Revisiting Dungeons

[RedEarth]

Hi all

This is my first post although I have been digging around on the downloads page and flipping through posts for a while.

I had a question regarding how people handle the “effects” of leaving a dungeon for a rest.

From reading various posts, it seems that it’s expected that the adventuring party will return back to town to recuperate after an encounter.

When you’re running games, does the module run unaltered when the adventurers come back? Or would the dungeon monsters be on alert? Would they have set traps right or gathered reinforcements?

For example, I am running “Gold in the hills” from AA1. The players have just cleared the goblins from the mine, with the help of the automaton. A bit bruised they have decided to go and try to heal up a bit.

When they return, would the remaining goblins be unaware of there presence and still be resting in the Lair. Or would they be on alert and be waiting in the mines? Will they have triggered the pit trap? Or some other option?

As written, having nothing happen makes the dungeons seem static, as if the monsters wouldn't notice some of their number missing, their traps disarmed and their guards dead.

I’m curious as how other GMs would treat this or similar circumstances.

[Snarkythekobold]

No, your ideas are right on target. It needs to be a living, breathing world and dungeon. It makes sense that the other goblins saw the mess and decided to do something.

Honestly, I have always had a problem with the whole clear a room, walk into the next room and clear another approach to dungeons. I mean, don't you think that monsters in one room would hear something going on and run and fight? I kind of think that dungeons and encounters and such need to make some sort of sense and have interactivity between the various rooms, scenes, etc.

The enemies should be on high alert in your scenario. The PC's should actually think that would be the case. This would be provide a great opportunity to pay some hirelings to approach the lair while the PC's lie in ambush. Of course, it takes some good players to think up something like that.

[Solomoriah]

I mean, don't you think that monsters in one room would hear something going on and run and fight?

If you aren't doing that, you're missing the point.

Heck, if it takes the player characters extraordinary measures to open a door, I roll an encounter check right then (to take place in the next few minutes, if indicated).

[Seven]

Also, it can affect wandering monsters.
Let's say the players have exterminated all the orcs in the dungeon except for a group wandering around. Maybe check morale for that group. On success, they could prepare an ambuscade for the players. On failure, they might grab everything of value the players have missed and run away.

[BusterBluth]

As far as 'in between PC visits', I really like what the writers did for Dwimmermount in this respect. Each time that the party returns to a level, there's a table to reference to see if any rooms' contents have changed. The contents might be as noted in the key; on the other hand, there could be evidence of other adventuring groups passing through, including treasure already pilfered.

[mac]

I agree although it might be different if the dungeon is inhabited by undead or intelligent creatures who will be prepeared for the players return. In general restocking the dungeon after the players left it and come back is a bit sensitive. Fighting through all the rooms the already cleared before can be frustrating. So I restock some, but give them a clear chance to delve deeper.

[SmootRK]

In a nutshell, the GM ought to do what seems to make sense.

Would the creatures reinforce areas?
Would the remaining creatures bail-out and desert the area (and giving the potential for all new inhabitants to move in)?
Would the creatures set all new traps and alarms?
Would new stronger creatures move in and dominate the creatures left behind from a pc foray into the area?

Lots of ways to look at this... but always boils down to what makes sense in the GM's world/campaign.