Mask Campaign Chapter 8d: Dark, Wet, and More Wet

   The players are approaching a cave where little Jenny, the daughter of the innkeeper Oscar, has been taken by a large Girallon.

   As the wind and rain howl around them the players can see a cave opening. Unfortunately the cave was in the bottom of a gully and the opening is only a 2 feet high with the other 4 feet being under water. The entrance is also choked with mud, sticks, and other debris. It seems that the steady rain is filling up the gully, if it keeps up the whole thing will be under water before morning. The players will have to clear out the entrance as best they can and enter singly. Shorter characters will be forced to swim in or at least pull themselves along while under water.

   Once they get inside they can see they are in an earthen tunnel about 5' high and 4' wide. However it is filled with water to a height of 3 feet and rising! The party will find a small doll stuck in the debris clogging the entrance.

   Heading inward, they will see the tunnel goes about 15 feet. It comes to a T intersection but the left passage has collapsed and water is flowing freely inside. To the right the tunnel continues for another 12 feet but stops as the base of a large tree blocks the way through. With some searching they can see that the passage continued around the tree but the collapsing mud walls make progress difficult. After a little work they can dig through the mud or even try going under but they will have to dig a little that way also. When they finally get some space next to the tree, they hear little Jenny's voice yelling "NO" at someone then crying.

   The party will have to make DEX checks at DC:15, DC:12 for small size, for characters to get through the small space, each check takes 1 round.(2E DEX rolls at -6/-4). Once some of them get through, they can see the tunnel drops about down to a 40 degree angle. With the water rushing in and the dirt walls collapsing the first person to go in will fall and it becomes a slide. If they hesitate you can have the tree start to come loose and crush/drown them if they do not go.

   Those who go sliding will only slide for a few feet before hitting open air. They fall another 15 feet or so into a large pool. The pool is about 5 feet deep, with a muddy bottom of about 2 feet. As they surface they will hear a roar and see a Girallon MM 105 3E holding Jenny. This creature is obviously female, she roars defiance at the party from a ledge about 6 feet out of the water. It appears Jenny and the female creature are trapped on the ledge due to the rising waters. As the players are deciding how to get to the creature without harming Jenny, the original kidnapper which is a HUGE male Girallon breaks the surface of the water (Hide +20 for the Girallon) and attacks any characters in the pool. The huge male was temporarily trapped in another tunnel which is now in the bottom of the pool.

Huge Size Girallon, add the following: HD 11+2d10 (HP 68), claw 1d6+10, bite 1d10+5, reach 10', rend 2d6+15, Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +4, Str 30, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 7, Climb +18, Move Silent +10, Spot +8

   The characters must now fight the large male, the female will rush to its aid one round later knocking Jenny off the side of the ledge but clinging to the edge. Jenny of course can't swim.

   Two rounds after this a roaring noise fills the cavern, as the water in the overflowing gully finally forces open the lair. One round later tons of water come from the tunnel opening to rain down on the characters and the Girallons. Anyone not on the ledge must make DEX checks at DC:20 (2E DEX -10) or be swept away. The cavern roof also gives away under this tremendous pressure showering the group with debris and more water.

   All those who have been swept away will go under water for 2 rounds (check your drowning rules) but then will be shot out into the creek/river, taking 2d6 points of damage in the process. If for some reason Jenny and Daniel are forced to undergo this because the players did not protect them well, go easy and assign them the minimum 2 points....this time. Unless the party has healers at hand and can take care of the matter quickly.

   Everyone swept into the river must make a swim check (DC 12) (2E STR -2 or swim) to pull themselves to a random side of the river. Those failing the check will be swept away but may be able to make checks every few rounds unless they can't swim or are wearing very heavy armor in which case they begin drowning at your discretion. The Girallon will make their checks of course and end up on whatever side you wish. They will try to continue the fight if possible but will flee if obviously
beaten.

   Afterwards the party must still locate any characters still in the river or perhaps trapped in the crumbling lair. Then they must make their way back to Jewel with the frightened, and bruised children in tow.

continue...