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Sunday, June 16, 2019

Dungeon Inspector

Dungeons often seem like the domain of chaos, full as they are of monsters, danger, and opportunity for profit. But there's still some order and it is maintained by the D.S.C. (that is, the Dungeon Standards Commission). The commission supplies traps, wandering monsters, and design advice to wizards, evil overlords, and dragons of all varieties. The commission's regulations apply to all lairs, ruins, tombs, and forbidden temples. But the D.S.C needs boots on the ground, constantly peering into the homes of its clients to make sure everything is done according to code. You have no salary. You have no clear route to promotion. You have almost no authority. You are a Dungeon Inspector. And you are expected to submit a report about each dungeon you encounter.

Remember, this business is not pretty, but it can take you far...
Portrait of Georg Giese, Hans Holbein the Younger, 1532

Note: Sewers ALWAYS count as dungeons

Level 1: Dungeon Research, Friend of Vermin
Level 2: Deputize, Machine Code
Level 3: Enforce Regulation
Level 4: Increased Justification

Dungeon Research
You can spend a day doing research on a dungeon in the D.S.C archives. Roll 1d6 + your Dungeon Inspector Level + 1 for each extra week you spend researching. Divide the result by 2, rounding down. You may learn about a number of features of the dungeon equal to the divided result.

Dungeon Features:
-A treasure
-A monster/faction
-An entrance/architectural feature
-A trap/hazard

Friend of Vermin
Unless you provoke them directly, non-sentient dungeon dwelling creatures (such as slimes, rats, bats, carrion crawlers) will prefer to attack creatures other than you first.

Deputize
You can force a sentient dungeon denizen of roughly grunt rank to do your bidding. It is not obliged to attack its own kind. You are responsible for this creature's well being, if it dies you will be charged a fine equal to the creature's HD x 10gp.

Machine Code
Most dungeon machinery operates on standard principles known to all D.S.C technicians. By examining a machine or other type of mechanism in a dungeon, such as a switch or system of gears, you can figure out what the machine is and does.

Enforce Regulation
Once per dungeon, you can declare a feature of the dungeon to be in violation of the D.S.C code.
If the feature is successfully declared to be in violation, it is immediately scrubbed from the dungeon. Monsters are removed, treasure is liquidated (you get 25% of the value), traps and parts of architecture are moved back into storage. Your deceleration has a your Dungeon Inspector Level in 8 chance of being accepted by the commission. This chance can be increased by 1 in 8 for each specific violation you cite. The council (i.e the GM) has final say over what counts as a violation but feel free to argue. Expect new features to replace ones found to be in violation if you ever return to the dungeon.

Code Violations:
Universal Violations: Does not fit the dungeon's 'theme', Uninspired design/too generic
Treasure: Not hidden well enough, value too high in relation to ease of finding
Monster/Faction: Too aggressive/refuses to negotiate with adventurers
Entrance/Architectural Feature: Reveals nothing of the dungeon's history/present goings on
Trap/Hazard: Impossible to detect preemptively, Impossible to overcome

Increased Justification
You have achieved a high enough rank in the D.S.C that you may treat any multi-floored structure as a dungeon for your purposes.

Skills: 1. Drudgery 2. Bureaucracy 3. History

Starting Equipment: 1d6 sheets of paper, ink and quill, a burlap sack, 20ft of hempen rope, a letter confirming your identity marked with the seal of the D.S.C

Portrait of the Oboi, regent of  the Kangxi Emperor

This post is dedicated to the High Commissioner Lin Zexu 

4 comments:

  1. Was this in any way inspired by the last few issues of Dungeon Meshi?

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    Replies
    1. Hmm, I've never heard of Dungeon Meshi so it probably didn't influence me much

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  2. This is probably the most creative class I've seen in months. Love it.

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