#Grey's drinking a brain freezie. They sell those in the Far Realms

[jeeaark]

Quite a coincidence that all the 'The Illustrated Adventures of Balduran' Books that you find all have the same saucy pages about Balduran loopholing out of a devil's deal are torn out. Quite a coincidence indeed.

Anyway, I may have taken a particular letter from the Emperor the wrong way when I drew this. About telling you to take comfort in the old life so long as it doesn't hold you back from the new. I'm now sure it was meant to be a kind word of advice based off personal experience, but hrm. Grey's going through a 'Don't tell me what to do' illithid rebeillion phase.

Perhaps the Emperor was trying to help them mentally prepare for letting go when the time comes. Perhaps meta about the game, or at the party, or even if/when you outlive your friends. Because they do get rather hungry when a companion bids them farewell at the reunion, so maybe the struggle to let go triggers the urge to hold on to them forever. By eating their brains. Grey stops having an illithid rebellion phase and takes Emps' advice to heart after that.