Mentats

Demihumans of the  Ancient of Control, one of the most feared species of demihumans due to their tendency towards mind-controlling everyone around them to do their bidding.

Most Initiate organisations kill them as soon as possible upon identifying them as a Mentat. Those that don't will end up under their thrall, if not already there.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Mentats look human, but that's where the similarities end. Baseline humans are beings of flesh that developed a consciousness. Mentats are beings of pure consciousness anchored to a flesh body.

Biological Traits

Their physical bodies inevitably atrophy as the mentats can only control them through the use of their Control magic.

Genetics and Reproduction

They are incapable of reproduction as their physical bodies are too weak for any stage of the typical reproductive process for baseline humans and demihumans.

Nightmare Mentats have no body to reproduce with in the first place.

Growth Rate & Stages

Upon a user of Control falling into becoming a Mentat, their physical bodies will begin getting weaker. In the best case scenario, their stages of physical atrophy will last a decade each. For the first decade, they will require a walking stick or other aides to walk. The next decade, they will need a wheelchair. The decade after, they need life support to breath. After thirty years, the physical body will be dead.

And yet, the Mentat's consciousness is still alive, bounded to the body and capable of mind-controlling others to move their bodies for them.

A minority of Mentat's, those that reach the status of  Nightmare, are capable of existing independently of their bodies where lesser Mentats can be permanently killed with the destruction of their physical bodies. This is however mercifully rare as most Mentats are slain long before they have the chance to become a Nightmare.

Behaviour

They have a particular tendency to consider themselves the smartest and most important person around, to the point of dismissing any notion that they might be wrong about something. Solipsism is the norm for each individual Mentat, to the point that any group of Mentats larger than one quickly implodes due to the inevitable disagreements.

Their treatment of anyone not another Mentat is little better. At best, they see others as tools to be used with their mind control. At worst, they will attempt to erode all traces of free will in their victims.

Additional Information

Average Intelligence

Mentats often have high intelligence, but their inability to accept being in the wrong means their high intelligence can be detrimental to them and the people around them.

Mentat

Summary

Type: Demihuman
Subtype: Ancientbound
Status: Kill-on-Sight [And then, just to be sure, kill them again]
Estimated Numbers: 10,000 to 20,000
Censor's Veil: Displayed as humans.

Alignment

Creator Power: Ancient of Control
Alignment Status: Malevolent
Sanity Damage: Immune [fear]
Corporeal Stability: Immune [physical harm]
Magic: Free mind control [accelerates body atrophy and the development of solipsism]

Combat

Combat Behaviour: Ranged/Mind Control
Threat Rating: 5
Physical Damage: Vulnerable [Except for Nightmare Mentats, who are by default immune due to not having physical bodies]
Magical Damage: Vulnerable
Glyphs: Immune to Wards
Notable Vulnerabilities: N/A