The Problem with Aboleths

This is a good example of one of the problems I have with 3.5.

I have a player who wants to be a Psionic character in the next game and spoke of belonging to the Order of the Sanctified Mind. When I Google this Order, I find Faerun –which is not going to happen – and the book Lords of Madness, so I started reading. Naturally, when I finished reading what it had to say about the Order of the Sanctified Mind, I turned to the beginning of the book and started there.

Regarding Aboleths we read – on page 18 – that Aboleths are "typically seized with the urge to lay eggs once every five years. It lays 1d3 eggs at a time . . ."

On page 19 we are told that "a young Aboleth remains close to its parent for approximately ten years . . ."

So, killing "young" Aboleths should be damn near impossible. With their psionic abilities, the parents can easily handle "Jaws" or Dragon Turtles, so . . .

Then, on page 19 we are told that "Aboleths are effectively immortal."

Okay, so, Aboleths are never really alone, there are always several of them, even if it is only their young, who are "born completely cognizant and mature, their minds instantly absorbing and assimilating the knowledge and memories of their parent." (Page 19)

So these uber powerful aberrations live in underground rivers, streams, lakes and oceans and roam them at will. They have offspring every five years, so that when the ten year olds "move out," a new batch "moves in." And, of course, the five year olds are still "living at home." Now add to this the fact that Aboleths are "effectively immortal." And it's been this way pretty much since the beginning.

Personally, I find it curious that Lords of Madness gives no definitive explanation as to why these things haven't literally "taken over the world" . . . yet. They have offspring that are almost guaranteed to "grow up," a.k.a. grow larger. They don't "die of old age" and they reproduce quite frequently, at every five years.

Aboleths should be the undisputed "Masters" of the world. So why aren't they? They should have taken over – a.k.a. over populated – the underground water sources long ago and moved out into the "surface" oceans. Sailing from one point to another should be just about the most dangerous undertaking in the world. After all, the Aboleths actively seek to take over the world, which means they would actively seek to control or destroy any intelligent creature sailing the ocean's surface.

Here comes a House Rule. Just about all of this will be changed . . . if I ever use Aboleths in my game. There is no logical reason for them to not be "rulers of the world" the way they're written up in Lords of Madness and the Monster Manual. It makes no sense a'tall, ma'am.

So I'm going to need a House Rule to make sense of this – nonsense. Of course, I could simplify matters by simple continuing my present practice of . . . not using these creatures in my game.

Hmm. On second thought, that is the easiest approach! I'll do it!