Vats of Mazarin - Level 1 Key

I'll post a map once I have access to a scanner. Rehearsals and house work have prevented me from getting to the library lately. Actually, I might be able to scan right before rehearsal. We'll see.

With reguards to keying rooms, I've decided to go with a very minimalist format of 1 line of text per room. As you will see, I sometimes failed in that respect, but not often where unnecessary. 72 room, a wandering monster chart, and room at the bottom for notes on two pages isn't too wordy in my book.

For now, I've mostly stuck to B/X monsters. Mole Men are reskined kobolds, my white apes have four arms and likewise 4 attacks per round, and I've been reworking the AD&D water weird for my own purposes (e.i. making it extremely deadly).

Anyway, here's the Link for the Key. Enjoy.

Dungeon Cross Section

When one is trekking through the adventure of dungeon creation, one often looses sight of the goal. Playability and concept.

This weekend, I made just such as mistake by saying, "wouldn't it be cool to add in a dwarven fortress?" Yes, yes, it would. But does it really work when part of my original concept was to get rid of the standard D&D humanoid monsters? No, not really. Not only that, half of the fortress I had created was pure catacombs. And a hell of a lot of them. Cell after cell of dead, skeletal dwarves. When keying rooms, the total came up to 387 on a single sheet of paper. I hope you can appreciate my problem.

Well, last night, I went back to the drawing board. Literally. I got out my white board and started drawing cross sections. I decided to keep my wizard's lair, the Vats of Mazarin, for the first two levels (which I have also almost completely redone).

Before I get too far into explaining it, here's a rough estimation of what I came up with:

That should give you a rough idea of what the first 5/6 levels are going to look like.

The Vats of Mazarin (completed) - The lair of Mazarin, a long deceased magic-user. Level is generally inhabited by berserkers, vermin, oozes, mole men, and adventurers scavenging for loot.

The Observatory (currently working on) - More or less untouched, some serious hints as to what Mazarin was up to. Less monsters, more treasure than the Vats proper. A good find what anyone who figures out how to break inside.

The Shaft - Based on my previous megadungon, the shaft has many branching fun-house style sub-levels. Possibly the most varied section of the dungeon and a few hints (but not man) to its history. Many different types of monsters, adventurer, a rival group of berserkers, a section filled completely with plants, etc. Should be fun, but easy to pass by for those who would like to get at more of the meet of the megadungeon. Fun for games when not everyone can make it.


The Grottoes of the Lizard Men - Believing themselves to be the last surviving ancestors of the Snake Men, this tribe of lizard men have moved into these caves and besieged the Temple of the Snake Men in attempts to take for their own. Lead by a lizard-man Binder (5th level sorcerer).

Temple to the Snake Men - Built in centuries past, it has since then been home to a small tribe of unorganized and ignorant cultists. They are, however, not at war with the lizard men in the cavern above. Not only that, but a group of chaotic sorcerers on the surface has gotten wind of a Temple devoted to the extinct Snake Men in the region, which like contains many artifacts related to the lost art of sorcery. This group may well become the major villains in the campaign.

Upper Caves - Big, sprawling caves filled with barsoomian white apes and other monstrosities. Few adventurers except as random encounters. A portal to Barsoom here. Other than that I haven't given it too much though.

The Pyramid of Azerhotep - Magic-user of great power seeking immortality constructed this underground pyramid to protect his body which he put into a stasis. May be awakened by the PCs. Within this section, there are clues to an space station orbiting the planet, but no clear way to get there. Oh yeah, and a guy from L.A. or some other big modern day city. He's going to be here too.

Ancient City of the Snake Men - Came to the planet in search of knowledge concerning the Old Ones. I'm not sure exactly what's going to be here yet, but it's going to be awesome.

Beyond this are the lower caves, an enormous robotic fortress, the hall of portals, and other oddities for the characters to explore.

Magic-User Spell Book (Part 3)

[Continued from Magic-User Spell Books (Part 1), which deals with the drawback of spell books in B/X D&D and Magic-User Spell Books (Part 2), which presents a possible solution to those drawbacks.]

Magical research. A part of the game I always wish was more commonly taken advantage of. Sigh. Anyway, I promised a little more comprehensive rules for spell creation in B/X D&D, and here I am to deliver.

For me, there are five main factors in spell creation: quality of the research facility (usually a library), level of the magic-user, intelligence of the magic-user, level of the spell, and what spells the magic-user already knows.

Research Facility: A library, laboratory, or some other type of research facility is necessary to conduct magical research and develop a new spell. The amount of knowledge and the quality of apparatuses available determine the base chance of success. An independent magic-user's library typically gives a base chance between 10%-30% (5% per 25,000 gp spent on books and apparatuses), the local Mage's Guild library gives a base chance of 40%; the greatest library in the kingdom gives a base chance of 50%; the most extensive library on the continent gives a base chance of 60%. the best library in the world gives a base chance of 70%. If the library is located in a dungeon, 30% + 5% per dungeon level usually works out about right.

Level of the Magic-User: The magic-user's has a +5% chance per level of the magic-user or elf.

Intelligence: Add (or subtract) the magic-user's prime requisite bonus to experience points.

Level of the Spell: Subtract 10% per level of the spell being researched. 

Read Magic and Read Languages: Add +10% if the magic-user casts either Read Magic or Read Languages. Add +20% if both are cast.

Thus a second level magic-user with an intelligence of 13 in the local Mage's Guild Library with the read magic spell has a 55% to research a new first level spell. The same magic-use would have instead a 85% chance of researching such a spell with access to the greatest library in the world.

Cost and Time: The cost remains 1000 gp per spell level. Because of the typically increased chance of failure, the time requires is reduced to 1 week per attempt.

Magic-User Spell Books (Part 2)

[Continued from Magic-User Spell Books (Part 1)]

After a couple of months worth of pondering, I think I've finally decided how I want to work the acquisition of spells in B/X D&D. I'm going to try not to contradict the rule books, but instead add to them and fill in many of the blanks spots in the manuals.

Before I begin, here are the given circumstances I will be using as the basis of these house rules.

1. "Magic-users and elves are limited to the number of spells they know, and their books will contain spells equal to the number and level of spells the caster can use in a single day..." (X11)
2. "Most player character magic-users and elves are assumed to be part of the local Magic-Users Guild or apprenticed to a higher level NPC" (X11)
3. "When player characters gain a level of experience, they will return to their masters and be out of play for one 'game-week' while they are learning their new spells" (X11)
4. "Magic-users may add more spells to their spell books their spell research" (X7)
5. "Without [the read magic] spell unfamiliar magic may not be read or understood, even by a magic-user" (B17)
6. Read languages "will alow the caster to read...any unknown language or code, including treasure maps, secret symbols, and so forth" (B17)

Alright, now I can begin.

After attaining a new experience level, there are several ways magic-users and elves may expand their repertoire of spells: pursuing the spell library of the local Mage's Guild; apprenticing a higher level NPC; from an NPC's spell book; independent magic research; and, if all else fails, "luck".

Mage's Guild: At character creation, a magic-user or elf may spend 60GP to join the local mage's guild. Thereafter, it costs 600GP for an independent character to join. In either case, the magic-user or elf must pay an additional fee of 100GP per character level each "game month" to remain in the guild. In exchange, the character may purchase the necessary supplies for the creation of magic items and, more importantly, may peruses the guild library and enroll the help of a tutor when learning new spells. After attaining a new experience level, a member of the Mage's Guild may select level appropriate a spell(s) from the B/X rules books to learn.

Apprenticeship: At character creation a magic-user or elf may spend 40GP to apprentice a more experienced (5th-8th level) NPC magic-user or elf. The exact terms of the apprenticeship are left up to the DM, but usually involves the character spending one week each "game month" assisting his or her Master around the tower, preparing means, organizing tomes, feeding the grey ooze, etc. In exchange, the Master will teach the apprentice new spells each time the magic-user or elf character advances in level. The Master's spell list should be randomly determined from the B/X rulebook, but with a 10% chance of each spell being of the Master's own creation (a new spell of the DM's creation unavailable at the local Mage's Guild library).

NPC Spell Books: Any magic-user with the read magic spell may learn and copy down spells from spell book acquired while adventuring. There is a 20% chance of each spell being of the NPC magic-user's own creation, unavailable at the local magic-user's guild. Deciphering and recording a spell requires 1 day per level of the newly acquired spell. Generous DMs may even allow characters to record spells from appropriate spell scrolls in a similar manner.

Magical Research: As described on page X51, magical research requires 1,000 gp per spell level and 2 weeks of research per level with only a 15% chance of failure. For me these rules a little too simplistic and I will be providing alternative rules in Part 3 of this post.

Luck: Similar to the Mage's Guild method, but the character instead begs, borrows, or otherwise ascertains the knowledge of a randomly determined, level appropriate spell(s) from the B/X rulebooks at no cost. This is also the method used by first level magic-users and elves that do not purchase Mage's Guild membership or an Apprenticeship during character creation.

[Look for Part 3 tonight or tomorrow where I will discuss an alternative method for magical research]

Magic-User Spell Books in B/X (Part 1)

I guess I've been gone for a bit. Things are crazier than I thought they'd be. Oh well. That can't be helped some times.

[I've still been working on my mega-dungeon, ideas for which are still in pretty constant flux until they're put down in paper (and even then, not always). Such is the nature of the beast, I suppose. I've decided not to put too much emphasis on scrapping together the outside world until I've got an OK idea of where this dungeon is headed (about six different directions, as of now). But really, you guys don't care about that. Onwards to the real post.]

One of the most frustrating things about B/X D&D is the rules for magic-user spell books. They're just so hard to wrap my mind around fully and make magic-users very limited characters, especially at low levels. But for clarity's sake, here's the piece of I'd like to look at first:

"Each magic user and elf has a spell book for the spells that he or she has learned. A first level character will only have one spell (a first level spell) in the spell book. A second level character will have two spells (both first level) in the spell book; a third level character will have three spells (two first level spells and one second level spell) in the spell book. The DM may choose which spells a character has in the book, or may allow the player to select them."

So a magic-user has only so many spells in his spell book that he may cast. What does this mean, though? It means that sitting on your ass studying really isn't a viable way for a magic-user character to expand his repertoire. Once you're got the basics down (are a first level medium), you need need to get in there are start using your spells in a practical way to really understand the most advanced principles.

But if all of these spells are common enough for most magic-users to have 1st-level spells of the basic list of twelve in Moldvay; it's not like they're all being developed in parallel with one another. They're getting them from somewhere. For me, these are the spells so common that they can be found for little to no fee in just about any major city or from the local magic-user's guild of some sort. It also tells me that there is likely only a single major school or powerful guild in the region.

The Cook and Marsh expert set has only two short paragraphs dealing with spell research:

"New spells may be researched by any spell caster. Research requires both money and time spent out of the campaign.

"To research a spell, the new spell must be written out and given to the DM, who decides, if it is possible, what level is should be, and what changes ate needed for play balance. A play may not research spells higher than his character can cast. Spell research costs 1,000 gp per level and requires 2 weeks of research per level."

Two things strike me in this paragraph. First, "any spell caster" can research new spells, which I take as including clerics. Second, is that spell research has no chance of failure, unlike OD&D.

What isn't clear to me is whether a new spell researched by a magic-user still takes up one "slot" in his spell book. Because Moldvay and Cook/Marsh are quite clear about about how many spells a magic-user may have (only so many as the character may cast), I am inclined to say that, yes, they do take up room in the caster's spell book.

There are still many blanks left in the rules. Can a magic-user copy down a spell created by another magic-user? How does that work? Does the magic-user need to be there or is the spell book sufficient enough?

[In Part 2, I'll be discussing my own rules for magic-user spell books in B/X, which should be up sometime tomorrow or Saturday.]

Updates on Dungeon Level 1

I haven't gotten to work on my new dungeon as much as I would like. Yesterday morning was spent studying for midterms (the whole double major in four years is a bit of a pain due to summer classes) and finishing up  editing Dragons at Twilight. With those out of my hair, all I have to worry about is finishing up memorizing lines for our production of As You Like It, learning the keyboard part for 7 songs in the show, and finalizing/cementing the fight choreography with the rest of the actors. Should leave plenty of time for dungeon-writing, right?

Regardless of time constraints, I've made some good progress. The first dungeon level is mapped, nearly keyed, wandering monster tables written, and parts of the second level have begun falling into place.

The theme I've gone for in the first level is a number of different sentient monsters competing for control of the dungeon complex. Mole Men, Berserkers,  Dwarves, and a small battalion of stunted (read, dwarven) skeletons.

I ended up going with a clan of berserkers as the ones inhabiting the abandoned lair of the Snake-Men cult. The insane dwarves will be part of 3, and the Lizard Men who believe themselves to be the oldest ancestors of the Snake Men have been pushed down to level 2. The berserekers are scared to death of the temple self, but the chieftain has insisted on the location due to its defensible position. Mutiny is not entirely unlikely.

One thing that I'm noticing is that I need more treasure on the first level. I've still got some empty rooms to work with (but I like empty rooms), but need to double the contents of the nearby treasure troves. Level 2 is going to be about three times larger, so I'm not worried about having this problem in the future. Likely, I'll end up going back through and increasing the treasures thus far collected by the berserkers and inserting some gems to the eye statues and the like. Although, I do need another good Saturday Night Special for this level. Hopefully it will involve loads of treasure.

I'll finished up level 1 tomorrow and hopefully get to work on the second level, too.

Beginning Work on Dungeon Level 1

So I've begun work on my Megadungeon (currently unnamed) and have a few more thoughts on Minaria.

Instead of trying trying to get a full concept nailed down before starting this morning, I decided to jump right into the mapping. And boy am I glad. I only have about 30 rooms and hardly any of them are keyed, but I've been thinking in chunks rather than specifics, for now.

The main adversity is currently a clan of mole men (reskinned kobolds) who maintain and repair the dungeon. They are the once who reset traps, are commissioned to build new constrictions, make sure the dungeon doesn't fall into general disarray, etc.

There is also an abandoned shrine to the Carcosian Snake-Men, the original creators of the dungeon's lower (although not lowest) levels. For whatever reason, the cultist-archeologists have relocated to elsewhere within the complex. What remains of their lair will be inhabited by some other type of sentient creature (yet to be decided), as it is a very defensible choke point. Some options I'm considering are a rival cult, a tribe of Lizard Men who believe themselves to be the last living ancestors of the Snake-Men, or a clan in insane dwarves driven mad by an artifice of the lower levels.

The most terrifying monster I've placed to far is a white ape (as per Moldvay, but with 4 attacks instead of two--cause my white apes will always have four arms) that guards the passage down to the fourth level, which is very easy to access through the central shaft. I wanted a main passage down towards the middle levels of the dungeon that could be quickly accessed, but also some warning (the white ape) of what waits beyond. That way higher level characters  aren't forced to keep trekking through the same sections of the dungeon in every expedition.

As far an Minaria is concerned, I've decided that the small numbers are the bottom of the major cities/castles is an indication of relative influence and military strength. Also, I'll likely be remaining Elfland to something a bit more pulpy, such as Erithol or Artaina.