by Brandon Grist
| Notes | Greater Aboleth | Noble Aboleth | Ruler Aboleth | Grand Aboleth |
| - | - | Final Notes | - | - |
| Dragon | - | Monsters | - | Dragon #131 |
The following information on aboleth
is
based on testimony given to a group
of
adventurers by the dark-elf sage Alzor,
just hours before his mysterious disappearance.
Alzor was known to be fair and
honest, and his information about the
Underdark and its denizens had always
been reliable.
The aboleth are perhaps the least well-known
and the most misunderstood of all
the races which inhabit the Underdark.
The reason for this is very simple ? the
aboleth want it that way. The bulk of
their
population dwells in seclusion in the
great,
sunless seas found deep beneath the surface
of the earth. Only the weakest abol e t h a r e
e n c o u n t e r e d n e a r t h e
s u r f a c e , a n d
i t i s f r o
m t h e s e c r e a t u r e s t h a
t t h e v a s t
majority of surface-dwellers have drawn
what little knowledge they have of this
race. Because of the unfortunate misconceptions
which arise from this practice, it
is necessary to explain the true nature
of
the aboleth.
In general, all aboleth are cruel, emotionless,
and logical. All are extremely
intelligent ? some even more so than the
most ancient of elven mages. They are
believed to live for thousands of years,
but
exact information is difficult to gain
for
obvious reasons.1
Over their many years of
existence, the aboleth have developed
a
society which far exceeds that of man
in
its efficiency. In this society, each
aboleth
has a specific duty which it performs
with
the utmost skill. There are four major
roles in the aboleth society. In increasing
order of importance, these roles are:
slavegathering, slave maintenance, scientific
research and experimentation, and ruling.
The role of slave-gathering is delegated
to the common aboleth with which most
surface-dwellers are familiar.2
Such an
aboleth resembles a large, blue-green
fish
which lacks all fins but the caudal. It
has a
head with three large, slitlike eyes and
four long tentacles. Its mouth is like
a
great sucker and can be found on the
underside of the head section. On each
of
its sides can be found four tubelike orifices
which excrete a vile slime. This common aboleth is about 20? long from
tail to
head, and has 10?-long tentacles. It is
clumsy on land and is usually encountered
in underground lakes. Despite its good
combat abilities, this creature prefers
to
attack with a mental ability which allows
it
to enslave those with weak
minds. It also
possesses illusion-casting abilities used
to
hide itself while hunting for slaves.
In
general, it is wise not to get close to
one of
these creatures, for not only is the slime
they excrete hazardous to all air-breathing
creatures, but their very skin can cause
serious tissue damage if touched to exposed
flesh. It is important to note that
these slave-gathering monsters are also
the
weakest of their kind.
Slaves gathered by the common aboleth
are routinely brought back to certain
floating cities in these underground seas
in
which the more powerful aboleth dwell.3
This collection process, along with further
maintenance of slaves, is the responsibility
of the greater aboleth. These creatures
resemble their lesser brothers in every
way, but are considerably larger. They
average 30? in length and weigh several
tons. They are also more intelligent than
the common aboleth. They have most of
the same powers possessed by the common
aboleth, but their enslavement ability
is more developed. Generally speaking
anyone enslaved by one of these
creatures
never sees the upper world again. There
may be as many as a dozen of these creatures
in a single aboleth city, each maintaining a separate group of slaves.
The purpose of slaves in the aboleth
society is quite different from what would
normally be expected. Though slaves may
have been used originally to aid in the
construction of aboleth cities, these
cities
generally lack any kind of significant
slave
population. Instead, most slaves dwell
on
the shores of the lakes on which the cities
float. There, the slaves serve both as
guards and as playthings for the cruel
aboleth, who pit slaves against one another
in strange spectacles of combat. The
exact purpose of this practice is not
clear,
though it may be a way of eliminating
the
weak in the breeding of a race of subterranean
slaves.
In order to fully understand the next
major class in aboleth society, that of
the
noble, it is first necessary to establish
the
point that the aboleth have chosen the
path of science over that of magic. Consequently,
they have no wizards or conjurers as do other races. Noble aboleth, the
scientists of the race, are fantastically
intelligent and ever seek to increase
their
powers through bizarre means.4
In general, they are similar in appearance to the
common aboleth. Unlike common aboleth,
noble aboleth have an enlarged head section,
and they have two slender arms,
each ending in three highly dextrous fingers,
instead of their two uppermost tentacles. These latter appendages are used
for
more delicate work.5
These scientist-types
possess most of the other abilities common
to aboleth, as well as a few mental powers
which are useful in their research.
Though the full extent of the aboleth?s
scientific knowledge can only be guessed
at, it is certain that it is, at the very
least,
comparable to the magical knowledge
possessed by the dwellers of the upper
world. Each city usually holds about half
a
dozen of these noble aboleth.
The last major role in aboleth society
is
that of command, which is the responsibility
of the greatest class of aboleth. Physically, ruler aboleth resemble common
aboleth, but each is about 40? long and
more intelligent than even the nobles.
Each city has but one ruler, and it is
his
job to maintain order. To better accomplish
this, the ruler has some sort of mental
link
with all of his subjects.6
As their knowledge increases, so does the ruler?s. Rulers
possess all other aboleth abilities and
should be regarded as dangerous in the
extreme.
An aboleth feeds mainly on microscopic
organisms which abound in its natural
habitat, but it can also consume larger
prey if necessary.7
Aboleth can survive in
both air and water, but prefer water for
obvious reasons. Every aboleth has both
male and female reproductive organs,
though mating is rare and is restricted
between aboleth of the same class.8
Because of their nonmagical nature,
aboleth have a measure of resistance to
spells similar to the spell-resistance
of
dwarves. This resistance grows greater
as
the aboleth?s size and power increase.9
All
aboleth have psionic powers commensurate
with their level of intelligence, and
the most intelligent have powers which
rival those of the illithids who, like
all of
the other subterranean races, have a
healthy fear of the aboleth.
In closing, it is worthy to note that rumors
exist of a grand aboleth, a creature
so immense that it dwarfs even the rulers.
If so, then perhaps it is better that
surface
and subterranean dwellers alike leave
the
aboleth to do as they please.
N o t e s
1. Common aboleth have
a life span of
about 2,000 years. Greater and noble
aboleth live to be about 3,000 years old.
Rulers can live as long as five millennia,
while the grand aboleth may well be immortal.
2. The common aboleth
is simply the
monster as outlined in the Monster
Manual II, with slight modifications as noted
herein. The illusion-casting power mentioned
in this paragraph is equal to the
ability to cast phantasmal force
(with
auditory effects as well as visual ones)
at
will, once per round.
3. When a common aboleth
enslaves a
total of seven creatures (regardless of
their hit dice), a greater and noble aboleth
arrive using probability travel
and take the
slaves back to their city. Each greater
aboleth has as many as five common aboleth
gathering slaves for it. It takes from 2-
8 turns for the greater and noble aboleth
to arrive, though they are alerted immediately
by telepathy when the quota is met.
4. Nobles use their ability
of probability
travel, as well as many strange drugs
and
devices, to travel to alternate Prime
Material planes. There they amass as much
knowledge as possible while enslaving
any
who oppose them. Occasionally, several
nobles and a dozen or so common aboleth
mount a raid into a particularly promising
world, but this is rare.
5. These appendages are
also capable of
using technological items. The aboleth
nobles have developed several potent
offensive weapons and do not hesitate
to
use them if they feel the need exists.
Note
that they do not care for magic, and will
not use items such as wands, rods, staves,
etc. Magical treasures are locked in vaults
as curios or are destroyed.
6. This telepathy
has a range of 100
miles and allows complete communication
with all subject aboleth in that range.
Note
that all other types of aboleth can and
do
communicate by telepathic means, though
this has a range of no more than 20 miles
and must be used consciously. They can
also communicate with other intelligent
creatures by these means, with a range
of
100 yards, but seldom do so.
7. The aboleth does not
have an effective
biting attack because of the position
of its
mouth. If, for some reason, its opponent
is
immobilized, the aboleth may elect to
consume its victim. If it chooses to do
so, it
receives but one biting attack per round.
Damage varies with the type of aboleth;
common ones do 3-18 hp damage per bite
and swallow whole on a roll of 20, greater
and noble aboleth do 4-24 hp damage and
swallow whole on a roll of 19 or 20, and
ruler aboleth do 5-30 hp damage and
swallow whole on a role of 18, 19 or 20.
The grand aboleth never attacks in this
way. Those swallowed take one quarter
of
their maximum normal hit points in damage
each round until they die.
8. Most aboleth mate about
once every
500 years. Each participant has one egg
which it deposits in a safe place about
a
week after fertilization. This egg is
surrounded by a thick cocoon of slime that
protects and nourishes the egg. The egg
begins about the size of a human head,
but over the course of five years it grows
to be about 6? long. At this point, the
aboleth hatches and begins a quick, one-year
mutation into a miniature version of its
parent. It takes about 10 more years before
the aboleth reaches its adult stage,
and during this time it is carefully guarded
by other aboleth or, occasionally, by
slaves.
Ruler aboleth mate only once in their
lives,
and the growth process takes a total of
about one hundred years, though it is
the
same in its various stages. Some noble
aboleth have performed occasional cloning
experiments, but one has yet to meet with
any great success.
9. Because of their nonmagical
nature,
all aboleth gain a bonus to save versus
spells equal to their hit dice divided
by
four, rounded up. This applies to all
aboleth, including common ones (which get a
bonus of +2). Also note that rulers and
the grand aboleth are immune to some
illusions due to their high intelligence.
FREQUENCY: Extremely rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-3 (7-12 in city)
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 3"//21"
HIT DICE: 12-14
% IN LAIR: 90%
TREASURE TYPE: A (x2) (with /R,
S, T, U
in city)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4 tentacles
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-10 (x4)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: 280
Attack/Defense Modes:
B, C, D, E/F, G, I, J
LEVEL/XP VALUE:
12 HD: VIII/4,400 +
16 per hit point
13-14 HD: IX/6,100
+ 18 per hit point
Greater aboleth are simply larger, more
intelligent versions of the common aboleth.
They are normally only encountered
in an aboleth city, although they are
occasionally found in some other underground
locale pursuing some strange, dark purpose.
Their purpose in the aboleth society
is to control the slave population, which
they do with unrelenting cruelty. They
possess enslavement powers superior
to
those of common aboleth, having a range
of 60' and usable a number of times per
day equal to the aboleth?s hit dice. The
save vs. spells is at -4, and only a
limited
wish, wish, or alter reality spell
can
counter it (though enslavement ends
if the
aboleth is killed as well). If more than
two
miles ever separate slave and master,
the
slave is entitled to another saving throw
(still at -4). A hit from the tentacle
of a
of the common aboleth, though its size
and strength result in 4-10 rather than
1-6
hp damage per hit. Greater aboleth produce
slime just as the common aboleth,
but in a 2? radius. Greater aboleth possess
t h e p s i o n i c
d i s c i p l i n e s o f body equilibrium,
ESP, levitation, and dimension door,
all at a
level of mastery equal to their hit dice.
The illusion-casting power of a greater
aboleth is its ability to cast improved
phantasmal force once per round, with auditory and visual effects, at will.
FREQUENCY: Extremely rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-2 (3-8 in city)
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 3”//15”
HIT DICE: 16-28
% IN LAIR: 95%
TREASURE TYPE: E, F, X (with R,
S, T, V
in city)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4 tentacles
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-16 (x2)/2-5 (x2)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: 310
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: 16 HD: IX/8,100
+
20/hp; 17-18 HD: X/10,100 + 25 per hit
point
The noble aboleth is an extremely powerful
version of the common aboleth
which has mutated in several ways so as
to accomplish its duties. It is almost
never
encountered outside an aboleth city,
where its role is that of the scientist.
It
does research, conducts experiments, and
travels to alternate worlds to gather
information. There are two major differences
in appearance between the noble and
common aboleth. First, the noble aboleth?s
head is slightly larger than that of a
common or greater aboleth. This makes its
movement through water a bit more difficult.
Second, two of the noble?s tentacles
are smaller and end in three fingers,
which allow it to do very complicated
and
delicate work. These tentacles can still
be
used in combat, but they also can be used
to manipulate items or devices (though
they never use melee weapons). A hit from
any of these tentacles has the same effect
as a hit from a common aboleth. Nobles
have enslavement abilities equal
to those
of common aboleth and secrete slime in
a
3? radius. They possess the ability to
cast
spectral force spells at will, once per
round. Noble aboleth have very powerful
psionic abilities and can use the disciplines
of body equilibrium, cell adjustment,
ESP,
body control, and probability travel.
All of
these disciplines are performed at a level
of mastery equal to the aboleth?s hit
dice.
The exact nature of the various technological
weaponry and devices created by
noble aboleth is left to the DM to design.
Helpful guidelines may be found in
DRAGON® issue #114 (?Hi-tech
Hijinks,"
page 84). Most such devices should parallel
or duplicate magical devices in effect.
FREQUENCY: Extremely rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 1
MOVE: 3"//21"
HIT DICE: 20-22
% IN LAIR: 100%
TREASURE TYPE: H, R, S, T, V
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 5-20 (x 4)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: 340
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: 20 HD: X/15,700
+ 30
per hit point; 21-22 HD: X/19,200 + 35
per hit point
These huge, bloated monstrosities are
the largest and most intelligent of all
aboleth (aside from the grand aboleth). Each
rules an aboleth city and is never encountered
anywhere else, except when it must
mate (and must therefore travel to another
city using psionic means). Its telepathic link with its subjects allows
it to be
constantly aware of everything going on
in
its realm. Rulers are, in most other respects,
similar to common and greater
aboleth. They possess enslavement
abilities
equal to those of greater aboleth and
can
generate veil spells at will. Rulers
can
generate slime in a 5? radius, and the
mere
sight of one causes fear in all
beings of less
than 5th level or five hit dice. They
have
extremely potent psionics and may use
the
disciplines of body
equilibrium, cell adjustment, clairvoyance, ESP, astral projection,
body control, and dimension door
at a
level of mastery equal to their hit dice.
FREQUENCY: Unique
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 3“//24"
HIT DICE: 40 (182 hp)
% IN LAIR: 100%
TREASURE TYPE: H (x2), R, S, T (x2),
V
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 5-30 (x4)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Godlike
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: 370
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
LEVEL/XP VALUE: X/32,000
The grand aboleth is quite simply the
largest aboleth in existence on a particular
world. It is not only incredibly huge
(about
70? long with ten 30?-long tentacles),
but
also vastly intelligent. It has a telepathic
link with every ruler aboleth on its world
(within a range of 10,000 miles), effectively
giving it complete knowledge of all that
goes on within its empire. It can attack
physically with great effect and exudes
slime in a 20? radius. Its psionic powers
are unmatched by any other aboleth, and
i t h a s t h
e d i s c i p l i n e s o f body
equilibrium,
cell adjustment, detection of good or
evil,
detection of magic, ESP, levitation, mind
over body, astral projection, body control,
energy control, and probability
travel, all
performed at the 25th level of mastery.
The grand aboleth also has enslavement
powers equal to those of a greater aboleth
and can create very effective illusions
(save at -4). This monster dwells in a
vast
chamber in the midst of the largest aboleth
city, which floats on the lowest portion of the worlds underground seas.
The illusion powers of the grand aboleth
are equivalent to the spell capability
of an
18th-level illusionist. The choice of
the
monster?s spells are left to the DM to
decide. The grand aboleth may also generate
veil spells at will, one per round.
Final note
This article is intended to make the
aboleth
not only more complete, but more
powerful. It is important to bear in mind
at all times that the aboleth are extremely
intelligent and have managed to maintain
their control of the lowest depths of
the
Underdark for many thousands of years.
No party of bold adventurers should ever
be able to topple this mighty empire with
ease. The grand aboleth is included only
as
the icing on the cake; actually meeting
it
would be nearly impossible, and it would
require heroic effort to overcome.