Dungeon Growth
This post was made as a submission for Dice Goblin's Adventure Calendar Jam 2023 where we post one short RPG idea every day until December 24.
When you want your dungeons to feel old, sometimes cobwebs and dust just don't cut it. This is a tiny system to actually put some mechanical weight and caracterization on the aging of structures. Just decide how old you want your dungeon to be (6 is a good ballpark for "pretty damn old") and roll that number in D6s. For every dice that rolls one of the six categories below, increase the growth level of that category by one.
| 1 - Flora | 2 - Fauna | 3 - Structure |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sprouts and saplings show up on cracks and crevices. | 1. Rodents and insects scurry in dark corners. | 1. Minor cracks and fissures appear in walls. |
| 2. Vines wind around entrances, bushes start to grow. You can forage for undergrowth mushrooms on a 1-in-6 chance of success, per room. |
2. Small burrowing creatures dig into walls. Some dungeon creatures start to integrate into the local ecosystem. Add one 0-1HD monster or critter from the dungeon encounter table to the hex/region's encounter table. Add one 0-1HD mundane creature from the hex/region's encounter table to the dungeon's encounter table. Mundane creatures encountered in the dungeon's outskirts have a 1-12 chance of being mutated or changed by the dungeon's influence. |
2. Decaying support beams weaken overall stability. Mechanisms such as traps rust and fail on a 1-in-6 chance. |
| 3. Vegetation covers entrances, underground flora starts spreading upwards. You can forage on a 2-in-6 chance of success. Some areas of overgrowth might be difficult to transverse or better for hiding in |
3. Larger mammals roam freely through chambers. Add one 2-3HD monster to the hex/region's table, and one 2-3HD mundane creature to the dungeon's table. Mundane creatures encountered near the dungeon have a 1-in-6 of being changed. |
3. Water infiltration starts to form pools. Some areas are unstable and prone to collapse or cave-ins. Mechanisms fail on a 2-in-6. Wooden doors are twice as easy to break open. Mundane books and scrolls in areas with high humidity are ruined 1/3 of the time. |
| 4. Strange, vibrant flora blooms in deeper chambers. You can forage on a 3-in-6 chance of success. When foraging, roll a d20 as well - if both roll under your chance of success, you get a rare yield. Special dungeon specimens of flora might start spreading, like screaming mushrooms. |
4. Dungeon wildlife starts spreading over the local ecosystem. Add one 3-5HD monster to the hex/region's table, and one 3-5HD mundane creature to the dungeon's table. Mundane creatures encountered near the dungeon have a 2-in-6 of being changed. |
4. Sections are slowly being flooded. Wooden doors are useless. Minor structures crumble. Smaller sections start to collapse. Books and scrolls are ruined 2/3 of the time. Mechanisms fail on a 3-in-6. |
| 5. Some chambers are covered in pollen or spores, vegetation overtakes entire sections. You can forage on a 4-in-6 chance of success. Roll a d12 instead of a d20 for rare yields. Replace one random encounter in the dungeon with a flora encounter, like strangling vines or animated plants. |
5. Predators establish hunting grounds and territories. Add one 6-9HD monster to the hex/region's table, and one 6-9HD mundane creature to the dungeon's table. Mundane creatures encountered near the dungeon have a 3-in-6 of being changed. |
5. Large sections collapse, creating new connections to lower levels. Passages might be blocked partially or entirely. Entire areas might be flooded. Books and scrolls are ruined beyond recognition. Mechanisms fail on a 4-in-6. |
| 6. The dungeon transforms into a verdant sanctuary, a nature avatar establishes dominion. You can forage on a 5-in-6 chance of success. Roll a d10 instead of a d12 for rare yields. A boss-level monster or a coven of druids estabilish dominion somewhere in the dungeon. |
6. A local apex predator establishes dominion over the area. A boss-level local beast, possibly changed or mutated by the dungeon's influence, estabilishes dominion somewhere in the dungeon. Mundane creatures encountered near the dungeon have a 4-in-6 of being changed. |
6. The uppermost level(s) are reduced to near-complete ruination. Entrances to lower levels might need to be re-opened. Mechanisms that still stand fail on a 5-in-6. Even large murals or sculptures are mostly reduced to rubble. |
| 4 - Inhabitants | 5 - Delves | 6 - Weird |
| 1. Isolated monsters or intelligent creatures seek refuge in abandoned corners. The first time a random encounter roll would result in no encounters, it results in an encounter instead. |
1. Others have set foot here. The total value of treasure in the dungeon degenerates by 2d10% |
1. The dungeon whispers. Shadows are darker outside of torchlight. |
| 2. Small tribes of monsters or minor groups establish territories. One room or section becomes a lair for a type of creature or faction. |
2. Signs of previous expeditions become more evident. Traps have a 1-in-6 chance of being encountered triggered or flagged in some way (chalk, blood scrawlings, etc...), 50/50 chance of either triggered or flagged. Treasure degenerates by a further 2d10% |
2. The dungeon beckons. Darkness encroaches upon you. Still functional traps who were triggered have a 2-in-6 chance of being re-armed. Still standing doors who were opened have a 2-in-6 chance of being closed and locked again. |
| 3. Dominant factions vie for control of key areas. Two or three rooms or sections become lairs for different creatures/factions. Empty rooms have a 1-in-6 chance of being encountered occupied by one randomly determined faction. |
3. Loot is scavenged, and some chambers are repurposed. Traps have a 2-in-6 chance of being triggered or flagged. Wandering monsters have a 1-in-6 chance of not appearing when rolled for and a 1-in-12 chance of being replaced by "Rival Adventuring Party". Room encounters have a 1-in-6 chance of being "tapped" (already slain or not there at all), and a 1-in-12 chance of being replaced by "Rival Adventuring Party Campsite". Treasure degenerates by a further 2d10% |
3. The dungeon writhes. It's harder to hear noises outside torchlight. Still functional traps are re-armed, and destroyed or disabled traps have a 2-in-6 chance of being rebuilt. Still standing doors are closed and locked again, and destroyed doors have a 2-in-6 chance of being rebuilt. |
| 4. The dungeon becomes a battleground for rival factions. Empty rooms have a 2-in-6 chance of being occupied. Encounters have a 1-in-6 chance of being replaced by "Faction Clash". Roll to determine the factions encountered. 1d6x5%+10% of normal treasure (coins and minor relics) in the dungeon is in possession of a faction, instead of being encountered where it would normally be. |
4. Adventuring parties are making themselves known. Traps have a 3-in-6 chance of being triggered or flagged. Wandering monsters have a 2-in-6 chance of not appearing and a 1-in-12 chance of being replaced. Room encounters have a 2-in-6 chance of being tapped and a 2-in-12 chance of being replaced. Treasure degenerates by a further 2d10% |
4. The dungeon growls. Underground treasure grows heavier. Spells have a 1-in-6 chance of failing. Creatures encountered inside the dungeon have a 1-in-6 chance of being changed in some way related to the nature of the structure, gaining a HD or one new special ability. Traps and doors have a 3-in-6 chance of being rebuilt. |
| 5. A powerful monster or group establishes dominance. Empty rooms have a 3-in-6 chance of being occupied. Each major relic or magic item has a 2-in-6 chance of being in possession of one of the factions of the dungeon, as well as 2d6x5%+20% of normal treasure. Alternatively, each encounter has an incremental 1-in-20 chance of being replaced with a boss variant of the dominant monster type in this dungeon |
5. Competing factions establish temporary bases. Traps have a 4-in-6 chance of being triggered or flagged. Wandering monsters have a 3-in-6 chance of not appearing and a 3-in-12 chance of being replaced. One empty room is converted into a hideout for one group of adventurers. Room encounters have a 3-in-6 chance of being tapped and a 3-in-12 chance of being replaced. Treasure degenerates by a further 2d10% and half of all remaining treasure is kept by rival parties in their hideouts instead of being found where it would be normally. |
5. The dungeon wails. Adventurers who die in the dungeon and are not given proper burials raise as vengeful undead. Spells have a 2-in-6 chance of failing, and spells who fail go awry instead 50% of the times. Creatures have a 3-in-6 chance of being changed. Traps rebuilt by the dungeon change places. Doors rebuilt by the dungeon are reinforced. All light sources last one less turn. |
| 6. A legendary monster or group claims the dungeon as its lair. Empty rooms have a 4-in-6 chance of being occupied. Solitary encounters have a 2-in-6 chance of being replaced by "Faction Clash". Each major relic or magic item has a 5-in-6 chance of being in possession of one of the factions, as well as 3d6x5%+30% of normal treasure. Alternatively, each encounter has an incremental 1-in-20 chance of being replaced by a legendary version of the dominant monster type in this dungeon |
6. The dungeon becomes a contested ground for various parties. Traps have a 5-in-6 chance of being triggered or flagged. Wandering monsters have a 4-in-6 chance of not appearing and a 4-in-12 chance of being replaced. Two more empty rooms are converted into permanent bases of operation for rival adventuring parties. Room encounters have a 4-in-6 chance of being tapped and a 4-in-12 chance of being replaced. Treasure degenerates by a further 2d10% and all remaining treasure is kept by rival parties in their hideouts. |
6. The dungeon howls. You can hear the stone grinding when you press you ear against the wall. Rooms and corridors switch places. Doors have a 1-in-12 chance of leading elsewhere. Spells have a 3-in-6 chance of failing, and always go awry when fail. Creatures have a 5-in-6 chance of being changed, and gain a HD or one new special ability. Disregard the first success on checks to light torches or torches take one more round to light. All light sources last two less turns. |
Here's an example of how to actually use this:
Say you're building a dungeon, and want it to feel quite ancient. You decide on a generous 7 for the "growth score", rolling 7d6 on the Dungeon Growth tables. You get a 6, 6, 6, 5, 3, 3 and 1. Checking the tables, that could give us:
- ⚅⚅⚅ - Weird Level 3: This dungeon is tainted by darkness and corruption. Shadows are thick like dark, viscous blood, weighing down on your shoulders, slithering like oily snakes. Screams wither outside torchlight, like you're in an ocean of emptiness. Traps seem to spring back into position after being triggered, doors slam behind your back and stone seems to meld back and reform, like the structure itself is toying with you. This place is a tomb.
- ⚄ - Delve Level 1: You are not the first to tread these dusty halls. There are markings on the walls, left by those that were here before. They warn of impending danger. Sometimes, spikes or spears block a hallway. A corpse here, a skeleton there. And some missing coins.
- ⚂⚂ - Structure Level 2: The stone bricks are starting to wear down. Pieces of crumbling rock crackle and rustle in your wake. Hinges belt out pained screeches. Faces on the murals carved in rock start to fade away, like wax, eroded by time. And when you feel a loose tile depress under the weight of your boot and the hairs on your neck stand up as you realize it is too late, pray that the rusting, rotting contraptions that would spell out your doom give up under their own weight, crashing down in a cacophony of broken steel wires, cogs and springs.
- ⚀ - Flora Level 1: Moss covers sections of wall. Tiny plants start to take over cracks in the worn-down bricks of stone. The air is not so sterile anymore. It smells damp, moist and alive, even if barely.
And that was my first entry for the Adventure Calendar Jam. Thank you for reading!