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Flail_master
2010-04-19, 02:40 PM
Im creating an illithid NPC for my campaign in the future and i was wondering whether they have names? there arent any examples, and if they do what kind of theme do they follow?

also i cant say much as to his purpose or anything since one of the people playing the campaign is on this forum and i wish not for him to stumble across some information i wanted him to find as a surprise in the campaign

Kaiyanwang
2010-04-19, 02:43 PM
IIRC, the few Illithid example NPC wotc spreaded across the manuals had names..

Moreover, it's up the DM modify the NPC and creatures rules to fit his campaing. Since the Lawful thing and the Elder brain thing, could make sense that Illithid have no name, but maybe only the name of the settlement hosting the brain.

So, yeah, it's up to you if a Mind Flayer is nameless, or its name is Bldrlplll or even Frank or Gian Piero.

Choco
2010-04-19, 02:44 PM
They prefer to be called simply "master" by their food.

Nidogg
2010-04-19, 02:48 PM
Stick a load of wet spaghetti in your mouth. Then try and say a word like ooh, I dont know, Hippopotamus? into a tape recorder / anything with a microphone and recording ability. Wright down what it sounds like. Taa Daa!!!

Flail_master
2010-04-19, 02:50 PM
hmm thanks both of u :P wasnt intending a large thread, just those answers were needed really :P

i shall name him as i please, and do summin like he says 'i consider myself to have no name but some creatures have known by [insert weird name here]' :smallbiggrin:

Flail_master
2010-04-19, 02:51 PM
Stick a load of wet spaghetti in your mouth. Then try and say a word like ooh, I dont know, Hippopotamus? into a tape recorder / anything with a microphone and recording ability. Wright down what it sounds like. Taa Daa!!!

LOL loving it, may have to try that :smalltongue:

Nidogg
2010-04-19, 02:54 PM
Let me know what becomes of it....

herbe
2010-04-19, 03:01 PM
i think it could be help; There is an illithid name generator but in german language:
Choose illithid: link (http://www.dmnet.de/hobbies/names.php)

Scarey Nerd
2010-04-19, 03:03 PM
Cthulhu 1, Cthulhu 2, Cthulhu 3...

See where this is goin'? :smallwink:

Totally Guy
2010-04-19, 03:12 PM
They all pretend to have really complicated names but they all kind of sound uncannily like old fashioned girl names. (http://www.nuklearpower.com/2005/03/11/episode-526-the-unnamable/)

arguskos
2010-04-19, 04:17 PM
i think it could be help; There is an illithid name generator but in german language:
Choose illithid: link (http://www.dmnet.de/hobbies/names.php)
That's... really handy, actually. Given that I have illithids as a major race in my private setting, that's a damn handy link. Thanks dude! :smallbiggrin:

Mastikator
2010-04-19, 04:34 PM
They probably have really long and complicated names that are extremely hard to say out loud, but easy to communicate telepathically (since tongue-twisers don't affect thinking it :P).
But I doubt they think anyone but other Illithids are worthy of speaking to them with by their names. Or at all.

Flail_master
2010-04-19, 04:40 PM
They probably have really long and complicated names that are extremely hard to say out loud, but easy to communicate telepathically (since tongue-twisers don't affect thinking it :P).
But I doubt they think anyone but other Illithids are worthy of speaking to them with by their names. Or at all.

loving it loving it loving it man thanks all u guys this is awesome, thanks for the links too :D

lol at the comics :smalltongue:

lol and sam what are you doing here? see this is what im talkin bout :smalltongue:

Foryn Gilnith
2010-04-19, 04:43 PM
I always heard they had psychic impressions. Like, for example,

Adventurer: So you're a merchant? What's your name?
GM: The illithid moves its tentacles. Suddenly, for a long moment, everything goes dark. You feel water. You cannot breathe. Then the world returns to normal, and the illithid waits for your next question.

arguskos
2010-04-19, 04:45 PM
I always heard they had psychic impressions. Like, for example,

Adventurer: So you're a merchant? What's your name?
GM: The illithid moves its tentacles. Suddenly, for a long moment, everything goes dark. You feel water. You cannot breathe. Then the world returns to normal, and the illithid waits for your next question.
That's what I like doing between illithids and non-illithids. However, between themselves, that's kinda silly to do all the time. Easier to have a quick word for what their psychic impression is, so they can speed communications between one another.

Do recall, Illithids DO have a language, written only, but it is there.

Kaiyanwang
2010-04-19, 04:50 PM
Adventurer: So you're a merchant? What's your name?
GM: The illithid moves its tentacles. Suddenly, for a long moment, everything goes dark. You feel water. You cannot breathe. Then the world returns to normal, and the illithid waits for your next question.

Adventurer: that's COOOL could you do it again?

(of course, NOW he deserves a mind blast).

BeholderMage
2010-04-19, 04:50 PM
Yeah, I think the psychic impression thing is correct, though remember, while a psychic impression may be lengthy to say, it's only an instant of thought. I believe they adopt names for interactions with other species. Dragon did name generators for most underdark races a while ago, and the german name generator seems to use the same basis.

ZeroNumerous
2010-04-19, 04:52 PM
Do recall, Illithids DO have a language, written only, but it is there.

It's also incomprehensible to non-illithids, as it requires feeling a series of three lines of varied lengths with one's brain-suckers.

arguskos
2010-04-19, 04:54 PM
It's also incomprehensible to non-illithids, as it requires feeling a series of three lines of varied lengths with one's brain-suckers.
Technically, one could do it if you have enough arms. It's not totally impossible to understand, just really hard.

LibraryOgre
2010-04-19, 05:16 PM
Being from Down Under, all illithids are Australian. Therefore, they may always be addressed as "Bruce" or "Mate".

Zeta Kai
2010-04-19, 06:01 PM
In Lords of Madness, the only named illithid that I could find was Sarkt.

The Glyphstone
2010-04-19, 07:36 PM
That's what I like doing between illithids and non-illithids. However, between themselves, that's kinda silly to do all the time. Easier to have a quick word for what their psychic impression is, so they can speed communications between one another.

Do recall, Illithids DO have a language, written only, but it is there.

On a matter of principle, every character I have with Telepathy (usually wizards with a level in Mindbender) take Qualish as a known language, because I can.

arguskos
2010-04-19, 07:36 PM
On a matter of principle, every character I have with Telepathy (usually wizards with a level in Mindbender) take Qualish as a known language, because I can.
Cause it's awesome? Yes. Yes it is awesome. :smallcool:

Skeppio
2010-04-19, 10:28 PM
Being from Down Under, all illithids are Australian. Therefore, they may always be addressed as "Bruce" or "Mate".

You forgot Macka and Bazza.

Teutonic Knight
2010-04-19, 10:44 PM
In the Drizzt books, which are to my knowledge 3.5e, there was Yharaskrik (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Yharaskrik).

Saintheart
2010-04-19, 11:28 PM
You forgot Macka and Bazza.

And Steve.

Which is why the Crocodile Hunter had such success, you see. Invisible face tentacles and mind blasts employed against inoffensive wildlife.

Swooper
2010-04-20, 09:09 AM
BoED has "Thaqualm", the Lawful Good female mind flayer monk.

I'm not sure exactly what it means for an illithid to be female, though. :smallconfused:

Kaiyanwang
2010-04-20, 09:13 AM
BoED has "Thaqualm", the Lawful Good female mind flayer monk.

I'm not sure exactly what it means for an illithid to be female, though. :smallconfused:

Another case of "I write a splatbook for a game that I don't know" or "Yet another drunk editor" I guess.

Eldariel
2010-04-20, 09:15 AM
Another case of "I write a splatbook for a game that I don't know" or "Yet another drunk editor" I guess.

What is this..."editor" you speak of? Is it edible?

pasko77
2010-04-20, 09:19 AM
One of them is named Fred (http://ddowiki.com/index.php?title=Fred&).
He explains they have names, but not understandable for puny non mind-readers, so he uses the name of his first customer.

Aharon
2010-04-20, 09:20 AM
There's also a 3.0 adventure featuring an Illithid as the BBEG. He's called Ghaerleth Axom.

Swooper
2010-04-20, 09:21 AM
Ugh, yeah. It's like they don't even know their own game sometimes.

Wait. Make that nearly all the time. :smallannoyed:

Kaiyanwang
2010-04-20, 09:59 AM
What is this..."editor" you speak of? Is it edible?

Should be a dude that reads what you have written and decide if is Ok of is B***shi*.

A legend, of course, like chubacapra or unicorn.

Eldariel
2010-04-20, 10:05 AM
Should be a dude that reads what you have written and decide if is Ok of is B***shi*.

A legend, of course, like chubacapra or unicorn.

Sorry. I work at WoTC, it's not a part of my vocabulary.Ok, so I actually don't, but just saying "WoTC doesn't know that" wouldn't be interesting.

Kaiyanwang
2010-04-20, 10:08 AM
Sorry. I work at WoTC, it's not a part of my vocabulary.

*Gently pats Eldariel*

(P.S.: Yes, I've seen the white :smallwink:)

LibraryOgre
2010-04-20, 11:15 AM
You forgot Macka and Bazza.

Just Bruce. Otherwise, it might get confusing. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_WRFJwGsbY)

Arcane_Secrets
2010-04-20, 11:40 AM
Im creating an illithid NPC for my campaign in the future and i was wondering whether they have names? there arent any examples, and if they do what kind of theme do they follow?

also i cant say much as to his purpose or anything since one of the people playing the campaign is on this forum and i wish not for him to stumble across some information i wanted him to find as a surprise in the campaign

There were a couple of named illithids as proxies of the deceased illithid god Maanzecorian in Dead Gods or On Hallowed Ground. Their names were Hananolith and Dleniocorus-perhaps you could scavenge them for hints as to build more names along similar lines?

Kosjsjach
2010-04-20, 12:12 PM
Heh, I'm imagining the implications of Illithid script. Qualith is four parallel lines of "raised dashes and spaces, intending to be read by touch", representing trails of thought. While I assume it can be read by touch with one's fingers, it's apparent that the "default" form of writing is to use one's tentacle acid and drag one's face across a surface. This also means a speed-reader literally has to run to absorb the information quickly (assuming the text goes on for awhile). :smallbiggrin:

Zeta Kai
2010-04-20, 12:53 PM
Heh, I'm imagining the implications of Illithid script. Qualith is four parallel lines of "raised dashes and spaces, intending to be read by touch", representing trails of thought. While I assume it can be read by touch with one's fingers, it's apparent that the "default" form of writing is to use one's tentacle acid and drag one's face across a surface. This also means a speed-reader literally has to run to absorb the information quickly (assuming the text goes on for awhile). :smallbiggrin:

Congratulations, you've found a way to make illithids absolutely silly: by having them read their own gibberish language by scraping their face across the wall like a living eraser. I LOL at this verily.

Prime32
2010-04-20, 12:58 PM
I'm not sure exactly what it means for an illithid to be female, though. :smallconfused:I assume it means that the host was female before the tadpole was implanted.

Mordokai
2010-04-20, 01:00 PM
There's a mindflayer BBEG, named Zyrxog in the Hall of harsh reflections of the Age of Worms adventure path.

Kiero
2010-04-20, 01:02 PM
There's three named illithids in Storm of Zehir: Oin'Chakalop, Zhiir and Xo'rill.

LibraryOgre
2010-04-20, 01:16 PM
There's three named illithids in Storm of Zehir: Oin'Chakalop, Zhiir and Xo'rill.

And a number in Icewind Dale 2.

Mordokai
2010-04-20, 01:21 PM
And a number in Icewind Dale 2.

Those poor bastards... they made fine mince meat :smallbiggrin: But yeah, their names are... unorthodox, to say in the least :smalltongue:

Lord Vukodlak
2010-04-20, 02:51 PM
Here's my suggestion, don't name him. Sure the Illithid has a name but why would he tell it to such lowly beings as the PC's.

The Illithid's servants simply call him master, mind lord, brain eater etc. If the PC's ask he should just respond.
"Slaves need not know the names of their master they need only serve." or
"You may call me master"

You could perhaps give him an identifying characteristic so he can be singled out from other mind flayers say a scar over his right eye or one of his tentacles is missing the tip. [still functional though]

Sydonai
2010-04-20, 03:15 PM
I assume it means that the host was female before the tadpole was implanted.

It took a female identity to avoid confusion, at least thats what bs I could come up with in seven seconds of thought, so that might not be accurate.

Vorpalbob
2010-04-20, 03:20 PM
Wouldn't the plural of illithid be illithii? :smallbiggrin:

Sydonai
2010-04-20, 03:35 PM
Wouldn't the plural of illithid be illithii? :smallbiggrin:

You are thinking of "Illithidae", which are not related to Illithids at all, except where they are.

Flail_master
2010-04-20, 04:23 PM
first off hey guys back :P man thanks everyone for all this stuff, many good points and many good suggestions, i ESPECIALLY liked the idea of telepathic imprinting or what you called it, the whole a feeling of drowning and the such :smallbiggrin:


Here's my suggestion, don't name him. Sure the Illithid has a name but why would he tell it to such lowly beings as the PC's.

The Illithid's servants simply call him master, mind lord, brain eater etc. If the PC's ask he should just respond.
"Slaves need not know the names of their master they need only serve." or
"You may call me master"

You could perhaps give him an identifying characteristic so he can be singled out from other mind flayers say a scar over his right eye or one of his tentacles is missing the tip. [still functional though]


characteristics, yes, thats an idea, id like to avoid the name 'the master' however since its used in doctor who and our old DM used 'the master' as a name for the villain in his old and never completed campaign, and quite honestly, i hate the sound of it :smalltongue:

but yeeeehs i shall take all this stuff into consideration

Lord Vukodlak
2010-04-21, 01:35 AM
I didn't say "the master" I simply said master. "the" makes it sound to much like a real name like sovereign might convery. The point was the underlings call him master and the PC's come up with their own title. Say for the Illithid missing a tentacle tip.
"Well if it isn't stumpy"

Skeppio
2010-04-21, 01:37 AM
BoED has "Thaqualm", the Lawful Good female mind flayer monk.

I'm not sure exactly what it means for an illithid to be female, though. :smallconfused:

It means the tadpole was put into a female captive. Dunno if it alters their personality or mannerisms in any way though...

Paulus
2010-04-21, 01:56 AM
If you are a nice illithidididothat? you can have him respond "You may call me 'sir' or 'friend'." But I have to say... oh.my.bahamut. how has nobody suggested this yet?!? For the love of all that is unholly/holly/chaotic or lawful, call him:



Squidward.

I win.

CockroachTeaParty
2010-04-21, 02:16 AM
The illithid savant in Savage Species is named Sugglir Wissenka.

The mind flayer mayor of the town of Greywall in the Eberron setting is named Xor'chylic

Flail_master
2010-04-21, 09:35 AM
I didn't say "the master" I simply said master. "the" makes it sound to much like a real name like sovereign might convery. The point was the underlings call him master and the PC's come up with their own title. Say for the Illithid missing a tentacle tip.
"Well if it isn't stumpy"

ah fair enough, i apologise :smallsmile:

and lol at stumpy :smalltongue:

Warpwolf16
2010-04-21, 10:54 AM
Look through some old spelljammer books the ilithid were a major race then :smallbiggrin: and even in the series of spelljammer novel <cloak master?> several ilithids are presented with names, including the one who isnt going to eat your brain and rather be the scholar he is.

Which reminds me, need to browse the second hand shop again got a message they got a few used D&D books in...Lords of Madness included :smallbiggrin:

but suggest spelljammer book, lords of madness, and that be it at the moment.

Kushōsaku
2010-04-21, 11:28 AM
how has nobody suggested this yet?!? For the love of all that is unholly/holly/chaotic or lawful, call him: Squidward
If we're tossing in pop culture references now, might I suggest an even more obvious and still not yet mentioned name: DR. ZOIDBERG :smallbiggrin:

http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2007/12/zoidberg.jpg

Then your PCs could also call him "The Doctor" :smalltongue:

Anonymouswizard
2010-04-21, 11:40 AM
If we're tossing in pop culture references now, might I suggest an even more obvious and still not yet mentioned name: DR. ZOIDBERG :smallbiggrin:

http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2007/12/zoidberg.jpg

Then your PCs could also call him "The Doctor" :smalltongue:

Or useless :smallamused:

However: the first Illithid was called Cthulhu Junior.

Now they are named buy writing down a long list of wors, removing the vowels, and giving the note to your players :smallbiggrin:

Whtrylkngtmlkthtywrdprsn

I need to have an Illithid with that name.

Lycanthromancer
2010-04-21, 01:09 PM
"They call me...Ted (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Ted_the_Mindflayer_(3.5e_Deity))?"

MCerberus
2010-04-21, 01:17 PM
"They call me...Ted (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Ted_the_Mindflayer_(3.5e_Deity))?"

Hmm would that make DDO's Fred a reference to Ted? For those who don't know, Fred is DDO's answer to retraining feats. To make business better, he took on the name Fred based on absorbing just a little bit of his first customer's mind. The implications of this for characters who retrain a lot is... not nice.

~LuckyBoneDice~
2010-04-21, 01:19 PM
"They call me...Ted (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Ted_the_Mindflayer_(3.5e_Deity))?"

darnit! I was supposed to say that! (One of my old characters was a Cleric of Ted)

SaintRidley
2010-04-21, 02:25 PM
"They call me...Ted (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Ted_the_Mindflayer_(3.5e_Deity))?"

I was around during the creation of Ted the Flayer on the old WOTC forums, and was one of the people in the initial support for adding bacon and fried food to his portfolio.

Those were the good days.