My players have just felled the (relatively easy) aboleth, N'Glothnoru, and discovered the likelihood of dozens of kopru in Golismorga from the ancient demon fish, along with the presence of Tlaloc's Tear. They've learned that Tlaloc's Tear is what is anchoring the Cerulean Curtain, and is keeping the water out of Golismorga, where they now know the kopru have been harvesting the bilestone for production of the shadow pearls.
However, the PCs also know that Tlaloc's Tear may be the only thing keeping the aboleth from reclaiming Golismorga, with one of the PCs being an Olman descendent, feeling obligated to retaining the Tear his ancestors died to create. (Slight story variant: Tlaloc's Tear was not dropped through a drilled hole from far above, but delivered by several Olman using magic rings allowing them to breathe water and navigate the flooded Underdark, of which the same character possesses one of these rings as a legacy item.) In addition, my overconfident players are not quite balking at the idea of somehow taking on dozens of kopru at once, overpowered as they may be.
So, my question is, how important--short of providing a distraction to get into Holashner's Ziggurat--is destroying Tlaloc's Tear? I can only assume the kopru have left it alone as it keeps the aboleths out, thus their concern at its destruction. But would destroying it really have any other benefit than bringing dozens of aboleths back home, thus sparking a conflict between the aquatic denizens of the Isle's Underdark?
If--as unlikely of a plausible solution as it is--my players do manage to avoid Tlaloc's Tear, and defeat the kopru denizens--even if by hit-and-run tactics--of the Ziggurat, would it not be better for the potential future of the Isle of Dread? After all, if the aboleths are not there, and neither are the kopru, then it's unlikely that any serious problems would arise from Golismorga. On the other hand, perhaps the aboleths provide a counterbalance of power to other races that might find a use for Golismorga and its resources, as the kopru have.
In order to drive my players toward considering destroying the Tear to prevent a future calamity, I have to convince them that allowing the aboleths to return is the lesser of two evils. I plan on having Rakis-Ka the devourer make himself a sage to the party as they enter Golismorga, in the hopes of persuading them to destroy the Tear, and also avoid a potentially huge mass combat.
I'd love to hear some thoughts or advice on how to handle this sticky choice with a minimal of railroading.
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I guess my only contribution at this point is to say that destroying the Tear primarily allows the PC's to distract all the guards at the ziggaraut and get inside with less of a struggle. In addition, the return of the aboleths would help to repel the kopru presence over time, making it harder for the kopru to keep and maintain the bile factory should the PC's fail.
The devourer could relate how the kopru guard their ziggaraut dearly, and that the receded floodwaters helps keep the aboleths away from their empire. What remains is to hope that the PC's don't get bloodlust when they see the huge force guarding the ziggaraut.
Ultimately destroying Tlaloc's Tear doesn't help the PCs much - and will save them from the fight with the (nasty) Braincollector. If having to hack through the Kopru hordes is the easier alternative to that..... which may depend on their resources.... I don't see the Tear as a real necessity for the proceedings down below, and yes, not handing the aboleths their city back may just be not the worst idea.
Of course, if they come up with another, feasible distraction which may draw off even a part of the Kopru force.... they may just have their cake and eat it at the same time.
I had two PCs of olman origins that did not want to destroy the tear either. They did approach the brain collector and spoke with him for some time to gain information. He told him some things about the kopru (I figured he has been eating them for centuries) and also about the tear as well.
Once they finished that they set their plans for assaulting the kopru temple. It didn't go exactly as planned but they did eliminate most of the troops stationed outside before withdrawing. They returned the following day and entered the pyramid to finish the job.
The players told me after the fact that it was one of the better battles of the campaign to this point. I'd let your group decide their own fates, they just may surprise you.
Thanks for all the tips, everyone!
It stands to reason that the PCs should at least have the chance to interact with some kind of monstrous NPC, as so much of the adventure involves negotiating with monstrous races already; thus, Rakis-Ka's presence as a "sage" of Golismorga is probably an idea I will pursue.
I agree that this is one of the better opportunities to allow the players to decide the most acceptable means of approaching the ziggurat, and feel even more in control of the events in the campaign. I'm going to try to have Rakis-Ka mention the effect of destroying the Tear as a means of distraction, while downplaying any potentially inferred motivation for doing so. Reluctantly, I should plan on a large-scale combat with numerous kopru. A few bad Will saves, and their likely to realize they've been playing with dynamite, if that even turns out to be an issue. I'm thinking of putting an unhallow effect on the ziggurat with protection from fire 20 to help abate the likelihood of one of the PCs fireball-spamming the place.
Either way, should be fun. I'll have to make Ulioth's presence more pronounced, as the first true Thrall of Demogorgon.
The Naga's alone should give them a run for their money, I think each one is a 9th level sorcerer. Let the flying PC get hit by 6 fireballs and see how good of an idea it was to attack the head on.
The group I DM decided to use stealth and killed the Kopru's guarding the temple entrance with stealth and then seal it up after entering with walls of stone. It gave them enough time to get in the temple and destroy everything without taking on the entire force.
They plan to return when they are a little more powerful to check on the Kopru's and finish off any remaining elements if necessary!
I personally feel that destroying the Kopru facility without re-awakening the Aboleth is an excellent idea (assuming the PC's are willing to engage in such a big fight).
No need to railroad them... let them try. The plot isn't harmed if they somehow succeed.
On the subject: I'm surprised that the adventure expects the party to still destroy the Kopru facility after the tear is destroyed. I mean, it's seems like the Aboleth will handle the Kopru just fine.
Well, the PCs have a valid interest in destroying the Kopru temple, since that is where the Shadow Pearls "first stage" is created by the Bilewretch.
Which after all, is their main objective by the STAP as written. And actually, before facing the Bilewretch, they should have no idea as to how the pearls are created, and hence might not reasonably know that flooding the city and having the aboleths return will liekly end the production.