Aboleth Lair & Merfolk Shrine Map Pack!

Grab your diving suits, because it's time to dive into the depths of the Aboleth's Lair.

I wanted to create a nautical map that could be used for a variety of purposes, so we have a pretty spacious channel running between large mossy cliffs. The churning waters of the channel are sacred ground to a tribe of merfolk that have been enslaved (and subsequently worship) a local Aboleth as a living god.

Click your appropriate Tier below, and you can go grab your download links!

Tier 1 - https://www.patreon.com/posts/tier-1-dungeon-81146477

Tier 2 - https://www.patreon.com/posts/tier-2-world-map-81312503

Tier 3 - https://www.patreon.com/posts/tier-3-master-87793681

Tier 4 - https://www.patreon.com/posts/tier-4-master-87797001

Here is a great illustrated scene of the merfolk shrine, by Ha Art:

The shrine rests atop one of the larger rocky islands jutting from the channel, and while the heaped offerings of shells, dead creatures and precious sea stones are new, the ruined stone arch and dais are very old and unlikely to be linked to the merfolk tribe of today. If inspected, it has ancient runes that read, "The water is the way. There is power in the deep."

The text was written by a long-dead civilization that are actually referring to magics being researched by its shamans related to the elemental plane of water. They had discovered ways to harness abilities to control water and even move from one body of water to another through a series of portals.

The merfolk interpreted it as a more literal power, especially when the area became home to an Aboleth, who was all too welcome to take the place of the merfolk's god.

Here is an example of the main channel map:

The channel provides a variety of spaces that could be used for combat encounters:

Waterfalls - The large waterfalls may hide small caves that have unique or interesting predators, such as giant octopi or cave fishers. They may also cause the water anywhere near their base to be a potential hazard for swimming or being pushed underwater.

Islands - Small rocky islands are present in the center of the channel, allowing the PC's some physical land to use for movement or to escape aquatic dangers, but it also makes them easier and more confined targets.

Rocky Rapids - If the PC's make their way through or near the section of rapids to the southeast, they may be pulled away from the channel and toward a tidal pool that slows, traps or tries to drown them.

Large Cave - A large cave is visible upon the southern cliff, and you could use this cave to lead to whatever creature or encounter you wish. I am using it as the Aboleth's Lair, but it could link to any map you preferred for your narrative.

Aboleth's Lair

I decided to make [2] maps for the Aboleth's Lair -- a cavern map that depicts the cave at water-level, as if the party is swimming above water, and an underwater map that depicts the lower depths of the cave if the party is capable of breathing for longer periods and can illuminate the space.

Here is the cavern map:

Here is the underwater map:

How do I use the underwater map?

1. There are many interesting pieces here, including the regular flora and fauna of the sea in the form of coral, sea life, shells and such. These may have creatures that defend the area or valuable and rare natural resources.

2. Amidst the vegetation, there are remnants of the old civilization that used to live here, including fallen stone structures, walls, pillars and some kind of magical platform toward the east end of the cave with runes carved into flat panels upon the walls that operate a magical portal.

3. This space could be used for simple exploration when the Aboleth is gone, learning about the older civilization or the magical platform and the runes, or it could be used as a battle field if the party comes to fight the Aboleth.

As always, we have a great Sprite of the Aboleth from Katsudon Art, which are extremely intelligent creatures and would likely have several ways of utilizing a party of adventurers that it could control through his telepathic abilities. I would likely have it also have the ability to work the magical platform and navigate the portals it creates.

As we have been doing the last several maps, we have a Morvold Creature Card here:

I also decided to include a Merfolk creature card:

Since the Aboleth has the ability to open portals using the elemental plane of water to other bodies of water within the world, I thought it could be an interesting way for it to play a larger role within your narrative.

It could potentially be a neutral party with which the party negotiates to open portals somewhere they need, or it could be a larger-scale villain whose attempts to control more of the world are felt by part of the world who sends the PC's to investigate.

Here is the PNG tile I've included for an opened portal, which could be placed on this map in the underwater magical platform, or in any water map in your world:

I hope you can use this Map Pack for some interesting encounters and fun story-telling!