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Erol Otus - Illithid (Mind Flayer) - from Rogues Gallery 1980
This is a page from The Rogues Gallery, a 1980 sourcebook for 1st Edition Dungeons and Dragons.
The monster portrayed is an Illithid -- or Mind Flayer as they are move commonly known.
Please allow me to quote from the Monstrous Compendium I happen to have on hand, it explains far better than I.
The illithid, or mind flayer, is an evil and feared creature of the Underdark; its powers are formidable and it feeds on the brains of any creature it encounters. Using arcane powers, it enslaves or destroys its foes, which include such powerful creatures as drow and kuotoa.Mind Flayers stand about 6 feet tall and have hideous mauve skin that glistens with slime. The head resembles an octopus, with white eyes (no pupils are evident) and four tentacles around its mouth, a round, many-toothed orifice like that of a lamprey. The creature has three reddish fingers and a thumb on each hand.
Illithids have infravision. They can communicate with any creatures via innate telepathy; they have no spoken language, although they often accompany their thoughts with hissing, and the eager lashing of their tentacles. Mind flayers dress in flowing robes, often with high, stiff collars, adorned with symbols of death and despair.
Erol Otus is fast becoming my favourite artist of old AD&D B&W illustrations. This one is really something. Some of you will note the similarity between said Illithid and Cthulhu. No mistake, they are from the same world, it would seem. Point and Case, Otus drew the illustrations for Deities & Demigods' entry on the Cthulhu Mythos (which appears only in 1st and 2nd Editions of the book, as it was later removed due to legal reasons, and then, after that still, renamed Legends and Lore to appease namby pamby whingers).
Erol Otus - Illithid (Mind Flayer) - from Rogues Gallery 1980
This is a page from The Rogues Gallery, a 1980 sourcebook for 1st Edition Dungeons and Dragons.
The monster portrayed is an Illithid -- or Mind Flayer as they are move commonly known.
Please allow me to quote from the Monstrous Compendium I happen to have on hand, it explains far better than I.
The illithid, or mind flayer, is an evil and feared creature of the Underdark; its powers are formidable and it feeds on the brains of any creature it encounters. Using arcane powers, it enslaves or destroys its foes, which include such powerful creatures as drow and kuotoa.Mind Flayers stand about 6 feet tall and have hideous mauve skin that glistens with slime. The head resembles an octopus, with white eyes (no pupils are evident) and four tentacles around its mouth, a round, many-toothed orifice like that of a lamprey. The creature has three reddish fingers and a thumb on each hand.
Illithids have infravision. They can communicate with any creatures via innate telepathy; they have no spoken language, although they often accompany their thoughts with hissing, and the eager lashing of their tentacles. Mind flayers dress in flowing robes, often with high, stiff collars, adorned with symbols of death and despair.
Erol Otus is fast becoming my favourite artist of old AD&D B&W illustrations. This one is really something. Some of you will note the similarity between said Illithid and Cthulhu. No mistake, they are from the same world, it would seem. Point and Case, Otus drew the illustrations for Deities & Demigods' entry on the Cthulhu Mythos (which appears only in 1st and 2nd Editions of the book, as it was later removed due to legal reasons, and then, after that still, renamed Legends and Lore to appease namby pamby whingers).