The Grand Design

The Grand Design is a doomsday myth which claims that the mind flayer forces responsible for the Year of the Tentacle and the introduction of illithids to Vorago was only the beginning of a much greater invasion, the Grand Design. Although the illithid forces of that era were stalemated by the free mortals of Vorago and then defeated by the invading Draconic Empire and driven into hiding, some claim that the invasion was merely a scouting force. The legend states that an impossibly strong illithid empire exists somewhere out there in among the stars, searching for the planet that slipped through its tentacles. Some versions state that the surviving illithids are trapped on Vorago and searching for a way to contact their masters, while others fear that the signal has already been sent and the empire is closing in on the planet. So far, of course, nothing has happened.

Historical Basis

There is much evidence that the mind flayers of the illithid invasion of 745 TE were from an illithid civilization beyond Vorago, but very little information as to how large it was. They may have simply come from an illithid-controlled continent, rather than a massive astral slave empire. The invaders clearly had advanced psionic technology, evidenced by surviving illithid relics today, but that does not guarantee anything more. After all, they were defeated!
It is unclear whether illithids would have been able to escape Vorago after the cessation of the Seamelds which instigated the invasion; they clearly possessed unique interplanar travel capability, but Vorago the Whirlpool has posed a challenge to even the most seasoned plane-hoppers.

Spread

The myth of the Grand Design survived mostly through books left by the Stranded Gith, and otherwise stayed out of the common consciousness. Since the latter days of the Era of Prosperity, the myth has become more of a scary campfire story, as the centureis have worn down its plausibility.

In Literature

During the Era of Prosperity (when there was better historical education) there were a few popular fiction books which were set during the Return of the Grand Design. One or two may still be in print!

Date of First Recording

Around 800 TE