Tendrillian
| Tiny Outsider | |
| Hit Dice: | 3d8-3 (10 hp) |
| Initiative: | +10 (Dex +6, Improved Initiative +4) |
| Speed: | Climb 30 ft, Fly 90 ft |
| Armor Class: | 24 (+2 size, +6 Dex, +6 natural) |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | 0 |
| Attack: | 0 |
| Full Attack: | 4 tentacles +4 melee |
| Space/Reach: | 2.5 ft. by 2.5 ft./ 5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | MassMind, paralysis, psionics |
| Special Qualities: | Blindsight, host protection, massmind, psionics |
| Saves: | Fort +2, Ref +9, Will +5 |
| Abilities: | Str 8, Dex 22, Con 8, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 19 |
| Skills: | Disguise +10, Hide +25, Knowledge (Psionics)+10, Listen + 10, Spot +10 |
| Feats: | Improved Initiative, Psychic Bastion, Psychoanalyst |
| Environment: | Any Land or Underground |
| Organization: | Solitary or Community |
| Challenge Rating: | 5 |
| Treasure: | Standard |
| Alignment: | Chaotic Neutral |
| Advancement: | None |
| Level Adjustment: | 0 |
Often referred to as Brain Breakers or “The Bodiless” by those who know of them, the creations are simply tiny “heads”—rubbery, shimmering pink hemispheres containing pulsing and thoughtful minds, with pure white eyes on their crown. On the underside of the head 4 tentacles protrude out, each one suctional and with a sharp stinger at the tip filled with a potent, paralyzing venom; this gives the Tendrillian an opportunity for its principle mission.
In the underside region of the head where one might expect to find a mouth, there are instead hundreds of tiny, long, spiked tendrils. When a Tendrillian attacks (either by dropping from the ceiling of a lair or “slinging” itself through the air with its powerful tentacles and Glide power) it attempts to latch on to the opponent by injecting one of its stingers into the head/neck region, causing both damage and paralysis if the opponent fails to save. At this point the Tendrillian sends its tendrils burrowing into the various areas of the victim’s brain. After 3 rounds a Tendrillian has effective control over the victim, and injects an anti-venom to allow the subject to function again—under the Tendrillian’s influence. At this point the Tendrillian will usually devise means of hiding its presence on its host, often through the device of a hood or helmet.
CombatTendrillian will usually only attack when independent (unattached to a mind, and using their tentacles) or carrying recently born larva to implant, in which their host will attack, often in union with others from the MassMind.Psionics (Sp): At will — brain lock, ectoplasmic cocoon, glide, mindlink, mind probe, spider climb, ubiquitous vision, undead sense; once per day — limited dream travel; once per week - assimilate. These abilities are as the powers manifested by an 18th level psion.Attack/Defense Modes (Sp): At will - ego whip, mind blast, psychic crush, empty mind, intellect fortress, thought shieldAssimilate (Sp): A form of thralldom/mind link, where the mind of the Tendrillian and host slowly merge together in terms of thought, feelings and purpose, along with that of the MassMind.Telepathy (Su): Within 100 ft with any sentient lifeform.Habitat/SocietyLike beings such as the Illithids and Puppeteers, Tendrillian have a desire to bring other sentient life under their influence to fulfill their purposes; but for the most part the similarity ends there. Those that the Tendrillian latch onto are not decimated, used for feeding or reduced to Thralldom. There exists, rather, an unusual joint conscience, not only between the Tendrillian and the host but also amongst the Tendrillian MassMind. A Tendrillian and its host assimilate each other, melding their experiences and beliefs; the Tendrillian being creatures that relish emotion and sensation like a drug, delighting in the experiences of its hosts while also allowing it into the Tendrillian’s own fantasies. The Host’s mental abilities will often increase if the Tendrillian is the more intelligent/wise of the two, and the Tendrillian will use its psionic abilities to try and help protect the host.
Tendrillian are asexual beings that have strong communal bonds between parent/children. A Tendrillian community is often quite large and complex, but is always under the authority of a “Most Ancient”, that is the parent of all the other Tendrillian in the group. This individual is of tremendous importance in large groups—upon its death a community might divide into a half dozen or more separate units each with its new “Most Ancient”. Encounters with Tendrillian communities are often surreal experiences; depending on the history and order of encounters in the group, one might see a goblin or kobold seemingly giving orders to a Giant. This is based on the older ancestry of the kobold within the community, and is only one of the complex characteristics of Tendrillian society.
Tendrillian are telepathic beings, each individual having mental communication not only with its host but with all previous generations of “parentage” still alive, as well as the “sisters” and “cousins” of the community — so long as they all have one common living progenitor (and are within a reasonable distance for telepathic communication). The Minds of Tendrillian host creatures are also linked in this way, along with their knowledge, beliefs and intellect. To a small degree, all members of the community are as intelligent as the most intelligent member. More than this intelligence, some powers that are mentally inspired can be shared across the community amongst the linked minds, though in practice this is a rather haphazard process. In order to use a Psionic or an Arcane Spell Power from another member of the MassMind, the Tendrillian host must first have an ability score demonstrating the capability to use the Power (Ex: Intelligence of at least 15 to use a 5th level Wizard Spell, or a Dexterity of 17 to use a 7th level Psychoportation Power); even then, the transfer is successful across the MassMind only 50% of the time max, and draws Power Points/ Spell Use even if the power fails in transfer (Though the Power points can be drawn from the Tendrillian community itself rather than simply the host Psion). Powers related to Divine spellcasting (Clerics and Druids) often are not useable in this matter, as the Power of Belief might not be manifested either by the Tendrillion MindMass or other hosts.
The various personalities among the hosts further complicate Tendrillian society. These individuals still have the habit of clinging to objectives and philosophies of their respectie races, and in a highly mixed community these different identities merge and conflict, leading to bizarre behavior that might be interpreted by outsiders as highly chaotic or insane (or evidence that they are observing Tendrillian). Tendrillian tend to prefer latching with hosts that have some Neutrality in their alignment, but with the death of some hosts leaving unattached Tendrillian and the arrival of new larval Tendrillian, beggars can’t always be choosers; and the need for at least a minimally developed mind (at least intelligence 7) precludes the use of most animals.
Tendrillian are not evil — least ways they don’t think so. They are highly imaginative beings cursed to live a parasitic existence, and make the most of it. They possess a limited form of Dream Travel, allowing themselves and their hosts to mentally (though not physically) explore the dreamscape of the Planes and ponder the possibilities. For some hosts that have experienced a harsh life and are unfamiliar with such experiences, the possession might almost be seen as a form of blessing in disguise, though one they would almost never seek out.0EcologyNone
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