Hey everyone, relatively new DM here. So I'm planning out a Halloween Oneshot where the players have to escape a house by the end of the session (sunrise) or suffer a terrible fate. I already have some mechanics in mind for specifics but I have very little experience DMing and no experience in actually designing a dungeon or puzzles. The main premise is that the house is trying to keep at least one of the players in the house alive by sunrise, so all traps have to be non-lethal time wasters. I'm trying to figure out a reasonable time limit and ideas for layout and traps, any and all resources would be very appreciated!
For layout there’s the house of lament in VRgtR or death house in CoS. These are both low level dungeons so if the party are a little higher level you could probably add stuff straight from the adventure
As part of a Ravenloft inspired campaign long ago, I had a party encounter something similar. A magic item (music box) that perpetually played Lord Soth's elven torture song was so powerful as to drive the house and the objects inside it insane. Lots of animate objects, weather affects, ability for rooms to shift (with or without the players inside them at the time). There was quite a bit of "Nope! I don't like what I'm seeing at all!" Much of your work would be creating reasons that the party needs to continue to explore the house, rather than hunkering down or blasting an escape exit. Also party level plays a big part, as the higher the level, the more powerful magics at their disposal. My party was lv 5 and I was using the Fox Glove manor map.
Hey everyone, relatively new DM here. So I'm planning out a Halloween Oneshot where the players have to escape a house by the end of the session (sunrise) or suffer a terrible fate. I already have some mechanics in mind for specifics but I have very little experience DMing and no experience in actually designing a dungeon or puzzles. The main premise is that the house is trying to keep at least one of the players in the house alive by sunrise, so all traps have to be non-lethal time wasters. I'm trying to figure out a reasonable time limit and ideas for layout and traps, any and all resources would be very appreciated!
Ok. So I have just the OPPOSITE sort of idea for a one shot.
I might start my own post though...
For layout there’s the house of lament in VRgtR or death house in CoS. These are both low level dungeons so if the party are a little higher level you could probably add stuff straight from the adventure
As part of a Ravenloft inspired campaign long ago, I had a party encounter something similar. A magic item (music box) that perpetually played Lord Soth's elven torture song was so powerful as to drive the house and the objects inside it insane. Lots of animate objects, weather affects, ability for rooms to shift (with or without the players inside them at the time). There was quite a bit of "Nope! I don't like what I'm seeing at all!" Much of your work would be creating reasons that the party needs to continue to explore the house, rather than hunkering down or blasting an escape exit. Also party level plays a big part, as the higher the level, the more powerful magics at their disposal. My party was lv 5 and I was using the Fox Glove manor map.