August Map Discussion - Forest Dungeon!
Added 2021-08-18 16:37:47 +0000 UTCAlright, you voted for it -- a Forest Themed Dungeon!
Let me know what features, ideas and theme/look you are interested in seeing in something like this.
A few questions to start things off:
1. Is this a dungeon set in a forest? Or is the forest the dungeon itself?
2. Do we want a maze-like feel to the dungeon, almost like a labyrinth?
3. What was the dungeon before it became the dungeon? Is this the ruin of an old fae kingdom? A trap/maze designed by some evil being? The shattered body of an old massive treant?
4. What kind of challenges/rooms/areas would you like to see?
Let me know your ideas, and I will try and incorporate as many as I can into the final version!
Comments
I second all of the above about an ancient fey civilization that has now turned into a forest ruin/dungeon. I'm actually running a campaign currently where I'm slowly building up the ancient elven civlization of Neverwinter Woods, which reportedly had opened up a rift in the feywild. Having something to play with for that would be quite excellent :)
David Fiske
2021-08-19 14:29:36 +0000 UTCI would love to say a fae dungeon that's a forest - not a ruin, but actually a grown dungeon. Perhaps it was once well kept, but now is overgrown and dangerous. Or perhaps it's something purposefully shaped to torment mortals and play tricks on them.
Malthan
2021-08-18 22:40:18 +0000 UTCBuilding upon the above, imagine a roughly rectangular dungeon that at one point filled much of an exposed mound of limestone, which has now eroded so heavily that all of the corners are exposed (roughly 40% of the dungeon now lies outside). Furthermore and a giant crevice opened up with a land shifting during an earthquake at some point, so now a stream flows through it, further eroding the center. Maybe 20% of the rooms are exposed to that, leaving 40% of the rooms roughly still inside, under cover, but still exposed to light her and there due to cracks, partial collapses, etc. Sounds challenging as hell to draw, but also sounds like a ton of fun to play! :-)
Ryan Rogers
2021-08-18 19:00:48 +0000 UTCI would LOVE to see an abandoned, ANCIENT dungeon that has partially collapsed and been overtaken by the forest. Perhaps in the Feywild but it could really work anywhere. So much of it has collapsed that the forest's vines and undergrowth penetrates well into the openings, and lichen and mushrooms grow well where the light cannot reach. Even so, there would be many cracks, crevices and small openings into the surface where light can still penetrate and support limited growth within the dungeon. Backstory: perhaps a series of natural caverns in a mostly limestone outcropping was found 1000+ years ago, and some long lost wizard/etc carved it out to create a moderate 12-15 room dungeon. However, over time the hill has eroded down by tens of feet, to the point where much of the outer edges of the dungeon are exposed, and overgrown with trees. Furthermore, natural events such as floods and earthquakes have created rifts and collapses (a stream should now flow through the middle of it!), and the forest has over the eons and crept back in through the numerous collapses of the ceiling. "You travel through the forest on this hot, muggy day, slapping at the mosquitos as they land for a quick meal. As you reach the top of a small ridge, you decide to stop for bit of rest and a quick bite of your own. After a spell, you continue to make through a small depression below. As you move through the underbrush, you nearly trip as your foot catches on...something. Moving the overgrowth aside, you see a limestone bench, heavily eroded, flipped on it's side. A curious thing to find the middle of the forest! You look about, and you see a lumpy, eroded slab of stone, covered with moss-covered rubble. As you further examine the area, you notice what appear to be two caves, roughly rectangular; too perfect to be natural, and directly opposite one another. As you clear away more overgrowth, you find more benches and rubble, all facing the large stone before them. An altar! It appears that you have wandered into the ruins of an ancient temple!"
Ryan Rogers
2021-08-18 18:52:48 +0000 UTCI'd agree that a Fae Kingdom overrun by forest would be really cool, and probably not maze/labyrinth-like. A more organic enclosure that's edged by dense forestry/shrubbery, with maybe a ruin draped in sunlight, or a small pool of water with some point of interest. A reason for an adventuring party to visit the location. Edit: A Treant or Petrified Ent would be awesome
Sam Kahle
2021-08-18 18:01:21 +0000 UTC1. I feel like "dungeon in a forest" would need something more to set it apart from just a normal dungeon. Beyond just making it overgrown, the overgrowth should have some real impact on the structure. Roots acting as bridges or ramps, vines either blocking off or choking passageways, things like that. Something that brings the forest in to disrupt the traditional dungeon space, which I think would be really cool, but may also be difficult to pull off effectively. 2. Depends. As a DM, I personally find mazes pretty boring to run (though maybe I'm just not good at running them). I think if there were multiple points of interest spread throughout the maze as opposed to just a point A to point B feel, it would be much more effective. 3. The body of a massive treant would be really neat and different, and I feel like there is a lot that could be done with that. Alternatively, making this a sort of crossover of themes would also be interesting. Like an old overgrown necromancer crypt or demonic shrine or something. I dunno. As a DM I like when themes intersect like that because it gives me the opportunity to throw different types of monsters together that normally wouldn't mingle in the same space. 4. I prefer features that complicate combat over traditional traps and puzzles. As I said above, vines creating difficult terrain and breaking up line of sight (maybe they even animate? that could work as a neat trap that can set up for an ambush), thorny roots that can deal damage if someone is pushed into them, sticky sap that may restrain someone who touches it (or gets pushed into it). Maybe something to discourage the use of big AoE fire spells? Not sure how you represent that on the map, would probably need variants, but something like a bridge made of or held up by roots/branches that collapses if set alight, or the roof is crumbling but supported by tree trunks, etc. So players aren't necessarily forbidden from using fire, but they need to be conscious of WHERE they are using it.
FacelessPorcelain
2021-08-18 17:52:51 +0000 UTCBRING BACK TWISTED TREELINE
PlutoHimself
2021-08-18 17:00:59 +0000 UTC1. I myself would make the forest the dungeon itself, seems cooler than some old abandoned castle or keep just inside the forest 2. oh hell yes, twisted treeline time 3. Might sound odd but how about an botanical garden. You know, some 500 years ago this was the place to resarch and cultivate exotic (or magical) plants and it was abandoned a long time ago. The plans grew out of their confinces and created this very forest dungeon. 4. I have an idea for one, old irrigation system lies in waiting, the players need to find a way to reactivate it to cross to the next area. Probably by watering huge plans there. But the irrigation system will water not only the parts they want. I'm imagining some vicious plant enemies which will awake when watered.
NuurStarfall
2021-08-18 16:54:30 +0000 UTCI like the idea of the dungeon being an old fey kingdom in a forest that has been overcome by the elements.
PShangoJC
2021-08-18 16:43:44 +0000 UTC
