Random's Tricks 'n Traps Challenge!

[Random]

Jan 19, 2010 6:07:37 GMT -6 tavis said:

Jan 18, 2010 17:40:31 GMT -6 Random said:

A strange six foot diameter round door appears in the center of a wall (or floor, etc.). It opens into a small dark tunnel, ending abruptly after ten feet. The doorway actually opens into a small dimension similar to that of a portable hole, spelling potential disaster if entered by the owner of a bag of holding.

It could be not just any bag but Fight Bag!

Another idea adapted from the Fabled Garden of Merlin:

A chest has five gold coins inside it. Close examination shows that the half of them that are face-up bear the profiles of a troll, a patriarch or evil high priest, and a pixie. Whoever reaches into the chest disappears, and turns into another coin inside the chest. Roll to see if it is face-up or face-down. Taking a coin out turns it back into the creature that was previously trapped by the chest.

Half of the five coins, eh?

(I get you; I'm just being silly.)

[Random]

An evilly crafted magical doorway jolts adventurers with terrifying results; roll 1d6!
1: Attached to door frame as a stone grotesque.
2: Transmogrified into steaming jelly.
3: Violently and very loudly exploded.
4: Instantly killed by annihilation of internal organs.
5: Aged beyond natural years.
6: Allowed to pass with no ill effects whatsoever!

[Random]

There exists a door (see above for effects, except add something nasty in for #6) with a strange phrase carved above it. A read languages spell will reveal the meaning:

"Trifle fear you stifle here; otherwise another dies."

Only a truly fearless creature may pass through the doorway unharmed. The most sure method is to witness someone's incredibly gruesome death while attempting to pass, and then having the courage to boldly cross the threshold after them.

[Random]

(I suppose I have more free time than everyone else!)

A chamber sports an absurdly high ceiling, perhaps one hundred or more feet, and a somewhat slender vertical metal pole rises from the floor, connecting at the ceiling. Climbing it proves to be mostly effortless until at some distance upward (more than an adventurer would like), the pole is coated with a near-invisible glue, holding with titanic strength the hands of the unlucky climber.

[Deleted]

Characters encounter a gilded frame firmly attached to a wall. It can not be pried loose or demolished. The first character to stand in front of the frame will cause it to glow a golden color fading to a rotten greenish hue. During this color transformation a portrait of the character will gradually appear in the frame. When the portrait is complete, the frame ceases to glow and the portrait remains. As long as the party remains in the area of the portrait, it will appear as nothing more than painting. 4 rounds after the party leaves the portrait area, the characters likeness will climb from the portrait. This doppleganger has the same stats and equipment as the character. This evil twin has one goal ....to kill the character. This evil clone of the character will then follow the party looking for an opportune time to ambush his likeness. If the party should return to the area of the frame after the four rounds have expired but have not encountered the twin, they will notice that the frame is now devoid of the portrait. If a different character stands in front of the frame, his or her likeness will be produced. The frame will only produce a portrait of a character once. When the twin is killed or the character dies, the twin and all of its' duplicate equipment will crumble into a multi-colored pile of paint chips. Should the character survive the encounter and destroy his or her twin, he or she receives one point in their primary ability or an award deemed appropriate by the DM.

[Deleted]

You ever had one of those groups who basically destroy any area they come across in their search for secret doors and loot? This will slow them down a bit.

The party encounters a tapestry in a room. The tapestry is large and obviously concealing a door or passage way. The tapestry is affixed to the wall at ceiling and the floor. This wall hanging will depict something fierce ogre, troll, phalanx of orcs, lions, dinosaur whatever nasty the DM favors. If the party takes care and removes the tapestry nothing happens with the exception of getting a fine yet large tapestry. If a magic user is astute enough to cast a detect magic, the tapestry will radiate a magic aura. The wall covering can be sold for a good price (DM's discretion).

On the other hand, if a party member decides to do things the quick way and slash the tapestry or violently rip it down. Roll for initiative because they have just freed the creature or creatures depicted in the tapestry. The imprisoned creature (or creatures) will burst forth ready to fight.

[Random]

Upon opening the door to a room, dozens and dozens of meowering cats dart forth and scatter. Inside is a large mechanical dog that chases any other creatures it encounters and jerks them around if it catches them, but causes no real damage.

An afterthought, perhaps the mechanical dog could be commanded to "sit" or to "fetch," etc.

[Random]

In the center of a large chamber is piled a disgusting mountain of bone-filled sludge. Any creatures coming near it must make a saving throw or fall unconscious until rescued.

[Random]

A large demonic face appears on a wall, open-mouthed and resembling a doorway. A very dark room is visible through it, a clever illusion. In reality, there is simply a grease-covered wall within the demon's mouth. The grease will explode violently, sending flaming bits of sticky gunk flying outward, if fire (a torch perhaps) is brought too close.

[Random]

A chamber is filled with knives, shards of glass, and other dangerous objects. Once the middle of the chamber is reached, a trap fires with a loud "KABOOM!" then darkness, then silence, then numbness, and totally sensory deprivation for all creatures inside. Simply waiting it out will allow those affected to wake up totally unharmed one turn later, while trying to move or exploring their sensory void will cause one die of damage per round as the hapless characters slices themselves upon the blades that litter the floor.

[Random]

Some area deep in the dungeon opens inexplicably to a dark and stormy sky rather than the expected ceiling. For each round spent in the area (without erecting some kind of shelter), there is a 1 in 6 chance of being struck by a furious bolt of lightning! Each hour, the sky calms for a few minutes and a new exit becomes visible.

[chgowiz]

Jan 22, 2010 17:59:27 GMT -6 Random said:

Upon opening the door to a room, dozens and dozens of meowering cats dart forth and scatter. Inside is a large mechanical dog that chases any other creatures it encounters and jerks them around if it catches them, but causes no real damage.

An afterthought, perhaps the mechanical dog could be commanded to "sit" or to "fetch," etc.

Any male dungeon dogs with the party must save or attack the mechanical dog to establish the alpha. Any female dungeon dogs with the party will cause the mechanical dog to save or go hump the female.

[Random]

Dungeon dogs?

I missed that one on the equipment list!

[calithena]

AD&D 1 has 'em. Used to pick those up sometimes for my low level characters, they make a lot of noise but they help for a fight or two before getting killed.

[Random]

Feb 4, 2010 15:11:02 GMT -6 calithena said:

AD&D 1 has 'em. Used to pick those up sometimes for my low level characters, they make a lot of noise but they help for a fight or two before getting killed.

Cool. It seems like they'd be in limited supply though; I mean just how many dogs are there around that are fit for spelunking and battle?
Then again, they aren't going to hear about the deaths of their fellow canines!

[chgowiz]

Feb 4, 2010 22:29:25 GMT -6 Random said:

Cool. It seems like they'd be in limited supply though; I mean just how many dogs are there around that are fit for spelunking and battle? Then again, they aren't going to hear about the deaths of their fellow canines!

Not many and yes, they require training. If someone doesn't have experience with the dog, I roll on morale for the dog to obey commands until they've been with the purchaser for a week or two.

A brand new pup can be trained by a PC, but it takes a lot of effort and usually ends up with the pup dead.

[ragnorakk]

There are rumors of an altar in the dungeon that will reincarnate the dead. It is is, in fact, there! A plain altar flanked by statues of robed men posed in dances of joyous rapture, with wide laughing smiles. 90% of hose reincarnated return in the form of a 'dungeon dog'.

[Random]

Feb 5, 2010 10:37:27 GMT -6 ragnorakk said:

There are rumors of an altar in the dungeon that will reincarnate the dead. It is is, in fact, there! A plain altar flanked by statues of robed men posed in dances of joyous rapture, with wide laughing smiles. 90% of hose reincarnated return in the form of a 'dungeon dog'.

Fantastic!

Also, dead dungeons dogs placed on the altar are (90% likely) reincarnated as humans.

[ragnorakk]

Feb 5, 2010 10:42:16 GMT -6 Random said:

Also, dead dungeons dogs placed on the altar are (90% likely) reincarnated as humans.

Excellent!

[Random]

A powerful golem made from solid gold is trapped behind a stone brick wall. It can be detected using a potion of treasure finding or similar magic, but unfortunately it will spring to attack any creature so unlucky as to tear through the wall and free it.

[Random]

A very peculiar wheeled chair rests somewhere in the dungeon. It is actually quite cursed and sitting in it will cause the would-be restful adventurer to become crippled (er... become an adventurer with a disability) and unable to successfully practice their adventuring vocation, bound to the chair until such time as a remove curse sort of magic is cast upon it. Such a bound victim may be wheeled around by another and is considered to weigh one fourth their usual weight as far as the helpful companion's encumbrance is concerned.

[Random]

All the doors of a room (except the entrance, of course) are graphically and accurately labeled with elaborate sculpture according to contents: goblins, unicorns, trolls, etc., except one room that has the design of a pile of treasure imprinted upon it. This door opens into vacuum.

(Think Army of Darkness as far as the treasure door.)

[Random]

A mysterious magical key is found, cursed, that will cause its possessor to compulsively apply it to any locked object encountered. Elsewhere in the dungeon is a lock that, upon insertion of the key, will explode violently (or cause some other unfortunate event).

A decanter of endless water seems to be a welcome boon, until after extended use it is discovered that local water supplies are drying up.

A goblin (or kobold, etc.) guard is killed, dropping his rich, fabulous sword to the ground. It may be discovered magical by appropriate means. It is actually an evil ploy by an evil sentient sword, and whosoever takes the sword will lead his companions to certain death! (Don't tell the player, just place a deathtrap room in the players' path no matter where they go, and update your notes.)

[Random]

Deep in the dungeons of some fearsome fortress, many captives are discovered among a multitude of prison cells. If freed, they will help their saviors free other prisoners. The catch is that they are all nasty imps in disguise, and will attack once a great number of them are amassed.

[Random]

A door opens to a small balcony that overlooks an huge chasm. There is another door, locked tight, next to the entrance. Also, there is a large stone statue upon the balcony. The locked door opens only after the weight of the statue is expelled from the balcony.

Alternatively, there could be a terrible monster at the bottom of the chasm, very irritated when a big rock falls and smashes all over his lair.

[ragnorakk]

Totally love the image of that statue above!

-A room which contains many drums, gongs, horns and flutes in good repair. If PC's start playing roll a wandering monster check. If they play for a full turn (does not have to be good) the room becomes "safe" - it detaches from the dungeon until they go to leave it.

[Random]

A wondrous lake is discovered deep underground, a swimming pool for goddess-like women of extreme beauty. The waters will seem to heal all wounds and cure any ailment, only to promptly prove to be a potent poison, perpetuating projectile puking and finally excruciating death.

(*Dodges tomatoes for the alliteration*)

The women bathing in the pool, however they willingly assist adventurers in bathing and drinking of the water, are totally innocent and have no idea that the waters of their home are deadly to men of the surface world. Slaying or mistreating them will provoke the wrath of the gods.

[ragnorakk]

*throws tomato anyways!*

[ragnorakk]

The room contains a weapon rack. Each turn that it is empty there is a 1 in 6 chance that a weapon will suddenly appear in it.

[calithena]

These are awesome. In addition to traps by Random, we picked a couple from Big Jack Brass and Ciryl to go in issue 8. More will go in issue 9, so keep 'em coming!

BJB, Ciryl, drop me a PM with your email addresses so I can comp you guys contributor PDFs when the time comes.