LE Mindflayer Race

[VorlaHusian]

I am just wondering if it would be possible for someone to bring out (when the CK comes out of course) a playable Mindflayer race. Don't worry about the reason and lore of it as I have come up with the answer to this and will write it at the end of this post.

 

It would look like the ADnD Mindflayer, with the tentacled face, and the wet look purple skin, and would have a range of powers instead of spells. It could learn spells but would start off with only its powers. These powers would be silent, still, and un-observable to most people as they would be Psionic in nature: meaning that the character just looks at his/her target and the target would not know where the effect comes from unless they were VERY observant.

 

Also I think that stamina should be the power source and not magicka as they are not spells, but powers that come from inside the Mindflayer himself.

 

The power list that I foresee a Mindflayer having is as follows:

 

1. Disguise - A constantly active power that is illusion based and lets the Mindflayer look like any other race/person he wishes. As the Illusion levels go up the disguise is harder to see through. Once it gets to 100 only another Mindflayer would be able to see through the disguise.

 

2. Mind control - The ability to influence others to do your bidding (think Star Wars). It would have a basic use where the target would see the character as a close ally. The more advanced use would be that you can give commands to the target and they would obey them. The higher the Alteration skill the more dangerous the commands that they follow could become.

 

3. Telekinesis - Speaks for its self. But this version would have five uses. a) to manipulate objects and use them as weapons - the use would let you see from the objects perspective and fight like a warrior using the object as a weapon. b) to manipulate creatures in the same way as a). c) to destroy objects - such destroyed objects would be turned to dust within a few seconds and magical objects would release their power in a fiery blast. d) to crush bone and squeeze organs within living organisms - this would hurt the creature by reducing its life force by 25% per use. e) the death grip - an instant kill power that would not be determined by size but by Will (the intelligence, wisdom, and charisma, of both parties would be added up and multiplied by their level and the highest wins. if the Mindflayer wins the creature dies, if not then the creature would become the characters mortal enemy, though he would not know why he hates the character so much).

 

4. Elementakinesis - The ability to manipulate the four elements to a greater degree than any spell can give you. Basically the longer you hold this power the higher, lower, stronger the effect of the elemental control becomes. Air deals with electricity and gasses and can either use the air to create winds that can knock people off their feet, or remove the air from a given area to suffocate anyone caught in the area of effect, or to create electrical effects. Earth would allow you to manipulate the very ground causing fissures and eruptions of rock and dirt to appear at the targeted location. Fire would deal with raising AND lowering the temperature of anything (the air, the ground, metallic armour, wood and paper catch fire, water boils or turns to ice, people get burned or suffer from hypothermia, etc). And water would be to manipulate the moisture in everything around. You could fill a targets lungs with water and potentially drown them, make mud so wet that it becomes marsh, dry anyone to the point of them becoming mortally dehydrated. The possible effects are endless. Combinations would also result in more effects.

 

5. Mind Read - The ability to know what another person knows. with this power you could learn (permanently or as one offs) any spell, ability, location, and a whole range of useful, and not so useful, knowledge.

 

Now for the reason that the Mindflayer race is in Skyrim:

 

On a bright sunny day an apprentice wizard, lets call him Jason, was searching some tomes that he was forbidden to look at. One such tome was titled 'Random Doorway'. Intrigued he stole the tome away in his robes, made an excuse to practice basic spells and made his way to a clearing in the local woods.

 

Jason set the book down, opened to the page that gave him instructions, and set out all the ritual items listed. He cast the prerequisite spells of protection and then cast the Random Doorway spell.

 

Nothing happened at first, but after a few seconds a bright shimmering portal opened up in front of him.

 

Pleased with himself he was about to close the doorway when he saw a beautiful naked young woman running towards the doorway from the other side. She was screaming for help and behind her was a horde of the nastiest creatures the likes Jason had never even imagined.

 

He kept the doorway open just long enough for the woman to burst through and then closed it as quick as he could.

 

The woman told Jason her name was Salamis Fire-Mane and that she was a prisoner in the worst dungeon ever and that she would have been eaten alive had a doorway not opened up.

 

As a thank you for saving her life she said that she was his for ever.

 

They made love there and then for hours on end ... At least that was Jason's last thoughts as the Mindflayer proceeded to crack open his skull and eat his brains.

 

After that the Mindflayer reopened the doorway and let his brood through, found a cavern, and started to populate it.

 

That was about a decade ago and they have been expanding their numbers in secret.

 

One of the young decided to go out and explore and was caught up in the event that resulted in the start of the main quest.

 

And that is how I see why Mindflayers have never been in The Elder Scrolls before.

 

I hope someone can run with this. There could be a new cavern somewhere very remote, the Mindflayer model, the powers, numerous NPC's, and some new clothing. And as a side thought, there could be a new quest to rid Skyrim of the Mindflayer threat. Someone could have seen or heard something and told someone who passed on the story with embellishments and it snowballs from there.

 

All comments are welcome, but before you do comment, I know that some of the power descriptions make it seam like they are over powered. This could be tempered by needing high scores to use them or a high stamina cost to use them, or both, or just temper the power magnitudes.

 

I have attached a pic so you can see what the best Mindflayer look is IMHO.

[perfection]

I love the Illithids from D&D, the most intelligent an psionically powerful foes man has ever had. Their only rivals being the ancient and malevolent aboleths, and the older, more powerful dragons. I would love it if the tentacles would be constantly moving like in the description.

[VorlaHusian]

Just wondering if you like my idea then? And yes, to have the tentacles moving would be a must.

[perfection]

Yes I like the idea. Just thinking that the back story needs to be fleshed out a little bit more.

 

As far as psionic powers are concerned, the Mindflayers use psionics which are magical in nature even though the powers themselves aren't actual spells. More like lesser powers with no recharge time. As far as i am concerned they should be split up, every time you use one of your powers it should cost a small amount of stamina and an equal amount of magica basically showing that it is tiring to use but not overly detrimental. Similar to my sectoid mod for Oblivion. more power ful abilities have a reduced magica cost because of the stamina damage you take when you use a power.

 

The biggest problem with making this race is the character model. Really complex facial animations.

 

But I really like this idea. :thumbsup:

[Cururaukar]

Heh. Mindflayers or tentacle faces or mindf***ers as they are known among RP players. They are one of the most hated and feared monsters of D&D world. Then again I am GM and I love these masterminds. I would surely support mod like this, BUT the one who does it has to remember, they should not be seen as random spawns or basic guards who are fooled by the oldest of tricks. I would suggest that these great creatures would not be implemented to the game before there is advanced AI mod like the one suggested for sneaking. This would give them the fair fighting change that they deserve, or it could be scripted as player enters the throne room and doors closes behind him. Voices echo or is it only in my mind. Odd language that some who makes sense in its echo. Boss enters in multiple locations, but which of them is the right one and which is simply an illusion played by the mind tricks of the Illithind? =)

 

Modeling would be the greatest challenge and to make them good, I suggest it would be too big of a task. Unless they can be imported or something (as you can see, I am not a modder). Anyway nice idea.

[oblivionhot]

I'm working on it! :laugh:

 

forum post:

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/1834925-playable-illithid-mind-flayer-race-mod-progress/