D&D 5E Building a better Treasure Room

[n0nym]

Hi,

My PCs are currently lvl 9 in a Dark Sun campaign that's meant to end around lvl 11. They're about to reach the Treasure Room of King Kalak, a BBEG that built a giant ziggurat in the middle of his city to help him become a true dragon (the equivalent of a God in Dark Sun) but who died trying.

I truly want to make the experience to be memorable and unique, but I'm lacking ideas. For now, all I have is a puzzle game to access the treasure room antechamber and the entrance door being a giant Mimic (who may or may not have a few riddles for the PCs).

What can I put in this room to make it unforgetable ? What kind of traps / monsters ? What kind of treasures for 9th level adventurers ?

Thanks for your help !

 

[GMMichael]

Gold golem.

Or better yet; it turns out that King Kalak had rather strange tastes, so his "treasure" room is chock-full of strange and exotic spoons. Guarded by an animated cauldron.

 

[Voort]

Model it on the Cave of Wonders from Aladdin: There is one specific treasure they have to touch first, guided by some clue. Guess wrong or get greedy, and face the cave-in/summoned monsters/flood of molten gold.

 

[Jester David]

How about a treasure horde: http://www.5mwd.com/archives/2449#treasure_horde
?

 

[BoldItalic]

You can have my mirror sphinx if you like. The mirror turns out to be magical later on in the story.

 

[n0nym]

Lots of good ideas, thanks ! I'll probably use all of them, though I think I'll pass on the spoons lol...

And I really like the Cave of Wonders thing, but I'll probably do if differently. I was worried that they might get out with tons and tons of gold and magic items, so I'll just ask them to roll a d3 each and add the results. That'll be the number of magic items / gold they can remove without waking the "Treasure horde".

If they're too greedy, they'll face the wrath of Kalak's magic...

 

[jodyjohnson]

It's empty. They'll remember that for a long time.

 

[Eltab]

Pilfer stuff from the "Art Objects ... Pimp Your BBEG's Lair" thread (in WotC Lifeboat section).*

Since Kalak has been busy preparing to turn himself into a dragon, he may not have any more cash on hand - just a lot of items. No bed of GP to lie on -sigh-

If your campaign is magic-dirt-poor, a plain old +2 Sword will do wonders for whoever picks it up.

Priceless (as in beyond value of money) on Athas: 4e Basket of Everlasting Provisions. Or Decanter of Endless Water, if your group likes to travel.

* No working link because I'm 'Quick Reply'-ing; sorry.