Prologue: The Nautiloid

1. Awakening on the Ship

You wake up inside a Mind Flayer pod as the ship is being attacked by red dragons. Your first priority is to gather basic equipment.

• 1

  Looting the First Room

  Investigate the fleshy pods and cartilaginous chests around the room to find basic healing potions and gold. Head to the center console and interact with it. You can attempt an Arcana check to investigate the device, unlocking unique dialogue later.

• 2

  Recruiting "Us" (The Brain)

  Take the elevator up to find a dying man with his brain exposed. Interact with the brain. Pass a Dexterity, Medicine, or Strength check to safely remove it.
  
  Important: Choose the option to Mutilate the brain if you want to make it weaker in case it turns on you, though keeping it healthy gives you a stronger temporary companion who can help soak up damage.

2. Meeting Lae'zel

Proceed outside onto the exterior of the ship, jumping across the gap to trigger a cutscene where you meet the Githyanki warrior.

• 1

  The First Combat

  Lae'zel will join your party automatically. You will face three weak Imps. Use this opportunity to practice using Actions (to attack) and Bonus Actions (to jump or dip weapons in fire). Lae'zel's longsword deals excellent damage here.

• 2

  Restoration Pods

  Throughout the ship, look out for blue, glowing Illithid Restoration Pods. Clicking on these will instantly heal your entire party to full HP and restore all spell slots, mimicking a Long Rest. Use them right before entering the final boss room!

3. Rescuing Shadowheart

Moving forward, you'll enter the sacrificial chamber. Inside a Mind Flayer pod, you will find a half-elf cleric named Shadowheart banging on the glass.

4. Commander Zhalk & The Helm

Enter the final chamber. A Mind Flayer is fighting a powerful cambion, Commander Zhalk. You have exactly 15 turns to reach the transponder at the far end of the room.

• 1

  The Command Spell

  Open Shadowheart's spellbook menu (press K on PC). Swap out one of her prepared spells for the spell Command. Walk close to Zhalk and cast Command: Drop on him. It has roughly a 55% chance to succeed. If it works, he drops the Everburn Blade on the floor.

• 2

  Pick it up and run

  Have Lae'zel or your main character walk over and pick up the sword. Once you have it, immediately Dash toward the console at the back of the room.

5. Secret: Defeating the Cambion Reinforcements

If you are feeling extremely confident and want massive XP, you can stay and fight instead of fleeing.

On Turn 8, two high-level Cambions will spawn at the entrance. To defeat them and Zhalk:

• Gather the purple Nautiloid Tanks (explosives) scattered around the room and place them around Zhalk.
• Heal the Mind Flayer so he keeps tanking Zhalk's hits.
• When the reinforcements arrive, wait until they gather around Zhalk, then hit the tanks with a Fire Bolt to trigger a massive chain reaction, instantly killing Zhalk and severely damaging the cambions.
• Note: Once Zhalk dies, the Mind Flayer will turn hostile against you!

6. Prologue Completion

✅ Before Hitting the Ground...