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Qhellissk: Ancient Mind Flayer Astropath

With a plethora of mind flayers in “Masters of Eternal Night” I did my best to make as many unique types as possible.  

This particular specimen was part of the “Enduring Revolt” encounter area in the adventure but when my party heard fighting from the hole they had just excavated they didn’t go in and let the Gith Forerunenrs (a proto-gith with a mix of githyanki and githzerai traits) and Ancient Mind Flayers fight it out.  Which they did and Qhellisk and his foulspawn survived.  It then joined Shuluth as part of the Thralltaker encounter.

It was a nameless MOB in the original encounter I expected the party to stomp but since he survived for another day I gave it a name and upgraded its foulspawn as well. 

The PCs prioritised Qhellisk because its foulspawn were industructible while Qhellissk lived (a correct deduction).

QHELLISK
Ancient Illithid Astropath (Thrall Master)
Medium aberration (mythic), lawful evil
Armor Class 15 (rubicite breastplate)
Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13)
Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft (levitate only)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 17 (+3) 17 (+3)

Hit Points 130 (13d8 + 26)
Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft (levitate only)
Saving Throws INT +7, WIS +6, CHA +6
Skills Arcana +7, Deception +6, Insight +6, Perception+6, Persuasion +6, Stealth +4
Damage Resistance psychic
Damage Vulnerabilities lightning
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Deep Speech, Telepathy 120 ft., Undercommon
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Milkweed Rune. This allows Qhellissk to use the Kos parasite as an action and grants advantage on all Intelligence based skill checks.

Magic Resistance. Qhellissk has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). Qhellissk’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:

Special Equipment: Kos Parasite. Qhellissk carries the Kos parasite which is invisible (and unusable) to anyone who does not have the milkweed rune. The Kos parasite uses Intelligence as its key attack ability and is considered a magic weapon. To an onlooker it looks as if Qhellissk has tentacles for hands.

Special Equipment: Rubicite Breastplate. Provides resistance to psychic damage, see arcana entry below.

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, Qhellissk has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

ACTIONS
Multiattack. Qhellissk uses Kos parasite, thrall strike and then may use one of its other available actions.

Kos Parasite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) force damage and 10 (3d6) poison damage and the target is poisoned (DC 15 Constitution save to end). If the Kos parasite hits an already poisoned target the poison damage is doubled to 21 (6d6).

Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Automatically hits a dazed or stunned target.
Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) psychic damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 16) and must succeed on a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until this grapple ends.

Enthrall Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated or dazed humanoid grappled by the mind flayer.
Hit: The target takes 55 (10d10) piercing damage and is dazed until no longer grappled. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target stands up, regains hit points equal to its bloodied value, and is dominated until Qhellissk dies. At that point, the target drops to 0 hit points.

Psychotic Blast (Recharge 6). The mind flayer manifests psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area takes 23 (4d8 + 5) psychic damage and must make a melee weapon attack against its nearest ally as a free action. The target may move up to half its speed to make the attack.

Thrall Strike. One ally or creature dominated by Qhellissk within sight can take an attack action (but not multiattack) as a free action.

REACTIONS
Teleport Thrall. When an enemy targets Qalt with a melee attack it may use its reaction to target one ally or creature it can see that is dominated by it. The mind flayer teleports up to 25 feet and teleports the target to the spot it vacated. The triggering attack targets the target instead of the mind flayer.


Rubicite Breastplate
Armour (heavy), Legendary
Rubicite can be applied to any medium or heavy armor. Rubicite is psionically sensitive crystalline substance and is very bulky. Despite this, it does not restrict movement breaking apart and instantly reconstituting itself to allow for articulation. It provides resistance to psychic damage flaring outward as if shattering as it absorbs the damage before reforming itself in a slightly different design. Its ruby red in colour (and hence the name). Though it is usually found in the hands of mind flayer elites, due to its gothic design and elegant filigree many scholars believe it is actually of githyanki make.

 

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