The Peering Eye

Tzakandi (Steel Clan)

A vile servant of The Fallen Gods, a descendant of the Illithids of Schliss, calling himself “The Prince Of Schliss” created many servants for himself using ancient and repulsive techniques that were gifted to the first illithids by Athrú.

The prince and his minions captured dozens of lizardfolk from each of The Dark Swamp tribes and performed hideous and agonizing experiments upon them. These experiments were largely focused on using ceremorphosis, a process where a mind flayer hatchling is inserted into a humanoid’s brain and as it grows to maturity it devours the hosts brain and replacing the original humanoid tissue with it’s own. This process causes metamorphosis of most of the original tissues which turns a human into a common mind flayer and a lizardfolk into a tzakandi.

The prince’s experiments proved that Steel Clan lizardfolk of The Dark Swamp were ideal subjects for tzakandi creation, and so as a result the Steel Clan suffered great losses. There is a violent and understandable enmity between them and the tzakandi.

Tzakandi retain the lizardfolk’s prowess with arms and armor as well as gaining many potent illithid traits and powers. They generally fight with both sword and tentacles after assaulting their foes with their illithid psychic powers. They are adept at survival in both watery and underground environments. Tzakandi are cunning, evil and ambitious, however they are usually thralls to the more powerful Mind Flayers who create them. Mind flayer society sees tzakandi as an inferior race.

Tactics
The tzakandi will enter into the fray eagerly and once he has been engaged by multiple foes he will use his mind blast. He will then attempt to Bore into the Brain of a dazed foe. After this he will use Frenzied Attack whenever it is available.
If any targets look susceptible to grapple and Bore in Brain he will use these as a priority, otherwise he will stick to his more damaging longsword attacks.
If there is water or marshy ground nearby, the tzakandi may attempt to move a grappled opponent to this hazard in order to gain the benefits of his Hold Breath and Amphibious abilities.

4th Edition D&D
Level 8 Soldier

3rd Edition D&D
Challenge Rating 4

Mind Flayer (Schliss)

The Illithids of Schliss were powerful psychics, well versed in psionic lore and in the corrupt techniques of Athrú. The Church Of The Moons wiped out the Mind Flayers of Schliss generations ago.

The self proclaimed "Prince Of Schliss" is a powerful descendant of these Masterminds. His arrogance could easily prove his undoing because The Inquisition are likely to hear of his open claims to a long dead Fallen worshipping civilisation. If they move against him, it will be swift and deadly.

The Prince is indeed a Schliss Mind Flayer. They are as they arrogantly claim a supoerior Mind Flayer race and the psychic skills of the Schliss are formidable. Their experiments in ceremorphsis, organic mutation, biological manipulation, psychic bonding, cocoon regeneration, matter transmutation were all carried out in the name of their Fallen God Athru. He rewarded their dedication and ingenuity with many foul and dark secrets and they have master many techiniques beyond the purview of most Illithids.

It is likely that the Schliss Mind Flayer are preparing to create and army of servant, but to what end? This remains to be seen.

4th Edition Mind Flayer Mastermind is reproduced below:
Level 18 Controller