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. Previous entries:
January + February
March + April
May + June

#25 Massive Boulder

Obstacles can be used to prevent players from getting somewhere, but in this case one is used to prevent them from getting something. This changes the consequence from being a punishment (not getting somewhere) to a reward, thus providing us with the opportunity to push the boundaries of reason a little further.

#26 Ghostly Battlefield

Ghost eternally fighting their final battle is a very compelling image in my mind. This room tries to evoke the feeling such a scene would carry. There’s beautiful danger here, as traversing the fight is like becoming a part of it, even if just for a short while.

#27 Gelatinous

A gelatinous cube being the example of life evolving to perfectly fit a D&D dungeon is very funny to me. The creature makes no sense outside this very specific environment. Its tendency to absorb everything it touches is sometimes overlooked. Here, we use that property to create a sort of voluntary trap, egging players on to grab just one more thing…

#28 Witch do you Want

A little risk and reward is always fun, and where the gelatinous cube was an unknown risk for a known reward, the bubbling cauldron provides an unknown reward for a known cost. The witch being able to teleport away is a choice that enables the situation to “reset” itself.

#29 Eye See You

Puzzles are fun challenges if they’re designed as obstacles instead of riddles. Mainly, it’s important for them to have multiple solutions or possible approaches. This floating eye is the first explicit attempt to create a situation that challenges the players as much as the characters; how to beat the eye?

#30 Locked Up

Meeting NPCs in a dungeon, especially friendly ones, can easily feel convenient and unrealistic. I find prisoners avoid these issues, especially if they’re flavored as “long forgotten” prisoners. I’ve opted for a few different possible prisoners, each with their own reward.

#31 Forged from Bronze

Small shops to stock up on inventory are often absent from deep dungeons. They feel a bit game-y I guess. But it makes some sense, as the players wouldn’t be the only ones breaking their stuff, right? It’s just that these vendors need some kind of assurance. An this smith ain’t no pushover, with several living armors behind her ready to give their lives.

#32 Out of the Shell

Last but not least for today, dungeons need dumb things. A clam holding onto some valuable pearl is pretty dumb. I saw the dungeon rooms could use some more magical loot, so now this clam holds a magical pearl. Dumb things need little explaination.

Now Get Lost!

That’s it for the past months’ 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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