I plan to run this in about a week. Here are my notes about how I expect to run the geyser room.
Features
• Door opens to stone platform in large natural cavern. Ceiling about 50 feet above platform, and "floor" about 50 feet below. Opposite the main entrance, about 80 feet away, is another platform.
• Floor is actually a deep pool of bubbling, boiling mud. Very hot steam rises from mud. Two large mud geysers.
• Between the two platforms are a series of 9 wooden disks suspended by massive steel chains and attached by staples. Discs swing freely and will tilt.
• Everything is covered by condensed steam and wet, slippery algal scum giving off a low phosphorescent glow.
Traversing the Discs
• Each time a disc is traversed, it swings wildly, taking valueable time to arrange to traverse to the next disc. Traversing from one disc to another requires
Code:
[B]Time Check[/B]
1 minute DC 8 Athletics (Str) or Acrobatics (Dex)
½ minute DC 12 Athletics (Str) or Acrobatics (Dex)
6 secs. (1 rd) DC 16 Acrobatics (Dex)
• Failure resuts in no progress (but time is used). Failure by 5 or more results in the PC falling in the boiling mud.
• This check is made at disadvantage if a PC is wearing armor that would cause disadvantage on a stealth check (Plate, Split, Chain mail, Ring mail, Half plate, Scale mail, or Padded).
• Using mage hand, unseen servant or similar effects to move a disc closer give advantage on the check.
Geysers
• Geyser A spouts every five minutes. Geyser B spouts every three minutes, and both spouting together every 15 minutes.
• When geysers erupt, scalding water reaches nearly to the ceiling of the room, and hot mud splatters all over.
• PCs on a disc will take damage and may be washed off to fall into the boiling mud below.
Code:
[B]Geyser A Geyser B Geyser A and B
Disc DC Dmg DC Dmg DC Dmg[/B]
1 16 3d10 6 1d4 20 3d10
2 18 4d10 8 1d4 22 4d10
3 20 5d10 10 1d6 24 5d10
4 18 4d10 12 1d10 22 5d10
5 16 3d10 14 2d10 20 5d10
6 14 2d10 16 3d10 20 5d10
7 12 1d10 18 4d10 22 5d10
8 10 1d6 20 5d10 24 5d10
9 8 1d4 18 4d10 22 4d10
• A PC caught on a disc makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking full damage on a failure, half damage on a success.
• A PC caught on a disc makes a Strength saving throw. Failure by 5 more results in the PC falling into the boiling mud. Failure by less than 5 results in the PC being pushed off the disc, but they grab on. They can pull themselves back up on the disc with the same check to traverse a disc.
Boiling Hot Mud
• Falling in the mud causes 5d10/1d4 bludgeoning damage.
• When the boiling mud is first entered, and every round a PC being his round in the mud, he takes 5d10 fire damage (no saving throw).
• "Swimming" through the mud is very difficult, requiring a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to move, costing 2 extra (i.e. 3 total) feet to move 1 foot. Failing the check by 5 or more means the PC is sucked under the mud. A PC can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to its Con modifier. See PHB 183 if the PC runs out of time.
• If next to a geyser when it spouts, a PC will lift into the air, taking 5d10 extra fire damage, but can catch onto a disc with a DC 16 Athletics (Strength) or Acrobatics (Dexterity) check.
• Climbing the slick, algal walls is very difficult, requiring a DC 18 Athletics (Strength) check (and costing 2 extra (i.e. 3 total) feet to climb 1 foot. i.e. climbing 50 feet to the stone platform requires spending 150 feet of movement. Any failure in the climb check results in the PC sliding back down in the mud.