Ideas for Aboleth Slaves?

[Matticussama]

My players are slowly making their way towards a "ruins of Atlantis" themed island ruled over by an Aboleth. I'm trying to pick some of the best slaves of approximately CR 6 or less for the Aboleth to have protecting its island. The party is made up of 6 8th level characters, several of whom also have animal companions/undead minions/summons.

I plan on playing up the Aboleth's intelligence and tactical planning, so it will have slaves capable of making up for its weaknesses; thus in addition to having aquatic creatures to help protect it, it will also have some flying and burrowing creatures that will be defending the sky and ground around its habitat. Some of the basics I've thought of so far are mermaids with class levels defending the Aboleth's breeding lair, Chimaera and Thoqqua guarding the cliffs and ground around it, and Harpies guarding the skies.

Any additional ideas for good Aboleth slaves? Ties to Greek/Atlantian myth are a plus, but not required.

[Hamste]

A lot of ogres I would think. I mean they would be easy to control (It might not even need to use it's control ability and just control them through threatening them) and they are strong making them really useful for doing menial things while not being dangerous enough to actually threaten the Aboleth.

[Galvin]

I second the ogres. The aboleth is a competent caster but is somewhat squishing in melee. Trolls could also provide a higher CR encounter to the same effect. Might I suggest Adult Arrowhawks for sky patrol? Maybe Sahuagin Dire Shark riders for sea patrol.

[CaladanMoonblad]

I just run a Village of the Damned session with an Aboleth under the village masquerading as a forgotten god, and I had chosen Skum (of course! - Young, Average, and Veterans), some Hooked Horrors, and a Giant Octopus (I love Drowning + Grapple Rules!) as the Aboleth's minions.

So... air themed stuff... why not, a challenge appropriate Black Dragon for the ruler of the flock? Alternatively, a tribe of Harpies would be useful as aerial scouts and spies.

And Aquatic... I might suggest a Tojanida (MM1) for the critter in the bay, or maybe a Giant Octopus. Jobbers could be a tribe of Sahaugin who haunt the coasts and estuaries.

And Land... the ogres suggestion is okay, but how did the brutes get there? Better yet are Medusae, Satyrs, Tendriculos, and Humans.

Why Humans? What is creepier, a bunch of monsters that heroes can slash and burn with abandon? Or the dominated Humans with their secret cult worshipping a dread god of a forgotten epoch ala HP Lovecraft?

[Matticussama]

Thanks for the feedback!

Ogres and Trolls are definitely good brutes. Maybe with a Satyr with some groups acting as a forward scout; it disables some or all of an enemy group, then signals the brutes to come in and finish them off. I've already taken care of the "how did they get there" part; the party is heading after the Aboleth because it has been taking out merchant ships and feasting upon the crew, in addition to raiding coastal villages and enslaving some of the worthier warriors. On some of these raids, it could have also taken Ogres or Trolls.

I like the idea of pairing up Arrowhawks with some Harpies for sky patrol. I'm trying to stay away from Dragons in order to keep them feeling rare within the setting, although perhaps a Wyvern or two would also pair up nicely.

I like the idea of cults of humans who have started to worship the Aboleth; I was already planning to have "slave camps" of human workers that the party could try to rescue. Adding in the Lovecraftian followers of Dagon feel to some of those slaves would definitely creep them out; it might also pose an interesting moral quandary over how they treat the enslaved humans, since some of them might try to sabotage the party's efforts.