Page 75 - Volo's Guide to Monsters

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(Evil)
assaults, they can create widespread unrest that the
Domination. All others should submit to my control.
6
the local nobility to bouts of madness through psionic
lesser being$. (Neutral)
ity, such as by inciting years of famine while driving
Superiority. Nothing can be gained from the study of
S
can engineer the collapse of a society's central author-
never lie. (Lawful)
humanoids into an inexorable decline. If the illithids
4
Truth. Truth is the foundation of knowledge, so I
mix in a few, calculated destructive acts to send the
own self-interest. (Chaotic)
a few key elements of a humanoid community, and then
Selfishness. I do my best work when motivated by my
3
destruction, a colony might attempt to seize control of
ing orders. (Lawful}
Subversion. As a compromise between control and
Obedience. Nothing is more important than follow-
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finding a way to dispense with all of them at once.
Knowledge. AU information is of value. (Neutral)
1
strengths and weaknesses, with the ultimate goal of
the knowledge they gain to understand their victims'
d6
Ideal
egy collects and feeds on humanoids mainly to use
MIND FLAYER IDEALS
natural disasters. A mind flayer colony using this strat-
as plagues or methods to bring about famine and other
gence and devise situations to test them.
mass casualties with minimal risk to themselves, such
I'm curious about the limits of other creatures' intelli-
8
members likely focus their research on ways to cause
I find battle stimulating.
7
cumstances where it can be outwardly aggressive, its
societies function.
against their enemies. If a colony finds itself in cir-
weak, they can't rely on simple combat to stand up
6
I'm curious about how other races live and how their
kind of humanoid.
Destruction. Because mind flayers are physically
a greater distance.
I'm very picky. I feed only on the brains of a specific
S
an elder brain's power to enable it to exert influence over
4
I never eat unless the victim is conscious and aware.
ways to exert control, such as finding a way to amplify
communicating with lesser beings when possible.
lation, a colony turns its research toward more effective
So as not to taint my thoughts, I avoid telepathically
3
the ability to overwhelm and dominate the entire popu-
tions in my victims before feeding on them.
keeping their presence secret. Lacking the numbers or
I like to flavor my meals by engendering positive emo-
2
deception to infiltrate the humanoid community while
for lesser beings.
ually or in small groups, its members use stealth and
I never let pass an opportunity to show my contempt
turn them into thralls and illithids. Operating individ-
dB
its population concentrates on capturing humanoids to
Personality Trait
Control. A colony that desperately needs to increase
MIND FLAYER PERSONALITY TRAITS
one of three approaches to dealing with its neighbors.
manoids they intend to conquer. A colony usually adopts
sonality, and motivations of its own.
they must determine how best to interact with the hu-
drones to an elder brain. Each has a brilliant mind, per-
Since mind flayers need to settle near a source of food,
as part of a collective colony mind. Yet illithids aren't
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES
Mind flayers are inhuman monsters that typically exist
ROLEPLAYING A MIND FLAYER
provide the next step in enacting the Grand Design.
be exploited. No line of inquiry is too esoteric if it might
have a population of ready victims
oids eat to see if their diet or agricultural practices can
• Drawing a surface city into the Underdark so as to
humanoids. Another might research the food human-
take to the sky
hopes of finding a way to manipulate the emotions of
• Rediscovering the secrets of nautiloid manufacture to
mind flayer might study musical tones, for example, in
minds for the colony to feed upon
soldiers. Others pursue more theoretical subjects. A
• Fostering a school of wizardry to attract intelligent
power or how to breed savage creatures to serve as foot
to create new flavors of thought
ward projects such as developing new uses for psionic
• Collecting creatures and instigating insanity in them
phenomena. A few members might focus on straightfor-
• The discovery and destruction of all githyanki creches
Every colony investigates a wide variety of topics and
front, defeat, and subjugate their enemies.
Design, including these possibilities:
edge that could give them the edge they need to con-
best to contribute to the ultimate success of the Grand
flayers examine all facets of reality, seeking any knowl-
that controls it. Each one has particular ideas about how
the world and the creatures that inhabit it. The mind
ony reflect the ambitions and priorities of the elder brain
end, each colony conducts research into the nature of
Many of the esoteric research topics pursued by a col-
humanoids have been turned into docile slaves. To that
SPECIAL GOALS
and githyanki have been eliminated and the remaining
threaten them.
place in the world is possible only after the githzerai
pire. The illithids know that reclaiming their rightful
response from the humanoids will be too scattered to
Design- the mind flayers' plan to rebuild their lost em-
become more expansion-minded, confident that any
Once a colony is secure, it focuses on the Grand
colony can use to its advantage. The mind flayers can