D U N G E O N D R E S S I N G : S TA I R S M I N O R F E AT U R E S & D R E S S I N G

Stairs come in many shapes and sizes, including 1. Phosphorescent lichen grows on the walls, providing
steep, gradual, precipitous and spiral. Stairs in illumination as a candle.
dungeons don’t even have to be made of stone— 2. Dust covers the steps; footprints can easily be made out
some can be of wood, bone or other magical or fantastical (perhaps providing clues to what lurks below).
substances. 3. A smear of charcoal shows where a previous explorer
extinguished a torch.
M A J O R F E AT U R E S 4. A torn and slashed belt pouch lies on the stair. It is old,
mouldering and empty.
5. Faint splatters of old, dried blood decorate the stairs.
1. The staircase has a low roof—characters over 5 ft. tall
6. A smear of chalk indicates where a message has been
must duck or bash their head on the ceiling.
rubbed out.
2. The stairway has a high ceiling.
7. A broken spear shaft (lacking its tip) lies on the stairs.
3. One wall has empty torch sconces set along its length.
8. A previous explorer has scratched into the ceiling the
Several of the sconces are bent as if hit with
message, “Beware the Corridor of Columns.”
considerable force; two are missing.
9. An old spray of arterial blood “decorates” part of one
4. Small niches in both walls once held candles. The niches
wall and the ceiling. Given the size of the stain
are now empty but for dust and small puddles of
something probably died here.
hardened wax.
10. One of the stairs is badly chipped as if something had
5. A small niche pierces the ceiling. The niche is the
repeatedly struck it with a heavy object.
remains of a long-since tripped trap that once contained
11. A torch sconce juts from the wall, at a drunken angle.
several vials of oil. The step below the niche depresses
12. Part of the stairs is scorched and bits of stone are
slightly when stood on1.
melted, as if subjected to intense heat.
6. Each stair is engraved with a different letter. When put
13. Light rubble from the ceiling or walls covers some of the
together the letters spell out a message from the
stairs.
dungeon’s designer.
14. Heavy rubble from the ceiling or walls covers some of
7. The stairs descend directly over a natural cave. A Large
the stairs. Great cracks pierce the walls and ceiling.
creature (or a particularly heavy Medium creature)
15. Cobwebs cover the ceiling; many small insects are
causes a portion of the stairs to collapse into the cavern
caught within.
below.
16. Brownish-green mould grows along one wall.
8. The stair’s risers are particularly low, meaning there are
17. Phosphorescent fungus grows in clumps on the stairs,
many more individual steps than normal.
giving off sickly yellow light equal to a torch.
9. An iron handrail is set into the stair’s left-hand wall.
18. The partial skeleton of a humanoid lies amid its
10. The staircase has an iron handrail set into the right-hand
moulding equipment. The unfortunate is missing its
wall.
head and left arm.
11. The staircase has a half-landing halfway down.
19. A torn and empty backpack has been upended over a
12. The staircase has several half-landings spaced equally
torch sconce.
along its length.
20. Obscene graf ti daubs one wall. The graf ti shows
13. A small wall niche provides space for a guard to lurk. A
humanoids of an appropriate type for the dungeon
stone seat is carved into one of its walls.
killing and mutilating their racial enemies (or humans if
14. Elaborate scrollwork decorates each step.
the race has no traditional foes).
15. The carved mark of the master mason responsible for
building the stairs decorates every third step.
16. Carvings of ferocious, mythical beasts decorate the
stair’s ceiling. CREDIT
17. A prayer for the dead is carved into one wall.
18. At one point, the ceiling drops by several feet; tall This is a short system-neutral extract from GM's Miscellany:
characters must duck to traverse safely. Dungeon Dressing. The book is available in 5e, System
19. The staircase intersects a small, dry natural cavern. The Neutral and Path nder 1 editions. The OSR edition will be
cavern intersects the stair’s ceiling. available in early 2023.
20. An iron bannister runs down the middle of the stairs.

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