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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 9404839" data-attributes="member: 42582">G17: The water of the lake is crystal clear; its gravel bottom slopes gently away from the shore. Brightly coloured fish swim about, water lilies float on the surface, and brilliant dragonflies hover above the water. A stream flows into the lakes northern end, and a stream exits from its southern end. The lake is about 300 yards long, and up to 170 yards wide. Its floor levels off at a depth of about 8 feet. It is fed by the stream flowing from the Fountain All Heal, and by a larger spring in its bed.A small jetty juts into the lake from the eastern shore. A small boat – a punt – bobs on the water next to it. The punt has a single pole, and can carry up to six people. (Punting is quite difficult.)In the middle of the lake a small building rises above its surface, a single-storey summerhouse. It is constructed of white stone, with a curved roof, and a veranda all around it, about 10 feet above the water. Below the water there is some sort of landing stage.The lake and Water Palace are the home of a family of giant otters (two adults (M3 N4), each larger than a sheep, and four young (M1 N2)). The adults will be swimming around under the water, and if the party uses the punt to cross the lake the otters will playfully swim about the boat, performing antics, splashing water onto the characters, and making mock attempts to overturn it. If the characters attack the otters, they will seriously attempt to overturn the punt (test Nature vs Ob 3) and attack the party members in the water. (Underwater, the otters gain +2 to Manoeuvre while the PCs are considered to be tunnel-fighting and lose 1 point of disposition each round.)Room a: The floor, walls and ceiling of the main room of the water palace are of plain white stone. The stairs on the veranda descend to the landing stage. In the centre of the room is a long white table with four chairs arranged around it. A silver tray (3D, pack 2) sits on the table, bearing a crystal decanter and four crystal glasses (2D, pack 3 in total). The decanter contains a draught of fine wine. The secret trapdoor requires a Scout test vs Ob 4 to find. It requires magic or the password (“winter is come”) to open. Going down from the trapdoor is a rusty iron ladder (Dungeoneering vs base Ob 1 to descend; suggest twist: the ladder breaks and each person falls to the bottom). Room b: This room is dark (unless the trapdoor is open). It is warm and humid, and a strong animal smell fills the air. The ceiling is low (about 6 feet high). The floor of the southern portion is covered with a large pile of straw and other vegetation. This is the nest of the otters, and the four kittens will always be here. Unless prevent from doing so, the adults (fearful for their young) will have watched the party and will enter via the entrance hole in the chamber below, and will always attack any character entering this chamber. Room c: This chamber is about 8 feet from floor to ceiling and is flooded to a depth of about 5 feet. At its southern end, below the water level and beneath the surface of the lake, is a hole about 3 feet across. This is the otters’ entrance, concealed from above by the overhang of the landing platform. Any character who attempts to crawl through this hole will be attacked by the adult otters. Room d: This secret armoury was prepared by Porpherio for use by the garden inhabitants in time of dire emergency. A water-tight seal around the concealed door (Scout vs Ob 3 to find) has prevented the chamber from being flooded; the door opens into the chamber and so once the catch is released it will be rapidly pushed open by the weight of the water; the chamber will then flood. Inside are a bow and quiver, a dagger, a hollow metal tube containing a scroll of Apotropaic Circle, and a wooden box (3 slots) holding a Jade Ward and a bottle of two draughts of Sovereign Remedy.</blockquote>

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