Dungeon Exploration

Although the term “dungeon” is used here, it can mean any dangerous or new locale (cities, castles, mansions, farmhouses, adventure site, etc.).

The Basics

  • The dungeon exploration cycle (see below) is divided into a series of Turns, Actions, and their consequences.

  • On their Turn, a PC can move up to their torchlight’s perimeter (about 40ft) and perform one Action. Players can use their action to triple their move, though they risk a Dungeon Event.

  • The Guide should present obvious information about an area and its dangers freely and at no cost. Moving quickly or without caution increases the chance of encountering a monster, springing a trap, or triggering a Dungeon Events roll.

Dungeon Exploration Cycle

  1. The Guide describes the party’s surroundings and any immediate dangers (combat, traps, surprises, etc.). The players then declare their character’s intended movements and Actions.
  2. The Guide resolves the Actions of each character simultaneously, along with actions already in progress.
  3. The players record any loss of resources and any new conditions (i.e. item use, deprivation, etc). The cycle then begins again. If appropriate, the Guide should roll a Dungeon Event.

Dungeon Events

Exploring a dungeon is always dangerous, and time must be weighed against the risks of encountering denizens, natural hazards, and worse. Roll on the Dungeon Events table below when the party:

  • Spends more than one cycle in a single room or location.
  • Moves into a new area, level, or zone.
  • Moves quickly or haphazardly through a room.
  • Creates a loud disturbance.

Dungeon Events (D6)

D6 EVENT DESCRIPTION
1 Quiet The party is left alone (and safe) for the time being.
2 Sign A clue, spoor, track, abandoned lair, scent, victim, etc is discovered.
3 Environment Surroundings shift or escalate. Water rises, a ritual nears completion, etc.
4 Loss Torches are blown out, etc. Must resolve the effects before moving on.
5 Exhaustion Must take a rest (roll again), add a Fatigue, or consume a ration.
6 Encounter Roll an Encounter (page 54). Roll NPC reactions (page 73) if needed.

Actions

  • Actions are any non-passive activities, such as searching for traps, forcing open a door, listening for danger, disarming a trap, engaging in combat, dodging a trap, running away, resting, etc.

  • Some actions have special rules (see below), while others may take multiple Turns to complete.

  • Loud or noticeable actions may also trigger an encounter with the dungeon’s denizens or trigger a Dungeon Event.

Searching

  • A character can spend a Turn performing an exhaustive search of one object or location in an area, revealing any relevant hidden treasure, traps, secret doors, etc.

  • Larger rooms and difficult or complex dungeon terrain may take a few turns to properly search.

  • Searching a room first is a safer way to explore the dungeon, but it has a steep cost: time.

Resting

  • A character can spend a Turn resting to restore all HP.

  • A light source and a safe location are required to rest. Present or oncoming danger makes rest impossible.

  • Resting can only restore Fatigue if the character is in a safe place and not at risk, such as in a tavern or after all threats are cleared.

Panic

  • A character that is surrounded by enemies, enveloped by darkness, or facing greatest fears may experience panic. A WIL save is typically required to avoid becoming panicked.

  • A panicked character must make a WIL save to overcome their condition as an Action on their Turn.

  • A panicked character has 0 HP, does not act in the first round of combat, and all of their attacks are impaired.

Dungeon Elements

Light

  • Torches and other radial sources of light illuminate 40ft of dungeon and beyond that only a dim outline of objects. Torches last until they are put out by a character or their environment.

  • A torch can be lit 3 times before permanently degrading. A lantern can be relit indefinitely but requires an Oil Can (6 uses).

Doors

Fusuma and shoji are sliding room dividers and doors seen in traditional Japanese architecture.

Shoji were translucent or transparent sheets on a lattice frame where fusuma were often opaque and painted with nature scenes or patterns.

Shoji would provide visual privacy while not blocking sounds, encourage inhabitants to speak and move softly, calmly, and gracefully.

Sliding doors were typically not locked, but in some instances could be secured with a bar, rope, chain, or metal lock.

  • Doors and entryways may be locked, stuck, or blocked entirely. Characters can try to force a door open (or wedge it shut) using available resources (spikes, glue) or through raw ability.

  • The party’s marching order determines who is most impacted by whatever lies beyond a door.

  • A character can detect, through careful observation (listening, smelling, etc.), signs of life and other hazards through nearby doors and walls.

Traps

  • A cautious character should be presented with any and all information that would allow them the opportunity to avoid springing a trap. An unwitting character will trigger a trap according to the fiction or will otherwise have a 2-in-6 chance.

  • Traps can usually be detected by carefully searching a room.

  • Damage from traps is taken from attributes (usually STR or DEX) and not from HP. Armor can reduce damage, but only if applicable (e.g. a shield would not reduce damage from gas).