20 Sarcophagi Dressings
Sarcophagi are the focal point of tomb complexes, built to contain and preserve the revered dead. Builders, seeking to ensure eternal rest for the deads’ mortal remains, typically build sarcophagi from durable materials to enclose the body and protect it from the elements and carrion feeders.
Add depth and flavour to your dungeon sarcophagi, with these 20 pieces of dressing:
This cairn is constructed from a jumbled nest of swords, spears and other weapons. Creatures taking the cairn apart must be careful or suffer 1d8 damage from the rusty blades.
This diamond-encrusted sarcophagus resurrects the body within when a certain prophesy is completed. The sarcophagus radiates strong conjuration magic. This effect works once before the sarcophagus’ magic is consumed. The diamonds crumble to dust if removed from the sarcophagus (which also destroys the sarcophagus’s magic power).
This onyx-encrusted sarcophagus possesses powerful necromantic powers. It can create a mummy from a body placed within when a certain prophesy is completed. This effect only works once. The onyx crumbles to dust if removed from the sarcophagus (which also destroys its enchantments).
This sarcophagus is submerged 30 feet beneath a pool of stagnant water. The water pressure makes opening the sarcophagus’ lid much harder.
The cairn stones of this grave are actually a score of Small earth elementals. The elementals attack any creatures disturbing the cairn, but are otherwise inert.
This sarcophagus is a living, sentient tree, whose roots weave around the body. The tree, a naturally surly creature, is bleached white through long immersion in the tomb’s eternal dark.
This sarcophagus is nestled in the bare, skeletal rib-cage of a truly enormous creature such as a dragon or purple worm.
This coffin rests nestled in the palms of a giant statue. It is eight-foot off the ground.
A cascade of holy water that recycles itself through a clever network of pipes continuously bathes this sarcophagus. The holy water reverts to normal water if moved more than 60 feet from the sarcophagus.
Opening this sarcophagus reveals a narrow spiral staircase of bones leading downwards to a hidden dungeon sub-level.
A dead creature’s animated, still-screeching head rests atop this sarcophagus. The head is that of a tomb guardian slain by a previous group of tomb robbers.
Fourteen skeletons, presumably the workers constructing the tomb given the tools scattered about, surround this half-finished sarcophagus.
Any creature with 9 or less hit dice placed in this gem-encrusted sarcophagus is subjected to a trap the soul spell (CL 15). The gems embedded in the sarcophagus are worth 15,000 gp, and can be recovered with two hours work1.
Any corpse or grave goods entombed in this darkwood casket, sized for a gnome, are concealed with an invisibility spell (CL 9).
This sarcophagus is sized for a Small creature, and is covered with ornate crown and sceptre motifs. It’s (broken) locking mechanism is fiddly to operate.
This sarcophagus is sized for a Large creature, and is covered with a layer of iridescent rime. The sarcophagus’s lid is overly heavy and chill to the touch.
This tetrahedral casket is manufactured with odd angles; no two sides are parallel or perpendicular to one another. It is bulky and difficult to move.
This vast, tall sarcophagus is crafted with twelve hexagonal compartments aligned vertically, reminiscent of a honeycomb. Each compartment holds a standing cadaver in full battle regalia.
This sarcophagus resembles a pulsing muscular organ. The casket is covered with a layer of viscous, acidic slime which deals 1d4 acid damage per round to any exposed flesh. The sarcophagus can be cut open with 60 points of slashing damage. Damage to the sarcophagus causes acid to spurt over creatures within 10 feet, inflicting 2d4 acid damage. The sarcophagus heals at the rate of one hit point per round.
A ring of six perfectly-preserved humanoid corpses surround this alien-looking sarcophagus. The corpses each have a fist-sized hole in the back of their heads and their cranial cavities are empty. The remains of an intellect devourer lies within the sarcophagus. The corpses were its favourite host bodies, in life.
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This is an extract from Dungeon Dressing: Sarcophagi 2.0 by David Posener. The supplement is available in 5e, OSR, Pathfinder 1 and Pathfinder 2 editions.
Design David Posener Art Matt Morrow