Page 185 - ghosts-of-saltmarsh

L2. FLOODED TEMPLE
•
Layers of silt cover the stone floor of the main section of
the temple. Tangled mounds of collapsed scaffolding lie
toward the east end of this area. The west side is dom-
inated by a circular pit that stretches from wall to wall,
and that throbs with a dim, unnatural light.

Two aboleths from the Endless Nadir are in this cham-
ber, having rested and recovered from their fight with
Sgothgah. If the characters infiltrate the temple without
alerting the aboleths, the characters spot the creatures
floating above the rubble on the east side of the cham-
ber, arguing in Deep Speech over whether to kill the
creature in the pit or enslave it. If the aboleths have been
alerted to the approaching characters (including if the
glyph in area Ll was set off), they retreat to opposite
corners of this chamber and stir up an immense cloud of
silt for camouflage. Area L2 is heavily obscured for the
next 5 minutes.
Failure is not an option for agents of the Endless
Nadir. and the abolcths fight to the death if it comes to
that. This is not the lair of these creatures, so they can't
use lair actions or regional effects. In the event that the
characters could use some help in a battle, one of the
aboleths might stray too close to the pit and be pulled
in by the juvenile kraken; see the next section for more
information. A fight isn't inevitable, however.
Making a Deal. These aboleths have two goals: to
kill Sgothgah and to deal with the kraken. either by
destroying it or capturing it. If the characters don't in-
stantly jump to the attack and can demonstrate that they
aren·t enslaved by Sgothgah- or, better yet, that they
have killed the rogue aboleth-they can engage these
aboleths in diplomacy regarding their desire to kill or
enslave the kraken.
The aboleths might respond to a number of different
Warded Entrance. Sgothgah's advanced magical arguments:
knowledge has allowed it to set up dozens of wards to Even if the aboleths can enslave the kraken now, the
protect the temple, each treated as a casting of glyph creature is still growing and will eventually break free
of warding using the explosive runes option. All but of their control. Even a gang of aboleths is no match
one of the wards have been dismantled or triggered by for a full-grown kraken, so the creature should be de-
the aboleths that attacked the site. The sole remaining stroyed for the aboleths' own safety.
glyph is at the bottom level of the tower, in the doorway • The kraken's substantial intellect has been hopelessly
into area L2. tainted by exposure to Sgothgah's religious beliefs. All
The glyph is triggered when anyone who isn·t a wor- gods are anathema to aboleths, so the kraken should
shiper ofTharizdun moves or swims through the door- be destroyed before its poisoned thoughts can influ-
way from area LI to area L2. When the glyph is trig- ence others.
gered. each creature in area Ll takes 22 (5d8) lightning Nothing in the sea can match the strength of a kraken,
damage. Because the lightning diffuses evenly through and the aboleths might never again have che oppor-
the water, no saving throw is allowed against this effect. tunity to take control of such a weapon in their fight
The glyph can be found by any creature that inspects against the gods. The creature must be enslaved and
the doorway and succeeds on a DC 14 Intelligence (In- forced to serve them.
vestigation) check. The glyph can be dispelled by dispel
If the players would rather not roleplay a telepathic
magic, but there is no nonmagical way to disarm it. lt
argument with highly intelligenc alien minds, they can
can be avoided only by entering the temple through an-
other entrance. lead the aboleths toward one option or the other with a

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