I am not sure how to handle the aboleths story and what the PCs know.
The aboleth tells them to destroy the artifact that keeps the water out, but the question is wheter the PCs know that if they do so they will bring the aboleths to life.
No good party would risk that... Should i just simply hide this fact? Any advise?
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I believe the artifact was created long before the Kopru empire "Monster Manual II", was in power The island doesn’t really leave any hints along the way to find out what actually happened that long ago, and if the party didn’t know about the island in the first place, they probably don’t know about the events that took place eons before they showed up. That's kind of the theme of the adventure so far, no one knew how deep this conspiracy goes and all of the powers involved yet.
You could let Olman rumors may say that there were great dwellers within the island that controlled the minds of others and took away their will, I'd let the party think Illithids or other such abberations, but I wouldn’t let them know or even get the hint that it was Aboleth or that it will free other Aboleth to return.
Aboleth are disastrously intelligent for the most part and fiendishly patient. Read "The Night Below" if you want to know how much so, this one would never give away the fact that destroying the artifact would let them come back to power. And unless they discover something carved into a material that doesn’t decay or let plants/fungus cover it up over two, three, or even four millennium, then they aren’t going to find any evidence at all to give it away.
Mabye a Knowledge (History) check DC40 to even know that Aboleth used to rule here.
I don't get what the PC's are supposed to get out of "studying" the dreaming aboleth. Why is it there? What info can come from looking at the immobile, encrusted form?
Ok so the live aboleth clearly draws the PCs into a trap (with the use of the troglodite ghost image) by urging them to destroy the artifact and as such releasing them from it's power. This could work well, but i dont know when if ever i could show them the illustration with the aboleth... If they know its an aboleth then things will not go as planned for the abomination fish.
But then there is the petrified aboleth which will let them know that ther are these creatures around... I have to figure this out for it to make sense. Any advise on this?
What the PCs know (or hear) about the Isle of Dread's Underdark is covered in the Savage Tidings section of the forthcoming Dragon #353.
PCs examining the hibernating aboleths have a chance to learn that the creatures are still alive, just in some sort of stasis. That's a pretty sizeable hint for folks to go off of, and paired with Knowledge checks, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the more scholarly characters come to correct conclusions.
In any case, knowing that you're dealing with the aboleths doesn't derail anything... I think of it less as a trap and more as a moral quandary. A good party certainly might risk the aboleth's return if the alternative is Demogorgon's shadow pearls. "Lesser of two evils" is what Lightless Depths is all about. :)
It's worth noting as well that although destroying the artifact is probably the path of least resistance, it is by no means the only way to deal with the kopru.
With good planning and sound tactics, the PCs should be able to wear down the kopru enough to eventually wipe them all out, without ever needing a diversion.
If they are especially clever, they could also probably work out a few alternate diversions to draw off some kopru. Perhaps not as many as flooding the city would, but enough to make a difference in the fight.
Thanks guys, but how to show the picture of the aboleth if he uses a project image of the trog to speak thru?
on the way back?
Show them the picture after the adventure is over. That way, you get to show off the art without interfering with game play. "Yikes! That's what was going on?!"
Creative Director
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Thanks guys, but how to show the picture of the aboleth if he uses a project image of the trog to speak thru?
on the way back?
Yeah. Unless the aboleth attacks, I'd wait until after the adventure to show them the picture. Not all the art in the magazine is supposed to be seen by players during the game, in any event. We try to keep the illos to something that works as a handout, but sometimes an awesome concept takes precedence.
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Actually you could use the aboleth's return to power as a side quest or even a campaign arc after the Savage Tide AP is over. The players returned these monsters to power, so it is their responsibility to end that threat to the Isle of Dread and Farshore.
They could return at some point and find out that several Olman tribes and mysteriously vanished, and many of the villagers from Farshore just simply walked off into the jungle muttering something about "The master calls me home."
Just tossing around some ideas.
or one of those old kobolds that have picked up the draconic knowledge feat, basically giving bard-like knowledge, with some modifications... ie the more ancient and far reaching, the easier to know!
Hmm that old green dragon could have that feat too..