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Shadovar
Senior Scribe
785 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Apr 2005 : 07:24:21
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My warmest greetings to all forum members who read this topic. To be straight, does any member here knows the origins of the Illithids, the mind flayers and any information related to them. Also, how is it that there are undead mind flayers can also be in existence, though both the undead and living mind flayers possess psionic powers, what differentiates them.
I gladly thank any forum members for replying and never mind if the information cannot be found about them, I still gladly thank all for reading this forum topic. A warm thank you to all.
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We have fostered trust, recruited loyalty, and gathered the faithful. We have trained thousands. Our legions can cover the land, fill the sky and travel through the darkness. We can hunt any and all that would deny our heritage. Now is our time, now is the time of the Dark Reign(Rain) of the Empire of Shadows.
- High Prince Telemont Tanthul, Lord Shadow
In a speech given to the citizens of Shade Enclave
At the celebration of the Shinantra Battle victory when he revealed that he was THE Lord Shadow of legend. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2005 : 08:16:56
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On the topic of illithid origins...
The Book of Aberrations states that the illithids are basically entities that arrived from a far off future. They travelled back in time apparently, to flee racial destruction. It was recorded that they appeared two thousand years before the "present" era and enslaved the race of creatures which would come to be collectively referred to as the "gith".
However, this doesn't relate completely (aside from the reference to possible time travel) with the theory from the "Sargonne Prophecies" in The Illithiad. Sargonne was a seer and the prophecies he recorded were believed to foretell future events. He recorded his visions on a stone tablet which came to bear his name. This stone tablet seems to make reference to a "seed" which violently appeared in our multiverse from a nightmarish realm beyond mortal comprehension (possibly the Far Realm) which which gave rise to the early precursors of the illithid populations in our reality.
It is possible that this seed contained thousands and thousands of the illithids tadpoles that are a necessary component for a mortal's transformation into an illithid as a result of the process of ceremorphosis. Ceremorphosis is simply the way illithids "reproduce", so perhaps these first tadpoles encounter emerging mortal forms on the worlds they fell upon creating the illithid standard we are familiar with today.
There is another theory which states that the illithids are the products of mortal breaching the planar boundaries between our reality and that of the Far Realm, and returning to our multiverse after being exposed to the transformation process in the Far Realm. These illithids would likely have brought the secrets of their creation back with them in order to perpetuate their species in our multiverse.
I've written about this particular theory before here at Candlekeep. There are a number of scrolls in both the Sages of Realmslore and Adventuring sections which details my and a few other scribes thoughts on the origins of the illithids. There's even a journal account from a planar traveller who first encountered an illithid upon reaching the periphery of the Far Realm.
I'll likely have more, but I'm pressed for time at the moment.
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
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Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 18 Apr 2005 08:20:53 |
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Alhoon
Acolyte
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2005 : 19:06:02
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| Many Illithids as it turns out are more to the magical persuasion. They are divided into magical illithids and psionic illithids. The magical ones still have some psi-like abilities but rely more on magic, mostly sorceror abilities. The undead illithids are created the same way human liches are. an illithid gains enough magic to be able to perform the rituals required to become a lich. The illithid who wishes to become an Alhoon leaves its comrades and severs its connection to the brain pool and performs the ritual. I may be mistaken but isn't the first "recorded" evidence of Alhoons in the realms come from being transformed into them by Ioalum the Netherese Arcanist shortly before or shortly after the fall of Netheril. |
::SLURP:: |
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Shadovar
Senior Scribe
785 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 01:57:15
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Thanks Alhoon and The Sage for replying, then concerning their food,what do they eat?For both the living and undead kind of illithid.
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We have fostered trust, recruited loyalty, and gathered the faithful. We have trained thousands. Our legions can cover the land, fill the sky and travel through the darkness. We can hunt any and all that would deny our heritage. Now is our time, now is the time of the Dark Reign(Rain) of the Empire of Shadows.
- High Prince Telemont Tanthul, Lord Shadow
In a speech given to the citizens of Shade Enclave
At the celebration of the Shinantra Battle victory when he revealed that he was THE Lord Shadow of legend. |
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Alhoon
Acolyte
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 02:04:30
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| the living ones eat the brains of sentient creatures. The dead ones don't need to eat being dead or undead. |
::SLURP:: |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 02:04:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Shadovar
Thanks Alhoon and The Sage for replying, then concerning their food,what do they eat?For both the living and undead kind of illithid.
Living mind flayer's eat brains from sentient living beings. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 02:10:04
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And they like to use their tentacles to suck out the fillings of Twinkies.  
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Shadovar
Senior Scribe
785 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 02:26:46
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Thanks everyone for the replies! A warm thank you to all who had read this topic and replied to my topic!
So am i right to say that they use their tenacles to bore holes in their victims skull and then use their hidden beaks to feed on the brains of their victims for the living illithids. Then for the undead mind flayers, do they utilize similar mechanisms of feeding to survive or other ways and is it true that they feed on the same victims as the illithids?
Also, I heard they love to feed on individuals with great inherent psionic power, is it true? |
We have fostered trust, recruited loyalty, and gathered the faithful. We have trained thousands. Our legions can cover the land, fill the sky and travel through the darkness. We can hunt any and all that would deny our heritage. Now is our time, now is the time of the Dark Reign(Rain) of the Empire of Shadows.
- High Prince Telemont Tanthul, Lord Shadow
In a speech given to the citizens of Shade Enclave
At the celebration of the Shinantra Battle victory when he revealed that he was THE Lord Shadow of legend. |
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Alhoon
Acolyte
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 02:29:52
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| the undead don't need to eat they live off of magic. In 2nd ed. the psionic mindflayers had a beak, while the magically inclined ones had a sucker kind of thing like a lamprey fish. |
::SLURP:: |
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Alhoon
Acolyte
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 02:31:10
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| The bigger the brain the better, right? |
::SLURP:: |
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TymoraChosen
Seeker
67 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 02:35:44
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| Surely they would favor those with innate psionic talents, so as to strengthen their psionic abilities. |
May tymora's blessings be heaped on all |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 03:02:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Alhoon
The bigger the brain the better, right?
The Realmspace supplement details some illithids that feast on beholders. Big brains, there. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Alhoon
Acolyte
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 03:31:41
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| I bet that would be somthing to see |
::SLURP:: |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 04:57:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Alhoon
The bigger the brain the better, right?
The Realmspace supplement details some illithids that feast on beholders. Big brains, there.
Curiously, looking over the cross-section diagram for a typical beholder in the BoA we see that the standard beholder brain isn't actually as big as one would think. In fact, a fair number of its other organs are far larger than their brains. They appear to have an extensive nervous system though.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 06:08:45
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quote:
Originally posted by TymoraChosen
Surely they would favor those with innate psionic talents, so as to strengthen their psionic abilities.
*Innocent question*
Oh? Where had you heard that? |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Shadovar
Senior Scribe
785 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 06:45:02
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Pardon my intrusion, Well according to what TymoraChosen had posted. I believe that the illithids have a common belief that individuals with inherent great psionic abilities should be captured when young and raised while maximising the individual psionic abilities, this is done to ensure that individual reaches its maximum psionoc ability. When the time is right, they will compete to see who can feast on the individual brains to well further or enhance their psionic abilities. A belief held among the octopus faced creatures.
Here are some nice info. + drawings of the mind flayers.
:http://www.geocities.com/terrorsmartyr/boe/illithids.html
A survivor who nearly ended up on the dinner plate of the monsters is listed here:
http://www.wizards.com/?x=dnd/rp/20020619a
Her name is Teliene Coloara, a drow with intense hatred of the mind flayers. Check her name on the website if the link is not functioning.
Also, more on the origins of the illithids.
: http://www.geocities.com/dragon-dreamer/ps/ssirik.html
Trust me, I will definitely slay any mind flayer I come across*chuckles* Just for humor. |
We have fostered trust, recruited loyalty, and gathered the faithful. We have trained thousands. Our legions can cover the land, fill the sky and travel through the darkness. We can hunt any and all that would deny our heritage. Now is our time, now is the time of the Dark Reign(Rain) of the Empire of Shadows.
- High Prince Telemont Tanthul, Lord Shadow
In a speech given to the citizens of Shade Enclave
At the celebration of the Shinantra Battle victory when he revealed that he was THE Lord Shadow of legend. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 07:16:32
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So nothing official then about Mind Flayers eatting Psionicists to increase their powers?
The Realms personality sort of suggests it but it could be taken a number of ways |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2005 : 11:24:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
So nothing official then about Mind Flayers eatting Psionicists to increase their powers?
The Realms personality sort of suggests it but it could be taken a number of ways
I do seem to recall reading somewhere that the more trained the mind, the better it tasted to illithids. But I'll be dipped if I can remember where I read that. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
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Gaealiege
Acolyte
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2005 : 02:11:57
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| Shadovar, my advice would be to wait for the Lords of Madness release. I'm positive that the book will have all the information you are looking for on the history of illithids. |
"The hand of man could hold the multiverse in its palm, if only it could learn to unclench its fist." |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2005 : 02:18:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Gaealiege
Shadovar, my advice would be to wait for the Lords of Madness release.
Just an FYI for those unaware, but that product is already out. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2005 : 05:55:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Gaealiege
Shadovar, my advice would be to wait for the Lords of Madness release. I'm positive that the book will have all the information you are looking for on the history of illithids.
And it has suitable historical details for the mind flayer race.
But in my opinion, you don't really need to have "all" the history of the mind flayers, because their historical mystery and the mists clouding their origins is part of what makes the race so appealing to so many.
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2005 : 06:03:00
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Of special note also is Paradigm Concepts Unveiled Masters: The Essential Guide to Mind Flayers tome. Inside a completely alternate historical conception for the mind flayers is proposed. We learn that the Illeth (who are the OGL "name" for illithids) are the progeny of a Cthulhu-like entity who serve beings of pure madness.
Unveiled Masters also makes reference to a Great Illeth (Illithid) Empire, an ancient outer planar war against celestials, and the enslavement of a humanoid species reminiscent of the gith. There are notable and inspired differences however, enough to warrant my purchase of such a sourcebook.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 20 Apr 2005 06:04:24 |
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silverpriestess
Acolyte
22 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2005 : 10:56:40
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| Excuse me everyone for raising this well long closed topic, I cannot help but be very interested about Mind Flayers. I do not possess the book that is supposed to talk of Mind Flayers, but can I ask some information about how do they reproduce and the various kinds of Mind Flayers? Your information posting would be greatly appreciated. |
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Shadovar
Senior Scribe
785 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2005 : 11:09:13
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quote:
Originally posted by silverpriestess
Excuse me everyone for raising this well long closed topic, I cannot help but be very interested about Mind Flayers. I do not possess the book that is supposed to talk of Mind Flayers, but can I ask some information about how do they reproduce and the various kinds of Mind Flayers? Your information posting would be greatly appreciated.
Very well, based on the D&D book of Abberations, the way the illithids reproduce is simply one word- Grosteque.Yes, quite similar to the way Phaerimm reproduce.
well, a mind flayer spents the first part of its life as a tadpole hatched from an egg. The egg is derived from a briny pool containing numerous eggs. Tadpoles spent 10 years in the pool and fed with gruesome food such as brain matter. But at the bottom of the briny pool is the elder brain, of course, it preys on the tadpoles,for food or sport? I not sure. Only a few survivr-so called the best and the fittest- and they will undergo ceremorphosis.
The illithids will seek a host such as an orc or drow, the tadpole will be inserted into the ear, nostril, eye, and the tadpole will proceed to and feed on the host brain. Then the victim brain is replaced with the tadpole bloated tissue. The tadpole will neurologically meld into what remains of the lower brainstem and assume complete control. The victim dies.
The ceremorphosis takes a week to complete,at the end of the weel, the victim tissues had been replaced with mind flayer tissue. But to fully mature and "grow up" takes 20 years. |
We have fostered trust, recruited loyalty, and gathered the faithful. We have trained thousands. Our legions can cover the land, fill the sky and travel through the darkness. We can hunt any and all that would deny our heritage. Now is our time, now is the time of the Dark Reign(Rain) of the Empire of Shadows.
- High Prince Telemont Tanthul, Lord Shadow
In a speech given to the citizens of Shade Enclave
At the celebration of the Shinantra Battle victory when he revealed that he was THE Lord Shadow of legend. |
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silvermage
Seeker
77 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2005 : 11:17:47
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So far there are some types of illithids listed, They are:
1) Ulitharids
2) Illithid sorcerers
3) Alhoons
4) Mind Flayer vampires(but lacks intelligence)
5) Neothelids
6) Urophians
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Shadovar
Senior Scribe
785 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2005 : 11:20:29
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| I think among all the illithid types, the Neothelids are the most dangerous adversaries ever faced. |
We have fostered trust, recruited loyalty, and gathered the faithful. We have trained thousands. Our legions can cover the land, fill the sky and travel through the darkness. We can hunt any and all that would deny our heritage. Now is our time, now is the time of the Dark Reign(Rain) of the Empire of Shadows.
- High Prince Telemont Tanthul, Lord Shadow
In a speech given to the citizens of Shade Enclave
At the celebration of the Shinantra Battle victory when he revealed that he was THE Lord Shadow of legend. |
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StromLancer
Acolyte
41 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2005 : 11:23:58
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| i heard the mind flayers do organize some sort of public brain eating event, what are they for? Entertainment? Or to let the audience drool over some brains? |
Lead the war fate commands you to!
...but are you fighting the true enemy? |
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Shadovar
Senior Scribe
785 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2005 : 11:30:15
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| Well, the mind flayers can said to be very greedy for brains despite the restrictions and laws of their community. Thats why they organoze performance eating. The performance eaters train hard at extracting every nuance from the eaing experience, the process of feeding is well planned and every detail given the fullest attention. The eating event is shared by the audience by telepathic means, so the illithid audience experiences the meal as if they were right there eating the brain. But they love the brains of adventuerers as they think it is a delicacy. Yes, Stromlancer, you are quite right, the mind flayers do this for entertainment. |
We have fostered trust, recruited loyalty, and gathered the faithful. We have trained thousands. Our legions can cover the land, fill the sky and travel through the darkness. We can hunt any and all that would deny our heritage. Now is our time, now is the time of the Dark Reign(Rain) of the Empire of Shadows.
- High Prince Telemont Tanthul, Lord Shadow
In a speech given to the citizens of Shade Enclave
At the celebration of the Shinantra Battle victory when he revealed that he was THE Lord Shadow of legend. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2005 : 15:06:26
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quote:
Originally posted by silvermage
So far there are some types of illithids listed, They are:
1) Ulitharids
2) Illithid sorcerers
3) Alhoons
4) Mind Flayer vampires(but lacks intelligence)
5) Neothelids
6) Urophians
In addition, we have the Elder Brain, which is actually a collective of illithid minds that form a unified consciousness which jointly rules and directs the affairs of an illithid community.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Mind Flayers
