Some key concepts from the MM "Conjoined by a collective consciousness" and most Mind Flayers live in colonies governed by an elder brain.
There's some great lore on Illithids in prior editions. The key for Mind Flayers in my game is truly alien intelligence. In my game "Illithids" don't really have individual personas, or at least don't in a way that really makes sense to PC races.
I'd say given the ways they're portrayed within other lore, I don't think there was ever a Mind Flayer "king". The empire was more a viral affair, spreading, linked by Elder Brain nodes. Action was collective to maintain the dominance of the species. Excessive individuation was heretical and probably led to death or rejection.
That said, there was a great 1E or 2E lore article that described an effort to locate the Mind Flayer's origins. They did find a world that had a Mind Flayer city where factional warfare did take place. But it seemed more a war of ideas held by factions that also worked collectively not in the interest of a particular individual. There's also a 2E cycle of modules where the PCs are trying to save their world from a Mind Flayer incursion, and they're being aided by an individual who physically became a mind flayer through he parasitic process, but was able to maintain their original personality and mask it from the collective (this was considered an exceptional event, lore wise).
In RotF it's discussed how gnomes are particularly resistant to being absorbed into the collective and tend to become Illithids that march to their own drummer rather than truly commune, so are sort of marginalized by the species.
Interestingly, while the Illithid are a collective, and arguably literally uncaring species, it was an individual, Gith, who rose up among one of the Mind Flayer's slave races to lead a revolt that broke the Mind Flayer empire. The Githyanki now organize under a Queen, though one who maintains her status largely through treachery. The Githzari seem to have developed a more collective governance style.
Nothing stops you from making the Illithids more "humanoid" in mindset and giving them a traditional leadership, but I only use them as "truly" alien and really can't be comprehended in terms of their plans, structures or values, other than that whatever they're doing using has very destructive consequences for other forms of sentient life.
MidnightPlat's write up is excellent. I don't have much more to add to the lore here.
I will say a common plot thread I see regarding Mind Flayers is the "Mind Flayer who got away", essentially one of these beings that was able to break away from the typical connection of an Elder Brain. Usually, I've seen instances where they break their bond enough to have their own free will and thought, but still have enough of a connection to draw power and knowledge that comes with having a hivemind connection. When this happens in custom lore, it often indicates a great deal of power within that individual Mind Flayer, which usually has them become leaders of their own political sects or criminal syndicates.
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Mind flayer colonies are a telepathic hive mind, led by an elder brain. Perhaps their was a leader of many colonies another step up in power from an elder brain. It's not canon, but I might call it a master brain or an ancient brain. Come to think of it, that would be fun to homebrew.
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Pronouns: he/him/his.
My posting scheduled is irregular: sometimes I can post twice a week, sometimes twice a day. I may also respond to quick questions, but ignore harder responses in favor of time.
My location is where my character for my home game is (we're doing the wild beyond the witchlight).
"The Doomvault... Probably full of unicorns and rainbows." -An imaginary quote
Usually it is said that they are led by a elder brain, but that is less of a king and more of a clan leader, in Eberron it states that the mind flayers were all servants of the daelkyr Dyrnn the Corrupter. This suggests that they are led by Dyrnn, however they are governed by elder brains, at least, that's what I think.
the mind flayers use to a have a large empire does anyone know who ruled it
Some key concepts from the MM "Conjoined by a collective consciousness" and most Mind Flayers live in colonies governed by an elder brain.
There's some great lore on Illithids in prior editions. The key for Mind Flayers in my game is truly alien intelligence. In my game "Illithids" don't really have individual personas, or at least don't in a way that really makes sense to PC races.
I'd say given the ways they're portrayed within other lore, I don't think there was ever a Mind Flayer "king". The empire was more a viral affair, spreading, linked by Elder Brain nodes. Action was collective to maintain the dominance of the species. Excessive individuation was heretical and probably led to death or rejection.
That said, there was a great 1E or 2E lore article that described an effort to locate the Mind Flayer's origins. They did find a world that had a Mind Flayer city where factional warfare did take place. But it seemed more a war of ideas held by factions that also worked collectively not in the interest of a particular individual. There's also a 2E cycle of modules where the PCs are trying to save their world from a Mind Flayer incursion, and they're being aided by an individual who physically became a mind flayer through he parasitic process, but was able to maintain their original personality and mask it from the collective (this was considered an exceptional event, lore wise).
In RotF it's discussed how gnomes are particularly resistant to being absorbed into the collective and tend to become Illithids that march to their own drummer rather than truly commune, so are sort of marginalized by the species.
Interestingly, while the Illithid are a collective, and arguably literally uncaring species, it was an individual, Gith, who rose up among one of the Mind Flayer's slave races to lead a revolt that broke the Mind Flayer empire. The Githyanki now organize under a Queen, though one who maintains her status largely through treachery. The Githzari seem to have developed a more collective governance style.
Nothing stops you from making the Illithids more "humanoid" in mindset and giving them a traditional leadership, but I only use them as "truly" alien and really can't be comprehended in terms of their plans, structures or values, other than that whatever they're doing using has very destructive consequences for other forms of sentient life.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
MidnightPlat's write up is excellent. I don't have much more to add to the lore here.
I will say a common plot thread I see regarding Mind Flayers is the "Mind Flayer who got away", essentially one of these beings that was able to break away from the typical connection of an Elder Brain. Usually, I've seen instances where they break their bond enough to have their own free will and thought, but still have enough of a connection to draw power and knowledge that comes with having a hivemind connection. When this happens in custom lore, it often indicates a great deal of power within that individual Mind Flayer, which usually has them become leaders of their own political sects or criminal syndicates.
Mind flayer colonies are a telepathic hive mind, led by an elder brain. Perhaps their was a leader of many colonies another step up in power from an elder brain. It's not canon, but I might call it a master brain or an ancient brain. Come to think of it, that would be fun to homebrew.
Pronouns: he/him/his.
My posting scheduled is irregular: sometimes I can post twice a week, sometimes twice a day. I may also respond to quick questions, but ignore harder responses in favor of time.
My location is where my character for my home game is (we're doing the wild beyond the witchlight).
"The Doomvault... Probably full of unicorns and rainbows." -An imaginary quote
Usually it is said that they are led by a elder brain, but that is less of a king and more of a clan leader, in Eberron it states that the mind flayers were all servants of the daelkyr Dyrnn the Corrupter. This suggests that they are led by Dyrnn, however they are governed by elder brains, at least, that's what I think.
Never trouble owlbears till owlbears trouble you.
Probably a very powerful elder brain, though an alhoon (an illithid lich) could have filled that role.
Check out the 2e sourcebook The Illithiad for more info. Or so I’ve been told (haven’t actually read it).