Aboleth Fall

### Regional Effects

Lack of oceanic life for approx. 10 miles; psychological stress and mental side effects to those who enter the caves or live too long in the surrounding area.

### Current Researchers

Zafie Folhana

The Aboleth Fall is the most southern Titan in the Southern Circuit region, located within and composing a series of karst caves on the shores of the Green Bay. While the caves have not been explored extensively, there are an estimated 35 aboleth skeletons along with at least five aboleth servitor (slave) remains that date as far back as 87aT. Most of the knowledge obtained about the Aboleth Fall is the result of the journal of one of the members of an adventuring group called The Branded, who are credited with slaying the Titans, as well as archaeological work done by Zafie Folhana on behalf of the Westbrook Academy. Chemical traces similar to but not exactly the same as the aboleth fossils have been found in other parts of the bay, but have not yet been extensively researched.

## Description

The entrance is located on the western edge of the Green Bay characterized by an extremely steep continental shelf not found along the rest of the bay's coast. The underwater cliff meets the ocean floor at an unnaturally steep angle, the cause of which has not yet been determined. At the base of this cliff is the remains of worn down but exceptional partial mold cast preservation of an aboleth skeleton spine along with biomarkers found in the quartzite rock walls. According to leading archaeologist Zafie Folhana, the backbone is an estimated 33.5 feet long if the spine were to be uncurved, unlike it's position on the cliff where, curved, it spans only 26 feet high and approximately 12 feet across [cite Zafie's work]. This is the largest of the aboleth fossils in this Titan Fall so far.

While the cave entrance above has been the sure only entrance found so far, there may be another possible entrance at the bottom of the shelf where a crack formed in the bedrock may lead to a sinkhole inside the cave, hence providing an entrance accessible by swimming through the karst.

The mouth of the cave is in plain sight though it is smaller than usual - about five feet across and six to seven feet high. The first ten feet of the entrance floor is covered in knee-deep water, but as the tunnel rises the floor is exposed. While smaller folk can comfortably fit, as well as smaller humans and elves, taller folk like half-orcs may have a harder time navigating due to the stalagmites and stalactites lining the ceiling and floor. Composition appears to be primarily dolomite and limestone dotted with pinks of quartzite. Occasional dips in the floor are common, and in the entrance tunnel alone there are seven holes in the ground varying in widths from a few centimeters to a foot across. Light shone through and orbs sent down have not revealed the bottom floor, though the walls appear to be made of quartzite and semi-precious rocks; scrying attempts and teleportation exhibitions have not been attempted. Archaeologist Zafie Folhana theorizes that there may be a river flow at the bottom that leads to the shelf entrance.

Those who enter beyond the main tunnel have reported to have instances of dizziness and/or memory lapses. The most severe side effect for those who enter are documented in the journal of The Branded and included dizziness, amnesia, mania, and delusions resulting in self harm and harm of others [cite journal].

Beyond the main cave tunnel, the tunnel pinches and comes to a very small, cramped exit difficult for larger creatures to get through. The Branded had used tools and spells to open the entrance further to allow everyone through. Inside was an enormous cavern made of pink rock - quartzite - so large the end of the cavern was not visible. A vast green pool filled this space, where the aboleths were living. When The Branded left back through the way they came, they reported that the tunnel split into three although they only came from one, and found a series of winding tunnels, at some times visible to the explorer, at other times invisible. After an unknown amount of time - estimated to be between four to nine days judging by the amount of food consumed and their state of tiredness - they managed to find their way out.

Explorations by others Post-Fall ended in them not returning until Zafie Folhana investigated further, finding these tunnels to be illusions supplemented by delusions, and devised a method to track direction and test for illusions that allowed her to enter and leave without being lost. She has kept her method a secret thus far, and has no plans to share it [cite]. She has reported to not being subject to the delusions or illusions The Branded experienced.

## Pre-Fall History

Prior to heading into the area, The Branded sought information on the area and was given knowledge by an elder elf, Fleea, in the moving village of Kroow. According to Fellorin's journal, Fleea told the party that she was told the aboleths appeared around 1450aT, reported by local fishermen and sailors as abnormally large fish. Fleea said this was no longer the case when the aboleth collective began to capsize boats and were rumoured to take the capsized men under their control. Forensic analysis Post-Fall confirms bodies present inside the caves along with remains of metal buttons and buckles that match historically accurate components of clothing fishermen would wear. Fleea also told them of the similar things that locals have been saying about the area - there is no fish or wildlife, aquatic or land, for miles around, and there had been reports of illnesses befalling those who drank the water from the Bay or the rivers connected to it. There had been reports among the fishing village that used to exist there - Hemshore, which is there no longer - of delusions, mania, and memory loss to those who lived in the area for longer than a year. As a result, the village dissolved, some members joining Kroow, which is how she comes to know these stories, some to Dellmer, others spreading far and wide to other locations.

Journal entries from Fellorin "Fell" Davinor and forensic evidence has indicated that one of the first attempts at exploring the aboleth collective and/or attempting to slay the Titans was Ellrook Davinor, accompanied by another male elf who is unnamed and unidentified and an unidentified female half-elf named Jaz (believed to be a nickname). Ellrook and company explored the area approximately a month before The Branded entered.

## Slaying

As a result of the mania and delusions The Branded experienced while in the cave, the following record collected from Fellorin's journal is not necessarily concrete or accurate.

Upon entering the large karst cavern with the green lake, The Branded members Etter and Ahket immediately reported extreme dizziness, and appeared to reach up towards the ceiling in an attempt to grasp something Fellorin claimed was not there. Following some persuading and chatter to which Etter and Ahket seemed to ignore, dark shapes shifted in the water and several aboleths surfaced. These creatures were described later by Iauron as being about as large as three blue caravans (approx. over 40 feet long) and having silver tinges to the edge of their green-grey slimy skin accompanied by six rather than the usual three red eyes.

Iauron then hit Ahket over the head with his quarterstaff, snapping her out of her glazed expression, and without a word she allegedly charged forward into the shores of the water and began to attack the nearest aboleth recklessly. The party tried to call her back, but Ahket kept attacking the creature until it began to attack her back. Ahket was seemingly unaffected by the toxic mucous around the beast, and attacked until she was thrown back to shore by one of it's tentacles. The aboleths then sank back into the water.

It was at this point that a glimpse of a landmass far down the vast lake inside this cave could be noticed, and the group decided to check out the island before making a further move, knowing that Ellrook was supposedly around. An inflatable raft was brought out after no other option was reasonable, and Etter cast a Fly spell on herself to scout slightly ahead and above the raft.

## References

1. ↑ See entry on [family?redlink=1&veaction=edit&flow=create-page-article-redlink|Ellrook Davinor]
2. ↑ http://www.worldofazolin.com/wiki/index.php?title=Aboleth\_Anatomy#Skeletal\_System