Aboleth Encounter Ideas: Kashell and Co.Stay Out!

[Ravilah]

Okay, I already have a few ideas about this, but i thought I'd pick everyone else's brains for more creative ideas.
I want my players to encounter an aboleth sometime soon on their journey to a ruined city. Aboleth's have a slew of high level illusion powers (mirage arcana, programmed image, hypnotic pattern, veil, and so on), as well as the enslave ability. But how do I use all these goodies to create a devilishly clever trap? Anyone have a clever idea for a challenging scenario for a group of four 7th level characters (monk, fighter, ranger, wizard)?

By the way, the characters are in a kind of "alternate world" that has been taken over by a demi-god of aburrations. Little natural life is left, and pretty much everything is an aburration (or one of the wierder magical beasts). Even the plant life has taken a turn for the poisonous.

Any thoughts? Muchas Gracias!
R

 

[Rel]

I don't have any solid thoughts at the moment about the Aboleth per se, but I used a band of Skum in the thrall of an Aboleth as a memorable encounter in my last campaign. Using their nets and spears, they dragged a couple party members underwater and one nearly drowned before he could escape.

I also recommend expanding the pool of creatures that the Aboleth has enslaved beyond just humanoids to keep things interesting.

I'll post more ideas later if they come to me.

 

[Kalendraf]

Typically, an Aboleth will try to lure the party into its pool by using it's illusions to entice them to enter it. Play on their greatest weaknesses:

- If they are greedy, make the illusion of treasure waiting just a few feet below the surface, easily within reach if they are willing to get wet.

- If they are good, make an illusion of someone drowning, requiring rescuing by diving in to save them.

- Or, if you think they'll be especially hesitant to enter, make an illusion of swarm of deadly killer bees coming at them from multiple directions, making the pool seem like their only chance for escape.

Once the characters/party dive in, they are in BIG trouble!

 

[shilsen]

Don't forget to use Mirage Arcana (change the area), Veil (disguise the aboleth and its minions) and Programmed Image (activates a figment when specified condition occurs). The PCs could be made to think that they are walking into an area with a dry, solid floor and being attacked by a bunch of kobolds and an ogre when it's actually a slimy, wet floor leading down to the aboleth's pool, around which its skum servitors wait.

And make sure the poisonous plants look completely innocuous too. Sure, poison ivy isn't as bad as being enslaved by an aboleth, but every little bit of PC suffering helps

 

[XCorvis]

If you're really cruel, use a permanant reverse gravity with the aboleth's pool on the ceiling, disguised with a very simple illusion. They'll never see it coming.

 

[Rel]

If you're really cruel, use a permanant reverse gravity with the aboleth's pool on the ceiling, disguised with a very simple illusion. They'll never see it coming.

Yoink!