As a refresher, this is the document:
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/2GLlXFM.jpeg)
When the party confronts the netherbrain in the morphic pool, it explains that it had in fact planned the entire scenario all along, and manipulated the dead three chosen so they would "enslave" it, so that it could break free with your help and set the grand design in motion.
But what if behind the netherbrain there was another power who laid the plan and manipulated the brain ? The illithid Lich (Alhoon) called Blue Apex ?
It woul explain this couple of loose ends to me.
The netherbrain was originally just an elder brain controlling an illithid colony under Moonrise towers. Where did it get all the resources from to execute its plan ? Specifically, the fleet of Nautiloids coming to its aid in the end, whereas Omeluum tells us that they are very rare relics that can't be made again and are rarely, if ever, seen. An ancient Illithid Lich residing in some other plane since the Netherese epoch, or before that, might still command such a fleet.
Omeluum tells us how the normal illithid hives dislike arcanists, because they are wont to break free from hive control. And these arcanists are exactly what the illithid liches like Blue Apex are. Then when we come to fight the netherbrain, its final guardians are actually mindlayer arcanists, using arcane magic like shield and magic missiles. This also seems contrary to how an elder brain would plan its moves. However it would fit perfectly when an alhoon was behind all of this.
( I realize it doesn't pass "Occam's razor test", but I like the way these few blocks seem to fall in place.)
