Occupancy
The dungeon occupancy rate is less than 20%, with the majority of rooms empty of inhabitants. An adventuring band will not find an orc with a pie in one room and an ancient red dragon across the corridor.
The occupants of rooms frequently follow tribal or creature lines, and a groups of rooms are often inhabited by tribes of similar humanoids (though that does not preclude mixed tribes of creatures) with empty rooms serving as a buffer-zone or no-man's-land between rival groups.
Dangerous monsters will be given a wide berth by other denizens, so the buffers of empty rooms around their territories will be larger, dependent on the size of the beast.
Changes
The Ring Vaults changes itself around as time goes on. Sure, some of the creatures that inhabit it add a corridor here or there or divide off a room or two, but the majority of changes occurs within the dungeon itself.
Some of it is subtle, a door changes in some way, moves down the corridor a little or disappears entirely. Some of it is less so, with whole areas of the vaults disconnected from others for unknown reasons and lengths of time.
Often these changes are linked to the phase of the moon or the sun or the stars (or even other, more mysterious conditions), while some are linked to situations (there is a room in the Ring Vaults that hides from elves - no elf or party that includes an elf can ever find it).
Beneath the Ashford Valley are the ever-changing halls known as the Ring Vaults. There dwell monsters and treasure that only brave adventurers dare to fight and win. The Ring Vaults are my take on mega-dungeons and I hope you enjoy it.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
A First Map
The levels are connected by stairwells, pit traps, sinkholes, corridors, spiral-stairs, mining tunnels and space warps, some of which are one-way. An underground river flows between the Mid Vaults and the Lower Deeps and there are at least ten extensive caverns, one of them with a sea fed by the river, that dot the lower vaults.
The Upper Halls consist of the seven main entrances to the dungeons, and a score or more minor entrances, and their nearest vaults. The main entrances are located around the Ashford Valley at the following locations:
A. A ruined tower near the western wall of the valley.
B. A sinkhole in the Rolling Hils.
C. A shack on the outskirts of Ashford town.
D. A basalt pinnacle in the Elven Woods.
E. A runestone in the Deep Forest.
F. A cave entrance in the Rolling Hils.
G. A circle of standing stones in the Deep Forest.
H. A river-side cave along the Soot.
I. An abandoned watchtower near the eastern wall of the valley.
The Upper Halls dungeon levels consist of A1-A3, B1, C1, D1-D3, F1-F3, G1-G3, H1-H3 and I1-I2.
The Mid Vaults are A4-A5, B2-B3, C2, D4, E1-E2, F4-F5, G4-G5, H4-H9 and I3-I5.
The Lower Deeps stretch from A6, B4-B6, C3-C5, D5, E3, F6, G6-G7 and H10-H12.
Next: The main entrances on the Ashford Valley map.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Basics, Part 4
Waste
Waste management is important for a dungeon this size and disease from waste is a frequent issue with the rougher beasts and humanoids. Conveniently, there are many areas of the dungeon that are empty and used exclusively for disposal.
Most of the dungeon is clean (or at least not a complete toxic hazard) because something or someone regularly releases gelatinous cubes and other waste-removing creatures into the halls. Often, a previously visited area is cleaned in this fashion when visitors return.
Traps
The Ring Vaults is not a killer-trap-of-death-filled dungeon, but they do exist and many are set up by denizens waiting to catch the unwary, rather than specific to the dungeon.
Some traps are deadly, but most are annoying or distracting or designed to capture and wound rather than kill. A smart or clever party (or just a lucky one) can avoid them or trip them with little damage.
The few dungeon-specific traps are often re-set after being sprung, sometimes repaired if damaged and sometimes re-armed with ammunition, while the denizen-generated traps are definitely rebuilt and re-set, but only if there are survivors to do so.
Waste management is important for a dungeon this size and disease from waste is a frequent issue with the rougher beasts and humanoids. Conveniently, there are many areas of the dungeon that are empty and used exclusively for disposal.
Most of the dungeon is clean (or at least not a complete toxic hazard) because something or someone regularly releases gelatinous cubes and other waste-removing creatures into the halls. Often, a previously visited area is cleaned in this fashion when visitors return.
Traps
The Ring Vaults is not a killer-trap-of-death-filled dungeon, but they do exist and many are set up by denizens waiting to catch the unwary, rather than specific to the dungeon.
Some traps are deadly, but most are annoying or distracting or designed to capture and wound rather than kill. A smart or clever party (or just a lucky one) can avoid them or trip them with little damage.
The few dungeon-specific traps are often re-set after being sprung, sometimes repaired if damaged and sometimes re-armed with ammunition, while the denizen-generated traps are definitely rebuilt and re-set, but only if there are survivors to do so.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Basics, Part 3
Water
Water is plentiful in the vaults and there are a variety of basins on walls, fountains and pools in rooms, and streams running through the under-halls. The water is clean, with very few poisoned or toxic sources and many creatures lair near the major sources. Magical waters exist within the dungeons as well, but taste them carefully, for many have weird properties and not all beneficial.
Food
Besides monsters eating other monsters and adventurers (as they are wont to do), food is relatively plentiful in the Ring Vaults as well. Many locations include a magical wall shelf that dispenses a flat, bland trail bread (treat as iron rations) with the push of a button. While it is possible to live on this bread, it quickly tests even the most unadventurous eater's palate due to it's lack of flavor. These dispensaries rarely are dangerous, except for the companies that gather near them, and seem impervious to destruction. Many experienced adventurers have claimed that this food is just another way to punish anyone who seeks glory or treasure in the deeps.
Other edibles exist as well, within the various communities and growing wild among the vaults, and often these foodstuffs have nearby cultivators who will fight for their territory. Raid these plots, both large and small, at your peril.
Water is plentiful in the vaults and there are a variety of basins on walls, fountains and pools in rooms, and streams running through the under-halls. The water is clean, with very few poisoned or toxic sources and many creatures lair near the major sources. Magical waters exist within the dungeons as well, but taste them carefully, for many have weird properties and not all beneficial.
Food
Besides monsters eating other monsters and adventurers (as they are wont to do), food is relatively plentiful in the Ring Vaults as well. Many locations include a magical wall shelf that dispenses a flat, bland trail bread (treat as iron rations) with the push of a button. While it is possible to live on this bread, it quickly tests even the most unadventurous eater's palate due to it's lack of flavor. These dispensaries rarely are dangerous, except for the companies that gather near them, and seem impervious to destruction. Many experienced adventurers have claimed that this food is just another way to punish anyone who seeks glory or treasure in the deeps.
Other edibles exist as well, within the various communities and growing wild among the vaults, and often these foodstuffs have nearby cultivators who will fight for their territory. Raid these plots, both large and small, at your peril.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
My History with the Ring Vaults
Let me tell you a story about the Ring Vaults and a genesis of over a decade.
I first started using the Ring Vaults as a dungeon around the early-2000s but I didn't write about them until Issue 0 of my 'zine One Thousand and One Nights and One Night Campaign Design 'zine in 2007 (based upon a game I ran the year before).
I remember having been reading the Harry Potter series and really enjoying Gringotts Wizarding Bank and the goblins that ran it. The descriptions of a series of tunnels and rooms, containing treasures and creatures and traps to guard those treasures touched a nerve - what could be more dungeon-like, even if it was a stable business at the same time?
So I robbed the bank from the books. And I wanted to keep the surprise, because everyone else was reading Harry Potter, too. But how to do that? It took me a while and I went through a couple of names and the idea sank and surfaced in my thoughts as I figured it out.
So I first presented the Ring Vaults with a stone block out front a ruined building that housed the entrance to the dungeon. The block was weathered, worn and chipped in places and read:
I think a few people got it.
And then after a few years of publishing the 1001+1 Nights 'zine, I started my Switching to Guns 'zine, with stuff about the Ashford Valley. And made a comment or two about the dungeons beneath.
But it wasn't until the Diocese of the Elven Wood post, during the April 2011 A-Z Blogging Challenge, that the dungeon beneath the Ashford Valley started mixing with my mega-dungeon.
I wrote quite a bit on the Ashford Valley in STG, the STG page (including some extras) and my other blog Asshat Paladins but most of those adventures were on the surface of the Valley, hinting vaguely at dungeons filled with Morlocks below.
And so we are at 2012 and with the advent of the year and seeing such sites as Dungeonaday.com close it's doors, Wizards announcing D&D Next and Grognardia fund via Kickstart Dwimmermount (yes, I'm one of the backers).
So I thought "mega-dungeons - I can do that!"
And so the two separate settings, the Ring Vaults and the Ashford Valley, mixed it up in my head.
We'll see where this takes us.
I first started using the Ring Vaults as a dungeon around the early-2000s but I didn't write about them until Issue 0 of my 'zine One Thousand and One Nights and One Night Campaign Design 'zine in 2007 (based upon a game I ran the year before).
I remember having been reading the Harry Potter series and really enjoying Gringotts Wizarding Bank and the goblins that ran it. The descriptions of a series of tunnels and rooms, containing treasures and creatures and traps to guard those treasures touched a nerve - what could be more dungeon-like, even if it was a stable business at the same time?
So I robbed the bank from the books. And I wanted to keep the surprise, because everyone else was reading Harry Potter, too. But how to do that? It took me a while and I went through a couple of names and the idea sank and surfaced in my thoughts as I figured it out.
So I first presented the Ring Vaults with a stone block out front a ruined building that housed the entrance to the dungeon. The block was weathered, worn and chipped in places and read:
T H E _ R I N G _ _ _ _ V A U L T S
I think a few people got it.
And then after a few years of publishing the 1001+1 Nights 'zine, I started my Switching to Guns 'zine, with stuff about the Ashford Valley. And made a comment or two about the dungeons beneath.
But it wasn't until the Diocese of the Elven Wood post, during the April 2011 A-Z Blogging Challenge, that the dungeon beneath the Ashford Valley started mixing with my mega-dungeon.
I wrote quite a bit on the Ashford Valley in STG, the STG page (including some extras) and my other blog Asshat Paladins but most of those adventures were on the surface of the Valley, hinting vaguely at dungeons filled with Morlocks below.
And so we are at 2012 and with the advent of the year and seeing such sites as Dungeonaday.com close it's doors, Wizards announcing D&D Next and Grognardia fund via Kickstart Dwimmermount (yes, I'm one of the backers).
So I thought "mega-dungeons - I can do that!"
And so the two separate settings, the Ring Vaults and the Ashford Valley, mixed it up in my head.
We'll see where this takes us.
Basics, Part 2
Air
The Ring Vaults are mostly well ventilated and the air, even in the deepest vaults, is, at worst, stale, rather than toxic. Gas traps, natural and deliberate, do exist, however, and those rooms associated with deliberate traps seem to have some sort of ventilation system that stops the flow when the gas trap is tripped.
The natural gas traps are more problematic. Perhaps the ventilation system has failed in those areas, which, while not unheard of, presents just another danger any enterprising explorer needs to deal with.
A side effect of this ventilation system is that sounds and smells waft through the vaults with regularity. Often, the sounds are from other parts of the dungeon, sometimes even from different levels, and all are distorted in some way. A number of adventurers have reported sounds from the exploring party itself, either from an earlier area in the dungeon or even a future (or possible future) encounter. All the sounds range from creepy to disturbing, loud and soft. The worst, by far the most horrifying, are the magnified death sounds.
Light
Most of the Ring Vaults are lit, with some exceptions. Torch-filled sconces are placed every 10 feet and on both sides of most dungeon corridors. The sconces are within arms reach, about 7 feet up the wall and the torches in them don't seem to burn out. These torches can be easily removed from the sconces, once they are, however, they become regular torches and burn-out after an hour.
Removed torches are replaced by some magical or mysterious means when the sconce is out of sight. Damaging the sconces is possible, but they eventually are repaired, perhaps by the same mysterious powers that supplies and lights the torches.
On occasion, the torches disappear in sections of various dungeons, so most denizens keep stocks. Fortunately, that doesn't happen very often nor for very long.
The Ring Vaults are mostly well ventilated and the air, even in the deepest vaults, is, at worst, stale, rather than toxic. Gas traps, natural and deliberate, do exist, however, and those rooms associated with deliberate traps seem to have some sort of ventilation system that stops the flow when the gas trap is tripped.
The natural gas traps are more problematic. Perhaps the ventilation system has failed in those areas, which, while not unheard of, presents just another danger any enterprising explorer needs to deal with.
A side effect of this ventilation system is that sounds and smells waft through the vaults with regularity. Often, the sounds are from other parts of the dungeon, sometimes even from different levels, and all are distorted in some way. A number of adventurers have reported sounds from the exploring party itself, either from an earlier area in the dungeon or even a future (or possible future) encounter. All the sounds range from creepy to disturbing, loud and soft. The worst, by far the most horrifying, are the magnified death sounds.
Light
Most of the Ring Vaults are lit, with some exceptions. Torch-filled sconces are placed every 10 feet and on both sides of most dungeon corridors. The sconces are within arms reach, about 7 feet up the wall and the torches in them don't seem to burn out. These torches can be easily removed from the sconces, once they are, however, they become regular torches and burn-out after an hour.
Removed torches are replaced by some magical or mysterious means when the sconce is out of sight. Damaging the sconces is possible, but they eventually are repaired, perhaps by the same mysterious powers that supplies and lights the torches.
On occasion, the torches disappear in sections of various dungeons, so most denizens keep stocks. Fortunately, that doesn't happen very often nor for very long.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Basics, Part 1
Location
All dungeons beneath the Ashford Valley are all part of the same dungeon: The Ring Vaults. And this series of sub-dungeons stretch East to West, from valley wall to valley wall, and North to South, from the Rolling Hils to the High Cliffs, connected by corridors, pit-traps or space-warps. If you find a way into the earth below, it will hook up to the rest of the Ring Vaults sooner than later.
In and Out
There are many entrances and exits to the Ring Vaults - from the surface and level-to-level. The major entrances from the surface world include the basalt pinnacle in the Elven Woods, a river cave along the Soot, a variety of ruins scattered across the valley, a stone circle or two, and even a forgotten shack in Ashford town. Getting in isn't the problem, getting out is.
All dungeons beneath the Ashford Valley are all part of the same dungeon: The Ring Vaults. And this series of sub-dungeons stretch East to West, from valley wall to valley wall, and North to South, from the Rolling Hils to the High Cliffs, connected by corridors, pit-traps or space-warps. If you find a way into the earth below, it will hook up to the rest of the Ring Vaults sooner than later.
In and Out
There are many entrances and exits to the Ring Vaults - from the surface and level-to-level. The major entrances from the surface world include the basalt pinnacle in the Elven Woods, a river cave along the Soot, a variety of ruins scattered across the valley, a stone circle or two, and even a forgotten shack in Ashford town. Getting in isn't the problem, getting out is.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Post Zero
Welcome to the Ring Vaults, my very own mega-dungeon.
So I'm drawing maps.
And writing room descriptions.
And I'm thinking of ways to make this dungeon ever-changing, both in monsters, treasure and territory. And allow for rival parties of NPCs to be encountered in such a way so it doesn't look like they are just like the other monsters in the dungeon.
(I haven't worked all of that out, but it's still brewing in my head.)
Stay tuned ... there is more to come.
So I'm drawing maps.
And writing room descriptions.
And I'm thinking of ways to make this dungeon ever-changing, both in monsters, treasure and territory. And allow for rival parties of NPCs to be encountered in such a way so it doesn't look like they are just like the other monsters in the dungeon.
(I haven't worked all of that out, but it's still brewing in my head.)
Stay tuned ... there is more to come.
[D20] Open Game License
All Open Game Content on The Ring Vaults will be clearly marked with the D20 label and linked to this license.
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The
following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is
Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights
Reserved.
1. Definitions:
(a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have
contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means
copyrighted material including derivative works and translations
(including into other computer languages), potation, modification,
correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation,
abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast,
transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license,
rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise
distribute;"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the
methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content
does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the
prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game
Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License,
including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but
specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means
product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including
trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines,
plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork,
symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts,
themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio
representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells,
enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special
abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment,
magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic
designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly
identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and
which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark"
means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a
Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated
products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g)
"Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format,
modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game
Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this
agreement.
2. The License: This
License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice
indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in
terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game
Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this
License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or
conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using
this License.
3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
4.
Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this
License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide,
royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License
to Use, the Open Game Content.
5. Representation
of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material
as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your
original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights
conveyed by this License.
6. Notice of
License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this
License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open
Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must
add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to
the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
7.
Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity,
including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly
licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each
element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate
compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered
Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except
as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner
of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product
Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the
ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity
used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in
and to that Product Identity.
8.
Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly
indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open
Game Content.
9. Updating the
License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions
of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to
copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed
under any version of this License.
10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
11.
Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open
Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written
permission from the Contributor to do so.
12.
Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of
the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game
Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then
You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
13.
Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to
comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days
of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the
termination of this License.
14.
Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be
unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent
necessary to make it enforceable.
15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System
Reference Document © 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors
Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins,
David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas
Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave
Arneson.
Modern System Reference
Document © 2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill
Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David
Noonan, Stan!, Christopher Perkins, Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker, based
on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard
Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD
Wiker.
Labyrinth Lord © 2006, Daniel Proctor. Author Daniel Proctor
Asshat Paladins © 2010, Matt A. Borselli (asshatpaladins.blogspot.com)
The Ring Vaults © 2012, Matt A. Borselli (ringvaults.blogspot.com)
The Ashford Valley and all specific place and character names within © 2008-2012, Matt A. Borselli
[End of License]
Items
in this blog identified with the D20 label are 100% Open Game Content
except for Product Identity, as per the Open Game License above.
Product Identity includes Asshat Paladins, Ring Vaults, the Ashford Valley and all specific place and character names of the Ashford Valley, and Matt A. Borselli.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)