Editing Helotry of Xiombarg (section)

===The Cerebrectomist===

The legend of the first Cerebrectomist starts long after the Helotry of Xiombarg is established.  While psions and wilders had occasionally been adherents, with some few freeing themselves of the bondage of flesh by becoming Uncarnate and others freeing themselves of the limitations placed upon them by the Lords of Order in the form of Metaminds casting off their dependency upon the psychic energies, by and large the bondage disciplines of the Helots were a rite and a ritual, not a significant blessing of their mad goddess.

Yragrae Nos Vaddic was an elven psychic of formidable power.  He dedicated his life to the Bloodthirsty Goddess of Chaos, and to prove his dedication he carved an unhealing wound into his chest, the eight pointed star of the Lords of Chaos.  Xiombarg smiled upon him, and granted him some small blessing, but he sought to prove himself further.

Promising his goddess blood as well as his soul, the Helots watched as he tied tourniquets about his upper arms, and used a blade of obsidian to remove the flesh form his arms, not all at once, but in bits and pieces, slowly cutting and carving his flesh away in small artistic ribbons.  When he had finished the one arm, he was devastated to realize he hadn’t the capability to remove his other arm as well; it had gone partly numb, and the bones of his flensed arm remained.

A whisper of power drifted into the crazed cenobite’s mind, and he turned his gaze upon the slender blade.  With a power he knew he had not possessed, he turned the blade against the flesh of his arm, and slowly carved it away, leaving bloodied bones.  With an enraged scream he blasted the bone from his body with a shockwave of psychic hatred, leaving him armless, but not limbless – the very force of his will was able to move objects and people as he needed.

As he served the goddess, preaching the soft words of dedication and devotion, calling to the Helotry to observe the rites and rituals, he demonstrated his love of the mad goddess further, removing flesh and bone from his legs.  Once again the goddess gave him the power to move freely, allowing him to slowly walk upon legless limbs of air and will.  He was heralded as a saint among the Helotry of Xiombarg, proving that her psychic devotees were no less than her sorcerous ones.  He drew upon his knowledge of flesh and blood to discard even those organs that would sustain a man more whole, casting aside the detritus in a bloody sacrifice, and gaining ever more power as he did so.

Finally, Yragrae Nos Vaddic discarded all but the core of his body and soul, becoming a mere living brain.  He formed a crystal shell from astral matter and psychic ectoplasm, and became a living embodiment of the ultimate self sacrifice in the name of Xiombarg, emulating the powerful soul of her nameless love.  A mind, imprisoned, yet free to act upon all the world by the love for his demanding, whimsical goddess.

====Cerebrectomist of Xiombarg====

'''Requisites:''' Willing Deformity ~or~ Evil Brand, contact with the Helotry of Xiombarg, Knowledge (Religion) 2 ranks, Manifester level 5th.

4 Skill Points per Level

'''Class Skills:''' Autohypnosis, Craft, Concentrate, Escape Artist, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (Psionics), Profession, Psicraft.

No Weapon of Armor proficiencies.

1d4 HD per Level.

'''1st Level:''' The Cerebrectomist gives up permanently a set of limbs - whether by removal, permanent binding, or even more gruesome means such as removing the bones to leave sleeves of useless flesh. If the arms are removed, the Helot gains the ability to use Telekinetic Force as a (Su) ability at will. If the legs are removed, he gains Air Walk as the spell as an at will (Su) ability. Caster Level Increase.

'''2nd Level:''' The Helot removes the other set of limbs, as at first level, gaining the appropriate power. Caster Level Increase.

'''3rd Level:''' The Cerebrectomist undergoes a strange form of self inflicted psychic surgery to remove certain internal organs, hollowing out his body partially. Doing so grants the Cerebrectomist 'space' to store more psionic energy; the Cerebrectomist gains a permanent increase in power points of +11, and suffers one point of permanent Con drain. Caster Level Increase.

'''4th Level:''' The Cerebrectomist again undergoes psychic surgery, though to a different end this time. By removing all but the most vital organs - a single lung and his heart - he gains the ability to sustain himself via rarified psychic energies. In doing so he gains a greater ability to focus, allowing him to have two psionic foci active. He only gains the benefit of having one psionic focus at any given time, though he can spend both foci, so long as they are dedicated to separate effects (he could use one to Empower a psionic power and the other to gain the 15 concentration check, but he could not spend both on the Power Penetration). This causes the Cerebrectomist to become one size category smaller with the benefits and penalties of the new size category. He suffers one more point of permanent Con drain. Caster Level Increase.

'''5th Level:''' The final excision is of the brain itself, leaving the Cerebrectomist a living brain. The Cerebrectomist becomes a Tiny Aberration, with the penalties and benefits thereof. In addition the Living Brain gains the following abilities:
(Ex) Flight 30, perfect maneuverability.
(Su) Grace of Xiombarg: The creature gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to the bonus of its manifestation ability score.
(Ex) Blindsense 60'
(Ex) Assimilate Item: By absorbing magical items into it's body, the living brain gains their benefits. The magic items that this can be done with include: 1 crown, headband, or helm; up to 3 magic rings (which al remain active); up to 3 amulets, periapts or scarabs; two dorjes (treat as items held in hand). Ioun stones work as normal for the Cerebrectomist. Other items must be considered by common sense.\

The brain maintains it AC base of 10 plus any adjustments for size and dexterity.

[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons Homebrew]]