Why is the Stonehell Megadungeon Entrance This Good?

[@garhent]

That entrance map is essentially Keep on the Borderlands Caves of Chaos. Not going to hold it against them, stealing is the best form of flattery and all RPG's do it. That being said, Caves of Chaos is an open level 1 to level 3 encounter.

[@harmony_ginger]

I noticed this too!!

[@petegiant]

You can replace the caves with this module. I think that was the intention.

[@toddpickens]

To be fair, any dungeon set in a canyon environment is inevitably going to get that comparison.

[@apeanders]

Dyson Maps has a very nice rendition of the Caves of Chaos. You can find it by googling "The Caves of Chaos Dyson Logos Edition".

[@L3monsta]

I paused the video after like one second and went "this is basically the Caves of chaos" lol

[@ChristianLindke]

It's always interesting to hear player speculation. They often add the best ideas to take advantage of later, even when their thoughts were not originally in the adventure.

[@Coyote1911]

Yes, I don't know how many times my players come up with way better ideas well they're talking to each other that I totally steal.

[@leeosgamer74]

Anything where players want to interact with the immediate environment and think about why things works the way they do is a massive win in my books Great video

[@andrewsimone9746]

I stumbled upon this video very accidentally, but you 100% sold me on this module.

[@michaelcurtis7310]

I'm glad your players found it not only interactive but ominous. I'm always amazed how the little things often have a bigger impact than the huge set piece encounters. I hope they find the rest of the dungeon as intriguing as the entrance and do spend some time exploring those night-haunted halls. There's certainly plenty down there for them to discover! Best of luck with the campaign!

[@harmony_ginger]

Hey glad to see you commented!! Your work is very well loved in my group so far!!

[@wegowhereeaglesdare]

I ran Stonehell almost ten years ago. Some of the dieties either in it or hinted are still used in the campaign world now - although renamed mostly.

[@being.compiled]

Ongoing series as you play through Stonehell would be gold! I've been reading through it in prep of running it and your insight is really helpful.

[@mythicmountainsrpg]

That sounds so tense and spooky, what the players experienced. I'm glad you like Stonehell! Michael Curtis is a world class creative.

[@mykediemart]

Just when I think I don't need another mega dungeon

[@langwaters9653]

IKR?

[@RedMageGM]

I had completely forgotten about Stonehell until KZbin recommended this video to me. Picked it up based on this, and I am not disappointed! It's so good!

[@muddlewait8844]

That waterfall is AMAZING, as are your players for anticipating it. Hearing the description and speculation made my stomach drop as if I’d been playing myself. Inspiring. Thank you for sharing these observations!

[@TrillTheDM]

Very solid Megadungeon. Lot of opportunity for faction play and everything. Easily the kind you can drop into a pre-existing setting and just let it go wild. Nice review.

[@GoodRogue]

I really liked your analysis! I'm definitely borrowing some of these ideas to incorporate them in my own adventures. Fantastic work! Looks like you've got another subscriber...

[@ayoutubewatcher2849]

Aha, you have some savvy players. Nice Video!

[@PaladinProse]

I've been running Stonehell for a little while now, but because I've already ran Caves of Chaos, I decided to just plop the players right at the entrance of the dungeon itself. Awesome analysis.

[@quirked504]

Good video! Stonehell is so often brought up and I’ve never actually peaked at it, this video really made me want to check it out

[@harkejuice]

Your players are geniuses compared to my impulse-control-adverse party. Tried to chop down one of the trees because they thought one sneezed, ended up chopping one of the party members with 2 hp. Watefall? Tried swimming into the drain to come out the top, died of scalding.

[@testsubject1199]

That doesn't sound like an exceptionally good dungeon, but more like you have very good and seasoned players to interact with stuff like that and appreciate it, and you managed to deliver it perfectly to immerse them in the weirdness and uneasiness of the place. I love these older modules that are minimal yet manage to feel eerie and weird at the same time, will definitely look this book up.

[@dundermoose]

Good stuff! I love it when something makes the players stop joking and get nervous.

[@mightystu49]

I love the notion of the "ominous anomalies" as a concept of making dungeons feel dangerous and mysterious. So much of what makes exploring a fantasy world fun are those exact moments, when the world feels dangerous and unknown in a way that makes you both excited to learn more but trepidatious to do so at the same time.

[@JMSouchak]

7:30 Your players are unusually intelligent. 😅

[@brothgurlegion4229]

I wish mine where. I have 6 of the most head empty bottoms. Sucks sometimes when you do hours and hours of work on small details to give stuff life and there just like. "Funny rock funny"

[@GestaltKirin]

Agreed. Even many groups of players that I would consider "intelligent" people do not have nearly the game sense her group seems to.

[@peterdafox]

So lucky this got recommended to me. :)

[@Fraggedempire]

Very interesting. Shows how much fun foreshadowing can be, hints that there are 'things' to come. I'm just about to start writing a dungeon adventure for my next RPG (not a mega-dungeon though), and I may have to give this one a look to see if it sparks inspiration.

[@marshallodom1388]

Multiple entrances for varying party levels is essential for replayability. Eventually we had to fight a Tarrasque in the valley of the Caves of Chaos B2 just to get inside! The first time I played it my Magic-user was killed by a Kobold hiding in the trees.

[@worldbigfootcentral3933]

I own Stonehell, and most other megadungeons. Stonehell is excellent.

[@phaedruslive]

Stonehell is the gold standard for mega dungeons imo. I do wish curtis would clean it up and re-release it in a nice box set or something.

[@onetruetroy]

Excellent video. Thank you for the entrance review. Tomb of Horrors was definitely the Killa-Dungeon. We’ve got a new and exciting Mega-Dungeon. - What about a Giga-Dungeon? The fourth dimension? Ride on the back of a Bronze dragon while playing the Phlox Kappa Sitar to move through different ages of the dungeon.

[@PounceCleveland]

“This looks like the cooling system for something…” I love it!

[@FaoladhTV]

I'd say that Stonehell is my favorite of the published megadungeons that I've seen (though I haven't had a chance to really examine Barrowmaze or its three siblings) and been able to run. My players did not twig to some of the issues you mention, to their detriment in one session when they were ambushed by brigands on their way out. That gaming group has since broken up, so I am considering adding it to a new campaign.

[@samhazen97]

Great video! I am currently running an Arden Vul campaign, and I and my players have found the dungeon entrance(s) to be compelling in a similar manner to those which you have laid out. Big set pieces that hint at the dungeon below and are interesting in their own right should be considered a mark of good megadungeon design. I had previously run a Dwimmermount campaign, and while the dungeon itself is fun, there is very little to be seen or interacted with on the mountain's exterior.

[@midnightgreen8319]

StoneHell is absolutely fantastic!!

[@Ryuseigun687]

Wanted to say, would be awesome to see you make a spoiler version video that looks into the lower levels as well! But awesome video!! Thank you!!

[@Zirbip]

My players would have broken the cooling system in a heartbeat.

[@jeffmacdonald9863]

I think we would have been dropping things in to see if they came out the top and how long it took. And whether we could cook food that way. :)

[@slaapliedje]

Ha, my players would probably fail his curiousity will check and jump in themself...

[@deProfundisAdAstra]

This sounds so, so cool. I'll definitely check it out.

[@Toatony]

Great video! I'm running a campaign centered around a megadungeon, and instead of having one big entrance, it has at least a dozen small entrances scattered around the country

[@paddysparlor]

Thanks for video Harmony!!!🤘🥰🤘

[@tbs_Incorporated]

You have rather thougthful players

[@sumdude4281]

We've been playing at flgs and it's an amazing adventure. It will likely climb to top 25 of all time.

[@AndyReichert0]

thanks for the video! I would love to hear more about this megadungeon. if you could turn your audio up a bit, that would be great.

[@jthomas6080]

Great explanation and endorsement

[@ericksking4945]

I enjoy this content! Does it come in a podcast form?

[@davidharper238]

How interesting! Hope you're holding up well

[@maecenus778]

I played this for exactly 1 session. Rolled up my first (and last) Illusionist character and made it about 20 minutes into the session before he was killed by an Orc due to us losing initiative. The rest of the party lived so I got to listen to the game for like 3 hours on the sidelines.

[@kyb3er]

That's rough. I instruct my players to generate a backup character.

[@PeaceLoveAndGuns]

Sounds like poor DMing. It takes about one minute to whip up a new character in DnD Beyond and have the DM throw you into the dungeon as a prisoner or something. Easy peasy. You're there to play.

[@corporeal5980]

Rough, take it as a learning lesson. If you're starting at level one bring a backup. Level one is kinda notorious for first session TPKs.

[@moominosaurus]

Ominous Anomalies. I wouldn't be trying to say that to one of my players - my nerves are bad enough as it is!

[@shasta_creates]

Rad video, great recommendation

[@israelmorales4249]

interesting! Thx for the video!

[@FalkFlak]

GMed down to lvl. 3 in this. Its really awesome and you can play a couple of sessions in the entrance alone, my players even discovered both valley entrances from the outside. But as you go deeper you will literally be littered with incoherent stuff and have to put a LOT of work into it to hold it together and find a reason for everything.

[@harmonicaman79]

SPOILER: -- I loved the white rabbit just past the gatehouse on the tree stump. Definitely seemed like a reference to the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland where she follows the white rabbit down the rabbit hole; here, the party is following the rabbit down the stairs into Stonehell.

[@FaoladhTV]

Personally, I think that it's a nod to the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing, originally in S3 Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, but later in Monster Manual II for 1E AD&D. At least, my players approached it as if it were that.

[@MatsJPB]

I like this! Gonna check it out!

[@oopsie3415]

Your voice has the same quirky calming quality like the one from 'How To ADHD'

[@PeaceLoveAndGuns]

I want the spoiler review

[@PeaceLoveAndGuns]

Great video, btw. I would love to see more content like this from you. I find it useful from the GM perspective to see what worked for other GMs and how their players responded. It makes me wonder how my players might. D I a quick, "Okay Players, Now it's time for you to Buzz Off." I like the format of the video as well, and as a creator myself, it seems like a *relatively* low effort to impact type of video you could pump out. (I say this in case you think it may be cheating or something, the outcome is great) I immediately searched you channel for more like this an was disappointed it is not already a series for me to go through! Would love to see your thoughts on dungeon design for classic published dungeons, things that succeed or fail, how you would/did improve them, or and how your players reacted (without full campaign lore deep dives that How To DM X Adventure types do).

[@Scarletraven87]

The grove is for camping safely yes?

[@GalvatronRodimus]

What system are you using?

[@Stolidpig]

Not sure if this is an isolated issue with this video as it's the first I've seen from you (thanks algorithm) but the sound volume is quite low. Quality is great but I had to turn up my speakers which made the rest of my PC insanely loud.

[@harmony_ginger]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@Stolidpig]

@@harmony_ginger No worries! Great little video, very imagination-stirring.

[@TheNat1]

I started with StoneHell has my first mega dungeon... Which is annoying because I haven't found one that matches the quality

[@kyb3er]

How does it compare with BarrowMaze and Gillespie's other works...

[@harmony_ginger]

@@kyb3er I liked both Barrowmaze and SH, but I think SH is the better of the two. I may do a video comparing them at some point.

[@sequoyahwright]

I have run both. Comparing two experiences is always tricky. I have had more success with my groups with Barrowmaze due mainly to the super-evocative atmosphere and its larger scale and replayability. That said, I consider Michael Curtis to be a much better adventure designer and writer than Gillespie, especially when considering Curtis' work with Goodman Games where he is the product manager for Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. I do love Stonehell's entrance. Definitely a highlight!

[@legisnuntius]

Try Undermountain 2nd Edition for higher level characters. The 3rd and higher level editions glance over its massive size. It had two boxes sets for levels 1-6, a boxed set for the underground city of skullport, and a few supplemental adventures. The Night Below also for 2nd edition takes characters from 1st through 10th. Takes about a year to run characters from beginning to end. The beginning does not let on that it is a massive underdark campaign, it's starts topside like nothing is unusual. The Return to the Tomb of Horrors in 2nd Edition is the deadliest adventure taking heroes from 10th to 16th+ with a final showdown in a magical fortress within the negative elemental plane. The best super adventure come from Tracy Hickman, inventor of Dragonlance called the Desert of Desolation for 5th through 12th level. Story is so good, the locations and dungeons so imaginative. The best level design ever for DnD. Very much worth the read.

[@aureliomanalo]

Well now i have to DM this

[@being.compiled]

Also, how do you think it would run with Shadowdark? Half all treasure, hitdice and # encounters?

[@thiseffingm]

Caves of chaos?

[@harmony_ginger]

They look similar!!

[@bradutterstrom4105]

I think a quicker way to say ominous anomaly is anominousaly. Hope that helps.

[@aureliomanalo]

Could you add a link in the notes to said material?

[@harmony_ginger]

Yeah I should have to begin with.

[@DorsonKieffer]

Where did you get the PDF?

[@harmony_ginger]

www.lulu.com/shop/michael-curtis/stonehell-dungeon-down-night-haunted-halls-ebook/ebook/product-1nq5eywz.html?q=stonehell&page=1&pageSize=4

[@ProudPlatypus]

The pdf's are on lulu, it's split into two books, 5 floors in each one, and there's 2 supplements you can get too.

[@user-sl1wt1dv4y]

is ur name a pun on hermione granger?

[@harmony_ginger]

It wasn't meant to be!!

[@petegiant]

What system are you using?

[@harmony_ginger]

In this game, 5e, so I am converting it.

[@FyahBurn95]

@@harmony_ginger Doing the same right now, would love to hear about tips or guidelines to convert Labyrinth Lord (or B/X in general) to 5E. I'm going with basic on-the-fly conversion: HP is HD*8 for normal size creatures with increasing dice for size categories, modifiers to hit and damage are +HD, saving throws DC are 10+HD, and stats I'm not yet sure. Main fear is having big modifiers to damage for monsters that hit a bunch of times.

[@nschul4]

How did your players discover the magic effect of the grove? I'm thinking my players would not have discovered it. They're kind of sloppy.

[@zacharyweaver276]

Where do I find this dungeon if I want to use it in a campaign?

[@harmony_ginger]

www.lulu.com/shop/michael-curtis/stonehell-dungeon-down-night-haunted-halls-ebook/ebook/product-1nq5eywz.html?q=stonehell&page=1&pageSize=4

[@craiggordon2502]

Where can you get this. I didn’t see it on dtrpg

[@harmony_ginger]

www.lulu.com/shop/michael-curtis/stonehell-dungeon-down-night-haunted-halls-ebook/ebook/product-1nq5eywz.html?q=stonehell&page=1&pageSize=4

[@craiggordon2502]

@@harmony_ginger Thank you

[@johnbaker9290]

Thanks H !! You'd make a fun DM :)

[@harmony_ginger]

Thank you!

[@selthafour6948]

Jealous of your thoughtful PCs lol.

[@kevinbirge2130]

My players fled and would not return.

[@edelguard9593]

I've been playing too much Balatro, I thought that was fem Perkeo.

[@OldManRiv3r]

Big boy

[@rwustudios]

Play the Halls of Arden Vul.....

[@mykediemart]

That one looks awesome, a channel called 3d6down the line is running thru it - but its a lil pricey

[@rwustudios]

@@mykediemart the 3d6 series was pretty good for the first delve but it's one and not 1e so it kind of crippled the whole thing in my opinion. Better than most actual plays.

[@kyb3er]

@@mykediemartDivide the price by the number of players and hours played.

[@doctordice2doctordice210]

I don’t care about virtually anything here, i just came here to tell that your icon thumbnail thing and you look like tulip Olson from infinity train lol

[@jeffsmith40]

Could I politely recommend starting this video with just a basic rundown of the gist of the dungeon?

[@harmony_ginger]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm still learning youtube

[@yochaigal]

​@@harmony_gingerI second this suggestion, but on the other hand: great video!