One Page Dungeons Nesting using Key Pages

You can build complex mega dungeons and campaign settings with one page dungeons. These small dungeons are a great tool in any game masters tool kit for simple dungeon design. They are short, modular, and are easy to both write and run sessions with. They are typically structured with 5-7 elements and a map of the dungeon all fitting on a single page. While they are useful as individual story beats in a campaign their limited nature tends to make it difficult to run a long format adventure using them but that is a problem we can fix.

What are Key Pages and Nesting

You should use key pages and nesting to build a world that is both complex and simple to write and run. Nesting consist of one page dungeons and key pages which connects them. A useful key page will follow the same principles as a one page dungeon and consist of a map and a handful of elements on the map. Unlike a dungeon however your elements on a key page should be short descriptions referencing a one page dungeon you have prepared or are planning on writing in the future if you need it.

Key pages are flexible since they are mostly organization tools to make it easier to run sessions. You can have a key page that covers a single floor of a mega dungeon with your one page dungeons being different sections of that floor. You can also nest key pages so if you have multiple mega dungeon floors you can create a key page linking those together so you have a mega dungeon key page with all your floors. This method scales well and lets you build very concepts in small manageable chunks.

Example of how to design a mega dungeon with one page dungeons

Mega Dungeon Key Page

    Floor One Key Page

        Skeleton Pits One Page dungeon

        Boneyard One Page dungeon

        Skeleton King One Page dungeon

    Floor Two Key Page

        Alchemy Lab One Page Dungeon

        Plague Lab One Page Dungeon

        Lair of the Necromancer One Page Dungeon

Extra Information on Key Pages

This structure works well but sometimes you will have information that doesn't make sense in your dungeon that links it together with another dungeon. Things like secret passages, important lore, or individual encounters that are related to both. Key pages are a useful place to put this information and it can be mixed in with dungeon references. A map showing connections between the dungeons allows for complex path choices for exploring. Small rest stops connected between the dungeons allow for places for players to catch their breath. Overviews of how all the different dungeons logically link together in your overall story are also handy to have on a key page.

Practical Use

Often it doesn't make sense to write out dozens of one page dungeons and key pages as that eliminates the advantage of them being fast to write.  Simply write a key page and a single one page dungeon to get started. They key page acts as a outline of a location and if you have a single dungeon for it you can run that for players. You can write the additional dungeons before the session when you know your players are going there. Drawing on one page dungeons other people have written to populate your key pages is also a great way to build out your world.

Examples

I have written two adventures using these broad concepts. Tower of Retribution is a mega dungeon that uses key pages for the floors. It is a good example of just how big you can make something. Sunless Sky is another example that uses regions as key pages. It works well to show how to use key pages for complex location mapping in a rpg.

Tower of Retribution Complete

Descend into the depths of an ancient sorcerers tower filled with constructs, aberrations, and ancient arcana that may decide the fate of existence. This adventure is a mega dungeon with 12 floors. Each floor is comprised of 4 one page adventures and the floor has a key page linking them together and linking the floor to the rest of the dungeon. This adventure is fully modular so you can use parts of it on their own or as a complete adventure.

• 72 pages

• 12 Floors

• 48 one page dungeons

• 22 new monsters

Download the PDF here.

Purchase on DriveThruRpg. pay what you want.

Dungeon23 Level 12 Lair of Ateh

 The twelfth and final level of the tower of retribution that is completely submerged in the roil. The aberration Ateh rules this layer and is responsible for all of the roil creatures that have been encountered in the roil. At the level's center is the roil heart which has the power to stop the roil explosion from consuming reality.

Dungeon23 Level 11 Roil Explosion

 The eleventh level of the tower of retribution has been consumed by an explosion that caused the roil and has torn apart reality. The area is highly vertical and is hard to traverse without flying. Some remains of the machine that caused the explosion still exist here. With access to this area someone with advanced arcane knowledge and powerful artifacts could attempt to contain the explosion.

Dungeon23 Level 10 Radiation

 The tenth level of the tower of retribution is flooded with radiation from the roil explosion at the heart of the tower. The area has become extremely hazardous to traverse. There is a small pocket of safety in this area that has survived and is the last safe area in the tower.

Dungeon23 Level 9 Flood Floor

 The ninth level of the tower of retribution has water flowing into it from the upper levels. This section of the tower is partially submerged in areas and fully submerged in others requiring water breathing. Eventually this section drains into the roil preventing it from fully filling up.

Dungeon23 Level 8 Fungal Caves

 The eight level of the tower of retribution has been completely destroyed and all that remains is a cavern system carved out by water from the surface. The caves have grown thick with fungi and mushrooms which have been twisted over time by arcane magics and recent exposure to the roil.