They detest sunlight, and to be bathed in sunlight is as horrific a concept to the illithid as a human being bathed in blood. Unlike the Spider Monster, the Hospital Monster did not resemble the Mind Flayer but rather had a more asymmetrical appearance. 3 followers. Relations It is weak to polearms and daggers. Others become part of the Flayed, including Bruce (likely from Tom, other members of the Hawkins Post may have been Flayed as well). Some suggest that they were not native to there, but merely came to our reality from that place. Dart was able to remember Dustin, Will was able to communicate in Morse Code while being reached emotionally by his family and Billy was able to fight the Mind Flayer, even though he died. It is described as "a super-intelligent man-shaped creature with four tentacles by its mouth", which are used to penetrate the skull and draw out the brain. Well, according to the 5e Monster Manual, an Aboleth is Challenge Rating (CR) 10, and a Mind Flayer is CR 7. Show More. Share. Despite lacking a jaw, the mind flayer is capable of speech.[2]. Comments 3. It is not known if the Mind Flayer was present within the Upside Down at this time, or if it was controlling the Demogorgon. After Will took advantage of his possession to rescue Jim Hopper where the tunnels were burned by the government soldiers, the Mind Flayer used his possession of Will, forcing him to trick the soldiers into going a trap, as revenge for hurting him through the burning of the tunnels. Mind flayers live in well-protected subterranean communities, typically consisting of between 200 and 2,000 individuals. Like the Mind Flayer, the Thing’s weakness is heat. 2 replies. Millennia ago, the empire of the illithid slowly began to establish itself for a second time, and quickly succeeded in enslaving the species known as the gith. Weaknesses: Jonathan lacks the willingness to do whatever is necessary even if it's unpleasant, as seen when he, Joyce, and Nancy were trying to burn the Mind Flayer out of Will in Season 2. Lovecraft sort of approach, this inter-dimensional being that is sort of beyond human comprehension."[2]. They have no understanding of the feelings humans call "happiness" or "love", possessed internally of only mankind's negative emotions; particularly contempt, fear, envy and hatred. Despite this, they retain a facade of quiet calmness, and rarely show their true feelings. We rarely talk about the sometimes chronic weaknesses even the greatest writers exhibit or how they turn these seemingly inhibitive habits or traits into some of the strongest aspects of their work. The history of the Mind Flayer prior to October 1984 remains a mystery. Visual-effects producers Paul and Christina Graff were tasked with designing the creature. The mind flayer vampire is cursed with both the need to drink blood and consume brains. The Illithiad (1998), a lore-heavy supplement for AD&D 2nd edition released toward the end of that edition after TSR's bankruptcy and acquisition by Wizards of the Coast, is a 96-page supplement dedicated entirely to the mind flayer. These eggs hatch after around a month and take ten years to reach maturity, by which stage they reach three inches in length. All that work. The Mind Flayer did not seem to care for Billy as a person and quickly killed him after Billy broke free from its control through the memory of his mother. Now we can all see you. A mind flayer who becomes a lich is known as an alhoon, or colloquially the illithilich. Intellect devourers resembled walking brains on a set of bestial legs. Lawful evil Matt Duffer told Entertainment Weekly that the shadow monster was inspired by horror classics: "There's an H.P. Despite Eleven removing the piece of the Mind Flayer, Eleven's telekinesis is weakened and the Mind Flayer manages to find the Party after Billy tracked them due to the piece of the Mind Flayer that was in El's wound. They later appeared in Eldritch Wizardry (1976), p.39, where they are said to have their own spoken language. Stranger Things: Halloween Sounds From the Upside Down, Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down, Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town, Stranger Things 2: Behind the sequel's big, bad 'shadow monster', The Duffer Brothers Recap Stranger Things 2, ‘Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer’, https://strangerthings.fandom.com/wiki/The_Mind_Flayer?oldid=59184. However, he saw a red light illuminating the walls of his house. The resulting psychic maelstrom cast the illithid back in time, where they could patiently begin their conquest anew.[4]. While a massively powerful being, the Mind Flayer was not without its weaknesses. Alternatively… The life of a thrall is nightmarish and short, and usually ends with the mind flayer eating their brains and feeding the rest of the body to other thralls. When the Party runs out of ammo, the Mind Flayer tries to kill El again, but he is stopped by Billy. As the kids fought the Mind Flayer, El managed to free Billy from the Mind Flayer's control by reminding him of a memory he had of his mother while Mike and Max regain consciousness, rushing to join the battle. The dm recognizes that mind flayers are a hard enemy so that means I as a player will have to have a strong enough character to fight them. One of these pockets left the main body and latched itself onto Will Byers, allowing the Mind Flayer to possess him. Demodog minds are not as susceptible to Mind Flayer control, as the demogorgon obeyed all of his orders while Dustin's demodog, D'artagnan did not attack him after remembering him. I ask, looking back at her. Finally, Eleven channeled her anger and closed the Gate, sealing the Mind Flayer's main form back inside the Upside Down. The Spider Monster is composed of the bodies of the Flayed: dozens of congealed organisms, both human and animal, who were converted to serve the Mind Flayer's will. Appears in episodes However, Will's friend Mike snapped Will out of the vision. Mind flayer colonies are run by elder brains which control all the mind flayers, if the mind flayer ends up too far away from an elder brain it gains control of itself. Each mind flayer may also own multiple thralls or slaves. Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). Nothing upsetting, of course.” –Chancellor Fynndylglib. [5], The beings who created the mind flayers are unknown. It's possible that to be infected, one needs to have a tendril similar to the. Portrayal The Mind Flayer is the most dangerous villain that Stranger Things has introduced so far. A collective of three to five mind flayers assembled for specific purpose is known as an inquisition, and somewhat resembles an adventuring party in purpose and variety of composition. The mind of the Hulk is his weak point, as his splintered personality and childlike intellect often cause problems for the Hulk and Bruce Banner. All hosts within his hive mind share this weakness, resulting in him feeling pain whenever a host is exposed to heat or burned. The mind flayer's most deadly physical feature is its tentacled mouth. Extreme heat causes the human extreme pain but is able to cure them with enough exposure and heat. Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Whether the mind flayers became decadent or the gith discovered a weakness, none can say. The Mind Flayer was thwarted two times by Will's friend, Mike, but when Will finally decided to confront the Mind Flayer, he became possessed by a piece of the Mind Flayer. They often carry protective magic items, and may wear pieces of armor. . Cryptic fragments of information on their origin appear in such ancient texts as the Sargonne Prophecies. Weaknesses Hive Mind Since The Mind Flayer shares a hive mind to his allies when the gate is open, once the gate is close, it will destroy the hive mind and weaken him to death. Enraged at Billy for resisting his control over him, the Mind Flayer proceeds to attack and kill Billy, much to the horror of Billy's stepsister, Max. Follow. Mind flayers are infamously cruel, insidious, and evil. It is unknown if the Mind Flayer is entirely made of smoke, or if there is any physical anatomy to the creature. Their architecture is vast and dark, conveying an air of ancient decadence. Status The resulting mind flayers spend the next twenty years in a period of growth and education before they are permitted to leave the city.[1]. A more serious condition is that of a partial personality, where a remnant of the host body's mind survives the transformation process.[3]. They possess a mind blast which is more powerful against opponents with lower Intelligence scores, and have 90% magic resistance. As Mike, Max, Will, and Jonathan grab hold of Eleven, Nancy tries shooting at the Mind Flayer to no avail until Lucas chops off the tentacle with an ax but the Mind Flayer had managed to bite Eleven. Weaknesses Hive Mind Since The Mind Flayer shares a hive mind to his allies when the gate is open, once the gate is close, it will destroy the hive mind … All of it for you. Actions Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 … Demogorgons have not been given an official name or scientific title. El fended off the Dogs, and after reuniting with her friends, the allies developed a three-fold plan of action against the Mind Flayer. The Mind Flayer tried to keep his control over Will intact but was stopped by Will's family and Nancy Wheeler as they burned the Mind Flayer out of Will. A mind flayer's hands have three narrow reddened fingers and a thumb, while its feet have two webbed toes. They were capable of consuming a creature's mind and memories, subsequently entering the body and using it as a new host. Hospital Monster (lesser physical proxy)The Spider Monster (physical proxy) We've been building it... for you. The mind flayer presents two major threats: a cone-shaped, long-duration stun, which will end your game if it catches you, and the surprisingly deadly … In rare occasion, a powerful and supremely intelligent mind flayer known as an ulitharid is spawned. 3. According to an ancient text known as The Astromundi Chronicles, the mind flayers so hated their creators that they destroyed them and erased all evidence of their existence from history. A mind flayer must eat one fresh brain per month to survive, or at least one every two weeks for optimal health. The Mind Flayer nearly succeeded in his plan but his physical incarnation was killed when Joyce and Hopper snuck into the secret Russian laboratory and closed the new gate, severing the connection once again. And now, you are going to have to let us stay. Remembering what Bob had told him as they drove to school, Will attempted to confront the Mind Flayer, yelling at him to "go away!" Huzzah! Being used to the cold temperatures of The Void, Mind Flayers are very sensitive to heat. The scene in which the Shadow Monster infects or enters Will bears resemblance to similar possession sequences in horror films, most notably in 1973's. Mindflayer is an enemy in Final Fantasy XV fought during various main quests and hunts, and also found in the Balouve Mines, Steyliff Grove, and Costlemark Tower mazes. These visions were examined by Dr. Sam Owens at Hawkins Lab, who believed Will was experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder. The center of the hivemind, it telepathically directs all illithid within 5 miles of it, and is capable of holding a complete mental conversation with each individual mind flayer at once. Adult mind flayers are hermaphroditic, and perhaps two or three times in their lifetime they will lay a batch of around one thousand eggs in the pool. Have the same question? Follow. All hosts within its hive mind share this weakness, resulting in him feeling pain whenever a host is exposed to heat or burned. The Mind Flayer's abilities at genetic control and rapid manipulation, combined with its extensive psychic abilities, are very, very similar to the Zerg Overmind from the Starcraft videogame series, and it is very likely just as dangerous. Upon its return to Earth in 1985, the Mind Flayer lured Billy into its new lair, converting him into the first Flayed and using him to turn other residents of Hawkins, as well. Hopper and Eleven arrived at the now-abandoned laboratory, and as they descended through the vast depths below, the Mind Flayer's huge silhouette loomed behind the other side of the Gate. Essentially, the Hospital Monster was a smaller version of the Spider Monster, composed of the Flayed humans Tom Holloway and Bruce Lowe. everyone. [2], Mind flayer settlements are dimly lit, with their innate darkvision obviating the need for lighting except for their thralls. Ever since Eleven closed the gate in front of it in 1984, the Mind Flayer held a deep-seated grudge against her, viewing her as a threat to its plans and creating an army for the sole purpose of destroying her. Any mind flayers goal should be able to get a character alone, or in a group of two at most. Then, he watched in horror as the Mind Flayer rose high into the air before pursuing him through Loch Nora. The Mind Flayer, via the mist creature, immediately summoned hordes of rats to the Steel Works, melting down their bodies and creating the Proxy Body. A year later, in 1985, despite being freed from the Mind Flayer, he left a huge impact on Will as he could still sense the Mind Flayer's presence whenever he was close. Stranger Things Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. The creature has multiple limbs, some of which branch into several smaller appendages; these limbs visually resemble the tendrils and vines present in the Upside Down. It is the greatest punishment in mind flayer society to be denied joining with the elder brain upon death. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d8 + 4) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The Flayed Billy managed to trap Mike, El, and Max at a dead end before knocking all three of them unconscious and taking El hostage. The mind flayer alhoon stat block can be found in Volo's Guide to Monsters. What you see.". A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. What is known is that after centuries of domination, the Mind Flayer empire collapsed in less than a year. The gith rose up, slaughtered their masters, and destroyed almost all traces of the illithids’ astral domains. Exhausting one's mental reserves of psionic energy on a regular basis can cause a brain damage known as psionic cascade, which can trigger psionic powers randomly and eventually cause death. Mind Flayer is an Enemy in Demon's Souls and Demon's Souls Remake. The Burrowers Beneath (1975), which inspired the mind flayer. Black robes are common, with tall neck frills, and sometimes adorned with skulls, armored plates, or cloaks sewn no doubt from the hide of some subterranean creature. Mind Flayers came to this land in tall grey ships from across the Tol Sea. It is widely accepted that illithid once ruled a truly massive empire, spanning countless worlds and dwarfing any human civilization known today. [2], A mind flayer is vulnerable to certain unique mental and physical illnesses. Mind Flayer is not a creature you’d want to meet alone in the Underdark. Concept art of Will confronting the Mind Flayer on the field. Mindflayer uses a lot of magick, including Stop and Invert (which switches your HP and MP). In eons past, illithids controlled empires that spanned the planes. Will walked out into the Upside Down and witnessed the obscured but distinctive silhouette of the Mind Flayer amongst the clouds. Aberration He went to have a bathroom break in the middle of the night and was returning to his bedroom. A Mind Flayer could (hypothetically) enthrall anything with a mind weak enough for them to control. The Mind Flayer gets exposed to heat, its weakness, and then Eleven and the others manage to condemn the Mind Flayer back to the Upside Down. Mind Flayers can only exist indefinitely in The Void. One theory posits that the illithid derive from the Far Realm, an alien place beyond the edge of time whose influence warps reality into abberant forms of life. Charles Stross, inventor of the githanki and githzerai, speculated that the mind flayer may have been influenced by the works of science fiction author Larry Niven, whose works include a race of telepathic slavers called the Thrint. The hidden settlements of mind flayers routinely prey on humanoid creatures, who they capture alive as a food source and to use as slaves. Four tentacles snake from their octopus-like heads, flexing in hungry anticipation when thinking creatures come near. Following the rebellion, the gith soon began fighting amongst themselves. He seems to have an elongated, flame-shaped head that sprouts from the central body that bears no visible facial features. Such as, using his possession over Will as a way to spy on Hawkins Lab and luring a team of soldiers into a trap. An Illithid tadpole enters the target through the eye. Will found himself in the Upside Down once more, standing in the school corridor. Stupid enough to break their minds, big enough to serve as a minion or even bodyguard. [3], They can contract a common illness called "the ashen", a flu-like disease which causes beige, dry skin and impaired mental functioning. The lore behind the mind flayer is expanded here. Does anyone know the song when Mike realizes that Will could help them find the Mind Flayers weakness? Because now I see you. The Mind Flayer, aka the Shadow Monster, is the Big Bad Wolf of Stranger Things 2, and it can psychically control people and other monsters. After the rather rational aversion to fire, the Mind Flayer's second greatest weakness seems to be that it simply can't handle pain well, reacting to even small portions of its web being burnt with screeching and agony as well as being banished exorcism-style from Will simply by exploiting how heat hurts it. However, the piece of the Mind Flayer that possessed Will constructed a body for himself out of rats and the Flayed so he could kill Will and his friends as revenge for the events in 1984. We've been building it... for you. After wreaking havoc on the citizens of Hawkins, it returned in Stranger Things season 3, albeit in a different form. In November 1983, an inter-dimensional gate was opened at Hawkins Lab, allowing the Upside Down to begin to spread through. You shouldn't have looked for me. From that point on, the Mind Flayer began to slowly take over Will's mind and body. 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