GM’S MISCELLANY: RAGIN G SWA N PRES S
DUNGEON DRESSING A SY S T E M -NE U T R A L RE S O U R C E
GM’S MISCELL ANY : DUNGEON DRESSING Tired of dungeons lacking in verisimilitude? Want to add cool little features of interest to your creations but don't have the time to come up with nonessential details? Want to make your dungeons feel more realistic? Then GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing is for you! This gigantic compilation comprises all 34 instalments in the line as well as scores of riddles, new material and design essays by Creighton. GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing presents loads of great features to add to your dungeon. Designed to be used both during preparation or actual play, GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing is an invaluable addition to any GM's armoury!
Design: Ben Armitage, Alexander Augunas, Aaron Bailey, John
Bennett, Creighton Broadhurst, Jeff Erwin, James Graham, Brian Gregory, Eric Hindley, Ben Kent, Thomas King, Greg Marks, Andrew J. Martin, Jacob W. Michaels, Julian Neale, Chad Perrin, David Posener, Brian Ratcliff, Pierre van Rooden, Liz Smith, Josh Vogt and Mike Welham
Development: Creighton Broadhurst and Thilo Graf Editing: Creighton Broadhurst , Thilo Graf and Aaron T. Huss Cover Design: Creighton Broadhurst Layout: Creighton Broadhurst Interior Art: Joe Calkins, Paul Daly, Folkard, Jeff Freels, Rick
Hershey, Edward Burne Jones, Claudio Pozas, Bradley K. McDevitt, William McAusland, Matt Morrow, Arthur Rackham, V Shane, Frank Walls and Maciej Zagorski (The Forge Studios). Some artwork copyright Paul Daly, used with permission. Artwork © 2008 Jeff Freels, used with permission. Some artwork from Fantasy Filler Art copyright Rick Hershey, All Rights Reserved. Some artwork by Claudio Pozas, copyright Expeditious Retreat Press, used with permission. Some artwork copyright William McAusland, used with permission. Frank Walls, Standard Stock Art Issue Monster Mix By Empty Game Studios Publishing.
Thank you for purchasing GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing; we hope you enjoy it and that you check out our other fine print and PDF products.
Published by Raging Swan Press
July 2014 ISBN: 978-‐0-‐9928513-‐6-‐1
ragingswan.com
Product Identity: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, artefacts, places and so on), dialogue, plots, storylines, language, incidents, locations, characters, artwork and trade dress are product identity as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e) and are not Open Content. Open Content: Except material designated as Product Identity, the contents of GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing are Open Game Content as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. The moral right of Ben Armitage, Alexander Augunas, Aaron Bailey, John Bennett, Creighton Broadhurst, Jeff Erwin, James Graham, Brian Gregory, Eric Hindley, Ben Kent, Thomas King, Greg Marks, Andrew J. Martin, Jacob W. Michaels, Julian Neale, Chad Perrin, David Posener, Brian Ratcliff, Pierre van Rooden, Liz Smith, Josh Vogt and Mike Welham to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988. ©Raging Swan Press 2014. Pathfinder is a registered trademark of Paizo Inc., and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Inc., and are used under the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility for more information on the compatibility license. Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Inc.. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Inc. does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product.
To learn more about the Open Game License, visit
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C O N T E N T S
Contents ....................................................................................... 2 About the Designers ..................................................................... 3
D U N G E O N D E S I G N Things To Know About A Dungeon ............................................... 8 The Dungeon’s Purpose ................................................................ 9 Dungeon Design .......................................................................... 10 Dungeon Ecology ........................................................................ 11 Dungeon Dressing ....................................................................... 12 Dungeon Physicality ................................................................... 13 Principles of Megadungeon Design ............................................ 14 Alternate Dungeons .................................................................... 16
D U N G E O N D R E S S I N G Altars: Characteristics & Appearance ......................................... 18 Altars: Dressing & Features ........................................................ 20 Archways: Characteristics & Appearance ................................... 22 Archways: Dressing & Features .................................................. 24 Bridges: Characteristics & Appearance ....................................... 26 Bridges: Dressing & Features ...................................................... 28 Captives: Adventurers ................................................................ 30 Captives: Merchants & Their Train ............................................. 32 Captives: Evil Humanoids ........................................................... 34 Captives: Hooks, Complications & Opportunities ....................... 35 Ceilings: Characteristics & Appearance ...................................... 36 Ceilings: Dressing & Features ..................................................... 38 Chests: Characteristics & Appearance ........................................ 40 Chests: Dressing & Features ....................................................... 42 Concealed Doors: Characteristics & Appearance ....................... 44 Concealed Doors: Dressing & Features ...................................... 46 Corpses: Characteristics and Appearance .................................. 48 Corpses: Monsters ...................................................................... 50 Corpses: Humanoids ................................................................... 51 Corpses: Adventurers ................................................................. 52 Doom Paintings: Characteristics & Appearance ......................... 54 Doom Paintings: Dressing & Features ........................................ 56 Doors: Characteristics & Appearance ......................................... 58 Doors: Dressing & Features ........................................................ 60 Double Doors: Characteristics & Appearance ............................ 62 Double Doors: Dressing & Features ............................................ 66 Dungeon Entrances: Characteristics & Appearance ................... 68 Dungeon Entrances: Dressing & Features .................................. 70 Dungeon Entrances: Secret Entrances ........................................ 72 Dungeon Names: Naming Conventions ...................................... 73 Dungeon Names: Table A (Type of Complex) ............................. 75 Dungeon Names: Table B (Descriptor) ....................................... 76 Dungeon Names: Table C (Subject) ............................................ 78 Dungeon Names: Table D (Proper Names) ................................. 79 Dungeon Names: Table E (Parts of a Dungeon) .......................... 80 Floors: Characteristics & Appearance ......................................... 81
Floors: Dressing & Features ........................................................ 84 Fountains: Characteristics & Appearance .................................. 86 Fountains: Dressing & Features .................................................. 88 Gates & Portals: Characteristics & Appearance ......................... 90 Gates & Portals: Dressing & Features ........................................ 92 Gates & Portals: Location ........................................................... 94 Goblin’s Pockets ......................................................................... 97 Goblin’s Pockets: Utterly Worthless ........................................... 98 Goblin’s Pockets: Broken & Battered ......................................... 99 Goblin’s Pockets: Yummy Nibbles ............................................ 100 Goblin’s Pockets: Shiny Treasures ............................................ 101 Illumination: Braziers ............................................................... 102 Illumination: Candelabra .......................................................... 103 Illumination: Fireplaces ............................................................ 104 Illumination: Lanterns .............................................................. 106 Illumination: Magical Lights ..................................................... 107 Illumination: Torch Sconces ..................................................... 108 Legends .................................................................................... 109 Legends: Lost Treasures ........................................................... 110 Legends: Famed Adventurers ................................................... 112 Legends: Dungeon Features ..................................................... 114 Legends: Dungeon Inhabitants ................................................. 116 Legends: Events & Deeds ......................................................... 118 Miscellaneous Features: Carpets & Rugs ................................. 120 Miscellaneous Features: Evidence of Previous Explorers ......... 122 Miscellaneous Features: Graffiti .............................................. 124 Miscellaneous Features: Junk & Rubbish ................................. 126 Miscellaneous Features: Locks ................................................. 128 Miscellaneous Features: Mirrors .............................................. 130 Miscellaneous: Strange Atmosphere ........................................ 131 Miscellaneous: Strange Magical Affects ................................... 132 Miscellaneous: Strange Smells ................................................. 134 Miscellaneous: Strange Sounds ................................................ 135 Mundane Chest Contents: Clothes & Possessions ................... 136 Mundane Chest Contents: Odds & Sundries ............................ 138 Mundane Chest Contents: Priest’s Chests ............................... 139 Mundane Chest Contents: Provisions ...................................... 140 Mundane Chest Contents: Wizard’s Chests ............................. 141 Pits: Characteristics & Appearance .......................................... 142 Pits: Dressing & Features .......................................................... 144 Pools: Characteristics & Appearance ....................................... 146 Pools: Dressing & Features ....................................................... 148 Portcullises: Characteristics & Appearance .............................. 150 Portcullises: Dressing & Features ............................................. 152 Sarcophagi: Characteristics & Appearance .............................. 154 Sarcophagi: Dressing & Features .............................................. 156 Secret Doors: Characteristics & Appearance ............................ 158 Secret Doors: Dressing & Features ........................................... 160 Stairs: Characteristics & Appearance ....................................... 162 Stairs: Dressing & Features ....................................................... 164
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Statues: Characteristics & Appearance .................................... 166 Statues: Subjects (Personalities) ............................................... 167 Statues: Subjects (Beasts & Monsters) ..................................... 168 Statues: Statue Dressing ........................................................... 169 Strange Growths: Characteristics & Appearance ..................... 170 Strange Growths: Dressing & Features ..................................... 172 Tapestries: Characteristics & Appearance ................................ 174 Tapestries: Dressing & Features ............................................... 176 Thrones: Characteristics & Appearance ................................... 178 Thrones: Dressing & Features ................................................... 180 Trapdoors: Characteristics & Appearance ................................ 182 Trapdoors: Dressing & Features ............................................... 184 Walls: Characteristics & Appearance ........................................ 186 Walls: Dressing & Features ....................................................... 188 Wells: Characteristics & Appearance ........................................ 190 Wells: Dressing & Features ....................................................... 192
R I D D L E S Designing Riddles ..................................................................... 196 Using Riddles ............................................................................ 197 Riddles: Creatures .................................................................... 198 Riddles: Dragons ....................................................................... 199 Riddles: Descriptive .................................................................. 200 Riddles: Game Mechanics ........................................................ 202 Riddles: Logic & Numbers ........................................................ 204 Riddles: Objects (Intangible) .................................................... 205 Riddles: Objects (Tangible) ....................................................... 206 Riddles: People & Jobs ............................................................. 207 Riddles: Places & Locations ...................................................... 208 Riddles: Miscellaneous Groups ................................................ 209 Riddles: The Seven Deadly Sins ................................................ 212 Riddles: The Elements .............................................................. 213 Riddles: Wordplay .................................................................... 214