Map-A-Month: Side View Dungeon

This was a old side view dungeon sketch from many years ago. It looks half finished but amusing.

Dungeon of the Mountain Tower
An evil flame salamander cult once had a tower in the mountains but they disappeared and were never seen again. Recently there has been reports of dwarfs pulling riches from the ruined tower's lower levels.

Level 1A
1. Entry - Mirror, Jar, Stool. Monster: Giant Spider
2. Dry Privy - Graffiti, wood scraps. Monster: 2 goblins
3. Ruined Shrine -Door iron stuck and trapped. Inside is a Bench on a wooden platform and small alter and purple carpet a fountain filled with moist scrolls, 53 gold coins and broken brass idol.
4. Melting Room - Potion of healing, brass bucket, burnt rope, Mosaic of flaming salamanders and a fire pit with melted candles and a brass candelabra.

Level 1B
5. Officers Room - Stuffed Beast, Bench, Chest, bed and painting of solider with lizard helmet holding a flaming sword. Monster: Skeleton (with flaming sword +1)
6. Storage - Rack, manacles, chains, rope, barrel empty, box empty, scorch mark and burnt skeleton.

Level 2
7. Barracks - cage, bench, bed, alcove with troll skull, chest, spider webs, dice self rolling. Monster: 2 Medium Spiders
8. Kitchen - Mess on floor, loose masonry, fallen stones, cauldron, 12 wooden cups, brass platter
9. Storage - boxes, spider webs, FOG! (Where did that come from?)
10. Empty Room - illusion filled - actually holds a ruined illusionists chambers. Long dead illusionist with spell book holding 1-3 levels of illusion spells. Monster: 1 Troll

Level 3
11. Rickety Bridge - Bridge over sink hole. Covered in Skulls and a 10 foot pole. Monster 3 Zombie
12. Mushroom Patch - Ropes, Tongs, gold necklace, Mug, Trash pile. Monster: 3 Violent Fungi
13. Crude Room - candles, cracks in floor, brass plate. Monster: 5 Goblins
14. Cave - rubble filled, smoke. Monster: Lawful Evil human fighter 4th level and Lawful Evil thief 3rd level

Level 4
15. Crypt - Idol not broken of four armed lizard holding swords, 20 sarcophagus holding mummified and branded humans, engravings of grinning nymphs.
16. Name Brand Room - mummified cow and sacred branding iron, brazier brass.
17. Embalming room - alabaster table, candles, bucket , wrappings, bench, ruby ring, chest with 245 gp. Monster: 3 Dwarfs - wearing mummy wrappings to drive off foes.

Level 5
18. Cavern - full of rubble, Scroll 2nd level cleric spell
19. Smoky room - Brass lamps, brass table. Monster: 2 Flame salamanders
20. Dry Grotto - Blast holes, troll bones
21. Lake and island - has brass boat on shore. Island has building temple.
22. Brass Temple - bench, chest, bed, table chair, brass tube, brass statue of four armed lizard with two ruby eyes , Monster: 7 zombies, evil 6th level cleric

Map-A-Month : Temple Grotto

U is for Underdark

The underdark in the simplest terms as underground campaign settling. To expand on this definition lets parse the word "Underdark". Under meaning below but it also has lesser connotations which evokes the underground. Dark meaning absence of light which has it's own associations such as hidden and blackness. The underdark is seemingly lightless realm of empty deep caves and tunnels. For our gaming uses, it is a dark analog of the surface world. Filled with illuminating fungus and lichen. Inhabited by prowling ravenous beasts. Dominated by continuously warring humanoids trying to survive in a land of scarcity. Races below parallel those from above but are honed by the need to survive in a harsh environment. The need to survive and compete has made them isolationist, aggressive, cunning, territorial, and greedy. They also have adapted their bodies and developed new skills to function in near darkness and in a barren wilderness. Despite these challenges they have over ages created farms and cities. Precarious at best a small change in the environment or a stronger group may destroy the culture. Ruins of lost civilization dot the under dark. Discovering let alone exploring the underdark are immense challenges. Escaping it may be more of difficult then getting in. The underdark is campaign setting unto itself and should be treated as such.