Creature Loot: Volo's Guide M

More like Mean Look am I right

Dial M for Monsters! Volo's monsters, that is! You can find the full index of creature loot here, and the entire Monster Manual in PDF form here.

Meenlock (2) - fey (religion)

• 1d2 Meenlock Claws: Acts as a dagger. On a hit, a creature must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once the dagger has paralyzed a creature, it loses this property.
• 1 Meenlock Heart: Any beast or humanoid that starts its turn within 10 feet of the Meenlock Heart must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the Heart until the start of the creature's next turn. Can be carefully crafted (Alchemist's Supplies) into a Potion of Shadow Teleportation. A creature who drinks the potion gains the ability to teleport to an unoccupied space within 30 feet of them, provided both the creature's current space and its destination are in dim light or darkness. The effect lasts 10 minutes.

Mind Flayers


Alhoon (10) - undead (religion)

• 2d2 Mind Flayer Tentacles: Can be consumed as an action to grant a creature Telepathy out to 120 feet for 1 hour.
• 1 Mind Flayer Brain: Can be communicated with telepathically if the brain is kept preserved in fluid. While preserved this way, the brain can use its Mind Blast ability. Can be carefully crafted (divination) by a spellcaster into a grotesque Helm of Telepathy.
• 2 Mind Flayer Eyes: Can be destroyed to cast Detect Thoughts (save DC 16). When cast this way, the spell does not require concentration, but can only be used to detect thinking creatures as described in the spell, not to read their thoughts.
• 1 Undead Mind Flayer Heart: While holding the heart, it can be used to cast Plane Shift as a ritual. Only the creature holding the heart may shift. This consumes the heart. When the spell is cast, roll 1d20. On a 1, the bearer is sent to the intended destination, but also transported 1d10 years into the past.
• 1 Arcane Focus
• 1 Spellbook: Contains 1 random spell of 5th level or lower that can be copied by a wizard.
• 1 Periapt of Mind Trapping: This item cannot be found with the Alhoon unless the check made to loot the body was a 30 or higher. At the DM's discretion, this loot may simply be a clue to the Periapt's true location, not the Periapt itself. A creature holding the Periapt has advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws against the Alhoons that created it, and those Alhoons suffer disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws made against the creature. In addition, the Periapt contains 2d4 trapped souls. A creature can communicate with the souls and the Alhoons telepathically while it is holding the Periapt. It can't prevent communication from Alhoons but can choose to silence the trapped souls. The Periapt has AC of 19 and 10 hit points. Destroying the Periapt kills all souls and Alhoons associated with it.
• 1d4 Healing Potions

Illithilich (22) - undead (religion)

• 2d2 Mind Flayer Tentacles: Can be consumed as an action to grant a creature Telepathy out to 120 feet for 1 hour.
• 1 Illithilich Skull: Requires attunement. Can be used as an arcane focus and grants an attuned creature resistance to cold, lightning, necrotic, and poison damage. After 1d10 days, the skull reforms into the Illithilich with full Hp and abilities. If the Phylactery is destroyed, this item crumbles into useless dust.
• 1 Phylactery: This item is not found with the Illithilich unless the check made to loot the body was a 30 or higher. At the DM's discretion, this loot may simply be a clue to the phylactery's true location, not the phylactery itself. No immediate use. If not destroyed, the Illithilich reforms after 1d10 days.
• 2d6 Bones of the Illithilich: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted by a spellcaster (Necromancy) into a Potion of Turn Resistance (an undead creature who consumes or is doused in this potion gains advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead for 1 hour).
• 1 Left Hand of the Illithilich: Acts as an improvised melee weapon. On a hit, a target takes 10 (3d6) cold damage and must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.
• 1 Tome of Darkness: Incomprehensible to those who are not Wizards. A month of study will yield a method to become a Lich. This allows a wizard to create or obtain a Phylactery and a Potion of Transformation. Additionally, the method requires the ability to cast Imprisonment to transfer the Wizard's soul into the Phylactery. A PC that is turned into a Lich becomes an Evil NPC under the DM's control. The details of the ritual will vary from book to book, but may involve any of the following:
• Forming a pact with a Fiend, Evil God, or Dark Power
• Ritual Sacrifice or Murder
• Using Material Components gained only by killing Celestials
• Being a master (14th level or higher) in the School of Necromancy
• 1 Spellcasting Component Pouch
• 1 Arcane Focus
• 3 Uncommon Magic Items: Chosen by the DM. An Illithilich keeps these curiosities to study, not to use, and they do not affect the Illithilich's CR.
• 2 Rare Magic Items: Chosen by the DM. An Illithilich keeps these curiosities to study, not to use, and they do not affect the Illithilich's CR.
• 1 Spellbook: Contains 2 random spells of 5th level or lower that can be copied by a wizard.
• 4d4 Skill Books: Contains knowledge concerning a certain skill and topic that the Illithilich was interested in. For example: History (Underdark Civilizations). Using the book for 5 minutes is equivalent to rolling a 15 on the related skill.
• 2 Flasks of Alchemist's Fire

My brain is my best feature

Elder Brain (14) - aberration (arcana)

• 1d4 Elder Brain Tentacles: Can be consumed as an action to grant a creature Telepathy out to 5 miles for 1 hour.
• 2 Elder Brain Frontal Lobes: Can be destroyed to cast Dominate Monster (save DC 18). When cast this way, in addition to issuing telepathic commands, you can read the creature's thoughts as if it failed a Wisdom saving throw against a Detect Thoughts spell.
• 2 Elder Brain Temporal Lobes: Can be destroyed to cast Detect Thoughts (save DC 18). When cast this way, the spell does not require concentration, but can only be used to detect thinking creatures as described in the spell, not to read their thoughts. Additionally, the range of the spell increases to 5 miles.
• 2 Elder Brain Occipital Lobes: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of Superior Blindsight, which grants Blindsight out to 120 feet for 1 hour.
• 2  Elder Brain Parietal Lobes: While holding the Parietal Lobe, it can be used to cast Plane Shift as a ritual. Only the creature holding the lobe may shift. This consumes the lobe.
• 1 Elder Brain Stem: No immediate use. Can be mastercrafted by a spellcaster (divination) into a Wand of Mind Blank, which requires attunement. The wand has 3 charges. As an action, an attuned creature can expend 1 charge to cast Mind Blank, touching the tip of the wand to the target of the spell. The wand regains 1 charge daily at dawn. If the last charge is expended, roll a d20. On a 1, the wand melts into useless ichor.
• 1 Elder Brain Hippocampus: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted by a spellcaster (divination) into an Amulet of Improved Mind Reading, which requires attunement. While attuned to the amulet, a creature can cast Detect Thoughts (save DC 18) using the amulet. While they are reading a creature's thoughts, they learn the target's emotional state and reasoning in addition to its surface thoughts. Additionally, as an action, the creature can make a Charisma (Deception) check to trick the target into thinking they believe an idea or feel a certain emotion. The target contests this attempt with a Wisdom (Insight) check. If the contest is successful, the target believes the deception for 1 hour or until evidence of the lie is presented to the target. If the target wins the contest, they are immediately aware their thoughts are being read, and can choose to use its reaction to make an Intelligence check contested by the creature's Intelligence check. If the target succeeds, the spell ends. Once the amulet has been used in this way three times, it cannot be used again until the next dawn.
• 1 Elder Brain Amygdala: Can be communicated with telepathically if the brain is kept preserved in fluid. While preserved this way, the brain can use its Mind Blast ability. Can be carefully crafted (divination) by a spellcaster into a grotesque Helm of Telepathy. If crafted this way, the Helm of Telepathy uses 18 for its DC when it casts spells.
• 1d4 Hunks of Elder Brain Cerebrum: Can be destroyed to cast Levitate as an action. When cast this way, the spell can only target the creature that destroyed the Cerebrum.
• 1 Elder Brain Cerebellum: Can be communicated with telepathically if the cerebellum is kept preserved in fluid. As an action, a creature with telepathy can make an Intelligence (Investigation) check contested by the Elder Brain's Wisdom (Insight) check. On a success, the creature learns the location every creature within 5 miles of the cerebellum that has an Intelligence score of 4 or higher, and the Intelligence scores of those creatures. Creatures protected by a Mind Blank or Nondetection spell cannot be detected in this matter. Whether the contest succeeds or fails, the creature cannot attempt the contest again until 24 hour have elapsed.

Ulitharid (9) - aberration (arcana)

• 1 Tattered Breastplate Armor
• 3d2 Ulitharid Tentacles: Can be consumed as an action to grant a creature Telepathy out to 2 miles for 1 hour.
• 1 Ulitharid Brain: Can be communicated with telepathically if the brain is kept preserved in fluid. While preserved this way, the brain can use its Mind Blast ability. Can be carefully crafted (divination) by a spellcaster into a grotesque Helm of Telepathy. If crafted this way, the Helm of Telepathy uses 17 for its DC when it casts spells. If attached to an Extractor Staff and placed in the ichor of a dead Ulitharid, the brain grows into an Elder Brain in 2d4 days.
• 2 Ulitharid Eyes: Can be destroyed to cast Detect Thoughts (save DC 17). When cast this way, the spell does not require concentration, but can only be used to detect thinking creatures as described in the spell, not to read their thoughts. Additionally, the range of the spell increases to 2 miles.
• 1 Ulitharid Heart: While holding the heart, it can be used to cast Plane Shift as a ritual. Only the creature holding the heart may shift. This consumes the heart.
• 1 Extractor Staff: Acts as a magical quarterstaff. If used to attack an incapacitated Ulitharid, it can be attached to the Ulitharid's skull instead of dealing damage. When attached, the Ulitharid is reduced to 0 hit points and dissolves into ichor. The Ulitharid's brain is the only part that survives this process, and is attached to the staff. If placed in the ichor of a dead Ulitharid, the brain grows into an Elder Brain in 2d4 days. 
• 1 Ulitharid Cerebellum: Can be communicated with telepathically if the cerebellum is kept preserved in fluid. As an action, a creature with telepathy can make an Intelligence (Investigation) check contested by the Ulitharid's Wisdom (Insight) check. On a success, the creature learns the location of the nearest Elder Brain that the Ulitharid has connected to as a psionic hub. Whether the contest succeeds or fails, the creature cannot attempt the contest again until 24 hour have elapsed.

Let's take two difficult-to-describe monsters and combine them!

Mindwitness (5) - aberration (arcana)

• 2d2 Mindwitness Tentacles: Can be consumed as an action to grant a creature Telepathy out to 600 feet for 1 hour.
• 1 Mindwitness Brain: Can be communicated with telepathically if the brain is kept preserved in fluid. While preserved this way, the brain can use its Telepathic Hub ability. Can be carefully crafted (divination) by a spellcaster into a grotesque Helm of Telepathy.
• 2 Mindwitness Eyes: Acts as an arcane focus. An eye can cast a particular beholder ray once per day. The ray is chosen randomly by the DM upon receiving the eye.

Morkoth (11) - aberration (arcana)

• 1 Morkoth Hide: Acts as a blanket. Can be mastercrafted (leatherworker's tools) into a Cloak of Spell Reflection, which requires attunement. When the attuned creature succeeds on a saving throw against a spell that targets only the attuned creature, or a spell attack misses it, the creature can use its reaction to reflect a spell at another creature (including the spellcaster) within 120 feet of it. The spell targets the chosen creature instead of the attuned creature. If the spell forced a saving throw, the creature rolls its own save. If the spell was an attack, the attack roll is rerolled against the chosen creature.
• 2 Morkoth Eyes: Can be destroyed to cast Compulsion (save DC 17). When cast this way, the spell does not require concentration, and the direction of movement must be towards the spellcaster.
• 1d4 Morkoth Tentacles: Acts as a whip and an Arcane Focus.
• 1 Spellbook: Contains 1 random spell of 5th level or lower that can be copied by a wizard.
• 3 Uncommon Magic Items: Chosen by the DM. A Morkoth keeps these items for its collection, not to use, and they do not affect the Morkoth's CR.
• 2 Rare Magic Items: Chosen by the DM. A Morkoth keeps these items for its collection, not to use, and they do not affect the Morkoth's CR.
• 1 Very Rare Magic Item: Chosen by the DM. A Morkoth keeps this item for its collection, not to use, and it does not affect the Morkoth's CR.
• In Lair: 1d100 Common Magic Items (Use Xanathar's Guide pg. 136-140)

Very nice. Not too much this week, but it might surprise you that we're just past halfway through Volo's Guide! Man, doing 100 monsters instead of 400 is so nice...

Next week: A whole bunch of letters!

Plus gross H.R. Geiger clones

Thanks for reading!