The Illithid Empire
Order in Chaos.
The Illithid Empire spans swaths of the eternal Astral Sea, worlds, and some say planes. It is the oldest history, and the oldest cause. Its reach blackens skies, and its fingers grasp at creation. It is order, in a sea of chaos. It is stability amidst forces of destruction. It is safety, it is strength. It is the only thing standing against this disease that is killing life itself. The warriors in the crusade for existence.Quiet Hands
The Illithid Empire governs through influence. Most often, it allows whatever works for a region to continue, so long as whoever is at the top knows to submit to the hand that feeds them. In exchange, the Empire shares its advanced technology, magic, and even access to the wider cosmos. To be allied with the Illithid Empire is to be a citizen of the wider universe.The Empire does exert direct authority, but stories of exactly how they do this don't travel as well as one would hope. Needless to say, though, the stories shared in cantinas or by trade magnates set quite a tone. If you incur the wrath of the Illithids, they come down hard. Some people say entire worlds are wiped clean if needed. "Best to snuff them out before Entropy does." Of course, this depends largely on whatever regional leader you have at the time, or place. This is an empire of idea and purpose. Less castles and banners like some worlds might be used to, and more simple, clean, and if necessary, lethal presence.
The Age of Light
There are few, if any save for Emperor Illsensine really, that remember what the Empire was like before Entropy. There are mind-slates and books that recount a collection of worlds and ideas shared under a common light of ambition working towards true bliss under a simple radiant guiding light.The Entropic Dynasty
It was the discovery, or curse, or whatever it is, of Entropy that turned the Empire of Ideas into an Empire of Machinations. The effects of Entropy on the Illithid Empire are hard to summarize, save that whent the first people started "going grey" and withering into ash it was a horror show. They call this era the Entropic Dynasty, and the end of the Age of Light. Entire families of Astral colony leaders and kings fell to Entropy. Chaos and confusion spread the word of the disease, and the disease itself, far faster than the Illithid Empire could contain it, or even begin to rationalize it. Lives lost, some theorize, went up in the trillions. Entire arms of the Astral Sea, or what had been explored at the time of the Age of Light, went dark. Misery and doubt began to take lives as well, as brother turned on brother, citizen on citizen. Measures taken to prevent death were looked upon with scorn; and centuries old grudges became white-hot when opportunities to take revenge became available. This is what happened, Illithid historians inscribe on their slates, to the Gith.When the Emperor Illsensine was able to muster what was left of his rapidly diminishing strength, damage had been done on levels that made the stars bleed. The Empire is in collapse. It has been in collapse for thousands of years. When your height was so high, there is so long to fall.
The Illithids that you might recognize as such are those that had something to them. Something done to them. Something necessary to survive, or postpone, Entropy. They say Illsensine developed himself, a product of his eternal quest for knowledge and light. He was, as is common Illithid knowledge, the first. The war against the rebellion became synonymous with a war against Entropy. The crimes of the one became the crimes of the other --- to both sides of the conflict. Wounded animals biting at each other. The Alhoon Science Division, once the light of reason, some say light of the entire Age of Light, went dark in their mission to fight this evil. Borders continue to shrink, and Entropy continues to spread, taking more lives and leaving leagues of the Astral Sea in complete quarantine. Cursed stars.
The Last Bastion
In recent memory, what is left of the Illithid Empire fights tooth and nail to keep what they have. They fight insidiously, and with ferocity --- however, they cannot afford to raze worlds anymore. They hold and withdraw--- however, there are rumors in Free Cantinas, that they are withholding strength, even now -- and the vengeful Masters, the slavers of reality, have an ace up their sleeves that they have been cooking for a long time. The Immortal Empire is not gone, and will be back, to win their crusade.
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Alternative Names
The Mind-Flayers, Squids, The Old Masters
Leader
Subsidiary Organizations
Notable Members
Comments