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I have an abiding love of the megadungeon (defined here as a many-leveled dungeon large enough to be used as the centrepiece of a lengthy campaign), but I'm not always in the mood for one of the many variants of Dungeons & Dragons. Do any mega dungeons exist for systems other than one of the D&Ds?

I already know that I could make one, or convert any of the many D&D-system megadungeons and have fun with that in whatever system I like. What I want to know if there's already anything that is native to a non-D&D system or system-agnostic. Print-published, amateur online, or even out-of-print doesn't matter.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Since the answer appears to be "yes", perhaps this should be a community wiki to house the list of megadungeons? \$\endgroup\$ Commented Sep 8, 2010 at 16:30
  • \$\begingroup\$ Agree and converted. \$\endgroup\$
    – mxyzplk
    Commented Sep 9, 2010 at 1:22

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The ruined city of Parlainth is a megadungeon for Earthdawn. It is detailed in the campaign set, Parlainth: The Forgotten City, by Robin D. Laws. In addition to the campaign set, Parlainth Adventures is a collection of 4 adventures set in the ruins for low level characters.

Cover of Parlainth: The Forgotten City Cover of Parlainth Adventures

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The closest thing I can think of is the Pavis/Big Rubble combination, for Runequest. It's certainly a campaign-long setting, but it's a city rather than a dungeon, albeit a city that's half-ruined and more than a little bit dangerous.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Open-air megadungeons certainly qualify in my book. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Sep 8, 2010 at 5:40
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Metamorphosis Alpha was a TSR supplement for Gamma World that could be used as the basis for an SF megadungeon. The ship itself is miles long and incorporates several huge transparent domes. It's a semi-abandoned multi-generation colony ship gone wrong. However you don't get detailed deck plans (that would be impossible, it's just too big) or even deck plans of key locations. I think the idea is to run it using flexible narrative movement and scene setting.

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Ken St. Andre wrote one for Tunnels and Trolls. That module may not have seen print, however; it was being printed via Outlaw Press, and was in the pipe just before the big blowup betwixt Jim Shipman (of OP) and Ken. Plus there's the online version of Gristlegrim, the original teleport dungeon.

For L5R, there was the Otosan Uichi boxed set... lots of maps, and keys for most of it... and very much a campaign setting. Subtitle is "City of Lies"

For Traveller, the Tarsus and Beltstrike modules each turn a single system into a complete campaign setting. Judges Guild went the other direction, producing a 4-sector campaign setting, something GDW did only a decade later, and not as well done, tho' GDW did nicer layout.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Is that the same as his Gristlegrim, available at gristlegrim.com? \$\endgroup\$
    – Bryant
    Commented Sep 8, 2010 at 3:30
  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't think so; GG is a monster, alright, but it's really not that big, save for the teleport aspects. \$\endgroup\$
    – aramis
    Commented Sep 8, 2010 at 8:11
  • \$\begingroup\$ I'm specifically looking for megadungeons, not just campaign settings based on a centrepiece or boxed sets. Do you have more info on the nature of the Ken St. Andre module? \$\endgroup\$ Commented Sep 8, 2010 at 15:54
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think the Outlaw Press module was Gristlegrim; see this post: forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=535914 \$\endgroup\$
    – Bryant
    Commented Sep 8, 2010 at 20:40
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I can't think of any specific mega-dungeons offhand, (There's a couple of FUDGE adventures that might qualify but don't have many levels) but I do know of a system-agnostic Dungeon building book called Central Casting: Dungeons. "Suitable for use with any fantasy role-playing game." It includes a bit of it's own meta-system in there (for example, type A type B, and type C treasures and encounters are described in terms that can be translated into other gaming systems).

alt text

The rest of the Central Casting series (Heroes of Legend, for example) has a similar angle- a system-agnostic series of books that have rules-elements of a translatable meta-system built in.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I have this book! It's wonderful! It's not a ready-built dungeon, alas. Have you any links to those FUDGE adventures? That sounds intriguing. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Sep 8, 2010 at 5:41
  • \$\begingroup\$ While wonderful, it doesn't normally generate megadungeons. In fact, it tends towards pretty focused utility dungeons. But it is awesome. \$\endgroup\$
    – aramis
    Commented Sep 8, 2010 at 7:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't have links. The FUDGE adventures I am thinking of are "Another Fine Mess" which features a dungeon, and I think the "Tomb of Shrek Ironfist" is the other one. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Sep 8, 2010 at 12:12

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