My Visit to a Megadungeon

Though I've lived in the Birmingham area for over a decade, I had never been to the UAB Medical Center. Drove by the area, once or twice, but it's rare that I've ever had occasion to drive into Birmingham proper, even when I lived relatively close, in Hoover.

I knew UAB was big, kind of in the same way I know that the Grand Canyon is big. But other than that, I knew very little about the place. It's big and where all the professional wrestler's go to get put back together.

The other day, I went there with my father, so they could perform some tests and find out why he suddenly had a serious case of jaundice. UAB isn't big. It's Ginormous. They tell me that over 20 buildings comprise the Center, the few I saw being connected by large crosswalks. The Starbucks was a welcome site. (God, I Love Coffee.) The Sushi Bar was another nice temptation. (God, I Love Sushi!) I thought the bakery with Cake Decorating services was a little much (I don't like cake. Unless it's Cheesecake! God, I Love Cheesecake!)

I had taken B2 along, to keep me company and as I walked through a few of the buildings, learning my way around and getting lost on occasion (every employee I met asked me if they could help me find where I was going,) I couldn't help thinking about what a cool Mutant Future dungeon the place would make. A complex the size of a small city, filled with ancient technology and multiple factions, monsters and all sorts of mutated strangeness. But, since I was reading B2, I kept imagining Hobgoblin and Orc strongholds, with the Sanctuary Area being a rather obvious place for the horrid Temple of Chaos.

Posting is going to be erratic, over the next several weeks. My father has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. While the doctor's tell me that it was discovered uncharacteristically early, his general state of health is so poor that they're unsure if they can even attempt surgery.

The News will continue, though it may be late, here and there. I'll otherwise pop-in, as I'm able. A lot of my time will be going to clearing out a couple of room's and moving my dad's stuff over here. Though he doesn't like the idea, I'm afraid that his days of living alone are over.

Reviews: The Dungeon Alphabet by Michael Curtis

The Dungeon Alphabet by Michael Curtis. Published by Goodman Games. The 1st printing HC is Sold Out, with a second printing to be released in May. $9.99. Available in PDF from RPGNOW for $7.99. 48 pages.

Note: If you’re looking for a new copy of the first printing HC, I recently picked one up from Hieroglyphs Books and Games, off of ebay; a BIN for $7.50 + $4.96 shipping. The seller still has at least one copy left and provided excellent service, shipping my book the day after receiving payment and in a sturdy box, to boot.

“Designing dungeons is as easy as A, B, C! The Dungeon Alphabet compiles twenty-six classic dungeon design elements in one place to assist the game master in creating subterranean challenges. A is for Altar, B is for Books, and C is for Caves: the Dungeon Alphabet has advice, hints, and randomized tables that bring new life to your adventures. Suitable for any rules system, the entries are accompanied by outstanding art from classic fantasy illustrators, with a foreword by noted game designer Zeb Cook.”

During the first few months of the year, my cash flow was a little restricted. So, when RPGNOW put The Dungeon Alphabet pdf on sale for a little over $5, for GM’s day, I bought it and printed it out. I was quite happy with my printout, but when I heard that the first printing of the HC had Sold Out, The Collector spoke up and immediately wanted a copy! A couple of weeks later, when tooling around on ebay, I found the copy mentioned above and snagged that sucker! It arrived yesterday and The Collector is quite pleased!

Ah, but the book itself! It’s an Old School Feast! A dream tour of the Archetypal Dungeon. A delightful gestalt of Imagery, Essays and Random Tables, which combine to form a most inspiring whole.

There’s a short essay for each letter of the alphabet. C is for Caves, U is for Undead and so forth. The little essays discuss the topic chosen for the letter, describing its place in the overall idea of the Dungeon and discussing how it might be encountered, or experienced in the underworld. Each page features Old School art, wonderfully illustrating the subjects of the alphabet entries. Lastly, each entry has a Random Table, providing excellent ways to manifest these ideas in your dungeon!  The entry for B has two tables and some of the tables have multiple parts or sub-tables.

My Favorite entry, is Y Is For Yellow! The accompanying Peter Mullen Illustration is superb! The Essay and Random Table, combine with the art, to splendidly evoke the sinister nature of that weird color. I enjoyed every single entry, of course and I’m itching to sit down and design a Dungeon!

The Sepher Yetzirah, a famous Qabalistic work, describes how God created the Universe, utilizing the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. The rich information found within The Dungeon Alphabet, will serve any DM well, as he/she goes about the business of creating a Dungeon Masterpiece!

There’s a reason that this book sold out! Fortunately, a second printing is coming. If you can’t wait, head to ebay, your local gaming store, or pick up the pdf from RPGNOW. If you appreciate Old School, you’ll love The Dungeon Alphabet.

Holy Crap! I Won!

Back on January 31, I reported on the contest, which Tony Dowler was holding at his blog, Year of the Dungeon. Tony is selling some of his original Dungeon Art and invited everyone to enter a drawing, to win one of his pieces, "Kobold Perfidy." Today he announced the winner and I was delighted to discover that it’s me!

A big thanks to Tony! I’m looking forward to receiving my Dungeon Art.

I Love the Dungeon, the Dungeon is my Friend… I Love the Dungeon, the Dungeon is my Friend…

 

Some More D100 Random Dungeon Weirdness

1. Busy Day in the Dungeon! Double Random Encounter checks.

2. A Duke of Hell and his retinue are visiting one of the lower levels.

3. Feast Day of an obscure, Underworld deity. All Sentient Monsters are Blessed.

4. The Stars are Right! All spell-using monsters are at +1 effective level.

5. IT has awoken, and all creatures on this level are in hiding!

6. Summit! All humanoid tribes in the Dungeon are attempting to hold a meeting.

7. Fighting Arena! This may end in a riot.

8. Invasion!

9. “Oh god! She has Fangs!”

10. Once an hour, there’s a 10% chance that one of the ancient gates activates.

11. After millennia of mutating in captivity, the pixies have escaped the abyss.

12. The little goblin children are unsupervised; they seem harmless, enough.

13. A large collection of cat skulls, picked clean and polished.

14. The Cursed Scroll will summon an Avenging Angel to judge all.

15. The Cursed Scroll will make the reader sing loudly, for one hour.

16. Cursed Scroll of Screaming Flatulence!

17. The Goblin heads are neatly arranged on platters, skull caps removed.

18. The Evil looking Wooden Nutcracker is warm to the touch.

19. The backpack on the corpse, holds a mallet, garlic, and wooden stakes.

20. An old map, of the current level. Unfinished, a door was the last thing drawn.

21. This whole section of the level, is exceptionally clean.

22. God only knows, what the jerky is made from.

23. A blood pudding, bakes in the orcish oven.

24. Eyes float inside the huge mounds of trash and dirt. Wights.

25. As you approach the door, it slowly opens, of its own accord.

26. The strange nightmare of the room with the horned skulls, recurs.

27. The strange Cleric and his retinue are intent on converting all they meet.

28. As above, but, by the sword, if necessary.

29. Nut shells, scattered all about, on the floors of this level.

30. False clues and misdirection, written upon the walls in several places.

31. A lost hireling, his party destroyed, is relieved to join the pc’s.

32. As above, but his former party is alive and searching for the thieving hireling.

33. A chain of slaves has been parked in a nearby room.

34. A strange, purple fungus, is causing mutations.

35. The humanoid kids are feral; adventurers slaughtered the adults of the tribe.

36. A dead adventurer. A will is in his pouch.

37. Earthquake!!!

38. Major storm outside. The dungeon is flooding.

39. Plague.

40. An enemy has followed the party, planning to use the dungeon in his schemes.

41. A “Messiah” is attempting to organize the inhabitants of the dungeon.

42. A local Lord, in dire need of assets, has sent a body of men, into the dungeon.

43. Mysterious crystals have healing properties. Everyone wants control of this area.

44. Female orcs, dance naked, around a phallic shrine.

45. The dark energy permeating this level, may cause mutations.

46. A trail of breadcrumbs, extends into the distance.

47. The walls are painted midnight blue, and soak up the light unnaturally.

48. All the walls of the level are adorned with manacled skeletons.

49. Robed Clerics are busily painting passages from an unholy text, upon the walls.

50. A means of egress to outside; the pinch point blocked by a nest of giant wasps.

51. A door on the right, and left. If they are not opened at the same time…

52. The door is composed of silver, in delicate filigree, forming an ornate puzzle.

53. Hidden in his mouth, a gold tooth, granting the ability to speak strange tongues.

54. One time in five, the Gem will create Illusions, instead of seeing through them.

55. Kobolds have been worked into a berserk frenzy, by the shaman’s strange brew.

56. A slave of the god of toads & slimy things, hid the ring in the dungeon, long ago.

57. He may have once been human, but something on this level devolved him.

58. Slow day in the dungeon. Halve wandering monster rolls.

59. War! A pitched battle amongst the inhabitants.

60. As above, but several sides.

61. A dwarf, riding a war-boar, charges down the halls.

62. A silly smile from those viewing the obscene idol. Save vs. Insanity.

63. A decorative tree, adorned with organs, flesh, and feces.

64. The top of the door frame is a deadfall. Spiders pour out.

65. A wand of lightning powers the Wizard’s animation experiments.

66. A mold garden. Cultist’s of a Queen of Fungi, in a secret lair.

67. A collection of rare monster hides. 20% chance enough Dragon hide for armor.

68. A huge cauldron of corn, butter, and orc flesh, simmers in the kitchen.

69. If the sigils are traced with blood, the door will open, and grant an unholy boon.

70. Feast of the Horned Dragon! All goblins are preoccupied with fertility rituals.

71. The Kobold slaves make toys, all day and night. They don’t know why.

72. An ever-burning torch in a sconce beside the door.

73. A mural, depicting Asmodeus, victorious over the gods.

74. As above, but, close inspection will reveal the Talisman of a Greater Devil.

75. A Mural depicting demons, ransacking a halfling village.

76. As above, but the village is familiar, signed and dated with a future year.

77. As above, but the name of a tavern is replaced with the True-name of a Type V.

78. The strange hat has many bells and whistles, summoning a monster 1/day.

79. The strange, floating skull has rubies for eyes, and emeralds for teeth.

80. The Teleport Trap will send victims to a local tavern, sans all clothes and gear.

81. A Gold-Dragon wanders the dungeon in disguise.

82. Several cats roam the upper levels, hunting rats.

83. As above, but one is the Gold Dragon from # 81.

84. Shrine to the God in # 56; Anyone touching will be Quested to Find the Ring.

85. The spells are written in devil’s blood, on Unicorn Skin.

86. A 3 minute sand timer, inset in the door, pivots as the party approaches.

87. The closet holds a different random item from the equipment list, each time.

88. The well preserved Orc’s head, eyes glowing, will detect magic in a 1” radius.

89. As above, but detects Invisible objects; oinking “There it is.”

90. The entrance to the Red Dragon’s lair, is trapped to douse all in oil.

91. The Wizard & servants seek an ancient tome, wherein is inscribed a Wish spell.

92. As above, but Chaotic, and will seek to trick the PC’s unto their death.

93. A Vampire once laired within these crypts. His deranged slave abides.

94. A mummified Elf hand, clenched in a fist, magically opens doors 2/day.

95. The eye of an elf, floats within the small glass sphere; Clairvoyance 2/day.

96. As above, but Animates the Dead, 1/day, instead.

97. The Dwarven Beard Chains grant a +1 Strength bonus.

98. A Staff +1; it adds 1 to each die of damage rolled.

99. The thick, black, leather pouch, holds a gold coin, with a Permanent Light.

100. The shade of an ancient Wizard appears; Geas and Wish.

The Dungeon Is Trying To Eat You!

More d100 Random Weirdness

1. Crossing the threshold will transport the PC backwards in time 1 hour. Once.

2. The Possessed Dwarf, runs through the halls, looking for fresh meat.

3. A 7’ x 7’ Mirror of Life Trapping is mounted on the wall. A Lich, trapped inside.

4. Only the Hireling can hear the whispery voice, urging betrayal.

5. The Druid is proud of his underground grotto.

6. The Imp is trapped within the pentacle; he holds forth a scroll and pen.

7. Again you see the Raven; it appears to be following you.

8. Five adventurers are running toward you, screaming!

9. The Ogre has many pet spiders. He is inured to the poison.

10. Recent Excavation. Abruptly halted.

11. From beyond the Door, screams for help. A Magic Mouth.

12. Holy Wards seal the silvered door. A warning to pass by.

13. The Treasure Map is cursed to attract Wandering Monsters.

14. Loud Noises! The Goblins are digging.

15. Magical Darkness! The Skeletons attack!

16. Animate Dead effect on this level, once every 2d10 turns.

17. Teleport trap! Caged, Carnivorous Apes.

18. The Green Slime is Invisible.

19. A laughing skull, flies, follows, and taunts.

20. Kobold Ghouls, every freakin’ where!

21. A Mind Flayer tentacle, lays in a pool of blood.

22. Thousands of Magic Mouths, line the halls. Screams, taunts. A Clue?

23. Several sacks of coffee beans, a grinder and kettle, guarded by a golem.

24. The cauldron full of Stew smells delicious…

25. A large pot. A vile looking liquid. Eyes and organs floating.

26. A dead Orc, his torso slit open, clutches a strand of golden hair.

27. The Elf works a puzzle made of interlocking metal pieces, he cannot stop.

28. The above puzzle lies unattended, awaiting a hapless victim.

29. “Tillian’s Kitchen Magic,” a cookbook, is a disguised treatise on Infernal Pacts.

30. A backpack full of Iron Rations, is found amidst the liquefied remains.

31. Stone tiles etched with eyes. Some open, some closed.

32. A kitchen. Upon a tray, several rats on sticks are ready to go into the oven.

33. The hobgoblin tribe will bargain, if approached carefully. They control the stairs.

34. A small shrine to a well known deity. An appropriate offering will earn a boon.

35. As above, but the offering will invite a Geas.

36. The only way down, is to jump and hope the huge net will still hold.

37. They say their Lich master rules the level and demand an offering of magic.

38. Somewhere, a Decanter of Endless Oil is making this level rather dangerous.

39. Buried deeply within the hoard, sewn into a piece of leather, a Devil’s Talisman.

40. The Ghosts of the adventurers, re-enact the betrayal.

41. If they search the huge trash room, they will disturb the Yellow Mold.

42. Reading aloud the strange words upon the scroll, will disarm the magical trap.

43. As above, but the names of two powerful demons are thrown into the mix.

44. The Door is trapped with an Imprisonment spell. Others will be released.

45. A red mist, fills the level. The smell clings, attracting attention on other levels.

46. A demon face in bas relief, upon the door. The lock is deep inside the mouth.

47. The strange, red toads, provide type vi psionics for 3d6 turns, when licked.

48. As above, but ingestion causes 3d6 points of damage.

49. The strange, purple toads provide 5% MR, for 3d6 turns, when licked.

50. As above, but permanent, if the save vs. death is made.

51. The Frog shaped fountain spews yellow liquid, healing magic.

52. The Feebleminded Wizard has escaped death thus far, so deep in the dungeon.

53. A Secret Door hides a Sage’s Library, squirreled away.

54. The Frog Idol is made of Electrum. No magic; 10% the forgotten god will notice.

55. MU’s operate at +1 level in this area of the Dungeon.

56. A statue of a Type V Demon. Her face is very familiar.

57. All damage dice are at +1 on this level of the dungeon.

58. An alter to a God of War (forgotten?). Offering = 20% chance of bless.

59. As above, but he is forgotten, and an offering will remind him of the world.

60. A Creeping Doom is in continual effect on this level. It will replenish in 1d4 days.

61. Swords sans ego, in (2d10) or carried into the room, dance, attacking any.

62. The evil door will release a random curse, unless Dispel Evil or Magic is cast.

63. The pool is a scrying device; will plant a geas, 10% of the time.

64. Toads, slimes, and crawly things throng; a gold statuette of a hideous woman.

65. 3 areas w/ Monster Summoning V spell effects on this level, every 1d4 turns.

66. As above, but Monster Summoning VI.

67. All MU’s are under the effects of a Bless spell on this lvl.

68. As above, but Clerics.

69. As above, but Fighters.

70. As above, but Humanoids.

71. All spells are under an Extension effect on this level.

72. Mushrooms grow. Save vs. poison.

73. As above, but 10% chance of a permanent 1d4 HP increase.

74.  The Kobolds seek a sacrifice for the Monster they worship.

75. As above, but, the Kobolds are Tucker’s Kobolds.

76. The remaining Henchmen & Hirelings, hold up in the room, afraid.

77.  A lone fighter, wounded nigh unto death, seeks succor.

78. A psuedo-dragon is intrigued by the party.

79. If the Blink Dog is freed from his anti-magic prison, it will become a henchman.

80. The huge, ancient fountain depicts a famous mage – Acts as a Jug of Alchemy.

81. The Fountain depicts a pair of twins, fighting. It is a Mirror of Opposition.

82. The cockroaches on this level are unusually aggressive.

83. The elf, covered in worms and filth, raises his hand in greeting.

84. The strange, cloaked figures, have their mouths sewn shut.

85. Smoke fills the corridor; screams and shouts in the distance.

86. The smell of cabbage wafts through the halls.

87. Three bags, marked Erol, Durin, and Scrag, hold a dismembered corpse each.

88.  The copper statue depicts the demon-mother of toads. She looks almost human.

89. The Orcs will try to herd intruders to the area dominated by the Manticore.

90. The goblin has been torn to pieces; his hand still clutches a silver dagger.

91. The goblins will readily betray their hobgoblin masters.

92. The sneezing orc gives away his position.

93. The horrid groaning appears to come from everywhere.

94. The ancient painting depicts an executioner, dispatching a victim.

95. The above painting hides another, which shows a secret of the Milieu.

96. A local hero, long thought dead, is in captivity in the current dungeon level.

97. The orcs are having a party; roasting goblins & others, drinking, gaming.

98. The adventuring party seems angry about sharing the dungeon.

99. The floor is slick with blood.

00. The Lich, his army of undead, and Dragon ally, prepare to make war.

Weird Scenes Inside the Dungeon

A Random Table containing mostly non-combat related Dungeon scenes and events. My rule was to not go over one line per entry.

1. Two hands, forearms, half a head and a knee, protrude from a stone wall.

2. A medium chest, filled with seashells. Some sharp edges are poisoned.

3. A mural depicting an unorthodox version of a historical event.

4. The walls and ceiling are constituted to function as a spellbook (% filled?)

5. 5 large chests are filled with costumes and props.

6. A variety of bones, carefully polished, hang from the walls.

7. A chicken coop. The inhabitants are strangely mutated.

8. The walls are adorned with antique weapons; it is evident that many are missing.

9. Three wooden, weapons practice dummies; well made.

10. A butcher’s diagram of an elf hangs from the wall of this food preparation area.

11. A small chest filled with polished stones. 10% chance of minor magic.

12. Five raised stone slabs; half finished flesh golems lay upon three.

13. A large crate with five well known paintings, stolen decades ago.

14. A bundled collection of 5 dungeon maps. One is a level of the current dungeon.

15. A swarm of crawling insects, devouring corpses.

16. A single gold piece lies in the center of this otherwise empty appearing room.

17. 3 orcs, in chairs, throats slit. A valuable deck of cards is spread upon the table.

18. The fresh corpse of a warrior, finger pointing to a word written in blood.

19. Huge spikes nail a dwarf to a stone wall.

20. Several pages of an adventurer’s journal strewn about the room.

21. Dilapidated furniture with 100 copper pieces stuffed within.

22. A little broken doll lays amongst more trash. 20% chance it is Cursed.

23. A well crafted bone flute and sheet music, resting upon a table.

24. A ghost sits at a table, offering to deal from a Magical Deck of Cards.

25. A set of wooden, well crafted, polyhedral dice.

26. A small shrine to an unknown god features a donation box.

27. A room filled with trash. Searching will be fruitless and noisy.

28. A lavatory with several marble toilet seats.

29. A pile of skulls.

30. A door, drawn in chalk, by a talented hand.

31. A double sided swivel mirror, inset in black wood with diabolical carvings.

32.  A severed head rests in a basket. It will answer three questions.

33. A pile of vomit with a finger floating therein.

34. A wooden harlequin mask, well painted, adorns the wall.

35. A small bookshelf, filled with nonfiction by an unknown author.

36. A goblin, eviscerated; a holy symbol of a lawful human deity, desecrated nearby.

37. A torture chamber, the iron maiden still has an occupant.

38. Notes in a wizard’s laboratory detail a working formula for Lichdom.

39. The charred corpse of a Hag lies inside a wooden oven.

40. A halfling lies cooked upon a large silver serving platter.

41. A children’s storybook, with hand painted art; the vellum is of human skin.

42. A fresh haggis lies upon a table.

43. A toy wand; the etched command word works on a real one hidden elsewhere.

44. A water clock, recently filled.

45. A statue of Asmodeus, life sized, made of stone. The eyes seem to follow.

46. The room is filled with gears & springs, functioning as an impractical timepiece.

47. The entire room is made of flesh.

48. Thin, metal wires, criss-cross the room.

49. The room is full of dead, bloated rats'; puddles of water and feces.

50. The bodies of 5 dead adventurers, looted. A few useful items.

51. The burned remains of 3 trolls.

52. A half eaten war-dog, his armor lies strewn about.

53. Tribal insignia adorns the abandoned hall of the Orc Chieftan.

54. Books are stacked from floor to celing; 10% chance of finding a spellbook.

55. A dead goblin, propped against a wall. A red bullseye is painted upon his shirt.

56. Shelves filled with containers. 30% chance of useful Material Components.

57. The walls display one huge mural, depicting a model of the Planes.

58. A forgotten armory.

59. A weapons forge. The anvils are covered in strange symbols.

60. Pillows, divans, a small wading pool. The scent of perfume and fresh blood.

61. Multi-colored lights fill this room, they rush toward anyone entering.

62. A small collection of bestiaries.

63. The floor is arrayed with painted wooden toys of monsters and adventurers.

64. Kegs and bottles of alcoholic beverages.

65. The stone floor is pitted and gouged by large claw-marks.

66. The water fountain depicts an elven maiden, washing herself.

67. As above, but she is screaming.

68. A large, ornate book, rests upon an alter.

69. Three barrels of fresh water.

70. A hobgoblin lies strapped to a table. A collection of instruments nearby.

71. A single black rose, laying upon a red handkerchief. Necromantic magic.

72. The room is sprayed with blood and gore; the headless corpse lays near a bell.

73. The Iron statue of the King speaks when approached, alerting all monsters.

74. The remains of a young red dragon draws scavengers to the room.

75. The Wizard has become a bit deranged from long sequestration in the dungeon.

76. Upon the door is a sentence drawn from an unholy source. It awaits completion.

77. Two large heavy bowls, one for water, the other for food, rests upon the floor.

78. A Maproom. Brittle parchment, faded and adorned with strange symbols.

79. The inhabitant of this area has set up a taxidermy workroom.

80. A Devil face is painted upon the floor. It looks hungry.

81. The columns are painted with scenes of skeletons, dancing.

82. As you approach the door, the boars head mounted thereon demands blood.

83. A sick, nausea inducing swirl of color assails you when you walk into the room.

84. An elf, head removed & resting in the hands of the idol, giggles insanely.

85. The Magical Mouth licks its lips and offers secrets in return for live food.

86. The lone goblin quakes in fear, and offers to show you a secret.

87. A grinning orc, eyes insanely bright, approaches as he slashes his own throat.

88. The above is actually a ghost; you see him periodically as you traverse the level.

89. The remains of a torchbearer have been unceremoniously abandoned.

90. The Imp who leads the Goblins of the Shattered Horn, has a proposition.

91. The corridor is filled with razor sharp glass. Extra shiny, as if covered in oil.

92. A Horn, 6 feet long, supported by a wooden frame, in the center of the room.

93. As the door is opened, the rats all stop and turn as one, staring, very still.

94. The Cleric wandering the dungeon seems a bit off, but his story seems plausible.

95.  The little fish pond is nasty and smells of rotted meat.

96. Several of the 100’s of cockroaches fly toward the door when it is opened.

97. The walls of the corridor seem to quiver, the color of the bricks begins to run.

98. 7 kobolds, armed with crossbows, are desperately trying to kill a toad.

99. The room has trash, old benches and a nude human female talking to a skull.

100. An old wizened dwarf stumbles about the dungeon; seeking death in combat.

Follow up to The Sign of the Blue Dragon, with some musings on Megadungeons

I wanted to post some more information concerning yesterday’s post, The Sign of The Blue Dragon: A Drop In Locale For Your D&D Campaign.

If Sascha and Father Lucas had been able to spend some more time deciphering the various writings on the walls of the Tavern, they might, at the DM’s discretion, have discovered some of the following:

1. The Tavern shifts through time, as well as dimensions.

2. The actual number of Prime worlds the Tavern visits is smaller than the chronicler whose words they were reading, thought. This is due to the Tavern visiting some worlds at different points in time. The true number is closer to 50. 

3. They didn’t get to the actual description of the dungeon level which the anonymous wizard explored. It was composed of a buried city, as if the buildings and infrastructure of the city had melded with a very large, crafted dungeon.  It was inhabited by demons, as well as a few other evil, outer planar beings. (The little map which was placed in the illustration is not an actual depiction of the dungeon level; it is an easter egg.)

4. There are a few adventurers who have figured out enough about the route the Tavern travels, that they sometimes brave using it on a regular basis. It is these parties who are responsible for keeping the place stocked with alcohol.

Originally, my idea of the genesis of the Tavern involved a failed attempt at creating a series of gates. I was never quite happy with that conception, but, as no party had ever dared remain inside for any length of time, I never had an impetus to revisit the idea, or develop the Tavern further. After reading Philotomy’s essay, The Dungeon as Mythic Underworld, I had a few other ideas.

The Tavern began its strange journey, when a group of adventurers stopped a Demon Lord from drawing several Prime Worlds into its layer of the Abyss. The Tavern was originally located at a point of entry of Abyssal Energies into one of these worlds. Through the use of Wishes, and similar magics, the heroes created a convergence of these points of entry, using the Tavern to tie them together and create a sort of  inter-dimensional plug, or lock, stopping the transformation process and ending the Demon Lord’s plans. Though they were mostly successful, the only way the heroes could find to bring their plan to fruition, was to sacrifice the world from which the Tavern came. The Tavern was sort of a Trojan Horse in this regard and when the Abyss swallowed that forgotten world, the magics built into the Tavern went into effect. Now, as an unforseen byproduct of the spells used to empower the Tavern, it constantly Plane Shifts to the various nexus points which form the connections between the Abyss and the worlds involved in the original conflict. This includes the world from which the Tavern originated, which is now a part of a vast dungeon inside one of the layers of the Abyss. Or, perhaps, this layer is really just one big Dungeon.

Several days ago, I read a blog post where someone mentioned the idea of The Mythic Underworld Dungeon spreading its tendrils throughout the Prime Material. Not sure who that was, so, if anyone reading knows, please drop me a comment so I can attribute and link.  Could this layer of the Abyss be the Ur-Dungeon? Or, perhaps, the as yet unnamed Abyssal Layer may be just a part of The Dungeon, which runs through all the evil aligned Outer Planes. Perhaps it is a demi-plane, burrowing its way into the various underworlds, as well as the Inner Planes.  If so, what dark god or fell power might be behind such an influential force?

Going back to the Tavern, there is a slightly different version of this locale that I have used in past campaigns. This is The Sign of the Angry Dwarf, which, in addition to the properties of the first version, also confers Protection From Evil upon anyone inside the Tavern.  I’m not sure if the two taverns are the same, but the latter version is sometimes frequented by a Dual-Class Thief 4/MU 2 named Giovanni Casanova, who may know the secret to controlling, or at least guiding, the Tavern’s journey.

Any comments, critiques or ideas furthering this material are most heartily welcome!

A Dungeon Room Description

I posted this in a Forum earlier, and decided to repost it here for convenience.

The Grand Hall measures 30' x 60'. Ancient, faded murals adorn the walls; tables, couches, and other items of dilapidated furniture are strewn and tumbled carelessly about the floor. A stone alter, 3' x 7' rests in the center of the room. Small trenches are cut into the stone, leading to 6 small, golden cups, attached to the sides. Grime and filth smear the alter; no doubt, some of the stains are from ancient blood. A rotted tapestry at the far end has enough holes to reveal a wooden door.

DM: Make a listen check.

Success: You suddenly hear a loud snatch of laughter, over to your right. You feel a strange, tugging sensation in your mind, like being sucked into a whirlpool.

DM: Make a will save, please.

Failed will save: Make a spot check, please.

Successful Spot: Out of the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of a brightly lit room, filled with humans and demonic creatures. You feel the same whirlpool sensation, this time much stronger.
(Successful Character must make another will save.)

Failure: Suddenly, you find yourself surrounded by Succubi, Glabrezu and other demonic beings. They are cavorting (or toying) with several humans in the room, which is now brightly lit by braziers and torches set in sconces on the walls. A fresh corpse lies upon the alter; they do not seem to be aware of your presence. The furniture is, of course, intact and quite serviceable. The strange sensation in your mind is now quite strong.

DM: Make a will save please.

Upon failure, the character has been completely transported back in time, where the Demonic Cultists are holding a revel in their stronghold and are now quite aware of the PC(s).

The process may be stopped if the character leaves the room, though, at what point it is too late is up to the DM. If the character makes a save, the process is halted, but will begin again 1d4 minutes later. If a player who is hearing or seeing these intrusions from the past attempts to describe what he is experiencing to the other characters, or otherwise draw their attention to what is happening, his companions may be given a +2 bonus to their skill checks.