The PCs are likely are going to try to get into a safehouse of the local thieves’ guild in the next two sessions. The setting is Ptolus, using the D&D 5E rules.

The safehouse in question is in a lower middle class region on the surface, but it has another entrance to the vast dungeon systems beneath the city. This, in itself, is not unusual - the bedrock on which the city stands is filled with tunnels and long-forgotten vaults. But while most house owners just try to brick those passages over, the thieves’ guild actually uses these passages for their business dealings.

And I need some ideas on both what might be inside the premises, and what kinds of systems they use to secure the safehouse. The PCs will likely be coming from the “dungeon” side, and this is the kind of city where criminals expect inconvenient adventurers to pop up in all sorts of places.

I’ve already determined that the location includes:

  • a vampire ally of the guild
  • some cells for prisoners who get interrogated for information
  • a bunch of drugs for resale

Any other ideas? The party consists of four 8th level characters, if this helps.

  • Jürgen Hubert@ttrpg.networkOP
    1·
    4 days ago

    There were some naturally-occurring caves, but also the following:

    • Some eldritch horrors sleeping in the deepest caverns beneath the city who act as a “lodestone” for evil creatures, compelling them to come here.
    • An ancient cleric once attempted to build a massive vault here as a safe depository for evil artifacts. He became corrupted by them, and turned into the first Evil Overlord.
    • Much later on, a second Evil Overlord appeared who wanted the secrets of the first Evil Overlord. He expanded the caves and turned them into his military headquarters for his conquering horde of monsters.
    • There was also a major dwarf hold here at some point before they abandoned it.
    • There is an entire drow city deep beneath the surface.
    • Assorted other groups of monsters keep showing up and making themselves at home.
    • Oh, and the current incarnation of the city has been built on top of this, which includes a massive sewer system that is gradually breaking down from lack of maintenance.

    The whole dungeon system has developed over the course of more than 8,000 years. The general inclination of the citizens above is to wall off any entrances they find, and otherwise let adventurers deal with it. (This is another unique aspect about this city - it’s the only one on the continent which has a professional class of adventurers.)

    As for the Thieves’ Guild, they tend to grease a lot of palms in the city watch, so they don’t have to worry much from law enforcement unless they do something too blatant. However, there is a new criminal organization which is giving them a lot of trouble, and there are a lot of adventurers around, so they do have reasons to take their security seriously.

    The guild have mages in their employ who could help with magical security, but none of them is present in this safe house.