| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| DDH_101 |
Posted - 15 May 2010 : 17:54:50
Hi, so I've been trying to catch up on events that have occurred since the Spellplague events. One of the main ones was the return of the aboleths. I haven't heard too much about them. I know there's a new series on them with the first book, "Aboleth Sovereignty".
I was wondering if some sages can shed some light on the aboleths in Faerun and what kind of impact they're having in the Realms. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 02 Apr 2011 : 06:08:09
-I'm of the personal opinion that the "4e Far Realmized" Aboleth should have a different distinction than those of pre-4e sources. I didn't like the depiction of the Aboleth in Elaine's Tangled Webs (seemed almost like Ventress' pet, though Aboleth being what they are, it certainly could have had it's own agenda for acting how it acted), but compare that to how Aboleth are depicted in contemporary sources. Not all of the lines are fitting together neatly. |
| Halidan |
Posted - 01 Apr 2011 : 20:57:38
The 2E box set Night Below, (written by Carl Sargent in 1995) has one of the better views of a functioning Aboleth society. It makes promient use of the caste system, as well as their preference for working with/through dominated slaves or tribes of servant creatures (Koa-toan in this case). It's a tough module to run all three parts of, but it does give the reader a good look at two different evil underdark cities. |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 01 Apr 2011 : 18:35:31
Well, the old 1e source that I just got ahold of confirms that there are MANY types of Aboleth which exist in a primarily caste system.
Apparently they detest magic however...which is contrary to later sources. |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 01 Apr 2011 : 17:57:15
-One piece of caution, for a lack of better words, to take into account when researching these different sources is that the Aboleth that appear in 4e sources, like the FRCG/PG and the Abolethic Sovereignty trilogy, seem a great deal different than those that appear in earlier sources. Rectifying everything could be problematic, at times. As I've mentioned in book reviews of Plague of Spells and City of Torment, Psionics =/= "Slimes" =/= Far Realms, and the newer, 4e sources seem to blur a lot of those lines. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 29 Mar 2011 : 11:40:20
quote:
Wooly Rupert — Well, I had to make sure the info was presented by a prominent scribe. 
Some synonyms for prominent which might apply here: jutting, protuberant, conspicuous, extruding, obtruscent, topless.
[Edit: obtruscent is seemingly not a real word, or at best only a promulent one, yet still offered by the thesaurus sites.] |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 29 Mar 2011 : 07:56:23
Can anyone point me to a location where I can pull information from these sources about the Aboleth:
Dragon 131 (about the grand aboleth, the greater aboleth, the noble aboleth, and the ruler aboleth), Dwellers of the Forbidden City, and Dungeon 12 (concerning the saltwater aboleth).
I'm doing some research about them regarding the Moonsea area (as in, could they be in the area?) and came across these references that I don't own.
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| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 18 May 2010 : 02:52:47
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
*cough* I'm sure another scribe already mentioned that.*cough*
Oh, yeah:-
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
And I recall there was an aboleth in Elaine Cunningham's Tangled Webs, as well.
Well, I had to make sure the info was presented by a prominent scribe.
(Yes, that's the official story I'm sticking to!)   |
| The Sage |
Posted - 18 May 2010 : 01:46:59
*cough* I'm sure another scribe already mentioned that.*cough*
Oh, yeah:-
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
And I recall there was an aboleth in Elaine Cunningham's Tangled Webs, as well.
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| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 18 May 2010 : 00:30:56
There was an aboleth in one of the Liriel books, as I recall. Tangled Webs, I believe. |
| DDH_101 |
Posted - 17 May 2010 : 16:36:36
Thanks for the info, guys.
But what basically happened with the rise of the Aboleths in Spellplague? At first I thought they were similar to other races that were part of "the Return" like the dragonborn in Tymanther, but it seems the Aboleths have been around for a long time.
How does the event of the Spellplague affect this race? |
| Ayunken-vanzan |
Posted - 17 May 2010 : 05:48:05
The rise of the Abolethic Sovereignty is foreshadowed in Bruce Cordell's Stardeep. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 17 May 2010 : 01:02:35
And there's DUNGEON #170 [City of Aboleths] which features info on the egg nursery of Xxiphu. |
| Quale |
Posted - 16 May 2010 : 20:34:49
Try to get Polyhedron 140, it has an article about Llurth Dreier, a drow city ruled by 12,000 aboleths.
Also mentions Leshynmul, a city of kuo-toa in the Hmur Plateau ruled by aboleths of Piscaethces. |
| Kno |
Posted - 16 May 2010 : 09:06:17
There is one aboleth that absorbed the mind of a priest of Dumathoin and became a dwarven sage. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 16 May 2010 : 01:36:11
Of the top of my head...
Aboleths lurk in "The Deeps" -- especially the Deepfall. See Dwarves Deep.
Deep dragons of the Underdark prize the flesh of aboleth.
From Ed:-
"The Low Road is a long Underdark route, known to certain dwarves, connecting Glen to the subterranean dwarf realm east of the Great Rift (see the map included with DWARVES DEEP).
[...]
There’s also an aboleth-governed subterranean lake (name not known to Volo) along the Road, that as it passes this lake winds through a maze of half-flooded tunnels to discourage drow and other attacks."
There's aboleth lore in the Ruins of Undermountain boxed set.
Don't forget Piscaethes the Blood Queen, an aboleth deity. See Night Below, DDGttU, and Lords of Madness. And the Skum Lord, from Skullport.
Aboleth are known to reside in the Jungles of Chult.
And I recall there was an aboleth in Elaine Cunningham's Tangled Webs, as well.
...
Here's Bruce Cordell's reply about the purpose of the Abolethic Sovereignty in the 4e Realms [it's a repost from another Wizards member]:-
quote:
I'm in agreement with you Jefgodesky about the Realms. Even before the Sovereignty Cthulu-esque elements and species have existed in the Realms (and D&D in general), throughout all editions. The only thing the Sovereignty did was give them a more prominent face. In the end, it doesn't bother me anymore than any type of bizarre planar species having an impact on the Realms.
I think your idea would fit. Really, you don't have to even try very hard because you're dealing with alien creatures whose motivations are completely unknowable just like their minds. You have no way to understand or imagine why they commit a certain act, and any motivation or logic you try to apply to it would be from a skewed and primitive perspective.
When dealing with the Sovereignty, you only need to know one thing: they are not, and will never be, your friend. At best you'll become their slave, and at worst you'll be destroyed.
Just stick close to the "unknowable aliens" and you can't go wrong.
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