A slender book bound in well worn rothe-hide is added to the library shelves. It is nib-inked in very neat flowing script.
Guidebook to Aberrant Life-Forms Preliminary notes regarding aberrations, by Ordinant Kepler Szul of the Society of the Ordered Minds in Sanctuary.4th Ches, 152.
Introduction This series of short volumes is intended as a general introduction for explorers and hunters in the deep Underdark, based on my first hand observations and ongoing research. It not intended as an expert source.
The term “Aberration” often describes the difficult idea that a species can exist that holds to few, if any, of the orders of a natural existence. In my mind, aberrations often hold to malign laws of 'creation' and ‘life’, and endeavour to destroy all other life-forms so as to sustain their own existence.
I hesitate to use the word “Life-Forms” alongside the term “Aberration”, for it would appear that the two terms seem to contradict each other. However, the “Aberration” is often found to be animated by blood, sinew, flesh, and biological systems somewhat recognisable in this realm. Thus the ‘aberration’ partakes of ‘life’, albeit, in a most distorted way.
The aberrations of the deep Underdark tend to breed, mature, and thrive in colonies; - though rogue aberrations, beings that have rejected or outgrown the ‘laws’ of the colony, are assumed to exist independently and can be found virtually anywhere. Aberrations tend to vary in degrees of intelligence, from the primal hunter-feeder types, such as hook horrors and umber hulks, to the supra-genius types of illithid and beholderkin.
Much has been written about the illithid and beholder. Reports about these deeply evil aberrations, are often contradictory and disturbing. The Source of such ‘evil’, the true nature of their colonies and behaviour, is as yet unknown. Thus I will begin with short studies of those aberrations that may be deemed ‘lesser’, in the sense that they are not an immediate and dire threat to the social and economic infrastructure of Sanctuary, the town’s associations, and the Sanctuary hinterland.
By moving from studies of the 'lesser' evils to the 'greater', I intend to approach a working knowledge of this Source of aberrant malignity that plagues us..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Volume 1: Ettercaps One such species of lesser known aberrations I have encountered, that I will briefly begin with, are ettercaps.Ettercaps Origin: Unknown. A bipedal creature - on average standing a little over the head of the tallest of humankind - ettercaps are cruel beings with longs arms, pot bellies, clawed hands, ragged body hair, and a row of sharp teeth finishing with two fangs on the overbite that resemble their kin, the spider. Ettercap are often found nesting with spiders of all kinds. They are naturally equipped with silk glands capable of weaving spider webs, that they shape into all forms of ropes, tripwires, strands, and nets to catch the unwary explorer who rushes into their lair. They tend to nest in small caves and labyrinthine tunnels, and hunt in packs alongside spiders.
My first encounter with the ettercap tested my knowledge of trap-lore to the utmost – rogues and hunters be prepared! The ettercap lair was riddled with these silken traps. Impatient dwarven warrior types and scamp hin take note: never rush into the home of the ettercap. Allow an experienced trapper to remove all myriad of obstructions on the path ahead of you. Know well that the spiders tend to gather and drop down in large numbers at such web-trap-sites, knowing that unwary prey will often fall to these ettercap silken contrivances.
During one of my hunting expeditions into a known underdark ettercap lair, it was soon discovered that both the ettercaps and spiders seem to have co-habitated well with a drow priestess. Ettercap are capable of throwing vast nets and silken strands at a distance to entangle their victims as well.
Like all spider forms, fire and sharp steel are often the best weapons to use against ettercaps and their kin.