Lunar Grotto (3.5e Location)

 

Lunar Grotto
Along the shores of the ocean, cradled by jagged cliff sides and where the tides come crashing in, lunar grottos can form. These chambers have large openings on their roof where moonlight pours in and illuminates the rocky walls. When a full moon is overhead, a rift to the elemental plane of water opens in the deep pool of water at the base of the grotto, filling the chamber with powerful water magic.

Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (the planes) can research lunar grottos to learn more about them. When a character succeeds on a skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.


 * DC 17: Lunar grottos are a naturally occuring, powerful form of water magic that manifest in rare circumstances where the pure power of the ocean is concentrated so strongly at one point that a rift to the elemental plane of water forms.


 * DC 22: During a full moon, the lunar grotto is filled with magical power, which can be absorbed by anyone standing ona rocky pillar in the center of the chamber. During this time, creatures from the elemental plane of water will flow out of the planar rift that opens in the deep waters at the bottom of the grotto. These creatures will bask in the magical effects until the moon moves far enough away that the planar rift closes; at this point they may well be hostile.


 * DC 27: Revisting a lunar grotto each lunar cycle will intensify the effects a character gains from it. When it has been visited 3 times, its effects will become permanent.

With at least a DC 17 Knowledge (the planes) check result, characters can know what sort of things to look for to seek out a lunar grotto using maps of shorelines. Characters with ranks in Knowledge (geography) can research the location of lunar grottos. With a DC 15 check, they can pinpoint the location of a lunar grotto.

Description
Most of the time, a lunar grotto appears much like a regular grotto along an ocean cliffside. It is always found in an area of violent sea activity, where waves crash through jagged rocks with incredible amounts of force and only slow just enough at the mouth of the grotto to avoid constantly wearing away at the chamber.

During low tides, the inside of a lunar grotto is generally peaceful. The edges have a ring of stone that can be walked along and slopes downwards a fair distance until it reaches the base of the chamber, which is filled with a deep pool. This pool of water is connected to many underground channels of slow moving water. In the center of the grotto is a large stone pillar that stands at about the same level as the edges of the chamber and directly above this pillar is an opening in the ceiling that allows the whole chamber to get light.

During high tides, the water violently flows through the chamber and reaches just a few meters below the edges of the chamber and the central pillar. The noise of the crashing waves is deafening and getting caught in the turbulent waters would mean certain death from battering against the uneven stone walls.

Prerequisite
A character must be at least CR 7 to gain the effects of this magical location.

Location Activation
When a full moon is directly overhead, the tides swirl into powerful torrents around the center of the chamber, rising in a funnel toward the chamber's ceiling. The water glows pale blue, illuminating the chamber with magical energy. At this point a planar rift opens in the depths of the grotto's waters. Creatures standing on the edges of the grotto will be safe, seeing a solid wall of watter, jetting in a skyward spiral. Creatures standing on the central pillar of the grotto will have their eyes glow with the same luminous effect as the moon and float a few feet above the ground for the duration of the activation of grotto.

The grotto remains activated for about 15 minutes, which is when the moon has moved far enough to not to perfectly align with the upper opening in the grotto. When this happens, the waters become completely tranquil in the chamber until morning, slowly lowering to match the tides.

When the effect ends, the equivalent of a CR 8 encounter worth of monsters from the elemental plane of water are swimming in the pool in the lunar grotto. Usually they will be hostile, but depending on the composition of monsters, some of them might be reasoned with.

Example encounter groups:


 * 2 huge water elementals
 * 8 large water elementals
 * 4 large water elementals and 8 water mephits
 * 8 scrags
 * 1 chull and 1 water naga
 * 1 aboleth and 32 skum

Recharge
A lunar grotto can grant its power to up to 6 creatures each full moon. If more than 6 creatures attempt to stand on the central pillar, no creature gains the benefits of its power.

If a creature gainst the effects of a lunar grotto for 3 full moon cycles in a row, its effects become permanent.

Special Ability
The character gains the following ability:

Liquid Leap (Su): As a swift action, you can turn completely into water and shift 1/2 your movement speed (this does not provoke attacks of opportunity). In this liquid form, you can freely move through difficult terrain, gaps between doors, or other similar things that being liquid would be useful for, without penalty. This movement can be in any direction and effectively is a fly speed with perfect maneuverability.

If you are in a grapple or bound in some way, you can use this ability as part of an escape artist check to to get a +5 bonus on the check. If you succeed you can still shift 1/2 your movement speed. Otherwise you are unable to completely change into your liquid form.

If you end your movement in an area that cannot accommodate your solid form, you take damage equal to your HD and remain as water until your next turn or until enough space is available. You can't take other actions other than another Liquid Leap until you reform. You otherwise can't take damage while in your water form. If you die from this damage, however, you remain as a puddle of water, which will make resurrection spells tricky.

Duration
The effects last until the next full moon (for most calendars, this is approx 1 month).

Ability Value
7000 gp.