One of the things I use in Felltower is the real local weather.
Heat waves, blizzards, unseasonal heat, early frosts, heavy rains, whatever.
If it's outside my window at game, it's outside the dungeon.
Today's weather is one I'm not sure I've deployed - flooding.
We had steady, heavy rain leading to flash floods and structural damage in the area. Sodden ground plus a lot of additional rain hasn't done well for some trees and lots of roads.
We're playing Felltower this weekend. Has the rain affected the dungeon?
On one hand, probably not. It's high up, and literally on the peak of the mountain. A lot of the local flooding is due to local topology, such as low-lying ground or slanted roads heading towards gutters and sewars.
On the other hand, probably. The mountain is well-placed to get a lot of rain. It's gotten a lot over time.
So I need to consider what all that rain will mean for the current state of Felltower.
Sometimes, the simple answer - whatever I see outside the window is the weather - implies some effect I hadn't planned for. So it goes.
Keep in mind that all the water has to go somewhere and that is not good for the mountain passes or any terrain on the way.
ReplyDeleteThe local roads leading up to Rocky Mountain National Park were only finished being repaired earlier this year. A brief bit on our local flood is below.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Colorado_floods
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Thompson_River#Big_Thompson_Canyon_Flooding_of_1976
Yeah, true. It's the surface I think would suffer the most damage. Longer trips to the dungeon won't matter, per se, because that's not a big deal for our game. But it might have some other effects. Thanks for those links!
DeleteI have a series of waterway levels in my version of Castle Greyhawk (The Waterworks, The Second Waterworks, and the Conjunction-Junction sub-level). Canals and other rivers/channels are commonly encounters throughout the levels, many of which converge at my version of The Black Reservoir (as well as emptying into/allowing entry from The Selintan River).
ReplyDeleteI like the presence of water in the game---and have alluded to flooding making some areas of the dungeon impassable, as well as providing aquatic access to others areas, too.
Allan.
I agree! I don't have quite as much water as it sounds like you do, but I do have some water of significance in the dungeon. The highest single session loss of characters was to water (well, with killer fish in it), and the PCs have swum their way into a deeper level before!
DeleteThere is more water to be found, too!
Speaking of your version of Castle Greyhawk, is that available in any complete form?
Depending on the layout of the courtyard, various parts of it might be flooded, as well as the moat room (the pit just inside the 'main entrance').
ReplyDeleteAlso if lower levels have gotten flooded, some mobs may have moved to higher ground. It could mean a slightly weirder, more cramped, more dangerous middle levels.
Yeah, there is certainly going to be some flooding and dampness. We'll find out next session if it impedes the PCs or not, though, and what weirdness it sparks.
DeleteSorry, had an edit: inspired by Quarmall (sp?)in one of Lieber's books (the one where one of the princes had pierced eyelids) my megadungeon has a water removal and filtration system, along with air exchange, all operated by the servants of the builders of the complex.
ReplyDelete