Below is an attempt at creating a random underground adventure framework that escalates and would move you towards your eventual locations. The charge is very much inspired by the Angry DM’s blog post on Abstract Dungeoneering.
A Work in Progress
I’ve been kicking around a conversion of Wolfgang Baur’s “Kingdom of Ghouls” from Dungeon #70. It is a fantastic 2nd edition adventure that I’ve thought about running on occasion. Instead of True Ghoul, I’ve opted for Ghöl as it simply looks better.
I’ve created some of the monsters (i.e. the Ghöls, Drider, and Ichtha-Gogs (a deep one type race with fish heads)) but haven’t given them much of a spin. Coordinating a game day and travel work against me actually playing games.
Legend
- d❖ – Roll Adventure Dice
- d☮ – Roll Adventure Dice and consult Refugees/”Allies” table
- d☯ – Roll Adventure Dice (Larger die ≥ smaller then unfavorable result; Otherwise favorable)
| Roll | d❖ – Location | d❖ – Event | d☮ – Refugees/”Allies” |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Narrow passage way | Transition to Surface | Human |
| 2 | Wide passage way | Evacuees [d☮] | Dwarf |
| 3 | Honeycombed small caverns | Tunnel collapse! | Deep Gnome |
| 4 | Wide passage way | Hidden cache of supplies [d☮] | Deep Gnome |
| 5 | Narrow passage way | Treacherous vapors | Deep Gnome |
| 6 | Honeycombed small caverns | Holed up, and unlikely allies [2d☮] | Deep Gnome |
| 7 | Wide passage way | Transition to Glimmerfell | Dark Elf |
| 8 | Large cavern | Recent Skirmish [d☮+d☯] | Dark Elf |
| 9 | Honeycombed small caverns | Haunted location [d☮+d☯] | Dark Elf |
| 10 | Dried river bed | Ghöl scouts | Dark Elf |
| 11 | Large cavern | Bubbling spring [d☯] | Duegar |
| 12 | Fungal grove | Transition to Sunless Sea | Duegar |
| 13 | Dried river bed | Transition to Sunken Library | Duegar |
| 14 | Underground lake | Ghöl border garrison (captives [d☮]) | Duegar |
| 15 | Fungal grove | Skirmish in progress [d☮ & Ghöls, d☯] | Troglodyte |
| 16 | Petrified forest | Shattered City [d☮] | Troglodyte |
| 17 | Large cavern | Ghöl platoon on the march | Troglodyte |
| 18 | Honeycombed small caverns | Transition to Ghölheim | Troglodyte |
| 19 | Wide passage way | Slavers [d☮] | Kuo-toan |
| 20 | Narrow passage way | Despoiled graveyard [d☮] | Kuo-toan |
| 21 | Dried river bed | Vein of rare metals | Kuo-toan |
| 22 | Petrified forest | Ghöl Emperor on the move | Kuo-toan |
Adventure Dice Advancement
- d4 – (begin here)
- d6
- d4+d6
- d4+d8
- d6+d8
- d6+d10
- d8+d10
- d8+d12
- d10+d12
Are they “pressing on”; Step up Adventure Dice (d4 → d6)
Are they “retreating”; Step down Adventure Dice (d6+d8 → d4+d8)
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