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Artifact Status: Finished

The Aboleth's Lair

The Aboleth’s Lair

The Aboleth’s Lair is a short dungeon adventure for four characters between 7th and 9th levels of experience.

Preface

Beneath the continental shelf off the shores of a large island a sloping tunnel leads to a series of underwater caverns. An aboleth has recently taken this place as a lair, hiding in the innermost cavern. A pair of chuul lair closer to the entrance, and several thralls to the aboleth live in a small cave within the carverns.

Lair Map

[1] Entry Tunnel
     |
[2] Chuul Grotto
     |
[3] Forked Passage
   /              \
[5] Inner Chamber   [4] Slave Grotto

Locations and Encounters

1. Entrance/Antechamber

A 20-foot wide tunnel leads down and twists to the right and left, causing ambient light from the surface to dim sharply as you move deeper. Parts of the cave walls are coated in thick, slimy mucus.

2. Chuul Grotto

Lurking near two narrow stone columns in this 30ft-by-30ft cave, two chuul have made their lair here. Attracted by the aboleth’s presence, they will fight to the death anyone who intrudes upon these caverns. They start the encounter clinging to the stone columns before they move to engage the intruders.

Chuul (2): Large Aberration (Aquatic) 10 ft./5ft.; HD 11d8+44 (93 hp); Init +7; Spd 30 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC 22 (−1 size, +3 Dex, +10 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 19; Base Attack/Grapple +8/+17; Attack claw +12 melee (2d6+5); Full attack 2 claws +12 melee; SA constrict 3d6+5, improved grab, paralytic tentacles; SQ Amphibious, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to poison; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +9; Str 20, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 5;

Skills and Feats: Hide +13, Listen +1, Spot +11, Swim +13; alertness, blind-fight, combat reflexes, improved initiative.

Treasure: The chuul will yield 1d4 paralytic gland sacs worth 300 gp each, chitin plates worth 1,000 gp total, and nerve fibers worth 500 gp total; A horde hidden on the silt-clouded floor contains coral-encrusted metal plates, sculpted bone charms, and polished shells worth 1,200 gp total, plus 1d3 bioluminescent nodules (treat as scrolls of light with 1d3 uses each).

3. Forked Passage

At the rear of the grotto the passage narrows to 20 feet again, continuing roughly forward and slightly to the right while a dark branch opens up leading down and to the left. The walls in this tunnel are nearly covered with thick slime.

4. Slave Grotto

The left branch of the forked tunnel narrows to roughly 10 ft. in diameter, then opens into a broad cavern with uneven stone ledges along the sides and the far wall. Housed here are 1d4+2 locathah thralls in a stupor brought on by the aboleth’s enslavement ability. If approached they are fearful but non-hostile.

One of the thralls wears a crude eyepatch over its left eye. If questioned carefully, it may reveal that it has explored the caverns during brief periods the aboleth has left and can describe or draw a detailed map.

Treasure: A collection of crude tools (150 gp value) and one memory-inscribed coral shard (treat as a scroll with 1d3 spells of detect thoughts).

5. Inner Chamber

An unknown set of circumstances led to this aboleth stopping and lairing here. It’s been trying to keep a low profile, knowing powerful adventurers lurk on the landmass above. It’s using the chuul as a protection and warning system and is lying in wait here, hoping to ambush the interlopers.

The aboleth is wary and if its chuul guardians are killed, it will have decided to abandon its temporary lair. If confronted immediately, it will fight until it has taken 19 damage all while positioning itself to exit through opening of this cavern then escape, in its haste leaving behind its treasure and thralls.

If the chuul are killed and the aboleth is not immediately confronted, the aboleth will leave in 1d3 days taking all of the treasure it can carry and any remaining thralls.

Aboleth (1): Huge Aberration (Aquatic) 15 ft./10 ft.; 8d8+40 (76 hp); Init +1; Spd 10 ft., swim 60 ft.; AC 16, touch 9, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple +6/+22; Attack tentacle +12 melee (1d6+8 plus slime); Full Attack 4 tentacles +12 melee (1d6+8 plus slime); SA enslave, psionics, slime; SQ darkvision 60 ft., mucus cloud; SV Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +11; Str 26, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 17.

Skills and Feats: Concentration +16, Knowledge (history) +13, Listen +16, Spot +16, Swim +8; alertness, combat casting, iron will.

Treasure: Concentrated mucus secretions worth 600 gp and one 3” diameter memory pearl containing current-sensing techniques: every time a spellcaster studies this pearl, they can for one day prepare and cast freedom of movement as a 3rd-level spell effective only in the ocean waters within 20 miles of this location.

Appendix A: Creatures

Appendix B: Hooks

Appendix C: Resources

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