Event Horizon is kinda like a space dungeon, only with freakish cthulhoid overtones.  

I've been wanting a game for a very long time that was basically D&D gameplay, but paired with an SF-themed implied setting in place of the fantasy one.

Oh it's gotta have people that have been frozen for hundreds if not thousands of years. Preferably mutated and or psychotic because of it.

An insane AI that functions as the "demon." With limited control of slave drones, nanotech and holo-projection it can warp locations into twisted reflections of it's own deteriorating mind state.

Surveillance equipment can allow it to monitor the characters closely, reading their body language and intonations (high Sense Motive score, naturally) and preparing to assault them mentally as well as physically. The upshot is the ability to project illusions based on a limited form of telepathy.

Former inhabitants/crew members  may have been "reborn" according to it's designs, twisted into monstrous parodies of the human form with personalities completely suborned to the will of the demon via long-term invasive nanotech techniques.

In a similar vein biomechanical critters stalk the corridors, vat grown from corrupted DNA templates in the AI's archive.

The atmosphere is crucial. Flickering lights, dripping water, biomass that slowly creeps up the rusted walls. Deckplans can no longer be trusted as the machine has already begun reordering the location to reflect it's burgeoning madness.

Yeah, I can see that working.

So ... what's the dragon?

What have we got as a great big fuckin' bad-ass in the very center (the power core?) sitting on brood over a fabulous pile of treasure?

That's the fantasy trope I'm having trouble importing ... but maybe it's just because it's early in the morning.

It's not hard to imagine a gigantic protoplasmic alien monstrosity nestled around the still warm engine reactor core.

Anyhow, the thing I'd use in a space dungeon is an old Tekumel race called the Shunned Ones. I've reused them plenty of times: they breathe a poisonous gas, they have bulb-shaped heads, they wrap themselves in rags and stuff.. they're perfectly alien.

Quote from: TonyLBSo ... what's the dragon?

What have we got as a great big fuckin' bad-ass in the very center (the power core?) sitting on brood over a fabulous pile of treasure?

That's the fantasy trope I'm having trouble importing ... but maybe it's just because it's early in the morning.

A giant brain encased in wicked cool power armor.

Hmmm.  I picked up the Azhanti High Lightning cheap a while back.  Aside from simple SF close combat rules, it has an entire 60,000 ton cruiser mapped out in 1.5 meter squares.  This could easily be turned into a floating dungeon crawl.  Or I could have it crash on a fantasy planet and redo Expedition to the Barrier Peaks.

Yeah, big monsters are easy.  But what about the hoard?

Anyone have good, reliable tricks for creating a reason that something totally alien would want something that's very valuable to humans?  I mean ... my instinct is that they'll want it for different reasons.  I guess I'm looking for some good pairs:  "Humans want these because X, the dragon-thing wants them because Y."

or that crazy eyeball-with-tentacles from between dimensions thing from that space:1999 episode! :eek:

Outer Space itself is packed with dungeon ideas for sure, epsecially when you add the magical science of the FTL Drive. All of a sudden you can trap space with "sticky" nebulae and giant stellar bugs that can smell a warp signature and eat your ship. Maybe the local space baron gives your crew a contract to scan and hunt down some pirates in a 20x20x20 light year section of an asteroid field. Outpost #6834 on the Borderspace has a nice ring to it, huh?

I haven't figured out a way to port over the gelatinous cube over, but I'm workin on it.

Quote from: JamesVI haven't figured out a way to port over the gelatinous cube over, but I'm workin on it.

Nano-sentient hydrogen cloud ... thin enough that it's practically invisible to sensors, but thick enough to clog your bussard field and start slowly cold-fissioning your hull.

No space dungeon is complete without malfunctioning robots.  Also, flickering lights, random steam vents, and showers of sparks.

(I'm off to figure out how to merge two threads.)

Quote from: TonyLBYeah, big monsters are easy.  But what about the hoard?

Anyone have good, reliable tricks for creating a reason that something totally alien would want something that's very valuable to humans?  I mean ... my instinct is that they'll want it for different reasons.  I guess I'm looking for some good pairs:  "Humans want these because X, the dragon-thing wants them because Y."

it could be the tech of the brain's armor it self. In my game the characters are looking for a particular artifact- they know what it looks like but not what it is.

Furthermore if archaeology is illegal, as it is in my game, everything from a vase to a super high tech toilet has resale value.

But really the horde can be similar to that in a FRPG. Some really cool weapons (extra powerful blasters, or the campaigns forst plasma blades frx, and/or precious stones (maybe with some sort of tech use) a jar of nanites, a flask psi serum, ect...

Quote from: TonyLBNano-sentient hydrogen cloud ... thin enough that it's practically invisible to sensors, but thick enough to clog your bussard field and start slowly cold-fissioning your hull.

Has potential. The mysterious deadly cloud is always good fodder.

Oooh, how about a nanomachine cloud that grew so large it becomes sentient, then rampant with God delusions. It's original orders: To destroy a specific enemy, now twisted to dissolve all life that it interprets as a foe.

Quote from: jrientsNo space dungeon is complete without malfunctioning robots.  Also, flickering lights, random steam vents, and showers of sparks.

(I'm off to figure out how to merge two threads.)

Thanks, well done!