Dungeon Generation Procedures (Optional)
These procedures generate caves, dungeons, mines, and ruins on the fly for use with White Box FMAG. They rely on dice drops: roll or drop the indicated dice onto the table, then use the die positions as an abstract map and the rolled numbers as prompts for the room or scene.
Generating Dungeons and Caves
When the party discovers a dungeon, mine, cave, or ruin, they will probably want to explore it sooner or later. The site can be generated during play. Drop the indicated groups of dice, depending on whether the location is a natural cave or constructed dungeon, to determine the layout of a section or area. As the party explores each room, generate the room’s layout and contents in the same way.
When interpreting dice as scene features, take into account the die’s side count, its proximity to other features, and any idea that seems exciting in the moment. A 3 on a d20 in a cave might be an extremely deep chasm, while a 3 on a d4 might be only a small pit. Never be afraid to ignore the dice if a better idea occurs to you.
For best results, drop all dice at once, possibly into a rolling tray. Mini dice are useful because they are quiet and take less space, making it easier to generate scenes behind the Referee’s screen. All cave and dungeon maps should be given their own map on separate graph or hex paper.
Random Natural Caves
To generate a cave, drop two complete sets of dice, ignoring percentile dice: 2d4, 2d6, 2d8, 2d10, 2d12, and 2d20. The position of each die indicates the location of the feature; the die type suggests the size of that feature; and the rolled number indicates the feature.
If a rolled number is not listed, it may be used as a ceiling height.
| Roll | Feature |
|---|---|
| 1 | Another passage or hole leaving the current room |
| 2 | Stalagmite or full pillar |
| 3 | Chasm |
| 4 | Raised area |
| 5 | Water: pool, stream, or river |
| 20 | Monster! |
| Any maximum die result | Monster! The maximum result on a d4 may instead indicate vegetation. |
Any maximum die roll indicates a life form is present. On a d4, this may be vegetation; on a d6 through d20, it is a monster. There can be several monsters present. They may all be the same type or different types, as the Referee decides. Roll on the appropriate White Box FMAG dungeon encounter table for the current cavern level.
Movement in caves is the party’s combat movement × 3 in feet per turn. A torch lasts for 1d4+4 turns. The Referee should keep a map of cavern areas as they are created and explored, and the PCs should do the same.
Dungeon Rooms
Generating dungeons on the fly is a two-step process. First, drop dice to determine the overall room placement of a dungeon section or area. This also indicates room types and monster lairs. Then, as each room is explored, drop dice again to determine furniture and feature placement.
Dungeon Area
To generate a random dungeon area, drop 2d4, 2d6, 2d8, 2d10, 2d12, and 2d20, plus an additional d20 for the Area Features table. Each die represents a room. Any maximum die roll indicates a monster lair.
| 1d20 | Room Type |
|---|---|
| 1 | Area change: a gateway or passage to another dungeon area on the same level. A 1 on d8, d12, or d20 indicates stairs down to the next level. |
| 2 | Bedroom/Bunks |
| 3 | Common/Sitting room |
| 4 | Latrine/Garbage-pit |
| 5 | Food-stores/Winery |
| 6 | Kitchen/Mess Hall |
| 7 | Cistern/Well |
| 8 | Meeting Hall/Auditorium |
| 9 | Tools/Equipment/Armory |
| 10 | Kennel/Stable |
| 11 | Laboratory |
| 12 | Archive/Library |
| 13 | Tomb/Crypt |
| 14 | Prison/Torture chamber |
| 15 | Statuary/Gallery/Throne room |
| 16 | Mining/Smithy/Forge/Refinery/Power-Generation |
| 17 | Shrine/Altar/Chapel/Temple |
| 18 | Fountain/Pool/Stream/River/Lake |
| 19 | Mechanical clock, portcullis, puzzle, or control for something elsewhere |
| 20 | Vault/Treasure room; see the unguarded treasure rules used by the campaign |
Area Features
To make each dungeon area more distinctive, roll 2d20 and combine the result from the Common Area Feature column with the result from the Feature Modifier column. For example, “Shrines/Monoliths” and “Strange Gas” might become black monoliths in every room that exude a foul odor.
| 1d20 | Common Area Feature | Feature Modifier |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doorways/Arches/Stairs | Mist/Fog |
| 2 | Hallways/Passageways | Bone |
| 3 | Walls | Acid (damaging?) |
| 4 | Construction style (different builders?) | Fur/Hide/Skin/Flesh (living?) |
| 5 | Doorways/Arches/Stairs | Eyes (moving/living?) |
| 6 | Floor/Tiles | Stone (granite, marble, limestone, odd coloration, gemstones) |
| 7 | Ceilings | Crawling/Shifting/Sliding/Spinning |
| 8 | Vents/Shafts/Drains (large singular or scattered throughout) | Cold/Frost/Ice (damaging?) |
| 9 | Shrines/Monoliths (large singular or scattered throughout) | Hot/Flaming/Burning/Electrical (damaging?) |
| 10 | Statues/Busts (large singular or scattered throughout) | Smell/Stench |
| 11 | Tapestries/Murals/Paintings (large singular or scattered throughout) | Bright light or well lit |
| 12 | Bell (large singular or scattered throughout) | Strange gas (methane, chlorine, hydrogen; damaging?) |
| 13 | Hallways/Passageways | Slime covered (slippery) |
| 14 | Elevation changes (sunken/raised floor) | Water (dripping, running, pouring) |
| 15 | Furniture/Furnishings | Crumbling/Cracks/Chasms/Streams (bridges?) |
| 16 | Monsters/Inhabitants | Carvings (runes/hieroglyphs) |
| 17 | Pillars | Mold/Moss/Fungus/Vegetation (poisonous, thorny, luminescent) |
| 18 | Walls | Wooden (possibly odd coloration) |
| 19 | Floor/Tiles | Metal (iron, bronze, copper, adamantine, mithril, gold, silver, etc.) |
| 20 | Ceilings | Sounds/Noise (ominous, deafening, maddening) |
Random Room Contents
Leave the dungeon area dice where they fall as the PCs explore room by room. When they enter a room, drop 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12, and 1d20. Any maximum die roll indicates a monster in the room. The outer perimeter of the fallen dice suggests the room’s shape and size.
| 1d20 | Room Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | Trash/Debris/Ruins (rough terrain) |
| 2 | Lighting (cresset, brazier, sconce, chandelier) |
| 3 | Pillar |
| 4 | Small furnishing, according to room type |
| 5 | Large furnishing, according to room type |
| 6 | Small furnishing, according to room type |
| 7 | Large furnishing, according to room type |
| 8 | Small furnishing, according to room type |
| 9 | Large furnishing, according to room type |
| 10 | Small furnishing, according to room type |
| 11 | Large furnishing, according to room type |
| 12 | Small furnishing, according to room type |
| 13 | Water/slime/vegetation (slippery terrain) |
| 14 | Tapestry/Mat/Rug |
| 15 | Body/Carcass/Vermin |
| 16 | Partially collapsed (a crumbling still!) |
| 17 | Trap; see the Traps table below |
| 18 | Secret Passage |
| 19 | Secret Compartment; see the unguarded treasure rules used by the campaign |
| 20 | Box/Chest; see the unguarded treasure rules used by the campaign |
Traps
When a trap is indicated, roll 3d6 on the table below. Adjust saving throw categories or details as needed to fit the White Box FMAG saving throw procedure used at your table.
| 3d6 | Trap Type |
|---|---|
| 3 | Monster-Attracting Spray: double chance of wandering monsters for 1d6 hours |
| 4 | Chute: save or be dropped into the next lower dungeon level |
| 5 | Flashing Light: save or be blinded for 1d8 turns |
| 6 | Oil Slick: save or fall prone |
| 7 | Poison Dart: AB +1, 1d4 damage, save vs. poison or die |
| 8 | Falling Stones/Bricks: save or take 1d10 damage |
| 9 | Arrow: AB +1, 1d6+1 damage |
| 10 | Pit Trap: save or fall in; roll twice on the Pit Trap Type table to determine depth and contents |
| 11 | Blade |
| 12 | Poison Needle: save vs. poison or die |
| 13 | Poison Gas: all in area must save vs. poison or die |
| 14 | Alarm: all within 30 ft. must save or be deafened for 1d8 turns; check for a wandering monster arriving in 2d10 turns |
| 15 | Rolling Boulder: save or take 2d6 damage |
| 16 | Portcullis: save or take 3d6 damage; the way is now blocked |
| 17–18 | Spell: roll for a random spell; save as per spell |
Pit Trap Type
| 1d6 | Pit Depth (Damage) | Pit Contents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 ft. (1d6) | Empty |
| 2 | 10 ft. (1d6) | Water, halfway down |
| 3 | 15 ft. (1d6) | Vermin, such as rats |
| 4 | 20 ft. (2d6) | Poisonous vermin, such as snakes or scorpions |
| 5 | 30 ft. (3d6) | Spiked: roll to hit with AB +1; on a hit, falling damage is doubled |
| 6 | 50 ft. (5d6) | Acid |
Exploring the Dungeon
Dungeon movement is the party’s combat movement × 3 in feet per turn. A torch lasts for 1d4+4 turns. To search for secret doors or hidden compartments, use the normal White Box FMAG secret door procedure. If players declare they are searching a room and there is a secret passage or hidden compartment, roll normally, or let the players roll.
Most wooden doors can be assumed to be stuck. Doors leading to important room types, such as a throne room, vault, or prison, may be iron doors and locked. The Referee should check for wandering monsters every 3 turns, or at whatever frequency is standard for the campaign.
Dungeon Exploration Loop
- Enter a new dungeon area. Drop dice behind the Referee’s screen to generate its layout.
- Roll for Common Area Features and Feature Modifiers.
- When the PCs enter a room, drop dice again to generate Random Room Contents.
- If the room is a monster lair, roll to determine the random monster.
- If the room has an area change, determine whether it is a door or passage to another dungeon area on the same level, or stairs leading down to the next level.
- When the PCs move to the next room, repeat the room-content step. When they enter a new dungeon area, repeat the area-generation step.
Dungeoncrawl Log Fields
For each room or area, note the dungeon level, room number, XP, room type, whether the room has been searched, turns spent, and any notes.