Could the story be about the doom of Illithids (Adversary)?

[Lamiosa]

Warning of potential spoilers (Even as it is only theory).

There are many hints that the Mindflayer on the Nautiloid is much different from normal Illithids. First he is flying in daylight, but Illithids do not like daylight at all. Also he seems to be the only one alive there and no elder brain is present. The way the tadpoles work for the protagonists are very different from normal tadpoles. It very much seems to me to be the Adversary and like he is trying to develope some kind of symbiosis between the host and tadpole, than the normal society of destroying the host and serving an elder brain.

[Lax]

I think the reason why it was flying in daylight was because they were being perused and under attack. They didn't have much of a choice.

[Lamiosa]

Lax původně napsal:

I think the reason why it was flying in daylight was because they were being perused and under attack. They didn't have much of a choice.

They were not at attack at beginning as the vessel attacked the city. The red dragons attacked the Nautiloid AFTER they attacked the city.

But to get to the main point, Symbiosis would make very much sense, if it would be the Adversary,, since he is independant. You would basically have a Illithids which could walk in daylight and blend in society without anyone realises a tadpole in the head. While the host has the power of an Illithid, the tadpole inside could travel with and influence. Would be a win win in the eye of an independant Illithid with partly personality of the host.

[GrandMajora]

Lamiosa původně napsal:

Warning of potential spoilers (Even as it is only theory).

There are many hints that the Mindflayer on the Nautiloid is much different from normal Illithids. First he is flying in daylight, but Illithids do not like daylight at all. Also he seems to be the only one alive there and no elder brain is present. The way the tadpoles work for the protagonists are very different from normal tadpoles. It very much seems to me to be the Adversary and like he is trying to develope some kind of symbiosis between the host and tadpole, than the normal society of destroying the host and serving an elder brain.

1 - Tadpoles have clearly been altered through the use of Shadow Magic, as revealed by Ethel

2 - Shadow Magic is associated with Shar, who is also known to afflict her worshipers with amnesia.

3 - The Absolute cultists are primarily hold up in Moonrise Towers, which is heavily implied to have some connection with Shar.

4 - True Souls do not appear to be aware of the fact they've been infected with a tadpole.


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So, with these factors in mind, my current theory is that whoever is creating True Souls is also invoking Shar's power to erase the memory of the tadpole being implanted. Thus causing the cultists to believe they've been randomly chosen, instead of infected by mind flayers.

[GrandMajora]

Lamiosa původně napsal:

Warning of potential spoilers (Even as it is only theory).

There are many hints that the Mindflayer on the Nautiloid is much different from normal Illithids. First he is flying in daylight, but Illithids do not like daylight at all. Also he seems to be the only one alive there and no elder brain is present. The way the tadpoles work for the protagonists are very different from normal tadpoles. It very much seems to me to be the Adversary and like he is trying to develope some kind of symbiosis between the host and tadpole, than the normal society of destroying the host and serving an elder brain.

Also, some problems with your theory.

1 - The illithid which infected us dies in the crash. It's the corpse that Ragslin is trying to question with his scroll of Speak With Dead.

2 - The prophecy of the Mind Flayer's destruction refers to a fellow mind flayer who completely retains the personality of its host after going through ceramorphosis. In other words, our character would need to transform into an Illithid for the prophecy to be connected with us.

[Raï 𓆣]

Isn't it also the case that if the mindflayer is absent from the influence of the elder brain (and others) too long, they become independent? I've read that Illithids that do have a spark of individuality, they suppress it in company of others. It's just a really elusive and interesting society.

I would like the story to be about the Adversary, it seems really interesting. More interesting than Shar, whom already has an open agenda.

[Lamiosa]

GrandMajora původně napsal:

Lamiosa původně napsal:

Warning of potential spoilers (Even as it is only theory).

There are many hints that the Mindflayer on the Nautiloid is much different from normal Illithids. First he is flying in daylight, but Illithids do not like daylight at all. Also he seems to be the only one alive there and no elder brain is present. The way the tadpoles work for the protagonists are very different from normal tadpoles. It very much seems to me to be the Adversary and like he is trying to develope some kind of symbiosis between the host and tadpole, than the normal society of destroying the host and serving an elder brain.

Also, some problems with your theory.

1 - The illithid which infected us dies in the crash. It's the corpse that Ragslin is trying to question with his scroll of Speak With Dead.

2 - The prophecy of the Mind Flayer's destruction refers to a fellow mind flayer who completely retains the personality of its host after going through ceramorphosis. In other words, our character would need to transform into an Illithid for the prophecy to be connected with us.

As I speak about the Adversary, I did not mean the MC does become the one, but it is plan of the Adversary to create a new kind of Illithids, which are rather symbiont than parasites. This could have many reasons, one would be a morality change because of personality of the former host or a tactic to infiltrate with no weakness to sunlight anymore.

[GrandMajora]

🜭 původně napsal:

Isn't it also the case that if the mindflayer is absent from the influence of the elder brain (and others) too long, they become independent? I've read that Illithids that do have a spark of individuality, they suppress it in company of others. It's just a really elusive and interesting society.

I would like the story to be about the Adversary, it seems really interesting. More interesting than Shar, whom already has an open agenda.

Yes, but the Elder Brain can immediately subsume control over them if they come within range of its psychic powers. Illithid are connected to each other via a hive mind. Whatever one of them knows, they ALL know. If one of them is trying to break away from the collective, the rest of the colony will sense it and immediately mind blast them to death.

That's why that one mind flayer with the Mychonids says that his ring is so valuable to him. It's probably the only thing which protects him from either being absorbed back into the hivemind, or dropping dead from an aneurysm.

[Lamiosa]

GrandMajora původně napsal:

🜭 původně napsal:

Isn't it also the case that if the mindflayer is absent from the influence of the elder brain (and others) too long, they become independent? I've read that Illithids that do have a spark of individuality, they suppress it in company of others. It's just a really elusive and interesting society.

I would like the story to be about the Adversary, it seems really interesting. More interesting than Shar, whom already has an open agenda.

Yes, but the Elder Brain can immediately subsume control over them if they come within range of its psychic powers. Illithid are connected to each other via a hive mind. Whatever one of them knows, they ALL know. If one of them is trying to break away from the collective, the rest of the colony will sense it and immediately mind blast them to death.

That's why that one mind flayer with the Mychonids says that his ring is so valuable to him. It's probably the only thing which protects him from either being absorbed back into the hivemind, or dropping dead from an aneurysm.

But that would even make more sense, that he is rogue, because a lone Illithid is flying on a vessel, risking it's destruction, although it is the most valuable thing for Illithids.

[Raï 𓆣]

They weren't alone though. There are other (dead) Illithid on the ship - as well as a few dead mindflayers sprawled about after the nautiloid crashes onto the beach. I think it's meant to hint after that they are organized.

[GrandMajora]

Lamiosa původně napsal:

But that would even make more sense, that he is rogue, because a lone Illithid is flying on a vessel, risking it's destruction, although it is the most valuable thing for Illithids.

Mmm, is he alone though? Remember that by the time we get to the bridge, there is still at least one other mind flayer helping to defend the nautiloid from attack. There is that one pod next to Shadowheart's chamber which turns a prisoner into a fellow mind flayer, and there's yet a 4th one trapped under the rubble who was mind controlling the fishermen to dig it out.

The fact these mind flayers were conducting strange experiments on their prisoners is not exactly new. Mind flayers have a reputation for messing with their captives and producing unforeseen side effects. Such as the creation of the Duergar, and possibly awakening psychic powers in the Githyanki.

[Lamiosa]

🜭 původně napsal:

They weren't alone though. There are other (dead) Illithid on the ship - as well as sprawled about after the nautiloid crashes onto the beach. I think it's meant to hint after that they are organized.

There were hints they were used for experiments, as they look strange at beginning and later on there are also devices for experiments. It could be that he had a small crew to help him, but it was all too strange, given the fact, that Nautiloids were REALLY valueable to Illithids and they would have done alot not to lose one.

[Raï 𓆣]

GrandMajora původně napsal:

Yes, but the Elder Brain can immediately subsume control over them if they come within range of its psychic powers. Illithid are connected to each other via a hive mind. Whatever one of them knows, they ALL know. If one of them is trying to break away from the collective, the rest of the colony will sense it and immediately mind blast them to death.

I've read somewhere, it's on the internet :P I just don't know where anymore, that some Illithid still have memories or retain parts of their host (not in it's entirety, like the Adversary would). And they live a life in suppression, until perhaps (i'm filling it in here) the opportunity arises to break away.

[Raï 𓆣]

Lamiosa původně napsal:

There were hints they were used for experiments, as they look strange at beginning and later on there are also devices for experiments. It could be that he had a small crew to help him, but it was all too strange, given the fact, that Nautiloids were REALLY valueable to Illithids and they would have done alot not to lose one.

That is true I think. It seems really rare to actually see a nautiloid - I thought I've read somewhere they lost the technology (paraphrasing). I remember realising that this ship is very unusual and very special.

[Lamiosa]

🜭 původně napsal:

GrandMajora původně napsal:

Yes, but the Elder Brain can immediately subsume control over them if they come within range of its psychic powers. Illithid are connected to each other via a hive mind. Whatever one of them knows, they ALL know. If one of them is trying to break away from the collective, the rest of the colony will sense it and immediately mind blast them to death.

I've read somewhere, it's on the internet :P, that some Illithid still have memories or retain parts of their host (not in it's entirety, like the Adversary would). And they live a life in suppression, until perhaps (i'm filling it in here) the opportunity arises to break away.

They can have small parts of the personalities getting back from the hosts. However they are seen as very dangerous and tried to be get rid off, since they do not want an Illithid with parts of personality of it's host to be united to the elder brain.

[Lamiosa]

🜭 původně napsal:

Lamiosa původně napsal:

There were hints they were used for experiments, as they look strange at beginning and later on there are also devices for experiments. It could be that he had a small crew to help him, but it was all too strange, given the fact, that Nautiloids were REALLY valueable to Illithids and they would have done alot not to lose one.

That is true I think. It seems really rare to actually see a nautiloid - I thought I've read somewhere they lost the technology (paraphrasing). I remember realising that this ship is very unusual and very special.

Every lost of a Nautiloid is seen as another step to ultimate doom of being stuck in the plane, since the Nautiloids give the opportunity to travel. So they really try to not put one in danger or sacrifice one.