How to Make a Megadungeon

You are walking through a darkened hall, tall pillars rising ominously around you to a shadowy ceiling lost in darkness. A steady drip echoes through the vast, cold space, the sound sharp and lonely in the oppressive silence. With each step, the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, and a prickle of unease tells you that unseen eyes may be watching from the shadows. Welcome to the world beneath the surface, to the depths of a Megadungeon.

Hello, adventurers and creators, and welcome back! In today’s journey, we’ll be delving into one of the most intricate and thrilling aspects of fantasy map-making—the Megadungeon. This is not just a map, but the nexus to countless tales and treacherous paths. We’ve discussed dungeons, ruins, and all manner of significant sites in the past, but the megadungeon - the labyrinthine maze that can swallow your heroes for days or weeks at a time - is a beast in and of itself. 

This week's video caps off this series, Pirates, Treasure and Charting Tutorials: How to Make a Megadungeon

For the past six weeks, we’ve travelled across the Goldhunters’ Sea in search of the Pirate King and his fabled treasure. Not only has this given us the opportunity to explore many different kinds of maps that can be used in such a pirate-oriented setting, but each of the maps can be used in tandem and different ways. We’ve discussed treasure maps, city maps, stylised maps, coded maps, naturalists’ maps, and finally we’ve finishing with this. 

In addition, we’ve been following along with the Lore Archive series, a short series which follows the mapmaker Yemoke as he attempts to find and kill the Pirate King. These videos are some tidbits of lore that you can use in your own worlds, along with these maps, to give quest ideas and worldbuilding concepts. We’re capping off the series with the Azure Throne episode later this week. 

Megadungeons are more than just large dungeons. They are colossal labyrinths filled with peril, puzzles, and plunder, deeply embedded into the lore of the lands above and wrought with the echoes of a thousand footsteps. They serve not only as a test of skill and bravery for characters but as a cornerstone of immersive world-building for any creator. Today, I - Ryan of the Red Quills - will go through the step-by-step process of creating such a megadungeon and populating it, while I show you on this map in front of us. 

As always, we start with a blank page, and then add our sketch. But let’s talk about the concept behind your megadungeon. 

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We talk about concepts and themes all the time - I sound like a Literature lecturer over here - but it’s honestly always the starting point for a compelling dungeon. We’re all here to get the maximum amount of entertainment from the minimum amount of effort, you just need to apply your attention where it matters. And the concept matters. 

We’re going to go through the necessities now, but if you’ve already got all of these - a focus, a purpose, a lore, and several story strings - you can skip ahead. 

Section 1: Conceptualising your Megadungeon

Before we begin sketching out the endless corridors and secret chambers of our megadungeon, it's crucial to define its heart. The theme of your megadungeon can be summarised by what you’re putting in the middle of it, in the very deepest, darkest pit, waiting for your heroes. There’s always a point to these enormous complexes. The heroes don’t wander into them willy-nilly. So we’ll start there. 

Focus (The Heart of the Dungeon):

Start by deciding on the ultimate focus of your Megadungeon. Is it the lair of a dragon, the hiding place of a cursed artefact, or perhaps the prison of a forgotten god? This focus will not only guide your map design but also serve as the primary goal for adventurers daring enough to enter.

Purpose (Why Does It Exist?):

Next, we need to understand why this Megadungeon exists. Was it built as a protective vault, a sacred temple, or a massive tomb? The original purpose will influence its structure, traps, and the type of creatures that roam its halls. For instance, a fortress might be filled with strategic defence mechanisms, while a religious site could have ritualistic puzzles and divine guardians.

Lore (History and Myth):

The lore of your Megadungeon is where the depth of your world-building shines. Who built it? What historical or mythological events are tied to its creation? Perhaps it was constructed by a vanished civilization, or by the followers of a deity long considered as myth. This backstory not only enriches the player's experience but also provides a broader context that can impact the current world.

Main Story Strings (Narrative Threads):

Now, let’s talk about weaving main story strings through the physical structure of your Megadungeon. Each hall, room, and secret path can tell parts of its history. For example, the faded murals in a grand hall could depict the rise of its ancient rulers, while scattered documents in a forgotten library may reveal the reasons for its downfall. Think of your dungeon as a living museum, where adventurers learn as they explore. Crafting multiple narrative threads—like the story of a betrayal that led to the fall of the dungeon’s creators, or hidden clues about a prophecy that can only be fulfilled by navigating its deepest chambers—creates layers of discovery that keep players engaged and motivated to explore every corner.

The way that I tend to do it is something that I’ve learned by playing video games: I create three levels of story and weave them in and out of the dungeon itself. The first is the most obvious, the present threat or danger. What’s lurking in the dungeon, and what’s it doing? The second is about the players themselves. I generally add a threat in that’s personal to them. What is the enemy’s plan for them? Why do they want the heroes there? And the third is the lore mystery. Why is this place ruined? What is it hiding? What happened here? 

Let’s cover a few common questions about dungeon making: 

Commonly Asked Questions:

1. How do I decide on the perfect focus for my Megadungeon?

Consider the main themes of your campaign or story. Your focus should be a natural culmination of these themes. For example, if your world has a strong element of forbidden magic, the dungeon might guard a powerful arcane secret. It’s also effective to think about what would motivate your characters or players deeply—greed, curiosity, survival?

2. What if the purpose and lore of the dungeon contradict each other?

Contradictions can actually add complexity and intrigue. Perhaps the dungeon was repurposed over the centuries, originally built for one reason but later adapted for another. These layers of history can create compelling mysteries and conflicts for players to uncover and resolve.

3. How detailed should the lore be when first designing the dungeon?

Start with broad strokes that define the most significant historical events and figures associated with the dungeon. As your map and gameplay evolve, you can add finer details that enhance those big picture stories, allowing room for spontaneous development during gameplay.

4. How can I integrate multiple story strings without overwhelming players?

Introduce story strings gradually. Let players discover them through exploration, interaction with the environment, and NPCs. Make sure each thread can be followed independently but also weave them together subtly to enrich the overarching narrative. This keeps players intrigued and encourages them to explore deeper into your dungeon.

Armed with a robust framework of focus, purpose, lore, and narrative threads, our Megadungeon is now more than just a map—it's a crucible of stories and challenges. As we move into designing its layout and complexities, remember: every wall, every shadow has a story.

Section 2: Mapping out the Basics

Alright, let’s roll up our sleeves and turn these ideas into somewhere that you can actually walk your heroes through. Mapping isn’t just about drawing lines and naming rooms. It’s about crafting a stage where your stories come alive. So I’ve skipped over a large portion of this map - which is, of course, the sketching stage - because the pencil does not show up as well on the camera. But we’ve got a lot of time while I’m painting out these chambers to talk about what the outline looks like. 

Sketching the Overview: 

Begin with the skeleton of your dungeon. You know where your heroes will enter, and you know where you want them to end up. That’s a good start - we just need to throw in some obstacles for them to face along the way. 

Start by making areas, rather than chambers themselves. Start big, and work your way smaller and smaller. If nothing else, just begin by using the five-chamber method. Divide your megadungeon into the entrance area, the deepest area, a dangerous environment, a puzzling obstacle, and an inhabited warren. 

 Five-Chamber System: 

Alright, let’s talk about the five-chamber system. I’ve spoken about it a lot before, and I’ll cover it quickly here again. This method spices up your dungeon with five flavours of encounters:

• Ambience: This is the music of your dungeon. Use it to set the mood, whether it’s eerie whispers or the echoing drip of a distant waterfall. This is very important, don’t skip over it. This is where your heroes can rest if they need to. Make it somewhere safe - or somewhere they can make safe. 
• Trap: The spice! Every good tale needs a twist, and what better twist than a floor that suddenly isn’t there?
• Danger: Here be monsters. Or maybe a creeping mist that ages everything it touches. Keep your heroes guessing and their hearts racing.
• Puzzle: Throw in a riddle or a complex lock. Make them use their brains before their brawn.
• Conflict: And of course, the climax. Who’s the big bad or the unexpected ally? This is where stories peak and legends are born.

That’s the basis of what we’ll be using, so let’s use it as a tool, and make a rule of ruins. 

Rule of Ruins

I talked about this briefly in my previous video, but the idea is that you should use a fractal rule when creating explorable content. Fractal meaning that it is still detailed and interesting the more you zoom in. In this case, you can apply the Five-Chamber System to a whole dungeon, and keep making it fractal by adding variations. 

So the Rule of Ruins is: 

“Each area has five locations, three variations, and one focus.”

You’ve divided your megadungeon into five areas. You want five kinds of chambers in each of those areas. To mix things up, you can have three variations on that one kind of chamber - three puzzles, three traps, three dead ends - in each area. So now you have fifteen chambers in each area, and a focus chamber. Which is a special room with a special encounter. 

Using that, I have five areas, with sixteen chambers each. Not including any special rooms that I add, I’ve made eighty rooms. Eighty rooms to explore, and you have an idea of what to put into each of them. 

Commonly Asked Questions:

1. How do I start mapping out my dungeon?

Begin with broad strokes. Outline the major areas first, then choose how many chambers you want in each area. Then use the rules above to decide what kind of chamber each room is. You flavour them according to the largest chamber and just make that aesthetic trickle down. 

2. Is the Five-Chamber System set in stone?

Nothing in creation is set in stone, except maybe a petrified wizard. Adapt the system to your dungeon’s size and your adventurers’ pace. Mix, match, and mould it until it fits your tale. Flexibility is your greatest friend. 

Section 3: Adding Layers of Complexity

Alright, your dungeon’s got bones now—time to add some muscle and a bit of mystery. We’re diving into the part where your dungeon really starts to live and breathe—the complexities. These aren’t just challenges; they're what will make your heroes' journey through the dungeon memorable and engaging. You’ve labelled chambers as being puzzles, or traps, or ambience. What does that look like? How can you add more detail? 

Let’s take it step-by-step. Traps, puzzles, and encounters.

Traps and Secrets: More Than Just A Nuisance:

A trap isn't just a mechanical annoyance; it’s an echo of past craft and cunning. Imagine a corridor lined with statues, each one's eyes a silent, watchful trigger. The moment an unwary adventurer steps into their gaze, the floor gives way—plunging them into a net below, if they're lucky, or a pit of spikes, if they're not. These traps should guard something invaluable or dangerous, keeping unwelcome guests at bay.

Secrets are the whispered legends of your dungeon. Behind a loose stone wall, adventurers might discover a small cache containing the diary of a mad sorcerer, offering clues to navigating other, more deadly traps, or revealing the existence of a hidden sanctum filled with arcane knowledge and forbidden spells. These discoveries should feel earned and impactful, rewarding the curious and the brave.

These come hand-in-hand. No one sets up a trap for no reason: they set it up to guard something valuable or precious. Which doesn’t mean that you have to have valuables at the end of every trap. After all, the object of the trap could have been moved over time. But it’s important to remember that there should be a focus of a trap. 

Be imaginative with your traps: there are all sorts of ideas out there. But think in terms of who made them, how mechanical or natural the traps are, and what they wanted the outcome to be. Death, or capture? 

Crafting Puzzles That Think Outside the Box:

Now, I know the problems with puzzles. I know the complaints about gamers and their inability to work their way through a puzzle that shouldn’t be much of a challenge. But there’s something that the memes overlook: the reason that players often struggle is because they don’t know how much information they have access to. It’s easier in the real world: they know what’s real, there’s no such thing as a real-life plot-hole, and they can draw on all of their knowledge. Players don’t have the same luxuries. Be clear about what they know and what they can do before they have to answer. 

Then think of puzzles as mental duels between you, the creator, and your players. One example could be a mural puzzle where players must align ancient frescoes to open a secret doorway. The frescoes could depict a historical event in the dungeon’s past, offering lore and context as they solve the puzzle. Or consider a magical lock that only opens when the correct sequence of musical tones is played, tones that can be gleaned from inscriptions scattered throughout earlier chambers.

Encounters That Echo Through the Halls:

Finally, onto the encounters. Who guards this forbidden place? Perhaps a spectral knight who was the last sworn protector of the dungeon's sacred relic. This encounter could involve both combat and a moral decision—maybe the knight offers a chance for parley, asking the adventurers to prove their worthiness. Or, envision an encounter with a colony of mischievous sprites that have taken up residence in an ancient magical grove within the dungeon; they might trade information for a shiny trinket or a promise to help free them from a curse.

It’s always more interesting to create enemies within the dungeon that can be dealt with in a variety of ways. Some inhabitants could be evil and attack on sight, but others could be negotiated with, or actively interested in helping. As the worldbuilder, ask yourself how else they could solve problems, and create clues in-world. If they can negotiate with a primitive tribe, they add some finger paintings on the walls of traders and commerce. Imply intelligence, rather than raw hatred. 

Commonly Asked Questions:

1. How can I make my traps feel unique and integral to the dungeon?

Think about who built them and why. A trap designed by dwarven engineers might be a marvel of mechanical engineering, robust and explosive, while elven traps could be almost invisible, blending with natural elements, triggered by the disturbance of light or the scent of foreign magic.

2. How can puzzles enhance the thematic elements of the dungeon?

Align your puzzles with the dungeon’s lore. For a dungeon built around the theme of the four elements, each segment could be dedicated to a classical element—earth, water, air, and fire—with puzzles that require manipulating these elements to proceed. This not only immerses players in the theme but also deepens their understanding of the dungeon's history and its builders' culture.

Section 4: The Ecology and Inhabitants

Now, what I’m creating in my map is a tomb. Death and decay lurk around every corner - and though there are encounters within the chambers, none of them are living. It’s a hopeless, lifeless place. Instead, I have the undead that wander the upper halls, the golem guards created thousands of years ago to watch over their people, the magical artefacts that have gained animation as their magics unravel. 

But your megadungeon can be filled with life. Think of your Megadungeon not just as a collection of traps and treasures, but as a wild, untamed world teeming with creatures and plants. It’s an entire realm where every shadow or light, every damp stone or dry corner, might house a being with its own story.

Imagine the winding passages and vast chambers of your dungeon as countries in their own right, each with its own ecosystems. What lurks in those shadowy corners? Maybe your giant spiders weave their webs in the upper domes, catching lesser creatures and perhaps an unwary adventurer or two for dinner.

Characters in Their Own Tale:

Every creature in your dungeon is a character, from the lowly rat to the regal dragon. Think about what role they play—are they merely obstacles, or do they have their own goals and needs? Perhaps the goblins are more than just fodder; maybe they’re clever trap-makers protecting a sacred shrine.

You don’t necessarily need to give each creature its own story as you plan out the dungeon - though a sentence or two for the more significant ones will be needed - but even giving some context to the kinds of creature that you encounter. A single kobold may not have a story. But the kobold tribe may be engrossed in a generations-old feud with the spiders in the upper floors. 

The Dance of Predator and Prey:

And on that, let’s weave a tapestry of life. How do the creatures interact with each other? Maybe there’s a fragile alliance between the cave-dwelling gnomes, who fortify dungeon passages, and the glowing fungi that illuminate their work, creating a symbiotic relationship that adventurers can exploit or disrupt. 

All life needs food and water: where do they get it from? What are the bottom-feeders? And what are the peak of the food chain? 

Commonly Asked Questions:

1. How do I make the dungeon ecosystem feel alive and interconnected?

Introduce natural cycles like food shortages, breeding seasons, or migrations that affect creature behaviour and interactions, making the dungeon’s ecology a dynamic element of gameplay.

2. Can I use peaceful creatures in a Megadungeon setting?

Absolutely! Peaceful creatures can add depth and offer different types of encounters. They might trade information for protection or provide healing herbs in exchange for assistance against a predatory threat.

Section 5: Final Touches

We’ve built the skeleton, fleshed out the muscles, and now it's time to dress up our Megadungeon with those captivating final touches that make it truly alive. These aren't just decorations; they’re the nuances that breathe life into the stone and shadow of our dungeon’s halls.

Painting with Light and Shadows:

Think of your dungeon not just as a series of rooms but as a canvas where light and shadow tell stories. In a necromancer's lair, shadows might seem to creep and follow the players, while in a crystal cavern, light could dance off the walls, creating dazzling patterns that mesmerise or even mislead. These visual touches not only enhance the beauty of your dungeon but also its mystery and danger.

Whispers in the Dark:

Let’s not just show, let’s make them feel. The drip of water echoing through a cavern can be as foreboding as the roar of a monster. Describe how the air grows colder as they delve deeper, the soft rustle of something unseen moving in the darkness, or the sudden silence that falls when all creatures instinctively hide. Sensory details like these can turn a simple exploration into a spine-chilling adventure.

Secrets to Uncover:

Scatter secrets throughout your dungeon that players can uncover through interaction. An ancient tome whose pages reveal the true purpose of the dungeon, a series of levers hidden behind old tapestries that open new pathways, or a cursed jewel that begs to be touched. These elements invite players to engage directly with your world, making their experience personal and memorable.

Commonly Asked Questions:

1. How can I integrate sensory elements without overwhelming the players?

Balance is key. Introduce sensory details gradually and use them at pivotal moments to heighten tension or enhance the narrative. Let the environment respond to player actions, subtly guiding them through the lore and danger.

2. What’s the best way to make interactive elements feel natural in the dungeon?

Ensure that every interactive element has a backstory or a reason for being there. Whether it’s a puzzle that seals away an ancient evil or a mechanism that controls the dungeon’s defences, it should feel like an integral part of the dungeon’s history.

Connection to the Campaign

We’re getting close to the end now, so let’s go back over the quest that led us here to the Azure Throne. There’s a lot of information on this map alone, and there is more in the Lore Archive video releasing later this week, so that you can use the Vault of the Pirate King in your own campaigns. 

We started with a map of the Goldhunters’ Sea - the treasure map of the Pirate King, Amador Smoke-Eye. With the account written on the back by the explorer Yemoke, we followed the map to the Isle of Dreams - stopping along the way at the City of Ships - and found the door to Amador’s Vault. Within it lies his treasure, the gathered hoard of a thousand sunken ships. But to get inside, we needed to solve the riddle of the puzzle map that Yemoke made to smuggle the knowledge out from under the Pirate King, and we needed to collect the key for the door from the ruins of Firn-na-Bolg. Then we returned.

 Using the key, and the password - “Mapmaker” - we opened the door. Beyond it, lies the vast maze of the Azure Throne, once the capital of the ancient Golidi Dominion. Within, at the very bottom, waits the Pirate King himself. 

Amador has set his old crew as guards in the upper halls. Now, their corpses will attack viciously any intruder. What’s more, the Golidi left their own security: the Dominar’s Halls are guarded by their golems, and their tombs by the servants they killed when the Dominars were buried. If we manage to get to the bottom, to the treasure and the King, we’ll find out the truth. 

But more on that in the final episode of this series of the Lore Archive - check it out. 

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And that brings us to the end of our journey through the depths of the megadungeon. We've sketched its vast halls, set deadly traps, populated it with creatures both mythical and mundane, and wrapped it all in layers of mysteries and secrets. Much like the maps we've tackled before, this dungeon is designed not just to challenge but to tell a story—a dark and intricate tale woven into each stone and shadow.

I’ve poured extensive effort into ensuring that each element of this dungeon enriches the narrative and enhances the immersion, and I’m eager to see how you all use these ideas in your own worlds.

If you enjoyed this deep dive and found it useful, don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments below. I'm here to discuss, answer your queries, or even take suggestions for future creations. Also, for those who love seeing the process in action, check out the Shorts on my channel for high-speed timelapses of today’s mapping session.

Next week, we’ll be starting our next series, which is about mapping and exploring different biomes within your fantasy worlds, using a series of maps as the starting point. Keep your eyes open, hit that subscribe button, and tune in next week. 

A huge thanks to everyone supporting the Red Quills. If you're keen to see more and help out, consider a commission or a small donation for new gear—I'm eyeing a new tablet to bring even more details to our next maps. Every bit of support helps us keep adventuring together.

Safe travels in your creative journeys, and I'll see you on the next map!