The Dungeon Concept

Just because dungeons are some of the simplest adventure sites to build and run doesn’t mean that they need to be simplistic. A dungeon can be quite complex, filled with intrigue and dynamic elements. The first thing to do when creating a dungeon for your players to explore is to decide on the dungeon’s basic concept—what kind of dungeon it is. Are you building an underground complex of chambers below a ruined castle occupied by a tribe of goblins? Is the dungeon a series of caves burrowing through a volcanic mountain ruled by fire giants? Is it an immense shipwreck at the bottom of the sea? A wizard’s tower that has sunk into a swamp? A haunted mine? A partially collapsed manor? A dragon’s lair? Choosing a basic concept for your dungeon at the beginning helps guide the creative process of mapping and populating it.