monster is defeated.
Vittesno's Rest Forest Burial Site An enchanted glass coffin of a lost princess in a peaceful grove of the forest. Inspecting the coffin reveals it is easy to remove, revealing a burrow beneath. Within are the emaciated corpses of nine gnomes, seemingly trapped in the burrow since the coffin blocked their exit. The air is moist and warm, and a rotten, half bitten apple eerily glows at the end of the table, and is extremely cold to the touch. The presence of the wasted gnomes can still be felt, and wailing seems to echo from the sub-basement door.
The Iron Glade Former Battlesite A few miles directly south of Volandar, in amongst a copse of trees and terrain that heavily favors south facing soldiers, is, what appears to be small abandoned town, no more than a few miles across, with buildings mostly in tact, the ravages of time have taken their toll upon this place though. Upon closer inspection one notices amongst the the thick bladed, long grass and reams of varied flora, are weapons, hundreds upon thousands of weapons of all kinds and colours dug into the ground. Underneath these weapons are rotted suits of armour and corpses, as the town reaches it's centre the corpses stop being a singular horrifying occurence and become a surface all of their own, bodies of men women and children rotted away and burying one another, all facing the plaza, swords, axes, repurposed farming implements all in hands driving into the ground. At the central fountain is a singular body on it's own, the sickeningly reddened water bathing it in blood, with a gold hilted sword thrust through it's head.
The Penitence Execution Ship Charred black and barely hanging together The Penitence lists among the open seas, the last great purge of Eastern Seapath, pirates by the scores rounded up by the score and chained to the hull, inside and out, by the hands and feet and cast out into sea with a barrel of oil and a lit candle. All the rigging is constructed from thick built chain and drape almost every inch of the ships surface and interior hull, the bodies of those captured chained in place from so many points they sit motionless even amongst the rocking waves like listless flies in a spiderweb. The only moving man is a figure so strapped in encassed it is impossible to make out chained to the iron wheel of the ship.
Findol's Leap Forest Tomb Deep in the forest where the wild elves roam, below the crag known as God Finger lies the tree-lined tomb of Findol the Brave, hero of the elves of light in their war against the elves of dark. A accomplished wizard and warrior, Findol led his people upon the rocky spur of the God Finger as a last resort when the huge host of dark elves and their slaves set upon them. Giving a last salute to his people, he leapt from the crag some hundreds of feet to the waiting army below using his own life force to weave a spell that turned all not upon the crag into trees. In an instant, the conquering army became pine, maple, elm, and oak with the impenetrable heart of them being the place where Findol's body made contact with the ground. To this day, thousands of years later, the elves honor and cherish his grave, visiting death upon any elf who dares enter the surrounding forest. Still, adventurer's sometimes try to pass the elves by stealth or magic to enter the open air grave of Findol for it is said he took to his death a number of fantastically powerful magic items.
The Catacombs of Mentis "The Silent" Urban Catacombs During his reign, Emperor Mentis built a lavish palace from which he ruled for nearly five decades. Over the years, he became increasingly paranoid of foreign intruders and his own subjects alike. He spoke to no one and even went as far as to forbidding any noise inside the walls of his palace. Those who disobeyed this law payed a heavy price. He then ordered the construction of a large maze of walls around his home to confuse his enemies. The walls, big enough to permanently house his armies and their families, were no match for the volcanic eruption that happened years later. Everything was engulfed in ash and soot, transforming the impenetrable fortress into a mass grave. A new city was built over the old, but legend has it, many of these walls are still intact just below the surface, creating a maze of catacombs. Some may even lead to the buried palace, where the Emperor himself supposedly still remains. Anyone who dare enter these tunnels be wary as to not disturb the eerie silence, for even in death, his word is still law. Edit: Some clarification
Foechuckle's Tomb The grave of a famous bard and his consorts The Halfling, Zaneak Foechuckle was a well-known fighter and bard, much loved throughout the land. Tales of his musical battle with an Archfiend, his victory of wits over the Dragon of the Mountains, and his wooing of no less than a thousand princesses are told in all the realms. When he finally died, it was a great day of mourning in the realm. A tomb had been prepared for him and he was laid to rest among his gathered treasures. At first it was visited by pilgrims seeking to honor their hero, but in recent years its been avoided. Around fires people speak softly of a woman in black who creeps along the tomb's halls. Some say she is a jilted lover, refused burial with Zaneak and his wives. Others say she is the Archfiend Zaneak trapped years ago, attempting to trick a wanderer into giving it its freedom. Whatever the case, her screams are said to be heard reverberating from the tomb late at night striking fear into some, and striking others dead.
Sepulcher of the Unknown Warriors Desert Barrow Beneath the largest dune of the Scarred Expanse, lies the organized remains of a unknown number of soldiers. Their mummified remains have been cared for and organized by the nation and heraldry they bore in life. Each of the countless bodies stand in small recesses at attention presenting their arms and armor as if awaiting command. Scholars puzzle over the nations represented by the bodies as they match none in the current catalog of heraldry. Some theorize that this barrow has existed in some distant previous age that is lost to modern recollection. Expeditions into the barrow have encountered resistance by unseen forces who ask politely at first for intruders to leave. Should the requests be denied manifestations begin to plague the explorers as torches go out, water-skins burst, and other anomalous happenings befall the explorers. If those manifestations fail to drive the intruders out then horrifying manifestations of spectral beings swarm the explorers ending their lives. Subsequent expeditions have found the bodies of those lost explorers be cared for just as the other bodies with seemingly random equipment given to them. The network of tunnels have never been fully mapped as it appears the tunnels beneath the barrow shift. Prior maps made of the barrow appear inaccurate in later explorations of the barrow leading some to hypothesize the entire structure moves itself periodically beneath the sands.
Marsh of Ran'dee Wetland The Marsh of Ran'dee is known for the extremely tall reeds that border its waters. Strong winds brush over the tops of these reeds, simulating various howling noises that mimic a human in pain. Traces of ectoplasm can also be found around the grasses, leaving many to believe the marsh is haunted. The ecology of the marsh is somewhat of a mystery. Almost all of the research has been lifted from personal records of various individuals and is difficult to verify. Locals deem Ran'dee too unnerving to study. However, there have been multiple reports of disappearing and reappearing roosters. The marsh was discovered by a low-level hunter named Falcorn. Unfortunately, not much is known about the individual. Lore has it, the hunter enjoyed the marsh as an escape from his mundane life. Supposedly, you would often find him alone, monologuing to himself, while consuming copious amounts of alcohol.
The Warlord's Rest The single most protected building in the world The Warlord, centuries ago, almost conquered the world. If not for a coalition of all the races he would have succeeded. When crafting the tomb they came together once more. Protected it with strong wards, top level craftsmanship and art on the walls, depicting each of his conquests so no one would ever awaken him. Undead were set to guard the tomb so no one could reach him, it is protected by the best every race could offer. At the the bottom lays his corpse. It must never be awoken.
The Deep Open concept, theme each floor separately based on your needs Spanning an unknown number of floors this crypt is quite unique. One hundred years ago the entrance surfaced and a dead man walked out, proclaimed any who reached the bottom would inherit his kingdom. Since then tens of thousands have died making the attempt. There is a market on the topmost floors, almost an entire thriving economy as adventurers make ever more dangerous treks through the halls once littered with gold. Each floor is almost a magical realm in and of itself, untold in size, monsters repopulate frequently, however gold does not. there are as yet unknown shortcuts through the tomb that may still contain dangerous traps and riches, but they remain to be found.
The Keep of Mel'Shon Crumbling fortress of an extinct race of giants, filled with giant skeletons "It is a fortress", the old man said. "An ancient Keep manned by the dead. An evil lurks in that place that I have never known before." Mel'Shon was the last line of defense for the extinct goliath kingdom of Melmora. The blood splattered on the gigantic, crumbling walls of the fortress tells a gory tale. A tale of war, of struggle, and of death. The keep, however, is very much alive. The skeletons within still cling to the thin strands of memory they have left. They can be heard doing the menial tasks of their life throughout the keep. A hammer repeatedly strikes an anvil; The sound of dishes rattle in a basin; an undead choir chants a chorus for a long-dead god; a creaking wheel turns ever slowly. And Golgoth, The Goliath King sits on his throne and waits. But where skeletons walk, a Necromancer hides in the shadows, pulling the strings like a dark puppetmaster.
The Illusionist's Crypt Ancient Crypt of Dark Elf Illusionist Master Before the Drow forsaked their elven brethren and withdrew into the Underdark, there were the Dark Elves. A grand race of people unparalleled in the arcane arts. One such Elf was an Illusionist, a grandmaster of the craft. Over a thousand years ago, Before he died, he built a tomb for himself, his family and all of his most precious posessions. Many powerful magical arifacts rest in the tomb with him but very few have what it takes to pry them from his resting place. In fact, many have died trying. The Illusionist's Tools are too powerful for most to wield safely so he devised a series of traps, riddles, and puzzles so only the most dedicated and worthy adventurer could come to have them. A guantlet. A true challenge no adventurer could ignore. Seems simple enough. But beware; In the Illusionist's Crypt, Nothing is as it seems.
The Warden Stone Single tomb Amongst the flagstones near the gate of Algrought Castle, one stone rests an inch or so above the rest. Nicknamed the Warden Stone by the castle denizens, it is supposed to be the resting-place of the castle's first combat death. The reality is far more disturbing: the watchman was snuck upon from inside the castle, killed, dismembered, and butchered. What the madman who slew him did not eat, he buried beneath the flagstone, at the spot where the brave man had stood hours earlier.
Cearabour Bog Pit grave Cearabour is the most treacherous bog in the kingdom. Only a somewhat-marked path crosses it, requiring the greatest caution and perception to avoid sinking into the mires. One spot in the bog harbors the crumbling remains of four brave knights, set upon by a jealous cousin and hurled singlehandedly into the muck. Though mail rusts and bone corrodes, their holy swords lie untouched in the still waters, forgotten.
The Hadian Bridge Long-suffering causeway of pain It has been many ages since the Fall of the Six. Their bodies, chopped up and pillaged by the Dark Lord, were put to use in maintaining the defense of his dark fortress. The conglomerated bones of the Six formed some of the base structures of the bridge to the fortress's main gate. Legend says that the non-structural bones had a worse fate: They were corrupted by the dark arts and fused into a horror of bone and rage, to guard their master's crossing forevermore.
Moorhallow Cairn Barrow North of the sleepy village of Moorhallow lies one of the largest barrowlands ever made. Travel even further north of these barrows and you will find the ruins of a great city in the shadow of the mountain. The name whispered through the centuries of this lost city goes by Cirn Delwaith. It is rumored in the barrows of this lost city rest the greatest of all barrows only known as The Moorhallow Cairn. 5 Lords of the city are interred in this above ground barrow. They were not dead when they were sealed in the tomb but trapped as a punishment for their ancient misdeeds. Some adventurous travelers say that you can still hear pounding on the inside of the stone seal, even after the many centuries.
Summer's Rest Monument The Auden Wood languishes in autumnal twilight, buried under heaps of desiccated leaves, some of which still cling to the gnarled branches of grand old oaks and twisted silver birches. Ominous shadows seem to gather in the deep parts of the forest, and when the day's light begins to fade, those unwise enough to linger in the Wood return with stories of an edifice of wrought iron and dark stone that lingers in the periphery of their vision. Some perceive it as a portent of what's to come; to others, an artefact of something that occurred long ago. But all agree that the dark obelisk marks the place where bright and bountiful Summer came - and/or will come - to die.
The Glade of the Dreamless Sleep Forest, undeath Among a sea of exceptionally tall trees among a soft bed of decades worth of pine needles and leaves, a dense fog seeps near-constantly. Everywhere around, figures lay propped against the base of almost every single tree trunk. The figures each appear as if they are in a deep and comfortable sleep, but there is no pulse and strangely, no decay. This is especially odd considering a few of the bodies wear outfits and ornaments that have long since passed being fashionable, centuries ago. The longer anyone stays in this foggy area, the more and more lethargic and sleepy they become. Beware the Dreamless Sleep.
Irrions Composition old Concert Hall in an abandoned town Irrion Hallfindel was a bard, famous throughout the land, his compositions were played in every hall and palace throughout the world. One night, he was visited by what seemed a friendly Djin. The Djin offered him an instrument with which he could make even the mountains weep or rejoice. Irrion gladly accepted and took the Instrument, a beautifully decorated Violin. His venue, the once Cathedral turned Concert Hall was packed with people and full of exited cheer. Irrion presented his Violin and went to play a composition which streamed into his hands as he played, called the Risum Mortem. The composition was a moving and very emotional one, but it was much more.... As he played the old bones buried beneath the church started to stirr, the decomposing bodies of those long dead arose to the surface. The guests found themselves unable to move, overcome by the music. In the end, the entire Hall went to ruin, unable to be cleared of the Bards Dreaded Song..... Some say the Bard is still playing, others say he died long ago. Maybe its just a story, who knows?
Where does this treasure map lead? You drop down onto the sand, salt-rimed boots quickly sinking into the soft grains. Before you is a cave, barely above sea level, even with the low tide. You lean in close, holding the candle as close to the map as you dare. Sure enough, here it is... Since we're hip-deep in the mire that is the underworld, and since our last event gave us a veritable hoard of ocean-related loot, it's only fair that we find some places to put it. We're looking for deserted island caves filled with slick, treacherous rock and pirate gold, underwater temples of the kuo-toa, or even the lair of the elusive Leviathan itself. If it's dark, dank, and filled with treasure, this is where you put it. These dungeons don't have to be completely fleshed-out, but make sure you provide a fairly decent picture of what the dungeon is and who's living in it. Two or three sentences should be pretty solid. I'll provide some examples. Now...
Ship of Reverberating Memories Underwater Ship Wreckage This wreckage of an old trade vessel is surrounded by aquatic wildlife. Touching any part of the ship causes the surrounding water to spin as a turbulent vortex and "spit" the players out onto the now-sailing ship where a surprised & lively crew stand stunned. The players have been transported to the past and must experience the final hours of the ship, captain and crew.
Grotto of the Ocean King Ancient Sunken Temple This temple lies below the waves, as an eternal symbol of the fallen Ocean King. He failed to take proper reverence to the gods of the sea, some say he attempted to take their place, and they grew angry with him. No one knows what currently inhabits the temple as it has laid beneath the waves for centuries.
Sunshine Island Ocean locked penal colony A barge the size of a mid sized island this floating fortress is home to exactly two types of people. The worst criminals the seafaring kingdom has to offer and the people paid large amounts of coin to watch them. The ship contains a treasure trove of goods confiscated after the scoundrels were incarcerated, much was smuggled in within bags of holding making this penal colony a treasure trove for would be pirates and less noble adventurers alike.
The Forbidden Ocean Uncharted Territory A quarter of the worlds largest ocean remains entirely unmapped due to constant storms. Islands abound and sometimes can be seen at a distance however only one man has ever managed to sail the ocean safely. He claims all you need to do is follow a certain path and you will get past the storms and into the calm waters around the island chains, but his chart is long lost with him and no one else dares to venture in.
Goldwater Grotto Limestone caverns Far to the east, on an island shrouded in mists, lies Goldwater Grotto. A series of awe-inspiring caverns hidden away beneath the island, the Grotto is both famous and infamous among the few sailors and privateers who know of its location, for one reason: the pool of water that sits at the very bottom of the caves. The water is immaculately clear, and incredibly still--so still, in fact, that you can see the mountains of treasure that lie on the bottom of the pool, many many meters down. The pool attracts treasure seekers, thieves, and brigands from miles around, none of whom is too keen on someone else getting to the loot first...
Whitecliff Keep Ruined coastal fortress Whitecliff Keep was built some hundreds of years ago as both a lighthouse and a forward defensive outpost for the ancient kingdom that built it. Unfortunately, the eponymous white cliffs it was built on were not simply decorative; they are composed of soft, erosion-prone chalk. Centuries of high tides and typhoons have crumbled the cliffside, and now only about half of the original Keep is still standing. This has not stopped a collective of merrow from inhabiting the ruins and using it as a vantage point to spot unsuspecting merchant vessels for attack...
The Maw of the Sea Deep sea prison Only the oldest and darkest of merfolk tales tell of the Maw of the Sea. In the time before time, a great and terrible beast roamed the oceans, consuming all life and causing horrific storms and tsunamis. It took divine intervention to catch the creature and lock it away in the deepest, most lightless part of the ocean. Not a soul who has attempted to delve that deeply has returned to tell of it, but those who venture close have told of the deep, shrieking song that emanates from the trenches beneath the sea...
Moon Point Blowhole/Caves The stone at Moon Point jutts out into the sea - a low shelf battered by the ocean waves at it's edges. The Point is lined with narrow crevasses carved out by the sea, with a large blowhole in the rock, which explodes with frothy water whenever the waves slam against the cliff-face. The blow hole was little more than a local curiousity (especially due to the eerie whistling and moaning of the water as it is forced out of the rock) until one day it began spitting coins and treasures along with sea-foam and water. But for years people have scoured the point looking for an entrance to any cave or any other way to retrieve the treasure without any luck. Because the blowhole itself is deadly - waves pummel anyone who enters it or suck them deep out to sea, and there is not enough time between the waves to really see what lies in the blowhole or at the seacave where the waves force their entrance, even on a calm day. If there was a way to somehow to stop the water or cut through the stone, then it would be possible to discover the caves that have deeply undercut Moon Point, and that the eerie noises from the blowhole are not merely the sounds of water forced through stone, but the howls of the drowned long pushed between the rock into the waterlogged caves.
Albatross Island Man-made Floating Island/Beached Hideout A ramshackle assemblage of beached ships, floating barrels, and rope bridges, and a single ancient coconut tree, Albatross island is the hideout of the fearsome pirate Drake Stone. Sitting upon a sandbar, the entire place (minus the coconut tree) can be towed out to sea and moved to a new location. Part prison and part treasure hoard, Captain Stone leaves a skeleton crew of loyal undead servants and a host of booby traps to guard his treasure. Rumor has it that the skeletons even head out on fishing expeditions to feed and train a pack of reef sharks to terrorize anyone attempting to wade or swim from the beach out to the Island.
Mount Cinderfall Volcanic Island Lair The leeward side of this volcanic island, the lush vegetation betrays the desolation. Plumes of smoke rising from the cone-shaped mountain that dominates the island are an ominous warning for the peril that waits within. Mount Cinderfall is home to the sea dragon Ghrazaxos who terrorizes the inhabitants of the neighboring islands and passing ships alike. A pool of molten gold plundered from passing ships is rumored to lie at the heart of Ghrazaxos's fiery lair.
Golden Temple of the Storm Dragon Shadowy Island Ruin Long ago, the this island was home to a thriving shadowfolk town that grew fruit, rice, and fished the sea. The town's centerpiece was a sprawling temple complex of interconnected stone pagodas dedicated to the Dragon Gods with the largest pagoda a shrine to the mightiest of them all, the Storm Dragon. Beneath the Storm Dragon's pagoda the priests performed profane rites by encasing sacrificial victims, both human and animal in molten gold. Stories tell of a cataclysmic storm that covered the whole island in hundred foot waves and battered down the fruit trees and the thatched roofs with unmatched winds—as if the Storm Dragon itself had grown angry and meant to make an example of the place. The lower levels of the temple complex are flooded, ghosts and fish are all that remain to inhabit the island, as the shadowfolk claim no one has ever returned who attempted to plumb the temple for its massive stores of gold.
Flotsam Floating debris/Shipwreck Above the surface, Flotsam appears to be merely a thick tangle of seaweed, barnacle-covered boards and dried palm fronds that have matted together so thickly a few people could stand on the bobbing surface. But under Flotsam's shadow, even larger debris is drifting in the depths. This includes part of the prow of the ship "Aleandis". The figurehead - a squid-headed woman - is said to contain a valuable treasure. But to retrieve the treasure, you must brave not only the water and any creatures that live within it, but the threat of being tangled in the floating ropes or crushed by the shifting bulk of the wreck.
Coral Claw Reef Coral Claw has claimed many lives, but has also claimed many treasures. This reef is difficult to approach, but the coral breaches the surface at low tide, briefly revealing encrusted shipwrecks and coins scattered among the sand. The oldest and most valuable treasures have been overgrown by the coral or fallen into holes in the reef. But be sure to finish your fossicking before the tides return, bringing the true threat of Coral Claw with it. And even before the tide returns, watch out for knife-sharp coral and stonefish, and perhaps treasure-seekers will discover that the stories of giant crustaceans are not entirely fiction.
Pyramids Sand Cliffs The steep sand hills of Resarf Island are mainly covered in thick scrub, but where the hills meet the beach the sand has fallen away in stark white triangles. These white triangles can be seen far out to sea, and became known by navigators as the Pyramids. Up close, the steep sand seems almost vertical, but there are shelves of compacted sand, the occasional tree trunk and streaks of sand in colours from deep brown to orange. The cliffs can be climbed but they are treacherous - the sand can slip at any moment sending even experienced climbers tumbling. Perhaps this is why the pirate band choose to hide their treasure here, in plain sight? The most logical way to retrieve the treasure would be to tie ropes to the thin scrub at the top and slide back down the slopes, but the spears of the local tribes hiding in the scrub will make that difficult, and the large eagles who nest at it's peak will definitely not tolerate any intrusions.
Murkraw Keep Sunken Castle The ancient castle of an old tyrant, formerly located atop a seaside cliff. The coast being prone to terrifying storms, the castle was warded against all sorts of weather and flooding related damage. The old tyrant hoarded wealth from his subjects, and was rumored to practice dark magics deep into the keep. Some still believe he is alive in the castle, hundred and hundreds of years old, having found a way to haunt the coasts and cheat death.
The Bandit Rocks Bandit Hideout The wreckage of many a sailing vessel has been dashed upon these rocks on a stormy night, and some of the survivors and enterprising vagabonds have found use for the leftover driftwood and gored ships. Fraught with treacherous passes and wiley crooks, the rocks precariously balance driftwood walkways and makeshift cabins. Many of the riches from merchant vessel and pirate ships dashed upon these shores remain, and an there are many shipments that never arrived to their destinations that would fetch a pretty penny from interested parties.
Redemption Isle Magical Isle The occasional geyser off the small island of Yyrole is not an uncommon sight. Those who are vulnerable to gossip and superstition speculate that the geysers are caused by the Sea Lords wrath. However, those who are familiar with their history can recall the exploits of Linus Farswallow, an industrialist who a hundred years ago was hellbent on exploiting deep ocean resources. Farswallow poured his entire fortune into creating a fully mechanised mining complex miles below the ocean surface. The venture, dubbed "sea world" appeared to be a success when Linus unearthed a strange glowing ore with fantastic magical properties. Sadly, this success was short lived, as Linus disappeared under mysterious circumstances shortly after. Every sailor worth his salt has heard of Redemption Isle, many have even been saved by its mysterious "lady". It is said that if one finds themselves perilously lost at sea, they may pray to the "Lady of the Isle" for redemption. Those who then throw themselves into the sea, and therefore at the feet of the "lady", will awake naked upon the Isle's sandy shores. The only memory of the event left with the survivors is the image of a pale woman's face, and the knowledge of what the "lady" desires in exchange for their life.
Serpent's Spine Island Chain Sharp black peaks pierce through the ocean skyward in a winding "S" pattern for 60 miles. The largest islands are pockmarked with fissures and vent holes, periodically erupting with jets of steam and white smoke. The acrid odor of sulfur hangs in the air. It would be an excellent place to hide plundered loot, if you can get the timing right.
The Inkwell Bottomless Pit Three miles off the coast, amidst what seems like an endless reef of bright coral, lies a pitch black holes in the ocean floor. It measures 500 feet across, is near perfectly round and lies just 30 feet below the surface. While what investigation into The Inkwell has all but revealed it to be nothing more than an ominous hole, it has done nothing to quell the rumors of it being a dark portal to The Abyss, or the lair of an ancient leviathan.
Mr. Mizzen's Mercantile Manufactory Abandoned Sweatshop With crumbling coastal cliffs on one side, and fifteen-foot rotting ironwood fences on the other three, the derelict compound that houses the (now former) Mr. Mizzen production factories is all but inaccessible from the outside. Only one heavily rusted and locked iron gate (theoretically) opens to the West, and a rickety set of stairs carved into the cliffs rises from the remnants of the docks that barely cling to jagged upthrusts of rock in the churning water below. All other approaches are either choked with thorny brambles or made impassable by ditches filled with slick mud and sharpened stakes, but according to the locals, it's for the best. The defenses that have kept looters and adventurers out for almost fifteen years also serve to keep whatever lurks in the ruined factory in; during storms, they say, when the wind comes off the ocean, you can hear the screams and the howling hunger of the workers who were left shackled to the machinery when the Manufactory was abandoned.
The Viniferous Sanctum Island Fortress The Viniferous Sanctum is home to a wealthy order of evil monks. Behind their high stone walls and fortified cliff faces are extensive vineyards and labyrinthine cellars lined with thousands upon thousands of wine racks. If you're looking for fine wine you'd be hard-pressed to find any finer, just don't ask why so many of their customers seem to be vampires.
The City of Sails Fleet of Boats The City of Sails started out as a bountiful fishing spot over a coral reef. Over time, more and more boats dropped their anchors by the reef and some of the larger galleons eventually became a permanent fixture, using a fleet of much smaller boats to ferry goods back and forth from the reef and dry land. Eventually, the reef became host to a veritable city of several hundred large boats, anchored by several metal chains and connected by a vast array of tethers and retractable gangplanks. The fish market hasn't been the same since it became infested with living skeletons.***
The Drowning Grove Timed Maze A dense ancient mangrove forest on a tidal floodplain. It is used by pirates and smugglers to hide treasures as well as sahuagin and bullywugs as a sheltered spawning ground. The only way to safely navigate through the tunnels of roots beneath the dense tangle is to have a map, or be able to breathe water. At low tide the tunnels are dry but when the tide comes in they rapidly fill with water drowning anyone unlucky enough to be trapped outside of one of the few areas above the floodline.
The Dead Isle Hollowed Out Dormant Volcanic Island While the volcano has been dormant for centuries, indigenous tribes hollowed it out for use as a holy shrine. However, in recent times the tribes have been widely exterminated by pirates who have made it their home. A number of ancient treasures and magical relics from generations of shipwrecks can be found in the twisting tunnels carved within the dormant volcano.
Abenheim Ruins Montane rainforest ruins Atop the mountain is a dozen damaged, empty homes, and a large temple barricaded by cultists. A long climb through the forest will bring you to this eerily quiet plaza. Local peasants hear the screeches of forest spirits from the ruins at night.
The Black pits of Gierland Experimentation chambers The red keep was originally made as a monestary of the red monks. The order was then wiped out by the more brutal red knight order, who then took control of the fortress. The red keep is easily distinguishable from other keeps and forts because of its glaring red walls, the walls are of a deep scarlet red, and glare with mystical energy, it is said that these walls have not been climbed in a hundred lifetimes. But untold reward is said to await for those who do, as the accumulated knowledge of both the red monks, and the red knight order is kept in the libraries of The Red Keep. But the knights of scarlet guard it fiercely. The fort is a large high-walled fort, made to protect the passage between Ferline, and Erguri. The walls are made from an unknown metallic substance, and they are said to be indestructible. Many a person (and/or creature) has tried to breach the walls of The Red Keep. But none has succeeded. The massive obsidian walls of Gierland protect the Black pits. Massive pits filled with horrors, and the instruments that created them. Once the home of an ancient evil, here he performed his twisted experiments and rituals upon the poor souls trapped there, malforming them into horrible creations of pure evil, now the fortress lies untouched by life, save for the creatures no longer under his control, who now roam the fortress. No one knows if these creatures have evil intent. For few dare enter, and those who do, do not return…
Shoulder Keep Ancient Stronghold Shoulder Keep sits atop the Hag's Shoulder, a high hill overlooking the northwest end of the Howling Plains. According to legend, the black stones of the keep were summoned to the place by a powerful witch who was in the service of one of the ancient Kings of the Winnowers who lived on these plains when they were part of the First Empire of the East. Shoulder Keep occupies a commanding view of the plain, and its proximity to where the Great Road crosses the Spine made it an important position for protecting overland trade from raiders, before the road was broken. Currently, the keep is held by the Blood-Lion Tribe, a rugged band of orcs, half-orcs, and other mongrel-men who drive a great pack of wolves before them on frequent raids of the plainsfolk's farms and villages. The keep is a ruin, but a sturdy one for sure. The walls are thick, and the moat filled with sharp spikes has been recently repaired.
Salt Rock Seaside Fortress Towering about the Eddinton's harbor is the Salt Rock, the seat of House Carlock whose knights and ships have been protecting the town from Reavers for centuries. With white salt stains on grey granite walls, the Rock rises from Holgar's Point a steep promontory cliff some 200 feet in height that protects the harbor from the cold northern winds and waves. The Beacon Tower is the highest tower of Salt Rock, and it serves as both a watchtower and a functioning lighthouse. To descend from the castle to the harbor takes half a day, but signal fires and messenger pigeons keep the garrison and fleet apprised of any threats spotted from the castle above. Short of scaling the slippery cliffs of Holgar's Point, the narrow road up to the keep is the only way to reach it, making it impossible to take by force, but it has fallen by siege at least once. The Rock's dungeons are said to be connected to a vast series of underwater caves where some foul beast of the sea sleeps. It is whispered that the Carlocks keep the sea monster satisfied with meals of prisoners. No one who has ever left the Rock's dungeons alive has seen the caves or the monster, but those former prisoners all agree that the dungeons are cold and damp and that the sound of waves crashing on rock seems to rise up from somewhere inside the walls.
Braggard's Manse Mayor's Estate When the Free Wheel Mercantile swept the coast, they left in their wake a deep network of puppet governors, sympathetic burgomasters, and wealthy sellswords. The old aristocracy, unused to having their influence usurped, fought a losing war of charismatic attrition, and before long the balance of power began to tip toward the Mercantile and its allies. In a last bid to capture the hearts of the people - many of whom had suffered greatly during the various Mercantile blockades - the joint Dukes of Il Ipron formulated the first Braggard's Lottery, the winner of which would become Mayor for a year, neatly circumventing the existing elections. The lucky citizen would be given all the rights and duties of the post, as well as all the perks - namely, the Mayor's Mansion - and decent sum of money. The unpublicized downside was that these annual mayorships tended to be incredibly stressful, and were essentially tools used by the Dukes to enforce their will on the influential port town, and wreak their grievances on any who worked for the Mercantile.
Crumblekerk Mountain Monastery Carved into the unyielding stone of a monstrous oceanside cliff face, the home of the so-called 'climbing clerics' was designed to be a sanctuary for those who felt life on the outside just wasn't dangerous enough. Accessible only via a complex and borderline suicidal vertical descent from above, or just as dangerous navigation through hidden shoals and rough seas below, the monastery isn't for the faint of heart. Reaching it, however, is the only qualification for entry, and the allure of a life truly free of judgement is a potent lure for many a potential supplicant.
The Keep Speakeasy In the tumbledown tenements of Dogturn Slump, noticing things will get you killed - or worse. So it was no surprise that nobody noticed the late-night arrival of a dozen half-orcs; or the sudden, violent eviction of an entire building's residents. Nobody noticed with growing worry as the existing networks of clandestine thaumaturgy began to evaporate, and the fledgling illicit trade in dark fairy laudanum skyrocketed. Nobody, in a fit of misplaced civic pride, made a daring foray to the local constabulary, and nobody learned the hard way that they were in on it. And absolutely nobody knows the secret knock, handshake, and fee that'll get you into the old tenement cellars, where they definitely don't keep the good stuff.
Northforge Bastion Dwarf Fortress The mighty delvings of the Northforge Dwarves, carved into the living rock of the Greyghost Mountains. As the younger of the two dwarven kingdoms on the continent, its mines do not run as deep, but its position on the last front of the War of Conquest has given cause for extensive aboveground fortifications, including a moat of boiling volcanic spring water. The moat, combined with the bitter cold of the Greyghosts, usually results in Northforge being obscured by vast plumes of steam. Northforge was established during the days of the Dwarven Exodus, when Bjorik Breakhammer's ships were separated from those of his brother by an intense storm. Half of the dwarf fleet went south, and the other half went north, eventually leading to the establishment of two separate dwarven kingdoms. The Northforge Dwarves battled the cold and the snow, as well as the myriad barbarian tribes of the mountains, before finally stumbling upon a cave with edible flora and fauna. It was a difficult time, but those battle-hardened few that remained took their freedom from the indifferent chill of the Greyghosts.
Southforge Bastion Dwarf Fortress The older of the two dwarven kingdoms, and the more secretive. When Urik Breakhammer was separated from his brother, his fleet was washed up to the south, on a green and flourishing peninsula full of civilization. The locals offered the Dwarf-Prince-in-Exile membership in the Sholai Confederacy, as well as food and supplies for the establishment of their own kingdom. This assistance resulted in Southforge being much more quickly established, as a larger population survived to build their home. Southforge, thus, is far deeper, but with fewer surface defenses. This, of course, is even more true since the Latona Republic glassed the peninsula. The outer rock face of Southforge Bastion bears the telltale gloss of formerly molten stone that was blasted by the horrendous magicks of the Latona wizards. Following the horrific incident, Southforge has turned almost entirely inward, building deeper and deeper into the Glasspeak Mountains that house it.
Fort Underfell Undead Redoubt Fort Underfell, and the town of Crovan Fell surrounding it, was once the lynchpin holding civilization on the Roaring Plains together. The circular earthworks (later supported by a dwarven stone exterior) ringed in a wide, squat keep that housed most of the soldiers, and could potentially house just about all of the townspeople. When it fell in the War of Conquest, hundreds fled the destruction, followed by thousands more when they realized the Republic had no interest in garrisoning the blasted shell of the Fort. Its battered walls and shattered fortifications were silent. For a while. Now, Sir Throck, Knight of the Ashen Star, a death knight of the former Confederacy, has risen again to continue the war his people lost some seventy years ago. He and his risen soldiers are rebuilding Fort Underfell once more, and the dark shadows cast from the damned keep are beginning to reach up into civilized lands. It's only a matter of time before the Knight of the Ashen Star, armed with whatever unholy artifact lifted his armies from the dead, marches on the Republic-held cities of the continent.
The Palace of the Eternal Light Ruined palace The former residence of the recently deceased Eternal Empress. The Palace was destroyed when Tharizdun, the lord of Madness, murdered the Empress, and it is now home only to shadows and fiends. It is said that an angelic servant still stands guard over the Empress' private chambers, protecting her personal belongins from would-be looters.
Vaalstadt Keep Newly-built Stronghold Overlooking the colony in Vaalstadt, the Keep is home to the sickly Duke of Vaal, and his scheeming family. The Duke has yet to pay any taxes to his colonial overlord (If they want my gold, they'll have to come get it!), so his coffers are overflowing with gold and valuable gemstones.
The Temple of the Forgotten Ones Ancient Temple In the lush vale of Xi, where the Endless Desert meets the Transvaalian Jungle, stands an ancient temple, carved into the side of the mountains. The labyrinthine halls and corridors of the tample are loaded with insidious traps, deterring anyone who would dare to enter. With that much security, there's bound to be something valuable in the Inner Sanctum. Or maybe the traps are there to deter anyone from awakening the ancient evil that is imprisoned here.
Xil'han's Keep Ruins Xil'han's Keep is an ancient castle built in a marsh. Unsurprisingly, over time it started to sink in the unstable ground and is now roughly half sunken. It is said that Xil'han was a tiefling sorcerer, and that he hid his treasures and diaries in many vaults built in the basement of similar castles. The ruins are currently inhabitted by a large clan of bullywugs, led by king Co Co Croak. Most of the corridors have been destroyed over time, and the basement is flooded in most parts. The bullywugs have sealed the entrances to the basement because of strange creatures roaming down there. Some historians believe the keep was built in order to defend a long forgotten frontier of the tiefling empire. Some people disagree because who in their right mind would build a castle in a swamp?
Gnomehome Crystalline Fortress The gnomes created this mighty fortress using their knowledge of gem magic. It is a huge 10 story building made entirely of purple crystal, and was designed at the back of the gnome capital for the gnomes to fall back to if their city was in danger of being lost. The crystal walls are quite strong, and can withstand the hardest rams, and the smoothness of the crystal gives invaders a hard time finding handholds for climbing the walls. But, to add to this, the gnomes laid special magics upon it, and whenever anyone hits the outer walls with something, vibrations will ring out causing damage to any creatures nearby.
K'ar-un-el Edge Deserted Castle Built by Rha'lal-za-kai Rha-zor over three centuries ago as the largest of a chain of fortified military outposts, defending his lush, many-rivered lowlands from the barbarous desert nomads to the North, K'ar-un-el Edge is a tall, broken, sandstone ruin, rising from the dunes that have consumed its sister castles. At the height of his dynasty's rule, Rha-zor's chain of majestic, towering castles was linked by a set of magic lenses, one in each of the highest towers. Mounted on greased gimbals, as each rotated it projected an image of what was happening in front of each of its sister lenses onto the scrying chamber's polished walls. By means of this magical communication and constant patrols between the castles, the kingdom was protected. At least that's what the legends say. These days, the rivers are distant memories and the land is baked dry. Reaching the distant legendary castle is a dangerous journey, and who knows what lies within its the sand-choked corridors and long-abandoned rooms...
Samor's Camp Ancient Fortified Mound At one end of the Camphor Range is a huge and remarkably circular grassy mound with a winding chalk path cut spiralling up its side. The chalk is never far below the grass that covers the mound, and it shines in the right light, sun or moon. Atop the mound is a rudimentary fort surrounded by a huge circular ditch edged with ramparts and a viciously spiked stake-wall palisade. The combination of the mound's unnatrually steep incline, the depth of the ditch and the crude fortificaitons makes the exposed camp at the summit very difficult to take without great magic, flying mounts, or enormous siege machines. And the hill tribes haven't seen much of any of that in these uncivilized parts. Not in living memory at least. The origins of Samor's camp are lost in history. How the mound came to be so symmetrical and so steep is not known, though many will tell a story of Samor's blood pact with the long dead Lunic Druids and their use of a Great Wyrm to shape the land to their whim. The same stories unravel into wild speculation about the whereabouts of an entrance to Samor's barrow, the enormity of his house treasure grave goods, and the wicked ferocity of the Wyrm unwillingly bound to guard it's underground resting place for all eternity...
Citadel of Ash Volcanic Watchpost The Citadel of Ash was constructed hundreds of years ago upon the ocean-facing slopes of a (somewhat) dormant volcano when the continent was united under a single empire. The purpose of this citadel was to watch the eastern sea for invaders that threatened this new empire, as the atoll that it calls home is the easternmost landmass of the continent. "The Citadel of Ash" began as mostly a nickname but it became so popular among the troops stationed there and the local population that its original name has been lost to time. When it was constructed, the citadel was made of a brilliant white stone. Within a small amount of years it was permanently blackened by the constant ash falling upon its walls and the name has stuck through the generations. To be stationed at the citadel was perhaps the worst assignment on the entire continent as the guards were likely far away from their families in populated cities and at risk to an early death due to the constant ash, steep slopes, and occasional catastrophic eruption; but hey the view is nice! While the atoll it resides on has remained well populated and prosperous, the population of the citadel has dwindled over the years even with new governments to own it. Once it became clear that threats from the eastern sea were likely never coming, the staffing began to dwindle down to a mere handful of men. In recent years it is all but abandoned, with but a few daring climbers and explorers willing to brave the soot-covered slopes to reach the citadel. Now tales are told of dangerous beasts and merciless criminals who occupy the citadel, rather than of ever vigilant brave men. But are these tales to be believed?
The Dreamcatcher Astral Observatory Encompassing a perfect alabaster dome topped with a golden capstone stands a great wall, marked off at four corners with tall, elegant spires. There is no gate to the hidden chambers within. Deep inside the dome, it is said that the leaders of a cult gather to read the dreams of the world, ever staring out, never letting others see in. The cult's goals are mysterious, but townsfolk near the citadel sleep poorly, with twisted nightmares. The uninitiated who spend any time within the walls find themselves exhausted and slow, drifting slowly to an uneasy sleep. The dome travels, disappearing with the morning dew after a period of time, spending most of its time absorbing the other planes' dreams in the Astral Plane. In the perspective granted there, it becomes clear that the Dome is really the eye of a long dead deity of dreams and nightmares. Those who know this have tried to wrest the eye's power out of the cult's hands and use it for themselves.
Lookout Point tourist trap Lookout Point is a 7 story tower that stands atop a seaside cliff above Quintcyville, a quaint, seaside village. A generation ago, pirates were constantly raiding the up-and-coming trading port of Quintcyville, so the tower was constructed to defend the merchant fleets in the harbor and spot incoming raids on the town. Eventually, the pirates were defeated, but the town was decimated and most trade was routed through a rival port, leaving the local economy locked in recession. A kid named Tor started leading local kids up to tower to play pretend adventures against the long-gone pirates. When Tor was older, he expanded that practice taking wealthy nobles and their spoiled children for a thrilling taste of real adventure. Safe, but appealing to their vanity, they could claim to have done something noteworthy. Soon, the town's entire economy built around Tor's adventures, which was the invention of Torism. The town now features numerous overpriced inns, taverns, shows, and shops. The tower has a few harmless monsters and a few hidden surprises. Three weeks of each month, the Torist industry rakes in a fortune from the vanity of visiting nobles. But the week of the full moon, when the Pirates were most likely to attack, all the tower's magical defenses come alive....
The Fort of Atlas Mobile Fortress The Fort of Atlas seems, initially, much like any of the others scattered across the sweeping plains of the Western lowlands. It takes a roughly rectangular shape, with a large multi-towered central superstructure rising from within forbidding, sloped walls. There is very little in the way of internal empty space, merely some relatively narrow walkways between walls and keep. The first inkling of the fortress's unusul nature might come from these; rather than being covered in grass, they are paved in the same wide dark-grey bricks as the rest of the structure. They seem just too wide for a single man to defend effectively, but awkward for two to fight side-by-side. But the men and women who inhabit here have no intention of doing any fighting themselves. Without warning, the structure trembles for a second, and then rises up before you, and begins to move. Now the defenders of this otherwise rather quiet keep become obvious; an army of golems, each half again the size of a man and with ten times the strength. Thus does the fortress appear to 'wander' across the landscape, borne upon the backs of unshakeably loyal servitude. So too do these golems serve as its defence in the castle's time of need - the numerous access points to the understory allow them to appear from any and every direction at once, quickly surprising and surrounding any attacker who thought to simply stroll in to the apparently empty grounds. These golems are also of course the main attractant for (some of the more foolish) invaders - to wrest command of such an army away from its current owners would drastically shift the balance of power, in the cut-throat military game of the lowlands.
Peregrine's Wrest Mountaintop Monastery Glory's sake, my grandda used to tell stories he'd heard when he were a boy about the folk visitin' the old monastery. Not as you'd find me climbin' up them crags to get there, even if there were a chance o' comin' back. And I ain't never seen nor heard tell of a single one comin' back down neither. Must be 400 years since it were built. At first, they say, the monks'd come to Roundwater to get their provisions, but not in hunnerds a years now. Ya can see it up there, just at the top o' the second spire, the one with the big tree on it. See? It's easier to see in the afternoon when the sun's goin' down over it. Just low stone buildin's with a single tower. Built up there by them monks I suppose. Then they just stopped comin' down. A load o' folk have gone up over the years, probly a hunnerd or so. Folk love a good mystery, and the rumors say there's a ton o' treasure of some sort that the monks was guardin'. Not to mention all the gear from them what have gone up after it. They usually buys their provisions here, have done for hunnerds o' years from me da and his da before 'im. Did I tell ye, ain't not a one o' them ever come back? It's a tenday climb to the top fer sure, and sometimes we see their fires or hear the screamin' on the breeze. But never a one comes back. Now, look at me talkin' yer ear off, when ye got a long wagon drive back to Silverheel. Listen, do me a favor, don't be a lettin' anyone know about the monastery, right? I mean, ain't nobody gonna never come back who climbs up them cliffs after that treasure. So don't be a stirrin' up nobody's imagination 'bout it. It's best to let sleepin' monks lie.
Glarog's Mound Cuspidate Goblin Fortification Unbroken plains for nearly 80 miles in any direction are marred by this low outcropping of angled stone, jutting from the earth, three massive spires stick out from a basalt stone base, each jutting up 15 feet. Earth piled up on the one side creates a rise partially shielded by the spires. Sharpened stakes were driven into the earth around the rock to protect it from... gods know what. Where the trees to make the wicked spikes came from, also a mystery. It appears to be no more than a crude goblin fort except for the black stony spires which glimmer in the sun and faintly crackle in the cold dark of the plains. Broken stakes here and there would grant admittance to this weakly fortified semi-structure. But the litter of bones at the base of the stone spires attests to its ability to defend its secrets.
Rynewood Keep Vanguard Garrison The Rynewood Barrier Forest is a maddening thicket of razor sharp Stucktan trees and Kytchwood bramble housing rebel elves and dangerous fauna within it's dark tunnel like passages of foliage. Along the powerful Ryne river the Rynewood Keep has held the wilderness at bay for over two centuries. Men and women from all reaches of the human lands are sent for a tour of duty keeping the region safe as possible from the countless dangers across the river and beyond. The keep itself is sturdy and magically warded against the Botcreep vines that work their way into the masonry of civilization and grow and weaken what men have built. Rynewood Keep is also a well kept, well stocked, and well manned fortress of multi-ethnic/national human soldiers, warriors, rangers, and hunters. Make sure you check in there before crossing the river, it will almost assuredly save extend your lifespan by a day or two.
Yor Dan Castle Accursed Ruins The Yor were a powerful mountain nation of men and women with bright red hair and white eyes who abandoned their oaths in a time of great fear and suffering. They believed if they didn't join the fray they could survive the war in their mountaintop castles and did not meet their allies on the field of battle which was lost that day. The war was won though and soon the Yor lands grew quiet, empty, and wild once more and their castles fell into disrepair with their vanishing. Today this castle is the last of their structures to stand (barely) and whenever you move in its expansive shadow you can feel the guilt and shame the spirits of the place whisper. You know, before the savage red coat, white eyed goatmen tribes of the area converge on you with primitive weapons and horrifying war cries.
The Golden Citadel Mountain Fortification For time immemorial the Thanes of the Golden Citadel have stood watch over the northern reaches from their council seats high in the mountains. The fortress is so named for its monumental doors, inlaid with gold and all manner of precious stone, produced by the finest smiths, engineers, and craftsman in the kingdom. The soldiers of this dwarven kingdom keep close eye on the narrow passes to protect the caravans which make the arduous journey northward to pay tribute, homage, and trade in the finest of rarities from across the world. As a result, though treacherous, many villages and towns have thrived in this frozen land. While any dwarven kingdom might be renowned for its might and wealth, the Golden Citadel is rumored to house antiquities and treasure beyond even the mundane. Pilgrims flow through its cavernous halls to pay tribute at the shrine of Moradin as they believe even godly relics lie within…
Castle Black Rock Floating Fortress Floating high above the land, Castle Black Rock is a marvel of magical prowess. As if pulled straight from the earth the bore it, Black Rock sits aloft a floating rock of obsidian, giving a magnificent shiny, black appearance. Black Rock was once home to a High Lord who went mad with power. After scrounging magical tomes and scrolls for years, the High Lord finally managed to lift the fortress high into the air - the ultimate defense. Legends say that the High Lord died some decades ago, leaving his untold wealth sealed within the fortress vaults. Castle Black Rock appears to have been made from obsidian, though few have been close enough to determine it's true make. The walls climb up dozens of feet with parapets and guard towers stationed along the perimeter. Were the fortress stationed on the ground, it would be a difficult siege, but floating in the air? None had dared try.
Gates To the Endless Dwarven Fortress Towering above the crags and sands of the desert sit the Gates to the Endless. Protecting the labyrinthine mega-cities plunging for miles beneath the surface, the Gates have stood for aeons, with successful sieges of them being unheard of due to there massive expanse, seemingly-endless supplies, and superior design: a series of ascending walls leading to a central, domed building housing the massive doors to the urban expanse below
The Rainbow City of Tyr Magically Reinforced City The Rainbow City of Tyr is the Capitol city of an empire, a city completely encircled by fortress walls, with streets and neighborhoods capable of being converted to defensible positions. In the center of the city, the Mage's Spire rises into the sky. At the top of this tower lies a magical crystal, which is rumored to be able to allow an Archmage to power a spell indefinitely. Denizens of the city can always see a rainbow in the sky, and friendly visitors describe the air around the city as shimmering. Enemies of the city are held back by a shield of light. It's said that no one can pass through this prismatic wall.
Fort Griffstone Hobgoblin Stronghold This massive slab of crude stone juts out of the vast elven forest of Fellodar, which spreads on for miles around it. Made out of the hobgoblin chief's inborn hate for the elves, this fortress was made as a hideout and base of operations for one of the most influential goblinoid tribes in Findon (World). The walls rise high between 4 square towers and above these walls lies the "keep", or the headquarters where the leaders discuss battle plans. No one has ever attempted to break in and rumors about the ominous place have spread throughout all of lower Findon.
Casperdon Ancient Keep At the bottom of a wide misty valley - as if the crater of some ancient fallen star - there occurs, once every moon, a strange event. The mists recede in a small sphere in the center and seem to coagulate into the form of a keep. The structure is solid to the touch, but damp and cool, and exerting too much pressure gives a sickening sinking sensation. At first glance uninhabited, entering the halls stirs up all manner of ghostly creatures. Benign apparitions of the staff go about in sad mimicry of their previous lives, while an aggressive and tortured ghost wards off any would-be visitors, or treasure hunters following tales of ghostly riches. This guardian is none other than Prince Casper, once the heir to the throne of a kingdom that covered the entire broad valley. Madness, murder, and betrayal are the common threads in the stories told of his father's last days, but they all end with the Prince - a powerful mage - going mad with grief, releasing a blast of energy that obliterated the castle and much of the valley, leaving behind the crater and ghostly manse that remain to this day.
Talreath Strategic Outpost Perched atop a waterfall, with roaring water cascading past on both sides, Talreath is as formidable as it looks and nigh impenetrable to boot. It overlooks the drainage basin of the Kaveri River, the glacial headwaters of which cascade around its walls. The valley below is fertile soil, its bounty the envy of many a neighboring nation and marauding tribe. The small fortress has never fallen in its long, illustrious history, surviving numerous sieges and assaults. Trophies and keepsakes from fallen would-be invaders line the walls of the keep, a living museum of military history. These treasures are valuable academically, but also a source of pride for the troops stationed there.
Fort Eagle-Eye Aged Castle Built by humans of a long forgotten kingdom, this castle was believed to have been created to protect nearby towns from the threats of the outlands. Weathering many assaults throughout its years, Eagle-Eye stands strong still, likely due to the ancient artifact in its tallest spire, simply known as the Emblem of the Eagle. Legend states that this emblem grants superior vision to its user, though none but the garrison of the keep could attest to this. Eagle-Eye was originally built out of large rough stone bricks, and while these bricks have been polished and carved so as to appear differently, the walls of this castle have remained whole and have scarcely degraded over the years.
Gorvesur Dwarf Stronghold Carved from the stark white stones of the surrounding cliffs, this dwarven stronghold was built to withstand any attacks from the treacherous humans of the North. In the daylight the walls seem to reflect light almost unerringly towards non-dwarves that are strangers to the city, though those that are friends of the city or its people will find this effect seem to go away. Originally intended as the site for a quarry of stone, this stronghold was built to hide an far greater treasure than stone. This stronghold houses a great wealth in gems as well as one of the most successful mines in both quality and quantity of resources. Rumors of these riches are often spread by prideful dwarves native to the stronghold, though other races are beginning to grow curious and no one may be able to tell what will happen.
Minas Khandûl Fort beyond time and reason The Dark Lord cemented his rule over the Void-plane of Normador by constructing a vast fortress. The size of a continent, with impregnable walls and impossible towers, his Candle Extinguished reminds his servants that the power they serve is beyond their power to bring down. Amongst the towers of void saronite are a few, higher towers. Constructed of the spinal columns of gods, these are the home of the Dark Lord's greatest servants. The greatest tower is Anthorc. Rising up and up in the red darkness of Normador, with a span larger than cities, it is the eternal home of the Dark Lord himself. Here he works at his most devious plans, those that will shake down the foundations of the Cosmos.
What's in this foul place? dungeons Demons, devils, resurrections, and chosen ones have me thinking about dark shrines, haunted tombs, and unpleasant vaults hidden beneath temples, monasteries, and ruins. So, let's make some! I'll post a few examples.
The Blood Pits Infernal cavern complex Somewhere in the Hells is this horrible place. The Blood Pits are a series of claustrophobic tunnels and chambers, subject to erratic blasts of steam and scalding sulfuric acid, where the pit fiend Gujerikk personally torments his collection of souls. New arrivals are shackled and subjected to flaying, par-boiling, and witnessing the souls of their loved ones suffer (when possible). Once sufficiently broken, souls are released into the lower tunnels where they are endlessly hunted for sport by Gujerikk's hounds and the fiend himself.
The Crypt of Sir Gordan the Green Sealed-off crypt within a large temple Sir Gordan, called the Green Knight, was a celebrated hero of the wars with the mountain clans. On a moonless night, with only his squire, he slipped into the clans' camp, slaughtered two chiefs and brought a third out as a hostage to force an end to the conflict. He never liked talking about how he managed the feat. Years later he died, a respected old knight at court and was buried in the Crown's Temple, as befits a hero. On the first new moon after his interment, a young priestess was beheaded while tending candles at the temple's high altar. On the second new moon after his interment, an old woman was cloven nearly in two while praying in a chapel within the temple. On the third new moon, the temple was cleared save a veteran priest and demon-hunter and his assistant. In the morning, they were dead of sword wounds. Finger-painting in his blood the priest had left one word: "Gordan." Afraid to move the cursed knight, his crypt was sealed off completely. That was years ago, now a young priestess swears she can hear scratching and tapping below the temple on nights when the moon is dark.
The Black Kitchen Infernal tower In a hellish wasteland is the tower of the fat devil called Melika the Mistress of Torment. She keeps her larder well stocked with fine spices, cheeses, breads, butters, fruits, wines, ales, and animals for slaughter. Music often fills her the air in her second floor dining room. Though she loves to hear screams, she enjoys the change of pace. The upper chambers are filled with shackled souls she has collected. New arrivals are plump and juicy; long-time residents are shriveled and dried.
The Deadways Burned-out catacombs When the guildmasters plotted their rebellion against the ruthless lord of the town, they knew they must eliminate the lord, his family, and his closest allies in a single, swift action. The death of the king's son gave them just that opportunity. Before the interment, members of the alchemists' guild had rolled vast barrels of dragontar into the catacombs beneath the Temple of the Dead and dripped a trail to the three known entry points on the surface. During the interment, when the funeral party was all underground, the dragontar was lit, consuming all those participating in the ceremony. Occasionally, mischievous boys will find their way into the Deadways; they don't always find their way out.
Ash Mountain Monastery Ruined monastery The ruins known as Ash Mountain Monastery lie near the pass between Ash Mountain and Corvid's Crag. The original name of the monastery is long-since forgotten, but the local folk tell that the monks attempted to bind a fire demon in their pursuit of deeper and darker secrets as to the origins of the world. The tales suggest that the demon broke free and raged about the place killing every brother, servant, and visitor. I wouldn't believe such tales, but there have been several disappearances and several brush fires in the pass of late.
Irondark Hold Broken, half-sunken dwarvish stronghold Carved into living rock far beneath the mountaintops once lay the mighty Irondark Hold. A vast stronghold that protected the dwarvish mining operations throughout the tunnels of the Iron Mountains, Irondark Hold is now sodden home to a foul thing. The thing whispered to the Lord of Irondark of the rich deposits of diamonds that lay in solid rock beneath the fortress. Haunted by dreams of glittering gems, the greedy lord dug more and more tunnels directly beneath the fortress, creating an unstable network of tunnels. One day, when the Irondark Legion returned from a campaign against the goblins, the tunnels beneath the fortress collapsed. The fortress crashed through nearly 200 feet of tunnels before resting for a few moments on a floor of stone that cracked and gave way before the fortress plunged 2,000 feet into a shallow subterranean sea. The thing that whispered still haunts the broken stones of Irondark Hold. Several dwarvish expeditions have been lost attempting to recover ancestral weapons and relics that had been in the fortress.
Sorrowful Sisters' Cloister Abandoned chapel and sanatorium The doors are barred and the windows boarded up to this former place of peace, penitence, and prayer. An inmate in the sisters' care became unhinged and killed a dozen other patients and healers with bludgeon and rope before he was subdued by a crossbow bolt to throat. The few remaining sisters left the place to join their order in another city, and no one has occupied the building since. Recently, several neighborhood residents swear they've seen an eerie green glow about the sanatorium wing late at night.
Meerlac's Lair Subterranean Lair Legend has it that Meerlac was a necromancer of great power who enjoyed his experiments on the living and the dead a bit too much. Driven mad by the voices of those he had killed or raised, he created a lair in which to hide. As each area of this complex was finished, he would decide where it would go from there. The workers would follow his orders out of fear and greed as he paid well. This led to a twisting turning maze of chambers, hallways, and stairs; many of which led nowhere. Eventually, Meerlac, driven to utter madness, was unable to communicate with others and his workers abandoned him in his lair where he roamed wildly until his death and perhaps still roams it today.
The Rat's Nest Ruins No information remains as to the original purpose of these ancient ruins. What is known is that they are located in the depths of a dark swamp and that they stand on the only truly solid ground available in the area. The commonly held rumor is that there is a dark magic at work inside that remains from the days when the ruins were a keep. This magic seems to have had an effect on the rats that have made their home there, leading them to be smarter, bigger, and aggressive. Some even speculate that the rats who have become intelligent enough to gain sentience have started a cult worshiping an ancient god they discovered in the chapel of the keep. While they have not yet, some fear that soon the rats will begin raiding nearby settlements for blood sacrifices for their new found deity.
The Midas Vault Forbidden desert treasure complex More than a century ago, an incredibly powerful -- and quite insane -- mage accumulated a massive hoard of wealth. But so paranoid was he of thieves and pilferers, that in order to protect his fortune, he decided to spend some of it to build a massive vault in the middle of a vast desert. Its exact location has since been lost to time and the shifting desert sands, but according to those who claim to have found it, from the outside, it appears to be a plain single-story stone building with a single entrance and a few small windows, but the structure extends deep underground, and is filled with many traps and hazards, magical and otherwise. As you descend, you will see larger and larger stashes of gold coins and bars, all minted with the mage's face. You will also encounter beasts and monstrosities that are attracted to gold and treasure, having been lured there by the sizable hoard. At the bottom-most level is a massive vault room where the mage's remains lie among his mountains of gold, having locked himself in shortly after the structure's completion. Unfortunately, even death won't be enough to keep him from letting go of his fortune.
The Golem Factory Ancient underground mystical manufactorum Eons ago, an unknown entity built this massive, magically-automated facility to ceaselessly manufacture golems to use as an endless army of servants and soldiers. Now, whoever built this place is long since gone, but the arcane machinery functions still. Perhaps it's been running nonstop since it was created, or perhaps it went dormant for untold years and has just reawoken; in either case, the factory is producing golems around the clock now, and these servants are performing their tasks as they were programmed to. They scatter throughout the lands, collecting raw materials to use in the construction of new golems, resulting in an ever-growing swarm of automatons of every shape and size, all built using the consumed resources of the surrounding area. Unfortunately, the required materials are beginning to become scarce in the area, and the swarms of golems are expanding their search further and further -- its only a matter of time before they encounter modern settlements. What's worse, any party looking to shut down the factory are in for more than they bargained for, as the massive golem "overseer" won't take kindly to any attempts to harm his reason for being.
The Mimic Nursery Clandestine-hideout-turned-deathtrap A conscienceless "bootlegger" has taken to raising mimics to plant on traveling merchants and nobles so that he may follow them and pick through the remains of their inevitable slaughter. Unfortunately for him, something went wrong in his hideout, and his mimics escaped, killing him immediately. The creatures then took up residence all throughout the hideout and its immediate surroundings, inadvertently guarding the treasure and other belongings he'd collected.
An Old King's Lair Ornate Underground Burial Chambers An old King of the campaign world was a next level narcissist, and decided that when he died he would be buried in a tomb that would properly reflect the splendor of his life. So, he designed a burial chamber that would reflect just how amazing a man he was. He laid out his chamber so that visitors would have to pass through multiple rooms to reach the chamber he was actually interred, and each room would be a scene from his life. The first room was a replica of the playroom he spent his childhood in. The second room was a replica of his classroom where he demonstrated his early brilliance and awed his teachers (that's how he remembers it.). The third room was a sparring ground where he showed his extreme proficiency with all known weapons (again, that's how he remembers it.). And so on. Each room was a detailed recreation of his life showing the splendor and glory that he brought to the world (again, as he remembers it, history and reality may remember it differently.). But, he wasn't a fool, he knew there would be those who might attempt to rob his tomb, and so each room was also well stocked with Golems, or Animated objects that would attack any who entered. The toys in the playroom would spring to life and attack, the books in the classroom would hurl themselves at intruders and explode, the weapons in the sparring ground would attempt to do bodily harm to those entering, etc.
The Perfectionist Subterranean lair The outside is covered with broken chairs, beds, candlesticks, and other household items, as well as the remains of humanoids, beast, and monstrosities. Inside, gold coins cover the ground. If one is picked up, the rest animate, skittering away like cockroaches. Dispel magic will stop one coin at a time. Anti-magic fields will stop all coins in their range. If the party drops something broken on the ground, the coins will group up and shove it out. The walls are perfectly smooth, with perfect right angles. Everything is spotless. Blood from battle is quickly caught and run outside by coins. Any opponents are exemplars of their type (in appearance). Final opponent - likely an Elf spellcaster of almost painful beauty (male or female). S/he grew an obsession with perfection, and has created a home without flaws. If any party members have visible scars, tattoos, or other physical flaws, s/he will target them first, regardless of logic.
The Vaults of Vaas Temple of Banking The Royal Vaults of Vaas were completed in the last weeks of the old Empire; the ceremonial bloodletting on the steps took place in sight of the burning Mage's Quarter, and many of those who attended were dead within a matter of days. Nevertheless, the vision of the Empress had been hewn from stone and sweat and silver, and even as the riots swept the streets below, the temple priests - decked in vestments of ermine and velvet - sealed the royal family and their wealth behind ten feet of iron. Now, twenty years hence, the gilded priesthood guard the temple still, patrolling long corridors, tending to the complex locks, and serving as intermediaries between the voices that speak in hushed tones from within the central vault and the outside world. That the royal family hasn't been fed in almost fifteen years is of some small worry to the priests, but their loyalties are clear - to stop any unauthorized bank access with all due force.
Scrimshaw's Folly Deep Forest Encampment Deep in the forested river valleys of the northeast spur, the Wendigo threat is very real. Settlers, driven by a lust for the wealth in electrum-laden streams, vie for territory with the ravenous creatures. In an attempt to better prepare themselves for the flesh-hungry cannibals, a volunteer corp of the Scrimshaw Expeditionary Company willingly underwent 'lycanthropy therapy' in one of the deeper frontier encampments. The results were never guaranteed, and while news from the outer edges of civilization is scarce, rumors suggest that (depending on your perspective) things went either terribly wrong, or wonderfully right. Regardless, representatives of the SEC have been surreptitiously contacting independent adventuring companies, promising heavy coinpurses for anyone willing to bring back evidence that the Wendigo War is going in their favor.
Saunt Lupine Abbey Island Monastery The seas off the coast of Jhead are notoriously treacherous, and for generations the only thing that has made them somewhat navigable is the enchanted light of the Abbey. Built into and around a squat upthrust knuckle of basalt, Saunt Lupine Abbey is centuries older than the order that inhabits it, with tunnels and passages running below and through that are even older. Most of these have long been sealed or gated off by the Abbey's current tenants, but some of the old network can be accessed through sea caves on the backside of the island, and are regularly used by smugglers as a staging point for shipments south. Questioned, both the religious and the roguish will hesitantly speak of the deeper tunnels, beyond the shaped and buttressed ones of their domain. There, they say, lie machines older than the abbey or the island both, humming quietly in dark recesses. If disturbed, dark mechanical sentinels rise up in defense, slaying all that dare trespass.
The Old Mill at Miller's Lee A tower that used to be a mill in a city's early days The old Mill tower, once a simple river mill, has been over time expanded as a defensive tower, looking out to the four Cardinal directions, to warn of danger. With proper defenses, the tower grew into disuse. Some say that only ghosts haunt the building. The doors are sealed, the tower dilapidated, and yet sounds of fighting are often heard from within. No one yet has gone to investigate.
The Goblin Dog Pit Small Cavern Small winding cavern system inhabited by goblins and their pets, the goblin dogs. Used for breeding and training for war, the pits have holding pens and a grand training room, as well as a huge pit where weaklings are discarded. The grand trainer is a revered sort of vile creature, adorned with many a sadistic trophy.
Gutolk's Birth Mountaintop monastery The stench of the sacrifices still lingers after many years. It is here that the demon Gutolk was summoned and set loose on the world. Ghouls, specters and other husks of former cultists zealously defend this unholy birthplace from invaders. Only by breaking the bond that once brought Gutolk to this realm can he be sent back.
Gnoll slaughterhouse Valley camp Slaves not fit for sale, either due to their age, sickness or disobedience, are brought to the slaughterhouse of Zanembi. They are then sacrificed to Yeenoghu as a thanks.
The Contraption A mobile Constructed fortress The Contraption is difficult to locate, not just because it's seventeen gargantuan legs keep it very mobile, but because it is enchanted to be hidden inside a very severe storm appropriate to the terrain it is in. Ages ago, an insane Elven war-wizard, self-styled an emperor, attempted to conquer the world with the Contraption. The wizard was assassinated and the fledgling nation fell apart. This is the only verifiable history recorded on the Contraption. The origins of it are unknown. Since the fall of the wizard, who's name has been magically removed from history, the Contraption has moved on its own across the land. It is not unoccupied, however. Many constructs have found their way to the Contraption and have taken up maintenence and living there. The Contraption holds untold dangers and likely very few treasures after these centuries past. Still, magicians from all the Plains have sought it. The Contraption is itself an implement of magical work, and is itself the prize.
Bandar Yang Mati ancient undercity burial complex Beneath the ancient city of Bandar Pusat lies a vast network of tunnels, burial chambers and tombs. Hundreds of years ago, before the residents of this city began burning their dead, the officials of this already thousand-year-old metropolis were faced with the problem of overflowing cemeteries. They dug into and expanded the network of sewer tunnels already present, and created a vast subterranean network of passages and burial chambers that have since become home to monsters, secret societies, criminal organizations, and gods know what else. There are hidden entrances to Bandar Yang Mati in many buildings throughout the ancient city; few are aware of more than one, and nobody knows where they all are. And of course, the bones of tens of thousands of men, women and children are laid to rest here...
The Roots of Gulthias Underground cavern supported by tree roots The first Gulthias tree, a twisted and enormous tree that grew from a stake that killed a vampire of terrible power, is long since destroyed by some ancient hero of legend. However, the stake itself survived, deep under the roots of great tree. It has lay dormant for centuries, siphoning trace amounts of life from the foliage above. The world above remains unaware of the fearful goal of the Seed of Gulthias: the creation of a powerful undead, born of with the stake as its heart; perhaps even the rebirth of Gulthias himself. The cavern is a maddening maze of twisted roots and tunnels, stalked by blights and the undead corpses of a millennium's worth of unlucky adventuring parties.
The Doomed Workshop of Orvizar Demiplane fused with a Far Realm entity The mad wizard Orvizar specialized in the study of aberrations, believing that if we could better understand the outsiders we might be able to make peace. In order to study his topic of interest, Orvizar established his magic workshop in what was, to him, the most logical location for such an endeavor: A demiplane connected to the Far Realm. Surprisingly, Orvizar is said to have made a great discovery before the abnormal magical activity attracted the attention of one of the denizens of the plane. The entity subsumed the plane, absorbing it such that the workshop itself is inseparable from the creature. Orvizar's notes are presumably intact somewhere in the plane; his lost discovery might have the power to save the world from a great threat or, in the wrong hands, plunge it into madness.
Maze of endless cries abandoned catacombs Decades ago, cultists terrorized a village and sacrificed children in these catacombs. Suddenly they disappeared. Nobody knows what happened to them. For decades almost nobody dared to explore these catacombs. And those who tried, returned soon, telling horrible stories of children cries, echoing through ancient walls of catacombs.
The Forgotten Lord's Grave Underground crypt This crypt has been built once in honour of a fallen feudal lord, but robbers had quickly purloined anything of value. A necromancer of some renown, Fael the Ravenous, used the bones of the dead ruler to create its undying and loyal servant, Groxan. Fael left the tombs years ago, but lately, villages close by have been plagued by nightmares, all involving a dark shade. Its name long forgotten, the lord's spirit has been left to haunt his final resting place, going mad from the endless years staying near the tomb where its bones should once more be entombed, rather than have them shuffle around as the necromancer's servant remains undead, killing all but his master.
Call of the Corynth Palace removed from proper civilization Ages ago, the mad king Coriolanus earned his title after his only son died to a witch's black magic. He went insane with witch hunts and tore the kingdom to pieces, throwing it into ruin and decay. As he stood in his palace hall, he used his last funds to hire enchanters to enchant his entire palace to lure treasure seekers and magic-users to his palace so he may judge them. Even after his death, the rumors persist that the mad king still stands waiting for a mage to enter and take responsibility for his son's death.
The Vault of Tested Faith Basement Repository for Unholy Things For many decades, the ancient monastic order of the Crusading Spirit sent its new recruits to Erhaben's Mount, to be schooled at the temple of the same name. Over the years, the order's sorties recovered many artefacts deemed 'unholy'; the majority of these were destroyed. Of those that weren't, some were brought to the school for use as academic study, and eventually the collection of these built up in the vaults beneath the temple until they reached a critical mass. Unperturbed, the monks devised a new use for the vaults. Young boys' minds were always prone to wandering, straying into thoughts not proper for one being shaped into a noble crusader. The order instituted a new test, a way to reaffirm in the minds of their pupils what the real cost of straying from the true path would be. Deviants were sent in to the vaults, and left to find a route through. Such were the unholy terrors that had accumulated in those depths, many of the boys were overcome and joined the ranks of the undead things - or worse - that prowled in the darkness. But those who came through were reaffirmed in their faith, and often grew to become some of the most bold leaders of that great order. Of course, unholy power of that magnitude could not be contained forever, not with such regular feeding. In time, the contents of the basement overflowed, the temple reduced to an empty and desolate shell. But it still stands today; no-one dares to scrounge the masonry from its walls, and only the most foolhardy would dare to enter the vaults themselves...
Great Hall of Betrayal Burial Mound Two thousand years ago during the bronze era of man there was humanities first great conquer. His thirst for territory was insatiable and he plunged the world into chaos. Too stop the madness he and his elite guard were poisoned during their feast in the Great Hall. They were sealed in the hall to die. With his dying breath the conquer vowed never to yield his throne. He was transformed into a wright and his men zombies. When they heard the dead men inside druids of old were called. The eldest druid decided to cover the great hall, the conquer, and all with earth, and leave them to rot. Under high hill seats the conquer on his throne bound by his death curse. Woe to those who would dig into his burial mound seeking riches.
The Necropolis Ancient Temple of Death god This Temple is the heart of power for a god of Death on the Material plane. It was roughly hewn from stone of the earth, as the entire complex reaches deeper and deeper beneath the earth. Sparse Fires light the corridors throughout the temple, and corpses are huddled around the flame, almost as if attempting to ward off the unnatural chill of death that permeates the complex. At the heart of the Temple is the scythe of the god's last champion, whose corpse will rise from the nearby throne to defend the temple from those who would defile it, or so the legends say, for no one who has entered with intent to reach the chapel proper has ever come out to tell the tale.
The Unhallowed Temple A former holy temple that has been taken over by dark forces Entering the large oak doors at the entrance to this long forgotten temple, you immediately feel a sense of unease. Progressing through the otherwise normal temple reveals a deep subterranean cavern leading to the home of the cult to the great old ones (or other dark force) that has slowly been corrupting this former holy site
The Amphibian Hive Subterranean Tunnels In an oxbow lake is a small island where an item of great power is said to be hidden away, guarded by a hive of Bullywug or Sahaugin or Slaad whom have been entrusted with the object's care. It is a gooey, confusing mess of tunnels; the entrance is near impossible to find amongst the foliage. Easily awoken are the sleeping many, clustered in larger pockets among the tunnels. The item sought is guarded by the chieftain and his retinue in the large, central pocket. If threatened, the entire cavern can be flooded with water. Not a problem for the monsters, but what of our adventurers?
The Wolves Den Wilderness Cave For the past month wolves have been hunting in unusually large packs, forming bands of a few dozen to over a hundred. They've been more confident and aggressive and have been attacking villages and towns along to borders of the wild forest. No one knows why they've been behaving like this, but they all seem to be congregating around a massive cave system in the center of the wild forest.
The Fey Stone Natural Stone Tower Once a meeting point for the elves and the seelie court the Fey Stone is a tower of natural uncarved stone that can be seen for miles around above the forest canopy. The stone circle at the top of the tower still likely works as a portal to the realm of the Fey, but the door at the base only opens for those of Elven blood and the long dead elven knights and priests that starved trapped within are said to still guard the Fey Stone's halls. Not to mention of course the great unseelie Fey beast that once besieged the tower in hopes of entering its portal that some say still lurks within the forest, waiting for someone to finally open the towers door and let it in.
Light’s Bastion Paladin Stronghold Contrary to its name, the Bastion is religious prison where the order’s naysayers and enemies are locked away and tortured. The old fortress turned prison has large anti-chambers and hallways with prowling paladins. There are two heavily guarded sections of the dungeon; the Sky-Warrens, where most of the prisoners are kept, and the Quagmire, where the most evil and more powerful prisoners are imprisoned. The Sky-Warrens are on the roof where sharp cold winds blow almost constantly. The prisoners huddle together for warm and fight for food that is lifted up via cranes. The Quagmire is subterranean series of tunnels that lead into a depressed cavern that has been filled with the local swamps fumes and runoff. The smell is noxious and the prisoners are locked within personal cells that separated by their moats and long walkways. If a prisoner tries to escape, the floor to the cell falls out, causing to plummet down into the murk, where various monsters and poisonous plants have made their home. If that doesn’t kill them, the paladins guard the only exit, which a small waterfall that flows into the cavern.
Temple of Demogorgon Underwater Temple Under an area of the sea where it isn't uncommon for a ship to go missing, Merrow do dark work in a sunken temple. Led by a coven of sea hags, whatever prey they manage to catch is sacrificed in a ritual of blood and brine. The Prince of Demons loves mindless destruction - but were these offerings commanded, or given freely?
The sewers under Harroston Ancient Sewer System Tucked away in a pleasant vale lies Harroston. Though it was often raided in darker times, the city now lies peacefully in the heart of the empire. The ancient sewer system, built long ago, is no longer maintained, and the locations of the drains are lost to memory. Within the sewers, a force grows, storing food and weapons in dry and long-unused tunnels, placing traps and feeding beasts in off-shoots, and turning what was once a municipal boon into a delivery vehicle for assassins.
The Sewers Under Port New-Hope Infested Sewer System The sewers under Port New-Hope have never been a nice place. Wet, slimy, full of molds and refuse; you wouldn't have wanted to go in there, even before the big rains. Since that unholy rainfall last month, however, things are different. The sea-water rose so high that a number of creatures made their way into the sewer system, and have taken up residence there. It's rumored that sharks and eels swim in the sewers, poisonous barnacles coat the walls, and tentacled monsters have found hiding holes in the overflow chambers.
The Sewers Under Drendar Tower Magical Sewer System Drendar Tower is a top-notch school for the study of alchemy. They have all the herbs, poultices, tinctures, scales, monster-bits, and potions you could ever hope to mix together. They have invented some incredible items. A potion that will allow you to grow wings! A loaf of bread that, when eaten, causes hilarious discoloration of the eater's limbs for up to a week! An ointment that allows flesh to grow back within minutes! And best of all, when a mixture explodes or bubbles over or plain just doesn't work, all rooms in the tower have a drain that runs off into the sewers below. Meanwhile in the sewers, many creatures have gained bizarre new powers: The rats can breathe fire, the bones from old bodies dance and twirl, connecting to form grotesque shapes, spiders create webs out of icicles.
The Cave of Wonders Sentient Cave System The exterior of this cave in a barren hillside appears to be a giant stone lion's gaping maw. Anyone within a few miles of the cave gets the impression that the cave must hold untold treasures and/or knowledge inside, according to an individual's inner desires. When inside, there are several large chambers with small amounts of treasure, maps, keys, scrolls, or carvings indicating that there is a large trove of desirable treasure in the deepest chamber. The deepest chamber contains much treasure, but the most important thing is a beautiful jeweled dagger on a pedestal. When entering the chamber, one is immediately attracted to this dagger above all else. When one holds the dagger, one is suddenly overcome with an incredible desire to sacrifice oneself then and there to the Cave. When this occurs, the living stone shifts and consumes the corpse, then waits for its next victim. The other treasures within are from consumed adventurers, and if those who enter make the Cave impatient or are somehow satisfied with the little they find in the various antechambers, the Cave spawns ashen ghouls from the living stone who share consciousness with the Cave; so it is that the Cave of Wonders can feed passively or actively.
The Buried City of Mondeer Buried town with abandoned buildings What used to be a hotspot for illegal activity, the small city of Mondeer had a reputation for illegal trade of unconsenting civilians and the poor. It was ruled by the iron fist of the nefarious burgomaster Ghals Mondeer, a title which he inherited. The town laid within the Mondeer valley (named after the town), and was surrounded by Mt. Vesurian and Mt. Versurate. One fateful day, a storm raged throughout the valley with the strength of the gods. It struck the twin mountains' tops, crumbling them onto the town. The town wasn't destroyed and was instead domed in, trapped from the outside with people still alive within. Resources grew limited, and everyone died within the first few months as the town was ignored by neighbors just over the mountains. Everyone was happy once it had vanished. A recent expedition of the town had a hole blown through the rock barrier, yet none of the explorers have exited. The former slaves after dying have been turned into Poltergeists, protecting every one of the abandoned houses. They don't want to be controlled ever again.
Zalthurian Chambers Silly Cultist Convent The haven of the Cult of Shame, those who seek to reincarnate Zalthor, King of Shame from the outer dimensions. A small shrine with several rooms carved into a mountainside, the walls covered in tan, viscous liquid shame. The dungeon refuses to adhere to logic or physics, and chambers rearrange when not directly observed. Shame Cultists are gibbering madmen that go to outlandish lengths to express their shame in themselves and everything around them.
The Shame Hole A Shrine to Terrible Things A different take on the Cult of Shame, a cabal of those who understand the terrible things sentient life does, they follow the teachings of the God of Disgrace. Aside from the viscous fluid that coats every surface to some degree or another, the compound is austere and puritanical. Shame Cultists throw themselves at the party with reckless, unquestionably suicidal abandon, capable of mortifying PCs with magic. The Burdening Chambers lock a party member in until they face the crimes they have committed and accept the shame that comes being such vile, corrupt creatures such as men.
The Trial of the Ordinates Labyrinth / Short-cut for travel This labyrinth of snaking tunnels, whistling breeze ways, and soaring caverns lies at the juncture of the foothills of the nearby mountains and the arid, now dry drainage basin that borders the heath to the south. Chasms open up now and again to reveal flecks of blue visible from the floor of this maze. Hoodoos and spires mate with crumbling crevasses and cavern entrances to produce a semi-subterranean, semi-superficial lair for a host of nasty critters. Why anybody would venture through is beyond the capacities of the locals, but this path could cut days from your journey, and you're already running low on supplies. Admittedly, there are untold dangers within; nobody has ever returned from here after staying just one night.
The well of Kah'troar Resting place of an evil best left forgotten Legend says that there is a forgotten plane of existance in the outskirts of the Far realm. A Plane that once could have been compared to Mount Celestia, and that is now know is barely ushered even by the cruelest of devils. In such a twisted plane, mostly formed by levitating stones, Sits The well. Before-the-gods ancient buildings are found near such well , most of them being huge pillars of chiseled obsydian,other being shrines with unholy symbols. In the well, an ancient horror sleep and dream. It dreams about the past, the present, and the future. It also follow the puny things that worship him, and that try to found the Plane he resides. They call him Kah'troar, He who corrupted the incorruptible, Herald of the dust, He who ages time. It is whispered that the Dungeon changes depending on what Kah'troar is dreaming, but the general structure remains the same.
Tomb of the Living An Actual Dungeon Men imprisoned for crimes are tossed into the Tomb of the Living. There are scare resources within the tomb, and to survive, you likely will become more of a monster than any that would seek to run in its halls.
The WitherGrove Bosk of Trees Within a circle of all-dead trees, an evil lurks. Fairie circles of poison mushrooms and the innocent birdsong belie a truly dangerous place where the ghost of a mad, evil unicorn lurks. Stepping on or through the poison mushrooms is dangerous, so even in a seemingly open space, there is a maze-like quality.
Overgrown Temple of the Cat God Ruined, overgrown temple in a jungle The vast stone structure is the shape of a crouched cat waiting to pounce on it's next victim. Buried deep within the jungle, it has been completely overgrown with vines and other foliage. The trees have twisted their roots around it's paws and tail and have stretched their branches over it covering it in shadow. What first looks like an enormous statue reveals a singular opening, stone steps lead up through the fanged, gaping mouth. Legend says that this ancient temple was built and used by a particular species of lycanthropes; were-cats that took the form of Jaguars centuries ago. No one has dared to enter it, let alone loot it for fear of the curse of the Felis-Onca. A demon spirit of the feline lycanthrope god is said to protect the ancient ruin and will possess any intruder, twisting their shape during three nights of the full moon into a hideous beast in order to seek retribution on any who dares defile the temple.
The Broken Tower Large Fallen Fortress The Broken Tower as it is known to the local population was built as a watch tower by a long forgotten king hundreds of years ago. For many years the tower guard served faithfully until, according to legend, the guard accepted a generous bribe and allowed the enemies of their King to pass without lighting the beacon. After the enemy army was driven off the King executed all of the guard, buried them under the tower, and cursed them. They have returned and claimed the tower for their new dark master a powerful litch.
Temple of the Raven's Servants Subterranean temple This is the temple where the Order of the Raven meets up. It's located underneath the city, and can be accessed through the sewers. The members of this Order are mad men, who believe in the free will of allkind (because humankind isn't enough) and wants to prove it to the Gods, Universe and everyone by preventing every single prophecy they get to know of.
Mirror of Woe Salt Flats/Dead Sea The remains of an inland sea, long drained by capricious gods, and littered with remnants and specters of the past. It's dangerous to cross as the salt cracks the skin, and winds whip up scouring sad storms. The bones of forgotten leviathan and bleached coral spires hide both uncanny spirits of ancient aquatic evils and strange men who wrap themselves completely in white rags to worship the salt spirits.
Red Beacon Ancient Ruins An eons old ruin of spiraling imperishable red glass raised by earthquake from the plains. Malice spreads from it killing life, making a wasteland and warping all it touches. Within are halls of razor corners and dangerous shadows of murky red light.
Army of the Heretic King Colossal Wreck No one knows the source of this edifice, a colossal wreck of rusted iron, tarnished brass and cracked ceramic surrounded by settled fields and tidy villages whose residents deny its presence. Once a towering arcane engine of war, it's grim rotting interior holds lost secrets of magic and other treasures of the decadent past but are haunted by feral automatons and perhaps the vengeful spirits of their sorcerer masters.
Musty Mausoleum Mausoleum There is a certain point in the life of every powerful wizard where lichdom arises as a possible route to immortality, or at least to avoiding death. When this happens, unnoticed by many - often even the wizard in question - a small rift opens in the ground nearby. This opening is often hidden in some shadowed ravine, or on the lowest level of some buried catacombs, but it is always there. Just inside the mouth is a short tunnel sloped downwards, permeated by a strong musty scent. At the end of the tunnel lies the Musty Mausoleum, contained in its own pocket dimension of unknown size and looking like it has seen the birth and death of many worlds. The interior is covered in scribbled writing, of languages young and old, monstrous and human, intelligible and not. Ever-present is the odoriferous decay of undeath. With each appearance of the Mausoleum, the only inhabitant is the previous wizard whose contemplation of lichdom it was drawn to, whether they decided to undergo the transformation or not. It is unclear whether it is the actual wizard/lich, or a magical simulacrum created by the eerie tomb, but this being is decidedly not aggressive. Instead, it offers a tale of it's own thoughts and experiences, almost as a counselor of sorts. The origin and purpose of the Mausoleum is unknown, but if asked most guardians say it must be something about offering guidance, preserving the balance, those sorts of things.
Hole in the Hills Abandoned mine This abandoned copper mine has recently been occupied by a band of displaced and hungry goblins. These goblins have been making raids against the local sheepherders. They carry off sheep because the sheep don't seem to fight back as much as the sheepherders do.
Hilltop Ruins Castle ruin This ancient ruin would have held a commanding view of the valley. The place is so old that no one really knows who built it. Despite it's lack of known history, there seems to be a new and unpleasant denizen living in the cellars and dungeons of the ruin every week.
The Filth Outside, the City's Refuse Urban rubbish heap Outside the city's walls, a half mile downriver atop a low-lying marsh is the city's main rubbish heap. The place is a swamp, a cesspool, and a labyrinth of stacked garbage. It is a den for scavengers and a treasure trove for beggars. Several kobold tribes, more than one type of carrion-eater, and a vicious gang of beggar-thieves (led by a wererat named Oskher) have made themselves at home among the moist mess that the city belches forth daily. Barges carry the trash downriver to a crude landing and then filthy lugs cart the trash from the landing to fill in whatever open spot is convenient.
The Filth Below, the City Sewers City sewers Below the city streets are the narrow sewers that carry run-off and other filth to the river. The newer portions of the sewers are connected by tunnels barely large enough for a child, but the older pipes are tall enough and wide enough for grown men to walk upright, wading through the filth. Once a year, the city sweeps out the rats, oozes, toxic fish, and other filthy critters. Occasionally they find something truly dangerous has taken up residence in the filth below.
The Thunderdome Prison/arena on a floating earth mote "Welcome! All who come here will die!" Nestor, Lord of the Cloud Giants greets you. This is where he releases his prisoners into an enormous central cavern in the lowest levels of his flying mountain fortress. Several galleries for spectators, often including Nestor himself, are perched high on the walls. Prisoners begin in the central cavern, but most run for one of the exit tunnels to avoid the pair of nearly-blind ancient white dragons chained within it. In the tunnels are a variety of hungry beasts and restless dead. If you are fortunate enough not to become something's meal, there is a good change that a wrong step will send you sliding down a chute that opens up into the sky beneath the fortress.
King Cirthoeil's Dungeon Underground prison Carved into an enormous rock at the fork where two rivers meet, the wood elf king reigns over the forest from this fortress. He keeps his prisoners in the damp lower levels. At times when the rivers rise, the hewn-stone chambers flood. The passages twist and rise and fall in a confusing pattern, making escape difficult. Even if you make it past the guards, you will need to manage to sneak out over one of the two main drawbridges to escape.
The Bone Crypt Monastery ruin/crypt Beneath the ruins of the shadow monks' monastery are many crypts, but none like this. The written accounts have been lost, but legends hold that a powerful shadow-brother demanded this crypt be built as a monument to honor death itself. The crypt is small, only a few rooms, but every inch of the walls and ceilings are covered in intricately assembled designs made of humanoid bones. Fully assembled skeletons are mounted to the walls and ceilings and swirling patterns of bone cover the spaces in between. The locals fear the monastery, but they shudder at the mention of the Bone Crypt.
Crypt of Death's Kiss Temple complex/crypt The temple complex dedicated to the sun god has been here for over a thousand years, but worshipers of the sun god have only been here for a few centuries. Parts of the original temple are still intact in the lower levels, a temple dedicated to a long-forgotten the goddess of death. Her servants lie waiting for her return, waiting for the light of the sun god to burn out.
The Ruined City of Cherunalem Ancient ruin This was once a thriving town of brick and stone buildings and paved stone streets. Centuries ago, a nearby volcano underwent a massive eruption that sent lava flows down against the walls and that engulfed the town and its residents in a cloud of burning hot ash. Now it is remembered in song, and any who visit will find a strange ghostly reminder of its former vibrancy.
The Caverns of Flamesong Mountain Active Volcano Flamesong Mountain towers above the plane around it, quietly waiting to unleash its fury—as it did at least once before, long in the past. In living memory, it does little more than occasionally belch a small puff of ash a few times a year. Within the mountain, are twisting, inter-connected tunnels left by rapid lava flows of more violent eruptions. The air in the tunnels is hot and stinks of sulfur. Stories speak of red dragons, fire giants, and efreet living below Flamesong, but these may be nothing more than stories.
Frozen Caverns of Gr'guth Ice caves Below the mountains, far to the north, Gr'guth the Mighty Frost Giant King holds court. Gr'gurth's court is a pretty dull place, since there are rarely visitors in his cold and inhospitable realm. He leaves the front door unguarded and waits impatiently for guests to arrive for dinner. If you can't find your way through the mazes of tunnels to meet your host, you needn't worry: his wolves will find you.
The Vaults of the Temple of Winter Hidden Temple Chambers and Treasury Beneath the Storm King's Temple of Winter is a network of chambers and passages, the existence of which is well known to those outside the temple. However, only the Brothers and Sisters of Storms that reside in the temple complex are allowed into the lower levels, so rumors of what lies within vary wildly. Some say that within these halls of ice and stone is an older, more heavily-guarded library than the famed library in the upper levels. Within the library are books containing spells of terrible power and horrifying secrets of the cosmos. Whispers also speak of foul creatures, preserved in ice, kept for study and observation by the temple's scholars—demons, devils, dragons, and things even older and fouler.
The Sitadel Primary stronghold in the Puppy Realm This world is an unending sea of puppies rising and falling like turbulent waves in an ocean. The Sitadel is made of compact and shaped puppies and holds their most valued and malicious of the PUPulation. High up in the Sitadel's towers reigns the most powerful illusionist puppy in the realm Booo, forever looking like the cutest stuffed animal puppy. In contrast, down below in the darkest dungeons resides the most mangy lot imanginable, the Pound Puppies.
Sacred Sky Burial of the Elves A heavily trapped tower The elves have long buried their most glorious dead on top of or within their Sacred Sky Tower. They bury them with their most precious items, armor, and weapons. This temps would-be grave robbers and adventurers and thus the elves have made each level leading up to the tower a labyrinth of puzzles and traps. What most don't know is that there is an ancient Lamp at the top of the tower with a demon of undead trapped inside. They keep the demon and their dead just in case the elves ever need an army to protect themselves. However, someone has quietly broke into the tower and is trying to call forth the undead army, under his own control.
The Tomb of Skal'Tor Resh Crypt Skal'Tor Resh was once among the most powerful individual on the face of the world. His tactical capabilities were unequalled, yet they paled in comparison with his mastery of the arcane arts. His desire for power led him into making one of the most deeply loathed deals ever known - he sold the souls of the whole of his nation in exchange for untold power as the champion of Hell. In such a fashion were the tieflings created, and in their anger they overthrew him. He was interred in this almighty cavernous crypt, designed as much to keep people out as to keep him in.
Ancient Blood God Temple Abandoned Temple A long since forgotten religion devoted to blood left this temple and it was reclaimed by nature, the inside is relatively untouched. A simple layout, there are locked doors controlled by puzzles involving blood or similar fluid.
Driftwood Tree Natural Formation A species of tree that seems to be extinct, gigantic portions of these trees occasionally wash ashore. The tree has large natural spaces within it that become home to semi aquatic creatures when washed ashore. Many chambers will be water filled.
Soundless Halls Cultist abode An underground network of halls and small rooms designed to remove all sound and echo, people can barely hear each other in here, being alone can cause one to go insane. The cultists occupying these spaces believe sound corrupts the soul.
Giant's Puzzle Ruin Not a traditional dungeon. Ancient ruins in ring shapes, sometimes concentric sometimes spacey placed. The rings rotate when some of the ruins are interacted with (Usually via small puzzle or key). When the ings are aligned in a certain way "something happens".
Void Chambers Deep Dungeon Originally an ancient torture/imprisonment method. Huge underground areas (Sometimes several miles across) a carved out in hard stone areas, with minimal ventilation and very infrequent entrance/exits. The idea is that prisoners would be dropped in and never be able to leave. After being abandoned for a long time, burrowing creatures left the areas somewhat populated.
Hall of Drugs Trial Dungeon Great alchemists and healers, some banished for extreme practices. Have been know to take up residence in old crypts. Gatekeepers would keep visitors from progressing further until they try a drug the gatekeeper supplies, the afflicted would then face a trial of some description, before meeting the next gatekeeper/trial. These dungeons often reward visitors with potions or antidotes.
Double Helix Dungeon Dual-Dungeon Two thin spiraling corridors with many doors, puzzles and enemies. Parties must enter each helix, the doors in the dungeon will only open when the other party has reached a certain point. If a party tries to backtrack all doors on the other helix will lock.
The Burial mound of the Morakki People Graveyard Small burial chambers by an ancient people, it was practiced by the great people of this tribe to leave treasure in their graves, and allow any with sufficient skill to claim this treasure.
Gusty caves Natural formation A network of narrow caves atop a mountain, wind blows harshly through them, making it dangerous to even enter. One day an entire bag of gold landed in a town at the base of the mountain, treasure hunters have since attempted to explore the caves.
Adventures Guild Dungeon Adventures Guild Basement A prestigious Adventurers Guild requires official member's to carry a small metal insignia. This insignia can only be obtained from one place, the very lowest floor of their basement/dungeon. The dungeon is filled with a variety of trials designed to test if one is ready to be a top-class adventurer.
Ghost Ship Eventide The Eventide An abandoned vessel is seen drifting in the fog on moonless nights, with ragged sails and not a crewman to be seen. It has been spotted near each of the six gates of the Dread Lich - gates which have long since been captured and closed lest those undead armies return.
Vault of Arjuna / Forge of the Gods Water Based Dungeon A vast cavern carved down to magma, the Forge of the Gods is where the mighty smith set to work for a thousand days and nights to craft the armaments of the Heavenly Host before they went to battle their cousins in a brutal civil war. On the last day, Arjuna realized that he could not be part of the slaughter. He created a lake above his forge and hid his creations in an extra-dimensional vault, one only reachable by turning the turbines which once powered his bellows. The only thing he said is "My treasures will only return when my forge is left in ruins, vanishing like tendrils of vapor in a hurricane." To open the vault, you must drain the lake into the forge. The steam turns the turbines, opening the vault.
Blackberry Falls Village / Armpit of the Kingdom Blackberry Falls is a stinking pit of a village located in the swamps beneath the eponymous waterfall. The town has no non-humans, no government, and only a lecherous priest and Butch the local thug to impose order. Everything stinks, everything sucks, and everyone is racist, xenophobic, or the doddering old buffoon who runs "Crispy Critters: Frog on a Stick!" Blackberry Falls, mistakenly presumed to be an idyllic riverfront paradise, is chosen as the site of upcoming peace talks. The players have been tasked with ensuring the town is up to the task.
Witch Hunt Trap/Torture maze As the adventurers walk through a forest they encounter twin brothers, one with a pitchfork and the other with a torch and shortsword. Upon questioning, the two brothers proclaim with naive gusto that they are on a “witch hunt”. The brothers will explain that there are witches living in a cabin in the forest who have been abducting members of their village and they intend to put a stop to it once and for all, inviting the party members to join them on their hunt. If the party does not accept the invitation, the brothers will continue on their way peacefully. If the party accepts the invitation, the brothers will lead them down the path to the witch cabin. They will crouch at the edge of the woods to observe the cabin, whispering tales of the witches’ kidnappings and evil deeds to the party. After a short time observing the cabin, the brothers will state that the witches must be out and that it would be best to wait inside and ambush them upon returning. The brothers will lead the party into the house, suspiciously looking around at the insides. If the PCs perform a search of the cabin, they can easily find a trap door which leads to the basement. The brothers will otherwise find the trap door and suggest that they go into the basement to wait for the witches so that they aren’t seen through the windows, and they will lead the way down. Once the entire party has entered the basement, the brothers will look around suspiciously, waving their torch. They turn toward the party and smile as their disguises melt away and they reveal themselves as the witches and they will be hunting the party. The basement goes dark, leaving the party to illuminate their own way and two cackling female voices will echo through the labyrinthine dungeon/basement. “We’re on a witch hunt… a witch hunt.” “A witch hunt a witch hunt...” “Run run run run...” as the witches run away from the party before combat begins. The dungeon will be played by the board game “Labrynth” with the PCs arranged in the center of the board and the witches dispersed. The witch monsters can each use their action to shift the rows and columns of the dungeon by placing a single random square. This ability has a three round cooldown (the dungeon can only reform once every three rounds). After the witches are defeated, the walls crumble away, leaving a grid of columns underneath the house with the illuminated ladder in the center of the game board. Monsters: 2 Hags
Flooded Mines Underwater caverns This seaside mine once provided ore and gems to the surrounding communities until the sea level rose and flooded it. Strange creatures from the depths now occupy its watery chambers.
The Glass Menagerie Abandoned Atelier These ruins were once the workshop and playground of a powerful wizard. Living glass creatures roam what were once gardens and buildings, attacking any who dare to enter.
Halls of Glauchrysos Ant Tunnels This labyrinthine tunnel complex was once home for a great Myrmidon queen known as Glauchrysos. She and her brood lived here and mined until they were driven out by the humans nearby. Since their departure, the fungal gardens have overgrown, and now the tunnels are inhabited by monsters twisted by plague.
Moaning Grotto Natural Formation This cave is named for the keening wail produced by wind blowing through it. It was (or perhaps still is) used as a hidden base by a rebel faction, who relied on rumors of it being haunted to keep their presence secret.
Nine-Fingers' Keep Castle A wooden castle which houses the local baronet. While he once was generous, he has since squandered his wealth, and now is looking to replenish his coffers by other means.
Jaundice Point Natural Formation At the westernmost edge of Cape Somerset, there is a great stretch of coast lined with cliffs. There is only one possible landing for ailing ships: Jaundice Point. But the point serves not as a safe haven so much as the entrance to a great maze of mud and fog and razor-sharp rocks -- and rumors of a strange creature lurking in the mist.
City of the Crown Ruin The City of the Crown was the gem of human civilization before the rift opened and demons crept their way into the hearts of man. Now, it is home only to the Lord of Hate and his gibbering entourage.
Belly of the Whale Animal The Leviathan dwells at the bottom of the ocean, a great whale that can swallow ships if it so desires -- and it does. Who knows what else has been devoured by the thing over the years. And what happens if the Leviathan and Behemoth have their great battle with the PCs still inside?
Labyrinth of the White Tree Mythical tree with healing pattern hidden at center of maze At the center of this maze there is a tree that bears magical fruit and is rumored to be able to bring someone back from the brink of death. There are reports of changing paths, deadly creatures, and things that go bump in the night. Will you be able to save your beloved by bringing out a fruit?
Labyrinth of Sword & Song Ancient ruins that require 3 tuning forks to open the labyrinth consists of 4 larger rooms with lots of tunnels connecting them with lots if dead ends and traps. 3 of the rooms contain a puzzle involving the 3 tuning forks. if all 3 riddles are solved correctly the party is given a sword that makes the final room with the boss fight significantly easier.
Fat Kroll's Kave Single Room Hideaway A modest, unmarked entryway leads to a dimly lit hall. No longer than needed to get away from the elements, a single room at the end of the hallway is illuminated by firelight. Inside, Kroll; a very fat, greasy and grumbly foe. Always angry, always hungry, Kroll responds to all intruders with yelling and scratching at the doorway to his room. He's too large to escape, after being brought foodstuff from an unknown source, he's trapped. Defeat Kroll, gain his belongings. There is enough space in the room to fight and remember, he's too big to get past the door!
Vault of the Planes Arcane Repository Long ago a wizard was tasked with guarding a small trove of powerful items, and to only give them to those who prove worthy. He built an small pocket dimension as a vault with a long-forgotten entrance. When the adventurers discover the place he is willing to part with some of the treasures. However, in addition to the group proving themselves worthy, he requires entertainment of some kind, because he bound his soul to the vault shortly before death and has been bored ever since.
The Dark Sepulcher of The Old Queen Decrepit Royal Crypt This sepulcher was created for the realm's queen long ago as she was dying. On her deathbed, mercenaries burst in and kidnapped her, taking her to the nearly-finished crypt. There, a necromancer planned to use her body for an undead experiment, but it went awry. With her dying breath, she cursed the sepulcher with undeath. She passed away, but - filled with rage - returned from the dead and killed the necromancer and his henchmen. Legend says they're still down there, shambling through the halls.
Scorched Rock Temple Temple of Cultist of Fire Deep inside Fires of Life (Volcanic Mountain), lies a sprawling temple dedicated to a long forgotten deity of fire. First to bring civilization to the humanoid populations, these previous miners, settlers, and blacksmiths had uncovered a terrible secret. Bonding with the elemental plane of fire, they slowly became more industrious. Over a period of many years, they slowed the amount of trade coming out of the mountain. Not long after, no one who went to see what became of the settlers came back. Inside is a sprawling city, devoted to the worship of fire. A crucible at the heart of the city feeds the forges, where they create not weapons of steel, or iron, but weapons of fire. Flame elementals roam the city streets, the people themselves are devoid of hair, many more have harvested the power of fire into powerful magic. Broken into quarters this city houses 6,000 fiery souls, and untold elementals. The crucible at the center of the magma chamber is used for worship 4 times a day. As they mine deeper into the mountain, seeking to create a physical connection to the elemental plane of fire. This is displacing typical cavernous creatures. Umberhulks, goblins, kobolds, druegar, dwarves, and illithid. Leading to multiple factions, and multiple nooks and crannies to fill with all sorts of motivations.
Troll Cave and under complex Small cave system, where the rear has collapsed into a ancient Stone Giant Prison Eons ago during the time of Giants, before their empires were destroyed by the coming of dragons, Stone Giants of the land created many wonders. This prison was one of them. Carved deep underground, it was made to hold some of the worst enemies of their Empire, and even darker forces. Ages past, and giants were scattered to the winds, their kingdoms gone, their cities charred rubble. The prison remained, forgotten underground. Many prisoners were left to starve in their cells. Some, bound by ancient and powerful magic live on, suspended in time by their heavy stone manacles. In the deepest levels a red glow can be seen, and mad roaring heard. Great and powerful demons were caught and bound here, to be shackled eternally.
The Patchwork Dragon Dragon's Cave A gang of previously harmless kobolds begins raiding villages with the help of an odd looking dragon. A single young dragon is captured by hunters after a raid and they discover the Dragon is actually a rogue modron in a dragon costume...
Belly of the Purple Worm A Shifting Dungeon Your PC's are offered by the cult of the purple Worm, they are swallowed whole, now they must fight there way through the the beast itself. Encountering lost civilizations, whole town swallowed whole, as well as many creatures who have also been devoured by the Purple Worm.
Temple of the Silver Blades Temple Ruins, Shadow/Plant theme The Silent Vales are governed by a druidic council of Elves, Lizardfolk and Men, but half a millennia ago they were entirely under the dominion of the Council of Thorns. An elite order of spies and killers enforced their will, eliminating trespassers and silently removing threats to elven sovereignity. A spate of recent murders among high-ranking druids and shamans has the council on edge- something is stalking the leylines between sacred sites, emerging in their inner sanctums to dispatch its victims quickly and quietly. Rumor has it the Silver Blades were capable of travelling in such a manner, but the order was destroyed centuries ago, their temple crumbling and overgrown, predatory plants and feral beasts lurking in the ruins. None remain that possess the skills and knowledge of the Silver Blades... right?
The House of Light Cliffside Monastery, Light/Wind theme For the first time in years, the orcish tribes in the western badlands have sent emissaries to the border, suing for peace. The only problem is, the colonial authorities have no idea what they're talking about- the border has seen very little conflict for over a decade now, and neither side has been keen to start anything. Rumors trickle in, though, of pilgrims and devotees of Pelor flocking to a once-abandoned temple on the edge of orcish lands, of a holy army of spirits led by a resurrected paladin, and of something rocketing through the skies, sundering tribal camps with rays of searing light. Who is this knight, and why are they trying to restart a vicious campaign that ended centuries ago?
Emberhold Awakened Dwarven forge-complex, Machines & Magma theme The Embershard clan has been nursing a bitter grudge ever since their clan was exiled from the hold generations ago. Successful mercenaries and northern traders, their clan lord has recently mobilised a large number of clansmen and machinery. They travel by longship to the north, along the coast of the Worldspine mountains, in a bid to reclaim an ancient forge-complex built and operated by their forefathers. The complex is accessed through a fjord leading into the heart of Goliath territory- and worse, the entrance sits at the base of the Skyshard, the tallest mountain on the continent and the stone-skins most sacred holy site. The peace between native Goliath and colonial dwarves can be fragile at times, but the Embershards' actions may provoke a full-blown war unless the party stops them from reawakening the forge, and the fury of the arcane war machines that lay dormant within.
The Hyperborean Orrery Frozen-over Mage's Research Facility, Ice/Magic theme The last of the four heroes, the Archmage travelled far to the north to establish a research facility, from which she conducted magical experiments and educated those talented enough to reach her. The complex sits on a small island in the middle of a frozen lake, an expanse of ice that stretches for miles in every direction. After almost a century, however, communications stopped coming from the Orrery, and the pass that led to it was rendered inaccessible thanks to weather, landslides and a tribe of Goliath taking up residence. For those fool enough to travel the distance and brave the elements, there may be riches and knowledge beyond imagining. But the facility, half-buried in snow, crumbling walls exposed to the howling blizzards, is dangerous in itself. Traps, enchantments and magical constructs still defend the corpse-littered halls, and lost experiments may lurk in the wings, seething with madness and hatred. Worse, something pulses with arcane power and malevolent intelligence at the bottom of the facility, a chamber suspended within the depths of the frigid lake...
Solipzoa Gargantuan space creature A creature that clasps onto buildings and planets, slowly driving the inhabitants insane. It can be controlled by the master who is able to command it psionically while residing in it's stomach. It keeps parasites inside it's body to get rid of the intruders it can see or taste within it's body. One way to keep intruders out is a sphincter full of teeth and eyes. One eye has a sensitive nerve that, when closed, will open the sphincter.
The Bifurcated Forks of Mentat Extradimensional Maze Mentat was a Psionicist and Diviner of great skill. He constructed this structure as a means to explore the possibilities of his past choices and those yet to come. His enemies took advantage of his meditative state while there and slew him unleashing the bound energies he was manipulating. Now the temple is an inhospitable place of strange angles, doors that lead to places they cannot, and rooms that should be impossible. It is said that anyone foolish enough to enter will face every mistake they've ever made come to life.
Tijd's Laboratory Magical Laboratory This is Tijd's Laboratory, constructed in a customised pocket dimension by Tijd himself, where he could do experiments on time-based magic in peace. The building is a 3 by 3 square of rooms, but in each room are two orbs that, when touched, transport you either into the far future or the far past of that room. The entry/exit is in the middle room of the 'present' slice. Tijd himself appears, frozen in some kind of magical crystal, in this room -- and the orb that takes you to this room's past is missing! This dungeon is one giant puzzle (with many potentially dangerous magical effects), as players have to find a way to get back to the past of the middle room, where Tijd is (presumably) about to accidentally seal himself in stasis, and rescue him!
Dudek's Tower Abandoned Tower/Glacier This is an abandoned watchtower in the mountain passes that has slowly been buried by snow and ice -- it lies, half-leaning, half-toppled, back upon a steep slope of ice and rock. To scale the tower, you must pick your way both through ruined and crumpled rooms, and through caves and tunnels in the tumble of icy boulders behind. At the top lives a young white dragon, whose hoard includes a cursed sword...
Grey Murk Evil Swamp This wetland lies near the old abandoned castle of the Grey family. Stories are still told of the gruesome murder of the Lord's family, and his descent into madness afterwards. Now a sinister presence fills the air here, and dancing lights through the mossy trees lure unlucky travellers to their dooms. Those who lose their way and die in this place rise up not long after as an undead. In the centre is a sunken crypt. Who is buried there?