(Psi)SeveredHead
Adventurer
No, that would be wimpy. The most common mind flayer thrall is a grimlock, who is a monstrous humanoid.
Beholders & Illithids and their "thralls"; how does that work out?
- Thread starter Felon
- Start date
Wayne, that's a very interesting post. Now, here's what I've been pondering about:
Most beings would be violently opposed to doing any of those things, and that would mean not only an opposed Cha check but a renewed Will save. Granted, illithids can charm at will so re-establishing a hold over an individual would be no big deal, but considering that thralls outnumber the illithids by a considerable margin in most flayer communities, and considering the number of vile things that would routinely be demanded of them, we're talking a lot of slaves snapping out of it on a regular basis.
Moreover, a slave would only have a favorable outlook on the flayer(s) who charmed him, so he'd constantly be witness to disgusting acts that he won't view in the most favorable light, and likely being bossed around from time to time by creatures he's not loyal to.
Having given the matter some thought, I suppose one key element is that the typical charmed thrall is evil himself. That actually takes a lot of the work out of maintaining control, since it reduces the likelyhood of having qualms about any actions he might be directed to perform. I suppose illithids might find human thralls less accomodating about eating their children's brains.
WayneLigon said:
Most beings would be violently opposed to doing any of those things, and that would mean not only an opposed Cha check but a renewed Will save. Granted, illithids can charm at will so re-establishing a hold over an individual would be no big deal, but considering that thralls outnumber the illithids by a considerable margin in most flayer communities, and considering the number of vile things that would routinely be demanded of them, we're talking a lot of slaves snapping out of it on a regular basis.
Moreover, a slave would only have a favorable outlook on the flayer(s) who charmed him, so he'd constantly be witness to disgusting acts that he won't view in the most favorable light, and likely being bossed around from time to time by creatures he's not loyal to.
Having given the matter some thought, I suppose one key element is that the typical charmed thrall is evil himself. That actually takes a lot of the work out of maintaining control, since it reduces the likelyhood of having qualms about any actions he might be directed to perform. I suppose illithids might find human thralls less accomodating about eating their children's brains.
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Gez
First Post
Nothing in the rules assess the long-term effects of having its mind routinely flayed, litterally. Mind-flayers, you know. The rules are oriented for combat, and all the game is slanted this way.
D&D poisons are dangerous for one minute. Past this minute, if you're still alive, all his well, you'll recover. This would make the Borgia laugh. But it's simple, straightforward, and reduces backtracking, allowing stuff to be forgotten quickly. Imagine how complex a more realistic treatment of poison would be, including % chance of getting accustomed to it, thus giving greater resistance, but weakening certain tissues (like liver or neurons) and increasing risks of cancers... A real pain.
D&D is a game. Its rules have a game's focus. And that's for the better.
But on the other hand, it means that the rules, shock, horror, aren't complete. That they don't manage everything. That there are still things left to winging, arbitrary, and plot devices. How sad...![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
Naaaaah, let's be real. Mind-flayers have stuff to flay minds. They're natural telepaths. You can frequently sense their intrusion in your mind, while they're reading your thoughts. Nothing in the rules describe the effect of detect thoughts as being perceived as an intrusion. Nothing in the rules. Once again, it's not a videogame. It don't need to put everything in code. These things are left to the DM's fiat.
Likewise, nothing in the rules say that illithids eat brain. They can use it in combat (their "extract" special attack), but that don't mean it nourrishes them. The rule don't say how many brains they need to eat each day to have a balanced diet. Or if they find brains of more intelligent creatures to be tastier, or more nourrishing. And so on.
D&D poisons are dangerous for one minute. Past this minute, if you're still alive, all his well, you'll recover. This would make the Borgia laugh. But it's simple, straightforward, and reduces backtracking, allowing stuff to be forgotten quickly. Imagine how complex a more realistic treatment of poison would be, including % chance of getting accustomed to it, thus giving greater resistance, but weakening certain tissues (like liver or neurons) and increasing risks of cancers... A real pain.
D&D is a game. Its rules have a game's focus. And that's for the better.
But on the other hand, it means that the rules, shock, horror, aren't complete. That they don't manage everything. That there are still things left to winging, arbitrary, and plot devices. How sad...
Naaaaah, let's be real. Mind-flayers have stuff to flay minds. They're natural telepaths. You can frequently sense their intrusion in your mind, while they're reading your thoughts. Nothing in the rules describe the effect of detect thoughts as being perceived as an intrusion. Nothing in the rules. Once again, it's not a videogame. It don't need to put everything in code. These things are left to the DM's fiat.Likewise, nothing in the rules say that illithids eat brain. They can use it in combat (their "extract" special attack), but that don't mean it nourrishes them. The rule don't say how many brains they need to eat each day to have a balanced diet. Or if they find brains of more intelligent creatures to be tastier, or more nourrishing. And so on.
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
It is interesting the Vampires are given a stupendous domination ability (when charm seems more likely) while creatures that build empires of thralls have charm (where domination seems more likely).
Ssyleia
First Post
I tend to be a little less on the letter of source material. Yet Thralls are an important part in the cultural identity of some evil races in my campaingns, namely Illithids, beholders, aboleths and yuan-ti.
I have Illithids appear a little like the borg of Star Trek. They always speak in imperative, they speak of themselves in plural and they adress non-illithids as neuters, saying something like "The Elminster will give us the Orb of Arn Now!" They make Thralls by some kind of permanent mental dominance. Since this is a 9th-level psionic power a creature would usually be turned into a thrall by the illithid community's Elder Brain. Also, Illithids are extremely decadent. They rely on slaved for basically everything. They even have thralls up for guards. A wizard thrall might even find his place as a tutor to young Illithid wizards. Additionally, there is always the chance that an outstandingly capable and loyal thrall might be "rewarded" by being host to an Illithid tadpole.
Yuan-ti on the other hand are despicted as a self-evolutionary race, with a touch of the "Temple of Doom" to them. They have all those drugs and (genetic?) enhancements they use to make thralls. Yuan-ti thralls are only employed for menial tasks, like erecting great stone temples for the yuan-ti gods. They don't get used as soldiers or guards, like the Illithid thralls do. Also, they have Ophidians to do that. Yuan-ti thralls lead a short and brutal live.
Yuan-ti assemble raiding parties to raid human settlements for thralls. You don't want to meet my yuan-ti, trust me!
Beholders keep thralls because they are lazy. Their thralling method is somewhat like "Do this or I disintegrate you". They have a habit of disintegrating their thralls, even if they comply if they are in a bad mood. Hence beholder thralls are always in short supply.
Aboleths have never played a big role in my campaigns so I cannot tell much about these here.
Hope to have given you some ideas
I have Illithids appear a little like the borg of Star Trek. They always speak in imperative, they speak of themselves in plural and they adress non-illithids as neuters, saying something like "The Elminster will give us the Orb of Arn Now!" They make Thralls by some kind of permanent mental dominance. Since this is a 9th-level psionic power a creature would usually be turned into a thrall by the illithid community's Elder Brain. Also, Illithids are extremely decadent. They rely on slaved for basically everything. They even have thralls up for guards. A wizard thrall might even find his place as a tutor to young Illithid wizards. Additionally, there is always the chance that an outstandingly capable and loyal thrall might be "rewarded" by being host to an Illithid tadpole.
Yuan-ti on the other hand are despicted as a self-evolutionary race, with a touch of the "Temple of Doom" to them. They have all those drugs and (genetic?) enhancements they use to make thralls. Yuan-ti thralls are only employed for menial tasks, like erecting great stone temples for the yuan-ti gods. They don't get used as soldiers or guards, like the Illithid thralls do. Also, they have Ophidians to do that. Yuan-ti thralls lead a short and brutal live.
Yuan-ti assemble raiding parties to raid human settlements for thralls. You don't want to meet my yuan-ti, trust me!
Beholders keep thralls because they are lazy. Their thralling method is somewhat like "Do this or I disintegrate you". They have a habit of disintegrating their thralls, even if they comply if they are in a bad mood. Hence beholder thralls are always in short supply.
Aboleths have never played a big role in my campaigns so I cannot tell much about these here.
Hope to have given you some ideas
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