13-16.10.2021

13.10.2021 End day thoughts – Roughed out the remainder of the rooms and finished off the scribble sheet. In total: 56 rooms, two levels and 10-ish areas.

One puzzle I’m running into is determining how much treasure to include and how it should be distributed through the dungeon. Unfortunately there aren’t too many publications I can look to for reference (definitely nothing 5e adjacent where you’re practically tripping over piles of gold) and the actual amount varies so goddamn wildly from system to system and publisher to publisher.

In addition there is the balancing of puzzles, traps, and encounters; making sure it’s not too “fight” heavy and keeping the traps visible enough to be more akin to hazards or blunders in judgment, and making sure there are plenty of rewards for problem-solving or seeing things to their bitter end.

14.10.2021

Didn’t do a whole lot today, mostly to avoid burnout and was feeling bummed.

Roughed out the names of the rooms for level 4 (areas are based around a dungeon, a mine, a natural gas factory, and a cess pit) and started laying out the rooms and areas for level 3 (residential level).

Will write out rooms and bullet points for level 3 tomorrow.

15.10.2021

Bullet pointing Level 3, the residential area. There are four separate quarters (summer, fall, winter, spring), with only summer being occupied, having been turned into a cult-style abbey that worships the Sun-King

Currently working through the Summer Quarter, trying to make it very dangerous by way of many encounters (it’s FILLED with cultists), while also trying to think up unique rewards, puzzles, and treasures. It’s a bit hard, I’m thinking leaking gas pipes in closed off rooms, unstable architecture, or purposely trapped rooms/treasures that the cultists use to keep their nosy neighbors out. For now I’m just reminding myself to get the rough picture and not sweat the details, that will come during editing and writing.

16.10.21

Did a few rooms, Summer Quarter taking shape with features that make the place more lived in. Started out by adding a bunch of rooms without a real idea what to include, chose to populate them and define them as time went on rather than lay it out perfectly. Gives a good excuse to add more flavor, treasure, traps, and memorable encounters (stone-carver workshop, apothecary, hunting lodge; shows the cultists living within have a semi-functioning society and value certain things).

Also threw some treasure and a secret passage in the lavatory.