Above is the very first dungeon map I've started for the Foulrevel dungeon, the uppermost level of "the Caves." It's on standard letter-sized grid vellum, 10 squares to the inch, meaning that in terms of physical space, it's a sprawling level with lots of wide passages and large caverns. I drew it straight on with a sepia Micron, and have scanned it so if I make any horrible mistakes, I don't have to go back and redo the whole damned thing.
Next up, I'm adding "cave features" using the symbols promulgated in .pdf form here. I'm consciously avoiding the dungeon commonplaces familiar from various old blue dungeon maps and seeing what I come up with just dicking around on my own. The symbol list contains a lot of "stuff that I don't know what it is" and I'm hoping for a bit of dungeon dressing and special feature inspiration from that quarter.
I plan to add ample ledges, pits, and at least one crevasse. One or more of the caverns will extend vertically to the second level of the Caves. The main entrance for delver purposes is the one to the west of the map. The northeast tunnel leads up to a secluded location on the surface, and the tunnel to the east leads down to the second level.
I also plan to add a few secret areas and the odd door and other construction. (The as-yet-undeveloped backstory is that, as is usual for OD&D, there was a race of advanced Men or Man-like beings who occupied the area in the distant past, even before the various fairy races. Thus dungeons.)
Unlike many, I'm not a fan of confederated Man-type groups on a dungeon's very first level, opting rather for various vermin, Undead, and magical beasts, along with the odd Dungeon NPC and perhaps roving bands of Man-types from other dungeon levels. I design dungeons with an eye towards use with players of varying experience with the game; for a potential first experience with dungeon delving, I much prefer the "wandering through a weird wonderland" tone of Quasqueton to the tactical slog and small-unit skirmishes of the Caves of Chaos. There's plenty of time for the latter after one's been exposed to the basics of dungeon exploration.
In fact, I hesitated to use a cave system for a potential introductory dungeon level, as I usually draw up the first level or two with mostly nice right angles and rectangles. Precise mapping of the cave system from a player perspective is obviously right out, and I expect most experienced groups will devolve to the "line and balloon" style. But even (or especially) n00bs need to build character.
I plan to place a decent amount of treasure in the Caves, but because of the nature of the denizens, the first level's treasures will be mostly concentrated in a few hoards. Experienced (read: grubby and acquisitive) players will soon send their delvers in search of portals to other, presumably more lucrative dungeon levels.
for a potential first experience with dungeon delving, I much prefer the "wandering through a weird wonderland" tone of Quasqueton to the tactical slog and small-unit skirmishes of the Caves of Chaos.
ReplyDeleteI agree, even for veteran players.
Really I think that overall the early portions of a dungeon, or a campaign in generally, are better off when they are set up more to tempt and draw in than when they are arrayed to repel intruders.
set up more to tempt and draw in than when they are arrayed to repel intruders
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting way of putting it. It does seem more difficult to get new players immersed in the dungeon if the game itself is set up to keep them from getting in.
It does seem more difficult to get new players immersed in the dungeon if the game itself is set up to keep them from getting in
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely my experience.
I very handsome start. I'm *really* curious what the map will look like with the cave features added.
ReplyDeleteLooking really good so far. I'll be keeping an eye on your project. I'm designing a megadungeon myself in fact.
ReplyDeleteI'm *really* curious what the map will look like with the cave features added.
ReplyDeleteAsk and ye shall receive:
http://tinyurl.com/3mq7fxg
That's my progress so far this evening, working around dinner, Pirates game, ferret melee, etc. All but the largest speliothems will be noted in the key rather than on the map (e.g., "flowstone draperies on N cavern wall", "gypsum flowers in SE" etc.) to avoid clutter.
I've tried to place ample chimneys to provide ventilation, especially considering that many of the caverns were once inhabited by intelligent beings and are currently inhabited by dungeon denizens. There's only one sump on the 1st level but there'll be at least a couple more on the second level; the area beyond the 1st level sump is ventilated by a chimney, but the ones on the 2nd level may not be so hospitable.
I'm debating whether to include any of the Foulrevel dungeon in the supplement at all. I believe even a moderately complex dungeon is best run by the person who designed it, and that attempts to make it comprehensible to others only clutter the map and bloat the key. Time spent making a dungeon understandable to someone who didn't design it may be more productively spent on other things.
(I do like to make things as pretty as I'm capable of making them within the bounds of practicality and my limitations, but that's because I enjoy making and looking at neat things, not because I necessarily plan to show them to everyone.)
Looks very, very nice. It's going to be a nightmare for your players to map -but that just mkes it even more fun for the DM when they get lost (again).
ReplyDeleteThis is looking really nice. I love the symbols, and I can't wait to see how they work for your map. They definitely give a lot more information on the map than the old TSR mapping symbols, especially if you are strict about recording elevations. Great find and great work!
ReplyDelete