Things from Beyond the Stars

avin · Nov 6, 2012

I salute Wotc removing Far Realms ties from aberrations. Like [MENTION=59411]Pour[/MENTION] said, D&D never did a good job in that, giving us teen/gore versions of HPL.

And that leaves empty space for DMs to fill up.

By the way, "often involving the strange magic of psionics"?

I'm A Banana · Nov 6, 2012

pemerton said:
I'm assuming the word, rather than the phenomenon?

Nah, the phenomenon (as it relates to mind flayer reproduction) is a little lame. I get the body horror they were going for, but it makes the illithids depend on slaves and outsiders to survive. Makes sure that mind flayers would never go on a war of extermination -- it'd kill their own babies!

But, like I said, minor nit.

pemerton · Nov 6, 2012

tomBitonti said:
Just a minor nit: What does "virtually incomprehensible" mean?

Very very hard to comprehend?

Grimmjow · Nov 6, 2012

pemerton said:
The title of the article is a little misleading in that respect! I mean, what is the Far Realm other than the place beyond the stars.

beyond the stars isn't a reference to the far realm its a reference to alien life. I think the title makes perfect sense.

so did anyone else notice the typo?

tomBitonti · Nov 6, 2012

pemerton said:
Very very hard to comprehend?

Virtually has a meaning of "in effect though not in fact; practically; nearly". Does the author really mean "Aberrations are practically incomprehensible, but not actually incomprehensible"?

The usage seems to be rather strange (to my ear).

Thx!

TomB

pemerton · Nov 6, 2012

tomBitonti said:
Virtually has a meaning of "in effect though not in fact; practically; nearly". Does the author really mean "Aberrations are practically incomprehensible, but not actually incomprehensible"?

I think they are using "virtually" as a synonym for "nearly", and hence, by an assumption of transitivity of synonymy, for "almost", with the result that "virtually incomprehensible" means "almost incomprehensible".

I agree that it's not the most elegant usage of all time. But I suspect not that uncommon. I think the use of "virtually" for "almost" has become quite usual.

pemerton · Nov 6, 2012

Grimmjow said:
beyond the stars isn't a reference to the far realm its a reference to alien life.

[MENTION=509]Viking Bastard[/MENTION] understood me upthread - the Far Realm is the name for what is beyond the stars, the source of alien life in D&D. This is most obvious in 4e, where the stars are in the Astral Sea, but it is in REH and HPL too - the home of these monstrosities, with its mindblasting defiance of human comprehension (ie that place that D&D has labelled The Far Realm), is beyond the stars.

But judging from the number of times my barb misfired, plus the comment upthread about aberrations evolving in response to environmental pressures, I'm guessing that I'm somewhat unusual in not conceiving of my D&D world as being inside a real world universe governed by real world cosmological laws.

tomBitonti · Nov 6, 2012

pemerton said:
I think they are using "virtually" as a synonym for "nearly", and hence, by an assumption of transitivity of synonymy, for "almost", with the result that "virtually incomprehensible" means "almost incomprehensible".

I agree that it's not the most elegant usage of all time. But I suspect not that uncommon. I think the use of "virtually" for "almost" has become quite usual.

I would myself have aberrations be incomprehensible with a touch of possible comprehension. "Virtually" muddies the writing: Almost incomprensible implies slight comprehensibility, which doesn't seem right. To me an aberration might make a subtle chattering on the edge of comprehension. Or, be voiced as a drowning susurrus hinting at vast cosmic knowledge. Compelling, but forever out of reach. If approached to closely, causing insanity, or worse.

Thx!

TomB

Zaukrie · Nov 6, 2012

My aberrations warp space and time, because they are not part of the natural world. Some, like gibbering mouthers also affect the mind. I love the far realm, but really, that is just a name for....place not a part of the multiverse as we can understand it.

But, they are somewhat comprehensible because you can interact with them in battle, and some appear to have motivations we can understand, if our assumptions are correct.