7. Grotto of Terror

a. The Black Lake
The passageway opens into a huge
cavern at least 150 feet across. The
stalactite-filled ceiling varies from 50 feet
to 65 feet high, and the floor is covered
with a spongy turf. The grotto is lit by
the eerie luminescence of a forest of tall <Fungus Identification, DSG>
fungi (6 to 7 feet tall, with caps 4 feet
across). The turf at the entrance rapidly
gives way to a dense marsh from which
these man-sized mushrooms sprout.

However, most of the grotto is filled
by a large lake, with clammy-looking
black water and a few patches of green
surface scum. Floating in the water are
the bodies of several blind, white fish
covered with leeches. Across the lake,
nearly 100 feet away, another shore can
be dimly seen. It may be reached by taking
a narrow path (5 feet wide) along the
east wall of the grotto. Strange clumps of
vegetation litter the path, but beyond the
marshy beach of the far shore an opening
can be seen in the grotto wall.

If a character attempts to swim across the
lake, dozens of leeches (normal size) attach
themselves to the character’s body the
moment he or she enters the water. The
leeches inflict a total of 2-12 points of damage
before they can be removed.

The caps of the giant fungi are easy to cut <Fungus ID, DSG>
off and are quite buoyant. They can serve as
rafts; each cap can carry 2 characters
across the lake. If the players spend more
than 2 minutes of actual time deciding <real world time>
what they are going to do, then the shambling
mound (see below) will attack them at
once.

b. Shambling Mound
If the party takes the path:
 
The path grows increasingly soft and
wet. As you approach the halfway point,
a huge heap of rotting vegetation rises
from the muck. It is alive, and attacks.

The creature is a shambling mound. It
attacks until either all the adventurers are
dead or escaped. It will not leave the grotto
or enter area 8, but will return to its original
location. lf the shambling mound is killed
and area 8b is searched, treasure can be <check this link>
found amidst the rotting vegetation: a
potion of extra-healing; gauntlets of dexterity;
and a <broad> sword +2.

Shambling mound: AC 0; MV 6”; HD 8; hp
37; #AT 2; D 2-16/2-16; SA If both
attacks hit the same TARGET suffocation
will occur in 2-8 rounds unless the monster
is SLAIN; SD weapons do half damage,
fire does no damage, cold does 1/2
damage, lightning causes it to grow 1 HD
in size
THACO 12
XP 2170



>>8.