Adventure Creation: Dungeon Crawl

Or, how to make a dungeon in 7 steps.




This is the first post in my Adventure Creation series, where I'm going to create a type of adventure from scratch.


Step 1: The Concept

Before we dig into the basics of creating the dungeon, we need a strong concept. I first decide to browse the web for an eye catching image.

Ok, so this will be the dungeon of a ruined castle next to a dark lake below some foreboding mountains.

However, we could use more flesh on its bones here. I decided to consult a random word generator and got the word "Elixir". To me this implies the castle had at some point an alchemist operating within it.

I decide to give it five more words and get "Hide", "Snake", "Quaking"
"Felt" and "Raccoon".


Step 2: The Map

When it comes to mapping there are two possible ways I could do it:

1. Find an existing map and tweak it to my needs.
2. Draw it myself.

For this time I'll find a map online.

West of the castle is a beach, while the river sits on the east side.




Step 3: The Key

I now assign each empty space on the map a number. Some areas of note are 13, 22 and 24, which are surrounded by similar rooms. The door above room #3 is going to be a secret door to a stairway leading down into the basement.

Castle key:

Basement key:

Then, to stock the rooms, I use this table:

1-12 Empty
13-14 Monster Only
15-17 Monster and Treasure
18 Special
19 Trick/Trap
20 Treasure


20 minutes of rolling later...

1. Empty
2. Monster and Treasure
3. Empty
4. Empty
5. Empty
6. Empty
7. Monster and Treasure
8. Monster and Treasure
9. Special
10. Monster and Treasure
11. Special
12. Monster and Treasure
13. Empty
14. Trick/Trap
15. Empty
16. Monster and Treasure
17. Empty
18. Monster and Treasure
19. Monster and Treasure
20. Empty
21. Empty
22. Monster and Treasure
23. Empty
24. Trick/Trap
25. Empty
26. Empty
27. Treasure
28. Empty
29. Empty
30. Empty
31. Trick.
32. Monster Only
33. Treasure
34. Empty
35. Monster and Treasure


Step 5: Detailing the Key

Now that we know what the types of rooms are, I'm going to use Courtney Campbell's Tricks, Empty Rooms, and Basic Trap Design to see what they look like. Treasure is handled by the Treasure document. For handling monsters

1. Empty. Barn

Beyond the entrance there is a strong smell of manure and rot. Stepping inside, you see that this area has been converted into a barn. There is hay on the floor, two large cages, one on the left and right. There is a hole in the south wall, allowing others to enter as if under difficult terrain (movement halved).
There are two exits to the right, one through a rotted wooden door and one through a hole in the wall south of it.

Now if I were to use this way of writing in the entire module it would quickly become difficult to read, so I could use this abbreviation...

1. Empty, Barn>Cages>Reeking>Manure
Exits>Wooden Door (Rotted)
         Hole in wall>Debris>Difficult terrain




2. Monster and Treasure, Temple
3. Empty, Servant's Dorm.
4. Empty, Oubliette
5. Empty, Work Pit / Workshop
6. Empty, Crypt, Animal
7. Monster and Treasure, Gymnasium.
8. Monster and Treasure, Banquet
9. Special, Mine
Small room with rotted stairs, leading down into wine cellar and the basement of the castle. A bunch of swords hanging on the walls.


10. Monster and Treasure, Maze
 Rather than say this as an actual maze, I'll rule this is a servant's stairs down into the basement, which in turn could be interpreted as a maze.


11. Special, Maze
Another stairwell down to the basement, this one has a series of marks scrawled on the wall.

Et cetera, et cetera...

12. Monster and Treasure, Courtroom
13. Empty, Training Room
14. Trick/Trap, Well Room
15. Empty, Gallery
16. Monster and Treasure, Planning Room
17. Empty, Museum
18. Monster and Treasure, Bathroom
19. Monster and Treasure, Armory
20. Empty, Antechamber
21. Empty, Scriptorium
22. Monster and Treasure, Aviary
23. Empty, Hall
24. Trick/Trap, Interrogation Room
25. Empty, Smokehouse
26. Empty, Meeting Chamber
27. Treasure, Forge
28. Empty, Office
29. Empty, Wardrobe
30. Empty, Storage Room
31. Wine Cellar, Trick. Hint: room damage
A bad trick based on a water puzzle
Success will mean no penalty occurs.
Failure will waste time
32. Monster Only, Forge
33. Treasure, Guardroom
34. Empty, Hallway
35. Alchemy Lab. Monster and Treasure


Step 6: The Opposition

Using Chris McDowall's small tables guide here, I take a look at the keywords and create three common, two uncommon and one rare encounter.

1. 1d6 Raccon-Snake Hybrids. HD 0, AC 12, Morale 7, Movement as unencumbered. Looking for food. Their alpha male is injured after an altercation with the river pirates.
2. 1 Raccon-Snake Hybrid. Morale 5. The runt of its pack. Currently looking for a safe place to hide.
3. 1d8 Raccon-Snake Hybrids. Patrolling their territory.
4. 2d4 River Pirates. Was attacked by the hybrids earlier. Looking to turn this dungeon into their next hideout.
5. River Pirate Scout. Exploring. Looted a potion of Snake Transformation.
6. The Alchemist. Hd 6, AC 14, Movement Unencumbered, Special: Permanent Invisibility, Venom (Save or Paralyzed). Guarding its territory.



Step 7: The Dungeon Checklist

 Finally, I go through Arnold K's excellent dungeon checklist to see if I have forgotten something crucial.


1. Something to steal. Yes
2. Something to kill. Yes.
3. Something that will kill you. Yes
4. Different paths. Yes
5. Something to talk to. Yes.
6. Something to experiment with. Yes.