dynamicdungeons

Subterranean Dwarven Temple (Part I.)

Added 2024-11-26 14:33:23 +0000 UTC

I made a dwarven-themed dungeon years ago, but this time it’s going to be a higher-quality project, guys - bigger work, a mega-dungeon with more than thirty rooms, an underground temple dedicated to Dumathoin, the god of buried secrets.

The place was once vibrant and populous, but today it’s abandoned, though far from empty: a temple now taken over by evil forces. This is going to be a specifically dark dungeon, so you won’t be seeing any torches. It was a big challenge to make the map both look good and be visible and playable. I think I’ve managed to achieve that, I really like the atmosphere. Aside from the wind-swaying spider webs and insects, there won’t be much animation, but wherever possible, I try to liven up the location with something, like the waterfall and pulsating crystals in the cavern chamber before the temple entrance.

For now, you get four maps, the other half of the dungeon will be covered by two additional maps.

After that, there will be a deeper, massive crypt level, in a similar style. So it's not just a single encounter location, but a large complex, which means you could also write a story that spans multiple game sessions. I will be using this for my Phandelver and Below campaign as Talhundereth because although the sizes and layout don’t match exactly, I’m trying to make it compatible with it. If you don’t have the Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk adventure yet, I highly recommend getting it.

The first location is a large cavern chamber that opens from the surface, with a beautifully carved door at the far end. I would already place a nice encounter here: an outpost of the evil forces that have taken over the dungeon, using the cover to their advantage. To the west, a staircase leads down into the depths. I will also develop the locations down there, but for now, let’s explore the temple through the main entrance.

The first location inside the underground temple, in a north-south direction, is the hall marked with the number 2, where a wide staircase leads deeper and deeper, eventually blocked by a collapse. Between the staircases, there are several landings, with doorways visible to the west and east.

The rooms to the east of the hall (5-7) hide a combat training area and a former armory. Further in, there is also a well-secured treasure chamber (8). The door leading from the deeper part of the hall opens into a small chapel (3). There are some collapses along the dungeon that will hinder exploration.

At the landing following the first staircase of the hall, a western passage leads to a ruined former lounge room (9). Around it, doors to ruined living quarters (10) can be found. To the south, a staircase leads down, and the locations accessible from here will be released next month.