Oil Pool Trap
The entire floor of this area is sunken and filled with two feet of water. A 12-inch-wide metal grate is set into the ceiling above the pool.
A layer of lamp oil floats atop the water. If a lit torch or candle is dropped into the water (perhaps by a creature hiding above the metal grate), a Failure is triggered.
A Perception check or an examination of the ceiling around the grate reveals that the ceiling is blackened with soot.
An Engineering check or an examination of the grate reveals that it can be removed by someone standing in the pool.
- A creature that reaches the grate can push it up and squeeze through the foot-wide opening into a tiny crawl space. The crawl space might be empty or contain a hostile creature holding a candle and a flint and steel. The crawl space might also contain a Minor Treasure.
- An Investigation check, or tasting the water, reveals that it is covered with a thin layer of lamp oil. Depending on the size of the area, creatures might need to wade through the oily water to reach an exit, but it might be possible to jump over the pool. Entering the pool doesn’t trigger a Failure. Igniting the oil triggers a Failure—which might be desirable if there is no one in the pool at the time.
Potential Outcomes
Critical Failure or Failure. The oil atop the water ignites and burns for 1 round. A creature in the pool or up to 5 feet above it when the oil ignites takes 10 (3d6) ongoing fire damage. A creature can end this ongoing damage early by diving into the water or by using an action to extinguish the fire on itself. A creature that is totally submerged in the water is immune to the damage. Once the fire has burned itself out, the trap is disabled.