Homebrew Stargazer Species Details

Living proof that the illithid empire once reached the far corners of the multiverse, stargazers (also known as xenothids) are a strange alien race that still bears the scars of mind flayer servitude. Hailing from another plane of existence, stargazers were forced from their home plane, and have vowed to cleanse the multiverse of the parasitic plague that is the illithid race.

Aberrant Settlers

Stargazers are a strange sight, often antagonized by those who assume their alien appearance makes them exactly like their illithid “cousins”. Ancient tales tell of a group of humanoids subjected to ceremorphosis, changing into a unique race when the process failed. Their purplish-grey skin is covered with a thin mucus, keeping it moist. 4 tentacles adorn their faces, two long primary and two shorter secondary tentacles. Only their tail, slit pupils, and pseudo-tentacle “hair” mark any distinction from the mind flayer race. 

Complex Culture

Stargazers on the Material Plane often gather in large groups, called covens, and seek to improve their society and others’. Knowledge is of great value, and any new skill or invention is shared throughout the entire coven in a matter of days. They also seek to share their knowledge with all races, often traveling to nearby cities to trade both goods and knowledge. Once strangers learn to trust stargazers, they earn a loyal, knowledgable companion. 

Stargazer Traits

Through the failed process of ceremorphosis, the first stargazers and their modern ancestors have unique physical and psychic traits.

Telepath

You can communicate with creatures telepathically in a 45-foot radius that you share a language with. You “speak” broadly to all creatures in the range, or you can choose up to 3 willing creatures in the range to speak exclusively to.

Languages

You can read, understand, and write Common and Deep Speech. You cannot speak verbally, instead, you must use the Telepath feature.

Ability Score Increases

Your wisdom is increased by +1, and your intelligence increases by +2.

Alien MInd

As an action, you can force one creature you can see within 30 feet of you to make an Intelligence check. On a failed save, the creature takes 1d4 psychic damage and has disadvantage on attack throws until the start of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Your dice amount increases by one at your 3rd, 5th, 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

Prehensile Tail

You have a tail that you have amazing control over. As a bonus action, you can pull out or put away items. This cannot be used to don or take off armor, and you cannot hold weapons with your tail.