THE DEEP MASTERS
CHAPTER 2
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foul deity is viewed as heresy at best and treachery at worst by their respective races, Ghaunadaur-worshiping drow and aboleths frequently join forces to create cities that are difficult to assault by land or by sea. Illithids: Aboleths make alliances with illithids more often than with any other lesser race, for two reasons. First, the aboleths and the illithids have similar mindsets; they’re coldly logical, emotionless, and constantly hungry for knowledge. In addition, the illithids view all other races as little more than fodder or slaves, a viewpoint the aboleths naturally identify with. Second, the inscrutable mind flayers are the race that aboleths come the closest to fearing. The aboleths do not remember the genesis of the illithid race, not even in their racial memories. As far as the aboleths know, the illithids simply appeared from nowhere, and that makes the aboleths uncomfortable. The origin and capabilities of the mind flayers are unknown. Of course, the reason for this is simple: Mind flayers came to the world from the distant future. In a way, the aboleths and the illithids are like cosmic bookends: two similar races with similar goals, one from the ancient past and one from the doomed future. Ixitxachitl: Ixitxachitl (Monster Manual II page 128) are a common ally among the oceanic aboleths, serving them as elite warriors in a similar manner to the way the kuo-toas serve the underground-dwelling aboleths. Certain pockets of aberrant ixitxachitl known as ixzan are said to lurk in the deepest underground seas; the aboleths there welcome these creatures into their cities as well. Kopru: The aboleths feel strong ties of kinship to the kopru (Monster Manual II page 134), a fellow aquatic race with the power of mental domination and a history of a vast civilization fallen into ruin. Yet where the aboleths have recovered the glory of their past empires many times over the eons, the kopru have yet to rebuild their cities. Krakens: The aboleths pay these mighty and fierce lords of the deep a measure of respect similar to that given to the Elder Evils themselves. Willful enough that they are difficult to enslave and powerful enough to crush an aboleth to pulp in seconds, krakens are afforded a wide berth. An aboleth city might try to woo a kraken with offers of alliance—perhaps a trade of slaves and treasure in return for defense and allegiance—but they rarely attempt to coerce the mighty beasts. A kraken escaped from enslavement is a force few aboleths wish to encounter. Kuo-toas: The kuo-toas are an obvious choice as allies for the aboleths for many reasons. First, they are individually much weaker than the aboleths and can be bullied into servitude. Second, they are amphibious and can carry out their masters’ plans on the surface. The aboleths keep the kuo-toas docile with their enslavement powers, but favored kuo-toa leaders are allowed to keep their own minds as a reward for good service. Since most of the other kuo-toas remain enslaved, the aboleths have no fear that the few free-willed kuo-toas can engender rebellion.
ABOLETH LAIRS Aboleth cities are located primarily in deep underground seas and buried waterways miles below the surface of the world, but not all aboleths dwell in these infamous sunken cities. A relatively large number can be found closer to the surface. Aboleths that live near the surface fall into one of three categories. Some are slavers that live in regions heavily traveled by members of useful slave races (such as humanoids or giants); these aboleths dwell in small lakes or rivers near underground trade routes. Once a slaver aboleth has collected its quota of slaves (usually a dozen), it returns with them to its home city before coming back to gather more. Aboleths can also be found near the surface. These individuals have been forced to flee the deeper cities due to their religious or philosophical beliefs. They seek out others of their kind with like-minded desires and form small communities of their own. The most commonly encountered aboleths near the surface are nomadic members of their race. These aboleths have become disillusioned with life in their sunken city, curious about the surface world, or perhaps just too egotistical to remain a small part of a larger whole. These aboleths fancy themselves leaders and deities, and they travel to the surface to establish cults of enslaved humanoids to worship and tend to their needs. They retain the standard aboleth disdain for divinity but lack the desire to add to the legacy of the race. Aboleths are immortal, after all; perhaps these nomads simply figure that the goals of their home city won’t be realized for several thousand years and decide to take a few centuries off to relax near the surface. Whatever their reason for relocating closer to the surface world, aboleths craft lairs similar to those of their deeperdwelling kin. An aboleth lair almost always features an underground waterway that eventually connects to a vast underground sea that is home to an aboleth city. Aboleths that live in lakes or rivers not connected in this manner always have a magical method of travel, such as teleportation or shadow walking, that they use to travel to and from the deep sunless seas. Aboleths prefer to lair in natural caverns, although they sometimes seek out partially flooded ruins as well. An aboleth’s personal lair is completely underwater, with perhaps a small beach or ledge overlooking a portion of the water’s surface. The route that connects the primary lair to the surface or to more commonly traveled underground trade routes is a maze of chambers and rooms, flooded and populated with a host of enslaved minions. These minions must visit the aboleth at least once a day to have their enslavements rekindled, but only the creature’s favorite slaves are kept nearby and transformed by its mucus cloud. Unless some of the minions are particularly adept at crafting traps, aboleth lairs are free of such hazards. The primary exceptions, of course, are the illusions it uses to protect its personal lair.
