The Elder Brain

There are rare instances in which humanoids that have been captured and exposed to the Illithid Thrall creation process startled the mind flayers with great willpower and intellectual potential, heavily resisting the attempts to turn them into a thrall. Occasionally, rather than force the ceremony to be completed, the mind flayers take the humanoid to the Elder Brain of the colony for examination.

Those being that pass the examination are given a choice: Live a short, painful life, then die as a gruesome biological experiment or be changed and become an honorary mind flayer of the colony, gaining newfound abilities and retaining their free will at the expense of some of their humanity and individuality. Those who accept the pact are magically, mentally, and biologically altered by the Elder Brain for several days before emerging from its pool a much stranger and more powerful being than before. These warlocks are bound to the Elder Brain that changed them, and are required to seek out new knowledge for the colony, as well as to help defend it should their safety be compromised.

 

D6	Quirk
1	I constantly crave intelligent brains, even immediately after eating one..
2	I show contempt to any and all creatures that I see as not as intelligent as me, which is pretty much all creatures.
3	I refuse to engage with an enemy when I can have someone else do it for me.
4	I tend to confuse people with livestock.
5	I am always obsessively researching a very specific topic.
6	I'm used to having my own thoughts examined, so I show no regard for others' privacy.

Elder Brain Expanded Spells

The Elder Brain lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Spell Level	Spells
1st	Dissonant Whispers, Shield
2nd	Calm Emotions, Phantasmal Force
3rd	Nondetection, Protection from Energy
4th	Confusion, Phantasmal Killer
5th	Modify Memory, Wall of Force

Mind Flayer Baptism

Your newfound training and bodily alterations by mind flayers has opened your mind to newfound abilities. When you choose this patron you may choose to use either Charisma or Intelligence as your spellcasting modifier.

Additionally, you crave the thoughts and memories of others. As an action you can physically devour the remaining functionality of a creature's brain who has died in the past 10 minutes and has at least a 10 Intelligence score. You gain 1 Temporary Hit Point per use of this ability, which stacks with other Temporary Hit Points. You cannot gain more Temporary Hit Points than your Warlock Level + your Intelligence Modifier + Your Proficiency Bonus with this feature.

Psychic Adept

Your mental capacities continue to grow as you learn more about your arcane powers.

At 6th level you have resistance to psychic damage, and when you deal psychic damage, you may re-roll the damage dice and use the higher number.

Additionally, you can now establish psychic lings up to your spellcasting modifier that allow you to permanently communicate with and perceive all senses in a willing creature, so long as they are on the same plane as you.

Lastly, you gain the ability to telepathically communicate with any creature that knows at least one language and is within 60 feet of you.

Mind Blast

You learn one of the most powerful psionic techniques in order to shatter the minds of your enemies.

At 10th level, you can force all enemies within a 30-foot cone to make an Intelligence saving throw vs your Spell Save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes 5d8+ your Spellcasting Modifier psychic damage and is stunned for one round. You can only use this feature once per short or long rest.

Disciple of the Elder Brain

At 14th level, you reach the peak of your mental abilities with the help of your patron. First, you are immune to psychic damage, and increase the psychic damage of your attacks by 1 damage die.

Second, you can use creatures that you've bonded via your psychic links as extensions of your mind. As an action you can select a creature that you've established a psychic link with, and emit a psychic pulse from them. All creatures within 10 feet of the creature must make an Intelligence saving throw vs your Spell Save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d6 psychic damage. This psychic pulse can be used a number of times equal to your relevant spellcasting modifier per long rest.