speculor

[speculor]

//I did it guys, I think I'm done????? If anything is wonky or links aren't working let me know! Here's my new multi, I've also moved my muses from @spiritsession, @frostbought, @speculor over here!

@mindsreprieve

[speculor]

//I did it guys, I think I'm done????? If anything is wonky or links aren't working let me know! Here's my new multi, I've also moved my muses from @spiritsession, @frostbought, @speculor over here!

@mindsreprieve

[speculor]

//I did it guys, I think I'm done????? If anything is wonky or links aren't working let me know! Here's my new multi, I've also moved my muses from @spiritsession, @frostbought, @speculor over here!

@mindsreprieve

[speculor]

//I did it guys, I think I'm done????? If anything is wonky or links aren't working let me know! Here's my new multi, I've also moved my muses from @spiritsession, @frostbought, @speculor over here!

@mindsreprieve

[speculor]

//Okay it's time for me to go lay down, so here's my regular screenshot dump--

[speculor]

//Do you see what I mean??? Do you SEE??? Everytime

//Why is Ist so like... bad at resisting things. Jfc

[speculor]

//ISTTTTTTTTTTT

[speculor]

//Why is Ist so like... bad at resisting things. Jfc

[speculor]

//Do I need two warlocks in my party? No, but Ist barely counts as a warlock so it's fine. Let them hold hands with Wyll

[speculor]

They don't expect anyone to come after them. Not until later and even then, they'd expected it to be Wyll or Karlach. Not... not Vhaal. Not that they held any ill feelings towards him, he just didn't seem the type to well... be comforting unless it was with playful intent.

So to say they were surprised to see him was a bit of an understatement, though one that was quickly drowned in the flood of crisis. Some of which, had only been exacerbated by the drows presence.

They feel their hands pulled away from their face, held by the others pale ones as they trembled. Ist'aufein looks at him with an expression that couldn't be described as anything but pathetic. The skin under their eyes was raw and wet with fresh tears, which tinged red as they trailed through the beads of blood on their cheeks.

"I...I can feel my patrons disgust in my bones, my everything--" Their voice cracks as they speak, their stomach twisting in response. "Wh-What if they leave me? I need the... the power if we're going to fight the brain." A lie, a rarity coming from Ist'aufein. No, they weren't worried about losing the power that came from their pact. No, anyone who had seen the 'drow' fight, knew that they fought almost exclusively with their dual blades and rarely had a spell left their lips.

No, they were afraid of something else. Everything that came after.

"You were right, about everything. Everything." Comes the choked continuation. "About me. About how I'd never stepped foot in that place. About the worms. I...I don't know anything. I don't know what's real and what isn't, or what I am without... without my patron."

well , that was a fucking shit show . this was not the moment for i told you so - but how many times had he tried to stop them from gobbling down those squiggly vermin ? a thousand ?

vaguely , he wants to sympathize ; he's always been afraid of losing himself . not to a tadpole , maybe , but to lolth . becoming a drider , having his will , his self of self stripped from him . and he's sure he's the least recommended person to console anyone during a crisis , in fact - he knows that . his skills are exclusively : seduction , killing , looking gorgeous while swinging a dagger around , and convincing people of things that should be obvious lies but sound so convincing on his tongue . perhaps this last skill could be of use now .

it's not like anyone else is offering to pick up the pieces . 'they want to be alone' - yeah yeah . who gives a shit ? as much as he'd loathe to admit it , seeing ist in such a distressed state ... pains him . he doesn't quite understand why , but it does . he wants to make it better . he doesn't know how , but he wants to make it better .

❝ ist'aufein - hey - hey , hey ! stop ! ❞ as soon as he bursts into their tent , vhaal'krin immediately rushing towards them , grabbing their hands - or trying to . he doesn't wanna hurt them . ❝ stop ! - stop it ! hey ... ❞ he forces his hands to drape over theirs , like protective mittens . ❝ stop ... please ? you're gonna hurt yourself . ❞

[speculor]

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄 . ( a collection of fantasy - based dialogue prompts . adjust phrasing as necessary . )

strangers don't last very long around here .

lay down your sword , and i'll lay down mine .

whatever you do , do not stray from the path .

try not to get yourself killed .

the magic here is old and wild .

quiet ... do not wake it .

i thought i'd find you here . get up .

the tavern in [ location ] is known for its ale and its rumors .

you are starting the path towards your destiny .

is there no end to this accursed forest ?

my sword is yours .

the path to redemption is paved with trials and tribulations .

this forest feels ... sick . as if a disease lies upon it .

you are nothing but damned bones , and a damned soul .

have you ever seen the world beyond [ location ] ?

in the face of overwhelming odds , we must stand united .

please don't let them know that i'm here .

i've heard tales of your exploits . impressive , if they're true .

there's a town three miles east from here .

we have such history , you and i .

go carefully ... there's a camp nearby .

you will not die here , i forbid it .

your reputation precedes you .

i would rather die on my feet than on my knees .

there is no destiny . no born heroes .

you've got a fire in your eyes . use it , but don't let it consume you .

the spirits of this forest are restless .

there's more that you aren't telling me .

you have something that belongs to me .

you shouldn't be here , it's not safe in these parts .

all we can trust are the blades in our hands .

do you believe in fate ? destiny , prophecies ...

i don't think i'll ever get used to having blood on my hands .

wait ! there's traps here . lots of them .

i would die before helping in such a task .

there's an inn just another mile north .

have your blade at the ready .

if you can't already tell , i don't require saving .

have you drank your fill already ?

this isn't just some lark to me .

i'm headed to [ location ] . i could use some company .

your bravery is admirable , but it will also be your undoing .

you're exhausted , [ name ] . we're stopping here .

i will hunt you until the day i die .

i wish you a safe journey home .

as long as i can be of no help , i'm going to hide .

raise your sword . this should be a fair fight .

you're brave to show your face here again .

in this world , you can trust two things ; your intuition and your sword .

i've seen the way you look at the horizon . you're searching for something .

[ administers a healing potion / spell ] is that any better ?

you have no idea of the catastrophe you've set in motion .

there's an ambush ahead , stay quiet .

i want to know your story ... beginning to end .

in the end , we're all just stories waiting to be told .

i've heard tales of a dragon living high up in the mountains . some say it's just a myth , others swear it's real .

the line between friend and foe is often blurred .

try to stay quiet . is the wound deep ?

do not provoke them .

monster ? who's the monster here ?

i forbid you from telling anyone what you've seen here .

are you scared of witches ?

that's a beautiful [ weapon ] . may i ?

you are a valuable ally and a fearsome adversary .

do not tell me you've grown soft over the years .

if our enemy has returned , we must know .

you're a tough one to read , but i can see the kindness in your eyes .

the key to survival is knowing when to fight and when to flee .

i never expected to run into you in [ location ] .

last we spoke , you owed me some coin .

do not fear me ... everybody else fears me .

there is no magic or medicine that can cure this .

you keep questionable company .

every choice has a consequence .

the fate of the world lies in your hands .

so you're the great [ name ] .

remorse will get you nowhere .

you must stay on the path . do not leave it . if you do , you'll never find it again .

i once dreamed of this place . it's real ?

some secrets are best left buried .

the bridge is heavily guarded . we need a plan .

i thought you were returning home .

i would not do this unless i had to .

i need my horse .

it's real . all of the stories , the legends ... and it's real .

don't lose your wit . i believe you'll have need for it yet .

[speculor]

Ist steps out of the portal to the astral plane, a blank stare on their face as they make a beeline straight for their tent. They made no attempt to look at any of their companions or say a word, they’d already said plenty just minutes ago.

No, n-no, I said no! I-I didn’t want this, I can’t become illithid. You were supposed to protect me, you said you would! Now I… you took my choice away from me, you… you are no ally of mine!

The others had played damage control with the Emperor while Ist’aufein had their crisis until it was time to return to the camp.

Now, they sit down in their tent, every movement feeling automated and not their own. Nothing felt like their own right now. Their mind, their body, their soul. Nothing was theirs. Nothing was real. Nothing, nothing, nothing–

They want to scream, cry, anything. Would their patron abandon them? Their body partially transformed into another type of aberration, a lesser creature, a pathetic life form–

No, no, not their thoughts, the thoughts of the beholder– 

They could fix this. They just needed to survive like this until they could get rid of the brain, then they should be normal again. No more tadpoles, no more.

Yet, that still left them exactly where they were at the start. If their patron didn't merely dispose of them first.

A puppet, with no real memories, no life of their own, nothing to return to. They were nothing. Nothing had ever been theirs. Nothing had ever been real.

They look at the little mirror in their tent, the same red glowing slitted eyes as ever gazed back at them… but the rest of them marred with black unsightly veins. The physical manifestation of their failure, of the disgusting creature they were becoming—

“L-Leave me alone!” Ist screams, sobbing as they bring their hands to their face, nails digging in, leaving thin bloodied scratches as though it could get rid of the marks. As though it could rid them of the illithid influence.

They felt ill, nauseous the more they dwelled on it. They felt like they were going to throw up, they needed to sleep, they needed this to be over, they needed something.  

[speculor]

//Ist'aufein!!!! got two nat 20's today in the Lost Mines campaign. One for a stealth roll and the second was a crit on the goblin lookout and they one shot the goblin. I'm so proud of them. They're doing so great now

[speculor]

Pictures are in the same order as the names! This is purely for my own entertainment--

[speculor]

//Ist's act 1 right off the nautiloid outfit--

[speculor]

//Thinking about how after finding out the truth about themself, they would immediately try to pull back from everyone. They would find themselves confused and conflicted about everything. Feeling they aren't worthy of their friends (or partners) affection because they feel that they're an empty shell of a person and they don't have anything that's truly theirs to offer.

[speculor]

//I don't think Ist'aufein would willingly accept more tadpoles, unless the party was consistently having close calls to where it seemed dire. I think the idea of becoming more illithid would make them want to claw their own skin off.

I did have them use tadpoles in their now broken playthrough but it wasn't meant to be an ic decision. I just wanted to play with tadpole powers since I tended to avoid them for ic reasons

But just, them failing that roll to resist the Astral Tadpole.... man the drama that would cause. They would lose their absolute mind over that, and their patron would pretty much drop them like a hot potato after the elder brain was gone.

And I feel like even with the Beholder no longer being connected to them, they would still retain all their strange quirks because they were created that way. So I think they would struggle a lot post game.

Trying to really live for the first time. Find a purpose. Trying to feel like a person again. Trying to remind themselves the parasite is gone, the illithid taint is gone. Basically building themselves from the ground up.