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The Impossible Vault
🕑 Added 2025-02-13 17:42:27 +0000 UTCSo this is about as evil a dungeon as I could come up with. Despite the name, it's not literally impossible, but it is rough. The details are in the DM notes, but here are the main features:
There are golems that release poisonous gas from vents in the walls behind them when they attack. So you have to fight golems in a room that's quickly being filled with poison gas.
There's a trap room that... look, it's hard to explain. Read about it here at number 2. It's pretty devious.
There's a puzzle room that doesn't do anything. You can move stuff around all you like and it won't open a door.
The vault at the end is a decoy. The real vault is hidden by a secret door, which is behind the poison gas vents. Which the party will probably try to cover up as soon as they're done fighting the golems.
It's a small dungeon, but if you're going to troll your party this hard, you've gotta keep it short. Anyway, if you run your party through this, let me know how it went. I feel like some really ridiculous stuff could end up happening here and I'd love to hear about it.
Next up, I'll be drawing a Salamander Ironclad Warship. It's a big, armored ship designed for the elemental plane of fire, but it'll work just as well as a seafaring vessel. I'll tell you up front: for most of you, this is probably the bad guy's ship.
After that, I'll be drawing a new spelljammer map. I'll post a vote later today so patrons can decide which one you want to see. Anyway, that's it for now. If you've got any thoughts on the Impossible Vault, by all means let me know!
Comments
Milby's Maps
Haha, thanks.
Milby's Maps
I've always been opposed to the idea of carving the password into the walls of the dungeon. I mean, come on.
Simon 'Landmine'
That 'puzzle room' is amazingly cruel. I salute you. Grimtooth would have been proud!
Ethan, J.
After reading this I keep imagining the players being like, "Hey I can't find any keys to the vault or clues to the puzzle." Then some disembodied voice (maybe the entity imprisoned or the ghost of the dwarf that built it) sarcastically replies, "Oh you can't steal from a vault without a key or hint being left out in the open for you? Wow. Legendary adventurers everyone. Big round of applause. Are you even listening to what your saying? That defeats the entire purpose of a VAULT!"
Jay Farschman
I'll second this. Puzzles and traps are not something I find that easy to build and having purpose built rooms is great. I instantly slotted this into my next campaign.
KoonFox
I would love to see m ore of these! Short-ish but very challenging! Something for elves, humans, tabaxi, gnomes, etc... showcasing something about each culture...
Milby's Maps
They have to be punished. Those lands are forbidden for a reason.
SamuraiMujuru
Might have to torment my Forbidden Lands party with this.
