This room is the lair of a giant crab. It will
be hiding in the pool when a party
approaches, watching with its tiny stalked
eyes. If anyone comes within 10 feet of the
pool, the crab will rush out and attack, surprising
on a 1-4 (d6). The crab will chase
prey as far as 50 feet down the corridor.

The fish in the pool are harmless, but they
are wary and not easily caught without a
net, spear, or hook and line. In fact, only a
ranger can catch them by hand, scooping up
a number of fish per hour equal to his or her
level. The 2 pieces of wood are long and
sturdy enough to be used as clubs.

There is an underwater exit from this
room, 1 of the 3 ways by which
resourceful characters can escape the labyrinth.

Giant crab: AC 3; MV 9"; HD 3; hp 18;
#AT 2; D 2-8/2-8; SA surprise on 1-4

Swimming and Drowning: Unencumbered
characters can swim underwater 100
feet per round (or ten 10-foot squares on the
detail map): in other wards, 10 feet per segment.
Encumbered characters (for example,
any person holding anything in his or her
hands) reduce movement by 1/3 . A character
may remain underwater without drowning
(hold his breath) for a number of
segments equal to his or her Constitution
score. Thus, a character with a 16 Constitution
could remain underwater for 16 segments
and could swim 160 feet, or 16
squares. After 16 segments (in that character's
case). the character would cease all
activity and would begin to drown. Drowning
takes 3-18 segments, and during this period
the character can do nothing but writhe
in panic, though it is possible he or she could
be dragged to safety. Such a saved character
will suffer HP of damage equal to the
number of segments spent drowning. If not
brought to air before the segments of
drowning are up, the character is dead. If
any cure spell is cast on the character within
5 rounds of death, the character will
revive with 1 HP. 1 breath of air taken,
for example, from a sealed scroll case or
worm tube (see below), will enable a swimmer
to remain underwater for another time
period equal in segments to his or her Canstitution
score.

The Detail Map
Area 10A is the entrance to the lair of the
giant crab.

Area 10B is a niche where strange, giant,
underwater tube worms live. The worms
feed on passing plankton and tiny water
animals. The gray tubes are 2 to 3 feet long,
and are anchored to the rock. They are
about 2 inches in diameter. The bright red
worms live within these tubes, and protrude
from the end, retreating if endangered.
They protect themselves by issuing a mild
electrical discharge if disturbed. Each time a
worm or its tube is touched, it inflicts 1
point of electrical damage to the toucher. If
a tube is struck by a decent blow it will snap
off at the base, killing the worm. (The
attacker, of course, will be zapped for 1
point of damage unless using a nonconductive
weapon such as a wood club.)
Clever players may note that, if the worms
are removed, the tubes are watertight, and
if sealed properly (with worm membranes,
for example), they can be used by swimmers
to carry an extra 2 breaths of air. There
are only 8 adult tube worms--the young
ones growing here are quite tiny.

Area 10C is another cave with a sandy
beach. The distance from the air in A to the
air in C is 140 feet, or 14 squares. Thus, a
character of 14 or better Constitution could
swim the distance underwater. The separate
cave to the rear of the beach is the lair of
another giant crab, a smaller specimen than
the one at A. It will attack suddenly from
this 2nd cave.

Giant crab: AC 3; MV 9"; HD 2; hp 9;
#AT 2; D 2-5/2-5; SA surprise on 1-4 <D=?>
THACO 16
XP 62

Area 10D is a dead end, a death trap to
any who swim this far without extra air.

Area 10E marks the place where the ceiling
rises high enough to allow breathable
air. This tunnel leads to freedom, a water..
cave on the lake in the volcanic crater. The
distance from A to E is 180 feet; from C to E
the distance is 150 feet. There is no light
here, as it is still quite a way to the exit.

Area 10F is the exit to the beach of the
island.

The DM should be careful to keep swimming
characters informed as to how far they
have gone, and how well they're holding
out. (For example: "You feel like your air's
about half used-up.") Be sure that they have
an opportunity to tell you they're turning
back. If a character is exploring alone,
seperate from the party, tell only that player
what he or she sees, in case the character
doesn't make it back.

The dividing passageways may cause the
players some concern. Any swimmer who
attempts to look for currents to give him or
her the right direction will notice a slight
flow toward the exit. This will not cost the
player any lost time.

>>11.