Whats a Mini-Dungeon? Inspired by the Judges Guilds "Book of Treasure Maps", mini-dungeon is a small dungeon with 10 or less rooms with a single faction inside. They are al litte bit bigger than a lair but not a full on dungeon. They are good for populating a hex map or for 1-2 session 'side' adventures'.
The Burning Hall The former manor hall of a cleric known for burning people at the stake now lays collapsed and emits the smell of acrid smoke. Top level is all smashed in and stones are scattered about but one can find a stairwell in that leads to the basement with three rooms still intact (the rest are filled with rubble). First room is all charred and is unbearably hot, the metal door to the next room with a large symbol of Chaos will burn exposed flesh for d6 damage on contact and is jammed shut. Second room is filled with ash and haunted by the burning spirit of the evil cleric (5HD Ghost, Immune to Fire, no XP drain, but deals d6 Fire damage on a 15+). Third Room is the ruins of the evil cleric’s armory; d6 sets of maces and shields, a chest of with 1d100sp and 5d100cp, a set of black half-plate, three random first level divine spell scrolls, and two healing potions.
Infested Granary Old barn like stone granary in a state of long disrepair is now the home to a group of 2d6 Were-Rat Brigands (2HD). The sliding door entrance is trapped (tripwire, sends down spiked balls on chains at chest height for 2d6 damage, and makes a loud noise). The ground level is filled with old wooden tubs that used to hold grain, but now serve as little apartments for the Were-Rats. A loft at the back of the structure holds the Were-Rat’s ill-gotten gains; 6 salted hams (d6 Iron Rations each), 3d6 amphorae of simple red wine (2gp each), a small chest of 3d20sp and 5d100cp, and a bolt of fancy blue silk (150gp, but is infested with fleas, save or disease). If alerted by the trap, the Were-Rats will make their way to the loft, pulling up the ladder, and pelt intruders with arrows and rocks.
Giant’s Quarry Old flooded marble quarry hidden in the mountains is now home to a family of stone giants. The quarry descends in a roughly rectangular pattern down a long shallow ramp about 80ft until it hits the water line of slimy but drinkable freshwater. A cave near the waterline is the home of the stone giants and consists of a large cavern with four sub rooms that branch off. The large cavern is the living area for the giants, with a large fire pit in the center and large rough hone marble slabs covered in animals furs that serve as furniture. The right most side room is filled with animal bones and other refuse. The center right side room is sealed by a large boulder and acts as a smoke house for the family and has 2d6 animal carcasses being smoked (mostly goats and deer). The left most room serves as the main bedroom for the parents (8HD) and there is a 2-in-6 chance that either is present at any time. The left center room is also sealed by a large boulder and is the nursery for their newborn giant child (roughly the size of a full grown man).
Chaos Temple Ruins The ruin of a temple to Law sits atop an even older temple to Chaos buried underground. The stairway to the Chaos temple was covered with a cap stone inscribed with runes of warning that is now sundered in half. The Chaos temple was sealed off by now crumbling brick masonry with its worshipers still inside. There are 3d6 chaos worshipers-turned-ghouls (2HD) in the central chamber surrounding a black basalt altar that throbs with Chaos energy. Destroying the altar will send out a wave of purple energy that does 2d6 damage to all in the temple. A secret door on the left side of the temple hides the treasury of the Chaos worshipers; 2d6 rubies worth 50gp each, a helmet made from the top half of a demon skull (grants the wearer immunity to fear and the ability to speak Abyssal), 30 black robes in dire need of a wash worth 5gp each, and a chest of 3d100sp.
Cheese Smuggler’s Caves A small cave entrance obscured by bushes (but is given away by the smell) houses a small band of illegal cheesemakers and their Mycondid associates. The cave dog legs to the right after 20ft and it is blocked by a locked door guarded by one of the Cheesemakers (1HD) on the inside. There is a 4-in-6 chance that he is not actively guarding the door, but sleeping off cheap wine. He is expecting a new group of smugglers to be arriving soon and may mistake the PCs for them. He controls a lever that dumps a Yellow Mold on anyone by the door if he feels threatened. Inside is a long narrow cavern leads to six side rooms, three to the north and three to the south.
The southern room closest to the door is the living area of the cheesemakers, has six cots and some old wooden cheese making equipment turned furniture. Three cheesemakers (1HD) can be found here drinking cheap wine and playing cards if not alerted. The middle southern room is filled with empty cheese racks, d6 amphorae of cheap red wine (5gp each) in a crate in the back. The far southern room is filled with racks with 200 natural rind cheese wheels (5gp each). Two Mycondids (2HD) sit in the center of the room, ensporing anything that enters the room.
The northern room closest to the door is filled with large vats of milk with small fires underneath. Two cheesemakers (1HD) with armed with paddles manage three Mycondids (2HD) who are stirring the vats. The middle northern room houses various cheese making supplies; 15 casks of milk, 3 10lb bags of salt, dried calf’s stomachs, paddles, and extra cheesecloth. Hidden inside one of the casks of milk (which has spoiled) is the treasury of the cheesemakers, d100gp, 3d100sp, and d1000cp. The far northern room stinks of mold and decay is filled with loose loamy soil and is covered in ropey mycelia and hundreds of mushrooms (a close inspection will show these mushrooms to be Mycondid Sporelings). An immobile Mycondid Mold Mother (4HD) is constantly ensporing the room and is guarded by two Mycondid guards (3HD). The Mycondid Mold Mother makes occasional requests to the cheesemakers for various decaying things (wood, animal carcasses, shit) in exchange for the Mycondids further assistance with the cheese making. Anyone entering this room must Save vs. Poison or be compelled to bring the Mycondid Mold Mother rotting things for 24 hours.
Red Fort Ruins The ruin of an old military fort has been taken over by bandits, turning it into a mini village. While the keep is little more than a pile of stones many of the out buildings have been converted to housing and shops, all in all about 2d20 bandits (1HD) here at any given time. Graveyard with eight shallow graves with simple wood headstones sits in the corner of the fort. An unmarked grave has d1000gp in a locked chest in the coffin. The old stable has been converted into a ‘tavern’ that sells stolen wine and beer, and is always occupied with at least 2d6 bandits during the day and twice that much at night. The water in the old moat is clean enough to support catfish, 2-in-6 chance that there is a bandit out there noodling during the day. A captured dwarvin mercenary serves as the forts smith, while not free he gets payed in beer for his work not the worse fate that could had befell him. An aspiring pimp seeks female slaves, thinking he can start a bordello. He has little money put promises huge stakes in future profit. The bandits spend most of their time playing games of chance, skill, or cards in the courtyard waiting for news of passing caravans.
Goblin Village A small polluted creek leads to small goblin village. Underground excavations from the goblins have caused the ruins of an old temple complex to fall into their caverns from above. While the columns and walls of the temple have collapsed the marble stature to its god still remains, now caked in filth as the goblins have taken to tossing dung at it. Scattered throughout the cavern are some large tree sized mushrooms, more common near the statue. Killing the goblins and cleaning it will grant a boon from the god. The few buildings that survived the fall into the cavern have been added to their shacks and huts as housing and to farm mushrooms. One building has been converted to a still to make shine, any fire near it will cause it to explode on a 1-in-6 chance. Another is a market selling shine, trash, shiny trinkets, and goblin bombs. The temples treasury remains untouched in a secret passage obscured by rubble and contains a gold crown worth 500gp, 3d100sp, and various exotic seeds. The goblins are more afraid than malicious but will not hesitate to defend their homes and way of life.
Castle Ruins The ruin of an old castle is now home to a tribe of bugbears and hobgoblins along with their goblin slaves. The bugbears have set numerous simple traps around the area and more gruesomely set a pile of severed heads on the trail that leads to the ruin. Brick by brick the goblins are being used as hard labor for the process of converting the ruins into a fort. The donjon below is being excavated for building supplies and for places to farm mushrooms and fungus. Unknown to the tribe the castles crypt contains the coffin vampire lord, the former lord of this castle, and excavating it will release him back into the world. He whispers into the minds of the tribe at night to keep digging.
Fish Shack Old wooden fish house serves as base for Deep One cultists. Located in a cold salt marsh the windows and doors have been boarded up but a small pond nearby has a secret entrance via a flooded tunnel. Interior of the fish house is filled with slime and marine detritus, fishhooks hang by chains on the first floor. A crate of salt cod (d10 Iron Rations) can be found in the rafters. A shrine to the Elder Gods can be found in the partly flooded basement along with 2d6 Deep Ones armed with poison coral tipped spears. A necklace made of deep platinum and black pearls (500gp) can be found on the shrine. Touching the shrine (any anything in contact with it) requires a save or gain a mutation.
Tomb of the Prismatic Overlord Long winding cavern leads to a 100ft high staircase littered with the remnants of adventures from ages past (skeletons, rusted swords and helms, etc). Two large polished stone guardians (Stone Golems) guard a matte black door with a complex and ancient lock. Behind the door is the tomb of the Prismatic Overlord, and ancient wizard.
Hag’s Clearing Clearing in a misty forest where a hag keeps her hut here. In addition to the hut is a small garden, a large black cauldron filled with a noxious green sludge (save or poison if you get a big wiff or taste), and numerous feral goats. There is a 2-in-6 chance that she is away harvesting herbs (mostly mistletoe) to make potions. The hut is simple but filled with reagents and potions (all unlabeled). A trapdoor under the rug is the entrance to a small cave, in which the hag keeps a cage for adventures, a small shrine to a nature god, and her pet gorgon. The cave has the remains of six previous adventures (including their loot). The hag wields a magical sickle made of gold worth 400gp. There is a rich vein of tin ore (worth about 5000gp but needs to be mined) in the cave, evident to the trained eye.
Old Dwarf Fort The ruins of an old dwarf fort lay covered in weeds and overgrowth. Bones, both dwarf and orc, are mixed into the rubble piles and weeds. A trap door in the remnants of the central keep hides an entrance to the forts basement. Most of the rooms have been filled with rubble but four remain open. One room contains an anvil, furnace, and some blacksmithing tools. Lighting the furnace will cause the ghost of a dwarf blacksmith to begin pounding on the anvil working on a sword. If left to finish he will make a Spectral Blade (as longsword, but damage advantage on non-corporeal creatures and damage disadvantage on corporeal ones). The ghost will make a Spectral Blade one a month if given stranger and stranger metals and fuels. If the ghost is interrupted or the equipment moved or damaged he will attack as a Specter (5HD). Another room holds three large casks of Dwarvin Ale long skunked. One has the pickled body of one of the forts former defenders inside along with his heavy crossbow, d20 bolts, suit of chainmail, and a pouch of d20sp. The third room has a barricaded wooden door with numerous scratches and three Orcish axes embedded in it. Inside are a number of heavy wood tables that have been flipped as improvised cover/barricade and the skeletonized bodies of twenty dwarfs can be found inside. Due to a leak in the ceiling all of their goods have long rotted or rusted save for d100sp. The fourth room is home to a nest of 2d6 Dire Rats (1HD), d20sp, some nails, and a gold bracelet worth 25gp can be found in their nest. The supports in this room are unstable and any impact to them will cause the room to collapse.
Peat Graves A few collapsing shacks on a foggy marsh are all that remain of a peat harvesting operation. In one of the long narrow ditches is the entrance to a tumulus that the peat harvesters uncovered. The stone beehive shaped structure is filled with muddy sludge up to knee height (half movement speed). Alcoves in the wall host 2d6 Peat Bog Mummies (4HD) that attack when disturbed. The sludge hides numerous grave goods, a bronze short sword (150gp, but worthless as a weapon), a set of drinking horns made from mammoth tusks (50gp each), numerous bronze pots and jars (500gp in total), and a bone flute that when played calms enraged animals. (As a side note, clearing out the tumulus will allow the peat harvesting operation to begin again.)
