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| Level one of the Castle Druidun megadungeon! |
If I knew how much work it would be to make a real megadungeon, which is almost as much work as writing a book, I probably would never have started. How far drive will compel me is an open question.
I've got 3 levels of the castle fleshed out, and 2 levels of the dungeon populated. Advice on The Internet recommends every room have at least 3 different points of interest in every room. Ugh. Considering that each level of Druidun has roughly 100 rooms, that's 300 items of interest. Keeping that interesting and varied has been... challenging.
I started burning out on level 2.
A decent megadungeon should have at least 10.
Yikes.
On the positive side, players advance in level much, MUCH faster than they ever used to. From 1,500 to 2,500 points for 2nd level in AD&D to just 300 points in 5e.
Since in the traditional megadungeon each level is pegged to the players level (3rd level of the dungeon is meant for 3rd level players), that means... the dungeon is WAY too big. To get enough experience to advance to the next level, in 5e the players may only need to clear 1/4 of Druidun!
Maybe less.
I've had to go back and raise the lethality of the challenges players face in areas they haven't entered yet. They've already got enough XP for 3rd level. And hell yes, I'm making them go back to town and train with a mentor, as is right and proper to do, to advance in levels. Take that, 5e simplicity and streamlining!
The first Random Encounter list I did up for Druidun was filled with NPC characters and social interactions. I didn't roll often enough for encounters, ultimately only presented players with one. The other encounters seemed like the NPCs would just get grilled endlessly by the players for information which I didn't have, which would trigger paranoia and increasing demands ("Why aren't they telling us? Let's force them!"), which would be exhausting, so I dropped it and didn't bother.
Instead, I've made monster combo encounters, of giant scorpions and kobolds, for example, that might present more interesting tactical challenges.
The first level of the dungeon is divided into different themed sections: the ancient druid tunnels are in the north west (tombs and catacombs), the halls of King Eomel in the north (dining rooms, treasure display vaults, arenas), a more recent goblin warren in the north east, the prison and formal dungeon in the east (naturally), and the dwarven mines to the south, including workshops, refineries, and furnaces.
All of these areas have long since been overrun (in some cases multiple times) but other factions and monsters, hopefully giving the space a rich history that will be figured out by the players as they progress.
The Eldritch Veil wizards ran sinister and forbidden magical experiments on level 1 of the dungeon (some of which are still going, even after their forced departure) and particularly in the castle itself (levels 1-3, probably extending on to level 4). Level five of the castle now is dominated by a colony of giant wasps.
The necromancer has built his lair in the west of level 1, extending the original druid complex with fresh chambers dedicated to the God of Death, Nergul.
The whole place has then been criss-crossed by the tunnels dug by monsters like ankhegs, umber hulks, goblins, giant ants and the like, connecting areas that would otherwise be far more defensible and offering players the opportunity to bypass dangerous sections. It also allows multiple ways to enter and leave the complex. Like water pouring into the pit on Oak Island, you can never really be sure you've cleared Druidun; the monster tide keeps pouring in.
Each staircase is aligned to the level above it in the castle. There are notes and hints for the DM on the map, which is purely functional and not meant to be seen by the players. I can't begin to imagine the amount of work a painted player map would take.
