Dungeons Deep & Caverns Old



Using Sellswords and Spellslingers, along with bits and bobs lifted from other rule sets or invented on the spot, we set about to some dungeon delving in Middle-earth.


Scott made up some custom dice to procedurally generate the rooms and their contents. We used the walls and doors offered by UrbanMatz and some furniture from HeroQuest and Mantic's Terrain Crate line. The front porch, as Tolkien might have called it, of our dungeon was a cozy goblin dining hall. Before dealing with all the goblins lounging around in there, a curious hobbit started exploring further until running into a corridor full of the Necromancer's minions - including a terrifying Morgul Stalker!



The frightened little hobbit slammed the door back shut and, with a couple of his hairfooted friends, desperately tried to hold it closed while the goblins screeched and pounded on the other side.


Meanwhile, another curious hobbit found himself face-to-face with a slavering warg! The plucky little fellow managed to stick the beast a few times but the other members of his fellowship could not save him from its snapping jaws. Poor little blighter.


Back on the other side of the dining hall, the goblins managed to smash down the door - just in time to be greeted by some grim Dwarves looking for a fight. The Morgul Stalker was unexpectedly tough but the Dwarves overcame him in round after round of furious mêlée.


Pushing on, the fellowship discovered a gruesome torture chamber. But everything was still and peaceful ... I suppose that only made sense considering we had slain six Moira Goblins, six Mordor Orcs, four Morannon Orcs, five Dead Marsh Specters, a Warg, and a Morgul Stalker in the first couple of rooms. Well, actually it was more than that as we had to recycle enemy models after a point ...


The surviving fellowship rummaged through the goblins' plunder, finding little of value. We really need better loot tables.


Charging through the only other doorway, our brave Men, Dwarves, and Hobbit beheld a terrible sight ...


A Cave Troll holding court over a horde of chattering Moria Goblins!


Strangely, this combat was a total breeze. I think we are going to need to make up original monster cards to better represent Lord of the Rings content rather than just using the ones available for Sellswords and Spellslingers via Wargame Vault.


It was getting late but we generated the next room and its occupants just to see what awaited. More Dead Marsh Specters, some Army of the Dead type guys, and a Barrow White. I wonder if it would have been as thrilling as the fight against the Morgul Stalker or a let down like the Cave Troll.


And here's an overview shot of the dungeon generated by the end of the session.