The Pool Room

The Pool Rooms is a hidden location in Cascade Laboratories, represented in the GATE Compendium as IS-0031, “Unknown Location,” with the designation Thela (KV). It is a spacious, pool-like area filled with shallow water, rounded walls, and staircases that seem to lead nowhere. Several bright openings in the walls and at the tops of stairways can teleport the player to other parts of the same area, making the layout feel disorienting and maze-like.

The area is dangerous because it is inhabited by invisible enemies that can be heard stomping nearby. They attack the player when approached, and their behavior is similar to threats such as the Tarasque or Yeti. Their exact number is unknown, but the safest approach is to avoid the water whenever possible. The creatures do not always remain fully hidden: while moving through water, they will often create visible splashes, which can give away their position. They can also attack targets that are close to them even if the player is standing out of the water, so it is important to treat nearby stomping sounds as an immediate warning. Leyak and coworker can also spawn here.

The only resource found in The Pool Rooms is Tainted Water, along with fishable materials from it. Because the area is so hostile, it is generally used more as a traversal and exploration space than as a place to stay. The only fully safe building spot noted in the location is the large symmetrical side room, which has an exit with a low ceiling on one side and does not seem to spawn the invisible creatures. That room is the best place to set up anything if a player needs a foothold inside the area.

To leave the location, the player must find a well-camouflaged button, which appears as a small grey raised tile on a rounded wall or pillar. Its position changes randomly each visit. Pressing it opens a large gate that lets the player exit the room. Leaving through the arch also determines where the player reappears in Cascade Laboratories: one of three holding cells, depending on whether the left, middle, or right arch is used. Exiting also applies Crowley’s Curse, which increases crouch movement speed but slows normal movement and sprinting.

The location is possibly a reference to the fictional liminal space known as the Pool Rooms. Its sealed, surreal layout and recurring water hazards fit that inspiration closely, while the hidden exit button and teleporting lights reinforce the sense of being trapped in an unfamiliar space.