IV. What Lies Beneath the Horizon
Dungeons and adventure sites are the crucibles of play—where treasure waits, where danger lurks, where legends are made. These procedures help you build memorable locations from fragments of rumor and hearsay.
Dungeon Creation Overview
When to create dungeons. Types of sites. Scale and complexity. The rumor-first approach.
Sources: Ex Umbra, RISE, Perilous Wilds
Rumors & Discovery
Rumors Procedure
The Ex Umbra campfire approach. Unreliable narrators. Building from fragments. The discovery phase.
Source: Ex Umbra
Mapping Procedures
Mapping Procedure
Collaborative mapping. The heart turn and tremor turn. Card-driven room generation. RISE solo mapping.
Sources: Ex Umbra, RISE
Threats & Denizens
Denizens Procedure
Monster creation tables. Threat tokens. Ecology and factions. The dungeon as living place.
Sources: Ex Umbra (Threats), Perilous Wilds (Monster Creation)
Treasures & Rewards
Treasures Procedure
Reward tokens. Treasure types. Meaningful loot. Connecting treasure to history.
Sources: Ex Umbra (Rewards), Perilous Wilds