German folklore, too, is full of parties of treasure hunters delving into dungeons.
And there are all sorts ideas and schemes that would not be amiss at a #DnD game, such as:
- Capturing a will-o'-wisp as a cheap permanent light source.
- Killing a dragon by feeding it a poisoned dead calf.
- Killing a water-dwelling dragon by feeding it a dead calf stuffed with quicklime!
And so forth. These tales often had a rather bloody-minded pragmatism which I find very endearing.