I want to write 52 rooms this year (one for each week), that could be dropped into any dungeon or location and work on their own. This is primarily to personally use while running games, but maybe something more GMs could enjoy.

In this blog, I record my thoughts for the rooms made.

#1 Forgotten Chapel

I wanted to start generic and easy, with an empty room that contains some interactive elements. For layout I'd like to tread close to the conventional OSE housestyle. The forgotten chapel is a simple, generic start to this project.

#2 Giving Tree

My goal was to up the interaction possibilities for this room. Players have the opportunity to grow and harvest their own apples, which have properties that (hopefully) incentivise repeated use. The buckets around the tree hint at the way to grow them.

#3 Hulking Figure

Up until now, rooms lacked someone / something to talk to. This room is exactly that. Passing the "guardian" comes with a cost, either in treasure or hitpoints. Or in finding another way to circumvent him entirely.

#4 Dirty Armory

The first true combat encounter embedded in a room, although avoiding it is just as easy. I also enjoy the idea of Molemen in general, especially in a "generic" dungeon, so might reuse them in future rooms.

#5 Boiling Lake

Another room of the obstructing kind. Scorching water presents a different kind of challenge from the rooms before, so I added a little island reward halfway. The lake might also prove a decent weapon in the right circumstances.

#6 Golden Goose

A fork in the road with an alluring nest in its center. Leave the goose alone and nothing will come of it. Golden eggs, though, are a desired commodity for sure...

#7 Petrified Humans

Human-like statues alert many players to dangers ahead. I think it’s fun to play with that expectation. The age of these statues can be very ambiguous. The question whether the source of the petrification is still around is an interesting one. A party cannot take the risk, but a GM might decide that this room is the only remnant of a long-gone Basilisk.

#8 Alchemist Fumes

Robbing players of (some of) their senses provides new challenges. In the case of these alchemist fumes, a party’s normal strategy of engagement won’t apply. Maybe they’ll crawl. Maybe they’ll mask up. Maybe they’ll turn around.

Now Get Lost!

That’s it for this month’s rooms. Follow me to tag along with the project. If there are any specific rooms you’d like to see, don’t hesitate to comment down below! Otherwise, I hope to see you around next time

Cheers,
Willem-Jan

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