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The Pool Chamber (Dungeons of Elemental Evil #216) |
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Note: This information was taken from TSR's original AD&D adventure, the Temple of Elemental Evil.
For the DM: If any cleric or servant of the Water Temple
has been questioned, the characters know
that this is the Water Temple. Since this faction
is now the strongest of the four, it is also
known as the Lesser Temple.
Note that fire spells of any sort do not
function herein as long as the pool is alive
(see below). Furthermore, no magic, evil,
traps, et al. can be detected here; applicable
spells seem to work, but detect nothing. The
only exception is detect lie (see below).
For the players: This large room is fashioned of great
blocks of polished serpentine, save the
domed ceiling of polished crystal —
made to reflect everything in the room in
a distorted way, concentrating light
upon the center of the large oval pool of
water in the center of the chamber. The
whole place seems to be lit with a bluegreen
light from this pool, and at the
same time the pool seems to absorb light,
capturing it in its heart. Pale green
flames come from eight bronze cressets,
four on the east wall and four west; the
flames shed light but not heat. Tapestries
of vilest sort cover the east and west sections
of the north wall. The south wall
shows a mosaic of some great ten-armed
octopoid monster, holding a sacrificial
victim in each tentacle. The monster is
fashioned from dark purple tiles, with
reddish highlights and green orbs.
The pool is an oval, 20 ' across and 30 '
long, set in a basin of small lapis lazuli
tiles. The crystal-clear water allows
vision to the very bottom of the basin.
The edge depth appears to be about four
feet. The floor slopes steeply to the middle,
to 12 foot depth, where some sort of
humanoid is chained. You suddenly
receive a telepathic message! The triton
is pleading to be released, so that it can
prevent your deaths when the kraken,
shown on the wall, materializes and
attacks. It will appear at any moment —
so, as many as can, jump into the pool
and help the triton break its chains! Soon
it will be too late!
For the DM: If a detect lie is used while the thing is speaking,
it reveals both the lie and the EVIL of this
thing. The pool itself is an intelligent evil creature
from the Elemental Plane of Water. Its
powerful, alien dweomer masks its alignment
and intent. It speaks telepathically, lies most
glibly, and is highly persuasive. The enchained
figure is an illusion, produced by the creature
(though disbelief has no effect).
This creature's body is the clear silvery
substance in the pool; though it seems to be
water, it is actually a highly corrosive acid.
A splash inflicts one point of damage, a
dowsing 1-4 points, and immersion causes
5-20 points per round. If the thing cannot
convince the whole party to jump in, it uses
a suggestion (as the spell) each round on
individual victims. (Once per week the creature
can employ a limited wish to fulfill
another creature's desire.)
If a magic item enters the pool, it must be
saved for (vs. acid) or be destroyed; a new
saving throw must be made for each turn or
fraction thereof. The monster feeds on
energy (both of life and magic), and when it
destroys a magic item, it gains any spell or
spell-like powers of the item! It can produce
these effects only during the four rounds
immediately after such an item's destruction,
but can do so in addition to its normal
suggestion attacks.
The thing has 100 hp, but cannot be damaged
by blows or most spells. Only the following
things can affect it:
cone of cold: Paralysis 2-5 rounds
holy water (1 vial): Damage, 1-4 points
ice storm: Paralysis 1-4 rounds
lower water: Damage, 4-32 points
otiluke's freezing sphere: Paralysis 5-8 rounds
part water: Damage, 3-18 points
purify food & drink: Damage, 5-40 points
purify water: Damage, 10-60 points
water, 1 gallon: Damage, 1 point
If the pool creature is slain (XP 8950), the
crystal dome shatters, inflicting 1-12 points
of damage to each creature in the room (no
saving throw). The lapis lazuli basin shatters
at the same time. If more than four turns
are spent searching through the remains of
the shattered basin, 1-8 pieces of value are
found each turn thereafter, to a maximum of
four turns (i. e. 4-32 pieces in all; base value
1, 000 gp each, maximum 5, 000 gp each.
Count each piece found as 100 gp weight,
500 gp volume.
If the crystals from the dome are examined,
a coral scrollcase (worth 50 gp, previously
hidden behind the dome) is found. It
contains a parchment with the following
message:
On three, in six, lies nine — but none
shall ever see
Vile Good cloaked by Fair Evil for eternity.
Will you answer, Answerer? Where is
•••, your power, pray?
With the whelp of Mitrik and there until
doomsday.
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