Editing Illithid (section)

==Elder Brain==
Elder brains are created via a process that varies from edition to edition (in those editions that elaborate on the process at all, that is). In some editions all ulitharids that survive long enough eventually morph into one. In others it happens when a bunch of deceased mind flayer brains are dumped into a single pool filled with a briny solution; these brains will merge and eventually become alive and turn into a CR 25 [[TPK]]ing horror. There is also an idea that elder brains were created by the Illithid god Ilsensine, who performed ceremorphosis on some lesser gods or demigods. One of them, called the "Illithid God-Brain," is even trapped on [[Ravenloft]] and rules over an Illithid colony named Bluetspur, with the official backstory left open as to why one of these alien monstrousities would ever earn the place of a [[Darklord]] on that benighted plane, save that it must have done something atrocious even by Illithid standards. And with Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, we finally have the answer: this elder brain started cannibalizing other elder brains to help it discover a concept that was utterly alien, even to it! But it developed a kuru-like disease as a result of the cannibalism, which scared the other elder brains into attempting to banish it from reality in fear of the disease spreading, [[What|because apparently the threat of treacherous cannibalism wasn't scary enough]].

An elder brain that wants to increase their mobility can parasitize a dragon and merge with them to become an Elder Brain Dragon.  They probably got jealous of how cool the brainstealer dragon is.  The possessed dragon loses their breath weapon but can spray illithid tadpoles from its mouth.
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Elder brain MA.jpg
Brain pool MA.jpg
Elder concord MA.jpg
elder brain RQ2.jpg
Elder Brain 5e.png|An elder brain in his pimped-out floating vat
Elder-brain-dragon.jpeg|It's terrifying when PC have to assault an elder brain but scarier when the elder brain comes after them
</gallery>