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Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Aboleth

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  • čas přidán 10. 07. 2019
  • The Aboleth, masters of the Deep Underdark and true transdimensional threat to the Multiverse.
    Nates 5th edition spells as Psionic Powers: nerdarchy.com/...
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Komentáře • 458

  • @volstadgermaine2510
    @volstadgermaine2510 Před 5 lety +241

    Ahhh. The greatest Monster in D&D. I am so glad you regognise the puny nature of the 5e Monster Manual version. It hurt my heart so. The great Aboleth Empire shall rise again! Hahahahahaha!

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 5 lety +43

      *BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA*

    • @darthchocolate7911
      @darthchocolate7911 Před 5 lety +11

      @ Volstad-Germaine-Death to the Aboleths. They're all psionic fish punks!

    • @volstadgermaine2510
      @volstadgermaine2510 Před 5 lety +10

      @@darthchocolate7911 Bring it homonid!

    • @Thkaal
      @Thkaal Před 5 lety +12

      It's just a fish with tentacles...always has been, always will be.

    • @draxthemsklonst
      @draxthemsklonst Před 5 lety +13

      @@Thkaal
      Convergent evolution. It's not really a fish.

  • @ethanotoroculus1060
    @ethanotoroculus1060 Před 4 lety +179

    _"Before there was time, before there was anything... There was nothing. And before there was nothing... There were monsters."_

    • @rejvaik00
      @rejvaik00 Před 3 lety +11

      "I stole that dialogue" - Rune smith

    • @ethanotoroculus1060
      @ethanotoroculus1060 Před 3 lety +2

      @@rejvaik00 I made this comment before he uploaded that actually if I remember right?

    • @midnightmoon3084
      @midnightmoon3084 Před 2 lety +6

      The time might be over but the adventure never ends.

    • @derekphelps138
      @derekphelps138 Před 2 lety +4

      That is a bad-ass quote from Adventure Time (which was obviously deeply influenced by D&D) which is one of my all time fav shows

    • @ethanotoroculus1060
      @ethanotoroculus1060 Před 2 lety +7

      @@derekphelps138 Absolutely. The Lich is just one of those series antagonists that just _cannot_ be forgotten.

  • @Im-Not-a-Dog
    @Im-Not-a-Dog Před 5 lety +25

    Aboleth: Senses party of adventurers entering its lair.
    Lower ranking Aboleth: Should we attack them?”
    Aboleth: Looks 10 minutes into the future and laughs. “Naw, they don’t make it past the first set of traps...”

  • @purplehaze2358
    @purplehaze2358 Před 5 lety +18

    *When you’re 90% sure aboleths are the most lovecraft thing to ever lovecraft, but only 10% sure that this is a reupload.*

    • @spm3591
      @spm3591 Před 5 lety

      I was thinking the same thing

  • @johntheherbalistg8756
    @johntheherbalistg8756 Před rokem +24

    I just love the whole idea of telling the PCs, through an aboleth, something like "your gods are nothing but stories, told by beings you couldn't begin to imagine"
    I am an eldritch overgod: confirmed

  • @Im-Not-a-Dog
    @Im-Not-a-Dog Před 5 lety +12

    I like the idea of Aboleth being the stock that the Gods bred the Kraken from. As though a god saw an Aboleth and said “Well that’s fucking scary...we should weaponize that.”

  • @HumbleMemeFarmer
    @HumbleMemeFarmer Před 5 lety +11

    >be me, manlet paladin of Moradin
    >craft crappy hammers and pray to god every week, but dream every night of big-tiddy goth GF to call my own
    >Stupid inquisition find out, slap me and send me on spirit quest to "correct my allignment"
    >FFS
    >Out exploring dank af cave or whatever, feel a coldness wash over me
    >"Hippity Hoppity, you are now my property!"
    >Fucking Abboleth
    >slaps skin off me, turns me into frog-manlet. Hurts to move, and can only breathe underwater.
    >Still got big-tiddy frog GF despite short and grossness
    >thanks creepy squid fish
    >fuck you, Moradin

  • @rhapsody5645
    @rhapsody5645 Před 4 lety +39

    My mind was blown a long time ago by "More than one multiverse."

    • @johntheherbalistg8756
      @johntheherbalistg8756 Před 3 lety +4

      Multiple multiversi

    • @razzelmire2008
      @razzelmire2008 Před 3 lety +4

      It’s how WotC explains how MtG worlds and Eberron have their own cosmology yet also are now part of the D&D Multiverse. Each Crystal Sphere and it’s universe/world will either share some, all, or none of the core D&D Great Wheel planar structure and have its own multiverse. So far, Sigil the City of Doors and the Infinite Staircase, as well as the deep Shadow Plane, are the only “bridges” to these other multiverses. Maybe even Yggdrasil’s branches too, but only to worlds where a Norse deity is worshipped in some form.

  • @wisesavvy3065
    @wisesavvy3065 Před 5 lety +10

    Never touched anything remotely related to dnd but I religiously watch every video.

    • @GregtheGrey6969
      @GregtheGrey6969 Před 5 lety +1

      Interesting... Wonder why?

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 5 lety

      I appreciate it 😊

    • @wisesavvy3065
      @wisesavvy3065 Před 5 lety

      loki Griffith i played diablo 3. In Texas there isn’t really anyone I know to play it with.

  • @JoseMolina-ij3xx
    @JoseMolina-ij3xx Před 4 lety +17

    I remember there is a serious rivalry between the Aboleth, Beholders and the Illithid and this rivalry mimics the minions of the Star Spawn of Chtulhu, The Polyps The Elder Things and The Ancient race of Yith in the Lovecraftian mythos.

  • @dirtywhitellama
    @dirtywhitellama Před rokem +15

    I have a player who told me her character would sell her soul for knowledge. She has a sailor background, and we're going in space (spelljammer). I think an astral aboleth in a subconscious reverie would be a great patron for her upcoming levels of warlock.....

  • @suruxstrawde8322
    @suruxstrawde8322 Před 7 měsíci +15

    I just like the fact mind flayers are afraid of them.

  • @DkKombo
    @DkKombo Před 5 lety +15

    You forgot the fact that the slaves are made to have endless dreams of their ultimate fantasy, which is why you see these things are never in pain.
    It can even be argued at some points they are just misunderstood if they weren't so pessimistic in their own views on the fleeting creatures.
    I can see one being empathetic to a small creature and raising it as a pet.
    I mean really, how cruel are we to animals to never let them have the free will to do what they want?
    "Oh they'll have a better life this way!"
    Interesting choices for players, I can even see an aboleth merely contesting this idea with good aligned characters, or using this on a grander scale to convince entire civilizations to be subservient to or not bother them.

  • @Huggamugger1
    @Huggamugger1 Před 5 lety +8

    Whimsy is my favorite Aboleth. 8) "He's precious!" -- See Puffin Forest

    • @joewhite6844
      @joewhite6844 Před 5 lety +3

      The one with duel persona?

    • @Huggamugger1
      @Huggamugger1 Před 5 lety +2

      @@joewhite6844 Yes! Every time I watch Whimsy's story, which must be around 30 times, I LMAO!

  • @robertwilson2516
    @robertwilson2516 Před 5 lety +7

    Nothing brings people together better than an evil psychic Squid/Catfish trying to take over the world.

  • @wayfarerzen3393
    @wayfarerzen3393 Před 4 měsíci +6

    I think Baldur's Gate 3 might have taken their main plot point from this video lmao, that brain parasite thing is a sick idea.

  • @shamusfarmer
    @shamusfarmer Před 5 lety +5

    That psychic drug stuff was FASCINATING. Could you please, maybe, someday do a video on all the different drugs in DnD? Like lower plane drugs, feywild drugs, underdark drugs, stuff like that?

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 5 lety +3

      Hey Shamus. Hmmm it is a subject I do really enjoy.. the whole idea of magical potions is awesome.

    • @shamusfarmer
      @shamusfarmer Před 5 lety

      @@AJPickett Yeah, how do those work by the way..? Is it just a normal liquid infused with a heal spell (for example) or is it more of an alchemical thing? A video on various potions would be awesome too!

  • @psyberklown3434
    @psyberklown3434 Před 5 lety +8

    Aboleth so smart they know they are D&D monsters.

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 5 lety +6

      They know that some planes of existence are so weird, the barrier between them takes on the form of pure thought and myth... stories.

    • @StarboyXL9
      @StarboyXL9 Před 5 lety +1

      @@AJPickett So Aboleths would find our universe, with its structured order, clockwork systems, and slow ineluctable slide towards total and complete entropy alien and wierd?

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 5 lety +1

      @@StarboyXL9 I think they would love it here.

  • @antwan1357
    @antwan1357 Před 4 lety +20

    i would love to have an Aboleth that is aware that it is in a game... aware of previous versions of the game , and is even aware that Gary Gygax created the game it exists in. If the Aboleth is able to read the minds of the player characters it becomes aware of the players and the DM currently playing , or has enough awareness that when a certain character in its domain seems a little too powerful to define as for normal as to what should have happened that it could be dealing with players. Knowing players are mostly murder hobos , the Aboleth would seek to direct the Aboleth away from itself giving them something worthwhile to target very far away from itself. Potentially creating a scenario where an npc that will never ever meet you under any conditions pulls the strings to keep you occupied with it's enemies , or merely just to keep you as far away from itself as possible , and direct your destructive potential away from its influence area.

    • @JoseMolina-ij3xx
      @JoseMolina-ij3xx Před 4 lety +2

      The Aboleth knows that it is a creation of another author that supercedes Gary Gygax. That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die.

    • @krispalermo8133
      @krispalermo8133 Před 2 lety

      Aboleth traveled around the astral seas, came by Earth, looked through multiple realities, it inspire Lovecraft and dream plague/ inspire Gygax into creating D&D so nerds will dream up stories about them and feed them our collective physic energies.

  • @StarboyXL9
    @StarboyXL9 Před 5 lety +16

    Plot twist: Aboleths are just what we as players and DMs manifest as when not possessing characters to go on adventures for our own amusement: Horrifying, monstrous abominations that can induce madness by merely speaking or communicating with characters.
    But srsly tho these guys are just plot devices

  • @antwan1357
    @antwan1357 Před 5 lety +7

    Supposedly Aboleths created all sorcerers from experimenting on humans. The very first sorcerers where so powerful they was godlike. This was back when Aboleths where curious about magic , and humans , and experimenting on humans. Which they no longer do for obvious reasons.

    • @Gabranicus
      @Gabranicus Před 5 lety +1

      In my world, the 'disease' that turns you into an aboleth servitor or 'skum' is actually just the aboleth 'de-evolving' you back to your original state, since the aboleths of my world are responsible for accidentally creating all other life on the planet.

    • @antwan1357
      @antwan1357 Před 5 lety +1

      Gabranicus makes sense and sounds like the same lore. The Aboleths simply do it out of curiosity and disregard it once it becomes uninteresting.

    • @ShaneCopen
      @ShaneCopen Před 5 lety +1

      The aboleth under the Isle of Dread still use glyphs. Of course this means - all aboleths can use glyphs.

  • @DCdabest
    @DCdabest Před 4 lety +22

    Out of the 3; Aboleth are far worse in my mind than Beholders or Illithids.
    Illithids have almost human motivations and almost co-operative at times when it comes to overlapping goals with others (like killing aboleths lol). When they aren't trying to eat your brain, enslave you or take over the world you can do business with them.
    Beholders are scary individually but are hopelessly narcissistic and treacherous to each other.
    But Aboleth are so thoroughly alien and so thoroughly evil and inimical to every other form of life they demand to be destroyed without prejudice.

    • @GoGoOnGordon
      @GoGoOnGordon Před 3 lety +3

      As a Humanoid Creature I strongly disagree, Aboleth are Lawful Evil so they aren't going to really attack you without a reason. Aboleth don't go looking for trouble like the Illithids, you would have to cross their territory to get their attention. Not only that you have a better chance of making deals with the Aboleth than the other 2 so as long as you're not a Cleric or any type of person who worships the Gods since the Gods are their True Enemies. Aboleth are also a great source of knowledge since they have perfect memory... Aboleth are the most dangerous compare to the Beholders and the Illithids, but just because they are the most dangerous doesn't make them the biggest threat. Beholders will kill anything or anyone who isn't them individually, Illithids/Mind Flayers if you ain't them then prepare to get a tadpole put into your brain and lose yourself completely, or eaten as food, or worse watch your brain walk out on you literally.
      However being killed on sight and likely to die quick from 10 different rays is probably the best thing you can asked for compare to being a puppet for 7 days or less and go through a painfully transformation and no longer exist while a creature takes your body as its own, or dependent on water the rest of your life and hope that your master might find you essentially useful so he doesn't decide to eat you when he's hungry or punish you.

  • @thewerdna
    @thewerdna Před 5 lety +7

    Aboleths are indeed terrifying...
    ...unless they happen to be named Whimsy.

    • @tidetight
      @tidetight Před 5 lety +4

      Splish, splish, splish…"he's precious."

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 5 lety +3

      @Jujubear's Adventures Puffin Forest :)

  • @rayanderson5797
    @rayanderson5797 Před 4 lety +16

    Aboleths: They're old, they're evil, and they're smarter than you.

    • @DCdabest
      @DCdabest Před 4 lety

      Aboleths are a LE retirement home.

    • @GoGoOnGordon
      @GoGoOnGordon Před 3 lety

      You forgot to add 'extremely' in front of 'smarter than you part' lol!

  • @IndigoJulze
    @IndigoJulze Před 5 lety +10

    Now I want to run a Aboleth noble that has a cache of multiverse artefacts. Iron helmet from skyrim with preserved vocal cords next to it. Mjalnir armour from halo, Godzilla's scales, a com badge and red star trek uniform, a light saber with a pile of sand, a glinting metal skeleton with three claws extending from the knuckles. And on a pedestal at the center of the room, every D&D game book ever published complete with print outs of the player character's character sheets.

    • @matthewbennett1972
      @matthewbennett1972 Před 4 lety +4

      Indigo Julze lets get meta. And the caretaker could be Ambrose Bierce

    • @krispalermo8133
      @krispalermo8133 Před 2 lety

      WotC 3.5e system for both D&D and Star Wars, my game shop drop Vader and a few dozen storm troopers into Castle Ravenloft, we even had a Gith spelljammer fleet attack a star destroyer and faced of against the Emperor and Vader.

  • @TerrariaGolem
    @TerrariaGolem Před 5 lety +8

    Yaaas! Mindflayers be packin. Yer boi the Aboleth has arrived.

  • @nullvoid4063
    @nullvoid4063 Před 5 lety +3

    Knocked it out of the park AJ!
    On a side note, I know I've made a lot of requests (Silthilar, Neogi, Fleshwarping, etc.), but thanks for taking it in stride. I know you're doing your best to keep up with viewer requests. So while I'm not able to contribute monthly (U.S.A. college tuition does that), I can still enjoy your videos, subscribe, and show your content to other fans of D&D.
    Thanks AJ!

  • @Silversmith70
    @Silversmith70 Před 5 lety +4

    Nothing scares me as much as listening to you tell me stories, geezus, its like I am there. I don't want to be an Aboleths thrall! But then again.... what choice do I have, its too late!

  • @DavidChachere
    @DavidChachere Před 2 lety +7

    "Mind-bending stuff. And even more amazing that you understood exactly what I'm talking about. Well done! I think you're ready to do these horrible creatures justice."

  • @That80sGuy1972
    @That80sGuy1972 Před 5 lety +7

    I've used these monsters in a lot of my campaigns. I think I played them too well. The Aboleths were smart enough to dodge my veteran players so they never were quite sure it was an Aboleth encounter... they mostly blamed Illithids that were miles away.

    • @jasoncrowell8863
      @jasoncrowell8863 Před 5 lety +7

      You can never play Aboleth TOO well. Heck, I think that if their empire even slightly resembled what they were actually capable of, we'd all be speaking Aboleth right now.

  • @flibbernodgets7018
    @flibbernodgets7018 Před 3 lety +15

    Despite the fact that they're supposed to inevitably rule the whole multiverse, I feel like the Illithids don't hold a candle to the Aboleth in power and potential. Maybe they're more driven, in the way that humans are naturally weak but ambitious.

  • @crankysmurf
    @crankysmurf Před 4 lety +10

    I played an after work homebrew adventure where my coworkers and I were stuck on a magical cursed island (think Lost) after our ship was encased in ice. We wandered to a nearby ancient temple where there were talking twin baboons who had been stuck on the island for centuries and they suggested that we disable six shrines scattered around the island. After doing so our party went back to the temple and found the baboons had magically merged into a giant two-headed baboon. After we killed it, we moved to a demonic catacomb dedicated to Demogorgon below the temple and eventually found our way down to an underground lake cavern where the final boss, an aboleth, was.
    Luckily my Protector Aasimar Paladin of Devotion ignored the aboleth's watery lair powers by flying over the water and was immune to its enslave charm power and diseased touch. As the party treaded water and fought the aboleth my paladin faced Demogorgon slowly emerging from the portal. An enslaved party member had the crown used as a key to fully unlock the portal but my paladin wrestled it out of his hands and closed the portal.

  • @andyh2783
    @andyh2783 Před 4 lety +11

    AJ were you aware of the Abolethic Sovereignty books set in the Forgotten Realms.....it suggests that the aboleths of the sovereignty were different from the normal aboleths of toril. They were unfettered meaning they could swim through the air and were from the far realm.....the oldest of them being huge beyond ancient creatures

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 4 lety +8

      I have not read the books yet, but I am aware of the story line, it appears in the lore here and there.

  • @zacharyhawley1693
    @zacharyhawley1693 Před 5 lety +5

    Everyone should play an Aboleth campaign at least once.
    I personally don't use them as the gods made damn sure they had no hold on the material world.

  • @epiccthulu
    @epiccthulu Před 4 lety +18

    Here’s the real question: Can you salt an aboleth like you can a slug, given that they are both mucus based? If so... there is an elemental plan of salt where Water touches the negative plane.

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 4 lety +11

      No. :)

    • @Taricus
      @Taricus Před 4 lety +2

      The paraelemental plane of salt sucks for anyone. It's touching the water and ooze elemental planes though :P Negative elemental plane is 3 removed from salt. Water>>Salt>>Ooze>>Dust>>Negative. It only touches negative when you view it from the poles of air and earth, not the prime.

  • @Oooze3424
    @Oooze3424 Před 8 měsíci +5

    I haven't had aboleths appear in a campaign yet but my plan for 'em is that they'll all look wildly different with the sole similarity of resembling some kind of aberrant paleozoic sea beast, like a dunkleosteus or jaekelopterus.

  • @skyshatter7
    @skyshatter7 Před 5 lety +5

    So awesome that you redo your old videos... I love that

  • @tatsusama3192
    @tatsusama3192 Před 5 lety +7

    2:10 Knowing what these things are, this is technically an insult, but this photo made me think of extraterrestrial koi. Such a cool picture

  • @angrygardengnome8383
    @angrygardengnome8383 Před 5 lety +3

    Their lore explores that Lovecraftian theme of human cosmic insignificance in a really novel way. It answers questions that cosmic horror usually leaves open, but does so in a way that keeps you unsettled. Good stuff.

  • @goobleshah
    @goobleshah Před 2 lety +4

    As a newer D&D player, I bought a mini monster manual to be a bit more knowledgeable, and when i saw these guys I fell in love with their eeriness. They’re probably my favorite underwater monster

  • @ChuckKingofChairs
    @ChuckKingofChairs Před 5 lety +4

    Do you ever think you might make a vid on the gods themselves along with their heralds?
    Love the vids either way, you make my daily work schedule much more bearable.

  • @kordelshorgar122
    @kordelshorgar122 Před 5 lety +3

    i known aboleths since early pathfinder but i have loved them ever since

  • @eros5420
    @eros5420 Před 2 lety +20

    I would like to imagine the party exploring the underdark and coming across an aboleth who has gotten stuck in an underground lake for an unknown amount of time. He introduces himself and the party explains their races and classes.... and the aboleth mumbles about the gods and their "power creep" and all the new books ruining everything and wishing it was still first edition or whatever. Leaving the characters in game really confused... but the players laughing.

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 2 lety +13

      Haha! Sort of so crazy he is sane.

    • @Thkaal
      @Thkaal Před 2 lety +6

      So...what you're saying is.....
      I'm an aboleth.

    • @eros5420
      @eros5420 Před 2 lety +9

      @@Thkaal Do you have whiskers? Are you a good swimmer? Do you have three eyes? If you answered yes to any of these you may be an Aboleth and not realize it.

    • @Thkaal
      @Thkaal Před 2 lety +5

      @@eros5420 whiskers....check. good swimmer.....check. three eyes......check

  • @garagestudios01
    @garagestudios01 Před 2 lety +8

    Thanks for taking this on and a super generous review.

  • @daltonwilliams8541
    @daltonwilliams8541 Před 5 lety +6

    I actually just watched your old aboleth video yesterday in prep for a session in a few days from now. Looks like chance is on my side.

  • @mjp152
    @mjp152 Před 2 lety +3

    The image at 7:10 is probably one of my favorite D&D illustrations - so evocative.

  • @LordSignur
    @LordSignur Před 11 měsíci +9

    You just casually forecasted BG3's scenario 4 years in advance...

  • @Greenscyth22
    @Greenscyth22 Před 5 lety +3

    Regular Aboleth are pretty damn scary...but I love love LOVE the Stygian Aboleth. You'd think that something couldn't be affected by other planar environments, but even the 9 Hells can "corrupt" something as alien as an Aboleth.

  • @Lunar_Wombat
    @Lunar_Wombat Před rokem +4

    running an aberration filled campaign w an aboleth bbeg and this was so helpful, thank you!

  • @Baalslegion07
    @Baalslegion07 Před 2 lety +9

    Imagine a great aboleth being fused with an elder-brain... good bye Toril

  • @michaelmoes6378
    @michaelmoes6378 Před 5 lety +3

    Hey, good timing! I was going to watched your old Aboleth video yesterday and thought it was one in need of an update. Thanks, AJ!

  • @onlycorndog6322
    @onlycorndog6322 Před 11 měsíci +9

    I think the really interesting thing about Aboleths is that they apparently don't remember where Mind Flayers came from in their racial memory, which supports the theory that Mind Flayers came from the distant future.

  • @matthewhartshorn5204
    @matthewhartshorn5204 Před 5 lety +2

    So glad to see these older ones being redone! The quality has improved a LOT in 3 years!

  • @ThisNameIsBanned
    @ThisNameIsBanned Před 5 lety +6

    Monsters like this are the reason that Aquatic campaigns are complete nightmares , not just for the intimidate death of drowning all the time and what not.

  • @iksarguards
    @iksarguards Před 5 lety +12

    Could an aboleth be a warlock’s patron?
    I’m thinking pact of The Great Old Ones. Kind of going for an arcane researcher that investigated too deeply into forgotten lore and came under the sway of a Lovecraftian existential-horror-monster.
    An Aboleth would nicely fit this role, offering the warlock access to the secrets of time and space and untold eldrich powers in return for submission.

    • @Edgar_A_Bro
      @Edgar_A_Bro Před 4 lety +1

      There are great old ones included in the mythos well Cthulhu is and possibly Nyalarthotep.

    • @TerrariaGolem
      @TerrariaGolem Před 4 lety

      Lurker Warlock in a newer unearthed arcana seems better than GOOlock.

    • @JoseMolina-ij3xx
      @JoseMolina-ij3xx Před 4 lety +2

      The Aboleth remind me strongly of the Great Race of Yith, with their alien minds and incredible psychic abilities. The alien scientific inventions and their ability to traverse time and space like we would move from one room to the next. Perhaps, a splinter group of Yith decided to project their minds into the Aboleth and created this fantastic race?

  • @shakescan
    @shakescan Před 5 lety +3

    I had the "Dwellers of the Forbidden City" module (may still have) when it came out. Great encounters in that module!

  • @wellsb973
    @wellsb973 Před 5 lety +4

    Love the modern update. Nice work.

  • @cowdogg3085
    @cowdogg3085 Před 5 lety +3

    All I can think of is the show SLIDERS . A group of adventurers manipulated by an elder aboleth with a device that sends them into parallel worlds. Just so they can observe the world's and scout new species to enslave. Also to see how the adventures adapt to all manner of struggle and stress. Only to try and destroy them when it finally tires of the game and has collected enough information. Oh and did I mention that the device is a permanent mark on the adventures skin that looks like a common mole.

  • @jakecrichton562
    @jakecrichton562 Před 5 lety +3

    Good update! I was hesitant to ever use these things, now I'm bloody terrified! Thanks AJ!

  • @spedwyrm7427
    @spedwyrm7427 Před 3 lety +3

    These creatures and their potions of domination are why I love the "Night Below" campaign

  • @rickeymariu1
    @rickeymariu1 Před 5 lety +3

    One of your best videos by far. Thanks A.J.

  • @cb2291
    @cb2291 Před 11 měsíci +5

    My favourite lore source

  • @jkl1110
    @jkl1110 Před 5 lety +4

    favorite creature in dnd cuz of it's lore. If i am ever in a game where we make a setting i always try to add a aboleth plot

  • @Ibird92
    @Ibird92 Před 5 lety +3

    This rehash on the Aboleth video is excellent! Please redo some of your early videos on the monsters you have already done, the encounter scenarios that you have been adding to this and previous videos would be great addition to the re-uploads if you choose to do them.

  • @briciusd.8478
    @briciusd.8478 Před 5 lety +5

    His note to the Wizards of the Coast... It would seem you have shown your hand AJ. You are indeed from a realm where D&D is reality, and players are the gods of you! And through some luck, you as one of their run away characters at the end of a campaign have used plane shift to come here and write your own story! Conspiracy confirmed folks.

  • @scottmcley5111
    @scottmcley5111 Před 2 lety +7

    So would the Aboleth collective remember the secret of smokepowder after it was forgotten during the spellplague? 🤔

  • @darthchocolate7911
    @darthchocolate7911 Před 5 lety +7

    Hey AJ, if the Mind Flayers attempted to re-establish their vanquished empire would the Aboleths ally themselves with the Githyanki or Githzerai in order to defeat them?

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 5 lety +4

      The Aboleth might appear to do so on a small scale, but their grand objective is always total domination, including any lesser beings they "soften" with offers of allegiance.

    • @markusnavergard2387
      @markusnavergard2387 Před 5 lety

      @@AJPickett what if a illithid and Aboleth combined?

  • @richardneri9759
    @richardneri9759 Před 5 lety +2

    Lol. Dragon magazines ecology “video.” I like it. Excellent video as always sir. This one flows a lot better than the original. Two storm giant sized thumbs up.

  • @leekyb3837
    @leekyb3837 Před 2 lety +2

    my first homebrew's BBEG was an Aboleth based off the pokemon Primal Kyogre with a Mega swampert as its lieutenant. I loved learning and writing about this thing. Shale will absolutely be brought back in other homebrews.

  • @StrattCaster
    @StrattCaster Před 10 měsíci +3

    fascniating content! Growing up I always had the most fun with Dee and D by reading the dungeon master books and learning all the lore, they kept me busy for many hours

  • @nobodyspecial9097
    @nobodyspecial9097 Před 5 lety +6

    Just a thought how does the creature supernaturally foul the water if it doesn’t have any magical abilities?

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 5 lety +3

      It projects psychic presence and energy through the water, one byproduct of that is that it manifests ectoplasm, which is fairly nasty stuff (though not poisonous per se).

    • @nobodyspecial9097
      @nobodyspecial9097 Před 5 lety

      AJ Pickett if they can summon biological material in the form of ectoplasm, could they not then construct a familiar made of pure psychic energy, or reconstruct and reshape other lifeforms at a whim? It basically seems like they have the stone ship ability but with flesh. Which honestly makes them even more terrifying, instead of poly morphing you into another shape, they telekinetically reassemble you into another life form entirely.

  • @michaelkelley2727
    @michaelkelley2727 Před 10 měsíci +6

    aboleths, along with phaerimm, are basically the ogdru jahad from hellboy

  • @joshuazane3210
    @joshuazane3210 Před 5 lety +3

    Huge improvement from the original video. This was really excellent!

  • @Giles29
    @Giles29 Před rokem +5

    "I'm gonna get my butt kicked by a giant psychic catfish..."

  • @willmendoza8498
    @willmendoza8498 Před 11 měsíci +5

    Best horror monster in D&D, hands down.

  • @charleshartley9597
    @charleshartley9597 Před 5 lety +5

    Awesome video AJ!
    In my current campaign I have substituted the illithid elder brain for aboleths, all agents of the greatest "dreamer" of all… Cthulhu. They seek the knowledge and "keys" to awaken their master and return him to his rightful place as master of the prime material… all iterations of it. The collective dream-telepathy of aboleths is known elsewhere as "the dreaming dark" (a la Eberron). In short, I know I've somewhat simplistically gathered the "tentacle" monsters together, but their collective use of psionics seemed too good to pass up.

    • @ThisNameIsBanned
      @ThisNameIsBanned Před 5 lety +3

      A player with a anti-psyconic helmet is going to demolish them all.
      Just like in Baldurs Gate 2 , when you get one to slaughter the Mindflayers.

    • @possiblyfatal
      @possiblyfatal Před 5 lety +1

      Writing a new campaign and i’m stealing this - awesome idea!

  • @jima6545
    @jima6545 Před 2 lety +4

    If it wasn't mentioned below, in The Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, by Monte Cook, one of the leaders of Tharizdun's high priests. Known simply as The Second

  • @Mr_Maiq_The_Liar
    @Mr_Maiq_The_Liar Před 3 lety +13

    They reproduce but they never die? This has some very bad implications for the future of the multiverse.

    • @krispalermo8133
      @krispalermo8133 Před 2 lety

      Alignment lawful evil.
      AD&D2ndE Planescape campaign setting, and 5e Descent into Avernus, ..
      Aboleths make some nice and tasty Soul Stones.
      Humans used to hunt bears with spears for sport, and hunt sharks with spear guns and fishing lines.
      What do fiends of the lower planes go fishing for ?

  • @cypher4783
    @cypher4783 Před 5 lety +10

    My rageaholich axe murderer, I mean my bezerker barbarian would think of how tasty they would be.
    My John wick rip off rouge assassin would find a hole in the ground and drink himself to Oblivion
    My warlock would be like, "high boss."

  • @GhoulSlayer_
    @GhoulSlayer_ Před 5 lety +2

    “Fluff no crunch” is a weird way to say “all sizzle no steak.”

  • @kendrickrochelanzot2053
    @kendrickrochelanzot2053 Před 5 lety +5

    Aboleth: WHO DARES ENTER MY-
    the party: *confused screaming*
    Seriously tho, aboleths are easily a awsome monster to make into a main villain.

  • @Turenkoren
    @Turenkoren Před 5 lety +4

    Yoooo AJ keep up the good work bud

  • @Norwyn
    @Norwyn Před 3 lety +5

    This is so fascinating! Aboleths are one of my favourites!
    I am very interested in hearing more about all those different aboleth types. Could you tell us more about them?
    Also I soon will be able to fulfill a dream of mine and play as an aboleth in my own homebrew world. I am so excited!

    • @krispalermo8133
      @krispalermo8133 Před 2 lety +1

      Roll the dice monster battle, two players, two monsters ..
      Such as from back in the days of AD&D2ndE thirty years ago for my group. Have your PC party fight any monster in the monster manual by .. randomly .. opening the book to any given page.
      So one player rolls the dice for an Aboleth and another player rolls the dice for a black dragon.

    • @Norwyn
      @Norwyn Před 2 lety +2

      @@krispalermo8133 I think I prefer the roleplaying aspect of being an ancient, immortal fishlike entity, that conducts experiments and uses its powers to create new life and fix the damage that mortals do to the ecosystems of many worlds.

    • @krispalermo8133
      @krispalermo8133 Před 2 lety +1

      @@Norwyn Less lawful evil, more Druid ..
      cool.
      I'm a big fan of 3.5e Psionic hand book. The mechanics can be worked out. Fill a note book with ideals around the concept. Even if it will not be a publish work. Your grand children or other young family members could read through it one day ten or thirty years down the road.
      I am having a rough enough time just trying to draw out my own chess board to get 3D printed.

  • @GrandMoffJake
    @GrandMoffJake Před 5 lety +15

    "Aboleths have as much knowledge of the D and D universe as you or I do"
    Lumping me and you is like saying the halfling is about as strong as the storm giant. Lol

  • @caseyspark2019
    @caseyspark2019 Před 5 lety +5

    God I love these guys.

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 5 lety +3

      GODS!? *three eyes glow with evil in the eternal darkness*

    • @caseyspark2019
      @caseyspark2019 Před 5 lety +1

      @@AJPickett haha that made me smile thanks.

  • @HiopX
    @HiopX Před 2 lety +7

    So Aboleth are Lantean, Illithids are Goa'uld and Clockwork Horrors are Replikators
    Then Gith are Jaffar and Thor is still Thor
    Any ideas for Wraith, Tollans and Nox?

  • @louiesatterwhite3885
    @louiesatterwhite3885 Před 5 lety +2

    Aboleths are my favorite monster with everything they are capable of

    • @johntheherbalistg8756
      @johntheherbalistg8756 Před 5 lety

      For me, the attraction to aboleths is more about the mind bending reality of these creatures. I like alternate reality theory stuff, and as a reasonably new DM, I'm still looking for an interesting way to break the fourth wall without breaking immersion.
      My campaign already has a far realm arc, so I'll probably use one if these buggers in it.

  • @brianroberts783
    @brianroberts783 Před rokem +8

    Did the Aboleth play any significant part in the Dawn War? I would imagine that as powerful creatures from an Elemental Plane they would likely have a lot in common with the Primordials.

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před rokem +6

      Their secretive underwater enclaves are repositories of some of the most ancient lore, but, how much is one willing to risk to get it?

    • @jacobfreeman5444
      @jacobfreeman5444 Před rokem +1

      I would say yes, as they are not subject to the god's will. Even if that significant part was only to repel all comers. The gods have generally subjugated the primordials or forced them out. The abolith does what they want despite the loathing of the gods. Speaks volumes to how impressive they must have been.

  • @thedm8873
    @thedm8873 Před 5 lety +3

    Yet another great video!

  • @kevinchristiansen4348
    @kevinchristiansen4348 Před 5 lety +6

    What happened to the cheese talk aj? I loved that you are so awesome when you do that!

  • @uncleben726
    @uncleben726 Před rokem +10

    Aboleths are undoubtably the first to call god cringe

  • @alanschaub147
    @alanschaub147 Před 5 lety +2

    Nate the Nerdarch is the man! Thanks for the great video, AJ!

    • @dragonballtalk8527
      @dragonballtalk8527 Před 5 lety +3

      I dislike nerdarchy cause of cool thumbnails then when I click its giggling bearded old dudes I need images and info on a subject not what they got

  • @johntheherbalistg8756
    @johntheherbalistg8756 Před 5 lety +2

    Ok, you got me there, AJ. I saw the video and thought to myself "22 minutes ago? You mean like two years... oh, wait! That thumbnail is different!"
    🤣🤣🤣 Touche, sir!
    So, you already covered illithids, and that was an awesome video, but do you think you could do a video dedicated to the elder brain? None of the D&D geniuses on CZcams have done a comprehensive treatment on it yet, and you're my favorite among them, so it would be awesome if you could.

  • @cernunnos_lives
    @cernunnos_lives Před 11 měsíci +9

    I never liked how short the history of Toril was.
    Our own Earth is 4.7 Billion years old. Considering throughout most of this time, it was uninhabitable. I'm wondering why (officially) Toril is a fraction of this? And if it has undergone the same environmental pathway that our own planet does, it seems to me that this is an oversight of the creation of the world. And I'm a huge fan of Ed Greenwood too. Consider how long it took for plants to change the atmosphere of our own planet. How long it took for the development of multicellular life.
    Humans were here for about 300k years (while Toril is only 30k old?). Weird. I've always expanded the Toril timeline to fit that of our own planet.
    And Aboleths should technically reproduce once every 50K years instead of 5 centuries. Perhaps once in a million years.😮 And going into a torpor for many centuries.
    I think this should work out better for what we know about our own universe.

    • @AJPickett
      @AJPickett  Před 11 měsíci +5

      Yeah, but the Prime Material plane where D&D goes on is not very much like our universe at all, so, it doesn't really matter aside from your own personal bias... if you want the planet to have formed the usual way, gone through all the slow steps of evolution, and have had no gods, primordials and magic involved, that's entirely under your control :)

  • @JanusHoW
    @JanusHoW Před 2 lety +4

    There's an interesting aboleth in the _Tomb of Annihilation_ campaign.
    The aboleth in question, named G'lyh'rul, has been trapped in the dungeon by a certain arch-lich, and has developed a split personality due to decades or even centuries of isolation. One personality is that of the typical aboleth, but the other is that of a little humanoid child. If the child personality is dominant (determined by a die roll), G'lyh'rul is harmless and will flee if attacked. Otherwise, it does what aboleth do. Thankfully, it will not have access to its lair actions in combat, since the dungeon is not its true home.
    The PCs will have to face G'lyh'rul one way or another, as they must dive down into the lake it inhabits to retrieve one or more glowing crabs needed to get through a certain door. They can also interact with it more safely in another way I will not spoil, but I will say that it is quite knowledgeable about many things, being ancient beyond reckoning.

    • @halogamer41
      @halogamer41 Před 2 lety +1

      We got the child personality. I bribed him with water from topside. My character made a pact with a certain loch to trade his freedom if thekr souls were spared. The merchant princes revived us and the lich reaped his reward of my freedom. Sardior told me he would remove the liches hold over me if I raid the tombs library, killed the lich and delivered the books to him while the lich is incapacitated. We're heading into the tomb next session. Im bringing a barrel of freshwater and saltwater for the aboleth this time

  • @erichz628
    @erichz628 Před 5 lety +2

    New favorite creature! Thank you great vid!

  • @misterjoshua5720
    @misterjoshua5720 Před 5 lety +2

    Love the update! Great graphics and sound quality is top shelf.

  • @derrabbit7289
    @derrabbit7289 Před 5 lety +3

    I love aberrations! Wish I could keep one as a pet. Might look cool in a fish tank

    • @nimbus7239
      @nimbus7239 Před 4 lety

      In game you could technically use an imprisonment spell to get an aboleth in a gold fish glass.

    • @trajanfidelis1532
      @trajanfidelis1532 Před 3 lety

      They'd keep you as a pet

  • @willynthepoorboys2
    @willynthepoorboys2 Před 5 lety +2

    Happy Happy Joy Joy the Aboleth has returned. Erum, glad I live many miles from a coastline.

    • @bumblingbureaucrat6110
      @bumblingbureaucrat6110 Před 5 lety

      Same, I have a Salt Lake nearby but it is extremely shallow and higher salt content than the ocean.

  • @darkhorse13golfgaming
    @darkhorse13golfgaming Před 5 lety +10

    I ain't scared of no goofy, three eyed catfi-yes master I will tend the slime master.....