Is it possible that The Emperor was initially intended to be the mindflayer we encounter on the beach at the outset? The mindflayer in the intro, who implants the tadpole, certainly wears attire reminiscent of the Emperor's. Could there have been a branching narrative where players had the choice to spare him, leading to his recruitment as a (camp) follower or a later encounter? While it seems they might have fused The Emperor and Daisy's roles as the game progressed, it doesn't quite reconcile the timeline inconsistencies. The more you think about it, the less it makes sense.
