Statues come in many shapes and sizes and are a staple of most dungeons. Statues are a great way of adding depth and verisimilitude to a dungeon. (But remember, paranoid players may assume a lavishly described statue is important or that it may animate and attack them!)

Use the lists below, to add detailed statues into your dungeons.

“Good” Personalities Statues

1. This heroic fighter wields a battleaxe. His other hand clutches the remains of a splintered shield.

2. A plate-clad warrior sits astride a warhorse and holds a lance aloft.

3. An old crone, ugly beyond belief, is practically doubled over and has a hunchback.

4. This wizard has one arm outstretched; pouches ring his waist. His face is partially obscured by a hood, but he has a severe, short haircut.

“Evil” Personalities Statues

1. This half-man, half-serpent creature clad in robes has an unmistakable look of intelligence on its face.

2. An orc kneels at an executioners’ block; its head lies nearby, its rage-filled eyes stare up at its body.

3. This hobgoblin holds a tower shield in front of his body and a short, jabbing spear in the other hand.

4. An orc warrior on her knees pierced by many arrows has a snarl of anger and pain on her face.

Beasts & Monsters Statues

1. A slender, attractive woman with snake hair and huge eyes carries a bow and has an alluring smile. (The statue depicts a medusa).

2. This giant thick with muscle and fat has a wide, puffy face. (The statue depicts an ogre).

3. This bizarre half-bear, half-owl creature has a huge beak and sharp claws. (The statue depicts an owlbear).

4. A muscular horse stands with huge, wide-spread bird-like wings spread wide. (The statue depicts a pegasus).

Statue Dressing

1. The statue has a secret compartment1 accessible by turning one of the statue’s ears; the niche might hold a small treasure.

2. The statue is made of a strange kind of stone quite out of sorts with the surrounding masonry.

3. The statue is weather beaten as if it once stood outside. Small patches of albino moss grow in cracks criss-crossing its surface.

4. The statue smells as if someone—or something—has urinated on it recently.

Want More?

This article is an extract from Dungeon Dressing: Statues by Creighton Broadhurst.

If you like 20 Things lists—and use them to add depth and flavour to your games or to spark your own creativity—check out theThingonomicon’s 180 pages crammed full with lists designed to make your GMing life easier!