Ruined Gates of Varos

Creating game materials? Monsters, spells, classes, adventures? This is the place!
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MinkyBoodle
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by MinkyBoodle »

A few ideas I had. Feel free to alter/disregard.

--The idea of clues has come up a few different times. What about using a Poludnitsa that pops in and out to taunt the party with riddles to give those clues? I just think it's a neat monster.

--As for area 18:
18. Mushroom Forest
The area is partitioned off by what appears to be a gate or some sort of grating. The mushrooms here were all cultivated by the once great wizard-king as spell components. The manipulation of the natural environment and crosspollination of various fungi may have led to unique types living here (Octopus Fungi, for example). The mushrooms (and any fungus creatures) seem to share a symbiotic relationship with any creatures living in Area 19. Any party member who ingests any of the mushrooms here must save vs. Poison or suffer the effects of the Feeblemind spell for 1d4 turns.
"My love is my sword."
"If I were you I'd stay away from thoughts like that."
-Dekar and Guy, Lufia II
Seven
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by Seven »

I like the name.
Rosisha
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by Rosisha »

I had an idea for the book.

Instead of a traditional book, it's actually the means of controlling the gates. And, when you open the book, instead of just pages and text it's like those cards that have pop ups. Some of the pages - when opened - fold out into castles and trees and fountains and other shapes. When you read the right words in the right order, it activates the Gate and takes you to that location in that world (hence the "Gates of Varos").
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Dimirag
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by Dimirag »

Rooms 2 and 15 seems to be connected by a tunnel between the upper right statue and the sewer cover, maybe an auxiliary door if the main gate can't be opened?

Room 4 could be an examination room, where Varos left diseased people and experimented with them, maybe some kind of contagious undead roams there. The trap is there mostly in case some test victim gets free...

Room 10 seems to have beds made of straw, each one with a pillow, maybe a party of adventurers reached there and took refuge at some point. Maybe this was the priestess room, and was torn to make the refuge.

The statue on room 11 is the Forgotten Goddess, its facial features along with any other symbol seem to have eroded or vanished.

Room 12 has a sewer or something like that, maybe was where the priestess cleaned her body before any ritual was made? Rats could sprout from that sewer (or an extraplanar clown :lol: )

Room 13 is a secret one, maybe the object there is a mannequin donning the priestess robe, and yes, its a magical one and under the robe, his armor and mace can be located.
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
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Solomoriah
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by Solomoriah »

Let's take this one room at a time, starting at the beginning. I'll throw out the bits that have been offered, and we'll discuss them. But feel free to drop in any info for other rooms, if you think of anything relevant.

1. Entrance:

Double doors. Enough wall space for a mural depicting the wealth of the deceased and some clues. Doors are probably locked. Breaking them down might bring out something nasty, something from the outside, not otherwise encountered. The spear trap is a pressure trap. It can be detect but not disarmed, unless someone covers the floor with something thick enough to jam or entangle the spears.

SO what do you all think for the entrance?
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Dimirag
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by Dimirag »

The door could stuck due to aging, force-open it will make a huge noise.

I like the tapestry idea, it may have a couple of them narrating mayor events
-And adventuring party posing together is the one facing the entrance door
-The crowning of whom seems to be magic user is at the right.
-The third one has cuts and other signs of violence, it seem to show a funeral but its in bad shape so the people there can't be identified.
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/
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MinkyBoodle
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by MinkyBoodle »

Solomoriah wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 9:44 pm Let's take this one room at a time, starting at the beginning. I'll throw out the bits that have been offered, and we'll discuss them. But feel free to drop in any info for other rooms, if you think of anything relevant.

1. Entrance:

Double doors. Enough wall space for a mural depicting the wealth of the deceased and some clues. Doors are probably locked. Breaking them down might bring out something nasty, something from the outside, not otherwise encountered. The spear trap is a pressure trap. It can be detect but not disarmed, unless someone covers the floor with something thick enough to jam or entangle the spears.

SO what do you all think for the entrance?
I second the part about breaking down the doors. Would you suggest a specific wild monster or just roll on a wandering monster table?
Or am I misreading and we're just looking at descriptions first and stocking afterward? In that case, yes, I like this description.
"My love is my sword."
"If I were you I'd stay away from thoughts like that."
-Dekar and Guy, Lufia II
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Solomoriah
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by Solomoriah »

It's a creative process. We do what we can, when we can.

It won't be a tapestry, but a mural. I'm not sure we're still looking at a former adventurer... what is the background of our Wizard-King Varos? I suppose we need to know that first.

I like the part about how the spear trap works. I'll write something up tomorrow and update the thread.
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Solomoriah
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by Solomoriah »

Okay, how about this idea:

Varos the Wizard was a cousin to the King of Aegiriland; though of royal blood, he was far from the line of succession, especially as he was his father's fifth son. So he took up the arts of magic and the life of a traveling adventurer.

He was far away in a distant country when trolls attacked Aegiriland, storming the castle and overthrowing the king. Every man of royal blood was mercilessly hunted down and slain, until there was no one who could claim the throne usurped by Krond Kaxiss the Troll King.

When Varos heard the news he returned immediately, employing his now-mighty magic to transport himself and his comrades back to Aegiriland. His warrior ally Grimere Brondr-Hand went among the people, seeking out those who still had the will and strength to band together to fight the trolls, even as Varos himself planned the assault.

Though the human forces of the Aegiri resistance suffered great losses, Varos' plan was successful, and as the only man left in the line of succession he was raised up to the throne and declared the new King of Aegiriland. Sadly his friend Grimere was lost, having followed the fleeing trolls back to their homeland; no one knows what became of either Grimere nor his sword Dawn's Edge.

The losses he had suffered marked Varos, and he became obsessed with the nature and power of life and death. He caused a tower to be built in the wilderness some miles from the capitol, and spent the majority of his time there engaged in study and experimentation. He spent less and less time in his throne room, leaving the governance of Aegiriland to his vizier Havardi. Though noble, honest, and fair, Havardi lacked the genius of Varos, and so it was that the kingdom fell again when attacked by an army of lizard men. Varos never returned to his kingdom; what became of him is unknown.
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Rosisha
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Re: Ruined Gates of Varos

Post by Rosisha »

I really like that background!

As a note for the front hall: Instead of a mural, why not a carving or even tile work?

1. Entrance:

Double doors. The large wall is covered in carvings and etchings stretching from one end to another. The carvings feature battles with trolls and the same wizardly figure throughout, going from mere adventurer to ending by being crowned king. The care put into the carvings - still easily visible after centuries of neglect - indicate their importance to the people who built this place, and seems full of clues of what may lay deeper. On the floor is a mosaic, covered in dust yet if cleared, will look remarkably similar to the layout of a temple - as if this place was to be blessed by some kind of God or Goddess.

Doors are probably locked. Breaking them down might bring out something nasty, something from the outside, not otherwise encountered. The spear trap is a pressure trap. It can be detect but not disarmed, unless someone covers the floor with something thick enough to jam or entangle the spears.
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