grodog's Greyhawk Castle Archive -
grodog's Version of Greyhawk Castle
Central Elevator
The Levels
The Demi-Planes
Random Notes
Sources
19 November 2012: I finally have access to greyhawkonline.com again to update my web site, so I'll be re-posting updates and new content on the Castle created since the end of 2010:
07 October 2010: Added the new ex-level-07 filled maps. Heather's away on vacation next week, so I may start working on updating my sketch key notes too.
25 September 2010: Major Update: I linked in the many maps that I've been working on since December 2008's watershed "The Landings Level" map. I haven't culled the various notes about the maps and encounters from the threads on Knights & Knaves Alehouse's Megadungeons forum yet, but will do so eventually.
2 January 2009: draft second "landings level" map added.
29 December 2008: 2 new maps added: the environs and Landings
Level maps.
15 December 2007: I spent time last night and today expanding
and modifying the caverns portion of my Castle Greyhawk level 14 (based
on Wheggi's Quilt Map), and included some new scans of that work, as well
as details and notes on my intentions with level 14.
12 December 2007: I've started work on my Castle Greyhawk
again, and posted new scans of all of the my readily-extant maps (the Ruins
level,
Dungeon Levels 1-3,
and two sub-levels of level 4; also levels 14 and 17).
26 March 2006: on Greytalk, Scott Casper
suggested the idea of placing a ruined city/settlement around the Greyhawk
Castle
ruin, and
I like this idea a lot; between it,
and the many dungeon design discussions that I've participated in over
on the Dragonsfoot and The
Knights & Knaves
Alehouse forums, I'm going to begin a wholesale
revision to my version of Castle Greyhawk.
I've got some players who'll begin to adventure in
it soon, too =)
So, how do you put all this Greyhawk Castle lore to use, fleshed out, in an
actual D&D game?
I have never used WG7 Castle Greyhawk or WGR4 Greyhawk Ruins as
the basis for my Castle Greyhawk. Within a day or two of both purchases, I returned each
book to the bookstore where I bought most of my 1980s D&D stuff---both among the very
few D&D purchases I ever returned---equally disappointed in both products. At the
time, I was looking for the authentic Gygax & Kuntz Castle, and wasn't satisfied with
either book. (As an aside, I now I wish that I had kept both books, since I've learned how
both can be put to excellent and diverse uses by talented DMs---one member of Greytalk
used WG7 as a cursed alternate demiplane within the Castle, a truly-inspired
tip-of-the-hat to the twisted madness of Zagyg!).
IMC, I created my version of Greyhawk Castle beginning in the early 1980s. At first I
didn't know anything about the Castle beyond what was described in the Greyhawk entry of
the folio and Guide; naturally, after I discovered The Dragon I mined it (and SR) for as
much info as I could find---Joe Fisher's early DM advice articles listed entrances to the
Castle, for example---but I didn't stop with just those nuggets. I wasn't willing to wait
for the product to finally appear: I wanted Castle Greyhawk to play in NOW (in true Veruka
Salt tones), so I created it.
My Castle started out as a thief's keep instead of a wizard's (to help explain all of
those traps!), and I flipped back and forth between calling it Castle Greyhawk and The
Lair of Thelmon Onvalth (its long-dead masterthief), as my desire to assert my own
creativity and independence from TSR's published works and worlds waxed and waned with the
emergence of my own campaign worlds (Thelmon Onvalth exists in Mendenein, a sister-world
to Oerth that is planarally "close" in ways similar to the Ghost Worlds from
Moorcock's Erekose saga).
That castle is seventeen-levels deep, with 41 total levels and sublevels,
elevators, chute traps, two mirror-image teleport-trap levels, a dragon's
lair cavern, etc., etc. I
certainly haven't detailed the whole thing, and I have, when the mood so
struck me, appropriated bits and pieces from various other castles, dungeons,
and what-not into my
version of the Castle. That appropriation has included: materials from articles
that mention details about the G&K Castle; EX1, EX2, S3, WG5, and WG6;
other
"authentic" GH sources (Underworld & Wilderness, Greyhawk,
1e DMG, etc.); as well as stridently non-GHworks such as levels built using
the dungeon geomorphs,
Undermountain and it's lore as published in Dragon by Ed Greenwood, Dave
Arneson's Blackmoor Castle, and bits and pieces and elements stolen from
fictions by J. Eric Holmes,
Michael Moorcock, Jorge Luis Borges, H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith,
and the visual works of M. C. Escher and Salvador Dali.
How have you fold/spindle/mutilated your version of Castle Greyhawk?
OK, so heres the outline for my version of Greyhawk Castle (aka, the
Lair of Themon Onvalth ). Its light on the
detailed specifics, but this should give you a fuller picture of how I planned, designed,
and populated this beast
.
So, just to be sure that Ive put things into perspective, my verision
of the Castle is definitely an amalgamation of lots of different pieces and
parts of things, and was
also never finished in any real sense of the word. I think I
must have bought about four sets of Dungeon
Geomorphs back-in-the-day:
some of the levels are just a sketch
of the relative positions of the geomorph parts, labelled for North. When
actively running my Castle, players explored much of the ruins, and various
portions of the first
four levels of the dungeon, and never really found their way much deeper---much
to my chagrin. In the notes below, Ive tried to incorporate sources
for any EGG/RJK/etc. info about the Castle, so that you can ignore my parts
if you dont like them.
I wrote up a d% of rumors, including some really
bad treasure rhymes; heres a sample, though not the worst:
See the eighth level down---
and find a crown.
Touch not this thing unless you be---
of the possible three.
Destruction is yours if you choose wrong---
yet the Well of Souls and Start of Fire shall guide to thee,
a treasure of Nessus times three.
Ugh ;)
Fragments, Logs, Maps, and Scraps - remnants of
delving the Castle
General NPCs
- Standard Hirelings
- Choice Hirelings = certain NPCs have been in and out of the
Castle with various groups of characters; some switch groups/"sides" on a
per-excursion basis (and are sometimes bribed for knowledge of/about other groups too):
- several fighters, several of whom don't get along with one
another = Fighters level 4, 3, 3, 5
- lantern/treasure bearers/porters = Warriors levels 1, 1, 2, 3
- MUs = few really make it, so only the
crazy/crazed/obsessed/deranged/etc. try to make a living by adventuring in the Castle;
some act as agents for other MUs, alchemists, sages, etc.: levels 3, 3, 4
- the veteran mapper = "the" mapper that everyone wants
on their expedition: he gets to keep a copy of all mapping done during any
excursion, and also gets to copy one existing map the PCs already have, up front or he's
not available (if they dont have anything he needs, he'll either consider them amateurs
and bail or charge double his normal rates)
- the mazer = a dwarf who never maps, and who has the keenest
direction sense in the city; he thinks maps are for sissies, and a waste of precious
**time** while in the dungeons; a rival to the veteran mapper, of course
- healers = the blood clot brigade = NPCs who help support and
patch up warriors and delvers and who insure that everyone returns to the Green Dragon Inn
for ale at the end of the expedition; these are often Warriors with the Heal skill,
Healer's Kits, a potion or four, and are generally not clerics = more MASH-like; rivals
with any real clerics, of course
- Alchemists and MUs to identify odd items, areas,
substances, etc.; in addition to MUs and alchemists, these are as often Priests of Zagyg,
Boccob, Phaulkon; Lord Robilar; Otto, etc.
-
- pez
Rival NPC Parties
These groups can be enemies, rivals, or compliments
to the PCs.
- (based on the crew from Heat: the Planner
is famous for hitting the Castle with careful reconaissance, exploring beforehand, even
going into other areas to throw off spies/watchers/scriers so that they don't know his
real target)
- The Planner - Neil McCauley (Cleric?)
- The Explosives Guy - Chris Shiherlis (MU
with fireballs :D )
- The Muscle ("Slick") - Michael Cherrito
(Ftr)
- The Twisted Muscle - Trejo (Ftr/Thief?)
- The New Guy (Waingro) - Ftr
- The Enemy/Sponsor (Van Zant) - wus noble
- The Fixer (Nate) - Master Thief
- demi-human party = they've been together for decades:
- Elf Fighter/MU 5/9
- Dwarf Fighter 12
- Elf Fighter/Druid 3/10
- Gnome Illusionist/Thief 7/7
- Human Bard 3 (son of previous human member; he's new to the group, but grew up with
stories all about them; they love him like their own child)
- neutral/evil NPC party:
- LN Arrikuhn (Paladin) of Wee Jas (will turn LE over time?):
female Suel
Str 17, Int 14, Wis 16, Dex 12, Con 15, Cha 17
spell-like abilities (at will unless noted otherwise): detect chaos, detect
undead (1/day + Cha bonus/day), detect magic (same); lay on hands (cure/cause
3x level damage per day, or damage to undead); divine grace (+2 to saves [or Cha
modfiier, whichever is greater]); divine health (appropriate for a death
goddess??); immune to fear, anti-fear aura; smite chaos; dispel
magic or chaos (instead of cure disease); turn/disrupt undead,
never command, even if LE (drop and combine with dispel magic/chaos??); casts MU spells on
Paladin table?; mount = ??; wardog pack, raises dogs?
- Cleric of Boccob N
- Fighter/Thief N(E)
- MU N(l)
- Bard - the research machine = N (split Bard/Sorc?) (drop bard as redundant with previous
band?)
- Evil NPC party
- Cleric of Nerull
- Fighter
- Sorcerer
- MU/Monk
- Fighter/Thief
- The Fox - a
Greyhawk Castle legend who scrawled cryptic graffiti throughout the
dungeon levels; Fox or The Fox was already a legend when Mordenkainen
and Robilar first explored the Castle, and few now know Fox's race,
sex, class, etc.; legend says that Fox was the first serious explorer
of the Castle ruins and dungeons, and some adventurers have reported
discovering the Fox's signature in other famous dungeons
like Maure Caslte,
the
levels below Blackmoor Castle, the Tomb of Horrors, etc. Some
notable personages have attempted to study Fox and collect his/her
clues, including Robilar, Mordenkainen, some sages, etc.
The Fox's signatures often appear in very dangeous areas surrounded
by traps (mundane and magical), vicious monsters, and in very out-of-the-way
locations (the bottom of 120' pits, on obscure sub-levels, etc.).
Some have speculated that the phrases are enchanted to attract
monsters, and intelligent omnsters have sometimes figured out that
they phrases are signficant, and will lay ambushes using them as
distractions or lures, as well. The letters themselves are magical,
permannet, and usually glow softly
(most
often blue,
silver,
gold, hot pink,
red, deep green,
purple, etc.); they are almost never trapped with glyphs of
warding,
symbols, sigils, etc., although sometimes others
do leave such magical defenses in close proximity to the phrases
(in particular, collectors have been known to try to disguise the
messages with illustory
script). The letters themselves radiate magic (strong alteration
if magic is detected),
cannot be erased, and cannot be easily destroyed---examples
will be found where scorched, eaten away surfaces show pristine
phrases, and other instances where the original surface, if any,
was disintigrated, transmuted to mud, etc., and the
letters remain hanging in mid-air (some phrases will read OK both
forward and reverse-mirrored, so knowing the original orientation
may prove to be difficult).
For
examples of the Fox's signature phrases, see The
Fox entry under the graffiti
section of Dungeon
Dressing.
Graffiti
- "Boley" = Bole-Eye = say it and
press the appropriate place to open a secret door
- dungeon level markers for depth (at each
stairway? = a patter of raised and lowered/carved strokes, perhaps
also falsified by Zagig and/or others
afterward; perhaps can use detect magic to see different
auras and therefore determine which were original vs. changed by
others?)
- epitaphs, epigrams, and in memoriam verses
scrawled on walls, for fallen comrades, or perhaps battle praises
for victories
over enemies:
- "Brazrabul of Irongate fell here, slain by trolls. 14 Wealsun
468 CY"
- "Brelid died, a doughty thief /
here he lied---we have no grief /
since in his pack gold we found /
and gemstones too did abound /
and it seems he did not share. /
Let him rot here, we don't care."
- "The vampire Plincourt was laid low here. Beware: he
escaped in a gaseous state, vowing to return."
- "The olvic demon Caledras was banished from Oerth in this
chamber --- Father Hennon, CY 571"
- written in Olven script: "Nickar was killed by this trap.
4849 Sunflowers 17."
- "Thayed Toetael RIP 492 CY"
- Oddball phrases:
- "Help me, please I'm hiding in the ceiling two
doors down. Ivid banished me. I can reward you if we escape."
- "Ware the watcher. B."
- The Fox's clues, cryptic
"Kilroy was here"-like phrases scrawled throughout the
castle ruins and dungeons;
examples include:
- Turn 5 B2 Fox
- Swim 5 G3 Torc The Fox
- Down 2 A4 Fox
- Ware Pits Q1 The Fox
- Crawl 12 I6 Fox
- Climb Ropes 30 S2 Fox
In general, the graffiti follows the pattern of Verb [Noun]
Number Letter Number combination [Noun] then "Fox" or "The
Fox"
as a signature.
Litter
- Broken weapons, spikes, flasks, etc.
- cloth, paper scraps
- food scraps
- burnt out torch stubs
- nuts, bolts, screws, armor keys, keys, sharpening stones, and
other pieces of flotsam
- rat traps
Surface Levelness and Shape
- area with canals, bridges, spans, high vaulted
ceilings, etc.
- arrow slits, murder holes, spy holes, windows
(open, barred, etc.) to allow attacks/spying into other areas
- balconies
- climbing/walking ledges
- flat
- hand-over-hand rungs (jungle gym)
- ladders
- other regular shapes (square, rectangle,
hex, pentagon, septagon, octagon, novagon, etc.)
- raised or lowered sections, paths, platforms,
galleries, etc.
- rope-bridge path
- semi-circle n and U shapes,
both flat-side down and flat-side-up
- sloped (steep, subtle, undetectable)
- spherical (S4)
- triangular with tip at top, with tip at
bottom (with water?)
- tubular (round)
- variable
Texture of Surfaces of Walls, Floors, Ceilings
- bas relief
- bricks
- cemented
- columns - whole, intact, and broken
- damaged: chewed, chipped, chiseled, gouged,
scratched, scored, sliced, etc.
- different types of stones
- drip-castle-like
- flagged and mortared
- frescoes
- hardwoods
- holed and honeycombed
- jagged and broken
- lava-like, melted
- mosaic
- painted (smooth, chipped, crumbling, etc.)
- porous (pumic-like)
- regular geometric patterns (circle, square,
triangle, hexagon, octagon, pentagon, septagon, novagon, linear
patterns, etc.)
- rough/pebbled
- rough-hewn and worked
- rubble from collapses, fallen bridges, cracked
walls and masonry, eroded edges/pits, broken balcony guard rails,
etc.
- sandstone, sandy, granular
- seamless
- smoothed by water's erosive action
- smoothly set
- spongy, soft, giving surface
- stalactites
- stalagmites
- tiled
- wavy
- wooden/timber (nice panelling, log cabin look, etc.)
Spoor
- footprints (warm/cold outlines that fade, like when exit a warm
shower on tile floor)
- bloody trail
- feces, hair, hair balls, etc.
- 100% clean, absolutely nothing there (a sterile area)
- perhaps evidence of recent passage of a gelatinous cube, slime
trail, blobules, etc. (jellyfish glops)
- location of spoor: floor, floor/wall corners, walls, walls/ceiling corners,
ceiling, midair, no definable location (all around/omnipresent, shifting, etc.)
- delver/explorer trails: string, wall markers (chalk, scratches in walls from
blades, chisels, etc.)
- creature evidence (spider webs, husks/drained food, food scraps, bones, old shells,
shedded skins or scales, etc.)
- marking territory (urine, scents, rubbing, etc.)
|
Air Currents
- warm
- cool
- hot
- dry
- moist
- cold
- slow
- swift
- at level of floor/middle/ceiling
- gusting
Air Quality and Visibility
Dampness
- aquaducts
- cisterns
- dewy
- draining below
- dripping from above
- dripping sounds
- dry
- floating in mid-air (S2)
- lakes or other large bodies of water (river,
sea, etc.)
- moist
- open trenches/channels for water (not a stream, but a man-/dwarf-made
stream/channel)
- pools
- puddles
- in general, they're all over, esp.
after it rains
- puddles that are flowing (from cracks
in the ceiling, down the wall and across the floor with an
exit stream/flow at floor of opposite wall)
- stagnant puddles
- dried puddles (residue of some sort
left behind---salt, slime, etc.)
- puddle depth (film, shallow, can see
bottom, can't see bottom, etc.)
- placement (can walk around it, pool-like,
long and thin, blocks the passage, etc.)
- water quality (potable, sewage, briny,
salty, acidic, ferrous, fllled with algae, slimy, cool, warm,
oily, etc.)
- small stream running
- springs
- streams
- water running down walls/along floor/along
ceiling
- wells
Lights
- shafts for light and air from above
- darker/lighter zones
- darkness (only magical light work, or only certain races see normally)
Smells and Tastes
- acidic
- animal
- blood
- chalk
- charcoal
- cloying
- dry
- floral
- food cooking
- fruity
- gasses (methane, sulfur, etc.)
- incense
- meat
- medicinal (rubbing alcohol)
- monster
- ozone
- paint (fresh/wet)
- rot
- salty
- sewer
- smoke
- sour
- spiced
- stale
- sweet
- verdant/plant/loam
- vinegar
- water
- wine
Sounds
- animals (moo, quack, oink, birds chirping,
hooting, etc.)
- babbling
- belching
- boiling
- breathing
- breezeway/wind tunnel blasts
- bubbling
- burbling
- buzzing bugs
- cars and other mechanical noises
- chanting
- clicking
- collapsing
- compressors
- crashing
- crying
- dripping
- drums
- fighting/combat
- fizzing
- fizzling
- flapping
- frequency (regular, irregular, lunar, occasional, constant, continuous,
rhythmic, etc.)
- giggling
- grating
- gurgling
- intensity (loud, sibilant, soft)
- hooved clomping
- laughter
- mechanical sounds
- musical sounds (azathoth piping, bells,
chimes, drums, gonging, horn blowing, guitar string breaking,
wind chimes, etc.)
- moaning
- padding
- ringing
- roaring
- rodents
- rumbling
- running
- rustling
- scraping (metal on metal, stone on stone,
etc.)
- shaking
- skipping (feet, stones)
- skittering
- sliding
- sneezes
- sniffing
- snuffling
- stirring
- sucking
- talking (audible vs. Peanut wah-wah-wah)
- wailing
- water (dripping, running, rain)
- whistling (steam)
- wind
- yelling
- yowling (cat-like)
Tactiles
- pez
- vibrations in the floor
|
Special Features
- shifting features (walls, doors, floors, ceilings, levels,
falling blocks, uncovering wells, etc.---triggered locally or remotely, etc.)
- chasm that's only crossable via a swing (rope swing?) = it takes
TIME to cross safely; galleries/balconies overlook the chasm (similar to Star Wars chasm,
LOTR Durin's Bridge)
- frescoes/faces/sculptures/statues/etc. that change over time: sleeping, silly
face, sticking tongue out, Spock eyebrow raised, frown, scowl, smile, laughing, etc
- floor designs, mosaics, etc. that change over time (color, pattern, shapes, depicted
image, map display that changes over time [and can be controlled, perhaps?], etc.)
- portrait gallery of heroes who have fallen in the dungeon, with blank portrait space and
blank name plates scrolling off into the distance
- special zones and/or destination points/attractions like the Black Reservoir, Great
Stone Face, etc.; landmarks that ground you, and let you know where you are when you
find them after you've been lost:
- black and white zones (no color, only shades of grey and gray)
- silent zones
- reverse-gravity area (side-gravity areas = localized by surface gravity)
- Elemental areas/themes (earth, air, fire, water, wood, metal, ice etc.)
- dead magic
- free/powerful magic
- areas/doors/portals/gates/arches/etc. that only allow passage by certain races, classes,
alignments, sexes
- corridors, rooms inscribed with runes, symbols, glyphs, stories, dead languages, etc.
- sleep- or stasis-incuding area that has a treasure in plain sight, surrounded by doznes
of mosnters, NPCs, etc. (note: this would be a possible place that could save your life if
you get there in time before poison, mummy rot, etc. kills you)
- slow, haste, youthening, aging zones (level that when you enter it ages you 50 years,
you have to be old, then exit again on other side in order to regain your youth)
- fungi gardens and other food sources (cave fish, cave crickets, rats (rat traps?), giant
bee hives, etc.
- frozen area: icy, rime- and icicle-covered corridors, snow, freezer burn, etc.
- the hall/wall of blades: it grows and spreads over time; according to legend, for
each blade that breaks in the Castle, the shard disappears/is absorbed by the stone, and
it grows out of the wall in the hall of blades (note that you can't see the stone of the
wall at all, you can only see the blades---blades from swords, spears, pikes, daggers,
knives, leaf-bladed arrows, etc.)
other legends hint that various doors/ rooms/halls have been encrusted over with blades,
and that various spells will part the curtain of steel to allow egress to the otherwise
hidden areas; PCs may also find maps to areas that have since been over-grown with blades;
treat the discovery of such areas without a map as secret doors that are twice as
difficult to find; sometimes when such areas are opened, a loud grating and snapping of
blades will occur, as the metal is sheared off by door/opening actions
- the Leaden Cathedral - a large, vaulted chamber/cathedral (perhaps not really a
cathedral, some way just dubbed it that?), built of and with lead and non-magic stuff
throughout; anyone present in the room is 85% undetectable to non-deital scrying; this
leaden chamber is like a bank's safety-deposit storage vault---each mini-vault (and there
are thousands lining the walls) may contain an undetectable item (magical or mundane),
because it is enclosed in lead and wards, it cannot be located/scried/etc. The
Leaden Cathedral is in a VERY dangerous level, and each of the vaults is trapped, summons
guardians, is over 80 feet high in the air and behind a secret door in a flying buttress,
etc.
- the Stair Well - a huge, deep, open, winding, spiral stairwell
that descends many levels into the bowels of the Castle Dungeons;
a narrow stair
skirts the open shaft (at least 50' wide if not wider); flying creatures
are true hazards; scavengers live at the bottom on those who have
fallen
to their doom;
windows,
balconies, and landings are strategic points of contest, and are
sometimes fortified and manned (charge tolls?)
- rooms and sublevels that require PCs to expend a lot of resources
just to get there---lots of protection from [elements] spells, prot
from evil, passwall, wraithform, stoneshape, etc.; use these areas
as lures/destinations on treaure maps that mention the long distances
travelleed, tec.
- a long, long corridor lined with bones and covere with at least
1-2" of a fine, blueish-white dust (dust of sneezing and
choking); it's very hard to move within, or above the corridor
because air currents cause the dust to stir (which necessitates the
usual save or die); flying, levitationg, etc. willl most likely cause
the dust to stir as well (at least 50% chance per passing person
without strong precautions in place); thes dust in not easily harvestable
for this same reason; PCs find a map showing areas on the other
side of the long corridor, perhaps significan treasure; the corridor
cuts the level in 1/2 or in 1/3 and 2/3; if PCs are uanble to safely
cross the corridor, they need to bypass
the corridor and access remainder of the level from
another route from above
or below
- a waterfall corridor, in which water cascades downward from above,
blocks visibliity, soaks the PCs, and threatens to wash them away
with the water itself if they're not cautious
- sewers, drains, and infrastrucutre sub-levels: maintenance corridors/access
points to reset traps, feed monsters, channel water to the Black
Reservoir, spy on dungeon invaders, control pivot points (to redirect
a corridor's direction/flow/access from A to B [like a train tracks
switch])
- a spy room accessible from many levels above the room that's being
spied upon, which allows the king/dungeon builder/whoever to spy
on those working in his treaure room (accountants, counters, guards,
whatever); the spy room sits above the high, vaulted ceiling of
the treasure room, and looks down into it via spy hole slots in the
flor (you lie down on the floor in the body-cavity indentations,
place your face into the indentations, slide open the spy holes slot,
and peer below); the room is accessed via a
long, winding
narrow stair, via
asecret door from
a much higher/easier
dungeon level than where
the treasure room is; it's a long walk (2+ hours?), which helps the
king reach a nice, rope old age (exercise, you know)
- a series of synchonized one-way secret doors, that open all at
once, based on the opening of the first door; they close based on
a timer, and if PCs dawdle too long too far into the string of secret
doors, they may not be able to exit until someone else comes in the
first door (imagine the closing credits of "Get Smart" as
the PCs try to flee through the doors as they close around them...).
Unless noted otherwise, all graph paper sheets are
4 squares to the inch, 1 square = 10 feet
I have two elevations showing the
general connections and relative positions of all of the dungeon levels,
Top Elevation and Bottom
Elevation; in the
level descriptions below, you
can get a sense of the size of a level from its width in the
elevation (although several levels werent neatly stacked one atop the
other, and instead radiated outward in different directions relative to a
fixed central point).
A Note about Teleporters: I liked em, so there were various intra-level teleporters
throughout most of the levels, as well as inter-level teleporters (heh). I even had one
room where, depending on which square you walked into, youd hit a inter-level
teleporter that could take you to any level in the complex except for level5B ;)
A Note about the Central Stair, Central Elevator,
and other highly-trafficked areas: Central stair with gallery around it on all
levels = avoided by most denizens save when its use is required, since it's a likely spot
for ambushes (wandering monsters are much more common...).
The elevator was fun! Powered by both
technology (winches, pulleys, glassteel cables and chains, etc.) and magic, the elevator
links the first eight dungeon levels ...
At any given time, there is a 15% chance that the
elevator is already in use when you arrive at it (In Use button indicator?)
Roll d100 to figure out what level the elveator
currently sits on:
d100 |
Elevator Location |
01-15 |
Dungeon Level 3 |
16-30 |
Dungeon Level 4 |
31-40 |
Dungeon Level 5 |
41-55 |
Dungeon Level 6 |
56-70 |
Dungeon Level 7A |
71-86 |
Dungeon Level 7B |
87-100 |
Dungeon Level 8 |
Elevator Summoning
If the elevator is not on your level you have
to summon it with one of the following conjuration spells: unseen servant,
conjure elemental, invisible stalker, monster summoning, drawmij's instant summons, dust
devil, aerial servant, animal cummoning, phantom steed, summon shadow, [more?];
in a pinch, a properly-worded alter reality, limited wish, or wish will
also summon the elevator.
When any of the above spells are cast within 50 feet of the
elevator, only the elevator is summoned, and no conjured creatures arrive. When the
elevator arrives on a level, a loud "DING" resounds; after it is entered, the
elevator doors shut with wizard lock (20th level) and a magic mouth speaks
Please grab the handle and pick a number between 1 and 7 (1 = Dungeon Level 3,
2 = Dungeon Level 4, etc., per the above chart). The elevator will then travel to
the requested destination level. Each 50 feet of descent requires one-half segment
of travel time, while ascending takes one full segment for each 50 feet (see the dungeon
elevation map; count the arriving level but not the departing level as part of the
distance travelled); characters noticably feel the speed of the elevator. During the
trip, random music plays (lute/harp/mandolin/sitar/dulcimer/etc.,
organ/harpsichord/mini-Moog, muzak versions of the Beatles/old Yes/old Genesis,
Queensryche or Rush, Hawkwind with Moorcock chanting, etc., etc.).
While within the elevator, the following spells will not
function: rope trick, teleport, dimension door, gate, meld into stone, spike
stones, planeshift, stone tell, word of recall, astral spell, succor, stoneshape, dig,
knock, blink, Leomund's Comfortable Quarters, Leomund's Tiny Hut, Leomund's Secure
Shelter, Leomund's Secret Chest, move earth, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, phase
door, vanish, maze, shadow door, shadow walk. In addition, extra-dimensional
magic items such as bags of holding, portable holes, Leomund's Secret Chests, etc.,
are not accssible from within the elevator (items within such spaces are not lost, they're
simply not retreivable from within the elevator).
Upon arrival, the elevator comes to an abrupt halt, and PCs not
holding onto the railing hit the ceiling then the floor, taking falling damage for the
distance travelled by the elevator.
Elevator Traps and Tricks
The elevator often had a trick or trap placed upon it, either
directly by Zagig or by a resident of the dungeons; sometimes creatures choose to lair
upon/within the elevator, though that's rare:
d100 |
Elevator Status |
Notes |
01-60 |
"Normal" |
pez |
61-65 |
Occupied by a wandering monster |
pez |
66-85 |
Random Trick |
pez |
86-95 |
Random Trap |
pez |
96-100 |
Roll again using d100+50 |
pez |
pez
d100 |
"Normal" Status |
Notespez |
01- |
Elevator man is there to guide you to your floor (like in an
old hotel) |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez
d100 +50 |
Roll Again Table |
Notes |
51- |
Secret Trapdoor in wall/floor/ceiling left open (some lead to
secret sublevels) |
pez |
pez |
2 parties are in combat in/around the elevator |
pez |
pez |
PCs discover current victims of a trap/trick (roll to see what
it was) |
pez |
pez |
Elevator Bardic Music (inspires courage or competence) |
pez |
pez |
Doors open onto another plane |
pez |
pez |
Doors open onto another time |
pez |
pez |
Door open onto another place |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
pez |
Elevator Tricks
- Elevator appears to work normally but goes to a different destination level than the one
selected by the PCs (including staying on the same level)
- Elevator acts as a teleporter
- Roll on Wand of Wonder (no attacks, just quirky stuff)
- Strobe lights (may daze PCs, no save if PCs are light-sensitives)
- Different interior:
- mirror walls (like hotel room closet doors)
- transparent walls (one-way or two-way)
- filled with water (water may or may not flood out; if not, you need water breathing to
use the elevator; sometimes the elevator provides water breathing, too)
- window(s) in wall(s) and/or floor and/or ceiling that look out onto the elevator shaft,
other planes, other levels, random scenes (real or illusory), play movies (Star Wars,
Dune, Empire of the Sun, Yor - Hunter from the Future, etc.); sometimes the windows are
clear and covered with glassteel panes, other times they're open gates that can
be wandered into, and other times they appears to be clear windows looking on the shaft
but are in fact all open pits so that you can only stand on the elevator areas between the
panes....
- Elevator locks and acts like it's moving like a Wonkavator (diagonally and horizonally
in addition to vertically) but really just works normally
- Strange noises and/or smells accompany the elevator's functions (farts, body odor,
troglodyte stench, ghast stench, vrock stench, etc.)
- Sub-levels that are only accessible if you stop the elevator between levels, or by
pressing buttons in certain combinations (elevator may teleport users from
central elevator to another elevator (randomly determine which and the level that it's on;
perhaps can remotely control another elevator from the central one?)
- Sub-level that's only accessible the elevator is away from the bottom of the shaft; need
to force doors open to access it; if elevator returns, it will trap you in the sub-level
- Secret doors in elevator walls only line up with levels sometimes and the elevator won't
generally move with any door (standard or secret) open, therefore PCs need to check at
each stop if they think that a particular secret door may open onto a sub-level; sometimes
the elevator secret door will allow egress to an open corridor, other times the elevator
secret door opens onto another secret door, which must be bypassed to gain entrance to the
hidden level
-
-
Elevator Traps
- Poison needle in elevator button (randomly determine which)
and/or door handle
- Pit - the floor of the elveator drops open
- Sleep gas released after the elevator is in motion---often after the music starts ;-)
- Doors open but the elevator's not present
- When PCs push a button, monster summoning for that button number is cast, and the
summoned monster attacks PCs at/near their destination (generally doesn't appear within
elevator itself)
- pez
Elevator Signs
70% of the time, the Greyhawk Castle Elevator has a lettering of some
sort, on a plague, sign, inscription, strong of faerie fire lettering, living fireflies
lined up in place, etc. Sometimes they're in Common, Old Oeridian, various
unreadable languages, codes, dead languages, non-Oerthly scripts, etc.
Some sample messages on such signs could read:
- In case of fire, use stairs.
- In case of deadly trap, use stairs.
- In case elevator absent, use stairs.
- Watch your step.
- In case of emergencies, use stairs.
- In case elevator absent, use ropes.
- In case elevator absent, use cables.
- In case elevator absent, use ladders. A whole LOT of them.
- In case of purple worm, use boots of flying.
- In case of purple worm, pray.
- In case of poisonous gas, don't use lungs.
- In case of aqueous submersion, use towel.
- Hold handrail.
- Elevator makes frequent stops.
- Don't push the big red button.
- Nurse. Nuke.
- Place thumb pad onto biometric scanner.
- Push the big red button. Really.
- Now serving number 1,042,136,759.
- Now serving number 6.02x10^23..
- Now serving number i.
- Greyhawk Construction Company. Permit #1. Last inspection date 14 Wealsun
353 CY.
- In case of elevator, use stairs.
Elevator Interior
[Description]
Elevator Controls
The default elevator controls configuration is a panel of eight push
buttons (generally labelled three through eight in Common numerals), with an "in
use" indicator button, and a red emergency stop button. Each button lights up
when pushed, and, like a standard elevator, you can push more than one stop. If the
emergency stop button is pushed, the elevator stops immediately (and alarm bells may sound
too??).
NOTE: the elevator controls always display only six level buttons,
for dungeon levels three through eight, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE TWO DUNGEON LEVEL 7s.
If the PCs select level 7, the elevator will deposit them at either level 7a or 7b.
To determine whether the default elevator controls are present or not,
roll d100 on the table below:
d100 |
Elevator Controls |
Notes |
01-50 |
Normal (as described above) |
None |
51-70 |
Old man in red uniform with hat, with a monkey in identical
costume operates the elevator (won't work for anyone else) (he only works part-time) (roll
again to determine configuration) |
The old man is immune to harm, and believes that he was hired
to work at the Sir Francis Drake
hotel in San Franciso in the year 1931. He knows that in these trying times, it's
tough to keep a job, even such a strange one, so he simply does his job and does it well,
no questions asked. He has been known to accept tips, even strangely-wrought silver
and gold coins.... The monkey's name is different each time PCs visit: Blip,
Gleek, Kong, King Kong, Son of Kong, Clyde, Rafiki, Abu, George, Curious George, Grape
Ape, Magilla Gorilla, Igoo, Bingo, Bear, Cheetah, Chim-Chim, Cha-Ka, etc. |
71-75 |
No buttons panel, need to speak request aloud in Common (or
your native tongue) |
pez |
76-80 |
Switchboard panel with connection wires (manually need to link
the level you're on to the one you want to go to) |
pez |
81-85 |
Levers instead of buttons, with an up and down position (go up
to get to selected floor, go down to get to selected floor) |
pez |
86-90 |
One lever, with one notch/position per floor |
pez |
91-95 |
16" deep holes that have dials/knobs/levers inside that
you need to reach and then to push/pull/twist/turn/
raise/lower to activate the elevator; the holes are dark and can't be seen into (even with
magical light, x-ray vision, etc.): they operate only by wishes or by touch |
pez |
96-100 |
Other (a Twister board on the floor with numbered-button dots;
buttons are all labelled in Braille; buttons are reversed; buttons are random) |
pez |
Riding the Elevator
Sometimes the elevator rides smoothly, other times it's very choppy and
herky-jerky; sometimes it seems to move sideways some, or it spins in place (perhaps
making PCs dizzy), its movement may be accompanied by rattling and shaking, etc.
Exiting the Elevator
Sometimes the elevator doors open onto a set of metal accordion gates
(just like old-fashioned elevators), a lowered portcullis, steel bars that run from the
below the floor into the ceiling (too narrowly spaced apart to squeeze past unless you're
a child or halfling or gnome), etc. In such instances, PCs may need knock, gaseous
form, polymorph self, polymorph other, etc. in order to bypass any
given level's entrance barriers.
Ruins Level
Two sheets of 8.5x11 graph paper, taped together to
form a single 11x17 sheet, with 25 rooms; Average Monster Level 2, Highest 7; provides two
entrances to the dungeons: a trapdoor in Ruins #22 (a tower in the south wall) leads into
the large parade ground on level1#30; a stairwell open to the sky within a gutted building
descends to level 1 #1.
On Greytalk, Scott
Casper suggested that there may be a ruined city/settlement around the
Castle Ruins, and I fully plan to take advantage of this idea by expanding
the ruins level to include a ruined city/settlement nearby. As a hybrid
wilderness/dungeon environ, I would expect the ruined city to be more
challenging than the ruins level itself.
Dungeon Level 1 - The youve
found me now try to catch me Level
Four sheets of 8.5x11 graph paper, taped together
to form a single 16x21 sheet (apparently I trimmed these sheets a little), with 106 rooms,
and total width of about 900 feet; ; Average Monster Level 2-3, Highest 7; an open chasm
in level 1 #68 leads down to level 5C (Dragons Lair), then eventually to the outside
of the hill upon which the Castle is built; the chasm also touches level 2, level 4, and
level 4A; a secret door hides the stairwell to level 2
Dungeon Level 2
Six sheets of 8.5x11 graph paper, taped together to
form a single 22x33 sheet, with 193 rooms, and total width of about 1300 feet (this level
is tied with levels 3, 14, and 17 as the largest in the dungeon); Average Monster Level 2,
Highest 6; two stairwells lead from level2 to level3, and one stairwell leads from level2
directly to level5A;
Dungeon Level 3 - Guard level
Six sheets of 8.5x11 graph paper,
taped together to form a single 22x33 sheet, level map not completed,
and total width of about 1300 feet
(this level is tied with levels 3, 14, and 17 as the largest in the dungeon);
Average Monster Level 3, Highest 6; central elevator shaft begins on
this level and continues
straight down to level 8 (use of the elevator generates ambient mechanical
noises in Dungeon Dressing);
both a ramp and a stairwell lead from level3 to level4, a teleporter
leads to level 4A.
original notes from level 14:
===
You can view a scan of my rough notes on the original map
for level
14. I had originally thought that this level would use my dungeon
geomorphs plan that showed which geomorphs were used to build
the level. Level 14 consists of 17 geomorphs, with
256 rooms. However, I've since decided to use Wheggi's Quilt Map level
instead, since it's a far-superior design! :D (and re-discovered the level
key, which shows it was level 3).
Im not postitive that the geomoprhs
were built to be this level, but based on the width the maps should be
this level, which is about 1300 feet wide (this level is tied with levels
2, 3, and 17 as the largest in the dungeon); Average Monster Level 6-7,
Highest 9; stairs ascend to levels 13A2 and 13B2 respectively, while
and elevator descends to level 15, a shaft connects to level 16, and
a single branching stair descends to levels 15, 16, and 17.
===
Dungeon Level 4
Four sheets of 8.5x11 graph paper, taped together
to form a single 17x22 sheet, level map not completed, and total width of about 950 feet;
Average Monster Level 3, Highest 6; central elevator access, along with a stairwell up to
the Dragons chasm, on the other side of which is the entrance to level 4A; a chute
(secret well shaft) also connects level 4 to level 5B.
Dungeon Sub-Level 4A
One sheet of 8.5x11 graph paper, 31 rooms, and
total width of about 400 feet; Average Monster Level 3, Highest 6-7; directly above level
4B, 4A connects to it via an elevator and a stairwell
Dungeon Sub-Level 4B
One sheet of 8.5x11 graph paper, 38 rooms, and
total width of about 400 feet; Average Monster Level 3-4, Highest 7; directly below 4A,
level 4B can also be accessed by teleporter from level 4 and level?? [not marked on
map].
Dungeon Level 5
Level map doesnt exist, and total width of
about 750 feet; Average Monster Level 3-4, Highest 6; central elevator access, and two
stairs lead to level 6.
Dungeon Sub-Level 5A
Level map doesnt exist, and total width of
about 300 feet; Average Monster Level 4, Highest 6-7.
Dungeon Sub-Level 5B
Level map doesnt exist, and total width of
about 450 feet; Average Monster Level 3-5, Highest 8; secret chute descends from level 4,
and elevator descends to level 7B.
Dungeon Sub-Level 5C - The Dragons
Lair
Level map doesnt exist, and total width of
about 250 feet; Average Monster Level 6, Highest 6.
Dungeon Level 6
Level map doesnt exist, and total width of
about 850 feet; Average Monster Level 3-4, Highest 6.
Dungeon Sub-Level 6A
One sheet of 8.5x11 graph paper, level map not
completed, level is flooded with water, and is total width of about 350 feet; Average
Monster Level 3-4, Highest 7-8; connects directly to level 6, and a chute leads to level
7B1.
Dungeon Sub-Level 6B
One sheet of 8.5x11 graph paper, level map not
completed, level is flooded with water, and is total width of about 250 feet; Average
Monster Level 3-4, Highest 7-8; connects directly to level 6.
Dungeon Level 7A - First Mirror Image
Teleporter Level
Level map not completed, and is total width of
about 750 feet; Average Monster Level 4, Highest 6-7; central elevator access, a stairwell
down leads to level 7A2.
Dungeon Sub-Level 7A1
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 400 feet; Average Monster Level 4-5, Highest 7-8; a 200 pit leads to level
7A1.
Dungeon Sub-Level 7A2
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 550 feet; Average Monster Level 5-6, Highest 7-8; a chute leads to level 9A, two
stairwells lead to level 9B.
Dungeon Level 7B - Second Mirror Image
Teleporter Level
Level map not completed, and is total width of
about 750 feet; Average Monster Level 4-5, Highest 7; central elevator access, a stairwell
down leads to level 9A.
Dungeon Sub-Level 7B1
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 700 feet; Average Monster Level 3-5, Highest 7; an elevator connects to level 5B,
and two stairwells lead from this level to level 7B.
A note about the Mirror Image Levels: the maps for levels 7A and 7B
were identical in almost all respects, and each of the sub-levels also contained entire
sections of room-corridor configurations that were identical to sections within each of
the main and sub-levels throughout level 7. Hence, you could end up entering level 7A, be
teleported to an identical section in level 7B, then be teleported to another identical
section in level 7B1, which happens to be above level 7A (so that the only exits you can
find are stairwells down, a direction you may not want to go
).
Dungeon Level 8
Four sheets of graph paper taped together and
trimmed into a square, with total width of about 400 feet; Average Monster Level 4-5,
Highest 7-8; the central elevator shaft ends in the center of level 8; stairwells lead
from level 8 to levels 9A (stairs turn into a chute) and 9B, while a ramp leads to level
10.
Dungeon Level 9A
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 800 feet; Average Monster Level 5-6, Highest 8.
Dungeon Level 9B
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 800 feet; Average Monster Level 6, Highest 8; one stairwell leads to level 10, while
a long stair leads to level 13B.
Dungeon Level 10
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 1150 feet (the largest level in the top half of the dungeon); Average Monster Level
4-6, Highest 8; a ramp ascends to level 8, two stairs ascend to levels 9A and 9B
respectively, and two stairs lead to level 11.
Dungeon Level 11
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 600 feet; Average Monster Level 5-6, Highest 8-9; an open shaft connects levels 11
and 12, and two stairs descend from 11 to 12.
Dungeon Level 12
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 750 feet; Average Monster Level 6, Highest 8-9; an open shaft connects levels 11 and
12, an elevator rises from level 12 to level 13A, a ramp connects levels 12 and 13B, and
two stairwells descend to levels 12A and 12B respectively.
Dungeon Sub-Level 12A
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 400 feet; Average Monster Level 6, Highest 8-9; a ramp descends to level 12C.
Dungeon Sub-Level 12B
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 400 feet; Average Monster Level 6, Highest 8-9; a ramp descends to level 12C.
Dungeon Sub-Level 12C
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 350 feet; Average Monster Level 6-7, Highest 9; two ramps respectively lead to this
level from levels 12A and 12B.
Dungeon Level 13A
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 700 feet; Average Monster Level 5-6, Highest 8-9; a chute slides from level 13A to
level 14, and an elevator connects to level 13A1.
Dungeon Sub-Level 13A1
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 500 feet; Average Monster Level 6, Highest 9; an elevator connects to level 13A, a
stairwell leads to level 13A2, and a long stair connects to both levels 14A and 15.
Dungeon Sub-Level 13A2
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 300 feet; Average Monster Level 6-7, Highest 9; a stair descends to level 14.
Dungeon Level 13B
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 700 feet; Average Monster Level 6, Highest 8-9; a ramp descends to level 12.
Dungeon Sub-Level 13B1
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 400 feet; Average Monster Level 6, Highest 8-9.
Dungeon Sub-Level 13B2
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 400 feet; Average Monster Level 6, Highest 8-9.
You can view a scan of my rough notes
on Wheggi's original Quilt Map level,
in which I started to modify it for use as my dungeon level 14. Since discovering Wheggi's map, I've decided to use
it as the basis for level 14, since it's a great level design! So, my notes below follow about how I intend to
fold/spindle/mutilate Wheggi's original map to make it a premiere level in my Castle Greyhawk (or at least, so I hope...).
Based on my elevation maps, the width for level 14 should be about 1300 feet wide (this level is
tied with levels 2, 3, and 17 as the largest in the dungeon); Average Monster Level 6-7, Highest 9; stairs ascend to levels 13A2 and
13B2 respectively, while and elevator descends to level 15, a shaft connects to level 16, and a single branching stair descends
to levels 15, 16, and 17.
===
I wrote lots of notes on the map itself, in two thicknesses of red ink,
and colored portions with blue pencil for water. Sometimes I wrote on areas
that are easy to miss/somewhat hard to read (i.e., parts of the black markering),
and sometimes with the map orientation changed (i.e., upside down). There's
also some truncated text thanks to the scanner's canvas size limits, and
I wrote some notes on the back, too. So, here they are, since I'm sure
they're not particularly legible in various places and/or my shorthand
may not be clear (I've had to puzzle on a few of these more than I had
thought I would when I took what I thought was going to be a short hiatus...).
I'll start on the back, since they help to contextualize the level in
my Castle Greyhawk (and for more context, see http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/gh_castle_grodog.html#levels):
- Entrances: chute from 13A
- Exits: 1) stairs down to 15/16/17; 2) elevator down to 15; 3) stairs down to 14B
- Both: 1) stairs down from 13A2; 2) stairs down from 13B2; 3) shaft between 14 and 16
Starting on the front, to orient, I grouped the level into seven primary areas, and I roughly outlined them on the map, too. They are, starting at the top right, and continuing clockwise:
- The Caverns
- West Central Core
- The Southern Core (the largest section on the map)
- Hidden Sub-Level (lower left)
- Maze
- East Central Core (center of the map, between the maze and West Central Core)
- The Northern Core
From the top, my notes proceed clockwise around the map:
- 12 o'clock, edge: note to right of levels diagram: "1 level: have parts
overlap and connections above and below"
- 12 o'clock, below above note: arrow pointing right and "stairs down" (slow
down toward caverns entrance); below that, with circles to left, and verging
into the caverns: "collapse" and "sinkhole/collapse --> insert
some rooms only reachable after dig through rubble (another observation room?)
- 12 o'clock, 2" down from top edge: a long corridor leading N reads "stairs
down = slope" (obviously I was unsure which to use Very Happy ), and a
thick red line 2" down fills in a corridor from the Northern Core to the
cavern access corridor, with an arrow pointing to it that reads "keep?"
- 12 o'clock, 5" down from top edge: a covered pit has an arrow leading
to a slide to an airshaft
- 1:00, edge: "expand caverns and make some really big ones" and
off of that I wrote "within caverns = depth too", and also off of
that = "caverns include shaft b/n 14 and 16" and "122 squares
across, 161 squares up/down" (my measurements for the level as drawn by
wheggi)
- 1:00, top right sixth: "The Caverns (glowing fungus)"; arrow extending
to right: "long corridor to sub-level";
- 2:30 at bottom of caverns area, text upside down: "observation room
overlooks Caverns---impossible to enter from here +/- DROP)"; i think
it says "drop" meaning that the observation area looks down into
the caverns, via a one-way/glassee effect of sorts; it may also say "DINOS" since
I was thinking of putting something worth watching in there :D )
- 3:00 @ edge, above fold: arrows pointing down and "down" = a down-sloping
corridor; directly inside from the edge and on the fold, at the stairs = "up,
to 13B2"; directly inside from that is a red square outlined = "shaft
[up arrow] ceiling"
- 3:00, in 3" from edge: "West Central Core"; to
- 3:30, at edge: more downslope corridors; then "deep pit" at covered
pit symbol then line then "pit with secret door?" and more downslope
arrows with "d" letters, ending in SE corner with "uber nasty
encounter"
- 3:30, in 2" from edge: "throne room" with an arrow pointing
to an X where the throne sits
* 4:00, in 2" from edge: "temple" and to the left of that "stairs
down to 14B", and to the left of that "chapel" with a line leading
to the SE corner that reads "temple & EHP"
- 5:00, in the lower left corner: "5 WM tables: N, S, C (with E and W
branches), Caverns, Maze"
- 5:30, up 2" from bottom edge: "parade ground/death arena/sacrifice
pits"; to the N between this and the chapel it says "balcony" twice,
with red lines to indicate where rooms overlook the arena/whatever area; below
and to the right of the sacrifice pits is a large 20' square trapdoor, with "sacrifice
posts" and an arrow pointing left which reads "slopes down",
and then two identical rooms to right which read "beasts (stasis?)"
- 6:00, to the left of the sacrifice pits: "cells" and the various
sets of dots indicate portcullises (portcullii?)
- 6:00, up 4" from bottom edge: "The Southern Core"; I added
lots of water here, and steps and landings to keep it from overwhelming the
entire area; several rooms are only accessible via water, though (and may flood
when opened, or not, don't know yet)
- 6:00, on bottom edge: various random notes: ""the Shifting Corridor"; "disappearing
arches & doors for access to hidden sections"; "Castle GH - Level
14?"; 1 square = 10'; "pits - with teleporters at bottom & secret
doors"
- 7:00, on bottom edge, below "Sub-Level hidden?" = "flooded?
cut? access via teleport only? -- passwall, cyclical?"
- 7:30, in lower left corner: "place above one of the central core areas"?
- 8:00, 3" in from left edge: "Maze/enter?" and to the left
of it appear two notes, one above the other: "stairs up?" along an
arrow pointing left, and (at the spiraling up stairs) "up to 13A2"
- 8:30, 4" in from left edge, just below the thick red maze area boundary: "mini-sub-level-like" and,
almost directly against "like" is the word "chapel?" for
the room with two rows of columns within it;
- 9:00, 5" in from left edge: just above the chapel is a 30' circular
room marked "Central Elevator/stair down shaft to 17", and the room
of many pillars above that reads "teleporter pillars?"; to the left
of that room
- 9:00, 2.5" in from left edge, just above the fold, in the center of
the maze: "© chute from 13th?"
- 9:00, 1" above fold, at left edge: several thick red S secret doors
are marked, and the left edge text scrolling up reads "maze doesn't connect
to main level"
- 9:30, 4" in from left edge: "recess the maze: [something I can't
read]/tall corridors"
- 9:30, 5" in from left edge, to the right of the recess comment above: "air?
airshaft" and to the right of that is an arrow marked "slide" pointing
into the shaft area
- 11:00, 2" in from left edge: "The Northern Core"; blue areas
= more water up here, too;
- 11:30, along top edge: "The Red Book of Henchmen" = I have no idea
what I wrote that for, perhaps too much red ink on my mind....
- 11:30, 1" down from top edge, at three circular 30' rooms in a row:
1st room reads "elevator to 15" (perhaps crossed out?) and then the
2nd room indicates "secret door only accessible when elevator is gone"
So, from here, I started to re-draw the map, which caused some map errors
for me as I miscounted and otherwise didn't always align things the way
they were in Wheggi's original. That took several evenings, and I only got
as far as about 1/6th of the level mapped, which is where I stopped last year.
I picked this up again in December 2007, and worked on the caverns area,
which I had originally thought would include a long corridor off to a "Lost
World" style sub-level, but that corridor turned
into an underground stream (which may still lead to a new sub-level), and
I decided to have two giant pylons act as gates to/from a Lost World demiplane/whatever
which the dinosaurs would traverse regularly. I also added some
new observation points; some rooms only accessible by crossing the sinkhole/chasm/hole; made
the funky divot just south of my first "3:00 entry" which mentions "down" into a pivoting secret door
providing alternating access to the two really good observation points (which can likely see the massive
gate, I think); made the pit further south from there into an open pit (depth as yet undecided, but likely
in excess of 60 feet); added some secret doors to the map; and generally re-architected and substantially
expanded the caverns themselves (including with the addition of another underground river, and large pool).
More will come, I hope, now that I've spent the time to pick this up again!
Wheggi: hopefully this'll be a fair homage to your Quilt Map, once I complete
it!
Dungeon Sub-Level 14A
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 400 feet; Average Monster Level 6-7, Highest 9-10.
Dungeon Sub-Level 14B
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 550 feet; Average Monster Level 6-7, Highest 9-10.
Dungeon Level 15
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 1250 feet; Average Monster Level 7, Highest 10.
Dungeon Sub-Level 15A
Level map doesnt exist; Average Monster Level
7-8, Highest 10.
Dungeon Sub-Level 15B
Level map doesnt exist; Average Monster Level
7-8, Highest 10.
Dungeon Level 16
Level map doesnt exist, and is total width of
about 1250 feet; Average Monster Level 7-8, Highest 10.
Dungeon Level 17
The level
map consists of one 11x17 sheet
of graph paper with 10 squares to the inch, looks like about 60 rooms,
and
is total
width
of about 1300 feet (this level is
tied with levels 2, 3, and 14 as the largest in the dungeon); Average Monster
Level 8, Highest 10-11*; connects to level 14 via a long stairwell, 15B
via a ramp, to level 15A
via a stairway, and to level 16 via a stairwell; secret tunnels connect this
level to the deeps of the drowic underworld
.
*11th level monsters were the uniques in my campaign: Fraz-Urbluu, Demogorgon, etc.
I planned many more demi-planes than I ever designed for play.
In the tradition of EX1 and EX2 (inspired by Lewis Carrol's Alice in
Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass) and WG6 (based on King
Kong), several of them are much more silly/strange than standard D&D fare, and most of
them are very deadly.
Here's a listing of the various places I've developed as
demi-planes; these are listed in a rough chronological order, though the listing is by no
means 100% sequentially accurate:
- Connections to Zagig's Mansion (grodog's version, similar to the Winchester Mystery House)
- The Hundred Acre Wood (Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, etc.;
a nicely small, self-enclosed demi-plane; with Bears in the Night - a mini
adventure/encounter tacked onto the Hundread Acre Wood where the PCs climb up Spook Hill)
- Peter Pan's pirate island (Barrie and the Disney film meet
Pirates of the Caribbean)
- H. G. Wells (perhaps as an add-on to Gamma World, crossed with
Sherlock Holmes/Neil Gaiman Neverwhere London)
- Narnia (warped perhaps by LaVey?)
- Clark Ashton Smith (Xothique, Hyperborea, Saturn, etc.)
- Michael Moorcock (with Hawkwind)
- Arabian Nights (a la the Banana Splits H&B cartoon, perhaps a
Banana Splits demi-plane, with the Three Musketeers too?)
- Scooby Doo
- Mythologies (Greek, Norse, Egypt, Faerie)
- Tolkien (Moria, the Shire, the Lonely Mountain, Dol Goldor,
Angband, Nargothrond, Gondolin, etc.)
- Neil Gaiman's works (Sandman, et al)
- Lilliput
- Shakespeare
- Willy Wonka (new monsters: Oompa Loompas, Wangdoodles,
Hornswagglers, Snozzwangers and rotten Vermicious Knids)
- Dr. Suess (a tour de-force of strangeness across a surreal
landscape peopled by the oddest creatures seen outside of a 3e MM [Etheral Filchers
anyone??])
- flooded levels = watery of course, perhaps allow river access
and/or access to Nyr Dyv?
- level with train/mine cart tracks that run throughout it = faster
movement within a level, therefore much easier to miss secret doors, can't map very well
at all, etc., since everyone's in a rush (conveyor belts may do the same thing, depending
on their speed)
- translucent walls level = filled with gelatinous cubes, invisible
stalkers, slithering trackers, skulks, etc.; the only non-clear/non-invisible creatures
there are powerful enough not to care if they're seen
- glassee, glassteel for walls/floors/ceiling
- some of the level is clear, most is translucent??
- central area and perhaps some sub-levels that's standard
walls/environment and/or blocked off by magical darkness; note: if PCs are
invisible, their light is still visible, even if the light source is not visible
- Assassin's Run-like sub-level within the dungeons??
- Treasure Tax thoughts (from my GH journal, reposted from PPP
boards):
Greyhawk City as a hive of scum and villainy during the treasure boom
(c. 560s-570s CY) = a locus for greed, apathy, free-market neutrality at its worst
- the fixers = those who are the nodes, the brokers, the team-makers = the real movers and
shakers
- the sponsor and patrons = the nobles, retired adventurers, master merchants, high
priest, guildsmen, etc.: they run teams against one another ("Lord Masten's
Men", etc.), and vie for the best team players and best targets/goals/prizes =
they'll often ambush one another within the dungeons, and sometimes are in cahoots with
the thieves guild to do so
Therefore, need multiple entrances into the Castle to be able to support this diverse
rivalry = some will opt to camp outside known approahes to the Castle to prevent others
from entering at all; therefore, these sponsors/etc. require a revolving herd of new facts
who are "unattached" and unknown as regulars, so that they can sneak by the
factions when they're in heat (so to speak)
Castle Exploration Tax = pay 1gp per head before PCs leave the city or you have to pay
more when cross Zagyg's Bridge, where guards are stationed; when exit, may also need to
report to special assessors before PCs reach the bridge garrison, or have to pay more then
too (25%?); assessors will ask PCs to declare goods found, if PCs fail to disclose
everything, then any extra found is forfeited to the city;
Magical Treasure Tax = targetted to adventurers specifically, the Treasure Tax is a flat
10% of all value from magical goods recovered (payable in coin only), and 15% of all
wealth/goods---all paid if treasure is recovered anywhere within the Domain of Greyhawk
In addition to all of the Castle Greyhawk lore I've codified
over the years (on my own, through Greytalk, and through information-exchange with other
like-minded Greyhawk geeks), I've found the following articles particularly useful in
aiding my dungeon design efforts:
Return to grodog's
Castle Greyhawk Archive.
Return to grodog's
Greyhawk.
Return to grodog's D&D.
Return to Imrryr.
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