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 magick, evil,
traps, et al. can be detected here; applicable
spells seem to work, but detect nothing. The
only exception is detect lie (see below).
 

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 blue-green 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, 4 on the east wall and 4 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 4 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!

<"tapestries of the vilest sort": 3 square yards each, 45# each: 80 gp, 109 gp>

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 1 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 magick 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 magick), and when it
destroys a magick item, it gains any spell or
spell-like powers of the item! It can produce
these effects only during the 4 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 4 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.
<6: 1000, 1200, 1000, 5000, 1600, 1000>
<5: 1000, 1000, 1000, 1100, 900>
<4: 1000, 2000, 1000, 1000>
<2: 500, 1000>
<Total: 22, 300>

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.

(Total treasure XP: 22,300)

RECRUITS:

Level 2.
>>217.>>