Want so as to add a little bit spice to that lengthy wilderness trek, or a change of surroundings on your subsequent dungeon delve? Strive a unprecedented location!
D&D video games, like actual property, are all about location, location, location. Albeit one entails much more slaying of monsters, hoarding of gold, and explanations to the Metropolis Guard. However we’re not right here to dunk on RedFin’s enterprise follow, we’re right here to speak about D&D.
Your social gathering has already been by means of a forest (and in the event that they haven’t, they need to), a desert, a mountain, a snow model of these three, and even gone out on (or beneath) the ocean. Will you, like Alexander, weep for there are not any extra worlds left to overcome? Maintain these tears in, and throw these extraordinary places at your social gathering as a substitute and make them suppose you’re a fantasy genius.
We discovered most of those from the Dungeon Grasp’s Information, but additionally pulled just a few from the wonderful Ghosts of Saltmarsh to convey you our 5 favourite extraordinary locales in D&D.
Canyon Containing a Dragon’s Graveyard
There’s one thing about highly effective creatures dying that feels ominous—their big bones converse of ages previous and the truth that you’re in among the many bones of a beast larger than you instantly creates this menacing, forlorn tone. And that’s simply trying on the Elephant Graveyard scene from the Lion King. Add in a touch of magic to mirror the truth that these are the largest and baddest beasts—you’ll be able to think about what sort of creatures may make their houses in a Dragon’s boneyard.
Kobolds, actually, if you’d like that Marrowak feeling, nevertheless it may be scavenging creatures like a Bulette or extra highly effective undead—no matter you place right here ought to really feel… sinister.
A Wrecked Ship—Nowhere Close to Water
Don’t have time to populate an entire wilderness location stuffed with monsters? Take a shipwreck and put it on land someplace. You could end up questioning, nicely, how did it get right here? Greatest to have a solution on your gamers in thoughts although—however you have already got a begin. It may very well be a crashed airship, a sunken ship in an space that was as soon as house to an underground lake. Mysterious otherworldly ship from one other aircraft—no matter the reason being effective.
And you’ll pack it stuffed with creatures which have moved in over time—or with creatures that really feel equally misplaced, like ghostly sharks swimming by means of an unseen ocean that hang-out (and hunt) the land-locked wreck.
A Crystal Cavern on an Alien Island
Alien islands are an idea launched in Ghosts of Saltmarsh. These are islands which have been inhabited and adjusted (corrupted some say) by aberrations. So issues like an Aboleth’s secret warren, or a bunch of kraken cultists, or starspawn worshippers. It’s already stuffed with that weird, Far Realm sort of feeling.
Add to {that a} glowing mosaic of pink, purple, and blue crystals that glow with an ethereal radiance. Within the midst of this big pure cavern, you’ll be able to think about all method of issues, wondrous and unusual and terrifying taking impact. However particularly we suggest giving your gamers an opportunity to expertise a forboding imaginative and prescient. Alien creatures are usually tied to figuring out issues that we don’t or can’t. So throw in a imaginative and prescient of an upcoming villain, or the characters in misery (and even dying) after which, utilizing just a few tips from the Ghosts of Saltmarsh, have them succeed a DC 14 Knowledge saving throw or achieve a random kind short-term insanity out of the DMG.
On the Again of a Gargantuan Creature
With this extraordinary location it’ll be turtles all the best way down. This can be a traditional trope however how typically have you ever used it? Go actually huge. In D&D Gargantuan is the higher restrict of creature measurement, however there’s no restriction on how large a creature may be. Make the dungeon the dragon, in a approach. Take a cue from Avatar the Final Airbender and have a secret temple hidden away that’s tied to the creature’s energy. Or go the Exalted route and have the large creature be a beast of warfare in addition to the positioning of no matter horrible redoubt the characters must delve into.
Within the Midst of a Kraken’s Grave
Very similar to the Dragon’s Graveyard however with a extra sinister bent to it. A Kraken’s grave is full of highly effective supernatural vitality; the world surrounding is left with a darkish stain within the form of the Kraken’s physique. You may already think about the unfamiliar beings that may lair there–however there’s additionally a foul magic that haunts this place. As described in Ghosts of Saltmarsh:
When a creature strikes inside 30 ft of a kraken’s grave or begins its flip there, that creature should succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) verify or it disturbs the grave.
In case you disturb the grave, a ghostly electrical tendril (mirroring one of many Kraken’s tentacles) will stretch up from the bottom and assault the goal for lightning injury and probably blind you for hours.
And that’s only a small style of what you’ll be able to cook dinner up. Hopefully it’s impressed you to create your personal magical places or sinister websites your gamers received’t quickly overlook.
Joyful adventuring!
