Abhoth
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Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos - Pathfinder
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Abhoth

CR 23; XP 819,200
CN Outer God of disease, fecundity, and oozes
Primary Sources Clark Ashton Smith “The Seven Geases”

Cult

Domains Chaos, Darkness, Earth, Madness, Strength
Subdomains Caves, Ferocity, Insanity, Night, Nightmare, Resolve
Favored Weapon whip
Symbol tentacle coiled around a disembodied eye
Temple canyons, caverns
Worshipers insane seekers of the truth of the source of life
Servitors the filth (see below)

Influence DC 29

Area 300-ft. radius; Nucleus 50 square feet
AC 40; Saves +24; hp 480
Effects absorb the filth, filth, puppet mastery, shed filth

Defeat

Combat Abhoth can be defeated by reducing its influence to 0 hit points and destroying all filth within the area of influence. If even a single filth remains active at the start of a round while Abhoth’s influence is at 0 hit points, it can use its ability to absorb the filth to regain hit points and continue acting. Once all filth in the area are destroyed and Abhoth’s influence hit points are reduced to zero, the Outer God seeps away into the ground, draining off to some other region or world to await a new opportunity to extend its influence into other realms.

Influence Effects

Absorb the Filth (Su) At the start of any round, if there are more than ten filth within Abhoth’s area of influence, the Outer God absorbs the one with the highest current hit point total. This immediately destroys that filth and heals Abhoth of an amount of damage equal to the filth’s hit points when it was absorbed.

Filth (Ex) When Abhoth’s influence is first established, the Outer God immediately spawns masses of protoplasmic life known collectively as the filth. Each one of these creatures is treated as a proto-shoggoth with the advanced simple template, save that the filth lack all of the proto-shoggoth’s special abilities. Instead, each of the filth gains one unique ability in the form of a specialized limb or organ: roll on the table at the end of this section to determine what a particular filth’s specialized limb is capable of. (Attack rolls and save DCs associated with these effects are calculated as if they were part of the proto-shoggoth’s stats). If one of the filth blunders outside of Abhoth’s area of influence, its form immediately mutates into a monster of the GM’s choice.

These monsters are always living creatures with an Intelligence score of no higher than 5, but can otherwise be of any type of creature imaginable. All monsters created in this way are chaotic neutral. When Abhoth’s influence is first discovered, 1d4+6 of the filth flop and crawl within the Outer God’s area of influence.

1. Acid Spray (Su) The filth possesses a tube-like stalk that can spew a 30-foot-long cone of acid once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action. Creatures in the area of effect take 10d6 points of acid damage (Reflex DC 27 half). The save DC is Constitution-based.

2. Adhesive Webbing (Ex) The filth has a short pucker-like limb that can project a web up to eight times per day as a standard action, as per the universal monster ability. A filth’s web has a +18 ranged attack, a save DC of 27, and 15 hp.

3. Horn (Ex) The filth has a long horn-like spike that grants it a gore primary attack that inflicts a base of 2d6 piercing damage (plus its Strength modifier) on a hit.

4. Multilegged (Ex) The filth has numerous additional limbs, which it uses for locomotion. All of its speeds increase by 20 feet.

5. Pheromone Sprayer (Sp) The filth possesses a segmented limb that can spew mind-controlling pheromones once every 1d4 rounds as a swift action. All creatures within a ten-foot-radius of the filth when it does so must make a successful DC 25 Will save or become charmed, as if via charm monster (CL = the filth’s CR). A creature that successfully saves against this affect cannot be affected by that filth’s pheromone sprayer for 24 hours.

6. Poison Gas Gland (Ex) The filth’s specialized limb contains a gland that allows it to spew a 30-foot cone of poison gas once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action.

Poison Gas — contact; save Fort DC 27; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Strength damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

7. Shrieking Mouth (Su) The filth possesses a stalked mouth. This mouth cannot bite, but it constantly shrieks and babbles. All creatures within 30 feet must make a successful DC 25 Will save at the start of their turn or be confused for one round. This is a mind-affecting sonic effect.

8. Spellcaster (Sp) The filth’s extra limb ends in a strange organ that combines a hand, a mouth, and several eyes. This limb gives the filth the ability to use a spell-like ability of the GM’s choice, emulating a spell of 6th level or lower. If the spell-like ability is a 3rd-level or lower spell, the filth can use the ability 3 times a day. If it is a 6th-level or lower spell, the filth can use the ability once per day.

9. Tentacle (Ex) The filth’s extra limb is a long, powerful tentacle covered with hooks and tiny claws. This tentacle is a primary attack that inflicts 1d8 points of damage on a hit, has a reach of 10 feet, and has the grab universal monster ability.

10. Venomous Stinger (Ex) The filth’s limb is a sinuous coiling length that ends in a stinger, granting it a sting primary attack that inflicts 1d6 points of damage on a successful hit and injects the target with poison.

Poison Sting — injury; save Fort DC 27; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Constitution damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Puppet Mastery (Su) At the start of any round immediately following a round in which Abhoth or one of the filth within its area of influence took any damage or was attacked, its extruded central nervous system attempts to seize control of all intruders in the area. It makes a single +33 melee attack against every living creature within its area with a whip-like string of nerves, inflicting 3d6 points of piercing damage on a hit (this damage bypasses all forms of damage reduction). A creature that takes damage must make a successful DC 29 Fortitude save or the nerves successfully burrow into the creature’s body and merge with that creature’s nervous system, at which point the creature is completely under Abhoth’s control. This is a mind-affecting effect, but not a charm or an enchantment, so creatures normally immune to those effects are susceptible to this effect: in effect, Abhoth’s nervous system simply replaces the target’s nervous system, allowing it to control the target’s body and thoughts physically instead of mentally.

A creature is only immune to this effect if it lacks a central nervous system. This condition lasts as long as the victim remains in Abhoth’s area of influence, or until the stalk of nerves connecting to the victim is severed. A stalk can be severed by inflicting at least 20 points of slashing damage to it with a single blow (AC 40), or a stalk can be broken with a successful DC 25 Strength check. Once a stalk is separated from a victim, the victim immediately regains control of its actions with no lasting side effects.

Shed filth (Ex) Whenever Abhoth takes any damage, its body creates a new filth adjacent to the source of the damage inflicted.


This entity’s origins are obscure. Some scholars credit Abhoth as the source of terrestrial life, but so too does research point to Ubbo-Sathla as the origin of life. For that matter, all the elder things bore some role in this process, through their accidental release of shoggoths into the wild. Abhoth, Ubbo-Sathla, and the shoggoths all display some common features: all are fertile, ever-mutating beings of protoplasm—but also some key differences. The truth of their source (shared or not) is lost to antiquity. Perhaps only the long-lost Tablets of the Gods, guarded by Ubbo-Sathla, hold the answer.

Abhoth is a largely immobile entity, resembling a pool of bubbling fluid. It vastly prefers a subterranean lair, and if brought to the surface world, it immediately attempts to return to the cool, dark depths, striking out to destroy anything that blocks its retreat.

Abhoth is capable of speech, both telepathic and physical, and has an intelligence of sorts. Despite its foul appearance, it is essentially a passive entity, content to sit and bubble, endlessly birthing its hideous young. Unfortunately for other inhabitants of the area cursed by Abhoth’s presence, the larvae it creates are not so benign: they crawl forth in endless floods, wreaking havoc in their drive to feed and destroy.


The Filth

The most notable feature of Abhoth is its repulsive fecundity. It is constantly spawning living creatures from its pool. Some are the result of Abhoth forming limbs and sensory organs to be used temporarily among its spawn, only for them to drop off and crawl away into the surrounding area. At the same time, Abhoth constantly seeks to grab and swallow the creatures it spawns, that it might return them into its body. Some escape and crawl limply away. The nearer an intruder comes to Abhoth’s location, the more numerous these escapees become.

Abhoth’s progeny are collectively called “The filth”. When they first leave their parent, they are nearly formless, though they may have a specialized limb or organ of some kind. As they leave their point of origin, they adapt to become more and more specialized. Eventually, they transform into a monster, potentially of any sort.

The filth are not friendly, and often attack each other. They do not work in teams of any kind but rather spread out throughout their environment.

Filth (CR 13)

XP 25,600
CE Medium ooze
Init +15; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +13

Defense

AC 32, touch 20, flat-footed 22 (+9 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural)
hp 217 (15d8+150); fast healing 5
Fort +15, Ref +16, Will +15
Defensive Abilities all-around vision, amorphous; DR 10/—; Immune acid, cold, ooze traits; Resist fire 10, sonic 10; SR 24

Offense

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee 2 slams +24 (2d8+12 plus grab and 2d6 acid)
Special Attacks constrict (2d8+10)

Statistics

Str 35, Dex 29, Con 30, Int 10, Wis 26, Cha 13
Base Atk +11; CMB +23; CMD 43
Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Disguise), Weapon Focus (slam)
Skills Climb +20, Disguise +9 (+25 when using masquerade), Perception +13, Swim +25; Racial Modifiers +16 Disguise when using masquerade
Languages Aklo, Common
SQ specialized anatomy

Ecology

Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or invasion (3–8)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Specialized Anatomy Each of the filth gains one unique ability in the form of a specialized limb or organ: roll on the table at the end of this section to determine what a particular filth’s specialized limb is capable of. (Attack rolls and save DCs associated with these effects are calculated as if they were part of the filth’s stats). If one of the filth blunders outside of Abhoth’s area of influence, its form immediately mutates into a monster of the GM’s choice.

These monsters are always living creatures with an Intelligence score of no higher than 5, but can otherwise be of any type of creature imaginable. All monsters created in this way are chaotic neutral.

1. Acid Spray (Su) The filth possesses a tube-like stalk that can spew a 30-foot-long cone of acid once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action. Creatures in the area of effect take 10d6 points of acid damage (Reflex DC 27 half). The save DC is Constitution-based.

2. Adhesive Webbing (Ex) The filth has a short pucker-like limb that can project a web up to eight times per day as a standard action, as per the universal monster ability. A filth’s web has a +18 ranged attack, a save DC of 27, and 15 hp.

3. Horn (Ex) The filth has a long horn-like spike that grants it a gore primary attack that inflicts a base of 2d6 piercing damage (plus its Strength modifier) on a hit.

4. Multilegged (Ex) The filth has numerous additional limbs, which it uses for locomotion. All of its speeds increase by 20 feet.

5. Pheromone Sprayer (Sp) The filth possesses a segmented limb that can spew mind-controlling pheromones once every 1d4 rounds as a swift action. All creatures within a ten-foot-radius of the filth when it does so must make a successful DC 25 Will save or become charmed, as if via charm monster (CL = the filth’s CR). A creature that successfully saves against this affect cannot be affected by that filth’s pheromone sprayer for 24 hours

6. Poison Gas Gland (Ex) The filth’s specialized limb contains a gland that allows it to spew a 30-foot cone of poison gas once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action.

Poison Gas — contact; save Fort DC 27; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Strength damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

7. Shrieking Mouth (Su) The filth possesses a stalked mouth. This mouth cannot bite, but it constantly shrieks and babbles. All creatures within 30 feet must make a successful DC 25 Will save at the start of their turn or be confused for one round. This is a mind-affecting sonic effect.

8. Spellcaster (Sp) The filth’s extra limb ends in a strange organ that combines a hand, a mouth, and several eyes. This limb gives the filth the ability to use a spell-like ability of the GM’s choice, emulating a spell of 6th level or lower. If the spell-like ability is a 3rd-level or lower spell, the filth can use the ability 3 times a day. If it is a 6th-level or lower spell, the filth can use the ability once per day.

9. Tentacle (Ex) The filth’s extra limb is a long, powerful tentacle covered with hooks and tiny claws. This tentacle is a primary attack that inflicts 1d8 points of damage on a hit, has a reach of 10 feet, and has the grab universal monster ability.

10. Venomous Stinger (Ex) The filth’s limb is a sinuous coiling length that ends in a stinger, granting it a sting primary attack that inflicts 1d6 points of damage on a successful hit and injects the target with poison.

Poison Sting — injury; save Fort DC 27; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Constitution damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Abhoth in Combat

When incited by an enemy or a perceived threat, a sort of slime-covered central nervous system rises out of Abhoth’s body as the entity focuses on the immediate environment. When the threat passes, the nervous system slowly sinks back into the pool. The central nervous system has whip-like nerve endings that can lash and cause damage. With each strike, they can connect to a target's own nervous system, which places the victim under Abhoth’s total control (no mortal being can withstand Abhoth’s force of will). Until the tendril is severed, that victim will turn on her friends and fight on behalf of Abhoth. Should they fail to rescue the target, Abhoth will absorb the victim when she is no longer a useful puppet, devouring her and returning her to the primal chaos that is Abhoth.

Every wound inflicted on Abhoth results in part of its form being removed from the main body, which then immediately forms into more filth. Thus, the more damage inflicted on Abhoth, the more filth appear to oppose enemies.

If Abhoth is completely reduced to remnants of filth, then its physical form is dissipated, seeping deep underground. But Abhoth, the god of obscene fruitfulness, can never be destroyed—only returned to a different underground lair. Dispersing and banishing it will, however, frees any region that was cursed by its presence.


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