Savant Aboleth

A savant looks much like any aboleth, but the bony ridges over its slightly enlarged skull are so heavy they form a near helmet, and its leathery tentacles are studded with calcified knobs, together giving it better Armor Class. Like all aboleth it is amphibious.

Savants cast both priest and wizard spells, reaching up to 12th level as priests and 14th as wizards. Intelligence is 1d5+14 and Wisdom 1d4+14. To set its power randomly, roll d100 twice on the spellcasting table, then raise the lower result if needed so it trails the higher by no more than three levels (a 10th-level priest rolled as a 5th-level wizard becomes a 7th-level wizard).

Ordinary aboleth may serve the faceless slime lord or the race's own goddess, the Crimson Mother, but savants worship mainly the latter. As priests they draw on the spheres of law, guardian, protection, charm, divination, summoning, weather, all, and elemental (water, earth and air), plus minor access to sun in its reversed form. As wizards they rarely specialize, though a few become enchanters, drawing on the race's knack for charm magic. Nonspecialists cannot use fire-based or fire-affecting spells at all, and they manage necromancy only up to 4th level and poorly, with victims gaining +2 on saves.

Only about 2% of aboleth have the mental gifts to become savants, and the savants believe their goddess hand-picks them.

A savant has a 75% chance to notice invisible creatures and objects within 60 feet. It relies on spells and domination and melees only if forced, with the usual aboleth tentacle: one touch and a failed save vs. spell turns the skin to a clear membrane in 1d4+1 rounds, after which the victim takes 1d12 per turn unless kept in cool water. Cure disease halts the process and cure serious wounds reverses it once complete.

Its domination is worse than its kin's. It still has three attempts per day, one target each, but its range is 30 yards, the save vs. spell is at -2, and the slave will fight for it. A clearly suicidal command (judged against the victim's Intelligence) grants a new unpenalized save. Dispel magic cast against the savant's highest class level, remove curse, or separation by a mile or more (a fresh save each full day) can end it. Knowing how hated they are, savants keep strong bodyguards, and any aboleth defending a living savant has morale 19.

Underwater it has the normal mucus cloud: anyone within a foot who fails a save vs. poison can no longer breathe air, suffocating in 2d6 rounds if they try, but can breathe water for 1 to 3 hours.

At 12 hit points or fewer a savant automatically frenzies. It loses all spells and spell-like powers, but its tentacles deal double damage (2d6) and it adds a clumsy head-butt each round at -4 to hit, striking up to two M or three S opponents for 4d6. Anyone smashed must make a Dexterity check or be knocked down and stunned for 1d3 rounds. The frenzy lasts until every visible foe is dead.

Arrogant savant cabals rule aboleth society from the great cities, seldom leaving and sending ordinary aboleth to fetch slaves and food while they brood. Young savants born elsewhere abandon their broods as soon as they can, believing their goddess guides them to the great cities deep in the underworld. Savants are sterile, so elders sometimes travel to claim a young aboleth showing latent gifts.

They hunger for magic items and lore. They need no spellbooks, regaining wizard spells automatically through rest and sleep, and youngsters may stay linked mind-to-mind with their elders for days or weeks, absorbing magic and dark secrets. They love to eat spellcasters and magical creatures to deepen their understanding.

Savants write in a complex glyph script. Those of 7th level or more in either class can raise one magical glyph per day by psychokinesis, taking two turns plus one per extra element, and can maintain a total number of glyph elements equal to their Intelligence. Simple glyphs equal glyph of warding; complex glyphs merge two such effects (cold damage plus paralysis, say). Master glyphs have unique effects and count as three elements. Great savants (Intelligence and Wisdom 18 or higher, 10th level or above in both classes) can craft complex master glyphs that add one more element, even from another school, still counting as three but taking six turns to make. Dispel magic against the creator's highest level removes any glyph. Saves are allowed against all of them, at -1 versus master glyphs and -2 versus complex master glyphs, with one save covering the whole effect.

Ordinary aboleth, being very lawful, accept savant rule anyway, but it is the savants' ability to wall a city in complex glyphs that earns their loyalty and respect.

Whether savants are the apex of their food chain or bloated parasites living off slaves and lackeys depends on who you ask. They eat what other aboleth eat, such as algae, fish and water plants, but especially savor spellcasters and magical beings. Nothing preys on them, and nearly all intelligent sea life gives them a very wide berth.