The_JJ
2009-06-07, 10:00 PM
Hokay so... first off it's a homebrewed system that I very much doubt any of you know. So don't throw D&D spells/traps/terminology at me. It is generica fantasy land though, unless stated other wise.
So anyway... in the system there is elemental magic (fire, earth, air, water, etc.) and there are 'essences,' Life, Time, Chaos, Dream, and Void. They're more important because they get capitialized.
So the dungeon is going to be one designed as a test of initiation or right of passage type thing for a culture with whom the PC's are making first contact with, and I want one test for each of the essences. Combat is good, but it should really revolve around some kind of puzzle/riddle/secret test built around the theme of the essence. Each puzzle should offer an opportunity for a small permanent boost to the charactor.
What I have so far are the Dream and Chaos tests.
I'll give you an idea of what I want...
For Dream I figured I would throw each PC up against their 'worst nightmare' opponent. For instance, I'd seperate the big barbarian from the group (Creepy statue says 'One of you must step forward. etc. etc.') Throw him in the ring against a monk type opponent who's first action is a crippling strike that kills his strength stat equivelent and so eliminates most of his better barbarian powers. (All the better from a metagame standpoint because that move isn't in any rulebooks.) Anyway, relitive strength of each opponent will be tied to the mental stats, so the better 'will save' (or equivelent) a PC has, the weaker the monster. Once defeated, the PC moves on, out of sight of the others, to a waiting area.
Also, should any PC be unable to defeat their opponent, the opponent picks them up, gets ready to do all sorts of unhealable damage to the charactor, and askes them the yield three times. If they don't, they are, from the PC's POV, killed, and tossed into a Dream pocket beyond the help of any magic ressurection. 'He has been judged' sayeth the nightmare. If they yield, they are, 'found wanting' and tossed backwards, to try again. Only their foe gets even stronger. The trick is, refusing to yield and being 'killed' is the best way out of the puzzle, as it is all about bravery, see? The 'dead' PC's turn up with those who pass with a permanent booth to their 'will save.'
For Chaos, they're told to 'embrace chaos.' And then presented with, say, rooms full of doors, or a 'platforming' sequece with platforms that move without pattern, form and reform endlesssly, something like that. The goal is to just open up doors/jump around at random, with out planning at all, and they'll 'luck through.' Planning nets them punishment. The moral is something like, well, 'embrace chaos' accept random events, good or ill, as part of life. I think the rollplayers and the roleplayers will appreciate that. Successful compleation net's some Luck.
So... yeah, if you've got any ideas about cool puzzles for Life, Time or Void, that'd be good.
So anyway... in the system there is elemental magic (fire, earth, air, water, etc.) and there are 'essences,' Life, Time, Chaos, Dream, and Void. They're more important because they get capitialized.
So the dungeon is going to be one designed as a test of initiation or right of passage type thing for a culture with whom the PC's are making first contact with, and I want one test for each of the essences. Combat is good, but it should really revolve around some kind of puzzle/riddle/secret test built around the theme of the essence. Each puzzle should offer an opportunity for a small permanent boost to the charactor.
What I have so far are the Dream and Chaos tests.
I'll give you an idea of what I want...
For Dream I figured I would throw each PC up against their 'worst nightmare' opponent. For instance, I'd seperate the big barbarian from the group (Creepy statue says 'One of you must step forward. etc. etc.') Throw him in the ring against a monk type opponent who's first action is a crippling strike that kills his strength stat equivelent and so eliminates most of his better barbarian powers. (All the better from a metagame standpoint because that move isn't in any rulebooks.) Anyway, relitive strength of each opponent will be tied to the mental stats, so the better 'will save' (or equivelent) a PC has, the weaker the monster. Once defeated, the PC moves on, out of sight of the others, to a waiting area.
Also, should any PC be unable to defeat their opponent, the opponent picks them up, gets ready to do all sorts of unhealable damage to the charactor, and askes them the yield three times. If they don't, they are, from the PC's POV, killed, and tossed into a Dream pocket beyond the help of any magic ressurection. 'He has been judged' sayeth the nightmare. If they yield, they are, 'found wanting' and tossed backwards, to try again. Only their foe gets even stronger. The trick is, refusing to yield and being 'killed' is the best way out of the puzzle, as it is all about bravery, see? The 'dead' PC's turn up with those who pass with a permanent booth to their 'will save.'
For Chaos, they're told to 'embrace chaos.' And then presented with, say, rooms full of doors, or a 'platforming' sequece with platforms that move without pattern, form and reform endlesssly, something like that. The goal is to just open up doors/jump around at random, with out planning at all, and they'll 'luck through.' Planning nets them punishment. The moral is something like, well, 'embrace chaos' accept random events, good or ill, as part of life. I think the rollplayers and the roleplayers will appreciate that. Successful compleation net's some Luck.
So... yeah, if you've got any ideas about cool puzzles for Life, Time or Void, that'd be good.