Post by onethatwas on Dec 2, 2013 18:55:38 GMT
So among my friends I like to brainstorm dungeon ideas (which they sometimes give ideas for, wittingly or not) that are, in essence, just plain cruel. They're often ideas for a singular dungeon that would likely TPK even a decently high level group, and because using the dungeon would be totally unfair, I don't send my players gallavanting off into it.
Doesn't stop me brainstorming it, however
So, because this dungeon (A Labyrinth actually) has alot of Trap like elements, I figured I'd share the general gist. Enjoy:
Elements of the Sadist's Maze:
-Living Wall segments. For those who don't know what a Living Wall is, it's a particularly nasty Undead construct. It takes up a large section of wall, appears like a normal wall for all intents and purposes (unless the have True Seeing), but emits a faint, moaning noise with occasional cries to be saved, be helped, freed, etc.
Should a noble character reach out to the wall, they are immediately grasped by dozens of hands and pulled into the wall (saving throw allowed, unless you play 2e, in which case no save is permitted). They are absorbed, instantly die, and become a part of the wall. Oh, this also dispells the illusion, revealing a wall composed of fused zombies of various varieties (representing past victims)
The wall doesn't attack, but if a character is too close, they will feel (seemingly ghostly) hands tugging at their clothing. If the wall is attacked...then all hell breaks loose. The wall makes 1 attack against the character for each creature previously absorbed. Each attack represents the powers of past creatures...so if a dragon was absorbed previously, it can attack with dragon fire, just like a dragon. A wizard absorbed could allow the wall to cast fireball. You get the picture. It's nasty, and this encounter alone could TPK a party unprepared.
However, it is generally easy to avoid. Oh, it also animates corpses within a large radius of effect as zombies, who shamble to the wall to get absorbed. They don't attack either, but let's face it, they're zombies, and it adds the creep factor.
-Yellow Musk Creepers. Why? For confusion purposes. Obviously the Living Wall zombies create confusion in that they don't attack. Yellow Musk Creepers, however, create "zombies" that are not actually undead, that would attack, and wouldn't auto absorb into the wall (the wall and the creeper zombies would almost ignore one another). Added confusion, mystery, etc. fun. Sadistic, but fun.
-Gibbering Mouthers housed within regular walls. Naturally, at some point, the players learn to ignore thr moaning from the living walls. So long as they don't attack it and ignore it, they're fine.
So if you had a regular wall designed so that it had a hollow core, filled with gibbering mouthers, and small channels for them to escape out of? Suddenly the walls are attacking them!
-Supernaturally dark corridors/rooms. Darkmantles make for wonderful trap companions.
-Gelatinous cubes in pit traps=auto engulf.
-Golems. Stone, Clay, or Metal Golems can A) look like artwork and statues, and B) would be effectively ignored by the Living Walls, Creepers, and a Gelatinous cube could absorb/engulf a Golem, pass over it, with neither entity wiser about the other. The Cube can't digest the Golem, and the Golem has no cause to attack the cube.
Now obviously all these Trap elements use some sort of creature as the basis for the trap. So even if you ignore the sadistic monstrousity it is (and I haven't even divulged all the details), then at least it points out that even monsters, sometimrs, can be used as trap elements
Doesn't stop me brainstorming it, however
So, because this dungeon (A Labyrinth actually) has alot of Trap like elements, I figured I'd share the general gist. Enjoy:
Elements of the Sadist's Maze:
-Living Wall segments. For those who don't know what a Living Wall is, it's a particularly nasty Undead construct. It takes up a large section of wall, appears like a normal wall for all intents and purposes (unless the have True Seeing), but emits a faint, moaning noise with occasional cries to be saved, be helped, freed, etc.
Should a noble character reach out to the wall, they are immediately grasped by dozens of hands and pulled into the wall (saving throw allowed, unless you play 2e, in which case no save is permitted). They are absorbed, instantly die, and become a part of the wall. Oh, this also dispells the illusion, revealing a wall composed of fused zombies of various varieties (representing past victims)
The wall doesn't attack, but if a character is too close, they will feel (seemingly ghostly) hands tugging at their clothing. If the wall is attacked...then all hell breaks loose. The wall makes 1 attack against the character for each creature previously absorbed. Each attack represents the powers of past creatures...so if a dragon was absorbed previously, it can attack with dragon fire, just like a dragon. A wizard absorbed could allow the wall to cast fireball. You get the picture. It's nasty, and this encounter alone could TPK a party unprepared.
However, it is generally easy to avoid. Oh, it also animates corpses within a large radius of effect as zombies, who shamble to the wall to get absorbed. They don't attack either, but let's face it, they're zombies, and it adds the creep factor.
-Yellow Musk Creepers. Why? For confusion purposes. Obviously the Living Wall zombies create confusion in that they don't attack. Yellow Musk Creepers, however, create "zombies" that are not actually undead, that would attack, and wouldn't auto absorb into the wall (the wall and the creeper zombies would almost ignore one another). Added confusion, mystery, etc. fun. Sadistic, but fun.
-Gibbering Mouthers housed within regular walls. Naturally, at some point, the players learn to ignore thr moaning from the living walls. So long as they don't attack it and ignore it, they're fine.
So if you had a regular wall designed so that it had a hollow core, filled with gibbering mouthers, and small channels for them to escape out of? Suddenly the walls are attacking them!
-Supernaturally dark corridors/rooms. Darkmantles make for wonderful trap companions.
-Gelatinous cubes in pit traps=auto engulf.
-Golems. Stone, Clay, or Metal Golems can A) look like artwork and statues, and B) would be effectively ignored by the Living Walls, Creepers, and a Gelatinous cube could absorb/engulf a Golem, pass over it, with neither entity wiser about the other. The Cube can't digest the Golem, and the Golem has no cause to attack the cube.
Now obviously all these Trap elements use some sort of creature as the basis for the trap. So even if you ignore the sadistic monstrousity it is (and I haven't even divulged all the details), then at least it points out that even monsters, sometimrs, can be used as trap elements