limithron

Gold Bug Pirate Dungeon [Dark Caribbean Content]

Added 2025-09-14 22:59:22 +0000 UTC

Ahoy!

I've finally done it: I designed a proper pirate dungeon. And just in time for Talk Like a Pirate Day Week (9/15 - 9/21).

***The Gold Bug* or *The Buzzard's Nest***

I realized I've never designed a proper pirate DUNGEON, a fact which I set out to remedy immediately. I'm talking about the kind of location that a rich pirate lord would build to keep his most important asset—treasure—both secret and safe. We're talking ciphers, traps, puzzles, decoys, red herrings, skeletons, and undead (of course). I also wanted an adventure site that could be low combat but high risk, so that GMs and groups have some more diversity in their choices.

This short adventure will be included in the forthcoming Dark Caribbean setting and sourcebook—a project I’ve at last returned to, after a year’s detour into Down Among the Dead.

It has several core inspirations:

The famous short story "The Gold-Bug" by Edgar Allan Poe, which you can read the original story here, or listen to the great Vincent Price read it to you here.
Some facts and many legends surrounding real Olivier Levasseur (a.k.a. La Buse) and the his famous treasure cryptogram, who threw an encrypted cipher into the crowd as he was being executed.
One-Eyed Willie's dungeon in Goonies.
The amazing Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (which I've in the middle of playing and is all about pirate treasure hunting).
Classic treasure hunt movies like National Treasure, Indiana Jones, Adams Family, and Skeleton Crew (the new Disney Star Wars show, which is basically space-Goonies).

In addition to this one page map (previewed last month), is a written cryptogram cipher handout, art of the Gold Bug, and info on multiple ways to extend the adventure like adding a treasure map, hiding addition treasure in the dungeon's main puzzle, and introducing rival parties that are hot on the PC's tails

Included are full resolution maps (keyed versions, player-facing versions, GM, etc.), rooms as PNG assets, an old map version, and TONS of player handouts, include one for each room if you want print them out and run them in person..