Intellect Devourer Larva [Ustilagor]

These young intellect devourers share the walking-brain look but are far smaller, soft and moist, without the adult's shell, and carry a supple 3-foot tendril. Footless coral-like legs keep them slow (MV 9), but their quick hops and dodges earn AC 5.

It can lash with its tendril while using its own version of chemical simulation, which never fails and costs just 1 PSP per strike. The acid is so harsh that a victim who fails a save vs. poison takes 1d4+1 more the following round.

It would rather use id insinuation or an enhanced telempathic projection, lost at adulthood, that imposes one of five moods each round: hatred or distrust of allies, loathing of the area, fear of fungi, or indecision, causing attack, bickering, desertion or dithering. It also has contact, and a basic energy containment (not the adult's improved one) that guards it against spells and the like.

Though psionic, it has no intelligence in human terms, so mind-affecting attacks of any kind fail, psionic blast excepted. Its fungal coat makes it immune to fungal attacks and to any power that affects an aura.

Gems fascinate every ustilagor, perhaps as aids to energy containment, and it will attack a creature carrying gems before any other.

Their moisture invites fungi, which in turn keep them damp and mask their psionic aura, defeating aura powers and cerebral parasites. How and when an ustilagor becomes an adult is unknown, though it surely involves minds and psionics, and sages suspect the fungi play a part.

Mind reavers consider ustilagors a gourmet treat. Adventurers who survive meeting one often find its gem collection a fine reward.