Mind Eaters

These minuscule parasites feed on the mental energies of living creatures, gradually draining away their victim's mental capacity, leaving a mindless husk. They appear to be nothing more than an over-sized tick, though they have an extra set of legs, and are sickly shimmering green in color. They lurk near naturally occurring sources of magical energy (some say they are the larval form of some more advanced creature that requires a magical environment to breed) and are drawn to any source of warmth that happens past. They feed on any warm-blooded creature, though they favor those with greater intelligence (and seem to have an innate ability to sense this). Mind Eaters radiate a faint magical aura and are easily slain if noticed. If they manage to hitch a ride upon a suitable host unnoticed they will attach themselves to their victim with an anesthetic bite, preferably near a major nerve bundle. The base of the neck is a favorite location. Once attached they will drain one unit of mental energy per day for ten days, then drop away to digest their meal. The mental energies drained can be determined via the following table:

• 01-50 Memories - A strong memory vanishes from the victim's mind, completely consumed by the Mind Eater.
• 51-75 Knowledge - The victim loses a single skill, becoming as inept as a beginner when attempting to use it. The victim will be aware of the skill loss.
• 76-90 Emotion - The victim loses the ability to feel a specific emotion.
• 91-100 Personal Bond - The victim loses all memory and emotion tied to a specific personal relationship. The person lost becomes a stranger to the victim.

The victim of a Mind Eater can recover their lost mental energies by consuming a concoction made from the remains of the consuming creature, assuming no more than a week has past since the energies were consumed. The creation of this potion requires a Superb test of lore, and a Great test of healing.