a dungeon to be seen
Dungeons & Dragons is deprived of much of its atmosphere of mystery and frightfulness when it loses its element of surprise. Experienced player/dungeon masters know all the monsters, and nothing comes as a surprise to them, excluding the inventiveness of the presiding dungeon master.
Moreover, what’s a good dungeon without thick cobwebs and odd stains, not to mention the screams wafted randomly on the wind? What does silence mean if there is no noise to contrast it? Non-surprising monsters could make themselves known by noises, ie. drumbeats, cheers, curses, shouts, and the tramp of many feet could announce the arrival of a band of Orcs.
But some noises could be heard that have no bearing on play. Try these tables on some unsuspecting players and watch them get very cautious!
Every 30 minutes, there is a 25% chance of hearing a random noise. Such noises will either cease if investigated, or lead investigators away, possibly to a trap. These noises will seldom lead into a position where their prospective cause could be seen.
These sounds are also good for “noise rooms”. And these noises could be distorted, or sound more distant due to the acoustical qualities of dungeons.
For the same chance, a few visual goodies are also frustrating. Note that these apparitions are real to all senses, including touch, but they vanish immediately after the party has left.
| Pick or Random Die Roll | Sound |
|---|---|
| 1 | Moans or groans |
| 2 | Screams or shrieks |
| 3 | Rattle of armor |
| 4 | Insane laughter |
| 5 | Footsteps |
| 6 | Sounds of battle |
| 7 | Scratching / Scraping |
| 8 | Mumbling |
| 9 | Sobbing |
| 10 | Wind |
| 11 | Creaking |
| 12 | Drums |
| 13 | Whispers (unknown language) |
| 14 | Hissing |
| 15 | Thuds |
| 16 | Roars |
| 17 | Rumbling |
| 18 | Slamming door |
| 19 | Screetching / Cawing |
| 20 | Heavy breathing |
| 21 | Rattling |
| 22 | Snorting |
| 23 | Water (stream, droplets, etc.) |
| Pick or Random Die Roll | Sight / Find |
|---|---|
| 1 | Blasted or melted stone |
| 2 | Cracks in walls, floor or ceiling |
| 3 | Moss |
| 4 | Dark mist |
| 5 | Light mist |
| 6 | Thick cobwebs |
| 7 | Spiderwebs |
| 8 | Bloodstains or pools of |
| 9 | Damp patches |
| 10 | Bulging walls |
| 11 | Luminescent area |
| 12 | Shadows are wrong |
| 13 | Footprints or trail |
| 14 | Pitted or corroded spots |
| 15 | Trail of blood |
| 16 | Rusted, useless armor or weapons* |
| 17 | Slime |
| 18 | Scorched section |
| 19 | Corpses shackled to the wall |
| 20 | Battered lantern |
| 21 | Manacles |
| 22 | Dragon scale |
| 23 | Empty backpack |
| 24 | Beads |
| 25 | Broken incense burner |
| 26 | Key to… |
| 27 | Prayer book |
| 28 | Rotten waterskin |
| 29 | Spoon |
| 30 | Belt buckle |
| 31 | Leather pouch |
| 32 | Chalk |
| 33 | Empty urn |
| 34 | Broken Magic items |
| 35 | Bell |
| 36 | Torn Map Piece |
| 37 | Small statue |
| 38 | Blanket |
| 39 | Cauldron |
| 40 | Bucket |
| 41 | Eye patch |
| 42 | Mummified |
| 43 | Necklace |
| 44 | Dog skeleton |
| 45 | Candle(s) |
| 46 | Broken vial |
| 47 | Casket |
| 48 | Vial with something |
| 49 | Tattered cloak |
| 50 | Shovel |
piles of rust.
