Open your Mind to the Dungeon

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Open your Mind to the Dungeon
« on: June 28, 2010, 01:15:47 AM »
Apocalypse D&D doesn't have an Open your Mind move. If you like opening your mind (and everybody should), I suggest you give each of your dungeons a custom mind opening move.

For example, in the caverns of the Purple Worm, open your mind to the Worm God and roll +CON:
  • On a 10+, your mind is in contact with the Worm god and it shows you what you want then offers you a bargain or a gift.
  • On a 7-9, you receive a true impression or vision of what you're interested in, but then suffer a temporary insanity.
  • On a 6 or less, the DM decides what happens.

Temporary Insanities:
1. Fall on your hands and knees and start eating dirt voraciously for 1-4 rounds
2. Projectile vomiting for several minutes
3. You realize that somewhere, somehow, there's a worm in your body. You can feel it, but you can't tell where it is.
4. The Worm god has a command for you, and he's watching to make sure you carry it out!



Re: Open your Mind to the Dungeon
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2010, 01:51:30 AM »
That is a really cool way to go about it. I can even see it being less "psychical" or what not for some dungeons and more just letting the vibe of the dungeon get to you, like your character gets a wavelength on what it's like to live in and be a part of that particular dungeon. Also a great way to make your dungeons feel different!

Re: Open your Mind to the Dungeon
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2010, 01:01:35 AM »
I think it'd be really cool to see a dungeon that is (or has) a magical-labyrinth-like section, where you *can't* get out unless you calm yourself, breath a bit, and open yourself up to it.

And hope for the best.

*

Tavis

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Re: Open your Mind to the Dungeon
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2010, 05:49:10 PM »
The Contact Other Plane spell is a good inspiration here, % chance of insanity and all!

Since I'm mostly looking for moves to use outside dungeons - not that I don't love them dearly, but I find that they provide enough structure that the OD&D rules alone suffice while dungeoneering - I'm thinking that opening your mind to Law and Chaos, or to the gods and spirits, would be more general-purpose.

Which one you'd choose depends on which you envision as the major source of creepiness and conflict in your campaign. There's no reason not to use both, leaving it up to the players to move on one or the other, as long as you're clear which things fall under which rubric. Arguably letting any class do this as a basic move steals some clerical thunder, but you could a) make divine types better at it and b) say that clerics are good at using gods to do their will, while anyone can open themselves up to be a vessel of the gods' will.

In either case, a basic piece of info you'd get on a success would concern whether Law or Chaos is stronger in this area, or which god claims influence over the situation.