Lawful Evil Large Monster (aquatic, psionic) (25-ft long with 10-ft long tentacles)
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
SURPRISE: 33%
SENSES infravision
AURA: mucus cloud (underwater)
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVE: 3" — swim 18"
HIT DICE: 8 (hp 36)
% IN LAIR: 20%
TREASURE TYPE: F
THAC0: 12
MELEE: 2 tentacles (1d6 each plus slime and grab), 1 tentacle (1d6 plus slime and grab; iterative), 1 tentacle (1d6 plus slime and grab iterative)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: enslave, grab, illusion, mucus cloud, iterative attacks (+2), psionics, slime - Hits As: +2
SPECIAL DEFENSES: none
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)
MORALE: +40%
SAVES: Poison 10, Petrify 11, Wand 9, Breath 12, Spell 10
LANGUAGES: telepathy (120-ft)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 250 - Attack/Defense: C, D, E/G, I, J
LEVEL: VII (XP 1,275 + 10 per hp)
An aboleth has a slime covered fish-like body with a large fluke-like tail which propels it through the water. It is a blue-green mottled gray in color with a pinkish tan belly. It has blue-black slime-producing organs on either side. Set in its head are 3 long, slit-like, purple-red eyes, one above the other. Over the eyes are protective ridges. Four 10-foot long tentacles grow from the top if its head, and its toothless mouth is located on the underside.
The aboleth is an amphibious creature that dwells in underground lakes and caverns. Intelligent, it hates most land-going life and seeks methods to enslave or destroy the beings of the surface world. The race is extremely long-lived and has collected a great deal of knowledge more ancient than man. It is perhaps better that men do not know these ancient secrets, for these are rumored to be more horrible and foul than could be thought possible. On land, an aboleth pulls its obscene mass about with its 4 tentacles.
In combat the aboleth attacks with its 4 tentacles for 1-6 points of damage each. Any creature struck by its tentacles must save vs. spells or the creature's skin will change into a clear, slimy membrane in 2-5 rounds. This change can be stopped if a cure disease spell is cast on the victim. Once the change is complete, the membrane must be kept damp with cool water or the victim will take 1-12 points of damage each turn because of intense pain. A cure serious wounds spell will change the membrane back to normal skin.
The aboleth is highly intelligent and can create very realistic illusions with audible and visual components if it concentrates and does nothing else.
It can also try to enslave other creatures 3 times per day. This ability can be used only against a single creature up to 30 feet away. The victim must save vs. spells or be filled with desire to serve the aboleth. Enslaved creatures will not fight for the aboleth but will attempt to follow any other telepathic commands. If an enslaved character is separated from the aboleth by more than a mile, a new saving throw may be made each day. This charm can be broken by remove curse or dispel magic spells or the death of the enslaving aboleth.
In water, an aboleth will secrete a cloud of mucus a distance of 1 foot all around its body. Any creature drawn into the mucus must save vs. Poison or it will inhale the stuff and be unable to breathe air, suffocating in 2-12 rounds if it tries to breathe. However, the aboleth uses its mucus to give its slaves the power to breathe water. Thus, its slaves will have the ability to breathe water, as a potion of water breathing, for 1-3 hours. The mucus may be dissolved by soap or wine.
There are reports of huge underwater cities built by the aboleths and those they enslaved. But these reports, along with the stories of the vast stores of knowledge, have never been proven.