Leaning against the rail just above the barge’s prow, Gavin gazed upon his four companions. They were fast becoming exceedingly drunk on the captain’s ale. The barge’s captain, a burly dwarf, stood at the rudder with a deepening scowl on his face. Leoman had taken the lead in splitting the proceeds from their latest adventure. …
“Master Kiro?” Gavin’s voice echoed throughout the cavern that Master Kiro used as his workshop. The kobold had invited him to see a new creation, and although Gavin valued innovation, he dreaded the journey. He always felt like an adventurer, just one step away from disaster, whenever he entered Kiro’s workshop. Gavin carefully made his …
With the tip of his boot, Gavin prodded the body lying on the kitchen floor. No response. Wedging his foot under the body, he turned it on its back. Zaron’s vacant eyes met his, and Gavin noted the look of mild surprise fixed on the mage’s face. He guessed that magically retreating hadn’t paid off …
The lock posed no challenge to his skills. After Gavin opened the door, he saw that the place was filthy and infested with vermin. He took a few steps in, dropped the items he had scavenged from all over town on the floor, and closed the door behind him. The sledgehammer, the rusted length of …
Pain jolted Gavin with every step he took, and blood seeped through fingers that he pressed hard on the gash covering his right side. “’Come to his lordship’s party, Gavin,’ she’d said. ‘It’s going to be fun, and you can meet new clients.’” Business had been slow, and she had smiled that smile of hers, …
“There goes my reputation,” Gavin mused. “Renowned trapsmith caught in baroness’s boudoir.” Being spotted by the household guards had been careless. Getting cornered by those same guards in the baroness’s chambers was unforgivable. If they caught him, well, that would be his undoing. Gavin took in his surroundings: he saw a steel mirror and a …
Maybe cheating these guys wasn’t the best idea he’d ever had—they were pretty determined to get him, but after touching the gold and silver coins in his pocket, Gavin felt better. The coins would get him— Rounding the corner Gavin’s thoughts fell silent for a moment, because he’d reached a dead end! Bad. Very bad. …
Shivering, Gavin longingly gazed at the dungeon’s exit, then at the dim light coming from the dangling, crude chandelier above him. All that stood between him and freedom was a burly half-orc. Gavin drew the bedroll he used as a makeshift cloak closer around his naked form as a cold draft started up. Ordinarily, a …
“Stop! Gods, I’m done.” Gavin’s chest and legs were on fire. Gasping for air, he looked at Thurmish. The giant oaf was barely out of breath. “Where is Zaron?” Thurmish gazed ahead, spat on the ground, and said, “His magic is helping him flee. He won’t return—not for us at least.” “And what of our …
The trap is a D&D icon. Classic dungeons such as Tomb of Horrors and The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan are famous for their mechanical ambushes. Traps are so central to the concept of dungeons that an entire class—the thief—was developed to deal with them (along with locked doors). In real life, of course, archaeologists have …
Howling Tower: Placing Traps to Serve a Larger Purpose Read More »
This week, we have the first part of a two-part article from Jerry that explores Diablo’s traps, which might make a few GMs out there happy. Players should take heed, though: Sometimes your characters can take advantage of traps, too! Old Traps, New Ideas Traps are pretty common in a lot of D&D campaigns, especially …
From Diablo 3 to D&D: Traps with a Twist (Part 1) Read More »
Faith must be tested! It is not enough to say the words and perform the proscribed rituals. Lip service is not faith. A true test of faith requires that the believer suffers, or so some trapsmiths and their clients believe. For this reason alone, trapsmiths have developed an extensive portfolio of faith-testing traps. Most of …
Rolling boulders are a dungeon staple, and their only drawback is that they are a one-shot deal: once evaded they lose their effectiveness. Magic can be used to upgrade the basic design. To see a good example of magic augmenting a trap, take a look at the ball of tentacles trap is a good example. …
A trapsmith must possess a certain degree of showmanship. A good trap consists of three parts ruthless efficiency and one part “you really shouldn’t be here.” Tomb robbers, trespassers, and adventurers are a persistent lot—they don’t reconsider their course of action easily, so it takes a certain measure of persuasion to make them do so. …
For generations, the tomb has endured as the most iconic and menacing of adventure sites. Countless campaigns have been carried out in search of relics and lore secreted away, and few creatures inspire such terror as the undead, which wait forever in a disquieting stillness and silence. However, the rumors spread by adroit explorers and …
Trap theme templates can be applied to existing traps to give them a distinct and shared flavor. Each theme introduces new powers—adding one does not affect a trap’s XP value, but upgrade a trap to an elite or solo if you apply two or more themes. [part 1][part 2][part 3][part 4] ___ From her blighted …
Trap Themes (Part 5 of 5): Tricks of the Medusa Demilich Read More »
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