[366 Days of Monsters] Day 205/366 - Land Octopus

With seven massive tentacles and bulbous eyes, this large creature resembles an aquatic octopus. However, its coarse, green flesh and leaf-like growths covering its body betrays its ecology as a land-based creature.

Land octopuses are strange, intelligent creatures that lurk in the forests of Vaskil Valley. As far as Pexian aberrationists and the Warriorbrood's gunmages know, these creatures didn't exist prior to 1040 AT, leaving some to believe they are one of many side effects caused by the resurgence of the titans and the coming of the Hand of the Eight. One popular theory posits that the octopuses come from the Hidden, the demiplane where the Archtransmuter Loikiel was rumored to vanish into following his defeat at the hands of the danaavrakti.

So far, here's what's known about land octopuses. First, they lack mouths—not even a mouth on the underside like their aquatic relatives. Instead, they use their tentacles' suckers to drain memories and intelligence from creatures. Judging by the large number of lycanthrope bodies discovered near their lairs, they seem to particularly enjoy the psychic energy ripped from shapechangers.

Second, the asexual land octopuses do not give birth in a conventional manner. Instead, they lay "energy eggs", small orbs of light that drift through the air in the forests they inhabit. These eggs are insubstantial. Just before they are ready to hatch, the eggs touch down on the ground and a small land octopus emerges. Interestingly, land octopus younglings demonstrate higher intelligence than their parents. Some are even capable of telepathy. What's more terrifying is that they seem to have the memories of the creatures whom their parents drained shortly before they were conceived.

Third, land octopuses fear magical darkness. Although they do not seem affected by the presence of normal darkness, magical darkness causes them to panic and flee. What's more, is that magical darkness seems to affect their young. It doesn't kill the eggs out right. But eggs that are exposed to magical darkness before they "hatch" seem to be "corrupted" by the magic. These dark younglings retain their intelligence as they mature, and often develop darker tendencies than their neutral parents.

Big shoutout to John Wesker for pitching this unusual creature!