Re: Basic Fantasy Field Guide
Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:03 am
OSRIC text for "Aboleth" reads as follows:-
Aboleth (singular and plural) inhabit subterranean fresh waters, particularly those that connect to the deepest caverns. Although they cannot speak, they can communicate telepathically with virtually any intelligent creature. They are ancient and evil. Their bodies are like a giant porpoise or small whale's, but coated in blue-black slime that constantly flows from gill-like slits in the aboleth's sides. Their heads have three horizontal, slit-like eyes one above the other. Four writhing tentacles sprout from the top and side of the head.
If one of these tentacles strikes a creature in melee, the target must save vs spells or, over the next few minutes, its skin will become a translucent membrane. This membrane must be kept moist or the creature will suffer excruciating pain. If the membrane remains dry for over a turn, the creature will die. A cure disease or cure serious wounds spell will return the skin to normal.
An aboleth has two psionic (i.e. non-magical) powers. First, it can create an illusion equivalent to an improved phantasmal force. The illusion lasts as long as the aboleth concentrates. Second, it can try to mentally dominate a creature (one creature at a time, up to three attempts per day, range 30 ft, save vs spells to avoid). A dominated creature will not fight for the aboleth, but it will otherwise obey the aboleth's telepathic commands. Domination is permanent so long as the dominated creature is within a mile of its controlling aboleth. Once taken more than a mile away, the creature gains a fresh saving throw at once and then another saving throw each day in order to escape it. Killing the aboleth will also free its slaves.
If underwater, the aboleth's slime forms a cloud around its body (1 ft radius). Any creature within the slime must save vs spells or it will be able to breathe water--but not air. This effect lasts for up to three hours.
A randomly-encountered aboleth will normally (75%) have 1d3 slaves.
There may be huge colonies of aboleth in the deepest subterranean waters. If so, sages suspect that there will be stronger aboleth, with unknown strange powers, as leaders and masters.
Aboleth (singular and plural) inhabit subterranean fresh waters, particularly those that connect to the deepest caverns. Although they cannot speak, they can communicate telepathically with virtually any intelligent creature. They are ancient and evil. Their bodies are like a giant porpoise or small whale's, but coated in blue-black slime that constantly flows from gill-like slits in the aboleth's sides. Their heads have three horizontal, slit-like eyes one above the other. Four writhing tentacles sprout from the top and side of the head.
If one of these tentacles strikes a creature in melee, the target must save vs spells or, over the next few minutes, its skin will become a translucent membrane. This membrane must be kept moist or the creature will suffer excruciating pain. If the membrane remains dry for over a turn, the creature will die. A cure disease or cure serious wounds spell will return the skin to normal.
An aboleth has two psionic (i.e. non-magical) powers. First, it can create an illusion equivalent to an improved phantasmal force. The illusion lasts as long as the aboleth concentrates. Second, it can try to mentally dominate a creature (one creature at a time, up to three attempts per day, range 30 ft, save vs spells to avoid). A dominated creature will not fight for the aboleth, but it will otherwise obey the aboleth's telepathic commands. Domination is permanent so long as the dominated creature is within a mile of its controlling aboleth. Once taken more than a mile away, the creature gains a fresh saving throw at once and then another saving throw each day in order to escape it. Killing the aboleth will also free its slaves.
If underwater, the aboleth's slime forms a cloud around its body (1 ft radius). Any creature within the slime must save vs spells or it will be able to breathe water--but not air. This effect lasts for up to three hours.
A randomly-encountered aboleth will normally (75%) have 1d3 slaves.
There may be huge colonies of aboleth in the deepest subterranean waters. If so, sages suspect that there will be stronger aboleth, with unknown strange powers, as leaders and masters.