Modular Dungeon Design for Greyhawk’s West Marches: Balancing Challenge and Creativity
In the Common Grounds Guild of Greyhawk, our West Marches campaign is designed for flexibility, challenge, and player-driven exploration. Each session is a self-contained adventure lasting 2-4 hours, and every dungeon or encounter is designed to fit on a single sheet of paper (front and back)—with an occasional appendix for unique mechanics or lore.
This modular approach ensures that Dungeon Masters (DMs) can quickly prepare and run dynamic, engaging sessions while maintaining a persistent and evolving world. Let’s dive into how we design compact yet compelling dungeons that capture the spirit of Greyhawk and the excitement of a West Marches campaign.
Why Modular Design Works for West Marches
A West Marches campaign thrives on player choice and an open-world feel. To support this structure, we use modular dungeon design, meaning:
- Each dungeon is self-contained, allowing players to explore at their own pace without long, ongoing story arcs.
- Adventures fit within 2-4 hour sessions, making scheduling easy for both DMs and players.
- Minimal prep time for DMs, thanks to one-page dungeon formats that provide just enough detail without unnecessary complexity.
By keeping dungeons concise and focused, we ensure that each session feels rewarding while still leaving room for future discoveries.
Designing a One-Page Dungeon for Greyhawk
A one-page dungeon condenses the essentials onto a single sheet (front and back), covering:
- Dungeon Hook & Theme – Why are the adventurers here?
- Map & Keyed Locations – A simple layout with a few notable rooms.
- Encounters, Roleplay Options, & Challenges – A mix of combat, puzzles, and NPC interactions.
- Loot & Rewards – Magic items strictly from official D&D content.
- Faction or World Implications – How does this dungeon affect the larger Greyhawk setting?
Example: The Sunken Shrine of Wastri
- Hook: A group of frogfolk cultists are gathering relics for Wastri, the Amphibian God. Adventurers are hired to investigate.
- Map: A flooded ruin with three main chambers, each filled with amphibious hazards.
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Encounters, Roleplay Options, & Challenges:
- Room 1: A murky pool with giant frogs and hidden treasure. Players can fight or attempt to calm the creatures with food or magic.
- Room 2: A trapped corridor with collapsing stone pillars. Players might disable the trap, sprint through, or leverage the environment to create a safer path.
- Room 3: Cultists summoning a giant toad demon. Players can interrupt the ritual by force or trick the cult leader into losing faith in Wastri.
- Loot: A magical trident from official D&D sources, perfect for fighting aquatic creatures.
- World Impact: If left unchecked, the cult may expand and threaten nearby villages.
By following this simple format, the adventure is quick to prep, easy to run, and leaves room for future player-driven consequences.
Using Appendices for Special Cases
Sometimes, a one-page format isn’t quite enough, especially when introducing:
- New magic items or relics with unique effects (pulled from official D&D content).
- Custom monsters inspired by Greyhawk lore.
- Special mechanics, such as wilderness survival or faction-based interactions.
- Notable NPCs, including their backstories, motivations, and key dialogue options to enhance roleplaying depth.
Example: The Ruins of Castle Greyhawk (Appendix: The Mad Archmage’s Trials)
If adventurers delve too deep into Castle Greyhawk, they may encounter an appendix-driven challenge, such as a magical labyrinth created by Zagyg that requires solving logic puzzles instead of combat.
These appendices keep the core adventure concise while allowing for additional depth when needed.
Resources for Creating Modular Dungeons
For DMs interested in designing their own West Marches dungeons, here are some great resources:
- Dyson Logos’ One-Page Dungeon Maps – www.dysonlogos.blog (Free, hand-drawn maps that work great for modular adventures.)
- Dungeon Scrawl – www.dungeonscrawl.com Create D&D battlemaps with ease using this simple yet effective free online mapmaking tool.
- A Dungeon Master's Guide to the One-Page Dungeon – The Black Citadel shares their thoughts on One-Page dungeons.
- Living Greyhawk Gazetteer – Essential reading for incorporating authentic Greyhawk lore into dungeon designs.
Bringing It All Together
The Common Grounds Guild of Greyhawk is built on player choice, fast-paced adventures, and an ever-evolving world. Our 2-4 hour, one-page dungeons ensure that every session is action-packed while remaining easy to run and manage.
If you’re an adventurer looking to explore Greyhawk’s hidden dangers, or a DM interested in crafting modular, lore-rich dungeons, join us on Obsidian Portal and Discord to discuss strategies, share dungeon ideas, and help shape the Guild’s future quests!
What kind of dungeons do YOU want to explore? Let us know in the comments or on Discord!