Intellect Devourer (/ˈɪntᵊlɛkt dɪˈvaʊərə/)
Mind Flayer pet, a Brain on Legs
A human-sized brain, set on bestial clawed legs.An intellect devourer resembles a walking brain protected by a crusty covering and set on bestial clawed legs. This foul aberration feeds on the intelligence of sentient creatures, taking over a victim's body on behalf of its Mind flayer masters. Illithid Creations. Mind flayers breed intellect devourers to serve as roaming hunters of the Underdark, creating an intellect devourer by taking the brain of a thrall and subjecting it to a horrible ritual. As it sprouts legs, the brain becomes an intelligent predator as twisted and evil as its masters. Deadly Puppet Masters. An intellect devourer consumes a creature's mind and memories, then turns the host body into a puppet under its control. An intellect devourer typically uses its puppet host to lure others into the domain of the mind flayers to be enthralled or consumed.
The party fought an intellect devourer in the tunnels under the @ruin which turned out to be holding an intellect devourer inside of it... which almost took over Barlo.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Intellect devourers were psionic Aberrations that took the form of walking brains. They were servants of the mind flayers and were one of the most dreaded threats of the Underdark, with their power to consume intelligence and possess host bodies. They were also known as brain-dogs and rochnon (pronounced: /ˈrɒknɒn/ ROCK-non).
“Don't cry. We have no intention of eating your brain. In fact, your brain is going on a wonderful journey!”Description They looked like little more than disembodied large humanoid brains that could walk on a set of four bestial double-jointed bony legs with feet bearing three stubby talons. Though their size was variable thanks to their psionic compression power, they ranged in size from 6 inches (15 centimeters) long, to about as big as dogs. Despite their appearance, they could move and attack with shocking speed. Their brain matter was protected under a crusty coating or a glistening, clear membrane. They made warbling sounds.
Genetics and Reproduction
Intellect devourers are not naturally occurring creatures. They are created through a horrific ritual by mind flayers, who use the brains of their slaves as the starting point. The ritual involves the removal of the brain, the implantation of a parasitic creature, and a series of magical incantations.
The resulting intellect devourer is a tiny, brain-like creature with four clawed legs. It is telepathic and can speak Deep Speech. It is also a voracious predator, feeding on the intelligence of sentient creatures.
Intellect devourers reproduce by mating with each other. The female intellect devourer implants her eggs in the body of a living creature. The eggs hatch into brain grubs, which feed on the host's brain until they are fully grown.
Growth Rate & Stages
The gestation period for brain grubs varies depending on the intelligence of the host. The more intelligent the host, the faster the brain grubs will grow. Once they are fully grown, the brain grubs emerge from the host's body and leave to find new hosts.
The lifespan of an intellect devourer is typically around 60 years. However, they often die shortly after reproducing, as the process of creating brain grubs is very taxing on their bodies.
Here are some additional details about the genetics and reproduction of intellect devourers:
- Intellect devourers are not sexually dimorphic, meaning that there is no physical difference between males and females.
- The brain grubs that hatch from intellect devourer eggs are all identical to each other. Intellect devourers can only reproduce with other intellect devourers.
- The brain grubs that hatch from intellect devourer eggs are not fully sentient until they have fed on the brain of a sentient creature.
Ecology and Habitats
Ecology
“Oh, no, wait! I've got it! Send a Mind flayer or, better yet, an intellect devourer! It'll starve, you know, because you're driving me crazy!”The intellect devourer, as the name suggested, consumed the intelligence of sentient creatures, which could be in death or by subtle harvesting. Nevertheless, they would feed until the victim was no more than a mindless husk. The intellect devourers' means of reproduction was understandably a mystery to most surface dwellers. In fact, illithids bred intellect devourers by subjecting the brain of one of their thralls to a ritual in which the brain sprouted legs and became an independent, intelligent predator. The process involved immersing the brain in a 'spawning pool' containing a glowing green brine that would magically transmute the brain into a devourer over a few days. The process could be unreliable; the Mind flayer Nihiloor saw nine in ten of these brains rot and die instead. The illithids created intellect devourers from the brains they elected not to eat themselves. However, it was also reported that intellect devourers arose from the remaining brains of creatures slain by other intellect devourers. In this version, they seemed to be psychic parasites spawned by the insanity of the Far Realm and they still bore its taint. Either way, the newly created aberration began its existence in a larval form called an ustilagor. Mature intellect devourers did not protect or Aid them, and would even eat them. These ustilagor lived like rats and other vermin, only scavenging off the mental energies of bigger creatures and were farmed as a delicacy by illithids unless raised to maturity. An ustilagor that consumed the brain of a psionic creature would become an adult. A mature intellect devourer, also called an intellect predator to distinguish it from the other stages of life, operated similarly to a Wolf. They hunted in packs known as 'pods' of up to four specimens, but they could also be found alone or in pairs. However, it was unusual for them to operate together like this. Rarely, an intellect predator that lived a long time and grown massive on consumed intelligence underwent a second metamorphosis, becoming what was known as an intellect glutton or brain collector. Too big to take a host body, these were powerful creatures in their own right. Some sages wondered if kalmari were related somehow to intellect devourers.
Habitats
These predators were found prowling the underground and in the Underdark, independently and in service to the illithids. They were usually found near other aberrant beings, particularly the mind flayers. However, they might also be found in their own dark bleak dens in the wilds. Naturally, intellect devourers might be found hunting in Undermountain, including in the areas of Maddgoth's Castle. Intellect devourers could also be encountered in the Astral Plane and Ethereal Plane. In the Abyss, they could be found in Shedaklah, the Slime Pits, the 222 layer of the Abyss.Dietary Needs and Habits
Intellect devourers are carnivorous creatures that feed on the intelligence of sentient creatures. They are able to do this by telepathically draining the memories and emotions of their prey, which eventually leads to the victim's death.
Intellect devourers typically hunt in packs, using their telepathic abilities to locate and track their prey. Once they have found a victim, they will use their psionic powers to stun the victim and then devour its brain.
Intellect devourers do not store or protect their food sources. They are opportunistic predators that will eat whatever they can find. However, they prefer to prey on intelligent creatures, as these creatures have more complex memories and emotions, which makes them more satisfying to devour.
Here are some additional details about the dietary needs and habits of intellect devourers:
- Intellect devourers do not need to eat in the traditional sense. They can survive for long periods of time on the memories and emotions of their prey.
- Intellect devourers are attracted to intelligent creatures. They can sense the intelligence of their prey, and they are drawn to it.
- Intellect devourers are not very powerful creatures in terms of physical strength. However, they are very intelligent and cunning, and they use their psionic powers to their advantage.
- Intellect devourers are a threat to any sentient creature. They are intelligent, cunning, and deadly predators.
Biological Cycle
Intellect devourers are not affected by the passing of time or seasonal changes in the same way that other creatures are. They do not hibernate, shed leaves, or migrate. Their biological cycle is largely unaffected by the outside world.
The only major change that intellect devourers undergo is during their reproduction cycle. When a female intellect devourer is ready to mate, she will implant her eggs in the body of a living creature. The eggs hatch into brain grubs, which feed on the host's brain until they are fully grown. Once they are fully grown, the brain grubs emerge from the host's body and leave to find new hosts.
The gestation period for brain grubs varies depending on the intelligence of the host. The more intelligent the host, the faster the brain grubs will grow. Once they are fully grown, the brain grubs emerge from the host's body and leave to find new hosts.
The lifespan of an intellect devourer is typically around 60 years. However, they often die shortly after reproducing, as the process of creating brain grubs is very taxing on their bodies.
In short, the biological cycle of an intellect devourer is largely unaffected by the passing of time or seasonal changes. The only major change that occurs is during their reproduction cycle.
Behaviour
Behavior
The intellect devourer had a kind of split personality, enabling it to perform different actions simultaneously. They were only active when it was dark.Tactics
Intellect devourers would wander through tunnels and caves on the hunt for sentient prey. They were particularly alerted to the presence of psionic energy and creatures that possessed psionic ability; the greater the target's intelligence, the more like they were to attack. When they sensed prey, they stalked them or else concealed themselves, using their powers to aid them, then waited for their chosen victim to be alone. They would then attack with all their psychic powers, before charging in and pouncing to finish the target off with their claws. Thanks to their split personality, they had no issue with using claws and psionics simultaneously. Afterward, the intellect devourer could seize the victim as a host and thereby infiltrate areas that offered it even more sentient minds to prey upon. If they found themselves seriously threatened, they would retreat for their own safety. They could also be driven off with a bright light, including from a natural fire.Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Usage
Illithids used their intellect devourers for hunting. Normally, they had them possess and puppeteer the bodies of their victims and then use them to lure other creatures into the illithids' hunting grounds, so the mind flayers could consume their brains themselves or dominate them as new thralls. Otherwise, they kept them as guard beasts and even as pets, while an intellect glutton might be ridden as a mount. More generally, other intelligent creatures who dared to use intellect devourers would set them to work as guardians or as predators for some purpose. By taking a host body and posting as their last victim, they made for excellent spies. The body parts of intellect devourers could be utilized as material components in potions and magic items associated with mind control and ESP. Dried blood of intellect devourer (or brain mole, or formian) was a possible component in a sending. A whole body was needed for a certain potion that bolstered one's psionics attack and defense powers. Most notably, the brain of an intellect devourer was a key reagent in the cure for the disease known as the Wailing Death.Harvesting
instructions
Instructions: Because this creature is an Aberration, the player should roll a Arcana Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.
| DC | Item | Description | Value | Weight | Exp. | Crafting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Intellect Devourer Brain Fluid (vial) | An intellect devourer's brain fluid is a thick, clear fluid with a pink tint. The fluid is produced by tissues lining the ventricles of the brain. The fluid begins to dry quickly after death and must be harvested quickly. The fluid is useful to alchemists and artificers (especially those with an interest in flesh golems). Use: As an action a creature may drink a vial of brain fluid. That creature must make a DC 12 Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, it becomes stunned for 1 minute as its mind struggles to grasp with a sudden rush of information. On a success, the creature learns the identity of who the intellect devourer used to be, as well as one key memory (DM discretion). The memory may be something that the intellect devourer knew in its original life, or something it learned after becoming an intellect devourer (i.e. the location of a mind flayer's lair). | 5 gp | 1 lb. | 7 days | - |
| 20 | Intellect Devourer Pineal Gland | The pineal gland plays a strong roll in the Intellect Devourer's mental abilities. It is a fragile gland that may rupture if harvested incorrectly. The gland is a small, pea-shaped ball located in the middle of the brain. The gland is values by spellcasters and individuals studying psionics. Artificers may also be able to harness something from the small gland. Alchemists use the gland as an ingredient in certain potions. | 15 gp | 1 lb. | 2 days | - |
| 20 | Living Brainstem | Living is a strong word in this case. Used here, it really means that the brain still has some capacity for interaction and response to stimuli, due largely to the dark rituals used to transform it into an intellect devourer. While it would be much more merciful to put the brain out of its misery by destroying it entirely, it still offers some use for an adventurer with a strong stomach. Use: For 6 hours after an intellect devourer's death, its main brain continues to send weak signals of psionic wavelengths. When the brain is worn directly on top of a humanoid's head, that humanoid becomes immune to the detect sentience ability of intellect devourers. Instead, an intellect devourer that detects that humanoid will assume that humanoid is a host of a living intellect devourer and will treat them accordingly. However, an intellect devourer that can see without using its blindsight will still notice that a humanoid is wearing a brain on the top of their head and will also react accordingly. | 12 gp | 6 lb. | 2 days | - |
This kind of creature does not normally carry treasure. This kind of creature does not normally have or collect treasure. However, the creature may have a lair full of bodies, or reside somewhere that treasure already exists.
This creature produces 1 piece of Harvested Meat, weight total of 48 lb. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 2 sp The meat of many monsters is considered vile and distasteful. Monstrosities and aberrations, in particular, may have tainted blood or rancid tasting meat. Dungeon Master's discretion.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Abilities
They were capable of magically consuming a humanoid creature's mind and memories from a distance of up to 10 feet (3 meters), provided that creature had a brain and succumbed to its psychic assault. If so, the victim's mentality was deteriorated. In the worst case, the victim's intellectual capacity was completely erased, leaving them dazed or Stunned and ultimately Incapacitated. Psionic intellect devourers instead absorbed mental energy as with psychic drain or consumed the victim's confidence, as with the ego whip power. If the intellect devourer approached a vulnerable victim (whether Incapacitated or already devoured) within 5 feet (1.5 meters), it could then battle the brain's remaining defenses; a protection from evil spell prevented this and repelled them. If successful, it magically or psionically consumed the physical brain, then teleported inside the empty skull to replace the brain, whereupon it could use the body as a host, as with a domination power. Naturally, this killed the victim. A fresh corpse could also be used as a host, but not undead and other kinds of creatures not especially hampered by the loss of a brain. Any difference in size was taken care of by their compression power. Once in control of its host, an intellect devourer had full control of the body, which was more or less as strong and capable as it was normally, while the devourer retained its own mental abilities. Moreover, the intellect devourer possessed partial or complete knowledge of everything the victim had known, including all languages surface knowledge of identity and personality but no specific memories or information, or even all their knowledge and even their spells. However, it would likely lose this knowledge once it vacated the host body. When controlling a body, the intellect devourer wasn't always able to perfectly Mimic the movements of certain races, such as humans. Safely ensconced inside the host body, it could not be easily attacked or targeted itself. It could only be removed by a Protection from Evil and Good. However, this process killed the host body unless the original brain was somehow restored within a few seconds. Alternatively, a Wish spell could restore the host's brain, forcing the intellect devourer out. If the host body was killed or the intellect devourer was forced to leave by some means, then it teleported to a place 5 feet (1.5 meters) away. An intellect devourer could also leave willingly, by exploding out of the skull. Otherwise, if not exposed, it could apparently control the body indefinitely, though some accounts suggested seven days before needing to refresh. To Aid in hunting, an intellect devourer could detect the minds of sentient creatures up to a distance of 300 feet (91 meters), determining both presence and position. Walls and other barriers made no difference, but a Mind Blank spell rendered the mind effectively Invisible. Some could also detect psionics to 60 feet (18 meters). Otherwise, having no eyes, an intellect devourer could not be Blinded nor assailed by magical gazes, yet could, by nonvisual senses, effectively "see" with blindsight up to 60 feet (18 meters) and pinpoint all creatures in range. Their awareness in fact extended onto the Astral Plane and the Ethereal Plane. They could communicate via Telepathy to 60 feet (18 meters). Otherwise, they could not speak, though they could understand a language, such as the Deep Speech used by mind flayers any language of humans, or Common. If in a host, however, they could use the body to speak. Some intellect devourers were capable of various other psionic powers, such as the basic contact and mindlink for initiating psionics; ESP to read minds; telempathic projection to project their own feelings; chameleon power or cloud mind to creep about unnoticed; expansion and compression or reduction to shrink and conceal themselves; empty mind, Mind Blank, or thought Shield to fortify their own mental defenses; ectoplasmic form or Intellect Fortress to Shield their bodies; aversion to repel foes; id insinuation to confuse a few opponents, chemical simulation to produce an acid; body equilibrium to balance on any surface; body adjustment to Heal themselves; painful strike to enhance their claws; and even Astral Projection. They were highly shielded against psionics themselves. Despite their exposed brains, an intellect devourer was protected by a crusty covering or clear membrane and was resistant to physical Harm. They sometimes required a highly enchanted or Adamantine weapon to effectively Harm them and were immune to fire and highly resistant to electricity, thanks to a unique form of psionic energy containment. They were naturally skilled in stealth, deception, and hearing. They fought using their taloned feet.Civilization and Culture
History
According to one ancient rumor, which was heard by the phaerimm some time before −339 DR, early humans banished to the Underdark, starving and desperate and eating anything they could find, went so far as to consume intellect devourers. Supposedly they were mutated, becoming the first illithids. It was further speculated this meant an illithid could be turned back into a human. While unlikely, it was enough for the phaerimm to distrust their mind flayer allies at the time.
When the Wailing Death struck Neverwinter in the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR, Lord Nasher Alagondar enlisted Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun of Waterdeep to develop a magical cure. Khelben managed to do so, and sent four key ingredients, in the form of live beings—an intellect devourer, a cockatrice, a dryad, and a yuan-ti—to Neverwinter. These were kept at the Neverwinter Academy, but an attack by the Cult of the Eye allowed them to escape and scatter across the city. The intellect devourer took Captain Alaefin, Head Gaoler of Neverwinter's Prison, and let all the prisoners loose into the Peninsula District. The Hero of Neverwinter broke into the prison, slew the devourer-possessed gaoler, and carried its brain back to Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande.
In the early 1400s DR, the elder brain Zuphelithid and its mind flayers commanded a half-dozen intellect devourers when they invaded parts of Dolblunde and enthralled the local deep gnomes. Fortunately, the paladin Xenk Yendar made mincemeat of the walking brains when he first confronted the greater elder brain.
In the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR, the mind flayer Nihiloor of the Xanathar's Thieves' Guild used intellect devourers to replace and control important people across Waterdeep. It bred these in a spawning pool in Xanathar's Lair, where it also implanted them in captive hosts. It let them roam Waterdeep's sewers to hunt, take hosts, infiltrate the city and send back what it learned, or else had them infiltrate specific targets in the City Watch or City Guard, or kidnap people for ransom or enthralling. Its intellect devourers were inside four members of the Dungsweepers' Guild, for use as spies and thugs against threats to the guild, and the Force Grey member Meloon Wardragon, who battled Zhentarim and steered adventurers away from Undermountain and against guild enemies. Other intellect devourers aided in a plot to seize the Stone of Golorr. The scheme was possibly uncovered by Force Grey, which would sent adventurers to investigate Meloon and to deal with Nihiloor and its pet intellect devourers at its guild hideout in Waterdeep.
In any case, thugs and bugbears hosting devourers serving the Xanathar Thieves' Guild were found operating on the Dungeon Level and Arcane Chambers of Undermountain the following year to guard the way to their base, making for impossible-to-surprise sentries. Meanwhile, several goblins and bugbears in the court of the hobgoblin warlord Azrok in Stromkuhldur on the Sargauth Level hosted the devourers; these were commanded by Ulquess, an illithid ambassador of Skullport also serving the Xanathar Thieves' Guild. They spied and spread (correct) rumors about Azrok's blindness and worked to take over the Legion of Azrok.
Later, in the late 1490s DR, Xenk Yendar returned to Dolblunde, leading the thieves Edgin Darvis, Holga Kilgore, Simon Aumar, and Doric on a mission to retrieve the helmet of disjunction that he'd left there almost a century before. On the way, they passed a trio of intellect devourers on patrol. He warned them of their powers and predilection for intellect, and urged them to keep quiet and out of the way. However, the three aberrations just walked on by.
Sources
Source(s):
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Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Animalia, Superioria, usque ad regnum, alius (Illithid - intellect devourer)
Origin/Ancestry
Aberration (Far Realms, Beast | Illithid)
Lifespan
Unknown
Conservation Status
No conservation in most places as they are hunted down.
Average Height
2'
Average Weight
20 lbs.
Average Length
2'
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
5E Statistics
Intellect Devourer
| Size | Tiny |
| Type | Aberration |
| Alignment | Lawful Evil |
| Challenge Rating | 2 |
General Information
| Vision | Blindsight |
| Diet | Mental energy |
| Homeland(s) | Underdark, Astral Plane, Ethereal Plane |
| Intelligence | Very, Low |
| Language(s) | Any human language, Common, or Deep Speech (understands but cannot speak), telepathy |
| Subraces | Ustilagor (larval stage), intellect glutton |
| Favored terrain | Underground |
Appearance
| Average height | 2' |
| Average Weight | 20 lbs. |
| Distinctions | Brain on Legs |
History
| First Appearance | Monster Manual, 1st ed. |
See Also: Intellect Devourer on Forgotten Realms Wiki