Mazes & Monsters

Dolemwood arrived - best ks ive ever done. Amazing.
RPG has several rules ive  used a while.

A greek mythic maze is a type of dungeon that mostly suck to run or play
Everyone knows just stay left trick it's like dungeon 101 basics.
What looks good on paper just doesn't run that way
You cant just give them a printed maze puzzle to doodle on?

Making a Mythic Labyrinth
These are cursed places 

1 Timers & Purpose
Use a printed map + a timer then every corner or intersection, roll some maze content, then cover the map until the maze problem is resolved. Puzzles and hazards slow players, so timed threats increase.

d12 Why Go In This Maze
1 Someone was thrown in or foolishly entered and needs a rescue
2 Monsters from within menace the countryside
3 A relic is inside, is needed by someone
4 Locals sacrifice victims to the labyrinth
5 Corrupt nobles throw in victims for sport

6 A noble offers a reward for anyone who can end the curse

7 A church offers healing and resurrection credit to those who end the curse

8 A cult worships maze and kidnaps victim,s to throw inside
9 A magician wants someone to end the maze master d4 1=want masters remains 2=wants a relic 3=wants to take over 4=wants to study it without personal risk
10 The dark powers made the labyrinth are also your enemies who have done you wrong
11 A god offers to reveal a secret to the mortals who stop the labyrinth's curse
12 The existence of the maze is a curse on the land; if it ended, prosperity would return

d12 Why Build a Magic Murder Maze
1 To imprison monstrous god cursed offspring

2 As entertainment for sadists to watch via magic

3 As a form of state execution

4 To imprison a monster when killing it would offend a god

5 As a warning to commoners to behave or go in the maze

6 A tyrant used to throw enemies inside

7 Built by cultists to worship a monster

8 Built as a tomb or treasury to keep away theives

9 Built at command of a god to appease the gods anger

10 Placed to keep a magic relic from civilisation by the gods

11 Ruler was cursed by a god and the palace became a maze

12 Placed here by a god to impede mortal civilisation

d12 Time Factors In The Maze
1 Increasingly dense fog, every ten minutes, turn visibility is reduced until you can barley make out your hand stretched out. Might be toxic too save ot take 1hp damage each turn

2 Water level rising and hear rushing water
3 Lights dim in steps until magically dark
4 Vermin swarm encountered every ten minutes (could also be stirges, snakes or other pests)
5 Kobold skirmishers come from secret linked crawlspaces, each turn increases numbers and use worse tricks and tactics up to kobold heroes in goat chariots hurling incendiaries and smoke bombs
6 Every turn a stone wall lowers, sealing path behind the party. If trapped, the core monster gathers all its support to be ready for them and pay prepares traps and barricades
7 Dungeon releases geladinous polygon monster every turn, if more than one exits
8 The maze is full of statues, and every turn, the closest to the party comes to life to fight
9 Wizard summons more monsters the longer it takes to reach them, possibly with an item like a wand of summoning. They might send them into the maze or support the wizard
10 Undead appear in maze every turn to hunt party, numbers increase or undead types get more powerful skeleton>zombie>shadow>etc
11 The core monster can summon lesser spawn of itself each turn and sends them to defend maze
12 Monster generator artefact buried under the core can teleport monsters around the maze, increasingly dangerous

2 Stocking Your Maze
Roll these as you go or pre-roll a bunch or just pick some stuff in advance
Feel free to alter frequency as required

d12 Maze Mysteries (roll every turn or dead end)
1-2 Basic Trap - mechanical or structural hazard
3 Magic Trap - a magical or supernatural hazard
4 Illusion Trap - distorts reality 
5-6 Decor - curiosities and time wasters
7-8 Item - junk lying about
10 Maze Wonder - curiosities and time wasters
11-12 Encounter - monster minions

These could be reskinned for different genres, such as a bio alien maze
Pits might go to a lower level, and sairs would be trapped, but I assume a one-level ordeal

d12 Basic Traps
triggers d4 1=tripline 2=preasure plate 3=baited 4=kobold oberator with spyhole
bait for trap d4 1=food on a gold plate 2=pile of coins 3=large gem 4=ring
trigger hidden by 1=rubble 2=bones 3=dust 4=tiles 5=illusion 6=invisible  
1 Alarm alerts inhabitants of intruders d4 1=rattling chimes 2=bells 3=shattering pots 4=silent but alerts core monsters of location on a panel with bells 

2 Net drops from above or from underneath and hoists to the ceiling

3 Snare traps a foot d4 1=lifts to ceiling 2=damages and holds foot 3=locks foot in mechanism 4=damages and poison

4 Edged attack d4 1=scythe blade 2=pop up spikes 3=spikes + poison 4=hooked spikes

5 Pendulum trap swings hazard into intruders d4 1=axe like blade 2=log on a rope 3=rock on a rope 4=chained spiked huge flail ball 

6 Deadfall drops material from above d6 1=rubble 2=caltrops 3=burning oil incendiary 4=cast iron hand grenaide with burning fuse 5=acid 6=rolling boulder from a shute

7 Projectiles fired 2d3 from concealed holes d6 1=2d3x darts 2=d4x darts + poison 3=d4x crossbow bolts 4=arbelast bolt 5=balistia bolt 6=2d4 stones or one brick

8 Pit d10 1=10 foot deep 2=10 foot deep + lid closes 3=10 deep + spikes 4=10 foot deep + poison spikes 5=10 foot deep with vermin inside 6=10 foot deep with monster inside 20 foot deep + bottom 10 flooded 7=20 foot deep + any of first d6 extras 8=lava pit usually nobody bothers to hide these 9=20 foot deep + slime 10=bottomless or teleporter pad

9 Barrier d4 1=portculis gate drops from above 2=wooden barricade or scafolding defended by monsters 3=stone door blocks escape 4=coridoor rotates sending intruders backwards 5=rotating wall sweeps into another paralell passage

10 Opens a door with angry creature d4 1=bugbears 2=slime or ooze 3=minotaur 4=ogre 5=troll 6=lion 7=automaton 8=giant spiders 9=hellhound 10=hydra  

11 Murder holes in the ceiling where a kobold crew wait, ready to pour death from above via holes or through bars d4 1=boiling oil 2=boiling water 3=burning oil 4=boiling lead

12 Arrow Slits where creatures inside walls can attack through while providing cover d4 1=kobold archers 2=kobolds with spears 3=swarm 4=giant snakes or eels

d12 Magic Traps
triggers d6 1=glowing runes 2=glowing barrier or surface 3=invisible ward 4=poltergiest 5=aliognment 6=carry magic 
1 Magical alarm or magic mouth appears to shout abuse
2 Magic missile will shoot once per round in range, often from an idol or gem
3 Burning hands will shoot from the floor orthe  ceiling with limited uses
4 Shocking grasp on a surface requires refreshing by caster or daily
5 Illusions see below
6 Wards deliver 2 damage per level d4 1=fire 2=cold 3=lightning, 4=necrotic to those who without password and half save
7 Wards deliver spell effect d6 1=cause wounds 2=hold person 3=fear 4=
8 Vapours d4 1=fog 2=sleep gas 3=acid vapour 4=poison gas 5=smoke 6=incendiary cloud
9 Curse d4 1=(-4) one stat 2=(-4) to hit 3=crirical hit self on roll of "1" 4=cant rest 5=cant read 6=blind 7=mute 8=half Mov
10 Teleporter to elsewhere in the maze or 1in6 a prison
11 Summons a planar being
12 Maze Zone as per the maze spell

d12 Illusions Traps
1 Illusion concealing a basic trap d4 1=treasure 2=wall or floor 3=corpse or 4=wounded 
2 Illusion covers a passage with an illusion wall
3 Illusion bait lure for trap drawn from own mind with ESP
4 Illusion makes a dead end look like it has side passages or is longer
5 Illusion of hazard d4 1=fire wall 2=monster 3=force wall 4=wraith
6 Illusion concealing a monster in hiding, or makes it seem innocent or sexy

7 Illusion covers or bait for a magic trap 
8 Illusion of a trap or secret door to waste time
9 Illusion or coloured gas expanding
10 Illusion  of flood water
11 Illusion of cave in and quake
12 Illusion of a laughing monster or planar being, or a deity 

d12 Decor

1 Mozaic scene or patterns
2 Fresco painting on the wall of attractive youths and beasts
3 Relief carving of supernatural beings performing a ritual
4 Statue
5 Fountain
6 Shrine or idol
7 Graphitti
8 Blood trail or handprints
9 Rat nest of scrap might have a trinket
10 Rubble and bricks
11 Remains of a gory feast
12 Flayed skin or corpse nailed to the wall

d12 Topics for Artworks
1 Underworld
2 Arcadian meadows
3 Sylvan woodlands
4 Hunting scene
5 Still life of food 
6 Battle scene
7 Monument builders
8 Vassals bringing tributes

9 King punishing prisoners of war

10 Ancient city 

11 Royalty or gods

12 Monsters slaughtering warriors

d12 Items
1 Coins d6 sp
2 Broken trap parts 
3 Bones all broken
4 Shredded clothes
5 Spindle of thread
6 Chalk
7 Minotaur dung
8 Partly used torch or broken lamp
9 Several weapons, most broken
10 Broken amphora

11 Pile of skulls
12 Signet ring or tiny carved gem seal

d12 Wonder
1 Magic pool, well or fountain d6 1=heasls 2d4 once a day per person 2=holy water 3=mutastion 4=small elemental 5=slime creature 6=
2 Oracle shrine with a spirit d4 1=answer a y/n question per person daily 2=offers advice but long-winded and vague aphorisms to waste time 3=warns you of destiny 4=tells you a secret about your past
3 Sphynx Shrine asks a riddle and eats losers, but if answered correctly gifts magic item
4 Golem repairing damage or a kobold work crew from a secret crawlspace
5 Spirit shrine of the dungeon spirit that aids with a few spells and warns local inhabitants
6 Living statues guarding the passage
7 Puzzle to waste time with letter tiles in wall or floor, might give a reward to succeed d4 1=translate a text 2=maths problem 3=requires historic or religious lore 4=requires arcane theory
8 Lit by light spells or smokeless ever ever-burning torches attached to walls or glowing bugs
9 Talking idol can control a d3 magic traps
10 Magic item guarded by d4 1=naga 2=chimera 3=dragon 4=shedu
11 Magic Bell or gong with a mallet, each time you hit it 1gp falls out as long as the labyrinth is undefeated. Monsters know where the sound comes from
12 Spirit of a slain explorer tries to give you advice

d12 Encounters

1 Kobolds pour from secret crawlspaces and drains
2 Human 1=escaped victim 2=insane 3=seves the beast of the labyrinthe 4=doppelganger
3 Trapper or lurker pretending to be the wall or the floor
4 Poltergeists hurling rocks and bones
5 Shadows or non-material undead 
6 Minotaurs
7 Giant scorpion or spider
8 Doppelganger or lycanthrope
9 Living statue
10 Mimic in the form of a treasure or door
11 Scorpion men or centaurs
12 Berserker warriors

3 Rewards of the Maze
Who is in the middle waiting?
Is there a quest item or treasure within?
Decorate the middle with some wonder and artwork to stand out?

d12 Core Maze Master
1 Enhanced minotaur
2 Cyclops
3 Nymph
4 Wizard or sorcerer
5 Bronze gpolem
6 Medusa or Lamia
7 Gorgon Bull or Cateoblas
8 Hydra or Naga
9 Major spirit
10 Elemental being
11 Angel, demon, erinyes or planar being
12 Petty godling

d12 Core Feature
1 Sarcophagus of an ancient ruler (monster's parent?)
2 Blood fountain that heals evil people, a d4 once per day, holy water destroys it
3 Mozaic tiles on the floor and walls depict mythic events of the maze's origins
4 Execution block for slaying captives and butchering them (may require a minotaur servant if no hands for the boss monster)
5 Dark pit into the deep with a metal grate, some older evil dwells below? 

6 An object like an urn with a bound creature within, if broken the creature obeys one order, the boss monster may use if in trouble and smart enough. It might be broken in battle

7 Monsterous offspring aid the parent and if not stopped, will spread the labyrinthine influence

8 A magic pool or mirror lets the maze master monster see anywhere in the maze and to direct minions 

9 Living statues 2-4 who protect the maze master

10 Portal to another maze or a maze dimension that restocks labyrinths

11 Magic nullification circle of magical writing

12 Cage with favorite captives inside d4 1=fanatic servants of monster boss pretend to be unhappy prisoners 2=wealthy noble youths will offer rewards for rescue 3=commoners thrown in maze to feed monsters 4=cursed prisoner cannot leave until maze monster dies and has important lost lore 

4 Finishing & Fog of War
Select your map and get to work decorating it 
Put a piece of paper over the top and a scalpel or cut out where players go for fog of war or trace map for them as they go. Layers on an art program can do the same. If ppl dont mark the way they come or take notes, they should lose the map behind them and be vulnerable to accidental backtracking.

d12 Final Tricks
1 A spirit in the dungeon d4 1=removes marks and messes behind intruders 2=controls traps 3=warns local monsters 4=whispers crfeepy things to intruders 5=blows out torches and lamps 6=all of the above
2 Everyone who dies in the maze, has souls are trapped as spectral figures wandering the maze 1=mute try to communicate for help 2=sobbing and follow intruders 3=gives a warning and vanishes 4=will aid fallen adventurer and halt bleeding or drag a body 5=moan loudly looking horrible 6=can attack

3 The boss monster at core when killed d4 1=creates a spectacular geyser of blood pours from air vents and covers the floor 2=see spectral spirits of all who died sigh in relief and depart the mortal world thanking their saviours 3=heavenly being appears to congratulate you 4=body crumbles into carbon revealing corpse of a cursed human within

4 An evil altar at the core can be used by inhabitants to d4 1=make a corpse undead with a ritual 2=summon a planar being or elemental, 3=commune with an evil being 4=grants spells to boss monster

5 Maze has lots of locked doors to be extra confusing and wastes time

6 When the core monster is killed building shakes and rubble begins to fall with a limited time to loot and escape

7 Magic locked cabinet holds an important lost relic

8 Statue in the centre is a living idol from an evil plane aids the labyrinth monsters and supports its power over the labyrinth. If the idol remains, it may resurrect the maze master and possibly gives them aid like spell effects

9 The labyrinth gate won't let you out, a magical lock for any trying to exit, but outsiders can come in. Some might have living statue guards that attack those escaping

10 When the cursed monster is killed, the artworks change from dark-themed to more holy subjects 

11 Bronze Cauldron ever full of monster food (rotting meat), with a monstrous face. Its a portal to the underworld if you crawl inside to a river of corpse parts 

12 Slaying the monster offends a god and the killers are struck with an ancient curse for 7 generations and need a quest to remove the divine trolling. God sends a wrathful vision to inform all of their fate