Travelling to the Temple
As the PCs travel towards the temple to boat will eventually plummet into the water and be submerged. It will take 1 minute to get to area 1. This is used as a test for new recruits to see if they can survive that long underwater, with those that survive receiving nori-tubes to continue their initiation.
Underwater Combat and other modifiers
The temple is completely submerged. The following rules apply to any creature that does not have a swim speed within the temple:
- All residents of the Temple (that is, all creatures that worship Olhydra) have the following additional trait:
- Aquatic Superiority. When fighting creatures without a natural swim speed (i.e., not natively aquatic), worshipers of Olhydra gain a +2 to hit rolls and +2 damage.
- All Attack rolls are made with disadvantage unless the creature is natively aquatic under the effects of freedom of movement, a similar spell or item.
- All DEX saving throw rolls are made with disadvantage unless the creature is natively aquatic under the effects of freedom of movement, a similar spell or item.
- Creatures without a swim speed (i.e., aquatic creatures with senses adapted to the environment) have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
- The temple is 150 feet underwater - pressure damage - 1d6 bludgeoning damage per minute - kicks in at 150 feet+
- The water is cold, and creatures without resistance to cold take one subdual damage per 10 minutes. For simplicity's sake, each creature takes this damage for each room they enter and at the start of combat.
- Visibility is reduced to 30 feet as the water is clear despite it being deep.
- Aquatic creatures never provoke attacks of opportunity when fighting non-aquatic creatures underwater.
- Invisibility just displaces water, and the creature can still be tracked and does not gain the advantage of the invisibility condition. However, camouflage-type spells still work.
- Blunt and slashing weapons do half damage for non-aquatic creatures (freedom of movement also negates this effect piercing is unaffected.
- At the start of each combat round, creatures without a swim speed must make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to see if they can both swim and fight. On a failure, the creature spends the round flailing about in the water and can take no other actions. A creature in medium armor makes this save with disadvantage; a creature in heavy armor automatically fails and sinks (this may or may not impact combat).
- Thrown weapons that don't do piercing damage are impossible to use underwater.
- A ranged weapon attack automatically misses a target beyond the weapon’s normal range. Even against a target within normal range, the attack roll has disadvantage unless the weapon is a crossbow, a net, or a weapon that is thrown like a javelin (including a spear, trident, or dart).
- Creatures and objects that are fully immersed in water have resistance to fire damage.
- Outside of combat, a creature can hold its breath for 1 + it's Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds during combat, it is 1 round per Consitution modifier before they begin to drown (see suffocating).
- Maximum No. of Opponents: Combat underwater is best thought of in three dimensions instead of two. That is, opponents can attack from adjacent squares above and below, as well as all around, so a single Medium-size creature floating in the water might face up to 26 (rather than only 8) Medium-size opponents at once!
- Attacks from Land: Characters swimming, floating, treading water on the surface, or wading in the water at least chest deep have three-quarters cover (+7 bonus to AC, +3 bonus on DEX saves) against opponents on land. A completely submerged creature has total cover against those on land. Magical attacks and effects are unaffected except for those that require attack rolls (which are treated like any other effects), or those that require line of sight when the submerged creature cannot be seen.
- Casting Spells: Those spells having verbal components are difficult to cast underwater, although spellcasters with the Silent Spell feat or under the effects of a water breathing spell have little difficulty overcoming this setback. Any caster trying to cast a spell with a verbal component while underwater must make a spell casting check using their spellcasting ability score with a DC 10 + spell level to do so properly. A failed check results in the loss of the spellcasting action, but not the spell spent.
- Fire Damage and Fire Magic: Fire damage does not work underwater. Spells that do fire damage are normally ineffective underwater, even if they are cast properly. However, a caster may make an Arcana, Nature or Religion check (depending on the casting class) vs DC 20 + spell level to modify the spell so that it creates an area of steam and superheated water rather than its usual fiery effect, allowing the spell to function as usual. For innate spellcasters, the DC is 15.
- The surface of any body of water blocks the line of effect for any fire spell or ability. Even if the caster or creature has made its check (as above) to modify the spell or effect to be used underwater, the surface still blocks its line of effect.
- Creatures without a swim speed or magic that allows unfettered movement (like freedom of movement) gain 1 level of exhaustion every two fights or hour of game time that passes (whichever comes first).
- After an hour of in-game time, underwater characters must check to see if their items are waterlogged. The effect of a waterlogged item depends on the item. Items not normally affected by water (metal, gems) are not affected, items that can retain or absorb water (backpacks, cloth items) become heavy but still usable (double their weight), and items that can be damaged or even destroyed or spoiled by water (scrolls, some material components, potions if the stopper gives, rations) are destroyed. Each item needs to make a DC 10 check on a d20. Any "+" can be added to the roll. Success means the item is not damaged, waterlogged or spoiled. This check is performed once every hour. The first check is done with advantage (as a warning to the players).
- Spending hours (or even days) underwater can trigger "trench foot", especially for characters wearing medium or heavier armor (left to the DM's discretion as to the effects of this disease).
Timer
All encounters use 1d4 timers. At the end of the timer, something happens (usually bad). If the encounter does not list anything or all options have been exhausted, then 1d4+1
Seawolf will arrive to reinforce the cultists.
Temple Features
This quarter has the following features. Any exceptions are noted in areas to which they apply.
- Ceilings. Ceilings are 15 feet high.
- Doors. Doors consist of stone slabs balanced on central pivots — opening a door creates two gaps about 3 feet wide. No locks remain operable, but the cultists secure some doors with a hasp-and-pin closure. Characters can force open such doors with a successful DC 15 Strength check. Double doors have iron hinges and swing open in one direction or the other, like normal doors.
- Canals. The lakes and canals in this area have a water level about 5 feet below the floor level of the surrounding dungeon. The canals are 15 feet deep. A sluggish current flows southward down both canals from the waterfalls at area C25. A character who falls into a canal finds that the sides are smooth and slippery. It is very hard to cling to the wall or to climb out, unless a quay is nearby.
- Light. Cultists illuminate areas they use frequently with continual flame spells cast on torches in bronze wall sconces. The rest of the level is dark.
- Treasure. Many denizens of the temple carry small amounts of treasure. Creatures that own individual treasure have 4d10 gp worth of mixed coins and other minor valuables.
The cultists can either natively breath underwater, use magic (spell or item) or
nori-tubers made from enchanted seaweed that allows the user to breath underwater for 24 hours. All but the lowest ranking cultists can cast
water breathing on themselves only once per day.
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