I think the dream persona is the sentience within the artifact that Shadowheart carries.
I mentioned this in another thread. Someone replied:
The one problem I have with this theory is that the Dream Lover clearly gives you tadpole powers. You can't even get the bigger illithid powers unless you have the dream and the dream only happens if you use ILLITHID powers. Thus, the dream is connected to the tadpole, and the box weapon thing seems to be fighting it. Being a Gith weapon, it would not be connected to illithid powers.
This is a fair question. I was about to respond to it in the other thread when I realized that it was ultimately off topic. Thus, I'm making this thread so as to not derail the other.
To respond:
It's known that the Children of Gith eventually broke free of the illithids by developing psionic powers of their own. It's often been said in lore that they got their powers after suffering through generations of servitude to the mind flayers.
Meaning their powers resulted from the powers of the illithid.
I'd like to quote a section of a book that can be found in BG3. Specifically, a section of the Oral Histories book on the Gith and Mind Flayers.
The end portion is what I'm referencing. It reads:
"The flayers were untouchable,
Their minds a great oppressor.
No proud will or passion
Could break Gith's children free.
Until, at last, a reckoning -
Its source unknown; its power, unproven.
But its events, history-making:
The cowed would not be cracked.
Gith's children fought back, valiantly,
Their freedom theirs - the flayers bent,
And broken, till today."
I suggest that the reckoning mentioned in this passage came from the same source that powers the artifact. The unknown power that eventually gave the Gith their freedom... came from the artifact. Or rather, from the sentience within the artifact.
It allowed the Gith to develop psionic powers that gave them the strength to fight back.
I think the dream persona is using the tadpole to connect with Tav and the companions. Allowing them to use the psionic power of the illithids to their advantage. In fact, swelling the tadpole with more power than it ought to have.
I further suggest that not using the tadpole power is a mistake.
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There's also an illithid tablet on the Nautiloid that, when read, says something like: "Images flash through your mind. A brain, a githyanki warrior, and centuries of darkness."
I think this has something to do with the sentience trapped within the artifact.
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Anyway, just a theory.
