Dungeons · Underground · Traps
Animated Doorknob
It sure looks like a normal doorknob...Wait a second...Did it just move?!
This doorknob looks like a normal doorknob. However, an adventuring party may find an awful surprise upon attempting to grab this “normal” doorknob as it moves to the opposite end of the door.
This doorknob is made of a very hard material, and is enchanted with anti-magic properties. It has also been ritually created to prevent unauthorized creatures from passing. Attuned and fixed to a specific door, it guards the door with fervor. Should an unauthorized creature attempt to pass through, the doorknob maneuvers itself away from prying hands. It can parry weapons, intercept projectiles, and absorb magic. If a creature manages to grab it, the doorknob will move wildly in an attempt to free itself, preventing with all of its magical might from being turned and its warded door from being opened.
The doorknob will behave itself, however, upon the utterance of a password. Upon uttering, the doorknob will move back to its proper position, and allow its warded door to be opened properly. Once the door is closed again, the doorknob resets.
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I find that a fun way to spice up relatively 'normal' items like this is to include a detailed account of the ritual process.
'You must gather the knob of magically hardened silver and place atop your composite armadillo shell pillar. Anoint it with the tears of a troubled youth then let it sit under the light of a full moon. When you are ready to apply the knob to a door you must ... blah blah blah'
Also, some quotes from adventurers, as heard by the guy on the other side of the door, would be fun.
I like it! It's simple, tricky, unexpected, and easy to insert into just about any adventure. It also has a nicely quirky, sort of 'Alice in Wonderland' feel to it.
Do you people think this is ready to be submitted?
(Also, the 'ritual' is so simple, it really doesn't need to be mentioned here. It is basically, 'get doorknob, metal dust, and antimagic stuff, then say magic words, and ta-da!'...)
I do have one question: Will the door open only when the knob is in its regular position? If someone manages to catch the knob, can the person turn it immediately to open the door, or do they have to wrestle it back into position first?
Technically, that is two. :P
To your second:
quote'If someone manages to catch the knob, can the person turn it immediately to open the door, or do they have to wrestle it back into position first?'/quote
The former.
Very amusing.
Okay, it is now a full-fledged submission. Cast your votes!
(Make it painless...please. *gulp*)
Very good,5/5 from me.
Ha! All it needs is a face, the abilty to speak, and an increadibly obnoxious personality and it's the door knob from Disney's Alice in Wonderland! Ha! Excelent idea!
I am sure there is a supplementary ritual for that. ;3
Entertaining enough to frustrate anyone.
Let's just try and see a party kick down THIS door. :3
That brings up a decent query... what is to stop the party from in fact beating said door down? Personally the group I game with, whether running or playing, would simply get to frustrated inside of two minutes and destroy it out of spite.
The doorknob is pretty durable. Hitting AND damaging it would be a problem, as it is theoretically invulnerable.
This trap requires out-of-the-box ideas. Like breaking down a wall.
I was referring to the door.
The doorknob is like a tiny, fast, and nearly invulnerable shield for the door. Try to kick the door, you will hurt your foot on the knob. The damn thing has the reaction time of a paranoid fruit fly.
Not bad, a solid fun submission. If I use this I will need to add that it has an annoying laugh and thinks everything is funny. A nasally 'Haehaehaehaehae' would fit perfectly.
Don't forget some silly, ear-burning music in the background.
Aha! The magic doorknob! A simple, usable submission. But, just like an urban legend, this badboy has hundreds of versions and variations. Doorknobs chewing off fingers, cursing, screaming an alarm, telling riddles etc.
Still though; a nice little writeup.
Speaking of different variations, I once was in a Call of Cthulhu sessions where the entire living room of a haunted mansion beat the crap out of an entire Investigator group. Imagine our surprise when a recliner sails across the room to attempt to devour you. The doorknob eating your fingers makes me think of an entire house behaving in such a way.
Mourn, have you ever seen the movie 'Monster House'? That's pretty much literally the case there.
Originally I was a little disappointed. But reading through the comments amused me :)
2.5/5 for the original
+0.5/5 for the comments
= 3.0/5
Vote only.
This would drive people crazy.
Solid, concise submission. Good for non-try-hard gamers who try and think their way through problems rather then just bash things with maximum force.