Alghollthu

[Brinebeast]

The Alghollthu play an important role in Golarion’s history and it is my hope that we will see this creature family explored in greater depth. Across Pathfinder 3.5, 1E and 2E we have learned about Alghollthu from various sources. Bringing these together in a Draconic Codex style book for aberrations would be both informative and useful. So far, in the Remaster era we have seen a few Alghollthu and their creations appear in books to include: Aqudel, Nymolus, Vidileth, Ugothol, Mimic, and Fulthrethu.

Alghollthu
As a species the Alghollthu have intentionally shaped themselves into several subspecies. These include:

Enisysian
Aqudel (Prodigy)*
Nymolus (Chronicler)*
Uldraaghu (Architect)
Plizeazoth
Vidileth (Veiled Master)*
Omnipath

Alghollthu Servants
The Alghollthu have created many servants that they continue to actively use or can utilize when needed.

Ulat-kini (Skum) - The Ulat-kini typically serve Alghollthus in the role of menial servants.
Scyallu (Shell Sentinel) - The Scyallu are constructs used as guards, especially for captives.
Abhominal - This undead creation requires close monitoring by Alghollthu.
Delpolthru (Deep Walker) - Delpolthru can serve as living warmachines and shocktroop leaders and may be especially adept at commanding Chu’ulothis.

Alghollthu Infiltrators
The Alghollthu created a unique subset of creations designed to infiltrate humanoid communities.

Ungothol (Slime Puppeteer) - This early version is still used but has fallen out of favor.
Ugothol (Faceless Stalker) - The Ugothol replaced the Ungothol as the typical infiltrator.
Ugoroth (Faceless Hulk) - The Ugoroth has viewer limitations than the Ugothol and a size advantage.
Ugoloroth (Faceless ?) - The most powerful of all the Faceless, little is known about the Ugoloroth.
Note: It would be nice to see the various Faceless have different or strong abilities in addition to having a broader range of sizes they can shapeshift into.

Alghollthu Ambushers
These creations of the Alghollthu ambushers that can be strategically placed.

Multispothol (Mimic)* - The current utilization of Multispothols or Mimics by Alghollthus is unclear.
Totimimic - Very little is known of Totimimics.

Alghollthu Spies
The Alghollthu created the Fulthrethu to serve as spies and information gatherers.

Fulthrethu* - The Fulthrethu are the spies of the Alghollthu and are masters of illusion.
Variants
Fulthrethu (Amphibious) - This is now part of the base creature.
Fulthrethu (Shadowbrood) - This variant has powers of shadow and darkness.
Fulthrethu (Stinger) - This variant has a tail that ends in a stinger.
Fulthrethu (Fungoid) - This variant has been infected with fungus spores.
Fulthrethu (Halfbreed) - This variant is the offspring of a Fulthrethu and a manta ray.
Fulthrethu (Vampiric) - This variant results from parthenogenesis and behaves like an intelligent leech.
Fulthrethu (Webspinner) - This variant is a result of fleshwarping.

Alghollthu Shocktroops
The Chu’ulothis are the shocktroops of the Alghollthu and are largely considered disposable. When paired with a Delpolthru, the Chu’ulothis can be especially effective.

Chu’ulothis, Larval
Chu’ulothis, Lesser
Chu’ulothis
Note: Like the different Faceless stalkers, it would be nice to see each of these variations above or below receive variations of the Chu’ulothis name.
Variants
Chu’ulothis, Arctic
Chu’ulothis, Deep
Chu’ulothis, Sand
Note: The above variants are adapted to operate in specific environments.
Chu’ulothis, Psychic - The rarest of the Chu’ulothis, these variants are not tolerated by Alghollthu and are exterminated onsite when identified.

*These appear in an ORC source. All others are in an OGL source.

[Perpdepog]

Brinebeast wrote:

The Alghollthu play an important role in Golarion’s history and it is my hope that we will see this creature family explored in greater depth.

Brinebeast wrote:

...it is my hope that we will see this creature family explored in greater depth.

Brinebeast wrote:

...explored in greater depth.

Brinebeast wrote:

... greater depth...

I see what you did there.

Also I second the Big Book of Aberrations with loads of lore about our favorite slimy overlords.

[Perpdepog]

I've been thinking about this, and I'm not sure exactly how many of the alghollthu are workable in ORC from either PF1E or 3.5, but I do really like the idea of presenting them in a book as some kind of society block or faction. It's just that they're a faction in a war, political struggle, land dispute, whatever you want to call it that doesn't really factor in most playable ancestries as worthy of consequence.

It's a specific subset of cosmic horror that focuses on alien factions battling each other and not really caring about the everyday people who get ground up in their machines of conflict. I think presenting an aberration-focused book in the style of raving reports about these factions--the Alghollthu, the Dominion of the Black, the Old Cults, whatever wormy faction neothelids are part of--would be an awesome way to introduce lots of themed aberrations to new players, and give them a new coat of paint, or slime, while we're at it.

[James Jacobs]

Perpdepog wrote:

I've been thinking about this, and I'm not sure exactly how many of the alghollthu are workable in ORC from either PF1E or 3.5, but I do really like the idea of presenting them in a book as some kind of society block or faction. It's just that they're a faction in a war, political struggle, land dispute, whatever you want to call it that doesn't really factor in most playable ancestries as worthy of consequence.

It's a specific subset of cosmic horror that focuses on alien factions battling each other and not really caring about the everyday people who get ground up in their machines of conflict. I think presenting an aberration-focused book in the style of raving reports about these factions--the Alghollthu, the Dominion of the Black, the Old Cults, whatever wormy faction neothelids are part of--would be an awesome way to introduce lots of themed aberrations to new players, and give them a new coat of paint, or slime, while we're at it.

The only alghollthus we lost to the OGL are the aboleths and the skum. All the rest are ones we invented, and we can make replacements for those two pretty easilly.

[Castilliano]

I will miss the aboleths, as OP as their illusions were for their level.

[Perpdepog]

James Jacobs wrote:

Perpdepog wrote:

I've been thinking about this, and I'm not sure exactly how many of the alghollthu are workable in ORC from either PF1E or 3.5, but I do really like the idea of presenting them in a book as some kind of society block or faction. It's just that they're a faction in a war, political struggle, land dispute, whatever you want to call it that doesn't really factor in most playable ancestries as worthy of consequence.

It's a specific subset of cosmic horror that focuses on alien factions battling each other and not really caring about the everyday people who get ground up in their machines of conflict. I think presenting an aberration-focused book in the style of raving reports about these factions--the Alghollthu, the Dominion of the Black, the Old Cults, whatever wormy faction neothelids are part of--would be an awesome way to introduce lots of themed aberrations to new players, and give them a new coat of paint, or slime, while we're at it.

The only alghollthus we lost to the OGL are the aboleths and the skum. All the rest are ones we invented, and we can make replacements for those two pretty easilly.

Awesome to hear! I'm guessing you wouldn't be able to re-use the name ulat-kini, though? I know that's splitting hairs to ask; I just like the name and like saying it.

[James Jacobs]

Perpdepog wrote:

James Jacobs wrote:

Perpdepog wrote:

I've been thinking about this, and I'm not sure exactly how many of the alghollthu are workable in ORC from either PF1E or 3.5, but I do really like the idea of presenting them in a book as some kind of society block or faction. It's just that they're a faction in a war, political struggle, land dispute, whatever you want to call it that doesn't really factor in most playable ancestries as worthy of consequence.

It's a specific subset of cosmic horror that focuses on alien factions battling each other and not really caring about the everyday people who get ground up in their machines of conflict. I think presenting an aberration-focused book in the style of raving reports about these factions--the Alghollthu, the Dominion of the Black, the Old Cults, whatever wormy faction neothelids are part of--would be an awesome way to introduce lots of themed aberrations to new players, and give them a new coat of paint, or slime, while we're at it.

The only alghollthus we lost to the OGL are the aboleths and the skum. All the rest are ones we invented, and we can make replacements for those two pretty easilly.

Awesome to hear! I'm guessing you wouldn't be able to re-use the name ulat-kini, though? I know that's splitting hairs to ask; I just like the name and like saying it.

I made up the name "ulat-kini" for "Into the Darklands," so that name is absolutely one we could use. We can't use the word "skum" for them though, and in any event we decided to not move forward with them as they were in 1E. We might reuse the name in other contexts at some point, but for now, faceless stalkers are taking the place of the "humanoid" minions.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Besides, weren't skum basically a way to have Deep Ones in D&D? Now you've got the ACTUAL Deep Ones and don't need that kind of a substitute!

[Perpdepog]

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:

Besides, weren't skum basically a way to have Deep Ones in D&D? Now you've got the ACTUAL Deep Ones and don't need that kind of a substitute!

I hope we get those Mythos-inspired ancestries back someday. Deep One Hybrids, maybe as a versatile heritage, Yaddithians, maybe some templates, like the Child of Yog-Sothoth from Strange Aeons re-imagined as heritage options, some nod to how ghouls function in the Mythos, all that stuff would be cool to see.

[BotBrain]

omg please i'd love a second edition contempary of Strange Aeons. I love putting cosmic horror stuff in my games even when it is entrirely irrelvant. Sure APs don't add loads of feats or whatever but I can dream.