illithid

[los-geckos]

RICHIE GECKO in every episode [5/?] ↳ 1.01: “Pilot”

[oratiox]

ⒽⓄⓃⓀ

A belch, a grunt, some unidentified noise of frustration, all signs that the sudden adjustment was an incredible shock. Oratio spent so much time as the Goose that he'd forgotten how to exist as a druid. Would he be able to shift back soon? He hoped so. The urge to use the people attending this festival as target practice was still strong. Was it always this fucking cold?

Oratio's eyes narrowed when the creature shifted to look more human but relaxed when he returned to normal. Or what Oratio considered normal. Maybe it was a symptom of his animal mind, but he felt more comfortable with the stranger looking like his true self, tentacles and all. "Wouldn't know. Don't remember much yet. It'll take time." Living essentially the same life in every reincarnation with most of that time spent as the Goose could make it tricky for Oratio to provide context to his memories. There was no way he would pick out some random face through all of that, not that he was in a position to place much stock in the past anyway. His gratitude came from the events of that day for the strange, unique being who helped him get that bread.

"I am ... Oratio," he responds in that short way that almost sounds like squawking. Public nudity didn't bother him, but the chill without feathers to cover him combined with everything else he lost by no longer being the Goose made the experience of being a druid rather jarring. Oratio squatted to the ground and then bunny hopped onto the bench. He seemed much more at ease with his large body compressed together like that. "Telepathy," he says, finally able to put a word to the instant communication between them. "I remember thinking. You are very useful. Thanks was warranted, but I didn't mean to change. Forgot I could. You don't have to change, but what are you?"

[xreidx]

Boundaries were necessary, Reid had gathered as much from the last six months that he'd spent wandering about Rome. Peering into other's minds was considered an invasion of privacy, so while Reid still did it, he didn't delve too deep; there was only so far that he could look in on someone without pushing his way physically against the synapses of another's mind.

Deliberately pedantic in his approach, Reid took in the creature's every word as he seemed to gradually be coming back into himself. Oratio, was it? He seemed disoriented and perhaps even a bit displeased to have been reminded of his mammalian nature. The illithid knew something of what it meant to be a stranger in his own skin, to exist without really knowing what it meant to truly sit in on one's self.

"Oratio." Reid repeated as he played the syllables across the tarmac of his mind's tongue, it gave him nothing, but he'd still use this over the noun instead. "I'm an illithid," it was not surprising that the Goose wouldn't know who or what he was; most did not. Most looked upon him with either caution or fear and those who knew what the mind flayer truly was reacted with hostility. "a creature not of this world, or even this time, but rather some era far into the future; I don't know much about our early history, the drow conquered us so long ago that there are none still living who remember. But I was embedded in this body, killing the host in the process, and somehow your... honks triggered a response from this form's cells."

[oratiox]

ⒽⓄⓃⓀ

The Goose only knew of simple pleasures. His world didn't extend beyond the water sources he lorded over. What more was there to life than taking food from primates or dropping his waste on their unsuspecting heads? He even enjoyed chasing them when they mistakenly crossed his path foodless. The Goose led a simple life, but even he could flow with the shift in the wind. This new friend of his was an animal of great skill. Skills not as great as the Goose's of course, but skills nonetheless. Together they could take over every pond and stream in the area. Maybe then the Goose would be willing to share some of his food.

He made quick work of the loaf and went into a bit of a frenzy from eating it so fast. The Goose was a little dazed when he looked up from the wreckage of his meal, though his eyes did settle on the creature seated above him. It was a very primate thing to do, which did make the Goose a little suspicious, but a strange compulsion shook it away.

The Goose was from here, and he flew to warmer places with the flock when the sun told him to, then came back. He'd always done that. Why he had broken away this go was beyond him, but the Goose still returned home. That was his life and gratitude held no place. He only owed himself, because that's what it took to survive and thrive. Yet he felt like gratitude was appropriate. This creature had insights and clearly could communicate them to the Goose. He was prepared to take a well-deserved nap for he hadn't felt this full in a while. It wasn't very goose-like at all, but saying 'thanks' seemed appropriate. In fact, the associated gestures didn't feel foreign at all. How strange. The Goose waddled up to the creature and extended a wing, except ... it wasn't a wing and he wasn't looking up at the other any longer. His world expanded, his thoughts broadened, and where he expected to see a wing tip there was an outstretched hand. The desire to extend such a human gesture triggered the transformation. Oratio now stood bare where the Goose just was, visibly confused as the word 'Thanks' got rasped out. And then he remembered changing as true consciousness returned. How long had it been?

[xreidx]

Observing the virulent feast wasn't particularly appetizing, but Reid hadn't known many animals so motivated by food. Geese were notably territorial; this one had claimed dominion over a significant stretch of terrain. Perhaps he had a nest nearby. There was no hostility from the Goose as it waddled towards him, stomach bloated from the overfill of gluten the creature had been ingesting over the last hour. After observing its violent tendencies over this time, Reid could tell when the noble fiend was preparing to strike.

Stood in nothing but his nakedness, the hand that was extended towards Reid was utterly unlike the wing that the illithid had seen only moments ago. A druid then, but even in this, the Goose was different from the others. Carved in absolute uniqueness, chiseled in a way that Reid could still not place. The cephalopod's eyes lingered upon the other man's for a moment longer before he reached up and followed through on the social construct. His hand closed over the Goose's as he shook and gave the man a curt nod.

"You're welcome." Reid's skin mottled and quickly shifted as the ceremorphed creature quickly glamoured himself into his vessel's skin. "I think you might have known this one, possibly in a past life." He didn't see the need to hold the glamour, so he shifted back quickly as the tentacles that had haphazardly curled around the Goose's wrist released as Reid let go of his hand. Again, the illithid returned to the superior form of communication as he telepathically spoke into the Goose's mind. "What should I call you?"

[oratiox]

ⒽⓄⓃⓀ

Even the Goose had to admit, the creature looked incredible in midair. His appendages were impressive enough, so he was actually curious as to why he chose to help the Goose navigate his massive buffet instead of using them to swipe his own food. Primates were selfish and stupid, so doing so would’ve been expected. But this animal was a cut above, clearly not one of them. The Goose’s instincts were correct in the assessment that this one was alright to not chase off.

He really couldn’t understand how the other animal was getting all this information, but his knowledge appeared so clear in the Goose’s mind. Feast. The Goose didn’t even take a second to doubt the images suddenly in his mind. Following some waddling and flapping, the Goose took flight in the direction of that bread. Ducks were weak and had no right to partake in his meal. Plus, he wanted to show his new companion that the skies were also his. None had flight patterns as majestic as the Goose. Even as he released a rattling warcry and dropped himself on the old primate, he was the epitome of grace. It was easy enough to knock the loaf off the primate’s lap and then chase off the ducks. The Goose even went back to peck at the primate to ensure he was chased off, sending him scurrying away with a domineering honk! Finally he could keep eating. The Goose didn’t like the gravel so he remained standing, reaching down to devour the whole loaf. He didn’t share food, so his insightful animal companion would need to find another score if he was hungry. Still, the lack of hostility directed at him should’ve been indication enough that the Goose was okay with his wriggly friend watching him eat again.

[xreidx]

Once again, that raucous honk resonated from around the park; it echoed down the annals of Reid's mind as a shudder rippled under the smooth hide of the illithid's vessel. The elderly, enfeebled mortal stumbled to the ground before he had to crawl over the gravel; terrified by the sudden attack, he moved to his feet before he scurried off under the weight of the brutal assault. Flapping wings and a flurry of feathers, there was the deathly war cry of the bestial monster who held dominion over this region. The ducks fled; they knew their place, and if nothing else was apparent, then it was clear to Reid that the patterns of this Goose were superior to that of these other creatures.

Wild, erratic, and predator-driven, the more time Reid spent wandering through the annals of this Goose's mind, the more the illithid came to learn that this feathered monstrosity was not entirely as he seemed. He was far too intelligent to be considered just another Goose, but he was more violent than any variety of human had any right to be. Reid had spent a century honing his powers as an illithid, learning how to seep his way into the delicate matter of those around him, but these things were only surface level. He'd have to dig much deeper if he wanted to understand more definitively just who this Goose was to him, or rather, to Reid.

He drifted from above the ground and settled on the bench where the old man had previously been sitting. It was cold this time of year; the cold was what Reid preferred because it reminded him of the caverns of the Underdark. "You've held dominion over this territory for some time. I wonder where you came from." The illithid often asked himself this own question, the flayers had come from some distant time or place across the Astral Sea - notes in their genealogy indicated that their reproductive cycles were aquatic in nature. Still, the drow had taken advantage of the anatomy of the flayed subjects and had been making more illithids for so long it was difficult to tell their origins.

[oratiox]

ⒽⓄⓃⓀ

The primates usually don’t pay much attention to the Goose unless he’s actively putting them in their place. They should observe him more since they could probably learn a thing or two, but they don’t. Oh well, it’s fine and the Goose is quite use to that treatment. It’s part of the reason he sqwacks in surprise after finishing his bread. The curios creature was still close up, peering at him, still somehow making his words known without making any noise. The Goose had never encountered an animal like him before. What was stranger than his behavior though was the fact that the Goose could understand much of these non-waterfowl related words. Geese had no use for blood but he still had plenty of experience washing the stuff off his hands.

Hands? What are those? Clearly, the Goose didn’t have any concept of hands but nonetheless, he looked around seemingly dumbfounded. Whatever that was, it wasn’t anything a little dip couldn’t fix. With his meal complete, the Goose waddled off to a nearby water source, dove in then came back up shaking out his feathers. Contented and much softer honks followed as he went to search for his next meal. Yes, he still could eat more. He’d probably have to fly up and drop a gift on some of these primates’ heads before he got too full, but his appetite was as large as his ego. His waddling stopped as he craned his head back. The Goose impatiently began honking and flapping at the strange one. He had permission to watch and the Goose wouldn’t even try to nip at his tentacles. But he had to keep up—honk!

[xreidx]

Once again, there it was. Honk. Something about the tone resounded from within the depths of the illithid's spirit. He didn't know what it was about this particular bird that was so familiar, but he intended to get to the bottom of it. The violent brute was a warrior, a barbarian, and a berserker, and through it all, his appetite was clearly insatiable. Reid's gaze was fixed upon the goose as he took to motion, shortly followed behind by the illithid with his many wiggling limbs. Naturally, he did not stand, but floated adrift, encased in his psionic prowess, he took to scanning the park for sufficient sustenance for the goose.

"That one packed a granola bar for their daughter-" Reid sifted through mortal thoughts and lycan dogma to pass over petulant milk bones and greasy treats that were ill-fitting of a fowl's disposition. "there are sweets tucked in the back pocket of their picnic basket," hovering in place, the illithid scoured the expanse of the park as he painted the image of the food and it's location into the mind of the righteous bird. "There's more -" eyes like a camera lens snapped towards the distance as he honed in on an elderly gentleman breaking up a whole loaf of bread, quietly feeding it to the ducks that pecked around the gravel at his feet. "a feast."

[oratiox]

ⒽⓄⓃⓀ

Of all the things the other creature could do, getting so familiar was not the worst option. He actually managed to garner the Goose's attention after all, at least long enough for him to peer into those large, slitted eyes. The Goose had never seen anything quite like them before, but tey didn't provide any clarity as to what he was talking about. Not that he needed any, the tone of strangely spoken words was highly reverential in nature.

There was zero chance they knew each other though. Or rather, if they did and the Goose couldn't remember it was likely because he failed to bring good food. The Goose remembered the primates who regularly fed him so that was clearly the best way to make an impression. He was a Goose, and this Goose was unencumbered. There were no secrets between him and the world around him, which was why he made the decision to continue his meal. He felt pretty positive this creature understood that all fell below the Goose in the pecking order and would allow him to eat in peace. When he sat down to resume his bread picking, the Goose was admittedly feeling quite big from what sounded like lofty titles suitable for his infamy around these parts. Perhaps that's why he felt he could entrust the strange one with a most important task: giving him delicious food. Mid peck, the Goose would stretch out his neck towards the other and open his beak with expectation over malice. He'd go still, clearly waiting, and when nothing came he remembered he had bread to eat and return to that. This cycle repeated a few times because who in their right mind would come to speak to the Goose without having a meal for him to munch?

[xreidx]

With some quiet admiration, Reid observed the irate creature as he hungrily and petulantly devoured the morsel of bread in front of him. The stolen loaf that he hoarded over like a gold meiser sat upon his horde, though when Midas turned things to gold, he didn't eat them afterward, so perhaps that comparison wasn't fair. Literature had been a breeze for Reid to comb through, but behavior was far different for the alien creature to wrap his mind around; he could see with clear revelry that food was a mounted priority, that and the apparent superiority complex. There was a running theme that creatures who felt superior thought that everything was owed to them, and the way he kept an eye trained on Reid spoke to his protectiveness over it. "Do you desire further sustenance?" He couldn't quite perceive this creature's appetite, "Is it blood you require or gluten?" One could never be sure these days.

What sorts of things could a goose even metabolize? His disposition was completely different from the mindflayer's internal organ structure, so it was difficult to tell how the goose would handle different things. As people passed, they stared at the illithid and his many, wiggling tentacles, though Reid paid them no mind as he continued to watch the Goose while he ingested his meal with the diligent ease that he could only relate to the most staunch forms of nobility. When Reid imagined swollen kings and bloated Gods he would picture this Goose and the way he swallowed stale bread.

[oratiox]

ⒽⓄⓃⓀ

When it came to primates, their garbled nonsense was barely understandable. He was a cut above his flock and could likely decipher more than the other geese, not that it mattered. They were all so dumb and usually could only scream when they got dominated by this superior bird. Yet Goose could hear this one clearly. Perplexed, he begrudgingly stopped pecking at his bread to see ... not a primate?

The slithery portions looked like they could potentially be tasty, but the Goose concluded that the originator of the message wasn't food either. Not food, not primate, maybe another animal? Did he want this bread too? Well, tough luck this wasn't his buffet. This gathering was for the Goose and the Goose alone. He may not have fully comprehended the other's words but he did grasp the meaning and suddenly felt he had to prove the strange animal right. The Goose stood over his bread and hissed in warning while bobbing his neck. He could go find another human to steal from—honk—the Goose didn't break bread he broke bones—honk honk! Territorial was right. This whole city was the Goose's which meant all inhabitants had to watch their step. Mess with his food and get the beak, spiky tongue and all.

[xreidx]

That... honk... that honk echoed across the annals of time; it rippled over the contours of the illithid's slithering mind as it rolled over the devoured gray matter that the leech had long consumed. He knew this bird, or rather, Reid did. Reid, who was him but not Reid: Pythagoras - ? Perhaps one of the others. The druid had been a lot to consume, lifetimes of memories and moments that compounded together. The soul forgot, then it recalled, and it all lived in the body's soft tissue and the subtle threads of ego that wove together body and spirit. Ineri. Reid. He was Reid, and he knew this Goose.

"Noble fiend." Reid partially greeted; a single honk had evoked so much within him, one wail as he flapped his wings and hissed a barbed tongue, and the illithid had been brought back to this disorderly state of being. "Habringer of chaos. Goose of disorder." The psionic gaze was brought to the mysterious, magnanimous creature as he leveled the eyes akin to that of a cephalopod upon the feathered monster. "Have we met before? No- not us, you're a Goose." A goose couldn't be old enough to remember the illithid's druidic predecessor and this creature held no trace of humanity within him. Humans were so full of conflict that this one was devoid of anything but brutal, bone-breaking resolve. "What secrets you must keep."

[xreidx]

@destinedgray location: Lupercalia, The Wall/Gate notes: giving you a deadpan son is a running theme and idk why

Shame wasn't something that the illithid had developed, at least not yet. His race processed things quickly though and if nothing else he knew to abide by the city laws while within the boundaries of Rome's limits. That meant keeping his appearance glamoured to remain palatable to mortal perceptions, elsewhere? Reid was free to look how he pleased. Reid... Ineri... Identity was a fickle creature, one name held one connotation while the other held a different one entirely. He'd settled on the former but why that remained undetermined, who he was, and who he was meant to be were things that Reid hadn't decided upon.

Through the fey forest, the illithid drifted down the path that had been laid out, psionics kept him afloat as Lupercal came into view. Screaming crowds, raucous banners, and the stench of depravity permeated the air even from this distance. Reid was unsure what to make of it, but it was amidst chaos like this that he'd first taken root in this vessel's form when his ceremorphosis had begun.

Reid's skin melded into itself as his pale, purple flesh and wrangling appendages took shape beneath the plain suit that he'd adorned for the festival. The former druid's shape was discarded as Reid strode through the gate and ignored the press of the alerts that went flagging through the minds of those who witnessed the transformation. He heard a litany of phrases that never made it to their tongues: alien, freak, creep, monster- and so on, he paid them no heed as he looked towards another instead. One of the archdruids.

"You're staring."

[oratiox]

who?: open to all || @senatusstarters where?: the streets, but really a pond

ⒽⓄⓃⓀ

Crumbs? Crumbs? A Goose like him didn't live off crumbs, especially not when it came from a much larger hunk of bread. Humans were so dumb, walking around with flimsy pelts that could be torn off too easily. This Goose knew all too well how easy it was to rip them, he'd done it many times. And the human receiving the brunt of his ire would run away with more than a few holes, that's for sure. After rejecting the crumbs so callously thrown on the ground, the Goose launched a full-on attack to teach the primate a lesson. Neck extended, wings outstretched, and beak primed to snap at flesh and cloth alike, the Goose was able to overpower the human. Sure he tried to fight, then flee when he realized how futile that was, but the Goose was relentless. Only once he managed to knock the human to the ground and release a rattling HONK to display his dominance did he relent. The Goose picked up the hunk of bread–-tossing the gross, slimy pink parts into the dirt but keeping the curious green–-and hurriedly waddled off to his favorite patch of reeds to eat. Of course, he looked around first with malicious intent in his eyes. If any of these other primates failed to get the lesson from his display, they'd become his next victim. He got his bread and it was his, now it was time to eat.

[xreidx]

Elsewhere dogs were fighting, pushing one another around in some fraternal-based show of camaraderie. This was a show of affection that Reid didn't quite understand, elsewhere he saw the bright smile of a young man as some parental figure put his arm around him and shook him lightly. He heard laughter, he heard cries, and when Reid opened his mind he heard so much more. The muttering of a cacophony of secrets, quiet hopes, and desperate ambitions. He felt the slamming of doors as those skilled enough to recognize the intrusion promptly slammed it shut, and he writhed into the more narrow doorways of those who were inherently more resistant. Watching, observing, learning.

Sat on the bench and not minding his own business, Reid watched the exchange as the goose burgled and stormed off. The creature was interesting, he couldn't place why it was that he had any sort of interest in the bird beyond the fact that its nature seemed equal parts violent and endearing. The illithids varied appendages sifted about as he tried to ascertain some of the creature's thoughts and found only chaos and violence as he feasted on his horde amid his reeds. Reid had yet to attempt to communicate with Animalia, but this would be a worthy effort. "You're a territorial creature." He knew little about the different animals of this realm, they were still foreign to him, but over the last few months he'd taken to attempting to learn.

[los-geckos]

from dusk till dawn ↳ 3.04: “Fanglorious”