 If the Neothelid consumes an intelligent creature it will awaken to sapience and psionic abilities and grow to immense size, while retaining its memories of savage survival.In "Complete Psionic", it was revealed that Illithids have a step between larva and Neothelid called a "Larval Flayer", which looks like an overgrown tadpole.The existence of these beasts is a guarded secret among Illithids, and it is considered impolite to speak of them.