Creature Pits
Creature pits are pits that contain snakes, scorpions, ants, lions, flesh-eating bacteria, wild hogs, or fictional creatures. They may be partially filled with water and be home to leviathans, sharks, or exist as piranha pools. Creature pits may be created as a trap or be used by evil cults for worship and ritual sacrifice. Creature pits may be found in combat arenas, ancient temples, evil lairs, or game dungeons. There may be altars placed nearby.
| Synonyms: snake pits, scorpion holes |
| Example Mythonyms: the Hungry Pit |
Designing Fictional Creature Pits
Archetypes
Overview
Fictional creature pits may be full of a population of small, dangerous (usually venomous or extremely aggressive) animals, or be home to a singular (typically larger) beast. In narratives, heroes are often thrown into creature pits and must escape. They may also engage in battle around a creature pit while avoiding falling in or being ensnared by the monster within (which may or may not have grasping tentacles or appendages).
There may be an extensive boneyard, or skeletal remains at the bottom of the pit.
There may be statues of the creature nearby as clues to what the pit contains or for use as religious iconography.
