Each week I will be posting my progress in creating the dungeon, NPCs, lore, and the surrounding area. My version of #Dungeon23 is to make progress every day. Most days that will mean a room description or using a dice drop to generate a floor or section of the dungeon. Other days will include adding lore, NPC, and other descriptions needed to fill out the document to my satisfaction. The blog post each week will be a copy-and-paste directly from my google doc. My hope is to show how this dungeon and area evolves over the year.

**for the original post on Dungeon23 see the post on Sean McCoy’s blog https://seanmccoy.substack.com/p/dungeon23

**for a list of resources for Dungeon23 see https://itch.io/blog/462261/dungeon23-resources

A Promise of Ancient Power: the Hunt for Endbringer

Deep in the Kyusoku Mesa hides the ancient vault of ‘Vaelving Gamles’ which holds a fabled warhammer with the power to unite the local tribes. A deep scar carves a wedge into the middle of the mesa. A lush jungle covers the scar and other portions of the mesa. The rest is an unforgiving desert. The tribes of the Resu’suteppu have called this area home for centuries.

The ancient vault was built centuries ago by the local stone giants to protect (and hide) their most sacred possessions. Long after the giants abandoned the vault local tribes of elves used parts of the upper floors as an emergency shelter in times of need. Most recently it has been the focus of a foreign War Priest (with claims of local blood) to find the fabled warhammer Endbringer, and unite, and rule, the tribes of the mesa once and for all. 

Hook: A retired general is hiring adventurers to map the halls of Vaelving Gamles.

Hook: A foreign War Priest is paying anyone who brings them magic items from the depths of the vault.

The town of Unrock provides many accommodations for the locals and the many adventurers that pass through the region.

Topside provides more goods and services to the area and is more affluent than Unrock.

General Features

Being made by giants the dungeon has the following features unless otherwise noted.

Ceilings.

Doors.

Walls.

Floors.

Light.

Wandering Monsters.

The Giant Archway, Vkhod Arku, Floor 1

1. The Vkhod Arku

A giant archway built into the mesa holds an alcove that nature re-claimed long ago. Faded murals dedicated to the giant god Annam All-Father. Small scripts in ancient elvish provide directions beyond the stone doors. Two giant-sized stone doors require a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check to open. There is a chance this room is occupied. 1d6: 1d4 kobolds and 1 giant goat; 1d4 kobolds; 1 giant goat; nothing; Spy, Priest, Knight fighting 1d4 kobolds; Spy, Priest, Knight resting after a bad fight.

2. Armory

Rotten wood, cobwebs, and rusted weapons lie scattered around. More elven writing marks the two doors. The south corner of the room ceiling has collapsed causing the floor to rise to a ledge in the corner. In the north corner, Goblins and Kobolds are fighting each other over some treasure. In the south corner of the room, a Goblin Boss and a couple Goblins are harrying an adventurer perched on the ledge protecting a large chest. The Scout cries for help as soon as they see the characters. Treasure. 210 sp, 80 gp, black velvet mask, gold vestments, potion of climbing, dust of dryness, and a key to the stairwell in room 4.

3. Antechamber

The floor is partially collapsed in the southeast corner. Several Kobolds are attempting to dig through to access a room 4 floors below. They rigged an old well to be a hidden pit trap that fills with poisoned water over 1 minute. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check discerns an absence of foot traffic over the section of the floor that forms the pit’s cover.

4. Main Stairwell

This main stairwell room was originally used as a staging area for going deeper into the vault. Touching any of the small doors causes the character to take 1d10 poison damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. There is a chance this room is occupied. 1d6: goblins, empty, kobolds, empty, adventurers, empty. 

5. Guard Room

The heavy stone door is slightly ajar. Once used as a base for the guards of the vault now the room serves as a camp for adventurers. Written on the wall are instructions on how to seal the room from the inside for safety. An almost empty wooden cask holds travel rations and waterskins. Attached inside is a parchment with dates written on it indicating when the rations were last restocked.

6. Empty Vault

The secret door to this chamber was found long ago and was fully pillaged shortly after. All that remains are scraps of broken storage and furniture that have been used here over the centuries. There is a chance that the room is occupied. 1d6: goblins, empty, empty, empty, empty, kobolds.

7. Fake Barracks

This chamber is set up like a small barracks but is a trap to thwart intruders. As soon as the characters enter the room scything blades emerge from the ceiling and walls. DC 11 to detect the trap and the same DC to disable the trap via a panel in the doorway. Each creature in the doorway must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5 (1d10) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A mimic disguises itself as a fancy door with no traps. The room guards a chest containing a bag of gems (tiger eye, 2 rhodochrosite, 3 moss agate, malachite, lapis lazuli, 3 hematite, and azurite), a scroll of greater restoration, a scroll of protection (undead), and a potion of frost giant strength. 

Appendix

NPCs

Spy, Priest, Knight

Adventuring group that can be found from time to time in the vault or general area. 

Scout

Adventurer lost from her party.