Having read through several Reddit threads and fans discussions on social media platforms, I know I am not alone when I approach the following topic: as taboo as it is.
The Emperor as a romantic option was a surprise and complex choice to say the least: many of us loved it, and we want more. This bizarre romantic story was ripe with potential for intrigue and games of grand design. Yet aside from the carnal encounter, the romance offered with 'him' has so much potential untapped into. Extensive written lore throughout Forgotten Realms supplements across various editions cite that most illithid are lonely beings and those who are away from a colony more so. Even those Illithids attached to elder brain colonies in are occasionally known for having pet thralls, favored ones that they keep as companions.
I'll be the first to admit that in the final scene, having defeated the elder brain, as the brain came crash down and my character was in a being the Emperor to at least use his psionic powers to stop the player character short of impact. The Emperor could have had a moment claiming and saving his lover at the last moment in the wake of such a grand victory. - yet the fans brave enough to choose this romantic path are left with a rather empty plot and a lack of interpersonal engagements. While lore in the Forgotten Realms universe makes it very clear that such beings are complex and alien, and the Emperor makes for a unique case study to say the least, it feels like there was room for something more in this story that is utterly missing. At the end of my gameplay, my character did not have the choice to stay at his side and begin to rebuild the world and further play into his grand game, which made the struggles my character felt ...empty. In the very least characters should effectively fall into a role such as the one Duke Stelmane once had.
In future content updates, I hope we see more story and plot for those who choose what is perhaps one of the most taboo romances of them all. I know others share this sentiment.
Last edited by SeaCat; 09/09/23 08:15 AM. Reason: clarity
