"Can it be destroyed?" Jarl asks. "If we wait until the aboleth goes back through the circle, and then destroy it, that would be the best solution." He thinks of something else. "Can aboleths make teleportation circles, or did someone else do this?"

"A normal teleportation circle is an easy thing to destroy. One does not even need to dispel  it; We have simply to vandalize the Runes and it will cease to function.  A circle that has been made permanent ...I do not know.  I am not a wizard with enough means to have experimented with one. 50 or more gold pieces a day for a full year.  I would think that vandalizing the Runes would have the same effect, but it is possible that once permanent the planar link has been become a coded pathway and no longer needs the Runes as 'directions' as it were."

"I also suspect defacing or dispelling the work of a wizard capable of this would be non-trivial, even if it has not been warded, and I would be even more surprised if it wasn't warded. I do not know if an Aboleth is capable of such things. They would likely need a minion to create the detailed etching, but with powerful telepathic abilities that is well within the realm of the possible."

So, what's yer plan?

     "So we know how it likely got down here, and it seems like we really don't know how to dismantle this thing... And I don't feel like accidentally sending myself to another realm. So why don't we head back the other way where we saw that creature going?" Shale begins to head back to the circle as he starts the other way. "Perhaps we can come back after we take care of the immediate threat to the town. Maybe I can try dispelling the magic after I've had a day to rest up so there are no more surprise visitors..?"

Flynt nods. "I am in agreement with Shale. We should go after the immediate threat to the town. We can always come back, even after some rest." 

Squiggles frowns (again). "I would badly like to know where this goes but it does seem a bit dangerous and impetuous."

Squiggles starts copying the glyph on a piece of parchment

Balian, who had been studying the circle for a few seconds, pipes up.  "Brix wouldn't know how to use one of these, would he?  In any case, I'm not a fan of the idea of using it myself.  Get it copied down and let's go aboleth hunting!"

When Squiggles is done, Jarl will lead everyone back in the direction they came, keeping an eye out (hopefully with Fluffy's help) for any signs of movement, from the aboleth or otherwise. Perception: 17 (Passive: 18) We'll take the other passage this time, if we don't come across anything before we get there.

Fluffy hearing perception 8

You head back toward the T intersection and down the other passage. Fluffy doesn't really hear anything, apart from the occasional drip, drip of water onto the two or three inches already accumulated on the ground throughout the passageway. The passage bends around to the left after another 50 or 60 ft. Jarl, as you round the bend, you see in front of you that the passage widens into a round chamber about 60 ft across. You see the aboleth standing in the center of the chamber, facing the entrance. It seems to see you just at the moment you see it. It's just standing there, as though it's waiting for you to come closer.

What do you do? Do you stop and address it? Continue in? Something else?

While you think about that, I'm getting a map ready for you.

Here's what Jarl can see so far. Jarl is about 120 ft from the aboleth in the center of the chamber, so you can't yet see what's behind it. Nobody else can see in at all yet. The two small circles are natural columns.

Here's a link to the map which I'll update as we go, in case you'd rather have it in a separate tab that you can just refresh.

Jarl curses in his native tongue. “It’s here,” he whispers. He holds up his shield in a defensive position, and takes in the cavern, looking for areas where the water is deep enough to allow the creature to swim, and for potential hiding places for additional creatures. Perception: 10 (Passive 18)

 "Really??!"  exclaims Squiggles.  Overcome with curiosity, Squiggles tries to squirm past his companions to get a peek, and touches his helm to activate Comprehend Languages. "Can we talk to it, or do you savages want to hit it with a stick?"

Jarl, from where you're standing it doesn't look like the water is deeper than a few inches in the part of the cavern you can see. There could be creatures behind your field of vision, and the two columns would conceal anything large or smaller in size behind them.

Squiggles, if you want to get a look at the aboleth, you'll need to get quite a bit closer than Jarl is now. His darkvision is 120 ft; yours is only 60.

     "I didn't think we came down here to have a conversation with it...?"

"I'd rather avoid it entirely, but we appear to be out of passages."

"I don't see it Jarl.  I'll have to cast Light.  Now where's my phosphorescent moss..."

Squiggles begins fumbling through his component box to find his moss for the spell

"If only you had some of that feast left over, you could tame it and teach it tricks."

Balian draws his bow and nocks an arrow.  "Jarl, get in there already, not a lot the rest of us can do back here stuck looking at your backside!"

      Shale reaches out in front of him to Celric and places a hand on his shoulder. "Just in case something bad happens in there." He clutches his amulet, "Huntress, watch over this one." He readies his shield and staff. "Ready..."

(Death Ward)

(Also, remember you Heroes' Feast)