THE FORTUNE TELLERS GUIDE TO

DEATHTRAP DUNGEON DESIGN

SERSA VICTORY

THE FORTUNE TELLERS GUIDE TO

DEATHTRAP DUNGEON DESIGN

WRITING AND LAYOUT BY SERSA VICTORY
ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRANDON REINERT

HAIL, OVERLORD!
Thank you for downloading
THE FORTUNE TELLER'S GUIDE TO
DEATHTRAP DUNGEON DESIGN.
This free ebook is written for and by
GMs like you who are designing
tournament deathtrap dungeons for
any fantasy adventure RPG.
Each entry in this ebook spotlights one
of the 22 cards in the legendary Deck of
Many Things, with each card
representing one of the fundamental
types of challenges crusaders might face
in a lethal tournament delve.
This ebook is intended to be an
inspirational tool and quick reference
guide you can flip through as you're
plotting your dungeon's encounters.
This ebook can be read over the course
of your lunch hour, and you don't need
a physical Deck of Many Things to use the
advice presented. However, a printable
Deck of Many Things has been provided
with this ebook.

WHAT IS A DEATHTRAP
DUNGEON?
A deathtrap dungeon is an adventure
that focuses exclusively on the players
struggle against lethal challenges laid
down by the dungeons designer.
Deathtrap dungeons embrace a boardor video game-like experience where the
PCs are the players disposable game
pieces with which they fight monsters,
dodge traps, and solve puzzles in the
game world.

WHAT IS A TOURNAMENT
DUNGEON?
A tournament dungeon is a deathtrap
dungeon adventure run competitively at
a convention like GenCon or PAX.
Each group of competitors plays
through the dungeon, trying to earn as
many points as possible for their team
before the time limit elapses. At the end
of the tournament, the teams with the
highest scores go home with prizes.

READING THE ENTRIES

COMBINING CHALLENGES

Each of the 22 entries in this ebook is

broken down into several sections:

While reading this ebook, youll notice

that many of the challenges presented
overlap with one another.

Card Title: The name of the Deck of Many

Things card being highlighted.
Challenge Title: The name of the dungeon
challenge represented by the card.
Overview: A summary of the challenge and its
role in a tournament deathtrap dungeon.
Examples: A list of sample dangers and trials
that illustrate the use of this challenge.
Best Practices: Tips on how to get the most out
of this kind of challenge during play.
Pitfalls to Avoid: Warnings against unfun ways

This is intentional. Its very strongly

recommended that you combine
challenges to create even more unusual
dangers and trials.
By picking just two cards at once, you
can create over 200 different kinds of
challenges. Picking three cards at once
gives you over 1,500 different kinds of
challenges more than enough to
entertain your players for years to come.

FORMULA + FLAVOR

of using this challenge.

Even with the vast number of possible

combinations, snapping together the
challenges described in this ebook is not
enough by itself to create a memorable
deathtrap dungeon.
To make your delve stand out, color
these challenges with the unique
flavor of your dungeon. Each entry in
this ebook has examples you can look to
for inspiration on how you might apply
your deathtrap dungeons theme to the
dangers and trials that wait within.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Balance

The Trade-Off

Comet

The Omen

Donjon

The Barricade

Euryale

The Affliction

Fates

The Binding Thread

10

Flames

The Crucible

11

Fool

The Ruse

12

Gem

The Precious Resource

13

Idiot

The (Not So) Obvious

14

Jester

The Gamble

15

Key

The Combination Lock

16

Knight

The Duel

17

Moon

The Transformation

18

Rogue

The Temptation

19

Ruin

The Destroyer

20

Skull

The Buried

21

Star

The Watcher

22

Sun

The Haven

23

Talons

The Beast

24

Throne

The Overlord

25

Vizier

The Quiz

26

Void

The Annihilator

27

BALANCE
THE TRADE-OFF
Force the crusaders to choose from
between two or more mutually
exclusive options. There is no wrong
choice, though one option may be more
beneficial to the crusaders depending on
their specific strategy.

EXAMPLES
The crusaders discover a single-use rod of
cancellation that allows them to shatter the
force field around only one of four artifacts: the
sword, the shield, the amulet, or the helm.
The crusaders discover an enchanted ruby that

PITFALLS TO AVOID

allows them to make a wish for either power,

knowledge, or wealth.

DONT include a trap option. Each choice

A ward on a necromancers corpse causes it to

should be beneficial in its own way.

disintegrate after a single organ is removed.

DONT make the options so vague that the

The crusaders may choose to take either the

crusaders cant meaningfully choose between

eye, the hand, or the heart.

any of them.

BEST PRACTICES
DO make each option explicit to the crusaders.
You dont have to tell them in detail the result
of making a particular choice, but they should
be able to make a somewhat informed decision.
DO make each option interesting and useful.
Some options may benefit the crusaders more
given their specific situation or strategy, and
thats okay.

COMET
THE OMEN
Unleash or worsen a danger further into
the dungeon, then give the crusaders a
dire warning about it.

EXAMPLES
After failing to dispel the runes protecting the
infernal reliquary, a demon is summoned into
the lower levels of the dungeon.
Incorrectly solving the puzzle of faces causes
the iron golem in the final chamber to become
invisible and hasted.
Defeated but not destroyed, a mummy lord

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uses his final word to lay a curse on one relic

the crusaders have yet to discover.

DONT make your announcement so vague that

BEST PRACTICES

it loses any impact. The crusaders should have a

DO immediately tell the crusaders what has

DONT prevent the crusaders from making

happened in the most dramatic way possible.

preparations to overcome the new threat.

clear understanding of the challenge to come.

DO introduce or worsen a danger that is

significant. The crusaders should immediately
know when theyve encoutered it.
DO continue to foreshadow a new threat as the
crusaders explore more of the dungeon.

DONJON
THE BARRICADE
Block a preferred route further into the
dungeon or cut off the crusaders
avenue of retreat.

EXAMPLES
The door to the dread medusas ossuary is
magically sealed and protected by a curse. A
crusader wearing the Talisman of Tears can
pass, but a risky ritual to dispel the curse can be
performed by adventuring bands in a hurry.
A crusader stumbles onto a hidden pressure
plate, causing a marble block to seal the only
exit out of a chamber quickly filling with death

PITFALLS TO AVOID

wyvern bile.

DONT let a barricade bring the entire

BEST PRACTICES

adventure to a halt. If the crusaders cant open

a barricade preventing them from getting

DO make it clear to the crusaders that

somewhere they need to go, present them with

something important is being blocked off by

an alternate route thats more dangerous, or

the barricade.

open the barricade after demanding a sacrifice.

DO give the crusaders a hint as to what might

DONT put the crusaders in a position where

be necessary to open a barricade.

they dont have any idea on what they might

need to do next to open a barricade.

DO give the crusaders more than one way to

open a barricade. Some methods, however,
may be more difficult or dangerous than others.
CONSIDER allowing the crusaders to quickly
bypass a barricade, but at a greater cost.
DO challenge the crusaders with barricades
other than physical doors and gates.

EURYALE
THE AFFLICTION
Harm one or more crusaders with a
permanent affliction, such as a disease
or curse.

EXAMPLES
A displacer purple worm stings one of the
crusaders, injecting its venom into his body.
Until that crusader finds an antidote, he is prone
to displacing at very inopportune times.
A necromancer places a hex on a crusader
before fleeing into the catacombs. Each time
that crusader tries to cast a spell and it goes
wrong, a group of skeletons bursts through the

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floor and surround her.

DONT saddle the victim with additional

BEST PRACTICES

bookkeeping. The effects of an affliction should

be easy to remember and easier to resolve.

DO make it clear to the crusaders the effects of

DONT penalize the victim in a way that keeps

an affliction, unless you have a really good

them from participating fully in the game. If you

reason not to. Even then, the crusaders should

want your afflicition to affect one of the victims

have a way to discover an the hidden effects of

an affliction.

primary moves, make the consequences for

DO relate the effects of your affliction to an

reducing the chance itll work.

failing that move more severe rather than

interesting piece of your dungeons fiction, such

as a particular chamber, monster, or relic.
DO give the crusaders a way to remove the
afflicition for a price.
DO create a play aid to help crusaders
remember the effects of an afflicition. This can
be as simple as handing them a note card with
the afflictions name and effect written on it.

FATES
THE BINDING THREAD
Threaten the crusaders with a danger
that can harm not only them, but
crusaders delving through your
tournament dungeon at other tables.

EXAMPLES
The crusaders trigger a trap that causes
lightning to fork through the Hub of Seven
Portals. The bolts leap through the portals,
shocking crusaders at other tables.
A miscast ritual causes the Circlet of the
Sorceress Queen to blink out of existence
not just at your table, but also every other table

PITFALLS TO AVOID

playing the tournament delve.

DONT overdo it. A little inter-table interaction

BEST PRACTICES

is exciting, but too much can be disruptive,

particularly in timed tournament adventures.

DO give the crusaders at your table an

DONT tell the crusaders ahead of time that its

opportunity to interact with those at another

possible for their actions to affect other tables,

when resolving this challenge. Let your

and vice versa. Let it be a surprise.

crusaders pick any victims (and taunt them in

good fun), if possible.
DO save this challenge for particularly
dangerous or spectacular moments.
DO make sure that each GM running your
dungeon is aware that there are dangers that
might affect multiple parties.

10

FLAMES
THE CRUCIBLE
Drop the crusaders into a perilous
situation in which they must succeed
within a brief window of time or suffer
serious consequences.

EXAMPLES
When the crusaders enter the Crimson Vault,
clouds of poisonous bone dust begin pouring
from the devil faces in the walls. The crusaders
have only a few turns to liberate what they need
from the vault before they succumb to the trap.
Sliding the Ring of Wizardry onto the statues
finger causes the chest at its feet to spring

PITFALLS TO AVOID

open. To claim the treasure, the crusaders must

solve the puzzle inside the chest within 2
minutes. Fail, and the statue animates, bringing

DONT waste the crusaders time with

to bear the power of the Ring against them.

unnecessary description while theyre on the

clock. Keep it punchy.

BEST PRACTICES

DONT look up rules while the timer is running.

Double-check before the game rules that will
probably come up during the challenge, or

DO make it clear to the crusaders that a time or

make a ruling that favors the crusaders and

turn limit is in effect. Tell them how much time

follow up with it afterwards.

or how many turns they have to work with.

DO use a timer visible to everyone at the table,
such as an hourglass or phone. If youre tracking
turns or moves, mark them with large tokens.
CONSIDER allowing the crusaders to buy
themselves extra time or turns at a price.
CONSIDER rewarding the crusaders with extra
time or turns for completing small objectives or
pulling off something daring or entertaining.

11

FOOL
THE RUSE
Deceive the crusaders by presenting an
important dungeon feature as
something other than what it really is.
Unforgiving consequences await those
unable to see past your deception.

EXAMPLES
The door to the Bard Queens Shrine remains
sealed until the crusaders arrange a series of
painted tablets in the proper order. A nearby
mural shows the arranged tablets, but in the
wrong order. The correct order of the tablets is
visible only to those who look upon the mural
through the Gem of True Seeing.

PITFALLS TO AVOID

A healing incantation is engraved on the

cenotaph of the sun cleric to whom the gods

DONT make it impossible for the crusaders to

first gave the miracle of healing. This

continue or complete the adventure if they

incantation, however, only appears when

dont see through the ruse. Either present them

sunlight is shone upon the cenotaph

with a more dangerous option, or reveal the

otherwise, the monument bears a false

ruse at a great cost.

incantation that, when spoken aloud, releases

DONT waste a ruse on an inconsequential

into the chamber a pestilence of mosquitoes

dungeon feature. The crusaders should have

carrying an extinct plague.

some incentive to interact with this challenge.

BEST PRACTICES
DO present the crusaders with one or more
ways to detect or see through the ruse before
they are tricked by it.
DO reveal the ruse after the crusaders are
tricked by it, especially if buying into the ruse
triggers a trap.

12

GEM
THE PRECIOUS RESOURCE
Give the crusaders a limited but
important resource to manage over the
course of the delve.

EXAMPLES
The crusaders are given a Staff of Cure Disease
before heading into a crypt teeming with
ancient plagues. However, the Staff can only be
used 5 times before being depleted.
Over the course of the delve, the skeletal oracle
at the dungeons entrance will truthfully answer
up to 3 yes or no questions the crusaders ask.

PITFALLS TO AVOID
BEST PRACTICES
DONT make it impossible for the crusaders to
DO make the limitation on the resources use

continue or complete the adventure if they burn

clear to the crusaders.

through the resource.

DO make opportunities to use the resource

DONT force the crusaders to manage a limited

obvious to the crusaders.

resource that doesnt have a meaningful impact

on their delving strategy.

DO present the crusaders with more

opportunities to use the resource than they can

DONT try to circumvent the benefits of using

take advantage of.

the resource. Its there to be used.

CONSIDER giving the crusaders extra uses of

the resource as a reward for completing a minor
quest or pulling of a daring move.
CONSIDER taking away uses of the resource
when the crusaders fail to complete an
important quest or trigger a particularly
dangerous trap. Do this sparingly.

13

IDIOT
THE (NOT SO) OBVIOUS
Hide one of your dungeons rewards
from the crusaders until they solve a
puzzle challenging them to notice
similarity, parallels, patterns, or out-ofplace details.

EXAMPLES
A bas relief in the Marble Gallery matches a
rubbing found earlier in the dungeon. A
concealed button in the bas relief opens the
way to the Heavenly Stair.
One weeping torch among dozens in the Nave
of Eyes is heatless. Only this torchs flame can

PITFALLS TO AVOID

melt the wax sealing the Mothers Ossuary.

A decaying skeleton encased in rusting plate

DONT let the crusaders failure to overcome

mail lies on the ground. Its arm is outstretched

this challenge bring the adventure to a halt.

and its hand points toward a section of wall.

DONT make your clues so subtle that the

crusaders are forced to interrogate the tiniest

BEST PRACTICES

minutiae of your dungeon (pixel hunting).

DONT try to circumvent shortcuts the

DO reward the crusaders for noticing similarity,

crusaders might take to solve your puzzle, such

parallels, patterns, or out-of-place details.

as divination spells.

DO allow crusaders to use your games built-in

task resolution mechanics, such as skill checks,
to discover the clues to this challenge.
DO use your clues to foreshadow this
challenges reward or the danger that wait
further into the dungeon.
DO embed this challenges clues into your
dungeons most interesting features.

14

JESTER
THE GAMBLE
Tempt the crusaders with a dangerous
but lucrative game of chance, or
randomize the effects of one of your
dungeons threats.

EXAMPLES
A hooded skeleton wearing a crimson blindfold
offers each crusader a single pull from the
infamous Deck of Many Things.
An unstable ritual circle leaks mana in the
center of the Abandoned Chapel. The first time
each crusader steps into the circle, a random
helpful or harmful spell cast on them.

PITFALLS TO AVOID

Each turn during a battle, colossal stone hydra

fires one random spell at the largest

DONT force a crusader to gamble in order to

concentration of creatures in the chamber.

participate in or progress through the dungeon.

DONT reveal to the crusaders all this

BEST PRACTICES

challenges possible random effects.

DO make the random nature of this challenge

clear to the crusaders.
DO give the crusaders a tangible way to resolve
their gamble, such as drawing from a deck of
cards or rolling the biggest dice at the table.
DO allow crusaders to refrain from gambling.
DO tempt reluctant crusaders by highlighting
this challenges potential rewards.
DO pause dramatically for a moment before
revealing the result of a crusaders gamble.

15

KEY
THE COMBINATION LOCK
Withhold a reward from the crusaders
until they combine two or more
dungeon elements in an insightful way.

EXAMPLES
Holding the flame of the heatless torch to the
Mothers Ossuary melts the wax sealing it shut.
Casting the Frozen Skull into the underground
lake causes it to freeze, allowing the crusaders
to slide across to the other side.
Bringing the statuettes of the deva groom and
the tiefling bride to the Bright Chapel and
placing them side-by-side activates a portal.

PITFALLS TO AVOID

BEST PRACTICES

DONT let the crusaders inability to overcome

DO make sure the elements of this challenge

DONT circumvent shortcuts the crusaders

have sensible relationships: compliments,

might take to overcome this challenge, such as

opposites, parts of a whole, catalyst and

divination spells.

this challenge bring the adventure to a halt.

reactant, parent and child, and so on.

DO make it clear to the crusaders that the
elements of this challenge are meant to be
combined with one or more other things.
DO present the crusaders with the opportunity
to combine the elements of this challenge in
more than one way.
CONSIDER giving the crusaders a hint as to the
nature of the combination needed to overcome
this challenge.

16

KNIGHT
THE DUEL
Present one of the crusaders with a brief
challenge that they must face alone.

EXAMPLES
A demilich asks the crusader most
knowledgeable in magic to approach. He poses
a riddle that describes an iconic spell. If that
crusader answers correctly, they learn that spell
at its highest potency. Answer incorrectly, and
the demilich drains that crusaders soul.
The death knight guarding the Unholy Scripture
of Golgothan challenges a single crusader to
survive three rounds of battle with her.

PITFALLS TO AVOID

BEST PRACTICES

DONT completely prevent the other crusaders

from participating in this challenge.

DO make it clear to the crusaders that only one

DONT keep the spotlight on only one crusader

may step forward to accept this challenge.

for an extended period of time.

DO let the crusaders decide among themselves

which of them will step forward.
DO give crusaders not participating in this
challenge some way to contribute.
DO keep this challenge brief to keep the other
crusaders from growing restless.
CONSIDER tailoring this challenge to some
aspect of the crusader that accepts it, such as
their class, race, or deity.
CONSIDER chaining duels, each giving a
different crusader an the spotlight.

17

MOON
THE TRANSFORMATION
Transform one of the crusaders into
someone or something else.

EXAMPLES
Animated wrappings lash out from an upright
sarcophagus, pulling the thief inside. When he
emerges, he has been mummified. He retains
the knowledge he had in life, but is now
vulnerable to fire and liable to curse allies that
draw on divine magic in his presence.
The first crusader to enter the brass pentagram
is temporarily transformed into a frenzied bone
devil capable of rending through the vampire

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spawn surrounding the Inverted Monolith or

her allies, if shes not careful.

DONT subject a crusader to a transformation

that prevents them from participating fully in

BEST PRACTICES

the adventure.
DONT saddle a crusader with a transformation

DO transform a crusader into something that

reflects the theme of your dungeon.

that just burdens them with more bookkeeping.

DO make a transformations drawbacks clear to

to remember and easier to resolve in play.

The effects of a transformation should be easy

the affected crusader.

DO allow the transformed crusader to retain
their primary moves, but with a twist or a worse
drawback for failure.
CONSIDER giving transformed crusaders an
opportunity to reverse the effect for a price.
CONSIDER rewarding transformed crusaders
with additional unlocked abilities if they pull off
something especially risky or entertaining.

18

ROGUE
THE TEMPTATION
Tempt one or more of the crusaders
with something valuable in exchange
for taking a series of obvious and
increasingly dangerous risks.

EXAMPLES
An elder crypt thing places a common magic
item on a slab and challenges the crusaders to
dispel the minor ward protecting it. If the
crusaders succeed, the crypt thing gives them
an option: leave the chamber with the common
magic item, or try to dispel a more potent ward
on an uncommon magic item and claim both. If
the crusaders succeed once again, the crypt

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thing repeats the challenge with a rare magic

item protected by a mass disintegration ward.

DONT make this challenges danger or reward

unclear to the crusaders.

BEST PRACTICES

DONT keep the risk or reward the same if the

crusaders decide to press their luck. Both the

DO make both this challenges threat and its

danger and the treasure should escalate each

potential reward obvious to the crusaders.

time the crusaders decide to double down.

DO give the crusaders an idea of the odds so

DONT make it impossible for the crusaders to

that they can make an informed decision n

continue or complete the adventure if they

whether or not they want to take a risk.

decide to not take a risk.

DO give crusaders that take the risk and

succeed a choice: walk away with their reward,
or take on another, greater risk for the chance
at an ever greater reward.
CONSIDER reducing the risk to the crusaders if
theyve accomplished a minor quest elsewhere
in the dungeon.

19

RUIN
THE DESTROYER
Destroy something the crusaders find
useful or valuable.

EXAMPLES
Sliding a weapon into the heart of the petrified
yuan-ti venom tyrant before the ankh is draped
around its neck polymorphs that weapon into a
swarm of three-headed king cobras.
Crusaders falling in the pit of tar-soaked
glabrezou hearts have one moment to escape
before any potions they are carrying spoil.
Any magic-using crusader looking upon the

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Tablets of the Awakened through the cursed

Gem of True Seeing has one random
memorized spell erased from their minds.

DONT destroy something that prevents the

crusaders from continuing or completing the

BEST PRACTICES

adventure. Present them instead with an

DO destroy both tangible things, such as magic

DONT destroy something that prevents one or

items, and intangible things, like divine boons

more of the crusaders from participating fully in

or memorized rituals.

the adventure.

DO save the effects of this challenge for only

DONT destroy something that results in a lot of

the most powerful monsters and traps in your

bookkeeping or recalculating for the crusaders.

alternate, more perilous route or a hard choice.

deathtrap dungeon.
CONSIDER allowing the crusaders to make a
sacrifice to prevent something else from being
destroyed by this challenge.
CONSIDER allowing the crusaders to restore
something that was destroyed for a price.

20

SKULL
THE BURIED
Bring back a threat from earlier in the
dungeon with a twist.

EXAMPLES
Driven off by the crusaders at the mouth of the
dungeon, the Salt Witch later ambushes the
crusaders in the Grotto of Mirrors, the limbs of a
giant primordial crab replacing those shed lost
in her first encounter with them.
Opening the seventh spellbook of the lamia
high occultist without speaking the command
word causes three random monsters slain by
the crusaders during the adventure to burst

PITFALLS TO AVOID

from the ground as a conjoined zombie

teeming with ceremonial rot grubs.

DONT bring back something the crusaders

havent encountered once before.

BEST PRACTICES

DONT bring a threat back exactly as it was. Put

a twist on it that demands the crusaders change

DO bring back a danger that the crusaders have

their tactics or make a hard choice.

actually encountered in the adventure, even if

they only did so briefly.

DONT force the crusaders to merely repeat an

encounter theyve already completed.

DO put a twist on the resurrected threat that

demands the crusaders reassess their method
of dealing with that threat.
CONSIDER rewarding crusaders that pull off
something especially risky or entertaining with
an opportunity to prevent a danger from
returning to accost them later in the dungeon.
CONSIDER giving the crusaders a chance to
end a stubborn threat for good for a price.

21

STAR
THE WATCHER
Challenge the crusaders to impress an
intelligent dungeon guardian.

EXAMPLES
A crusader sitting in the prismatic throne must
tell the Great Eye of something that the Eye has
never seen before. If the crusader cannot speak
of something sufficienly esoteric, the Great Eye
melts that crusaders bones to liquid residuum.
A death knight rewards the crusaders with a
Vorpal Sword if each of them can give him
advice on his military campaign against a
demon prince. He demands each crusader give

PITFALLS TO AVOID

insight related only to the skills of their class.

BEST PRACTICES

DONT let the crusaders bypass this challenge

DO make it clear to the crusaders what the

DONT punish a player if theyre shy or not as

simply by rolling well.

dungeon guardian wants from them.

articulate as the others. Encourage them, and

DO make it clear to the players by what criteria

than being the best roleplayer at the table.

reward them for making their best effort, rather

their roleplaying will be judged. In almost

DONT push a player to roleplay if theyre not

every case, you should reward a player if they

comfortable doing so.

put forth their best effort in trying to be creative

and entertaining.
DO make sure that every crusader has an
opportunity to participate in this challenge.
CONSIDER giving the crusaders an extra
reward for roleplaying in a way that ties closely
with the theme of your dungeon.

22

THE HAVEN
Rest easy once.

23

TALONS
THE BEAST
Attack the crusaders with an unusual,
extremely powerful monster.

EXAMPLES
The only remaining Soulsphere is guarded by a
half-balor tarrasque mummy and the hive of
hasted ghoul stirges that nest inside of it.
Undead in the necropolis surrounding its
caldera layer sprout horns and tattered wings.
To unearth a map showing the location of the
Lost City of the Sidhe, the crusaders must
defeat an ancient hydra with the upper bodies
of medusa plague mages in place of its heads.

PITFALLS TO AVOID

BEST PRACTICES

DONT use a monster straight out of your

favorite manual without adding a twist and

DO foreshadow the beast throughout the early

some extra flavor.

scenes of the adventure.

DONT make your beast immune to one the

DO give the lesser monsters in your dungeon

crusaders primary moves. If you want to make

and the areas they inhabit traits of the beast.

your monster more challenging to certain

crusaders, make those crusaders moves carry

DO put an unusual and dangerous twist on the

greater risk or present them with a compromise

monster(s) you base your beast on.

rather than shutting down their powers outright.

DO plant resources throughout your dungeon

that are helpful in defeating the beast.
CONSIDER having the crusaders briefly
encounter the beast multiple times before the
final set-piece confrontation.
CONSIDER allowing the crusaders to harvest
and use parts of the slain beast.

24

THRONE
THE OVERLORD
Call forth the dungeons overlord, who
brings to bear against the crusaders one
or more of the other challenges
described in this manual.

EXAMPLES
The visage of the dungeons overlord, the
Serpent Rider, materializes inside of a ring of
polished stones set into the dungeon wall. He
taunts the crusaders in a booming voice before
asking whether they wish to enter his Seminary
through the Guardian of Fire, the Guardian of
Ice, or the Guardian of Steel.

PITFALLS TO AVOID

An apparation of this dungeon levels overlord,

the Frost Witch, emerges from an obelisk of
crackling black ice. If the crusaders can name

DONT reveal all of the dungeon overlords

the rival witch whose heart she has frozen inside

moves too quickly.

the obelisk, she rewards them with a Manual of

DONT rob the crusaders of the opportunity to

Intelligence and a Manual of Wisdom.

taunt or threaten the overlord.

BEST PRACTICES
DO make it clear to the crusaders that it is your
dungeons overlord challenging them with the
trial or danger they currently face.
DO present the crusaders with an advantage or
setback in the final confrontation with the
overlord depending on whether or not they
successfully overcome this challenge.
DO be creative with the way in which the
overlord presents itself to the crusaders.

25

VIZIER
THE QUIZ
Ask the crusaders questions about
details they should have learned while
exploring your deathtrap dungeon.

EXAMPLES
The druidess wight hiding in the catacombs
beneath the Obex of Lyth restores energy
drained from crusaders if they can identify three
of her monstrous pets by the entombed
remains of their human prey.
The conjoined skulls of Cerberus prevent the
crusaders from entering Ebon Eden unless they
can name, in order, the three demon lords

PITFALLS TO AVOID

deposed by the Succubus Queen. Crusaders

using the demon lords true names are
additionally rewarded with a Balor Mask.

DONT ask the crusaders to recall the trivial

details of your dungeon.

BEST PRACTICES

DONT be needlessly strict when interpreting

the crusaders answers.

DO ask the crusaders about the most

DONT ask trick questions.

interesting details of your dungeon.

DONT allow the crusaders failure to answer

DO make the asker of the questions in this

your questions bring the adventure to a halt.

challenge unusual and memorable.

Demand a sacrifice or present them with an

alternate, more perilous route.

DO ask questions that reward the crusaders for

paying attention to the lore of your dungeon,
rather than just its physical appearance.
DO ask the players to make it explicit when
they are delivering their final answer.
CONSIDER giving stumped crusaders a hint
for a price.

26

VOID
THE ANNIHILATOR
Remove something from the game
permanently.

EXAMPLES
Stealing the Locust Idol causes a cloud of
extinction dust to issue forth from the stone
face of the Mother Pestilence. The first crusader
slain by the dust rots away as does every
other member of their race in the game world.
The crusaders defeat the Heresiarch, but have
not claimed the relic required to destroy it for
good. The Heresiarch speaks its final power
word, which slays all crusaders in the game

PITFALLS TO AVOID

world with levels in the cleric class.

BEST PRACTICES

DONT remove something from the game that

DO save this challenge for only the most

DONT remove something from the game that

makes it unwinnable or unplayable.

prevents one or more crusaders from

terrifying monster or trap in your dungeon.

participating fully in the adventure.

DO be sure to telegraph to the crusaders the

incredible danger of this challenge.

DONT let the crusaders restore something that

DO get creative (and a little meta) with what

gone, its gone for good.

has been removed from the game. Once its

you remove from the game with this challenge.

DO remove the annihilated element from
subsequent delvings of your dungeon for which
you are the GM.
CONSIDER removing the annihilated element
from other delves of your dungeon being run
during the same tournament block.

27

Your reign as a deathtrap dungeon

overlord has only just begun.

The Mortal Empires. The Underworld.

With this manual in hand, you now have

Blight. The Netherworld. The Tower.

the reagants to craft and run the most

The Exalted Domain.

treacherous and electrifying dungeon

delves the hobby has ever seen.

These realms and beyond are yours to

conquer. You need only the will to

So go on, overlord. The fortune teller

power and the cruelty of those

has seen your banners draped over the

dungeon lords who have come before.

ruins of the future. Build your fortress,

your fane, your tomb, and show the
world why it should fear you.

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