The Early Dungeons & Dragons campaigns seems to have involved Cannon fodder gaming to the Nth degree. Adventures were not designed for the party of four, rather the party of twenty. Player Character death tolls were significant, and those sacrificed so the few in charge could grow in power, wealth, and experience.
If you have never heard of this campaign, thats okay, but you likely played rooms from it's dungeons. Having availed myself of the Rythlondar PDF I found it to have been the source for encounters found in TSR Adventure Modules I had played.
Dungeons and ruins are scattered across the landscape. Amongst them a Dungeon known as 'The Weir'. Those of you who recall the Mentzer D&D Expert Manual and its map of the Town of Threshold will notice a weir on the map near Lake Windrush. While this is not the original Weir of Rythlondar, It is named for it.
The Original Weir is apparently a mountainous structure with towers at the surface, and was part of a Fortress known as Tar Norgard.
Adding the Weir to Threshold
While the Weir is visible on the Surface, there are numerous entrances to the dungeons beneath (Some Secret and undiscovered). Its designed to be a Sandbox. Though there are significant lairs within the Dungeon where populations exist of one creature type, You can bypass several levels down a staircase. Hallways link regions and function as corridors of movement for powerful creatures coming and going.
All encounters should be generated randomly unless you are in a lair controlled by a monster type or otherwise intelligent group.
Random Monsters by Dungeon Level
Roll One Two Three
1d20
01 2 Ogres 3 Giant Snakes Superhero
02 2 Wraiths 2 Manticores Scavengers
03 Berserkers Goblins Gargoyles
04 1 Wereboar Kobolds Hydra
05 1 Giant Snake 2 Wereboars Fire-breathing Hydra
06 Hobgoblins 3 Wereboars 8 Gargoyles
07 Skeletons 2 Fighters Displacer Beast
08 Zombies 15 Skeletons 7 Wererats
09 Conjurers 2 Elite Skeletons* 2 Burglars
10 Orcs 2 Giant Weasles 6 Minotaurs
11 Centipedes Myrmidon 3 Harpies
12 4 Heroes Berserkers** Yldog, Evil Priest
13 8 Magicians 4 Fighters 45 Gnolls
14 5 Ghouls Wererats Umber hulks
15 8 Orcs 7-headed hydra Fighters
16 1 Giant Scorpion 2 Myrmidons Clerics
17 Scavengers 10 Ogres Magicusers
18 10 Bugbears 4 Trolls
19 3 Wereboars Gelatinous Cube
20 Manticore Ocre Jelly
* Skeletons wearing magic armour and not automatically turned by a Vicar.
** Summoned by Disguised Cultists who escape.
Random Monsters by Dungeon Level
Roll Four Five Six
1d20
01 4 Heroes 6 Trolls Rust Monster
02 Spectre Giant Statue Lich
03 Gnoll King 2 Thieves 5 Shadows
04 4 Gnoll Lieutenants Wizard & Minions 2 Black Dragons
05 3 Stone Giants Sentient Door 3 Giant Bettles
06 5 Shadows Lord Karnak & Archers Copper Dragon
07 2 Wyverns 3 Cockatrice Giant Leech
08 Black Pudding Giant 4-armed Gargoyle Flesh Golem
09 Salamander Fighters Lich
10 Black Dragon Magic Users 5 Shadows
11 Evil Men Minotar 10 Ogres
12 2 Enchanters Sword Guardian 3 Trolls
13 3 Swashbucklers Invisible Stalker 6-8 Giant Crabs
14 2 Medusae Elf 2 Manticores
15 3 Salamanders Lamassu 3 Ogre Magi
16 Scavengers Chimera 18 Tritons
17 Fire Giant & 2 Hellhounds
18 4 Giant Scorpions
19 Fire-breathing 11-headed hydra
20 4 Displacer Beasts
Random Monsters by Dungeon Level
Roll Seven
1d20
01 7-headed Fire-breathing Hydra
02 7-headed hydra
03 2 Rust Monsters
04 Gorgon
05 4 Manticores
06 11-headed Fire-breathing Hydra
07 Harpy
08 3 Umber hulks
09 4 Bugbears
10 2 hellhounds
11 12 Trolls
12 Lich
13 Vampire
14 2 Wyverns
15 3 Owlbears
16 2 Giant Statues
17 Conciousness of the Old One*
18
19
20
*Level 8 is a Prison confining 'The Old One'.
It is accessed beyond the Temple of Gargon on Level 7.
As you can see colossal populations like 45 Gnolls are encounters you would consider a meatgrinder encounter designed to slaughter Player Characters. The very Idea that this dungeon might be below the Weir near Threshold would cause the population to Flee.
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