Your eyes drift open, the bright sun blinding you and making you turn your head to the side. You feel the sand crunch under your legs, and then you see the remains of the nautilus ship. You remember what happened, being abducted and having that- that thing inserted into your head. You remember crashing the ship. It doesn’t seem there’s any survivors other than yourself.

You feel a sharp pain in your temple, causing you to double over and grab your head in agony. It’s almost like you can feel the mindflayer tadpole swimming around inside your head, a painful reminder that you are a puppet, likely soon to be turned into a mindflayer yourself. Yet, you can’t help but to wonder why you haven’t turned yet.

After the pain subsides you stand on your feet, a little wobbly due to aftershock from the pain. You see smoke curling in the air far into the distance and begin walking in that direction, maybe you’ll be able to find a healer.

You’ve been walking for some minutes when you see a pale figure ahead of you. He looks distressed, but when he sees you his lips curl into the faintest smile. Astarion walks forward to you, pointing into the bushes. “I think I saw one of those brain things run past. Think you can kill it?” He says slowly.

You take a few steps forward to investigate into the bushes. The bushes rustle, and then a boar runs out, not a intellect devourer. You begin to turn around, but Astarion sneaks behind you, holding a knife to your neck and pulling you to the floor. “Shhh.” He coos, “Shhh.” He says as he holds you down, the knife still at your neck.