Ry
Explorer
I was thinking about what an OGC Ecology of the Aboleth would look like. The content of this post below "The Aboleth Expanded" and above the OGL is 100% OGC.
The Aboleth Expanded
Aboleths are Huge fishlike amphibians. They alter and dominate their victims, and they frequently appear with Skum.
Skum can be encountered in separate packs in the "wild." Aboleths, however are clearly the masterminds, and the Skum are their thralls. While some Skum get away from their masters and "go wild", skum as a race independent of the aboleths are largely inconsequential. Whether Skum were originally their own amphibious race or were created by the aboleths is debatable, but again, inconsequential.
As fishlike amphibians, Aboleths give birth to a bunch of Small-sized tadpoles. These proto-aboleths display surprising resilience and appear to have the ability to engage in parasitic relationships with other aquatic humanoids.
As we know, Aboleths can dominate their captives, but only for short periods. Even a young Commoner will eventually make a DC 17 Will save, and an aboleth cannot assume that their operatives will be able to return to their watery lair every 24 hours. As aboleths are the masterminds behind other terrible plots, they sometimes need longer-term operatives within the lands of their enemies.
Through a disgusting process that requires a three-day ritual, Aboleths can make a permanent imprint on the psyche of a properly prepared victim. The victim must have at least an Intelligence score of 12, a Fortitude save of +3 or higher, and a Will save no higher than +8. The victim, who is already dominated and afflicted by the aboleth's mucus attack, is taken up inside the aboleth's body, which provides all necessary circulatory functions for the victim for the entire period of the transformation. Three days later, the victim, whose psyche is now completely destroyed, is "birthed" from the aboleth. If the dominate effect is dispelled the victim is affected as if under the effect of a permanent feeblemind spell with a caster level 4 higher than the original aboleth.
If the aboleth is killed during this period the victim is ejected at the aboleth's death, but acts as if they were still dominated. They fight with all their resources to destroy the aboleth's killers, and will desperately seek to ressurect the aboleth through any means. This effect wears off after 24 hours, plus 8 hours per day inside the aboleth.
Dopplegangers are aboleths favored victims for this process, and aboleths will join forces with each other or other aberrations if an opportunity to capture a doppleganger community presents itself.
[sblock=OGL]OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.
Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich baker, Andy Collins, David noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
System Reference Document v3.5 HTML compilation Copyright 2004, Sovelior Meliamne & Jason Olaf Jensen.
The Aboleth Expanded copyright 2007 Ryan Stoughton[/sblock]
The Aboleth Expanded
Aboleths are Huge fishlike amphibians. They alter and dominate their victims, and they frequently appear with Skum.
Skum can be encountered in separate packs in the "wild." Aboleths, however are clearly the masterminds, and the Skum are their thralls. While some Skum get away from their masters and "go wild", skum as a race independent of the aboleths are largely inconsequential. Whether Skum were originally their own amphibious race or were created by the aboleths is debatable, but again, inconsequential.
As fishlike amphibians, Aboleths give birth to a bunch of Small-sized tadpoles. These proto-aboleths display surprising resilience and appear to have the ability to engage in parasitic relationships with other aquatic humanoids.
As we know, Aboleths can dominate their captives, but only for short periods. Even a young Commoner will eventually make a DC 17 Will save, and an aboleth cannot assume that their operatives will be able to return to their watery lair every 24 hours. As aboleths are the masterminds behind other terrible plots, they sometimes need longer-term operatives within the lands of their enemies.
Through a disgusting process that requires a three-day ritual, Aboleths can make a permanent imprint on the psyche of a properly prepared victim. The victim must have at least an Intelligence score of 12, a Fortitude save of +3 or higher, and a Will save no higher than +8. The victim, who is already dominated and afflicted by the aboleth's mucus attack, is taken up inside the aboleth's body, which provides all necessary circulatory functions for the victim for the entire period of the transformation. Three days later, the victim, whose psyche is now completely destroyed, is "birthed" from the aboleth. If the dominate effect is dispelled the victim is affected as if under the effect of a permanent feeblemind spell with a caster level 4 higher than the original aboleth.
If the aboleth is killed during this period the victim is ejected at the aboleth's death, but acts as if they were still dominated. They fight with all their resources to destroy the aboleth's killers, and will desperately seek to ressurect the aboleth through any means. This effect wears off after 24 hours, plus 8 hours per day inside the aboleth.
Dopplegangers are aboleths favored victims for this process, and aboleths will join forces with each other or other aberrations if an opportunity to capture a doppleganger community presents itself.
[sblock=OGL]OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.
Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich baker, Andy Collins, David noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
System Reference Document v3.5 HTML compilation Copyright 2004, Sovelior Meliamne & Jason Olaf Jensen.
The Aboleth Expanded copyright 2007 Ryan Stoughton[/sblock]
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