Planar Bestiary
These bizarre, alien creatures have four-tentacled octopus-like bodies and irregular crystalline "heads" that float above them. Oozing from the Far Realm through reality's weak points, vorothids have infiltrated the multiverse. An infestation of young vorothids is a cluster of pretty, hand-sized animals resembling starfish (each with a thumbnail-sized gem embedded in their center) that cling to stones and feed on tiny vermin. If they have enough to eat, they can metamorphose into a larger adult form (about the size of large dog) within a couple of weeks.
Although a vorothid can subsist on flesh, they reproduce only if they have eaten their fill of psychic energy from intelligent prey. Vorothids prefer to ambush small animals or use psionic attacks to draw away a pet or mount for an undisturbed meal, but they may attack humanoids if they haven't had a sapient meal in a while.
Because they are receptive to telepathy, a tamed vorothid makes an excellent scout and spy, for their master can order them to secretly observe an area, then read the creature's mind for details. They can be trained to steal (or at least misplace) small objects using their telekinetic abilities, and they instinctively flee danger, often by flinging themself off high spaces then using their psionic abilities to ensure a safe landing, or a landing on a potential target. Anyone who thinks they've tamed a vorothid should beware. These creatures are ultimately unknowable, and a "tame" individual or pack could simply decide one day to eat their owner's mind.
A vorothid may cling to the hull of an astral vessel, dropping off when they reach an environment with suitable prey.
Motive: Hungers for mental energy and flesh
Environment: The Outer Planes, underground regions on worlds of the Material Plane, and regions of the Astral, alone or in the company of a more powerful creature telepathically commanding them
Health: 6
Damage Inflicted: Minor wound (2 points)
Armor: 2
Movement: Immediate; immediate when climbing
Modifications: Speed defense as level 4 due to tiny size; climbing, perception, stealth, resisting magic attacks, and resisting mental attacks as level 6
Combat: The vorothid attacks with their tentacles, dealing damage and latching onto a target that fails a Speed defense task. Each round the vorothid remains attached, the target takes 2 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor). Removing the attached vorothid requires an action and a successful Might task.
A vorothid has a handful of psionic abilities, including telekinetically manipulating objects within short range, landing safely from any height, befriending animals, and mentally influencing humanoids to view the vorothid as a beloved pet.
Interaction: Vorothids are at least as smart as dogs, but their alien nature makes it almost impossible for humanoids to tame or understand them. They are prone to inexplicable behavior. Attempts to categorize the lights and patterns in their crystalline "heads" lead to confusion, contradictions, and sometimes literal headaches for their would-be owners. Telepathic entities, particularly those from the Far Realm, can interact with vorothids easily.
Use: A fisher complains of strange "barnacles" appearing on their boat. An astral traveler disembarking from an astral vessel proudly displays their new pet "crystal starfish."
Loot: Some vorothids' crystals can be used as intellect booster cyphers.
GM Intrusion: The victim of psychic feeding glimpses a horrific vista of the Far Realm. At some future point, the victim ideates on visiting there until the influence is removed magically (such as with a spell that can remove curses) or telepathically.