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Having a detailed, believable setting laden with verisimilitude is the foundation of a successful campaign. That said, designing an entire world for your game is exhausting, impractical and unnecessary.
When you watch a film, do you prefer watching it in Standard Definition or High Definition?
I remember the Good Old Days when I had acres of free time to game. It was a carefree time. School holidays were epic—we’d game for days at a time. We had nothing else to do.
Designing a dungeon can be a daunting prospect. Fear not. If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on the way to designing a fun, engaging dungeon for your friends!
To be a successful GM, your adventures and settings must connect deeply with your players.
Raging Swan Press is a big fan of dressed dungeons. A dressed dungeon feels more real than an undressed dungeon. A dressed dungeon engages your players’ imaginations, promotes creative play and helps them immerse themselves in the adventure.
Games set in a richly detailed, immersive world are better than games that are not. It should come as no surprise that we are huge fans of dungeon dressing, but what exactly is dungeon dressing, and why do we keep going on about it?
Check out our recent posts, many of which include free downloads, or visit the Archive to browse all our blog posts.
As well as the mundane and the expected, dungeons can feature many strange or bizarre things. Adventurers delving into almost any dungeon are virtually certain to encounter and battle outlandish, alien creatures in the course of their explorations. They may also encounter any number of strange things.
Read MoreSerafia Miela (LG female human) stalks the road looking for the brigands who robbed and killed her man. She wears battered leathers and carries a spear. Vengeance burns bright in her breast; how she deals with it will make or break her. Darkness approaches.
Read MoreWarren Lodge—devastated by fire long ago—stands stark atop a grassy bank a half-mile from the road. Only crumbling walls and a fast-filling cellar remain of the grand house. Many rabbits dwell in the surrounds; here, hunting is good.
Read MoreSt. Cuthbert’s Crossing straddles the river where it flows over a narrow rock shelf. Wagon traffic across the ford is one-way at a time; arguments often ensue. St. Cuthbert is said to have raised the rock shelf to keep his feet dry during a pilgrimage.
Read MorePieti Tuuli (NE male human) fears the characters are after him, and is skittish and guarded. Sweat soaks Pieti's tunic, as he hugs his bulging, damp pack close. He runs screaming from the group for the slightest reason. Pieti is a coward…and a murderer.
Read MoreThe Wishing Tree throws its vast crown over a busy crossroads. This elder oak is a shrine to Behron, god of travel, and many weary folk rest in its shade. A hoard of coins—offerings for a safe journey—stud the tree’s glimmering trunk.
Read MoreThe Oratory juts from a hill overlooking the road. Prophets, madmen and hucksters regale traveller from this craggy, flat-topped outcrop. Most travellers pass by as fast as they can. Shouting matches here are common.
Read MorePerttu Kainu (N middle-aged male human) wonders about so many things. Many aspects of life baffle the inquisitive Perttu. Balding, with a bad squint and a “colourful” dress sense he stands out from the crowd. For all that, Perttu is a kind, patient man.
Read MoreThe Mason’s Arms stands near Tumblestone Quarry. Walled apple orchards surround this popular traveller’s inn, which is famed for its rough, dry cider. Vast murmurations of starlings swoop and wheel over the inn, at sunset during the winter.
Read MoreLong Pool fills a natural fold in the land, which the road skirts. Swaths of rushes surround the lake. During the spring, the frenzied croaking of mating frogs fills the air. After heavy rain, the road turns into a boggy morass.
Read MoreKnut Auvo (CE male human) staggers along, under the weight of a bulging pack. Knut wears peasant garb, but carries an inordinate (perhaps suspicious) amount of adventuring gear. This blackhearted swine has looted a nearby abandoned campsite.
Read MoreHierophant’s Path winds along a steep, wooded ridge overlooking the road. Local legend has it the adherents of an elder nature cult wore the path which ends on a craggy bluff. A singular monolith of rough hewn stone stands atop the bluff.
Read MoreCold Brook Hollow lies under a rocky overhang, at the head of a shadowed ravine. The stream’s chill waters flow from a deep cave and through a vine-strangled ring of curious monoliths. Low rumblings and a hideous fetor periodically emerge from the cave.
Read MoreMost cabins within an abandoned vessel offer little of interest, but occasionally something unusual can be found within.
Read MoreBrute (N male dog) bleeds from several deep slashes on his flank. This tall and lanky downcast mongrel lopes toward the party. Brute is skittish, and must be calmed. He bears a leather collar with his name, and the name of his owner: Eeva Kari.
Read MoreDunstan’s Hall offers a warm fire and cheery welcome amid the ruin of an old church. Dunstan uses the church’s crypts for storage, and a crumbling wall and graveyard surround the inn. Rumours (inevitably) tell of hauntings, lost treasure and more.
Read MoreAymer’s Gorge cuts through a range of steep hills. Ancient oak forest alive with birdsong fills the gorge. Amid the trees, a river wends its way through three deep pools and over four waterfalls. It is a good place to camp.
Read MoreAuni Kallas (N female half-elf) worships Behron, god of travel. She’s just starting out, but wants to visit every nearby village and town. She’s friendly and happy to travel with like-minded groups. Auni's also a survival expert.
Read MoreMagical 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.
Read MoreThe Three Maidens—ancient, worn obelisks of unknown origin—form part of the Blind Fiddler’s wall. Faint, illegible carvings cover the stones where they protrude into the street. Unknown to most, a fourth Maiden comprises part of the tavern’s cellar wall.
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