Dungeon Building - Death's Tomb

[Hobbo Jim]

I am building a dungeon/tomb that is both the tomb of and a home to a powerful being that essentially gains power through spirits of the dead. If you play WoW, sorta similar to Bwonsomdi in that sense. I haven't given them any real reason to go into this tomb, but knowing them they will want to explore it despite not really knowing much beforehand. Given that is is a tomb of death, I plan on making it particularly lethal using traps, spirits, etc. On the other hand, death won't quite work as normal in this tomb, and they will be given something like a "second life" as a spirit, after their body has fallen. By the end of the dungeon the powerful spirit will offer to put their spirit back in their bodies in exchange for service, of which they can bargain for etc.

I would also like to still keep some amount of threat, so I am thinking that their spirit might take less necrotic damage, but if it dies there's no coming back. I am also thinking about having some way in the dungeon for a dead person to be resurrected without The Being's intervention (levels are not quite at the point of resurrection spells yet).

This sound like it could be fun or nah just make it into a standard dungeon? My overall goal is essentially to have some fun with increasing the threat levels, but not ruin anyone's fun if someone ends up with an insta-death (or close to it)

[Great Dragon]

Greetings, Hobbo Jim

The "spirits" part can be interesting, especially if each PC can become a different (D&D) spiritual undead.

Like the Rogue might become a Shadow.
The Spellcaster might become a Ghost.
The Warrior(s) might become a Wraith.

Especially if they get to keep and use Class abilities in addition to those granted by their Spirit form.


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As for a means to bring PCs back from Death (outside of The Being), this can depend a lot on what you have in the Game World.

Both Life and Grave Deities would most certainly want to shut down The Being in question, but may be limited on direct intervention. (Maybe placing Raise Dead Scrolls in some Treasures?)

Celestials (Angels, usually) are famous for helping people in indirect ways.

But, even Evil Outsiders can get in on this action (for an All Evil game, or to "temp" Good PCs down the Dark Path.) Like the Demon Lord Orcus - or a Deity of Death/Undeath (Vecna?) - wants to claim The Being's Soul. (The PCs killing him is enough; and The Being knows this, and once at 1/4 health - might be willing to negotiate to avoid that fate)

My Idea: At the start of the Game, give each PC a modified Periapt of Wound Closure. (Don't Tell them all it does) Acting normally, unless the PC is either killed by enemy action (attacking them when at Zero HP, three Death Save Failures in a row - so multiple foes attacking a PC is always a threat) or if by Massive Damage (Their Maximum HP as negative) does the Periapt activate: which has the same effect as a Raise Dead spell at the end of combat. If the Encounter ends in a TPK, the entire Party is Raised and transported to a "safe place" in the Dungeon/Tomb.

Whether or not the "Extra Life" portion of the Pariapt can be recharged (Heroic Deeds, maybe?) us entirely up to you.


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Replacing Dead Characters:

If only one (or less than half the Party) Dies, having a new Character "Teleported" in by any of the above Other Beings (Gauntlet style) is a possibility.