version: "1.0.0" name: build-dungeon description: "Process skill: design a dungeon / map / level layout collaboratively for the current campaign. Grills the player (Hermes clarify/Ask-Question, one question at a time) about size, theme, difficulty curve, branching, hazards, and boss — then produces a dungeon layout the DM runs. Run when the player says 'make me a dungeon', 'design the layout', or 'create a level'. Depends on the world's monster/loot pool." tags: [dm, dungeon, layout, map, level-design, rpg, interview]

Build a Dungeon (layout design, grilling-driven)

A process skill. Designs a specific dungeon / map / level for the current campaign by interviewing the player one decision at a time (see grilling), then produces a layout the DM uses to run it. It pulls monsters, loot, and items from the campaign's world.md and stats-schema whitelist — it never invents new ones (that would break anti-cheat).

When to use

• Player wants a concrete dungeon/level/map in the current world.
• Player says "make me a dungeon", "design a level", "build the layout".

Prerequisites

A campaign is loaded. Load its world.md (monsters, loot, theme) and stats-schema.json (whitelists) as facts — look them up, don't ask.

Procedure

1. Grill the player on decisions (one at a time, via clarify)

Use grilling. ONE question per clarify call, each with a recommended default:

1. Goal of the dungeon — what the player is seeking inside (key, macguffin, boss, exit).
2. Size — light (2-3 rooms), medium (4-6), sprawling (7-10).
3. Theme/atmosphere — tie to the world's tone (e.g. flooding crypts, overgrown ruins).
4. Difficulty vs current level — easy / on par / brutal (tunes monster mix).
5. Branching — linear corridor, one loop, hub-and-spokes, open sandbox.
6. Hazards & puzzles — traps, locked doors, environmental puzzles, optional rooms.
7. Boss / climax — whether there's a defender and which monster from the pool it is.
8. Confirm shared understanding before writing.

2. Produce the layout

Write the dungeon as a section appended to world.md (or a dungeons/<name>.md reference). For each room: name, short description, exits, and what's in it (monsters from the world pool, loot from the whitelist, hazards, keys/doors). Ensure:

• Every monster is from world.md's monster list.
• Every item/treasure/ability is from the schema's items/abilities whitelist.
• Room layout matches the chosen branching; named start/end rooms.
• A gate (locked door / barrier) guards the goal room, gated by a key or puzzle

the player can actually obtain.

3. No schema change needed

If the dungeon only reuses existing monsters/items/loot, the schema is unchanged and validation still passes. Only update the schema if you're TRULY adding new items/abilities — and then re-validate.

4. Validate (if schema changed)

engine/save_utils.py validate --schema <schema.json> --save <save>

Anti-cheat notes

• The dungeon cannot grant the player items/abilities not in the schema whitelist.

Design rewards from the existing pool.

• No room can "auto-win" — even the boss is beaten with rolls and real effort.

Pitfalls

• Don't invent new monsters/items silently — reuse the world's pool or update the

schema AND world together, then re-validate.

• Keep difficulty appropriate to the character's current level (from the save file).
• Gate the boss room with something the player can actually reach (a key found

earlier, a puzzle solved) so it never feels like a wall.