Mind Flayer vs Aboleth conflict influences Giths vs 'Thids dynamic

[Dunamin]

The notes from Worlds and Monsters on new Mind Flayer vs Aboleth conflict in 4E just gave me some food for thought, in light of an awesome githyanki game I’m currently playing in.

Githyankis, githzerais, and illithids have always been the three planar races with kill-on-sight relations. The illithids enslaved the former two when they were a single specie in ancient past, the slaves rose up and toppled the planar empire, then split over fundamental philosophical differences, took new homeworlds and became two races, and yadda yadda yadda…

‘Yankis hate illithids first, ‘zerais second, and everybody else third.
‘Zerais hate illithids first, ‘yankis second, and usually are indifferent to everybody else.
Illithids hate both gith races first, and everybody else second.
“Hate” is actually a very understated word in this context, completely dwarfing elf-orc, orc-goblin, dwarf-giant and gnome-kobold hatreds, but I digress…

With the new Illithid - Aboleth conflict of whether to enslave or devastate the world, new tools come into play with the more pronounced Giths vs Illithids war. Namely, possible “the foe of my foe is my friend” relations. Imagine what crazy temporary alliances can form between gith races and aberrations, in order to bring down a common enemy.

Actually, in a way, the new elf races dynamic seems somewhat inspired by the old gith three-way war (even though elves and eladrin only war with drow, not each other... though the potential is there).

 

[Kobold Avenger]

With the new Illithid - Aboleth conflict of whether to enslave or devastate the world, new tools come into play with the more pronounced Giths vs Illithids war. Namely, possible “the foe of my foe is my friend” relations. Imagine what crazy temporary alliances can form between gith races and aberrations, in order to bring down a common enemy.

Back in 2e when the Psurlons went from being only in Dark Sun to being in one of the Planescape Monster Manuals, there was mention of the Psurlons (who also live in the Astral Plane) seeking an alliance with the Mind Flayers to wipe out the Githyanki.

 

[Raloc]

That sounds like it could potentially be really cool. Only problem I see is that it seems like aboleth (I've never used them myself, and I like using the wackier monsters... (save the duckbunny))would be difficult to run well.

 

[BarkingDeathSquirrel]

With the new Illithid - Aboleth conflict of whether to enslave or devastate the world

Hmm... that reminds me of the Ur-Quan Kzer-Za vs. Kohr-Ah conflict in Star Control 2. Or the Drengin vs. Korath conflict in Galactic Civilizations 2: Dark Avatar...

Except in both those cases, the "races" in question were just two ideologically different factions within the same species. Still, it is always an interesting conflict when two incredibly powerful factions can't decide what to do with their victims and go to war with each other over it.

 

[Richards]

Only problem I see is that it seems like aboleth (I've never used them myself, and I like using the wackier monsters... (save the duckbunny)) would be difficult to run well.

Poor little duckbunny.

Johnathan

 

[the Jester]

That sounds like it could potentially be really cool. Only problem I see is that it seems like aboleth (I've never used them myself, and I like using the wackier monsters... (save the duckbunny))would be difficult to run well.

Are you kidding? It's never hard to run a monster that TURNS YOUR FRICKIN' SKIN TO MUCUS!!!!!!

 

[Greenfaun]

Are you kidding? It's never hard to run a monster that TURNS YOUR FRICKIN' SKIN TO MUCUS!!!!!!

In his defense, my response to Aboleths in the MM was basically "WTF, that's stupid." It wasn't until I got Lords of Madness that I began to see the potential. So he's not alone.

As for the giths, does W&M say where the two subraces live now? Is one in the Astral Sea and one in the Elemental Chaos? That seems like it might be important.

As for allying with other evil critters for their overarching goals, that seems very in line with Githyanki behavior. The 'zerai might just train in their monasteries until they're all epic level Psionicists and they can do whatever they want.

 

[kennew142]

IMC (upcoming 4e) aboleths are servants of something dwelling at the bottom of the Sea of Endymion called the Whisperer Beneath the Waves (Sussureth). The latter may even be an ancient aboleth itself. It is the cultists who follow the whisperer who are the threat for the heroic level PCs. At paragon level they may be facing aboleth in the darkening depths. At epic level, they may be able to defeat Sussureth itself.

These are just ideas at this point. The actual storyline may go in another direction completely. But the potential is there.

 

[Raloc]

In his defense, my response to Aboleths in the MM was basically "WTF, that's stupid." It wasn't until I got Lords of Madness that I began to see the potential. So he's not alone.

As for the giths, does W&M say where the two subraces live now? Is one in the Astral Sea and one in the Elemental Chaos? That seems like it might be important.

As for allying with other evil critters for their overarching goals, that seems very in line with Githyanki behavior. The 'zerai might just train in their monasteries until they're all epic level Psionicists and they can do whatever they want.

Mostly it was just a matter of not having read the entry, I think. They actually sound like a pretty nasty monster to run against players (some really mean powers for a CR 7 creature). Probably I never ran one simply because they're based in underwater rivers and lakes, and much of my campaigns don't delve underground far enough for that to be plausible.

Most probably I had read the entry or seen the picture and semi-ruled them out because they're aquatic (mostly). However, now that I've read through a bit, it seems like they have some definite potential, so thanks!

 

[Fallen Seraph]

In my planned 4e Campaign, the Far Realm thanks the workings of magic-users (essentially poking holes in the planar-barriers) has flooded into our world.

In most places, the people have fought most Aberrations to a stand-still, there are even the occasional treaty with a illithid. Though generally it is a constant Cold War (with Tieflings stuck in the middle; Tieflings are people warped by the Far Realm but still sentient).

However, this is not so true on a particular Island Kingdom (based off Great Britain), where the Aboleths have become rulers over the land and its people. Waiting and biding their time till they can strike outward. They do not allow other Aberrations into their land so rule and destroy as they wish.

The Aboleths can sometimes can even be seen in the cities. They appear in large blackened tanks (similar in-concept to Navigator tanks from Dune), draped with cloth to hide the Aboleth inside. It is carried along by Psionic-energy surrounded by dominated/loyal soldiers, and officials. Those who do not seek shelter fast enough my collapse under the Psionic waves and be trampled by the oncoming party.