Aboleth

Ancient psionic entities. The Aboleths are the true power behind the Cult of the Whispering Stars.

Multiple Aboleths exist — "we are many." The elder Aboleth is described as older than all other entities, having witnessed the creation of everything. It is represented by the central eye of the cult's star symbol.

Abilities:

• Permanently charm humanoids with a magical bond that overrides all other enchantments
• Speak through charmed puppets, working their mouths "like a thing that had long since learned to puppet flesh — and enjoyed the fit"
• Crawl inside minds and whisper without words
• Hollow out the minds of those they claim
• When manifesting through a host, the host's eyes flare vivid red

What Is Known:

• The crystals the cult uses come from a fallen star, and that star came from the Aboleth's home
• The cult's goal is the unification — bringing a cosmic "purpose" to all living things
• The cult feeds crystals different inputs (lives, magic) to produce different abilities
• The subterranean fortress houses the bulk of cult forces making final preparations
• The Aboleth can reach the fortress via the adjacent waterway but does not normally dwell there
• The red stone tower drawing was described as an invitation — the Aboleth wants the party's strength in its ranks

The Five Eyes: The cult symbol bears five eyes, each representing a different entity. Only the central eye is an Aboleth. The others, as described by Silas:

1. A being that shapes reality to its will — "it chooses the world"
2. A creature of too many eyes and mouths, arguing with itself, remembering being everyone and no one
3. A storm as tall as a mountain with a face carved from thunderheads, whose wings lift cities and voice splits skies
4. A beast larger than castles, cities, states — drifting where there is no ground, its jaws opening into endless darkness, its eye seeing through worlds

Encounters:

• A massive psionic abomination with four red eyes surfaced in the Coral Forest waters and watched with fury before fleeing
• At least one Aboleth has been slain by the party — described as "an unforgivable act"
• Lizardfolk sailors describe deep-beasts that crawl inside the mind and whisper without words, causing crew to hurl themselves into the sea