Community Atlas - Ezrute - Dunor Valley - Runcibor monastery ruins dungeons

This is the beginning of a 4 level dungeon map, to rise to the challenge issued by Jim to stop doing cities, and do a dungeon (the area I feel most ill at ease with).

This is the dungeon below the ruined monastery of the sinister Order of Holy Spiros which was destroyed by angry local many years prior.

The above ground map is shown for reference.

The floor will lose a lot of its tiling effect when it is filled in with rubble and ...

I will also change the walls to those in Annual issue 129 (Dungeon Walls).

I fully expect Jim to keep me on the straight and narrow during the construction.

Here is the map of Runcibor village as a reminder.

https://atlas.monsen.cc/Maps/Runcibor%20Village

Comments

  • Off to a good start Quenten. Looking forward to seeing you develop this. The grid as shown, is that part of the tiling effect you were referring too? If so, the maps will look heaps better without it.

    Don't feel ill at ease about mapping dungeons, IMO they're much easier than overland and city maps! Firstly, they're usually smaller so there's a lot less space to fill and secondly, for the most part, there is always exceptions, they're drawn to a grid so scaling is not an issue, particularly with drawing them in CC3+/DD3.

    Speaking of which, if this is intended to allow gamers to use it, it will need to be done with either no grid at all or a standard 5 ft or 10ft grid.

  • The 'grid' is actually a fill effect - to be fixed later. The real grid, not shown, is 10'. Here it is without the damning fill.

  • 3 months later
  • Since I have submitted the lowest level of this dungeon for the Ice and Fire competition, I thought I had better get a wriggle on and complete the upper 3 levels and surface maps.

    Here is Level 1, the crypt below the monastery ruins.

  • Here is Level 2, where the Undead forms of the disciples of Holy Spiros carry out foul sacrifices and dastardly necromantic rituals.


  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 46 images Cartographer

    These look lovely. Great work Quenten.

  • Here is my half completed third level (the level above the Caverns). A place of torture, Frankenstein experiments and vivisections.

    Thanks for your kind words, Remy. High praise from a master. I feel real satisfied now


  • And here is my completed surface map.


  • And finally here is the third level. A pit leads to the caverns below.


  • Here are the Map Notes:

    Runcibor Dungeon

    Surface

    The ruined monastery of Holy Spiros was destroyed by the oppressed people of Runcibor, 34 years ago. They slaughtered many of the monks, and shut the rest up in the crypt below. As a result, after a year of hardship, the village has prospered.

    The monastery lies on a manmade plateau, and consists of a ruined church, with a belfry tower (now the haunt of bats, some vampire ones included), and an adjacent complex of monk cells and a refectory. The blocked stairs to the crypt are at the most south-western cell – rather unusual for a crypt entrance, and deliberately so, to hide nefarious doings below.

    In addition, there are four ruined houses, which served as an infirmary and housing for a small workforce. A blocked well is near the belfry, filled with stagnant water, and unpleasant water insects.

    The way up to the plateau is a narrow and dangerous path, given to rockfalls, and slippery ground. At its summit is a toppled statue of Holy Spiros.

    Ist level

    If one were to clear the stair blockage (which would enrage the villagers), then they would enter the crypt. The floor has cracked tiles, covered in lichen and a thin film of water from seepage above. They are therefore extremely slippery.

    There are various ornate coffins, each containing a mummy as well as assorted treasure, especially golden funereal masks. There are roaming ghouls, wights and zombies, in the main hall as well as the basement of some of the house basements (which are accessed via cave-ins or blocked stairs from the ruined houses above. In some of the alcoves are howling banshees, where there is also a fair bit of liturgical treasure. Finally, in the southernmost alcove is a highly decorated statue of an enormous demon – which transforms into the real thing if it is touched. Pity it is covered with jewels and gold and gems.

    The stairs down are near the north-eastern end.

    2nd Level

    The stairs lead to magnificent hall with alternating black and white marble tiles, engraved with ominous magical sigils. On two walls are ornate demon statues (and yes, they do animate ) and various benches and tables containing magical equipment and bodies of slain, or barely living vistims tied, awaiting for necromantic ‘resurrection’., By another wall is a large pyre contained by an ornate granite wall.

    And of course, there is the former prior, a powerful wraith with high level clerical powers at his (its?) disposal. If he is attacked, the demon statues will animate; if he attacks, he is on his own. He is more likely to wait for an attack, but will take an aggressive and threatening stance to entice an attack.

    In the hall south of this necromantic laboratory, is a huge auditorium, with ghouls, dretches, skeletons, monk mummies, waiting to rise, and banshees, watching the Lich Abbot perform conjuring activities (and a demon or two will come forth and attack any intruders). Some of the undead have recently been created from the poor prisoners in the level below.

    3rd Level

    The stair down from level 2 lead to a prison and torture complex. Various prisoners, some recently undead, some still awaiting transformation, are in various cells, each of which has its own unique torture signature. Each is guarded by pairs of undead soldiers, and each cell is sadistically supervised by minor demons and undead. One cell is just full of mushy stinking rotting flesh and moulds, and bones of failed experiments. And in the cave of slime, there are deadly slimes, oozes, puddings and cubes, guarding blocked stairwell the abruptly leads to a chute, ending in a 20’ drop into the cavern entrance below.

  • I really like this dungeon, Quenten.

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