The Cerebrate

[KaiserKris]

Cerebrate:
A strange, tall and spindly creature approaches you, its brain dimly visible behind its translucent skull. Its oversized, charcoal black eyes regard you with curiousity. It does not speak as such, but its telepathic voice gives a vague impression of a lust for something you possess. It stretches out its hand and a thin ray of bluish energy lances out, and you feel suddenly duller, sinking to the ground ...

No. Encountered: 1-2, 4-6
Size: Medium
HP: 48 (9d8)
Move: 30 (walk), 60 (float)
AC: 20
Attacks: 2x Slam (1d6)
Special: Hivemind, Immunities, Mind Drain, Psychic Blast, Spell-Like Abilities
Primes: Intelligence, Wisdom
Int: Supra-Genius
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Type: Aberration
Treasure: Variable
XP: 1900 + 9

Special Abilities:
Darkvision: Cerebrates see flawlessly in pitch black, just as well as a regular human can see in ordinary daylight.

Hivemind: Cerebrates are mentally connected with each other, and any one Cerebrate can mentally communicate with other Cerebrates within 100 miles of their position. Cerebrates do not speak with their voice- they have none, but rather communicate through telepathy, and can do so with any creature within 100 feet. It must, however, 'know' the 'thought language' of the individual to be able to communicate any more than basic emotions or thoughts.

Immunities: The Cerebrate is immune to all mind-affecting magic and illusion.

Mind Drain: A Cerebrate within melee range of an opponent can attempt to steal that enemy’s knowledge and memories. Cerebrates are cautious creatures and usually only attempt this on helpless creatures. The target must make an Intelligence save to resist this attack, if it fails, the Cerebrate permanently steals all of their knowledge, memories and individuality. The Cerebrate gains the ability to speak any languages the individual possessed, and if the target’s Intelligence was higher than that of the Cerebrate; their Intelligence is raised to the new level. If the target was a wizard or illusionist, the Cerebrate has a 50% chance of learning any spells they had prepared that day, allowing them to cast those spells once per day from then on. It is rumoured that a Cerebrate who consumes enough minds evolves into a more powerful creature. The Cerebrate does not usually simple discard the mindless husk, but takes the deindividualized but still living body with them to their dark domain, where it is turned into a sort of living zombie, which performs labor for the Cerebrate race.

Psychic Blast: Three times per day, the Cerebrate can use a psychic blast, which functions as a ranged touch attack, inflicting 4d6 damage and inflicting an additional 1d6 Intelligence damage. A victim whose Intelligence has been drained to zero is mindless and paralyzed and the success of a Mind Drain is automatic. The range of this attack is 40 feet.

Spell-Like Abilities: The Cerebrate can use detect thoughts, sleep and colour spray at will. Three times per day it can cast hold monster, confusion, suggestion or charm monster. Once per day it can attempt to use mental domination or geas. They possess the ability to cast teleport without error once per day as well.

Weaknesses: Cerebrates dislike bright light, suffering a -1 penalty to all rolls when exposed to sunlight. They also seem to have sensitive hearing and make any saves against sonic attacks at a -2 penalty.

Description: The Cerebrates are a mysterious and terrible race that live in the deepest depths of the world, far deeper than even the terrible Drow. For the most part, the Cerebrates seem content to exist in their subterranean domain, but occasionally they rise up to higher levels and even to the surface, to acquire both slaves and fresh minds to expand their knowledge. Fancying themselves to be guardians of strange and valuable knowledge, the Cerebrates frequently go to great effect to seek out powerful minds to add to the collective knowledge of their people.

Physically, Cerebrates are broadly humanoid, though somewhat taller than most humanoids at nearly seven feet and unusually spindly, with very long legs and arms. Their heads are vaguely humanoid, but lack most facial features, save for large black eyes and most eerily, their brains are visible through their translucent skulls.

There exist pervasive rumors that the Cerebrates are led by far more powerful beings known as Tyrants, which are much more physically and mentally powerful than their Cerebrate followers. The Tyrants are believed to be great masters of the arcane arts, and wield the powers of a high-level wizard.

Combat: Cerebrates prefer to trap their opponents, using a combination of their powerful mental magic and either previously drained ‘living zombies’ or hired mercenaries as muscle. It is typically their goal not to kill enemies but to capture them alive to allow a Mind Drain to occur. If pressed, a Cerebrate will usually choose to retreat rather than fight to the end.

[Relaxo]

This is cool, Kris. At first, i thought of the Aliens in the Star Trek pilot, the Menagerie, but then I saw the blast attack and liked it even more.

[segfault]

Good job! I will definitely use this.

[KaiserKris]

Cerebrate Tyrant:
At the head of a small group of Cerebrates is a being who is superficially similar to the surrounding Cerebrates, but is far larger and more powerful-looking, carrying itself with an impression of fearlessness and confidance. It sights you immediately and surprises you by hurling a powerful bolt of lightning ...

No. Encountered: 1
Size: Medium
HP: 98 (12d8+36)
Move: 30 (walk), 60 (float)
AC: 22
Attacks: 2x Slam (2d6+1) or Psychic Blast (see Special)
Special: Hivemind, Immunities, Magical Natural Weapon, Mind Drain, Psychic Blast, Spell-Like Abilities
Primes: Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom
Int: Supra-Genius
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Type: Aberration
Treasure: Variable
XP: 5525 + 12

Special Abilities:
Darkvision: Tyrants see flawlessly in pitch black, just as well as a regular human can see in ordinary daylight.

Hivemind: Tyrants are mentally connected with Cerebrates, and any Tyrant can communicate with any other member of the Cerebrate race on the same plane. The Tyrant is also capable of issuing suggestions at will to Cerebrates, though they are rarely necessary- only a foolish Cerebrate would ignore the will of their Tyrant masters. At any time it desires, a Tyrant can see through the eyes of another Cerebrate. Tyrants can use telepathy with any individual of an intelligent race within 100 feet, regardless of linguistic barriers.

Immunities: The Tyrant is immune to all mind-affecting magic and illusion. Tyrants also possess spell resistance of 10.

Magical Natural Weapon: The metal-tipped claws of a Tyrant function as +1 magical weapons.

Mind Drain: A Tyrant within melee range of an opponent can attempt to steal that enemy’s knowledge and memories. The target must make an Intelligence save to resist this attack, if it fails, the Tyrant permanently steals all of their knowledge, memories and individuality. The Tyrant gains the ability to speak any languages the individual possessed, and if the target’s Intelligence was higher than that of the Tyrant; their Intelligence is raised to the new level. If the target was a wizard or illusionist, the Cerebrate has a 50% chance of learning any spells they had prepared that day, allowing them to cast those spells once per day from then on. The Tyrant does not usually simply discard the mindless husk, but takes the deindividualized but still living body with them to their dark domain, where it is turned into a sort of living zombie, which performs labor for the Cerebrate race.

Psychic Blast: At will, the Tyrant can use a psychic blast, which functions as a ranged touch attack, inflicting 4d6 damage and inflicting an additional 1d6 Intelligence damage. A victim whose Intelligence has been drained to zero is mindless and paralyzed and the success of a Mind Drain is automatic. The range of this attack is 40 feet.

Spell-Like Abilities: The Cerebrate can use detect thoughts, sleep, teleport without error and scrying at will. Three times per day it can cast hold monster, feeblemind, confusion, suggestion or charm monster. Once per day it can attempt to use mental domination or geas. In addition to this, the Tyrant possesses 20 spell-levels of 1st to 5th level spells that it can use to will, as well as 10 levels of 6th to 8th spells it can use once per day, from the wizard or illusionist list.

Weaknesses: Tyrants dislike bright light, suffering a -1 penalty to all rolls when exposed to sunlight. They also seem to have sensitive hearing and make any saves against sonic attacks at a -2 penalty.

Description: The mysterious masters of the Cerebrate race, the Tyrants are rarely seen on the surface, but have been known to occasionally make their presence known, most typically as leaders on large-scale Cerebrate raids on other targets. Tyrants are extremely powerful creatures, and lust equally for knowledge and raw power, both over their Cerebrate minions, which they evolved from and over vast hordes of mindless slaves. To the Tyrants, the existence of freedom and will is loathsome- not that they have any particular love for law, either, as it restricts their freedom of action.

Physically, Tyrants look somewhat like Cerebrates, but instead of being spindly and almost frail-looking, are hearty and muscular in build. They usually wear suits of finely wrought armour, with their clawed hands tipped in metal. While Cerebrates are usually quite quiet and orderly in their daily business and seem rather emotionless, Tyrants are often considerably more individualistic, seeing themselves as the only beings fit of acting with unbound will.

Combat: Tyrants are usually intelligent about getting into combats, but if somehow surprised or if it suits their purposes, they engage in combat with much greater ferocity than the average Cerebrate. While the typical Cerebrate is cautious, if not cowardly, Tyrants are aware of their great physical prowess and enjoy carnage, though their first priority is always the acquisition of new minds and knowledge.