Ninjadeadbeard
2015-02-10, 05:58 PM
...in a Tomb.
A bit of backstory: I'm currently designing a dungeon for a group of 4th level Dungeons and Dragons characters. The basic premise is that a group of priests heading to an abandoned tomb/shrine to bless it were ambushed by Gnolls and goblins on the orders of the BBEG (not important who). They held up in the tomb, and were attacked by Ghouls and a Ghast or two. When the players arrive to save the priests, they will have to brave the tomb/mausoleum, the ghouls and gnolls battling within its halls, a lost spirit perhaps, and a few traps/puzzles the occupants missed.
My problem is, I know very little beyond this and I am terrible at puzzles. I had the idea to use a riddle (gollum's "Time" riddle from the Hobbit seems appropriate, or something else macabre) but I am unsure of why a fairly public mausoleum would have such defenses. Or, indeed, what shapes the traps should take, and why the Ghouls and Gnolls haven't set them off yet. At best there are some areas that require more brain power to enter than a typical Gnoll, but I'm stumped.
Anyone have an idea? The tomb was meant to be sort of a communal one, with many local heroes and distinguished people resting there. The area has been abandoned for a few centuries, so the tomb has fallen into something of a state of disrepair, though when in operation it was a staffed mausoleum, where the public could go to view the remains of their honored dead.
tl;dr - Need cool ideas for a Mausoleum/Tomb Adventure involving puzzles, gnolls, ghouls, and such.
A bit of backstory: I'm currently designing a dungeon for a group of 4th level Dungeons and Dragons characters. The basic premise is that a group of priests heading to an abandoned tomb/shrine to bless it were ambushed by Gnolls and goblins on the orders of the BBEG (not important who). They held up in the tomb, and were attacked by Ghouls and a Ghast or two. When the players arrive to save the priests, they will have to brave the tomb/mausoleum, the ghouls and gnolls battling within its halls, a lost spirit perhaps, and a few traps/puzzles the occupants missed.
My problem is, I know very little beyond this and I am terrible at puzzles. I had the idea to use a riddle (gollum's "Time" riddle from the Hobbit seems appropriate, or something else macabre) but I am unsure of why a fairly public mausoleum would have such defenses. Or, indeed, what shapes the traps should take, and why the Ghouls and Gnolls haven't set them off yet. At best there are some areas that require more brain power to enter than a typical Gnoll, but I'm stumped.
Anyone have an idea? The tomb was meant to be sort of a communal one, with many local heroes and distinguished people resting there. The area has been abandoned for a few centuries, so the tomb has fallen into something of a state of disrepair, though when in operation it was a staffed mausoleum, where the public could go to view the remains of their honored dead.
tl;dr - Need cool ideas for a Mausoleum/Tomb Adventure involving puzzles, gnolls, ghouls, and such.