Ulitharid

The nobles of the Illithid society, the ulitharid possessed extraordinary gifts of strength, and a vile, malicious intellect and were treated as minor godly beings by their normal mind flayer brethren.

Description
The tadpoles that became ulitharid appeared normal, but were changed by some unknown force. The unique nature of the altered tadpole was not apparent until it underwent the process of ceremorphosis, where the usual procedures of morphological alteration to the host body were altered and the resulting mind flayer displayed a pair of unusually long mouth tentacles not seen in other illithid.

The ulitharid also exhibited psychological changes in addition to the physical, demonstrating a harsher, more spiteful temperament than other mind flayers. Ulitharids were also extremely rare within mind flayer enclaves; less than one in a hundred illithid tadpoles would develop into an ulitharid.

Combat
An extremely dangerous foe in combat, ulitharids could threaten foes with their powerful mental attacks and long reach, in addition to forming a psionic protection somewhat akin to mage armor.

Their formidable mental powers were their greatest weapon. Wielding mind blasts, charms, the power of suggestion, and the ability to dominate the mind of both man and beast, they were extremely dangerous to face in combat. They also possessed the powers to shift planes and create dimension doors.

Society
The ulitharids formed the elite nobility of mind flayer society, with their rarity supporting the reverence they received from other illithid, who viewed them as a blessing and second only to the elder brain. Their ego reflected their privileged position, as they viewed the common mind flayer as a lesser beings, nearer to illithid-spawned abominations like urophions.

Appearances

 * Computer games:
 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
 * Neverwinter Nights