So I've got this room, the Hall of Tombs. And in it are a bunch of statues and frescoes and stuff, depicting "mighty heroes and great kings of old." The idea is to foreshadow some of the tomb sub-levels that I've got planned, and to play on that whole "connection to the Netherworld" idea, which otherwise hasn't seen a lot of play in this part of the dungeon.
Trouble is, I'm not sure who to put there. Zagyg (or some variation) is a given, and suggests a lot of ideas for said sub-level. Ozymandius is, for various reasons, another natural fit, and lets me do an Egyptian/classical world themed sub-level. I'm thinking some kind of Snake-related Sorcerer-Priest would be good, too, for ye olde snake-filled temple to an evil god, though I don't have a name picked out just yet. I've also considered doing one for Dave Arneson, but considering that he's not actually dead, it might be more tasteful to find another way to honor him in this project.
But I'd like at least a couple more, even just as red-herrings, to throw off players who work out the idea. Any real-world megadungeon contributors who deserve a spot? Or interesting historical or fictional references to make? Who would you put in something like this?
The Dark Knight, whose name is forever shadowed. His crest is a bat in flight. He is not buried herein, but the bodies of the madmen he brought to justice were entombed here as a testament to his legacy.
ReplyDelete...because you need an Undead Arkham Asylum sublevel.
(This might be the best idea I've ever had. It might also be stupid.)
Well, the snake priest is probably Thulsa Doom as played by James Earl Jones in the first Conan movie. Either that or that crocodile hunter guy. "Crikey!"
ReplyDeleteI'd put in Ray Harryhausen, "maker of monsters", especially if you plan some sort of golem lab or mutant-making level.
I might also include Klarkash-Ton, "Chronicler of the Gates", as a reference to Clark Ashton Smith if you want to include some gates to other worlds, especially dying worlds, or creepy necromancy stuff.
I would be amused to see "the fire-breathing" Raggi, Geoffrey "the Impure" and Geoffrey "the Random", Chgowiz "the Venerable", the Crypt of the Evil Dee Um (whose sarcophagus would be surrounded by scantily clad beauties of course), Noisms "Invoker of Invertibrates" (or "Cataloguer of Creatures"), Sham "the Inebriated", and Taichara "Mistress of Hamsters", especially if you planned to use some of their stuff in your megadungeon. :D
We can't forget the "PopeOfAges" (Grognardia) and "They of Many Tools" (Torch Pole and Rope Society) and "TheTrollsMaster" (Trollsmyth) for that matter..
ReplyDeleteOops! Can't believe I forgot those two. And there are certainly more. I'll bet Chatty's got some useful stuff on his blog, too, or will once he releases his kobold project.
ReplyDeleteAs gratified as I am for being included, I don't think I've actually posted anything that could be found in a megadungeon other than a very few magic items, whereas all the rest of you have actual maps and monsters and such that Oddysey could just plop in wherever she needs.
It's an honor just being nominated. You don't even have to bury me. You could just stick a huge fallen stone block somewhere in the dungeon with a half dozen limbs sticking out from under it and mark that as the final fate of the Society of Torch, Pole and Rope.
ReplyDelete"Fire-breathing Raggi" done cracked me up, by the way.
As for somebody to stick in a crypt, howzabout "Waldorf" (as per Dragon magazine in the late '80s)? Someone finally needed to take him down a notch.
Going historical, you could stick King Minos in as he's responsible for the most famous labyrnith in Western history.
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ReplyDeleteA rather elaborate, well-designed tomb for Frank Lloyd, the Wight.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! No guarantees on how many of these sublevels I'll actually manage to make, but I no longer want for inspiration. (My friends will pretty much expect a Batman sublevel from me (long story). And I think it says something about me that "Frank Lloyd, the Wight" is pretty much the funniest thing I've seen all week.)
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of blog shout-outs, especially since it gives me an excuse to steal people's stuff. And, trollsmyth, dude, you're at least indirectly responsible for my taking on this project when I did, what with the whole "Wow! Dungeons are awesome!" thing. Sticking an undead creature with your name in it to get slaughtered by adventurers is the least I can do.
Well, nothing expresses appreciation like being transformed into an undead abomination and then splattered messily against the walls. May I request a ghoul-prince or wraith? ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, and Frank Lloyd's crypt should be designed in such a way that you can't actually fit a coffin inside it... ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd it should only have 5' high ceilings. Ol' Frank Lloyd was something of a heightist.
ReplyDeleteActually, a majestic, 4' high tomb for a halfling pharoh and his court could be pretty groovy. Or the crypt for a squad of midget vampires. The Terror of Tiny Tutankhamen!
You need tombs for St Bazalgette the Tunneller, the great cartographer Harry Beck, the trapsmith brothers Heath Goldburg and Rube Robinson, and to the legendary Jonas d'Indjana.
ReplyDelete