Remove ads

A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover

Reader mode
DragonParadox said:
You could do it sure, the trouble is it would also make the brain sentient. Your best bet for ethical Ilithid feeding would probably be trying to reproduce what the Many do (separate the flesh eating from the memory consumption).
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Hold on a minute. Don't they sell memories in Heaven? Can't we just shove those memories into a flesh forged brain?
 
Thing is, we already employ worse things than Illithids. All the devils, for example. We are far beyond the slippery slope argument even.
 
Tomcost said:
Thing is, we already employ worse things than Illithids. All the devils, for example. We are far beyond the slippery slope argument even.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Not really. Devils have done bad shit in the past, but those in our service don't have to keep doing bad shit to simply exist.

Mind Flayers aren't just predators, but they're so alien in their perceptions of people that I can't see how we would ever work with them.

Remember, they're master fleshcrafters, too. That leaves two possibilities, either A) It isn't possible to create substitute brains and bodies for their use or B) they just don't care and have been eating brains and implanting their tadpoles to destroy untold numbers of people over the course of millions of years because they liked it.
 
Goldfish said:
Not really. Devils have done bad shit in the past, but those in our service don't have to keep doing bad shit to simply exist.

Mind Flayers aren't just predators, but they're so alien in their perceptions of people that I can't see how we would ever work with them.

Remember, they're master fleshcrafters, too. That leaves two possibilities, either A) It isn't possible to create substitute brains and bodies for their use or B) they just don't care and have been eating brains and implanting their tadpoles to destroy untold numbers of people over the course of millions of years because they liked it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I'm almost sure that it is B).

And it still doesn't make them any worse than some of our worst stuff. Barghests, those daemons that got converted by Yss, even Shadow!Tor is bound to have done shit just because he liked it.
 
Just for the record, you know of one other Illithid who likely broke with his species and even solved the brain eating issue.
 
Azel said:
Just for the record, you know of one other Illithid who likely broke with his species and even solved the brain eating issue.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I don't really think that going undead is actually the way to solve it. I mean, they would stop eating brains, and also stop being illithids. And they don't reproduce. So it is an alternative, but not the ideal one.
 
Goldfish said:
Not really. Devils have done bad shit in the past, but those in our service don't have to keep doing bad shit to simply exist.

Mind Flayers aren't just predators, but they're so alien in their perceptions of people that I can't see how we would ever work with them.

Remember, they're master fleshcrafters, too. That leaves two possibilities, either A) It isn't possible to create substitute brains and bodies for their use or B) they just don't care and have been eating brains and implanting their tadpoles to destroy untold numbers of people over the course of millions of years because they liked it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
That's not really accurate. They also have an Elder Brain who has a vested interest in keeping things exactly the way they are and not allowing any individuals to deviate.

This isn't about them choosing to be this way on an individual level, it's more that if any of them do head down this path they are normally ferreted out and destroyed at once.
 
Duesal said:
That's not really accurate. They also have an Elder Brain who has a vested interest in keeping things exactly the way they are and not allowing any individuals to deviate.

This isn't about them choosing to be this way on an individual level, it's more that if any of them do head down this path they are normally ferreted out and destroyed at once.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
He's talking about the undead fellow that converted to Capitalism (praise be) in heaven.

Edit: We could actually talk to him about politics in the Illithid Empire. Would give us a good view on how they operate and why he defected in the first place. For all we know, there might actually be vegen Illithids.
 
Last edited:
What do ya'll want to do next? Is it time to head back to the Plane of Water?
 
Azurath said:
He's talking about the undead fellow that converted to Capitalism (praise be) in heaven.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Sorry, I don't see how this relates to my post? I'm aware of that Alhoon, and he's a great informant for us to make use of. Also yes, glorious Capitalism!

The argument I was responding to, to the best of my knowledge, was that Mind Flayers consciously choose to be the way they are. I was pointing out that if they happen to deviate in a way the Elder Brain doesn't like (for example transitioning beyond eating brains), they're done for.
 
Duesal said:
Sorry, I don't see how this relates to my post? I'm aware of that Alhoon, and he's a great informant for us to make use of. Also yes, glorious Capitalism!

The argument I was responding to, to the best of my knowledge, was that Mind Flayers consciously choose to be the way they are. I was pointing out that if they happen to deviate in a way the Elder Brain doesn't like (for example transitioning beyond eating brains), they're done for.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
But isn't that a contradiction? You know the Alhoon exists, and he deviated from eating brains. Isn't that proof Mind Flayers can deviate from the Elder Brains ideology?
 
Azurath said:
But isn't that a contradiction? You know the Alhoon exists, and he deviated from eating brains. Isn't that proof Mind Flayers can deviate from the Elder Brains ideology?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Did you mean to quote Tomcost instead of me?

Yeah, I'm aware that Mind Flayers are capable of deviation, Alhoons are great. it's just that they're societally shunned among that population, so it's not the most ideal option if we're trying to introduce elements of rebellion.

EDIT: I see the disconnect now.

Alhoons are hated to the point of being hunted down. When I say they are "shunned" that is a huge understatement.
 
Last edited:
Duesal said:
Did you mean to quote Tomcost instead of me?

Yeah, I'm aware that Mind Flayers are capable of deviation, Alhoons are great. it's just that they're societally shunned among that population, so it's not the most ideal option if we're trying to introduce elements of rebellion.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
IIRC, aren't they considered insane and mentally deficient for choosing to embrace Undeath, and hunted down by their still living fellows? I need to go back and reread the Mindflayer section of Lords of Madness.
 
Goldfish said:
IIRC, aren't they considered insane and mentally deficient for choosing to embrace Undeath, and hunted down by their still living fellows? I need to go back and reread the Mindflayer section of Lords of Madness.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yes. Me saying they were "shunned" was meant to be an understatement, they are actively hunted down for defying the Elder Brain.

It's very much a Big Brother 1984 environment in that regard.
 
[X] Visit Vialesk again
-[X] Talk to Star Admiral Kharban of the Splendid Armada. We not only have business to attend to, but would like to speak further about securing a military alliance with Vialisk against the Deep Ones.
--[X] Deliver Forge-grown warbeasts: 500 Plantblood Bladeleaf Dolphins, 32 Advanced Gigantean Bladeleaf Plantblood Manta Rays, and 50 Plantblood Bladeleaf Sea Cats
--[X] Take orders for additional Forge-grown warbeasts, if the Admiral is interested in purchasing more on behalf of the Splendid Armada.
 
Last edited:
So, how about we rezz one of the rebel Illithids to read their mind and know their full plan?

Hacking the Drowned God would be awesome. Maybe we can feed it to the Ferryman
 
Tomcost said:
So, how about we rezz one of the rebel Illithids to read their mind and know their full plan?

Hacking the Drowned God would be awesome. Maybe we can feed it to the Ferryman
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This lore is the type of info bomb that we should definitely follow through on. We need to see if the Old Gods remember anything about this, if the Father Sky or Mother Earth would be willing to tell us anything, if Yss remembers anything, etc.

A god is not lightly chained.

For all we know this might be a First Men god.
 
[X] Visit Vialesk again
-[X] Talk to Star Admiral Kharban of the Splendid Armada. We not only have business to attend to, but would like to speak further about securing a military alliance with Vialisk against the Deep Ones.
--[X] Deliver Forge-grown warbeasts: 500 Plantblood Bladeleaf Dolphins, 32 Advanced Gigantean Bladeleaf Plantblood Manta Rays, and 50 Plantblood Bladeleaf Sea Cats
--[X] Take orders for additional Forge-grown warbeasts, if the Admiral is interested in purchasing more on behalf of the Splendid Armada.

I'm down to head to Arablantis again. Hit the markets on the way out, try and get some good fodder.

Simple Template: Aqueous Creature (CR +0 or +1) – d20PFSRD

www.d20pfsrd.com www.d20pfsrd.com
 
JamesShazbond said:
[X] Visit Vialesk again
-[X] Talk to Star Admiral Kharban of the Splendid Armada. We not only have business to attend to, but would like to speak further about securing a military alliance with Vialisk against the Deep Ones.
--[X] Deliver Forge-grown warbeasts: 500 Plantblood Bladeleaf Dolphins, 32 Advanced Gigantean Bladeleaf Plantblood Manta Rays, and 50 Plantblood Bladeleaf Sea Cats
--[X] Take orders for additional Forge-grown warbeasts, if the Admiral is interested in purchasing more on behalf of the Splendid Armada.

I'm down to head to Arablantis again. Hit the markets on the way out, try and get some good fodder.

Simple Template: Aqueous Creature (CR +0 or +1) – d20PFSRD

www.d20pfsrd.com www.d20pfsrd.com
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Hit the place, find a non sentient with that template and melt it in the forge to grow more? Is that the intent?
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top