Treasure Chambers
Treasure chambers are rooms, often highly secure, that house a treasure, treasure chest, or other item of great value. Fictional treasure chambers are common elements in fictional worlds and provide a number of narrative opportunities, from heists to treasure hunts. They are frequently found in game dungeons where they often exist either as the central focus of a quest, or can be found in secret chambers as an unexpected reward for those adventurers clever enough to find them. They are often behind lock and key, often guarded, and may be protected by traps. Fictional treasure chambers are home to heroes, dragons, and very excited student archeologists after accidently falling through the floor of their archeological dig site.
| Synonyms: treasure vaults, treasure rooms |
| Example Mythonyms: the Pharoah’s Treasure, the treasure hoard of Benny the very wealthy. |
Designing Fictional Treasure Chambers
Foundations
Overview
Typically treasure chambers are designed with a single entrance/exit protected with a reinforced door. This door is shut and always locked unless being used. Fictional treasure chambers may have additional means of entry that play roles in narrative events – sewers, vents, hidden doors, tunnels, are all examples of additional points of entry. If these do not exist, the picking the lock or obtaining the key may be required.
Fictional treasure vaults often contain traps or are themselves trap rooms. This is especially true for the treasure chambers of game dungeons or those found in ancient ruins or ancient temples. The chambers may be rigged to flood or be rigged to collapse among other options.
Worldbuilders using magic or other powers that are common to the population may have to design treasure chambers that can protect against those powers.
