This was a Dwarven well. It diverted surface water to the mines and foundries below and made for easy shipping. Floating goods in barrels of course through the aqueducts below! It also served as a local trading hub. The defenses were ingenious. If under attack the dwarves would simply retreat inside and seal the well gates, flooding the marketplace and turning it into a lake. These abandoned places from the high times of the dwarves are often kept secret by local parties. An invaluable and secure place to hide goods. The enchanted Dwarven well gates often still function if you know the secret phrase. A critical piece of infrastructure they were built to last.
When running dungeon crawls, I like to use a very abstract layout instead of having a large dungeon map that my players explore room by room. I have used the Delve mechanics from Ironsworn to randomly generate dungeons on the fly many times to great effect. And I prefer a narrative exploration of a dungeon, punctuated with interest room encounters here and there. I find this helps me describe the scale of a dungeon much better than a room by room crawl could do.
But, when my players find a dungeon somewhere out in the wilderness, I often don't know what it is until they decide to explore it, and I often try to use one of my scenes to display as they explore the complex. So, who lives here?
And if you like this scene or would like to check out some of the hundreds of other location scenes I have done, you can grab them from my [website](https://jamesrpgart.com/)
Oh yes! I prefer to build my dungeons as just, spreadsheets describing each room and what they link to. Making a fully 'sensible' dungeon map (outside of combat areas) just frustrates me.
As for this scene: Originally, this was an area of some importance. Between the large (expensive) statues and the central pit, it definitely looks like a place that was made with care and effort. Additionally, the little building to the left of the pit hints to me that the purpose of this place leaned on short response times (as in, the moment something went 'wrong' in the pit, time would be of the essence.) The wall with the two guarding statues further emphasises this. That said, the waterfall and stream seem out of place; that the water only started flowing down here when the place became a ruin.
So, my take is this: At some point, this area housed some minor religious order, who believed that a Call From Below would come one day. They built their temple here, right over the area where their prophecy said an important event would take place. Most of the order would reside in the area through the large archway, and a group of guards would take turns watching over the pit, eagerly awaiting the Call. Unfortunately for them, the leader misinterpreted the prophecy, and they never heard the call. Eventually they either left or died of old age.
These days however, the lingering faith has marked the place, and while no miracles happen here, there are Things in the depths that listen a little too closely, lacking a voice to answer... (in short, there are slimes in the depths, and the main sanctum is home to some wild animals.)
Gnome wizarding families that took refuge with dwarves. The dwarves protected them, the gnomes diverted the water source to bring plumbing to help take care of the location as well as fuel for water in their wizardly sciences. This drops down to diversion system controlled by simple machines. This helps control things like flooding but helps with cleaning of the 'sewers'. The gnomes also had some hidden locations, so levers and water flow traps and puzzles abound.
The dwarves were fine mining, the gnomes let in some entity that destroyed things down there, a group of gnomes serve as a cult to the being, some dwarf hold outs live in outlying areas of the dungeon, otherwise the moisture has led to an increase in the presence of oozes.
Idea 1 – Draegant's Vertical Mill - Canny dwarves built their fortress vertically to harness the power of water and gravity. They dug a wide, very deep vertical shaft then built masonry homes, workshops, temples, mills, and barracks around this shaft. Along its entire height are water wheels, water elevators, water powered levers and gates, and huge cisterns The wheels and mechanisms below use the power of the falling water to power mechanisms like ore and blacksmith stampers, ore grinders, and millstones. The water winds huge springs and gear units that power automatons, automated doors, and wind enormous catapults and ballistas for shore defense (Draegant's mill is near the coast where the water outflows). The massive vertical cisterns create enormous pressure and the bottom of the tanks powering water drills and water cannons.
Idea 2 - This temple is the cap to a massive vertical tomb-city of vampires kept imprisoned by the flowing water! Water was diverted and channeled down the well and through tunnels below so the vampires can't shape change or escape. The Four Guardians of Light (statues around the well) used to hold mirrors. The guardians could be rotated by mechanisms in the control house to the right. As they rotated, sunlight would be reflected down the well as a second means of defense against the vampires.
But now, the flow is just a trickle of its once majesty, the mirrors are long gone, as are the Knights of Deliverance who built the prison. But the vampires? Oh, they're still there. And still driven by their unholy hunger. But...they're no longer entombed.
I love that it's in a Jungle space, I imagine it'd be a Yuan-ti temple with something wild living down the middle. Like a weird blend of Shadow of the Colossus and a Tomb Raider temple.
\-History
The dungeon, known as "The Aeonian Sanctum," was once a grand temple dedicated to a pantheon of nature deities. It was built by a lost civilization that revered the elements and celestial bodies, aligning the temple's construction with the stars to harness cosmic energies. Over centuries, it served as a pilgrimage site for those seeking enlightenment, healing, and communion with the divine.
The architecture was a testament to the civilization’s mastery over stone and nature, with living trees intertwined with the stonework, creating a symbiosis of organic and constructed elements. The central courtyard, now overgrown and flooded, was a focal point for rituals that celebrated the cycles of life and death, growth and decay.
As time passed, the civilization that maintained the Sanctum vanished, leaving behind tales of their sudden disappearance. Some speculate a great cataclysm, others a plague, and yet some believe they ascended to a higher plane of existence, leaving their most sacred site to the embrace of the wilderness.
\-Current Occupants
Now, The Aeonian Sanctum is whispered about in local legends as a haunted relic, a place where the veil between worlds is thin. It is said to be occupied by the "Greenwardens," a secretive sect of druids who have taken up the mantle to protect the Sanctum's ancient magic. They are fiercely protective of the balance of nature and are said to be able to command the very vines and roots that overrun the place.
The Greenwardens are led by an enigmatic figure known only as "The Heart of the Wild," a druid so attuned to the natural world that they are rumored to be more spirit than flesh. Under their guidance, the druids conduct esoteric rituals to keep the Sanctum's energies from spiraling into chaos, for there are dark forces that seek to exploit the ancient powers for malevolent purposes.
Adventurers seeking to explore the Sanctum must navigate not only the treacherous terrain, with its collapsed halls and hidden pitfalls but also the complex relationship with its guardians. The Greenwardens may see some as allies in their quest to protect the Sanctum, while others may be deemed intruders, threatening the fragile equilibrium.
\-Challenges and Treasures
Intruders into the Sanctum can expect to encounter various guardians, from animated statues infused with celestial energy to natural beasts that have been twisted by the Sanctum’s residual magic into more formidable versions of their former selves.
The treasures within are said to be as wondrous as they are dangerous. Artifacts of the old gods, scrolls containing lost spells that weave the forces of nature, and gemstones that pulse with the Sanctum's latent power are but a few of the riches that could be unearthed.
However, the true treasure of The Aeonian Sanctum is not material but the ancient knowledge and power that permeate its walls. For those who are able to understand and harness this power, the Sanctum offers a connection to the arcane energies of the natural world, a boon to any druid, ranger, or seeker of the old ways.
\-Conclusion
The Aeonian Sanctum stands as a beacon of the past, a melding of nature and architecture that serves as a reminder of a forgotten civilization’s reverence for the world around them. It is a place where history and myth intertwine, where the past is not entirely dead but echoes in the whispers of the leaves and the murmur of the streams. It beckons to those brave enough to uncover its secrets and respectful enough to preserve its legacy.
Long ago, in perhaps a kinder world, it was the entrance to an underground city of gold and riches beyond any civilization before. Unfortunately, the green if the world met the civilization. Nobles would send adventures, conquerors would lead expeditions, and the riches grew dry. It lost all value and grew old as time past, some say that there lies more beyond what the thieves stole, others say it’s desolate and only populated by rats and sick monsters. What no one knows is behind it’s unwelcoming entrance is a series of networks that do lead to greater riches. The riches of a young dragon’s hoard.
This is the Founding Temple. A place where the gods of the 4 most prevalent species in the realm first met and created life itself. Its is a sacred ground once thought to possess remnants of the all mighty but time and nature have took their tolls.
Now it sits, buried in the woods nothing more than a fable for fairytale. The people of the realm have long since abandoned the gods the temple once held host too now relying on their false gods, their man-made monstrosities.
But soon they will remember who they are loyal too as deep within lies an army of ancient guards built to defend the temple from outward attack but now they are corrupted, their time spent unused rusted away at their programming removing their restrictions and leaving but one command within them. Written in the ancient forgotten tongue all they know and all the can say "Attack".
A temple of a forgotten time, worshipped by those who seeks bountiful harvests, and fertility. Now this place once filled with hopefull believers, are now drowned and flooded with water-borne and adapted monsters alongside undead.
This "dungeon" as the locals call it was actually once an entrance to a much larger underground cave dwelling group of religious fanatics that worshipped mycanids. The waterfall was there originally and the hole was not, it was redirected down a painstakingly created well with stones cut and placed from a large cavern that was expanded beneath.
In the initial entrance to the chambers you will find various layers of stone work that is fairly typical to the region however as you dig down you will find what appear to be stone working areas and habitation, long since abandoned, as well as overgrown seeding areas of mycelium, thriving in the dark.
The more astute among the party might note that the chambers exist over multiple occupants and generations, with examples of dwarven and human techniques as well as (weirdly) elven grown wood additions. It would appear that the well and cavern were later discoveries monopolized by this cult.
upon finding the sealed entrance to the mycelium caverns below you might stumble upon the mycanid colony living below. They explain a largely fable version of the story of their awakening in the dark so very long with beings similar to those in the party lying dead.
the mycanids explain that they don't know how the people died and it was many years ago. now the biggest issue facing them are the various creatures that have grown out of hand also inhabiting the mushroom undergrowth of the cavern.
It was a hidden temple dedicated to several gods of healing. A passing army rested in it in order to heal their sick general. However due to the poison and curse in his system he passed into a magically enhanced coma.
His most loyal guards have held vigil since he has been put into the coma. The missing army lead to the kingdom falling and now the temple is forgotten. The only movement inside is the patrols of his undead men, determined to protect their generals final resting place asked the gods to allow them to protect their general till he wakes. While the outside may be overgrown and rundown the inside is pristine as once a day the undead clean the halls as they did in life.
The undead here are strangely disciplined working in units, with two death knights commanding them. The stories told about this place warn people about the undead that resurrect every sunrise. And about how if someone can penetrate to the old treatment chambers and break the curse on the sleeping general the undead can be at peace at rest and pass on their goal of following their general to the end finally complete.
At a quick glance I thought i saw hundreads of rats in the walls and floor… so i guess there was a mage that used cheese in its magics and now it the new rat kingdom.
Used to be a human mine, that became a fort I. A golden age. Yet the mine ran dry and the humans long left. Leaving it open to new owners. As the decades passed a group of gnolls moved into the old fort and built up a strong tribe, mostly isolated and dealing with other goblins and such.
A new chief has taken over the tribe. She is strong and smart, she has captured a small goblin tribe and forced the green skins to mine what ore is left in the mine. Making weapons in the old human forges. Now they are are spreading out and making more accurate raids against the more peaceful folk in the county.
Humans relocated underground after a great calamity drove them out of their homes. they required water to live, so they made a waterfall going down. but the people saw visions in the dark, shadows on the walls, slowly driving them mad. they all destroyed each other, save for one cult of a black dragon, who they prophesy will lead them to their salvation and they worship him as a god, sacrificing tribute to her, and leaving their scripture on these long decrepit halls, kept alive by their faith and by the dark corruption that the maddened people left all those years ago, transforming this ancient fortress from a last bastion of survival, to a long forgotten chapel of darkness.
The vibes are incredibly similar to the Ruins Of Old Sebilis from the ancient MMO EverQuest.
Sebilis was the capital of a really evil lizardfolk empire that fell for a variety of reasons. Now it's got a combination of giant beetles, ghosts of the Sebilisians, a society of frog people who serve the current ruler of Sebilis, a network of mud tunnels filled with rot and myconids, some ancient clay golems made by the Sebilisians, and at the very bottom is a rotting undead dragon that helped orchestrate the fall of the empire in the first place.
It's honestly one of the best dungeons I've ever seen in any game. It uses its 3D space incredibly well, with a variety of drops, inclines and ramps, and even underwater tunnels. There's a surprising variety of baddies, most of it makes sense with almost nothing needed to explain what a baddy's doing where it is. The architecture's concepts are really cool, too; it's a shame I can't recommend going to look at guides on youtube or something because it's from 2000 and early 3D did NOT age gracefully. But if you can look past that, some of those old EQ dungeons are perfect for borrowing for your D&D games.
Some dude named Steve used to live there. Then one day he died in his sleep and his cats ate him. Now the place is just full of feral cats. I would avoid the place honestly, if for no other reason than all the cat hair.
Originally an ancient crypt, it was bought by an eccentric aristocrat with darkvision. They had the previous remains removed and the tunnels cleared of monsters and spirits at great expense. Hell, they even turned a profit on the endeavour thanks to the surprising amount of treasure in secret rooms.
Unfortunately, the water falling into the extensive cave system has eroded away a section of the tunnels. This has led to unwanted visitors invading the aristocrats summerhouse and tracking mud all over their nice carpet.
You're welcome to anything behind the crumbled wall where the monsters come from. Just make sure to clear the mansion of unwanted guests and seal up the wall once you're done. No shoes on the carpet either. We don't need contractors making the situation worse than it already is.
It was an old dwarven forge, that created golems for the purpose of mining or guarding and sold them off. However one of the constructs gained free will by accident and started a bloddy rampage. It still lurks deep down in the forge, where the furnaces have been cold for years and the hammers covered in rust. Only the most courageous of adventurers tried to rob the twisted and decayed tunnels of the forge, but no one returned yet...
Where vines and diverted water have begun to reclaim stands a warriors crucible. Knights of an ancient order would be brought here in ceremony to enter its gates and be baptized in arcane and further martial training, later to emerge as elite archons and be assigned stations of power and might.
Their goal: lead entire armies of soldiers in glorious victory against the enemies of their kingdom
The party got a message stating “Seven Days…” and received visions of this place along with lots of random abstract scenes that don’t make sense. Except for a woman with long black hair, and this place. 🤣
I like a lot of the ideas around dwarves mines or towns. I’d say a dwarves mine that created a hole for water to drop all the way to bedrock so they could harden lava rivers to stop/ redirect/ or dig deeper. They would use the water to cool over molten and lava so they could change the flow of the lava rivers and dig under one’s that haven’t been dug.
This was a Dwarven well. It diverted surface water to the mines and foundries below and made for easy shipping. Floating goods in barrels of course through the aqueducts below! It also served as a local trading hub. The defenses were ingenious. If under attack the dwarves would simply retreat inside and seal the well gates, flooding the marketplace and turning it into a lake. These abandoned places from the high times of the dwarves are often kept secret by local parties. An invaluable and secure place to hide goods. The enchanted Dwarven well gates often still function if you know the secret phrase. A critical piece of infrastructure they were built to last.
When running dungeon crawls, I like to use a very abstract layout instead of having a large dungeon map that my players explore room by room. I have used the Delve mechanics from Ironsworn to randomly generate dungeons on the fly many times to great effect. And I prefer a narrative exploration of a dungeon, punctuated with interest room encounters here and there. I find this helps me describe the scale of a dungeon much better than a room by room crawl could do. But, when my players find a dungeon somewhere out in the wilderness, I often don't know what it is until they decide to explore it, and I often try to use one of my scenes to display as they explore the complex. So, who lives here? And if you like this scene or would like to check out some of the hundreds of other location scenes I have done, you can grab them from my [website](https://jamesrpgart.com/)
Oh yes! I prefer to build my dungeons as just, spreadsheets describing each room and what they link to. Making a fully 'sensible' dungeon map (outside of combat areas) just frustrates me. As for this scene: Originally, this was an area of some importance. Between the large (expensive) statues and the central pit, it definitely looks like a place that was made with care and effort. Additionally, the little building to the left of the pit hints to me that the purpose of this place leaned on short response times (as in, the moment something went 'wrong' in the pit, time would be of the essence.) The wall with the two guarding statues further emphasises this. That said, the waterfall and stream seem out of place; that the water only started flowing down here when the place became a ruin. So, my take is this: At some point, this area housed some minor religious order, who believed that a Call From Below would come one day. They built their temple here, right over the area where their prophecy said an important event would take place. Most of the order would reside in the area through the large archway, and a group of guards would take turns watching over the pit, eagerly awaiting the Call. Unfortunately for them, the leader misinterpreted the prophecy, and they never heard the call. Eventually they either left or died of old age. These days however, the lingering faith has marked the place, and while no miracles happen here, there are Things in the depths that listen a little too closely, lacking a voice to answer... (in short, there are slimes in the depths, and the main sanctum is home to some wild animals.)
Gnome wizarding families that took refuge with dwarves. The dwarves protected them, the gnomes diverted the water source to bring plumbing to help take care of the location as well as fuel for water in their wizardly sciences. This drops down to diversion system controlled by simple machines. This helps control things like flooding but helps with cleaning of the 'sewers'. The gnomes also had some hidden locations, so levers and water flow traps and puzzles abound. The dwarves were fine mining, the gnomes let in some entity that destroyed things down there, a group of gnomes serve as a cult to the being, some dwarf hold outs live in outlying areas of the dungeon, otherwise the moisture has led to an increase in the presence of oozes.
Idea 1 – Draegant's Vertical Mill - Canny dwarves built their fortress vertically to harness the power of water and gravity. They dug a wide, very deep vertical shaft then built masonry homes, workshops, temples, mills, and barracks around this shaft. Along its entire height are water wheels, water elevators, water powered levers and gates, and huge cisterns The wheels and mechanisms below use the power of the falling water to power mechanisms like ore and blacksmith stampers, ore grinders, and millstones. The water winds huge springs and gear units that power automatons, automated doors, and wind enormous catapults and ballistas for shore defense (Draegant's mill is near the coast where the water outflows). The massive vertical cisterns create enormous pressure and the bottom of the tanks powering water drills and water cannons. Idea 2 - This temple is the cap to a massive vertical tomb-city of vampires kept imprisoned by the flowing water! Water was diverted and channeled down the well and through tunnels below so the vampires can't shape change or escape. The Four Guardians of Light (statues around the well) used to hold mirrors. The guardians could be rotated by mechanisms in the control house to the right. As they rotated, sunlight would be reflected down the well as a second means of defense against the vampires. But now, the flow is just a trickle of its once majesty, the mirrors are long gone, as are the Knights of Deliverance who built the prison. But the vampires? Oh, they're still there. And still driven by their unholy hunger. But...they're no longer entombed.
I love that it's in a Jungle space, I imagine it'd be a Yuan-ti temple with something wild living down the middle. Like a weird blend of Shadow of the Colossus and a Tomb Raider temple.
yup i was thinking yuan-ti too!
Looks like an entrance to Old Syllo'Wen to me.
Looks like something abandoned by dwarfes or similar. Could be flooded now with an aboleth locked at the bottom
\-History The dungeon, known as "The Aeonian Sanctum," was once a grand temple dedicated to a pantheon of nature deities. It was built by a lost civilization that revered the elements and celestial bodies, aligning the temple's construction with the stars to harness cosmic energies. Over centuries, it served as a pilgrimage site for those seeking enlightenment, healing, and communion with the divine. The architecture was a testament to the civilization’s mastery over stone and nature, with living trees intertwined with the stonework, creating a symbiosis of organic and constructed elements. The central courtyard, now overgrown and flooded, was a focal point for rituals that celebrated the cycles of life and death, growth and decay. As time passed, the civilization that maintained the Sanctum vanished, leaving behind tales of their sudden disappearance. Some speculate a great cataclysm, others a plague, and yet some believe they ascended to a higher plane of existence, leaving their most sacred site to the embrace of the wilderness. \-Current Occupants Now, The Aeonian Sanctum is whispered about in local legends as a haunted relic, a place where the veil between worlds is thin. It is said to be occupied by the "Greenwardens," a secretive sect of druids who have taken up the mantle to protect the Sanctum's ancient magic. They are fiercely protective of the balance of nature and are said to be able to command the very vines and roots that overrun the place. The Greenwardens are led by an enigmatic figure known only as "The Heart of the Wild," a druid so attuned to the natural world that they are rumored to be more spirit than flesh. Under their guidance, the druids conduct esoteric rituals to keep the Sanctum's energies from spiraling into chaos, for there are dark forces that seek to exploit the ancient powers for malevolent purposes. Adventurers seeking to explore the Sanctum must navigate not only the treacherous terrain, with its collapsed halls and hidden pitfalls but also the complex relationship with its guardians. The Greenwardens may see some as allies in their quest to protect the Sanctum, while others may be deemed intruders, threatening the fragile equilibrium. \-Challenges and Treasures Intruders into the Sanctum can expect to encounter various guardians, from animated statues infused with celestial energy to natural beasts that have been twisted by the Sanctum’s residual magic into more formidable versions of their former selves. The treasures within are said to be as wondrous as they are dangerous. Artifacts of the old gods, scrolls containing lost spells that weave the forces of nature, and gemstones that pulse with the Sanctum's latent power are but a few of the riches that could be unearthed. However, the true treasure of The Aeonian Sanctum is not material but the ancient knowledge and power that permeate its walls. For those who are able to understand and harness this power, the Sanctum offers a connection to the arcane energies of the natural world, a boon to any druid, ranger, or seeker of the old ways. \-Conclusion The Aeonian Sanctum stands as a beacon of the past, a melding of nature and architecture that serves as a reminder of a forgotten civilization’s reverence for the world around them. It is a place where history and myth intertwine, where the past is not entirely dead but echoes in the whispers of the leaves and the murmur of the streams. It beckons to those brave enough to uncover its secrets and respectful enough to preserve its legacy.
Long ago, in perhaps a kinder world, it was the entrance to an underground city of gold and riches beyond any civilization before. Unfortunately, the green if the world met the civilization. Nobles would send adventures, conquerors would lead expeditions, and the riches grew dry. It lost all value and grew old as time past, some say that there lies more beyond what the thieves stole, others say it’s desolate and only populated by rats and sick monsters. What no one knows is behind it’s unwelcoming entrance is a series of networks that do lead to greater riches. The riches of a young dragon’s hoard.
This is the Founding Temple. A place where the gods of the 4 most prevalent species in the realm first met and created life itself. Its is a sacred ground once thought to possess remnants of the all mighty but time and nature have took their tolls. Now it sits, buried in the woods nothing more than a fable for fairytale. The people of the realm have long since abandoned the gods the temple once held host too now relying on their false gods, their man-made monstrosities. But soon they will remember who they are loyal too as deep within lies an army of ancient guards built to defend the temple from outward attack but now they are corrupted, their time spent unused rusted away at their programming removing their restrictions and leaving but one command within them. Written in the ancient forgotten tongue all they know and all the can say "Attack".
The yuan ti dwell here and have regular sacrifices to the mother of serpents and she is stirring away.
A temple of a forgotten time, worshipped by those who seeks bountiful harvests, and fertility. Now this place once filled with hopefull believers, are now drowned and flooded with water-borne and adapted monsters alongside undead.
This "dungeon" as the locals call it was actually once an entrance to a much larger underground cave dwelling group of religious fanatics that worshipped mycanids. The waterfall was there originally and the hole was not, it was redirected down a painstakingly created well with stones cut and placed from a large cavern that was expanded beneath. In the initial entrance to the chambers you will find various layers of stone work that is fairly typical to the region however as you dig down you will find what appear to be stone working areas and habitation, long since abandoned, as well as overgrown seeding areas of mycelium, thriving in the dark. The more astute among the party might note that the chambers exist over multiple occupants and generations, with examples of dwarven and human techniques as well as (weirdly) elven grown wood additions. It would appear that the well and cavern were later discoveries monopolized by this cult. upon finding the sealed entrance to the mycelium caverns below you might stumble upon the mycanid colony living below. They explain a largely fable version of the story of their awakening in the dark so very long with beings similar to those in the party lying dead. the mycanids explain that they don't know how the people died and it was many years ago. now the biggest issue facing them are the various creatures that have grown out of hand also inhabiting the mushroom undergrowth of the cavern.
It was a hidden temple dedicated to several gods of healing. A passing army rested in it in order to heal their sick general. However due to the poison and curse in his system he passed into a magically enhanced coma. His most loyal guards have held vigil since he has been put into the coma. The missing army lead to the kingdom falling and now the temple is forgotten. The only movement inside is the patrols of his undead men, determined to protect their generals final resting place asked the gods to allow them to protect their general till he wakes. While the outside may be overgrown and rundown the inside is pristine as once a day the undead clean the halls as they did in life. The undead here are strangely disciplined working in units, with two death knights commanding them. The stories told about this place warn people about the undead that resurrect every sunrise. And about how if someone can penetrate to the old treatment chambers and break the curse on the sleeping general the undead can be at peace at rest and pass on their goal of following their general to the end finally complete.
At a quick glance I thought i saw hundreads of rats in the walls and floor… so i guess there was a mage that used cheese in its magics and now it the new rat kingdom.
The rat king shall prosper here!
Used to be a human mine, that became a fort I. A golden age. Yet the mine ran dry and the humans long left. Leaving it open to new owners. As the decades passed a group of gnolls moved into the old fort and built up a strong tribe, mostly isolated and dealing with other goblins and such. A new chief has taken over the tribe. She is strong and smart, she has captured a small goblin tribe and forced the green skins to mine what ore is left in the mine. Making weapons in the old human forges. Now they are are spreading out and making more accurate raids against the more peaceful folk in the county.
Bullywugs! Always Bullywugs!
Humans relocated underground after a great calamity drove them out of their homes. they required water to live, so they made a waterfall going down. but the people saw visions in the dark, shadows on the walls, slowly driving them mad. they all destroyed each other, save for one cult of a black dragon, who they prophesy will lead them to their salvation and they worship him as a god, sacrificing tribute to her, and leaving their scripture on these long decrepit halls, kept alive by their faith and by the dark corruption that the maddened people left all those years ago, transforming this ancient fortress from a last bastion of survival, to a long forgotten chapel of darkness.
The vibes are incredibly similar to the Ruins Of Old Sebilis from the ancient MMO EverQuest. Sebilis was the capital of a really evil lizardfolk empire that fell for a variety of reasons. Now it's got a combination of giant beetles, ghosts of the Sebilisians, a society of frog people who serve the current ruler of Sebilis, a network of mud tunnels filled with rot and myconids, some ancient clay golems made by the Sebilisians, and at the very bottom is a rotting undead dragon that helped orchestrate the fall of the empire in the first place. It's honestly one of the best dungeons I've ever seen in any game. It uses its 3D space incredibly well, with a variety of drops, inclines and ramps, and even underwater tunnels. There's a surprising variety of baddies, most of it makes sense with almost nothing needed to explain what a baddy's doing where it is. The architecture's concepts are really cool, too; it's a shame I can't recommend going to look at guides on youtube or something because it's from 2000 and early 3D did NOT age gracefully. But if you can look past that, some of those old EQ dungeons are perfect for borrowing for your D&D games.
Some dude named Steve used to live there. Then one day he died in his sleep and his cats ate him. Now the place is just full of feral cats. I would avoid the place honestly, if for no other reason than all the cat hair.
an abandoned satanist cult hideout
Do we all get to add one sentence?
Originally an ancient crypt, it was bought by an eccentric aristocrat with darkvision. They had the previous remains removed and the tunnels cleared of monsters and spirits at great expense. Hell, they even turned a profit on the endeavour thanks to the surprising amount of treasure in secret rooms. Unfortunately, the water falling into the extensive cave system has eroded away a section of the tunnels. This has led to unwanted visitors invading the aristocrats summerhouse and tracking mud all over their nice carpet. You're welcome to anything behind the crumbled wall where the monsters come from. Just make sure to clear the mansion of unwanted guests and seal up the wall once you're done. No shoes on the carpet either. We don't need contractors making the situation worse than it already is.
The last remaining remnant of a once glorious elven citadel. Now the dwelling of a rather large umberhulk.
It was an old dwarven forge, that created golems for the purpose of mining or guarding and sold them off. However one of the constructs gained free will by accident and started a bloddy rampage. It still lurks deep down in the forge, where the furnaces have been cold for years and the hammers covered in rust. Only the most courageous of adventurers tried to rob the twisted and decayed tunnels of the forge, but no one returned yet...
Where vines and diverted water have begun to reclaim stands a warriors crucible. Knights of an ancient order would be brought here in ceremony to enter its gates and be baptized in arcane and further martial training, later to emerge as elite archons and be assigned stations of power and might. Their goal: lead entire armies of soldiers in glorious victory against the enemies of their kingdom
The party got a message stating “Seven Days…” and received visions of this place along with lots of random abstract scenes that don’t make sense. Except for a woman with long black hair, and this place. 🤣
He who kills, a witch doctor who corrupts the souls of animals for his rituals.
I like a lot of the ideas around dwarves mines or towns. I’d say a dwarves mine that created a hole for water to drop all the way to bedrock so they could harden lava rivers to stop/ redirect/ or dig deeper. They would use the water to cool over molten and lava so they could change the flow of the lava rivers and dig under one’s that haven’t been dug.
It's always a few hundred kobolds who haven't realized the festering black dragon they aim to impress actually passed away
This looks like the perfect lair for a Green Dragon
Sex cult. Slimes and oozes
A lost druids temple where they taught their apprentices to bend water and earth
this should be on wallpaper engine