Megadungeon: The Bridge to the Keep
The bridge to the keep is being squatted by a hedge knight who extorts passers-by who seem unintimidating. They cause huge amounts of trash to accumulate in their quarters because of their lifestyle choices.
Description
A simple gatehouse and bridge. Leads to the dungeon, is guarded by a bandit. They use the small courtyard area as their trash disposal.
Layout
A clearing at the end of the road terminates in a moat which is a 10' drop from ground-level. Across this moat is a 20' wide stone bridge, leading to the towering, hunched keep of the great lich Yon
Clearing
A simple clearing around the terminus of a road. Some tree trunks have been repurposed to benches. There are fire pits in the centers, and three such combinations of trunks and pits. Small piles of litter scattered throughout.
- Fire pits: At least one is always warm. John Thunderpuss uses it to make their meals of rodents and random root vegetables.
- Pile of litter: the result of John making their way over here and leaving trash behind. Mostly bottles, melted candles, etc.
Ahead: A gatehouse and bridge over the moat. Loomed over by the Keep.
Behind: The wilderness; safety?
Gatehouse
John's improvised dormitory. Once a fine gatehouse– no longer. Smells of body odor and rotten food.
- John: (4HD, AC Plate Armor, 2H sword +1). Horribly balding, patchy beard. Always, obviously working some kind of scheme. 2-in-6 chance they are sleeping at any given time. Want to pass? John will extort each party member 10gp if they think they can get away with it.
- Dormitory: The house itself. Filled with trash, a cot, rusty cookware, also John's magic zweihander (+1 zweihander, very light, translucent blade. Allows wielder to glide if held on both ends, i.e. one hand on blade).
Ahead: A decaying bridge leading into a courtyard. The keep casts a heavy shadow.
Behind: Campground-esque clearing.
Bridge
An ornately-carved stone bridge passing over the moat. In physical decay and strewn with litter. Ahead: Small, filthy courtyard. Looming keep. Behind: Dirty gatehouse, smell of body odor.
Courtyard
Once a small, ornamental garden and seating area. Now overflowing with garbage. A ghost lingers and mutters angrily about litter.
- Garbage pile: Litter from John. As far as they are concerned, this is the most convenient place to store trash, especially since they get to fuck with that dork ghost.
- Ghost: Jakob, long-dead, neurotic butler. Wants the litter cleaned, and John to not litter anymore– by any means necessary. The ghost offers protection to anyone who can make sure John won't litter anymore. He also punishes anyone who antagonizes him.
- Protection: A brand of a broom appears on your neck. Once, you may choose to succeed on a save vs. poison instead of failing. When you do so, the brand disappears.
- Punishment: A curse, save vs. spells when encountering a mess or frantically clean it (1 turn/400sqft). Can be removed by serving as a groundskeeper for a year, or by Remove Curse or similar.
Ahead: Iron-trimmed wooden double doors. Ancient calligraphic carving says "Lo! The Keep of the Great Wizard Yon!"
Behind: Crumbling stone bridge covered in litter.
Notes
Eventually, I want to add an underwater pointcrawl in this moat.
This was originally going to be a larger area, with actual factions instead of two guys who don't like each other. I got overwhelmed messing with all of the different potential mapping softwares and eventually completely gave up. When I can use generators or similar for the interior, my life will be much easier.
Another option I have considered is doing "flowchart"-style rooms a la Gradient Descent or The Bureau. We will see how generating/using flowcharts stack up and proceed from there (I have zero interest in mapping out One Billion Ten Foot Squares).