Mystery in the Dungeon: A 5-Room D&D Template for the Whydoneit Genre
A 5 room dungeon is a type of adventure design that consists of five main structural elements, or “rooms,” that represent different parts of the story or challenges that the players must face. The rooms are typically connected in a linear fashion, with the players moving from one room to the next until they reach the end of the dungeon. The concept of a 5 room dungeon is inspired by the idea that a good story should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and that these structural elements can be divided into smaller sections or “beats” for the purpose of pacing and storytelling. In a 5 room dungeon, the first room is typically the introduction or setup, the second and third rooms are the rising action or challenges, the fourth room is the climax or major turning point, and the fifth room is the resolution or conclusion. This structure can be adapted and modified to fit different types of stories and genres and is often used in tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons (D&D).
“Save the Cat” is a screenwriting methodology developed by Blake Snyder. He suggests that a story should include a “Save the Cat” moment, in which the main character does something likable and relatable early on in the story to endear themselves to the audience.
