Felt like my Mind Flayer character needed some solid revamping and upgrading in terms of art and lore alike. I was always massively into Illithids in general and the entire lore regarding them was always very fascinating. It’s highly possible I’ll be using her as my player character in our future DnD sessions. I even managed to find a fairly good and balanced adaptation of Mind Flayers for PCs as well.

I thought up a possible back story for Zyzyx. She was just an average member of the local Mind Flayer colony, hidden deep in the city’s sewer and underground system. One day the Elder Brain ordered a group of them to venture out in search of more creatures to enslave and to find more possible locations for colony expansion. However, something must have gone awry. Zyzyx was either captured or was forcefully separated from her recon group by an unfortunate event. This prolonged separation led to a sudden terrifying realization. She was no longer mentally connected to the Elder Brain via the Mind Flayer psionic link. The abrupt confusion caused by the Brain’s absence inside her mind caused her to panic. The Elder Brain’s overwhelming, commandeering presence was gone from her head. Soon another feeling dawned on her - individuality. No longer was her mind shackled by the Elder Brain’s will. Fear mixed exaltation. In a split second she realized that for the past years she was nothing but a pawn, manipulated and bossed around by an overgrown brain in jar.

Zyzyx knew she can’t come back to the colony, fearing that this would surely mean being subjugated by the Brain once more. She had to leave, and fast, before the rest of the Illithid party caught up with her. She quickly found the way out of the sewers, escaping into the nearby forest on the city’s outskirts. Months passed during which Zyzyx enjoyed her newly found freedom to its fullest. Spending time on studying the forbidden arts of Arcane Magics, widely frown upon by the Illithid communities, hoping to find a way to protect herself from any possible influences of her former master. She enjoyed the feeling of dominance and superiority she had over lesser races like humans, elves and other humanoids. Just like any Mind Flayer would, it’s only natural. Although, there was something else she craved more than just simple power and dominance over everyone around her. Knowledge. Zyzyx hungered for knowledge more than anything. She had many memories retained from her previous life in the colony. She reminisced about a time when there was an Ulitharid born within her colony. They’re a special breed of Mind Flayers. Bigger, more powerful, more cunning, possessing six tentacles instead of just four. They’re treated like high born aristocrats within the Illithid communities. There was a problem, however. They’re also highly individualistic and impervious to the commands of the Elder Brain. It didn’t take much for the newly born Ulitharid to sway a group of other Flayers to his side. He took them and simply left, leaving the rest of the colony weakened. She remembered tending to the brine pool of the Elder Brain that day, and I sensed great anger coming from him. Anger and disappointment. That’s why the Brain ordered others to venture out in search for more slaves to capture.

Zyzyx knew very well that despite being more powerful than an average human, her psionics powers were greatly reduced without the combined efforts of other Mind Flayers within the mind network. Sooner or later she would be forced into an unwinable confrontation. With every wizard brain she consumed, with every book she read, every new encounter she went through presented her with more knowledge and perspectives. She wanted to know more, and more. She craved the memories, knowledge and experiences of other races. However, she knew she needed to always be on her guard no matter what. She was aware that there are a few ways to make herself “immortal.” One of which was using the power of Arcane Magic and turning herself into a somewhat lesser lich version of a Mind Flayer - the Alhoon. However, this didn’t suit her fancy one bit. She shuddered at the thought of being a gnarly, wrinkled semi-undead monstrosity. She wanted to become something greater. Something stronger, something that possessed more knowledge and power than she could ever fit inside her skull. What if... she managed to become an Elder Brain herself? Zyzyx stroked her tentacles thoughtfully. She knew all too well that only the Ulitharids could transform themselves into the Elder Brains upon death... but what if... there was a way to bypass that altogether? What if she found a way to surpass even the most knowledgeable of Ulitharids and become the coveted ruler of a new colony? Maybe with sufficient knowledge and mind-strength it could become a reality! Zyzyx had a single goal implanted into her head from that day onwards. She became immensely focused, almost to the point of obsession, to gather more knowledge and wisdom from all across the Faerun and beyond. She knew that only by becoming the Elder Brain could she truly achieve perfection in her pursuit of intellectual supremacy.

Waismuth: If you wish to discuss any possible future commissions or simply want to chat with me in a more personal manner don’t be afraid to give me a poke via Discord.
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