This podcast is about the tools and techniques GMs use to create and run megadungeons, entire tabletop roleplaying game campaigns where the adventuring takes place in a single giant dungeon with 100’s of rooms spread out over many levels. Why run a megadungeon campaign? How can you build a single adventure location so that it sustains excitement over more than 100 sessions? To answer these questions and many more, Ben talks to the people who know best: GMs with years of experience running amazing megadungeon campaigns.
In this special Halloween episode, Ben takes us Into the Megadungeon to interview Miranda Elkins about her Nightwick Abbey campaign--a dungeon literally possessed by a demon. They talk about the secrets of successful restocking, the importance of theme, and how to use geomorphs to craft your dungeon map. They also talk about how to run a horror themed dungeon by externalizing psychology and making metaphor literal.
For access to the full geomorphs for levels 1-3 of Nightwick Abbey, and much more, visit the In Places Deep Patreon here (https://www.patreon.com/InPlacesDeep).
Check out Miranda's longrunning blog In Places Deep here (https://inplacesdeep.blogspot.com/).
You can find more extensive reader's note, as always, on my substack, Missives from Beyond the Veil of Sleep here (https://substack.com/home/post/p-138435758?source=queue).
You can find a transcript of the interview here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mk7bLosF_JCKDxeqV3-xW5qWJh_Phaqc/view?usp=drive_link).
Music for the episode is "Sticks and Stones" by Samuel Peter Davies, and "The Horror Inside" by Eric Harper.
17 Oct 2023
A Malignant Presence
In this episode Ben takes us into the megadungeon to interview Luke Gearing about his weekly lunchtime megadungeon campaign, as well as his published megadungeon Gradient Descent. They talk about why the dungeon is more fun if every creature is an NPC and how random stocking produces interesting results. They also talk about how science horror gaming differs other genres at the table, and how Gradient Descent turns the dungeon itself into a malignant presence that haunts the players.
You can find luke's blog here (https://lukegearing.blot.im/).
You can find Sean McCoy's Warden's Operation Manual here (https://mothership-boxed-set.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders/384108).
And, of course, you can find Gradient Descent here (https://www.mothershiprpg.com/gradient-descent).
You can access a transcript of this episode here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1py6649DUxErQTxc7A8mZt5JDBDyL8YHC/view?usp=sharing).
For fuller readers notes, as always, you can travel over to Ben's substack, Missives Beyond the Veil of Sleep here (https://ultansdoor.substack.com/p/into-the-megadungeon-episode-06-a).
The music for this episode is "Sticks and Stones" by Samuel Peter Davies.
10 Oct 2023
Lessons Learned
In this episode, Ben takes us into the megadungeon to interview Nick L.S. Whelan about two megadungeon campaigns, "Dungeon Moon" and "Five Years Left". They discuss why GMing is so hard and what lessons we can learn from our failures. They talk about why some kinds of prep only increases your anxiety at the table, how the GM's experience can be dissatisfying even when the players are having a good time, and how play is subtly shaped by what we take seriously at the table and what we're happy to let slide.
You can find Nick's blog, Papers & Pencils here (https://www.paperspencils.com/).
You can find more about Dungeon Moon here (https://www.paperspencils.com/dungeon-moon/), and play reports for Five Years Left here (https://www.paperspencils.com/five-years-left/).
Read about "flux space" here (https://www.paperspencils.com/flux-space/).
Read Nick's fantastic posts about structuring encounter tables here (https://www.paperspencils.com/structuring-encounter-tables-amended-restated/).
You can follow Nick's next dungeon adventure project, Sanctimonious Slime vs. Expired Epicures here (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/avaislam/sanctimonious-slimes-vs-expired-epicures?ref=21zo6q).
As always, you can find further reader's notes on my substack here (https://ultansdoor.substack.com/p/into-the-megadungeon-episode-5-lessons).
The music used in this episode is "Sticks and Stones" by Samuel Peter Davies.
19 Sept 2023
The Human Element
In this episode Ben takes us into the megadungeon to interview Josh McCrowell about his home campaign and his forthcoming megadungeon ruleset, HIs Majesty the Worm. They talk about how we can capture the human element of dungeoncrawling, and Josh gives some vital tips about how to prep megadungeons without getting overwhelmed.
To find Josh's published work, including the draft of HIs Majesty the Worm, and especially Dungeon Seeds, his megadungeon creation toolkit and advice, go here (https://riseupcomus.itch.io/).
To find Josh's blog, Rise Up Comus, go here (http://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/).
Josh mentions the well-beloved manga Dungeon Meshi or Delicious in Dungeon by Ryōko Kui as an influence on His Majesty the Worm. An anime is coming soon to netflix, check out the trailer here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaIau6W2g98).
As always, for more extensive notes and links, go to my newsletter, Missives Beyond the Veil of Sleep here (https://open.substack.com/pub/ultansdoor/p/into-the-megadungeon-episode-4-the?r=2k7l44&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web).
The music used in this episode is "Sticks and Stones" by Samuel Peter Davies.
5 Sept 2023
The Question of Space
In this episode, Ben takes us into the megadungeon to interview Gus about his H.M.S. Apollyon campaign. They discuss how a satisfying megadungeon is an experiential space that evokes a sense of place. They explain how to harness history to move beyond bog standard fantasy tropes, and how you can actually make treasure cool.
To find out more about H.M.S. Apollyon, visit Dungeon of Sings here (http://dungeonofsigns.blogspot.com/).
For Gus' theory of the procedural crawl, visit All Dead Generations here (https://alldeadgenerations.blogspot.com/).
You can find Gus' amazing adventures here (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/18552/Ratking-Productions).
You can find Anomalous Subsurface Environment here (https://www.lulu.com/search?contributor=Patrick+Wetmore&page=1&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00).
You can find Arden Vul here (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/307320/The-Halls-of-Arden-Vul-Complete).
And, of course, visit the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_World_Heritage_Sites).
The music used in this episode is "Sticks and Stones" by Samuel Peter Davies
As always, for more extensive notes and links, go to my newsletter, Missives from Beyond the Veil of Sleep, here (https://open.substack.com/pub/ultansdoor/p/episode-03-the-question-of-space?r=2k7l44&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web).
22 Aug 2023
Little Persistent Worlds
In this episode, Ben interviews his own GM, Nick Kuntz, about their megadungeon campaign, The Twilight Age. They discuss the challenges and special rewards of megadungeons campaigns with large player rosters, and how megadungeons can function as "little persistent worlds", where the stories that emerge are less about a band of protagonists and more about an abiding place.
You can find a reader's guide to this episode with a glossary of terms and more extensive reading recommendations here.
Nick is launching an amazing megadungeon newsletter soon, to which you can subscribe here (https://open.substack.com/pub/underworldadventurer/p/coming-soon?r=2k7l44&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web)! Just do it.
You can find Nick on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/underworldadventure/). https://www.instagram.com/underworldadventure/
You can check out their campaign blog here (https://underworldadventurer.blogspot.com/). https://underworldadventurer.blogspot.com/
You can find the transcript of the episode as .txt file here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bVNSq3sbYVUrlbR2iM4h2fAgRyhgNbk3/view?usp=sharing).
As alaways, for more extensive reader's notes and links, check out my accompanying newsletter, Missives from Beyond the Veil of Sleep here (https://open.substack.com/pub/ultansdoor/p/into-the-megadungeon-episode-2-little?r=2k7l44&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web).
The music used in this episode is "Sticks and Stones" by Samuel Peter Davies
8 Aug 2023
Mysteries
In this episode, Ben steps Into the Megadungeon to interview James Maliszewski about his Dwimmermount megadungeon campaign. James explains how megadungeons can captivate the interest of players by encapsulating the mysteries of an entire setting. James also discuss his current project, The Secrets of sha'Arthan.
For deeper reader's notes to this episode that explains all the terms used and give further context for the episode, check out my newsletter here. (For deeper reader)
You can find James Maliszewski's blog Grognardia here (http://grognardia.blogspot.com/), You can find all the posts about Dwimmermount collected here (https://grognardia.blogspot.com/search/label/dwimmermount).
Philotomy's OD&D musings, a wonderful resource on Original Dungeons & Dragons (0D&D) is available here (https://www.grey-elf.com/philotomy.pdf). Curious about OD&D? Here's a free version ("retro-clone") of the original rules presented in a modern format under the name Fantasy Medieval Campaigns (https://traversefantasy.itch.io/fmc).
Learn more about Sean McCoy's #Dungeon23 challenge here (https://seanmccoy.substack.com/p/dungeon23). You can find a roundup of amazing #Dungeon23 materials from the early weeks of 2023 here (https://maziriansgarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Dungeon23%20Roundup).
You can find a full transcript of this episode here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qgVVOg5bkz-G4KSb7dF9ERl40RLDdPnY/view?usp=sharing).
The music for this episode is Sticks and Stones by Samuel Peters Davies.
18 Jul 2023
Into the Megadungeon Trailer
In this tabletop roleplaying game podcast, Ben takes us Into the Megadungeon to interview veteran GMs about the tools and techniques they use to create and run megadungeons, entire campaigns where the adventuring takes place in a single giant dungeon with 100’s of rooms spread out over many levels.If you are curious about this unique playstyle, or want to run a megadungeon but don't know how to get started, this is the podcast for you.
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