V4KS1 Dungeon Delves
V4KS1 Dungeon Delves
V4KS1 Dungeon Delves
Cathedral on Harper’s Hill. Portions of this stone cathedral Sunken Cavern. Water pervades the reaches of this cavern. Its
are badly damaged, much of its structure lies in rubble. It sits twisting tunnels, narrow passes, and natural dips and rises make it a
atop a remote hill, a crumbling reminder of the past age of when challenge to navigate.
it was built. Tomb of the Red King. This elaborate burial place houses several
Felcrow Dungeon. This old dungeon glows in the light of stone sarcophagi. One of which is prominently displayed in a
braziers, casting long shadows against its stonework. Many massive, open area. Another resides in the deepest level of the
shrines occupy a portion of this place. What could this dungeon tomb, behind a locked door. Important people must be buried here.
be used for? Whisperspell Estate. This building is built into the side of a hill
Hellmouth Caldera. Danger abounds inside the crater of an active or mountain. It houses a vast wealth of knowledge, the site of great
volcano. Pools of lava rise to the brim of this harsh place, slowly research. A secret door conceals a cave beyond the estate, where it’s
flowing in throughout it in fiery streams. Adventurers that come here possible additional research (or perhaps something more sinister)
must either be incredibly brave, incredibly foolish, or both. takes place.
Copyright © 2016 Dan Coleman. This Dungeons on Demand product is published through the Open Gaming License. See the License section for complete details.
Dungeon Delves
Using this Supplement
Developing Each Site Site Names
Dungeon Delves presents adventure sites for you - the Game The name of each adventure site is, obviously, up to you to
Master - to use, without dictating what the adventure entails. The determine. Sample names are provided with each location for
maps provided upon the pages within are meant to spur your reference, but you’re encouraged to change these to suit your
imagination, allowing you to fill each site with monsters, traps, game world.
and treasures of your choosing. Questions are provided for each
site; these are designed to make you think critically and creatively
to inspire you as you stock each area and prepare the adventure. Tips
These include general questions, such as where the site is located At least one tip is provided for each location. These tips help you
and how adventures can navigate it, to specific questions unique take advantage of a site’s terrain or features to build dynamic and
to each site’s layout. intriguing encounters.
Dungeon Delves
Cathedral on Harper’s Hill
Portions of this stone cathedral are badly damaged, much of its structure lies in rubble. It sits atop a remote hill, a
crumbling reminder of the past age of when it was built.
Development Questions
Where is the cathedral located? Where is Harper’s Hill? Are the fonts still filled with water? What purpose could
The name of the adventure site implies it is located on they serve?
“Harper’s Hill,” but you can alter its location to whichever If the cathedral is in ruin and unattended, it’s likely these
is best suited for you. If the cathedral is located in a fonts went dry a long ago. If they’re filled with water, who
conspicuous place, people in the nearby area are sure to filled them? Is someone still using the cathedral for religious
know about it. Such NPCs may impact adventures that take services or rituals? Or are the fonts magical in nature? Is the
place there, possibly by showing up on scene. water blessed?
How did the cathedral become so badly damaged? What stories and rumors might be told about the
Portions of the cathedral lie in rubble. What happened? cathedral? Is there any truth to them?
Was it simply poorly built, falling apart with time? Did If people know about the cathedral, they’ll have something
something happen - like an earthquake - to cause the to say about it. Perhaps townsfolk know the stories behind
damage? Or perhaps it was the work of a monster or the cathedral’s downfall. They may speak of ghosts that still
monsters let loose inside? inhabit the place, relics that may be buried there, or curses
that befall those who enter. Whether or not these stories
Is this cathedral devoted to a particular deity? How would are true, of course, is a different matter.
such dedication influence its architecture and imagery?
If the cathedral is made to honor a specific deity, it would What treasures can be found within? Are they protected
make sense for its interior to reflect it. The deity’s holy in some way?
symbol may be engraved into the cathedral’s paneling, Have looters already picked the cathedral clean of its
or perhaps crafted into valuable objects of art or magical riches? If not, what might be found here? Many religious
items. Holy words or gestures prominent to the deity may be sites house relics important to their faith, and its unlikely
necessary to activate dormant magic still resting here. such treasure would be left unguarded.
Development Questions
Where is the dungeon located? What kind of creatures can survive here?
Does the dungeon lay beneath an impressive castle, If the dungeon isn’t actively used, how have creatures
used for some secret purpose? Or maybe the dungeon is or monsters made their way in here? Can they survive
underground, centuries old and unused for ages? Knowing without a source of food, or has this place developed its
where the dungeon is located affects how the party can own ecology?
discover it, shaping the adventure you build.
Are there any traps here?
Can adventurers see inside? If intelligent people actively use the dungeon, they may
Many braziers are inside the dungeon. Who or what is employ traps to keep others out – or to keep others in.
keeping them lit? Do attendants keep them lit? What Traps might be mechanical in nature, such as poisoned
happens if they go out? Do other creatures inside the darts jettisoned from the walls or false floorboards that
dungeon need the light to see? lead to pits, or they may emulate the effects of magic spells.
Development Questions
Where is the caldera located? What are the signs of an impending eruption? How would
Is the caldera on the edges of civilization? Or does it loom an eruption affect the game world?
mere miles from a major metropolis? Its location will If the area is about to erupt, there may be warning signs.
certainly affect how the party travels there, and what they’ll The whole landscape may shake violently with tremors.
be able to learn about it. Gouts of lava may fly up like geysers from the pools that
occupy the area. Puffs of sulfuric smoke and ash may vent
Why would people want to go here? Is there something of from fissures in the ground. If the caldera gives way to
value they might be looking for? eruption, how would people nearby react? Is it possible for
Perhaps the caldera is the only place a magical artifact the party to escape before it does?
could be destroyed? Perhaps it is the location for a powerful
magical ritual? Maybe it is the location of a fabled hoard of A portion of traversable land stands in the middle of a lake
treasure? Such a hostile location should be worth the trip! of lava. What might be located there?
This might be the altar of a fire god, a portal to another
How far down is the traversable area from the top of the plane, or simply a massive ruby used to entice an explorer
exposed area? to risk finding a way past the lake of lava.
If the party is climbing down from the exposed area, they
may risk falling. They may also need to climb back out if they
need to escape! Does the party have access to magical spells
or equipment that can aid them? TIPS
How does the caldera’s hazards affect how adventurers You may wish to present the caldera as constantly
would explore it? on the verge of eruption. This presents a scenario
A high level party may be able to take precautions to traveling where the party is racing against time to complete
to such a site. Spells and items that protect against fire or objectives here before it bursts. Finishing in the
grant the ability to fly greatly increase their survivability. If the nick of time gives a thrilling conclusion usually
party is lower level, they’ll need to be extra cautious not to the stuff of action movies. The consequences of
burn themselves on the lava present here. failure are dire!
What type of creatures can survive such a hostile Exploring the heart of a volcano means the
environment? Which could live there? constant threat of danger. The party should have
It’s unlikely such a dangerous place would be home to a good reason to be in Hellmouth Caldera. If the
creatures unless they could survive the elements. A group party members find themselves here unprepared,
of adventurers coming here might run into red dragons, fire they’ll need to improvise and depend on their
elementals, fire giants, magma mephits, salamanders and
wits to contend with the hazards present.
other monsters that don’t mind lava and heat.
Development Questions
Where is the cavern located? How would adventurers Have other people been here before?
get there? The presence of people changes the landscape. Frequent
Getting to the cavern may not be easy. It might require travelers may mark walls or post signs in the cavern with
the party to scour caves and locales before coming across warnings or directions. If it hasn’t been explored in a long
it. Conversely, the party might find themselves there as a time, the party may find archaic drawings upon the cavern
matter of consequence, wandering there after getting lost walls or the bones of creatures or adventurers who have
while traveling underground. died here. If the cavern is traveled frequently the party may
find muddy boot prints throughout the place, or perhaps
Where does the cavern lead to and from? run into a traveling NPC as they explore it.
There are multiple paths leading away from the mapped
location. Where do they lead to? To the surface? To new What treasures can be found? Where are they?
dungeons? They may lead to deeper, duller stretches Was a magical item lost in the water by an unwitting
of the cavern to explore; they may lead to magnificent traveler? Was a hoard of gold stored here ages ago to be
underground cities. What lies beyond the cavern will affect hidden from others? Sometimes answering how and why
the monsters and NPCs present inside it as well. treasure might show up in such an unlikely place helps
determine what kind of riches the party may find.
Where does the water come from? How deep is it?
Is the water shallow enough to plod through unhindered? Or
TIP
is it dangerously deep in some areas? It may be difficult to
tell how deep the water is due to poor lighting conditions.
How does the water effect the cavern’s ecology? What The water in this cavern makes it as compelling
creatures live here? as it is dangerous. It can be used to conceal
Aquatic creatures, such kuo-toa, chuuls, bullywugs, or monsters, traps, and treasure. It can also be
schools of quippers may make their homes here. It may used to aid the party; the sound of splashing
even serve as the lair of more powerful creatures such as from down the corridor is an important clue that
young dragons or hags. An intelligent creature that resides something lurks there. Finding different ways
in the water here knows how to use it to its advantage. That to incorporate the water in the cavern builds its
said, the cavern can also host all manners of cave-dwelling atmosphere to create an immersive experience
creatures, such as giant spiders, swarms of bats and the like. for your players.
What can be seen inside the cavern? What can be heard?
Do loud sounds in the cavern produce an echo that can be
heard throughout it? How much light is filtered into it? The
party may have to depend on their own light sources to
navigate it.
Development Questions
Who was the Red King? How is the locked door unlocked?
Obviously, you don’t have to create an NPC named the The door leading to the last crypt is sealed. What locks
Red King for this site. Such an elaborate tomb, however, it? Perhaps a key must be found or pieced together from
implies the people buried here were once very important. within the tomb, or perhaps it dangles upon the necklace of
Developing a backstory for the people buried here may help an ancient guardian which watches over the place. Perhaps
you when designing the rest of the area. a spell locks the door, and must be removed to open.
Perhaps it is locked with a riddle, and the only way through
Who is buried here? is by solving it.
There’s a total of six sarcophagi in the tomb. If one belongs
to the Red King, to whom do the others belong to? What Are there any traps in this place?
was their relationship to the Red King? Grave robbers beware! If this place is trapped, what are the
traps inside? How are they activated by adventurers? Are
Where is the tomb located? they mechanical or magical in nature? Once triggered, are
Is the tomb’s entrance easily accessible? Perhaps its lower they able to be reset to be sprung again?
levels plunge deep underground. The type of environment
the tomb is located in may affect which materials are used to
make its walls and other features inside.
Development Questions
Who does the building belong to? What is its purpose? A secret door conceals the way to the cave. How is it
A building in such an exotic location may belong to an opened?
equally colorful person or group of people. It’s implied a There are lots of ways the secret door could be opened. It
good deal of research happens here; what is the subject of may require pulling a lever disguised as a book on the book
this research? Is it still used for this purpose today, or has it shelf, finding a switch concealed on the floor, or uttering a
fallen into a different use? phrase which magically moves a portion of the wall aside.
Where did the huge geode cluster at the center of the What types of creatures might be native to cave beyond
estate come from? Is it more than just decoration? the estate? What kinds might be kept inside the building?
The massive geode formation is an interesting centerpiece Researchers might employ everything from guard dogs to
for the estate. It might be used as a focus for a magical golems to protect the estate, while the cave might be the
ritual, it may conceal a great secret, or it could be a clue to home of more monstrous creatures. Do those running the
something discovered elsewhere at the adventure site. Or, it estate have control over all these creatures? How might
might simply be a great display, with no other purpose! their research affect how these creatures are encountered?
There are a lot of bookshelves inside the estate. What What treasures might be adventures find here?
kinds of books might be found there? Perhaps one of the books here is the spell-book of a long
Do the books contain notes taken by researchers that use dead wizard? Perhaps the laboratory has a rack of freshly
the estate? Or are they reference material? They may be created potions. If magic-users operate here, they might
quite esoteric, such as detailing activities of unicorns, or the have a bevy of magic items at their disposal to use against
mating habits of owlbears. They may also be quite dull, such the party.
as mapping weather patterns or farming logs. Do the books
conceal a secret? Are any magical in nature?
The eastern side of the building has several cells. What is TIPS
(or was) kept within them and why?
That fact that a secret door is necessary to reach
Were these cells used to contain beasts researchers were the cave beyond the building implies something
studying? Or did they jail people? Are there creatures
important or dangerous (or both!) is happening
confined to these cells now?
there. Someone who would go through the
The western side of the estate has a laboratory. What lengths to conceal entry to this area would take
things might be found there? extra precaution against intruders, meaning this
is a good place for you to employ some traps or
The laboratory may have glass bottles, vials, and tubes
on a heavy stone table. Powders, liquids, and satchels of more exotic monsters and NPCs for the party to
odd ingredients may be stored there as well. Could the contend with.
laboratory be used to make something the party finds
useful? Is the laboratory dangerous to experiment with? The largest island in the cave pool could be a
location for an intriguing encounter. It might be
the ritual site for a demonic summoning, an area
of research by whomever runs the manor, or the
location of some arcane anomaly.
Dungeon Delves
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Dungeon Delves
Copyright © 2016 Dan Coleman
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Dungeon Delves