I have a problem with Tlaloc's Tear at the end of this adventure.
Why should the PCs destroy it if they have already killed the bilewretch of Holashner ?
That would cause the return of the aboleths, a really dangerous race of creatures who hate any non aboleths.
Without the bilewretch, it seems that the koprus can't keep the bilestone liquid to make more shadow pearls.
Also, the PCs can be a little scared by the idea of flooding the underdark while they're still in it.
Any opinions on this ?
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You could hint that the Bilewretch was summoned. Have they already killed it? If not, let it disappear like a summoned creature - then they are stuck with the nasty choice. If they have, maybe let them find a summoning circle or scratches on a rock somewhere (roll some dice and say the rogue spotted them) which tip them to this.
That might get around this rather thorny problem.
I think the answer to this one is: there's no good reason to. The adventure was set up so it could be completed either through killin Ulioth and the Bilewretch, or through destroying the tear - ultimately it was up to the PCs. Though the 'reawakening a city full of aboleths' scenario is a real one, and something the PCs should be concerned about.
I made a point of having the PCs stumble over many petrified aboleths while wandering around the city, just to illustrate the problem.
My PCs fell hook, line and sinker for N'glothnoru's facade as a trog high priest (ironically enough, because the Church Inquisitor PC missed that session and the trick wouldn't have even got off the ground against his Pierce Illusion ability...) and so they're hell bent on destroying the tear. Eventually I had Rakis-ka, who they'd had a vague truce with, point out the aboleth issue. But by then it was too late, since after killing Ulioth and the bilewretch they didn't go back and find the (still activated) decanter of endless water. I've decided the Decanter filled up the ziggurat and overflowed, and the overflow woke up some of the nearby aboleths. These aboleths have now taken over the ziggurat area, annexed Ulioth's old minions, and are trying to awaken as many as possible of their fellows in order to break the spell of the Curtain (I've decided that the Decanter, while activated, can maintain a smallish area of standing water in the city despite the effects of the Tear, and that's where the Aboleths are currently huddled). Rakis-ka doesn't really fancy his chances in a city full of aboleths, so he's coming with the PCs to whack the awakened aboleths and ensure the city remains uninhabited and he can go about whatever it is he's doing unmolested.
Thanks for all the answers.
My players didn't kill yet the bilewretch, but they're heading right straight to the ziggurat, and I think they will try to not destroy Tlaloc's Tear, if they ever find, but I may be wrong. Players are always unpredictable. ^^
Check out these two threads:
Hope you're enjoying the adventure!
Thanks for the links. I'm going to read them carefully.
I enjoy the adventure a lot. Certainly one of my favorite.
But I'm very fond of underdark and aboleths, because of the Night Below campaign by Carl Sargent.
And I love how the history of the olman culture and war with the aboleths is used to explain the current state of the Isle of Dread. I could not have imagined that 25 years ago when I first read the X1 module.
It's also good to see that Lords of Madness have been very well used in this adventure.
Savage Tide is certainly the best campaign I have read and DMing by far, actually, and I love all the Greyhawk goodness that have been used in it.
You guys did a really amazing job. Congratulations, again.