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illithids, nature benders and life shapers

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Dec 08, 2005 20:45:21 an idea to integrate illithids. so they come from the future to the very beginning past. come into conflict with rhulisti culture, but unnoticed for the most part. the war between nature benders and life shapers breaks out. towards the end the illithid threat is made clear. so the benders and shapers call a truce to deal with the illithids. once the illithids are mostly broken and beaten, the enemy-allies break the truce and the shapers (who came out on top) trounce the benders for good.

think world war two: the western allies at the end were stronger than the soviets, but didn't do anything. in this analogy the shapers (usa) took advantage of the momentary superiority and trounced the benders while they had the chance (ussr).

so somewhere (like the big post about ur) you have the fractured remains of illithids, who were not cleansed because they were barely noticed and still remain barely a foothold on athas.
#2
Sysane
Dec 09, 2005 8:38:51
an idea to integrate illithids. so they come from the future to the very beginning past. come into conflict with rhulisti culture, but unnoticed for the most part. the war between nature benders and life shapers breaks out. towards the end the illithid threat is made clear. so the benders and shapers call a truce to deal with the illithids. once the illithids are mostly broken and beaten, the enemy-allies break the truce and the shapers (who came out on top) trounce the benders for good.

think world war two: the western allies at the end were stronger than the soviets, but didn't do anything. in this analogy the shapers (usa) took advantage of the momentary superiority and trounced the benders while they had the chance (ussr).

so somewhere (like the big post about ur) you have the fractured remains of illithids, who were not cleansed because they were barely noticed and still remain barely a foothold on athas.

Thats pretty much I how rationalize their existence, except that I have it that they entered into conflict with the rhulisti before the split of shapers and the benders.
#3
zombiegleemax
Dec 09, 2005 12:49:24 The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up.
#4
Sysane
Dec 09, 2005 13:02:41
The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up.

No one was stating that they would have come to Athas looking for incubation stock, only that they could have entered into conflict with the rhulisti. Towards the end of their conflict the surviving illithid could have went into hiding/hibernation till the Rebirth centries later. It could even be that the flayers tried to pass themselves off as one of the original Rebirth races.
#5
zombiegleemax
Dec 13, 2005 6:11:50
The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up.

IMHO the best bet goes to a single elder brain scattered in the blue age by a quirk intime travelling, than the rhulisti discovered and used it as the base for a new generation of thinking lifeshaped macines, the vay in our world we use computers...
#6
zombiegleemax
Dec 13, 2005 19:35:52 I'd say that the Illithids have been on Athas for a very long time, because of the sheer amount of psionic energy in the world, there are some promising slave stock here.
When the Githyanki invaded in the Black Spine adventure, they weren't really out for conquest, only to find the Illithids' subterranean city and destroy it.
The Gith that live inthe mountains were originally Githyanki and Githzerai slaves who were slowly lobotomized by their masters over the years until they were reduced to a more animalistic nature (de-evolved if you will) and escaped into the mountains. From there they bred and became a completely separate offshoot of Gith.
Alternatively, an order of Githzerai monks have settled on Athas, their monastery in the Ringing Mountains and are watching for the Illithids to come out of hiding and show themselves.
#7
ruhl-than_sage
Dec 13, 2005 21:18:13
The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up.

That's just a technicality. If it's necessary to change that one detail to allow the Illithid to survive on Athas, then change it. Its a very small matter to allow Illithid to use small mamailian humaniods as well.
#8
zombiegleemax
Dec 13, 2005 21:42:52 I was not trying to disuade you from the idea nor say it would not work I just wanted to bring up the points I mentioned as something to think about. Races on athas have always been different in part because the world is so different and if illithids are to be included it would be interesting to figure out how they adapted instead of just ignoring the inconvenient areas. If my origional post came off as somewhat negitive I apologize.
#9
Sysane
Dec 14, 2005 9:38:41
That's just a technicality. If it's necessary to change that one detail to allow the Illithid to survive on Athas, then change it. Its a very small matter to allow Illithid to use small mamailian humaniods as well.

In my Sundered Regions project I actually have a breed of half-giant sized mindflayer.
#10
Sysane
Dec 14, 2005 9:41:22
I was not trying to disuade you from the idea nor say it would not work I just wanted to bring up the points I mentioned as something to think about. Races on athas have always been different in part because the world is so different and if illithids are to be included it would be interesting to figure out how they adapted instead of just ignoring the inconvenient areas. If my origional post came off as somewhat negitive I apologize.

I think my original post of them going into hiding and hibernation till the Rebirth offers a pretty good explanation.
#11
ruhl-than_sage
Dec 14, 2005 22:13:34
I was not trying to disuade you from the idea nor say it would not work I just wanted to bring up the points I mentioned as something to think about. Races on athas have always been different in part because the world is so different and if illithids are to be included it would be interesting to figure out how they adapted instead of just ignoring the inconvenient areas. If my origional post came off as somewhat negitive I apologize.

No need to apologize or explain yourself :D . I was merely making a point.
#12
schizoidray
Dec 20, 2005 21:01:22
Originally Posted by Phlama
The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up.

Keeping the established illithid lifecycle requirements in mind, the Illithiad hints that the ceremorphosis is an unnatural change in maturation, and that their true form is more like the gargantuan Neothelid, and the Aboleth. The Neothelid is the eventual result of a lack of implantation of an illithid tadpole into a suitable host.

Perhaps the large aquatic progenetors of the illithid race were a natural creature of the Blue Age (and quite possibly tainted by the brown tide). The first implantation was likely by accident, as the young parasitized a swimming humanoid by entering the ear cannal. Soon after, the first true illithid was born...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Dec 08, 2005 20:45:21	an idea to integrate illithids. so they come from the future to the very beginning past. come into conflict with rhulisti culture, but unnoticed for the most part. the war between nature benders and life shapers breaks out. towards the end the illithid threat is made clear. so the benders and shapers call a truce to deal with the illithids. once the illithids are mostly broken and beaten, the enemy-allies break the truce and the shapers (who came out on top) trounce the benders for good. think world war two: the western allies at the end were stronger than the soviets, but didn't do anything. in this analogy the shapers (usa) took advantage of the momentary superiority and trounced the benders while they had the chance (ussr). so somewhere (like the big post about ur) you have the fractured remains of illithids, who were not cleansed because they were barely noticed and still remain barely a foothold on athas.
#2 Sysane Dec 09, 2005 8:38:51	an idea to integrate illithids. so they come from the future to the very beginning past. come into conflict with rhulisti culture, but unnoticed for the most part. the war between nature benders and life shapers breaks out. towards the end the illithid threat is made clear. so the benders and shapers call a truce to deal with the illithids. once the illithids are mostly broken and beaten, the enemy-allies break the truce and the shapers (who came out on top) trounce the benders for good. think world war two: the western allies at the end were stronger than the soviets, but didn't do anything. in this analogy the shapers (usa) took advantage of the momentary superiority and trounced the benders while they had the chance (ussr). so somewhere (like the big post about ur) you have the fractured remains of illithids, who were not cleansed because they were barely noticed and still remain barely a foothold on athas. Thats pretty much I how rationalize their existence, except that I have it that they entered into conflict with the rhulisti before the split of shapers and the benders.
#3 zombiegleemax Dec 09, 2005 12:49:24	The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up.
#4 Sysane Dec 09, 2005 13:02:41	The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up. No one was stating that they would have come to Athas looking for incubation stock, only that they could have entered into conflict with the rhulisti. Towards the end of their conflict the surviving illithid could have went into hiding/hibernation till the Rebirth centries later. It could even be that the flayers tried to pass themselves off as one of the original Rebirth races.
#5 zombiegleemax Dec 13, 2005 6:11:50	The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up. IMHO the best bet goes to a single elder brain scattered in the blue age by a quirk intime travelling, than the rhulisti discovered and used it as the base for a new generation of thinking lifeshaped macines, the vay in our world we use computers...
#6 zombiegleemax Dec 13, 2005 19:35:52	I'd say that the Illithids have been on Athas for a very long time, because of the sheer amount of psionic energy in the world, there are some promising slave stock here. When the Githyanki invaded in the Black Spine adventure, they weren't really out for conquest, only to find the Illithids' subterranean city and destroy it. The Gith that live inthe mountains were originally Githyanki and Githzerai slaves who were slowly lobotomized by their masters over the years until they were reduced to a more animalistic nature (de-evolved if you will) and escaped into the mountains. From there they bred and became a completely separate offshoot of Gith. Alternatively, an order of Githzerai monks have settled on Athas, their monastery in the Ringing Mountains and are watching for the Illithids to come out of hiding and show themselves.
#7 ruhl-than_sage Dec 13, 2005 21:18:13	The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up. That's just a technicality. If it's necessary to change that one detail to allow the Illithid to survive on Athas, then change it. Its a very small matter to allow Illithid to use small mamailian humaniods as well.
#8 zombiegleemax Dec 13, 2005 21:42:52	I was not trying to disuade you from the idea nor say it would not work I just wanted to bring up the points I mentioned as something to think about. Races on athas have always been different in part because the world is so different and if illithids are to be included it would be interesting to figure out how they adapted instead of just ignoring the inconvenient areas. If my origional post came off as somewhat negitive I apologize.
#9 Sysane Dec 14, 2005 9:38:41	That's just a technicality. If it's necessary to change that one detail to allow the Illithid to survive on Athas, then change it. Its a very small matter to allow Illithid to use small mamailian humaniods as well. In my Sundered Regions project I actually have a breed of half-giant sized mindflayer.
#10 Sysane Dec 14, 2005 9:41:22	I was not trying to disuade you from the idea nor say it would not work I just wanted to bring up the points I mentioned as something to think about. Races on athas have always been different in part because the world is so different and if illithids are to be included it would be interesting to figure out how they adapted instead of just ignoring the inconvenient areas. If my origional post came off as somewhat negitive I apologize. I think my original post of them going into hiding and hibernation till the Rebirth offers a pretty good explanation.
#11 ruhl-than_sage Dec 14, 2005 22:13:34	I was not trying to disuade you from the idea nor say it would not work I just wanted to bring up the points I mentioned as something to think about. Races on athas have always been different in part because the world is so different and if illithids are to be included it would be interesting to figure out how they adapted instead of just ignoring the inconvenient areas. If my origional post came off as somewhat negitive I apologize. No need to apologize or explain yourself :D . I was merely making a point.
#12 schizoidray Dec 20, 2005 21:01:22	Originally Posted by Phlama The issue I see with this explaination is that the illithid life cycle requires mamalian humanoids of medium size. The halflings would have been to small for this and the other races from the blue age were to my knowledge no mamalian. The illithid lifespan is around 135 years which would make them a very short lived threat. Even the elder brains need a steady supply of tadpoles for food so it would be a long hundry wait for the rebirth races to show up. Keeping the established illithid lifecycle requirements in mind, the Illithiad hints that the ceremorphosis is an unnatural change in maturation, and that their true form is more like the gargantuan Neothelid, and the Aboleth. The Neothelid is the eventual result of a lack of implantation of an illithid tadpole into a suitable host. Perhaps the large aquatic progenetors of the illithid race were a natural creature of the Blue Age (and quite possibly tainted by the brown tide). The first implantation was likely by accident, as the young parasitized a swimming humanoid by entering the ear cannal. Soon after, the first true illithid was born...