I need some environmental hazards in Dracula's castle

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E-Rocker

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Tonight's adventure, unless it goes terribly awry, will culminate with a big battle in Dracula's castle versus Dracula and his three vampire brides. Most likely in the crypt of the castle, to be more specific.

I would like to throw in some environmental hazards, so the PCs have more that they need to deal with than just fighting the vampires.

Any suggestions? Thanks!
 
The usual stuff with rotting floorboards over deep pits... rafters that might give way and dump falling masonry on folks below... lots of old dried stuff that can catch fire from torches and broken lanterns.
I figure some vampires are clean freaks... but not all of them. What does 300 years worth of slacker living look like? Maybe a maze of horded junk... a century worth of detritus, old newpapers, carry out containers (rotting corpses), bat guano, packages of stuff bought on QVC binges and never opened, sentimental tchotchkes from the old country... all ready to catch fire, fall over and bury you, give you some disease if you breathe it or rub against it.
 
How about some Hollywood style fog that covers something dangerous like an open pit (that fog could even be one of he vampires if they use gaseous form). Depending on how epic the crypt is, you could have some crumbling bridges on the verge of collapse, you could have a landslide of bat guano (seriously every Dracula movie has a bazillion bats, they have to poop somewhere). Trip steps could also be fun, especially when combined with some other hazard. Some fur rugs covering the floor, the PC will probably think they are hiding something, but they are undead fur rugs, that should give them a surprise. A rotting plank over a pool of fetid blood the vampires like to bathe in.
 
Thanks all! That was enough for me to make a d10 table, as well as two conditional effects! Feel free to keep them coming, though; I've still got about 3 hours until game time :grin: .

Upon entering a room, roll 1d10

1. mold
2. dust
3. crumbling walls
4. rotting floorboards
5. falling masonry
6. fog
7. landslide of bat guano
8. undead fur rugs
9. cobwebs
10. fetid blood pool

Conditional effects:

1. If rooting around in old chests, empty coffins, etc., save vs. poison.

2. If careless with torches, save vs. catching wooden debris on fire.
 
I like the idea of a room full of blood. You open the door and get hit by a massive wave of the stuff. There's something like that in Tower of the Stargazer, and then there's that iconic scene from The Shining. Such a room presumably has a hatch in the ceiling or some other way to lower oneself into the blood.
 
First choice shamelessly copy the Castlevania franchise It's good stupid fun both designing and adventuring in.

second, people forget Zoltan the Hound of Dracula ends with a litter of cute little hell puppies. Dracula's castle NEEDS more puppy hellhounds running around.
 
I like the idea of a room full of blood. You open the door and get hit by a massive wave of the stuff. There's something like that in Tower of the Stargazer, and then there's that iconic scene from The Shining. Such a room presumably has a hatch in the ceiling or some other way to lower oneself into the blood.
And soon after, a dark-skinned vampire with a katana follows. He seems intent on finding other vampires...:devil:
 
Everything in the table, coupled with a layer of cold fog that doesn't get above a foot from the floor.
 
Castlevania the hell out of that castle. Punji sticks, grinding gears, pools of fire/lava, seemingly bottomless chasms...
Yeah, Castlevania is a really solid source of inspiration to pull from for this.

Also, if this is going to be taking place in a crypt, well... what sort of crypt? Do other undead exist? If so, maybe the crypt is less an actual "crypt" and more of a series of cells packed full of the dead in agony...

What I'm suggesting is, as a 'natural' hazard, perhaps dozens of desperate undead arms grasping out from behind bars lining the walls of the crypt. They could grab people and pull them to the wall or wrench at their limbs.

Perhaps some flaming braziers which could be kicked over?
 
Musing on the idea of vampire crypts further, what about carefully arranged coffins which might serve as obstacles or cover? Additionally, what if there are lesser vampires slumbering in there, and if you jostle one the vamp inside awakens in a very bad mood?

Maybe a "draining pit" sieve complete with spikes, where helpless victims are thrown in to be skewered and drained into a vat somewhere below.

Welcome to the Pub Antiquation! Antiquation!
Thanks very much Endless Flight!
 
It might be too late, but ...

A suit of armour that, when touched, falls and clatters down a stone staircase.

A suit of armour that, when passed, turns its head to look at you and them slowly draws it sword.

Windows with wooden shutters, to keep that nasty sunlight out.

Depending on the type of Dracula, spikes randomly situated around the castle, some empty and some with a moaning occupant.
 
It might be too late, but ...

A suit of armour that, when touched, falls and clatters down a stone staircase.

A suit of armour that, when passed, turns its head to look at you and them slowly draws it sword.

Windows with wooden shutters, to keep that nasty sunlight out.

Depending on the type of Dracula, spikes randomly situated around the castle, some empty and some with a moaning occupant.

Definitely not too late! Our next session will be on November 7. Thanks for the suggestions!

Question for those of you suggesting using the Castlevania games as inspiration: is there perhaps a Castlevania wiki somewhere? The only Castlevania game I've played is the first one, and that was way back when it was new, so my memories of it are vague at best.
 
Indeed there is! I suggest looking through it.

Oh, according to the lore of the game series, the Castle itself is a 'living' entity, which allows it to change shape and befuddle its master's enemies.

Some other suggestions. A library full of books from the Black Magic School known as Scholomance. Things like the Necronomicon, the Malleus Malificarum, and protected by spell effects like Entangle and Bolt in the shape of other books.

I may have other ideas. I'm running a SW Ripper's game using the SWADE, and I had a dungeon crawl in Castle Poenari. It never occurred for me to use the Castlevania series though. If the players go back, I will.
 
Also, I want to make sure Dracula has a personality & isn't just a collection of stats to be conquered. Any suggestions for movies about Dracula, or other vampires, to watch for inspiration?

(maybe should be a separate thread? I dunno.)
 
In the Castlevania series, he had a vendetta against humans for the death of his wife. The real Vlad Tepes was said to have done it because he wanted to protect his homeland from invaders. Strahd von Zarovich, the D&D version of the man was cursed because of both hubris and lusting after his brother's girl...
 
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