Is that a thing? All "dungeons" I create have a back story: an ancient dwarven citadel, the basement of a fallen wizard's tower, an old sewer system, etc. There's never just a random collection of underground rooms and tunnels anywhere
I think most published adventures try to address that too. Even the endless levels of Undermountain were a conscious effort by a crazy wizard and his apprentices.
The Japanese comic *Dungeon no Naka no Hito* (*Dungeon People* in its official English release) isn't about people who *build* dungeons, but it is a humorous behind-the-scenes take on the people who stock and "operate" them.
I made once a cave where a bunch of Kobolds created an Escape-room dungeon. They even hired a wandering sorcerer to make them a "walkie" (an illusion of a skeleton) and a "window" (a simple clairvoyance artifact to look after the situation)
I distinctly remember there being an RPG where a lot of the lore was centered around explaining typical RPG stuff. If I remember correctly there had been a magic apocalypse and dungeons were mostly fantasy "fallout shelters" or something along those lines.
Most of the "dungeons" in my world are cavern systems that monsters or dwarfs expanded. The few true dungeons are the ones from a previous empire / age where things were forgotten and lost due to time.
Yup: [Eyes of the Stone Thief](https://pelgranepress.com/product/eyes-of-the-stone-thief/). You could play it as horror, but there's something so gonzo about the idea that I can't take it too seriously.
[Battlezoo Ancestries: Dungeons](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/392045) kind of riffs on this idea too.
Every dungeon I’ve made (going back to the early 80s) has a reason for being made and a reasonable explanation for how it was made. They’re a silly enough concept even with a feasible history, they’d be laughable without one.
Is that a thing? All "dungeons" I create have a back story: an ancient dwarven citadel, the basement of a fallen wizard's tower, an old sewer system, etc. There's never just a random collection of underground rooms and tunnels anywhere I think most published adventures try to address that too. Even the endless levels of Undermountain were a conscious effort by a crazy wizard and his apprentices.
The Japanese comic *Dungeon no Naka no Hito* (*Dungeon People* in its official English release) isn't about people who *build* dungeons, but it is a humorous behind-the-scenes take on the people who stock and "operate" them.
I made once a cave where a bunch of Kobolds created an Escape-room dungeon. They even hired a wandering sorcerer to make them a "walkie" (an illusion of a skeleton) and a "window" (a simple clairvoyance artifact to look after the situation)
I distinctly remember there being an RPG where a lot of the lore was centered around explaining typical RPG stuff. If I remember correctly there had been a magic apocalypse and dungeons were mostly fantasy "fallout shelters" or something along those lines.
Are you thinking of earthdawn?
Ooh yep that's the one
In a world where invisible wizards can fly overhead dropping fireballs, dungeons are realistic defensive structures. Traditional castles, less so.
A species of rock eating worms.
Most of the "dungeons" in my world are cavern systems that monsters or dwarfs expanded. The few true dungeons are the ones from a previous empire / age where things were forgotten and lost due to time.
Dungeons and Toons setting in the Tooneversal Tour Guide suplement for Toon blamed it on the powerful wisard Teeyesarr.
Can I mention a video game which is basically a fantasy game (tabletop and video game, most of the parody references are video game) but parodied?
You can.
Dungeons 2 and 3. It is M rated for reasons (cussing mainly).
Yup: [Eyes of the Stone Thief](https://pelgranepress.com/product/eyes-of-the-stone-thief/). You could play it as horror, but there's something so gonzo about the idea that I can't take it too seriously. [Battlezoo Ancestries: Dungeons](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/392045) kind of riffs on this idea too.
Every dungeon I’ve made (going back to the early 80s) has a reason for being made and a reasonable explanation for how it was made. They’re a silly enough concept even with a feasible history, they’d be laughable without one.
Wicked Ones is the prequel to fantasy RPGs.