Tombs & Crypts

Tombs & Crypts
by James M. Ward

-

- - - - -

Dungeons & Dragons - Dragon magazine - The Dragon #9

The mystery, challenge and pleasure of any wargamer in discovering
and opening a tomb of some unknown being is well known to those
that have done it. The creation of these tombs can be a very drawn out,
head scratching process for the judge. I have created a set of graphs to
ease this creation process. The top row of numbers in the first graph
stand for the following: 1. Soldier, 2. Hero, 3. Priest, 4. Pair, 5. Mated.
Pair, 6. Lord, 7. King, 8. Patriarch, 9. EHP, 10. Magic User, 11. Wizard,
12. Being.

- 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Gold Pieces - 15 20 25 20 25 20 25 20 25 30 45

Gems 10 15 20 25 40 30 35 40 45 20 40 45

Jewelry - - 5 5 5 10 20 25 10 - 30 40

Maps -10 -5 -5 - 10 15 25 10 5 5 20 40

Magic Item -15 -5 -5 - . . . . . . . .

Magic Item -15 -5 -5 - - 5 15 10 10 10 15 20

Misc. M. Item -30 -20 -15 -15 -20 -10 - 10 -5 - 5 10

Special Item -14 -12 -11 -10 -9 - 5 -5 -5 - - 5

Artifact No No No No - -9 -5 -4- -4 No - 5

Tomb Itself -50 -40 -40 -10 -9 -9 -1 -1 -1 -30 30 45

Gaurdian -31 -25 -25 -20 -20 -20 10 10 - -20 30 40

In using the above chart first roll a 12 sided die to see what is
buried in the tomb. Then roll for each of the 9 items using the charts
given below. For each item check the row to add, subtract, or leave
alone the resulting percentile roll. The pair Factor stands for more than
one being buried in the tomb, for example: 2 brave fighters that killed
each other in battle. The mated pair stands for a husband and wife type
tomb not necessarily a human type. Using this system and the rest of
the charts it is easy for the judge to make up many of these tombs for
his castle or outdoor map. When going over the possible 100% total
just assume that you rolled a 100 and roll again without the bonus given
for the person in the tomb. If the number rolled totals less than 0% just
assume you have a 01% roll. The 12th factor (being) refers to a intelligent
creature whose followers thought enough of it to place it in a special
crypt of honor. Finally to all those critics who loudly clamor that
there is too much of a chance for treasure and goodies in these tombs, I
point out that anyone that goes to the trouble of making a tomb for any
dead person will logically have a higher percentage of good things to
put in that tomb.

Gold Pieces

1-50% 1-100 pieces

51-60 1-100 pieces (x2)

61-70 1-6 Thousand

71-80 1-12 Thousand

81-90 1-20 Thousand

91-99 2-40 Thousand

100 100 Thousand + roll again

-

Gems

1-50% 1-6 base 100

51-60 1-6 base 500

61-70 1-8 base 500

71-80 1-12 base 500

81-90 1-12 base 1,000

91-99 1-6 base 5,000

00 1-20 base 10,000 + roll again

-

Jewelry

1-50% 1-6 base 500

51-60 1-6 base 1,000

61-70 1-6 base 5,000

71-80 1-6 base 10,000

81-90 1-6 base 20,000

91-99 1-6 base 30,000

100 1-20 base 50,000 + roll again

-

Maps

1-80% None

81-100 Judges option as to what map contains.

-

Magic Item

01-50% None

51-60 Sword

61-70 Armor

71-80 Misc. Weapon

81-90 1-6 Potions

91-99 Ring

00 Good Misc. Magic item + roll again.

-

Misc. Magic Item

1-60% None

61-70 Table I of Greyhawk

71-80 Table II of Greyhawk

81-90 Table III of Greyhawk

91-99 Table IV of Greyhawk

00 Table V of Greyhawk + roll again

-

Special Item

1-85% Any item of the judges own manufacture.

86-100 Any item of the judges own manufacture.

-

Artifact

01-90 None

91-100 A judge made object of great power

-

Tomb Itself

1-40% 1 room/cave/mound of dirt

41-50 Hall with spring trap of some type and a secret door at the end of it.

51-60 a 2-6 room/cave complex with many doors leading to other areas trying to lure
the robbers away.

61-80 1-10 rooms/caves with a secret door to the tomb and 1-10 traps in the rooms.

81-90 1-10 rooms with 1-20 corridors, with 2-20 traps guarding the rooms and tombs
and a secret door.

91-99 1-10 connecting rooms with traps, secret doors, and magical guard spells (wizard
locks, symbols, etc,) guarding the way.

100 1-20 rooms with traps, secret doors, and a being guard. It requires special word
to open the final door to the tomb. The word should not be found in the tomb.

-	1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	7.	8.	9.	10.	11.	12.
Gold Pieces	-	15	20	25	20	25	20	25	20	25	30	45
Gems	10	15	20	25	40	30	35	40	45	20	40	45
Jewelry	-	-	5	5	5	10	20	25	10	-	30	40
Maps	-10	-5	-5	-	10	15	25	10	5	5	20	40
Magic Item	-15	-5	-5	-	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Magic Item	-15	-5	-5	-	-	5	15	10	10	10	15	20
Misc. M. Item	-30	-20	-15	-15	-20	-10	-	10	-5	-	5	10
Special Item	-14	-12	-11	-10	-9	-	5	-5	-5	-	-	5
Artifact	No	No	No	No	-	-9	-5	-4-	-4	No	-	5
Tomb Itself	-50	-40	-40	-10	-9	-9	-1	-1	-1	-30	30	45
Gaurdian	-31	-25	-25	-20	-20	-20	10	10	-	-20	30	40

1-50%	1-100 pieces
51-60	1-100 pieces (x2)
61-70	1-6 Thousand
71-80	1-12 Thousand
81-90	1-20 Thousand
91-99	2-40 Thousand
100	100 Thousand + roll again

1-50%	1-6 base 100
51-60	1-6 base 500
61-70	1-8 base 500
71-80	1-12 base 500
81-90	1-12 base 1,000
91-99	1-6 base 5,000
00	1-20 base 10,000 + roll again

01-50%	None
51-60	Sword
61-70	Armor
71-80	Misc. Weapon
81-90	1-6 Potions
91-99	Ring
00	Good Misc. Magic item + roll again.

1-60%	None
61-70	Table I of Greyhawk
71-80	Table II of Greyhawk
81-90	Table III of Greyhawk
91-99	Table IV of Greyhawk
00	Table V of Greyhawk + roll again

1-85%	Any item of the judges own manufacture.
86-100	Any item of the judges own manufacture.

1-40%	1 room/cave/mound of dirt
41-50	Hall with spring trap of some type and a secret door at the end of it.
51-60	a 2-6 room/cave complex with many doors leading to other areas trying to lure the robbers away.
61-80	1-10 rooms/caves with a secret door to the tomb and 1-10 traps in the rooms.
81-90	1-10 rooms with 1-20 corridors, with 2-20 traps guarding the rooms and tombs and a secret door.
91-99	1-10 connecting rooms with traps, secret doors, and magical guard spells (wizard locks, symbols, etc,) guarding the way.
100	1-20 rooms with traps, secret doors, and a being guard. It requires special word to open the final door to the tomb. The word should not be found in the tomb.