Page 27 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

Strong conjuration; CL 15th; Craft Aboleth Glyph, control trends, just as the life and death of mountains and oceans
water; Price 120,000 gp. follows a cyclic path.
Glyph of Enfeeblement: All nonaboleths within 20 feet To understand the source of the aboleth race, one must
of this glyph are weakened and debilitated, and take a –6 first realize that other entities existed long before even the

penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. The effect aboleths themselves. Their goals and desires were alien and
of this glyph persists for 1d4 rounds after a creature exits the unknowable to humankind. Yet they did exist, in the spaces
area of effect. A successful DC 16 Will save negates the effect between reality and possibility. Modern sages theorize that
completely. these creatures might be the primal source of the dimension
Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Craft Aboleth Glyph, bestow known as the Far Realm, while others argue that their presence
only enabled the existence of this dimension, and that the Far
curse; Price 72,000 gp.
CHAPTER 2 THE DEEP MASTERS glyph doubles the range of its enslave special attack. Realm is but one of a myriad of their workings. Sages refer to
Glyph of Extension: Any aboleth within 20 feet of this
these beings collectively as the Elder Evils.
One of the Elder Evils was the source of the aboleth race.
Moderate transmutation; CL 9th; Craft Aboleth Glyph, eagle’s
splendor; Price 20,000 gp.
The aboleths know this entity by the name Piscaethces, which
Glyph of Law: All nonlawful creatures within 30 feet of
that the primal aboleth was spawned. Piscaethces has since
this glyph become nervous and unsure of their abilities. These roughly translates as “Blood Queen,” for it is from her blood
creatures take a –1 penalty on attack rolls, weapon damage retreated from the physical world, and although insane cultists
rolls, and saving throws. This effect cannot be resisted with a periodically attempt to call the Blood Queen back, she never
saving throw. stays for long. Her interests lie beyond this dimension. The
Moderate abjuration; CL 9th; Craft Aboleth Glyph, magic aboleths themselves understand this, and they know that the
circle against law; Price 30,000 gp. Blood Queen didn’t spawn them out of scientific curiosity or a

Glyph of Slave’s Glory: All creatures within 30 feet of this need for companionship. At best, the foundation of their race
glyph and currently under the effect of an aboleth’s enslave was a cosmic accident that came about merely as a by-product

ability are filled with feelings of pride for and loyalty to their of the interaction between the Blood Queen’s body and the
aboleth masters. The creatures gain a +2 morale bonus on material world. Yet this concept does not trouble the aboleth;
Strength, Constitution, and Will saving throws. If a slave if anything, it has liberated them. If their progenitor is uncar-
attacks another aboleth while within the area of this glyph, ing and unfeeling to them, they are free to make their own

he takes 10d6 points of force damage (DC 16 Reflex save for progress through existence without fear of reprisal or desire

half) and immediately loses all benefits of the glyph until he to please. What the aboleth race has done and shall continue
leaves the area and reenters it. to do, it does for itself.
Moderate transmutation; CL 9th; Craft Aboleth Glyph, rage; Since their inception, aboleths have founded countless
Price 40,000 gp. empires in the watery reaches of the world. Their first empire

Glyph of the Slime Curse: Within 30 feet of this glyph, any remains their longest-lived and most expansive. Built when
saving throws against an aboleth’s slime special attack are made the world itself was a barren rock of boiling seas and choking
with a –4 penalty. A failed save indicates that transformation skies, this empire spanned the globe. With the world already
occurs in a single round. under their control, the aboleths turned their intellects to
Moderate transmutation; CL 9th; Craft Aboleth Glyph; Price other pursuits, primarily the creation of minions to perform
25,000 gp. the dreary, day-to-day tasks of keeping their empire running.
They experimented with countless forms of life, including
THE NIGHTMARE constructs, oozes, elementals, vermin, and eventually more
complex creatures like animals, magical beasts, and even
OUT OF TIME humanoids. The world of the primal empire was a place of
Aboleths are characterized by their ancient nature. They eternal night, truly vast oceanic gulfs, and twisted mon-
remember the rise and fall of countless nations, the foundation strosities fashioned by the aboleths in their own image. For
of the first religions, the formation of mountain ranges, and timeless ages, this primal empire prospered—until disaster

the creation of the seas themselves. They have had more time struck.
to build their empires than any other race; these empires rise What precisely destroyed the primal empire is known
and fall on a geologic scale through the eons. They are primal only to the aboleths, and they do not speak of it, even among
forces, unknowable to anything but their own kind. themselves. Sages of other races have posited theories. Perhaps
There can be no accounting of the history of the aboleth their slave races managed to rebel against them. Perhaps some
race. The creatures have existed for millions of years, and any great natural disaster struck. Perhaps the aboleths turned

chronicle of their history with even a small level of detail on themselves in a fit of self-destruction. Perhaps the Blood
would require a tome thousands of pages in length. Still, Queen or another of the Elder Evils returned and wreaked
despite its age, the aboleth race follows certain inexorable unimaginable devastation.

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