Abyss versus Far Realm

[Nahat Anoj]

I'll be interested in seeing how they differentiate the Far Realm and Abyss as well.

The main difference I can see is that the Far Realm houses many Lovecraftian beings and seems inimical to reality as we know it, but as a rule it doesn't seem "evil." It's just a strange place whose laws of physics run counter to our own. Or, alternatively, it operates on vastly different laws and what we see as evil isn't necessarily evil in the Far Realm.

Now, some inhabitants of the Far Realm (aboleths and mind flayers) wish to do ill and harm. But I can see the possibility of abberations who are "good" or at least not actively wishing to do harm. They just have an essentially different perspective on things.

The Abyss is actively evil and seeks the destruction of the universe. So in theory, demons would seek the destruction of the Far Realm in addition to all other things. So it's all about utter nihilism and ceaseless hate.

 

[Incenjucar]

I just hope the flumphs are from the Far Realms. That would make it okay.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I'll be interested in seeing how they differentiate the Far Realm and Abyss as well.

The main difference I can see is that the Far Realm houses many Lovecraftian beings and seems inimical to reality as we know it, but as a rule it doesn't seem "evil." It's just a strange place whose laws of physics run counter to our own. Or, alternatively, it operates on vastly different laws and what we see as evil isn't necessarily evil in the Far Realm.

Now, some inhabitants of the Far Realm (aboleths and mind flayers) wish to do ill and harm. But I can see the possibility of abberations who are "good" or at least not actively wishing to do harm. They just have an essentially different perspective on things.

The Abyss is actively evil and seeks the destruction of the universe. So in theory, demons would seek the destruction of the Far Realm in addition to all other things. So it's all about utter nihilism and ceaseless hate.

I certainly don't see any reason as you said there can't be "good" aberrations, hell there are good beings in Lovecraft anyways, so if the Far Realm will be heavily influenced by Lovecraft there could be good ones, like the Elder Gods and the Great Race of Yith.

Neither are necessarily "good" but they aren't evil and occasionally benefit us, and help us. The Elder Gods in that they sometimes sympathize and have similar goals as us humans and the Yith who give some of us great knowledge from their libraries in exchange for body-swapping/trading of knowledge.

 

[Nifft]

I just hope the flumphs are from the Far Realms. That would make it okay.

"Our lawful goodness is INSANE!"

Crazy Flumphy, -- N

 

[Cadfan]

I've always envisioned the Far Realms as a sort of other universe. As in, they've got their own version of the Prime Material Plane, and whatever. Its just different and wrong. And you can't put it on a map necessarily, because its, well, really far away. Not just in a distance sense, but in a metaphysical "its the set of planes of reality that you basically can't get to unless things are really FUBAR" sense.

And the places where things from the Far Realms bleed into normal reality, by their nature, are sort of Far Realms Lite. Aboleths and such. Because you can't describe the actual Far Realms, because by definition its unknowable by a sane person. You can just provide a taste, and suggest that there's much, much worse out there.

 

[Hussar]

I think there is a pretty big difference between the Far Realms and the Abyss.

It's not demons vs devils, it's demons vs Aboleth, or Chaos Beasts or Beholders.

Never mind the tentacular stuff that Paizo added in Dragon.

Lots of teeth, claws and muscles and wants to rip you into bitty pieces - demon

Lots of tentacles and whatnots and wants to violate you? - Far Realms beastie.

Different strokes.

Honestly, you could do some overlap of course. Shadows of Innsmouth could be done with demons or Far Realms critters. It's more the difference between different brands of horror. Do you want to go Friday the 13th or Ring? I could see Sadako as a Far Realms creation easily.

As someone so rightly put it, the difference is the Tarrasque vs Cthulu.

Or, another way is to think of it this way. Demons are incredibly destructive because they actively seek to destroy. The Far Realms are just so inherently hostile that they destroy by their very presence.

 

[Lurks-no-More]

Same problem with the obyrith demons. The fluff text says that their forms are inconceivable for us mortals, yet all the pictures of the obyriths were drawn by mortals and I as a mortal can see and comprehend them. So the statement in the fluff text is wrong, it has to be wrong.

There is absolutely no way that mortal game designers can describe something that mortals can't comprehend, because if they can describe it, then it's not something that mortals can't understand

I agree with you about the near-impossibility of meaningfully using utterly incomprehensible or indescribable things in gaming or fiction; even Lovecraft had to draw upon real-world elements for his description of Cthulhu or the shoggoths or whatnot. (The most indescribable thing in his stories, I think, is the Color Out of Space; and it's probably not coincidence that it's one of the most terrifying elements.)

However, the obyriths did work pretty well for me at least; I always thought the mind-warping effect wasn't based on merely their bizarre appearance, but that they were surrounded some kind of a psychic static which infested your mind.

 

[Li Shenron]

If there's room for both, what ought the difference between them to be?

The natives of the Far Realms are mortal beings. Although they are utterly alien and weird, they are born, live and die like natives of the material plane. In fact, besides the name, the Far Realms is pretty much a material plane, with lots of twists.

The natives of the Abyss are immortal beings. They are not alive in the same sense as the mortals.

Of course, a lot of the nature of the afterlife has been screwed up by really bad moves such as adding enclaves of mortals living there with unknown permission.

 

[Samuel Leming]

Lots of tentacles and whatnots and wants to violate you? - Far Realms beastie.

More like Anime Realms...

I've had the misfortune of having a DM ruin a game by including an encounter with an 'amorous' roper. Ugh!

When I run 4e, the Far Realms will be a 'whatnot' free zone...

Sam

 

[Samuel Leming]

Sure there's room for both the Abyss and the Far Realms.

My opinion is that the thematic overlap isn't really that great. Can anyone picture the Flumph originating from the Abyss? Doesn't work does it. Now picture them coming from the Far Realms.

Sam