Lotus Garden
RoomDCC 103 · p.6
Open source p.6Area 1-7 – Lotus Garden
In this beautiful garden by the river’s edge, large lotus blossoms of many colors float on the surface of the water. A long, low stone bridge provides a means to cross over the water to the other side, where the path becomes a set of stairs leading upward.
The bridge is 75 feet long with lotus flowers on both sides. The lotuses are the heads and central body of a flower hydra. It will begin attacking when the first PC reaches the bridge’s midpoint. Any PCs attempting to run past without engaging will be subject to a single free attack per Withdrawal rules (see DCC RPG rulebook p. 95).
Hydra Lotus (1): Init ; Atk flower heads melee (1 +grab); Crit (special); AC 12; HD ; hp 11; MV none; Act , , ; SP grab (successful attack grabs and drags PC off path under the water, DC 12 Strength check to escape or begin drowning); SV Fort , Ref , Will .
The hydra lotus attempts to grab PCs and drag them under the water. On a critical hit, the PC must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be knocked unconscious for rounds. Once under water, PCs lose Stamina per round. If Stamina reaches 0 they drown.
To kill the hydra lotus, PCs must wade into waist-deep water ( to attacks) to target its central node (the black lotus). Attacks against the “heads” of the creature are inconsequential to its survival. Even if killed, the hydra lotus will regrow within a day. Alternately, the PCs may try to run across the bridge to escape up the next path. The hydra lotus will continue to attack each round and may target up to 3 characters until there are no targets within range.
If killed and the lotus petals harvested, they have a variety of medicinal/magical effects and are quite valuable to the right buyer. PCs with appropriate 0-level occupations may make a DC 15 Intelligence check (for each type) to determine their effects. It’s also possible to find this information in area 1-14.
THE USES OF HYDRA LOTUSES
Black Lotus—When eaten fresh, brewed into a tea, or smoked, the petals of the black lotus provide the user with a vision. The judge should tell the player something both true and important about their character’s situation; what’s happening, clues about how to proceed, etc. Afterward, the PC takes temporary damage distributed evenly across all ability scores except for Luck. The damage is completely healed by a night’s sleep.
For example, regarding Narafaltha’s broken statue in area 1-13, the judge might provide the following clue: “You see a group of people dancing around a burning effigy before the statue of a nine-armed woman. The statue’s eyes meet yours and you hear a voice saying, “Find me, my faithful ones!”
Red Lotus—The fresh petals, if eaten, heal 1 hp each. The dried petals of an entire flower can be concocted with oil or grease into 4 applications of an ointment that heals 1 hp immediately, and heals an additional hp to the natural healing a PC gets while they rest (see Healing, DCC RPG rulebook, p. 94).
Purple Lotus—A tincture of the petals creates a powerful paralytic poison to be applied to edged or piercing weapons, arrows, bolts, or darts (DC 15 Fortitude save or paralyzed for turns).
White Lotus—The powdered petals of one flower creates a powerful anti-toxin that adds to Fortitude saves against poisons if ingested or applied to wounds immediately after toxic exposure.
Yellow Lotus—The leaves of one flower can be made into 2 doses of a tonic that makes one more focused (+ on a single spell check, once per day).
Seeds— seeds can be harvested from a single hydra lotus. Each will sprout hydra lotus in a marshy environment.