Gates & Portals: 10 Minor Features
Magical gates and portals are a staple feature of many dungeons. Characters stepping through them are often whisked off to a new exciting (and dangerous) adventure locale.
Use this list, to add pieces of interesting dressing to the gates & portals in your dungeon!
Two rotting human legs protrude from the portal, in a puddle of dried blood. If pulled, they freely come away. The other half of the body is not present, even if someone goes through the portal to look for it.
The portal shimmers, reacting noticeably to a breeze coming from the other side.
Pure water runs in rivulets from the portal, creating a puddle on the floor.
The portal has malfunctioned and no longer reaches its intended location. Instead, a traveller appears 2d100 feet from the destination in a random direction.
The portal requires the keyword “Paticio” be spoken to operate. Someone has faintly carved the word into the floor nearby.
The portal has been warped by time and magic such that only sentient creatures can pass through. Mounts and other animals do not pass through, instead reappearing at the entrance one round after they enter. Animal companions, special steeds or familiars connected to their owner can pass through normally.
The portal’s key is lost or destroyed and there is no way to open it short of powerful magic or the construction of a new portal key.
A one-foot thick stone wall blocks the portal. The wall’s construction is obviously slipshod and hurried. It can be easily pulled down.
The portal is trapped on the other side with a dispel magic (CL 10) that targets anyone passing through.
The portal has been drained of all magic. If a cure or caused spell is cast into the portal, it opens for one round per level of the spell used.
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The material in this article appears in Dungeon Dressing: Gates & Portals by Greg Marks which is available in 5e, Pathfinder 1, Pathfinder 2 and OSR editions.
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