Cursed armor vs. ceremorphosis

[Imbalance]

Firstly, I'm well aware that I'm in over my head.

Secondly, I've done a bunch of research, but haven't read anything that quite resembles this scenario. I'll take just about any advice into consideration.

The short of it is a character who had previously been infected with a larval illithid has also donned a full set of cursed plate armor that cannot be removed, including a helmet with sealed faceplate. The curse further stipulates that the wearer will starve unless they bathe in the blood of their fallen enemies.

So, hypothetically, does the mindflayer thwart the curse by becoming a different being? Does it die in agony when it's morphing head and tentacles become horrifyingly trapped inside the helm? Or, can the wearer use the curse to stave off the parasite's consumption? Could they choose to starve to death to avoid transforming into a hideous monster? Is there even a remote possibility of some kind of forced symbiosis?

There are a few other, seemingly less likely ideas that came up, but my intent is to stay close to established lore, and I'm still learning. Ultimately, it's a matter of DM discretion, but it would be nice to have something established to back up appeals.

Thanks

[Unoriginal]

How did the Illithid larva get into the armor, if the helmet is sealed?

They couldn't have put up the armor after the larva's been inserted. Their brains would have been eaten within two handfuls of minutes at worse.

Alternatively, if the person somehow got stuck with the armor, and then the larva killed them, then the larva would be "bathing in the blood of its enemies" and could remove the armor without any troubles.

[Imbalance]

How did the Illithid larva get into the armor, if the helmet is sealed?

They couldn't have put up the armor after the larva's been inserted. Their brains would have been eaten within two handfuls of minutes at worse.

Alternatively, if the person somehow got stuck with the armor, and then the larva killed them, then the larva would be "bathing in the blood of its enemies" and could remove the armor without any troubles.

The timing may be convoluted, but the larva was in before the armor went on. That's not the part in question. The question is over what results.

The armor can't be removed. The bloodbath prevents starvation, but does not end the curse.

[ATHATH]

Can the mindflayer substitute a "diet" of bathing in the blood of their enemies for their normal, somewhat inconvenient diet of brains?

[Man_Over_Game]

As a DM, I'd probably say that the armor doesn't necessarily curse whoever's wearing it, but just what happens to be inside of it, which extends to the Mindflayer.

You say it starves if it can't bathe in the blood of their enemies. To me, that sounds an awful lot like being *compelled* to starve rather than just being sealed off by the armor.

Assuming the stars aligned just right, my DM decision would be that the Mindflayer can't eat until the armor bathes in the blood of your (plural) enemies. Now, the Mindflayer may not know why it cannot eat, or what the conditions are to release the curse, but I don't think that it would kill its host as a way of trying to break whatever compulsion it has. I'd say it'd keep trying to eat you...and continue to fail.

At least, that's what I'd do. So long as you are hit by the starvation curse, and you continue to starve and not bathe, you (and your facehugger friend) are stuck starving and alive.

[Imbalance]

Can the mindflayer substitute a "diet" of bathing in the blood of their enemies for their normal, somewhat inconvenient diet of brains?

Doubtful. The in-game embellishment made it sound like this is an astronaut suit. The reason the wearer can't eat is that it would be physically impossible for food to reach their lips. The armor craves battle and sustains the wearer when they are successful.

Assuming the stars aligned just right, my DM decision would be that the Mindflayer can't eat until the armor bathes in the blood of your (plural) enemies. Now, the Mindflayer may not know why it cannot eat, or what the conditions are to release the curse, but I don't think that it would kill its host as a way of trying to break whatever compulsion it has. I'd say it'd keep trying to eat you...and continue to fail.

At least, that's what I'd do. So long as you are hit by the starvation curse, and you continue to starve and not bathe, you (and your facehugger friend) are stuck starving and alive.

Interesting, and something I hadn't thought of. As I mentioned above, the inability to eat seemed to be due to the physical limitation of the mask, compensated with the sustenance of blood. With your interpretation, I'm less certain. Hmmm...