The Great Pyramid (CSC)

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==Origin==
Perhaps the greatest tributes to the engineering skills of the ancient world were the mighty pyramids of Egypt. For our first generic dungeon we have taken them as a model. The Great Pyramid was built as tomb for the ruler of a powerful empire. It is no surprise that so awesome a structure should go down in history as one of the wonders of the world.
==Transformation==
While the other above ground structures which we will present in this section must be modified or altered in some way to make them into dungeons, the majestic pyramids can be used just as they are.
==Map Key==
1. Mastabas: The Great Pyramid is surrounded by a small city of lesser tombs known as mastabas. These low, flat structures served to house the bodies of the workers who built the pyramid. More often than not, these were slaves or prisoners of war. Because they knew the secrets of the pyramid's internal layout, they were ritually slaughtered after it was completed. The mastabas might make excellent locations for encounters with low level undead creatures.
2. Lesser Pyramids: A number of lesser pyramids were also built adjacent to the main structure. These served as tombs for the officials who oversaw the construction of the pyramid. Once the slaves were killed, so too were their task masters. Like the mastabas, these areas make excellent locations for encounters with undead, although they are likely to be more powerful than those found in the former area.
3. Funeral Temple: The only outside entrance to the pyramid is through this chamber. The door to the outside world is well concealed to protect the king's final resting place from grave robbers and vandals. This temple is lavishly decorated and contains much that is of great monetary value— everything from gold idols to ornate figures and valuable incense.
4. Corridor: The inner halls and stairwells in the pyramid are very low and cramped. On the average, they have a ceiling height of only four feet and are about a yard wide. While dwarves, halflings, and gnomes may not find that this presents them with too great a problem, other races will find moving from room to room to be very uncomfortable.
5. First Burial Chamber: The first part of the pyramid to be built, this chamber is actually located below the surface of the earth in the foundation of the building. If the pharaoh died before the completion of the second burial chamber, his body would be placed here.
6. Second Burial Chamber: Like the first burial chamber, this was meant to house the body of the king in the event that he should die before the completion of the main burial chamber. There are usually some trappings here of reasonable value.
7. Crypts: Once the priests who had overseen the assembly of the pyramid and performed the religious rites required to make it pleasing to the gods had completed their tasks, they too were slain. Unlike the workers, however, they committed ritual suicide and were entombed in the pyramid with their king. These rooms are ornate temples in their own right, having many valuable items used in the practice of their religious beliefs.
8. Funeral Barge: The last room before the main burial chamber, this area houses a most unusual thing for a dungeon—a boat. Intended to act as the king's vessel on his voyage to the next life, it is rich with the trappings of nobility and carries everything that the king will need to survive in the next world. In addition to money and weapons, the boat is likely to carry food and other provisions.
9. Grand Hallway: Unlike the other passages in the Great Pyramid which require explorers to walk bent over (unless they are halflings or some similar race), this corridor has a high arched ceiling. It is painted in bright colors and has numerous images engraved on its walls. As this is the final entry way into the main burial chamber, referee's may want to consider the use of a wide array of deadly traps being set here as a last line of defense against intruders.
10. Main Burial Chamber: This is the last resting place of the pharaoh. The entire chamber is lavishly decorated and appointed with items so valuable as to be beyond the belief of even the most greedy of thieves. The sarcophagus which holds the body of the departed king is often made of a valuable metal like gold or silver. The trappings of this chamber are worth more than the treasuries of many small countries.