Ten Empty Rooms

 Over on Craggenloch Tribune, the author discussed his dislike of empty rooms and offered three creative “dungeon-stuffers” to quickly populate an unexpected and undescribed empty room.

I myself like the odd empty room, typically with a bit of description, but this post is not to argue the point. Everyone has their preferences and I suspect we agree on what makes some room descriptions better than others. But it was a good excuse to have some fun quickly writing something for my own blog, which I always want to do more of. So, here’s ten empty rooms of various sorts. They are writren simply, as brevity is usually appropriate withe tone-setters and accessory spaces.

d10 Empty Rooms

1 Hidden Garden

Unfurnished chamber with a few hoes and trowels leaning against a bench. On the far wall, moss between some cobblestones forms a vaguely circular pattern. Pushing on the wall opens a hidden passage into a small, simple garden. An enchantment keeps it cool, bright, and misty, and several stone seats allow for relaxing contemplation.

2 Fountain Crossroads

Rough but artful fountain that draws from and feeds into a soda spring— with crackling, bubbly mineral water. Found at the intersection of four hallways, and used by dungeon denizens as a major landmark.

3 Broken Idol

Dead-ended chamber with a busted-up statue. Once a gilded god, someone has ransacked it out of greed or contempt.

4 Bloated Carcass

Hall stunk up by a dead cave bear, carrion crawler, or other predator’s corpse. In its stomach is a half-digested piece of a dungeon denizen.

5 Eyrie

Discrete dungeon exit covered in bird droppings, bird feathers, and birds. Loyal to the local dungeon master, they carry hobbyist secrets to and from other dungeon masters in nearby hexes.

6 Lug Post

Bare but for a stool and a grate in the floor, which transmits via pipe all sounds in the dungeon chamber below.

7 Soiled Pool

Drains plugged, mosaic chipped, this small pool is full of brown slime. Plumbing the bottom frees up a bloated wolf carcass in jumpscare fashion.

8 Narrow Hall

Once a reasonably thin hallway for servants, warping over time has made it i reasonably narrow. Takes an extra Turn to cross, or save to avoid getting stuck (-4 penalty for rigid armor)

9 Broken Stairs

Massive pile of shattered wood at the bottom of an ornate shaft. Merest remnant of a spiral running along the wall to connect portals on two or more levels.

10 Storage

A couple buckets, mop and broom, and a wheelbarrow in good condition. Effusively describe how trusty the wheelbarrow is if used.