HYPERBOREA » Foolsgrave (development, spoilers)

Chainsaw · 1/19/2015 3:03 pm

Foolsgrave Development Thread - Enjoy!

(we deleted a few irrelevant posts that confused the topic)

Last edited by Chainsaw (6/08/2017 5:54 pm)

Chainsaw · 5/28/2016 3:30 pm

So, as I said over in the Khromarium Campaign Journal, I plan to resurrect my Khromarium game later this summer. Unlike the last one, in which the players mostly explored a series of lairs in and around the city, this iteration will be focused in a huge, classic campaign dungeon set below one of the city's mysterious spiral towers of black gneiss. We may still do modules from time to time, but I think my investing in a very large play environment up front will keep the game going longer. I won't be as jammed up to create a "new adventure" every few weeks.

So, toward that end, I started working on the first level yesterday over two porters, two stouts and two jager shots. I plan to add several more sheets (at least four) before the level's complete (aiming for at least 100 rooms per level), then add a similarly sized level two (4-6 sheets) and level three (4-6 sheets). I'm still brainstorming some very simple overarching themes for each level, but I'll populate them randomly, contrive some connections and key it in terse OD&D-style. Also, once I can see the whole level at the same time, I'll probably go back and change things make it "flow" better (bottlenecks, hard to find areas, etc). After I'm finished I'll post it all online in case it's of use to anyone. Until then, I'll post some pics of the levels as I build them out.

The megadungeon setup will be very simple: During the Festival of Plutonia (Nightfall, Year 13), the impenetrable doors of a spiral tower creaked open, admitting anyone brave enough to descend into its dark depths. Many have entered, but few have returned - some with wealth overflowing, others simply mad, drooling and babbling.

Chainsaw · 5/28/2016 3:35 pm

Level one, center

Chainsaw · 5/28/2016 3:36 pm

Level one, east

Level one, center and east

Chainsaw · 5/29/2016 7:44 am

Level one, south

Level one, center, east, south

Chainsaw · 5/29/2016 10:08 am

Level one, west

Level one, center, east, south, west

Chainsaw · 5/29/2016 12:29 pm

I'm thinking about calling this dungeon, "FOOLSGRAVE," which vandals have painted over the first known exterior entrance at the base of the spiral tower.

Chainsaw · 5/29/2016 3:35 pm

Level one, north

Level one, center, east, south, west and north

ThornPlutonius · 5/29/2016 4:03 pm

Wow. Nice.

Chainsaw · 5/29/2016 4:26 pm

ThornPlutonius wrote:
Wow. Nice.

Thanks man! I haven't ever created a dungeon this large.

My next step is to spend a few days assessing the overall flow and brainstorming primary factions. Then I'll key it. The larger "feature" rooms I'll probably design on my own, but the rest I'll assign randomly and contrive some explanations where necessary, though it will be relatively terse regardless - just notes to jog my memory. My hope is post it all here. Then I'll dig into level two and three.

Chainsaw · 5/29/2016 11:01 pm

Added NE, SE, SW, NW areas.. edges felt too even.

Ghul · 5/30/2016 5:50 am

I really love how it has all come together as a single composition. With the final corner pieces it no longer feels like 8.5 x 11-inch pieces of graph paper matched together. It has the look and feel of something absolutely enormous! I can see a year of adventuring this place.

Chainsaw · 5/30/2016 6:14 am

Ghul wrote:
I really love how it has all come together as a single composition. With the final corner pieces it no longer feels like 8.5 x 11-inch pieces of graph paper matched together.

I agree! I'm glad I added them. I'm considering adding NN, EE, SS and WW areas, but if so, they won't be very large, so it's nothing I'm worrying about now.

Ghul wrote:
It has the look and feel of something absolutely enormous! I can see a year of adventuring this place.

I hope so! I want it to be a setting piece within my campaign and worthy of hours and hours of singular focus, if desired. I'll probably concentrate level 1-2 creatures in the center and level 1-3 creatures in surrounding areas with an occasional 4-5 sprinkled in there. After I finish keying the major areas, I'll move on to level two and level three, which will be similar in size (maybe a hair smaller) and proportionately more dangerous (naturally). Levels four and beyond will be somewhat smaller and more specifically themed, but that's a ways off.

Here's what Fos suggested for numbering, which makes sense to me:

Fos wrote:
I stand by the system of giving the most important "permanent" features letters with detailed write-ups and giving the "filler" encounters numbers and minimal write-ups. Mark the latter lightly on the map and plan to change them every session to reflect the players' activity (and behind-the-scenes stuff that the players don't know about).

Also, I definitely recommend keying each map separately. The central map should be A and 1, north map A-N and 1-N, the east map A-E and 1-E, etc. if you do one big key you'll have too many entries and it will be harder to keep track of.

mabon5127 · 5/30/2016 6:54 am

Chainsaw wrote:
The megadungeon setup will be very simple: During the Festival of Plutonia (Nightfall, Year 13), the impenetrable doors of a spiral tower creaked open, admitting anyone brave enough to descend into its dark depths. Many have entered, but few have returned - some with wealth overflowing, others simply mad, drooling and babbling.

This is perfect! Not a lot of backstory that is forgotten week to week. Adventure pure and simple in the vein of Death Test (for the Fantasy Trip). Much fun will ensue! This could be the beginning of a Mega Dungeon race at GC to see how far a beginning group can get!

Chainsaw · 5/30/2016 7:29 am

mabon5127 wrote:
Chainsaw wrote:
The megadungeon setup will be very simple: During the Festival of Plutonia (Nightfall, Year 13), the impenetrable doors of a spiral tower creaked open, admitting anyone brave enough to descend into its dark depths. Many have entered, but few have returned - some with wealth overflowing, others simply mad, drooling and babbling.
This is perfect! Not a lot of backstory that is forgotten week to week. Adventure pure and simple in the vein of Death Test (for the Fantasy Trip). Much fun will ensue!

We will see! I have some ideas for overarching themes (and maybe a short history), but that will only come out as details here and there.

mabon5127 wrote:
This could be the beginning of a Mega Dungeon race at GC to see how far a beginning group can get!

Not a bad idea at all. Does anyone do an ongoing mega-dungeon game at GC? For any system?

Chainsaw · 5/30/2016 7:41 am

Well, an idea for level two came to me on the way to the grocery store, so I may spend some time mapping it out before I start numbering/keying level one.

Chainsaw · 5/30/2016 8:30 pm

Still have level two idea, but had level three idea as well and am doing it first.

Level three, center: the big room at the top will connect to the diamonds in level one, west, because this is where the creature lives - well, close. It will live in level three, south (or maybe southeast), in a pool.

Ghul · 5/31/2016 5:31 am

Love that dungeon superhighway running around this map, Chain. It creates an epic atmosphere, I think. How high do you imagine that ceiling to arch to?

Chainsaw · 5/31/2016 5:55 am

Ghul wrote:
Love that dungeon superhighway running around this map, Chain. It creates an epic atmosphere, I think.

Cool! The first piece on level one was a hit over at K&KA, so I decided to run with it as an intro to level three. Last night I was thinking it would terminate in a large pool, but now I'm thinking it terminates in a deep hole that grants access to levels five and six. The creature probably lives on six.

Ghul wrote:
How high do you imagine that ceiling to arch to?

I don't know! How tall's the monster on six?

Agricola · 5/31/2016 7:19 am

That first level seen as one composition piece looks real nice. Will be checking back in on this thread to see how it is going. Thanks for posting and am definitely looking forward to more. Can't wait to find out which Zargon like beast is on level 6!