Elemental Temples

[Razanir]

In a campaign I'm planning for this fall, the BBEG is trying to take over the world by taking over the 5 elemental temples (Fire, Water, Earth, Air/Wind, Spirit). Each temple would have something to do with the element, of course, and be inhabited by elementals.

What I have so far:
Fire– An active volcano. The elementals are made of lava
Spirit– The world the PCs live in. The elementals are humans
Air– The Eyrie from Game of Thrones. The elementals will probably by sylphs or air-people.

What I still need:
Water and Earth

[Komodo]

Elemental temples? If you want inspiration there, just go back and look at any Nintendo game made in the last ever.

Off the top of my head:

WATER:

Temple under a lake
Belly of a sacred sea-creature
Underground lake
Criss-crossing pathways in a giant cavern filled with waterfalls
Mysteriously floating ocean
Sacred caverns protected by massive storms that can only be bypassed by a giant sea turtle
Field of gysers



EARTH:

Cave below a sacred mountain
Ancient mine, complete with minecarts that move at obscenely unsafe speeds on obviously ancient tracks over bottomless pits.
Pyramid built within an obscenely spacious cave.
Moria ripoff.
Where the stone gods keep the earthquakes.
Giant mountain with extensive cave pathways


Was something like this what you were looking for?

[Razanir]

Pyramid built within an obscenely spacious cave.


I think I'll use this one for the Earth Temple. Out of question, though, what game is it from?

And my current Water Temple idea is actually a Venice-like city. The Water Totem would be the ruler's chair, like Soon's Gate

[Ulysses WkAmil]

He's refering to (in part im guessing) The Legend of Zelda games. Have the Venice place like an island mountain with waterfalls from the very to falling to create the channels on several tiers.

[Talakeal]

An idea for the water temple, have it be partially submerged and open to the sea, and have the water level vary greatly with the tide, making certain areas only accessible at certain times.

[Komodo]

I think I'll use this one for the Earth Temple. Out of question, though, what game is it from?

That one, actually, came from playing mix-and-match with my games. When I was pulling up earth-related ideas, I managed to mix up the pyramids (specifically the one in Shifting Sand Land in Super Mario 64) with the Understone Keep and Dwarven Ruins in Skyrim. I suddenly realized that the idea of a pyramid underground was not only awesome but also made more sense than one might initially think. After all, you have less distance to move the stone you mine, eh?

[Dire Moose]

An idea for the water temple, have it be partially submerged and open to the sea, and have the water level very greatly with the tide, making certain areas only accessible at certain times.

Good. That way the heroes can't rely on resting whenever they run out of spells or they'll drown when the tide comes in. Add some pursuing grunts from the BBEG preventing them from leaving the dungeon every 8 hours and you're good.

[erikun]

For the Water Temple, how about a coral reef that has grown into the shape of buildings. The entire location has shifted upwards, so that now it is explorable with ankle-high to knee-high water during low tide (generally the day) but completely fills and submerges during high tide (generally night). Parts of it could require diving into sinkholes, which would always be submerged.

[Slipperychicken]

Good. That way the heroes can't rely on resting whenever they run out of spells or they'll drown when the tide comes in. Add some pursuing grunts from the BBEG preventing them from leaving the dungeon every 8 hours and you're good.

If they want to do that, they can either get eaten while sleeping, face ludicrous over-CR encounters and fortified positions because their enemies had time to dig in and/or call reinforcements, or the PCs come back to see that the McGuffin (perhaps the entire enemy force along with the treasure) left the building in anticipation of their impending merciless slaughter.

Or just be harassed on their way out by ranged units. Plus the spellcasters, if any, have time to tailor their spells for the PCs.

[Scow2]

If they want to do that, they can either get eaten while sleeping, face ludicrous over-CR encounters and fortified positions because their enemies had time to dig in and/or call reinforcements, or the PCs come back to see that the McGuffin (perhaps the entire enemy force along with the treasure) left the building in anticipation of their impending merciless slaughter.

Or just be harassed on their way out by ranged units. Plus the spellcasters, if any, have time to tailor their spells for the PCs. Tip: The stronger the resistance, the more the players are forced to resort to the 15-minute adventuring day. A lot of DMs try punishing the players for resting after every encounter by making the next encounter so hard the players are out of resources and need to rest again, and the DM gets mad when the players DO rest, and the cycle continues.

[Slipperychicken]

Tip: The stronger the resistance, the more the players are forced to resort to the 15-minute adventuring day. A lot of DMs try punishing the players for resting after every encounter by making the next encounter so hard the players are out of resources and need to rest again, and the DM gets mad when the players DO rest, and the cycle continues.

Makes sense. Probably better to just talk it out.

[Geigan]

I think I'll use this one for the Earth Temple. Out of question, though, what game is it from?

And my current Water Temple idea is actually a Venice-like city. The Water Totem would be the ruler's chair, like Soon's Gate

Everything's better with gondolas?

I suppose how it feels depends on the beings involved in the creation of the city. Such a city is defined by what isn't sunken as much as what is, so does this mean the water beings of the temple only live beneath the water or above it? For what reason might parts of it actually have air rather than just being completely submerged(assuming it is mainly inhabited by water beings)? Might the city be leaking instead of sinking and therefore have sort of a reverse focus from Venice, with more of the city being exposed to air over time?

Ice gondolas? Shell gondolas. Bubble gondolas! The gondolas to end all gondolas! <.< >.> ...gondolas.