Id Ascendant

Id Ascendant The Id Ascendant was a nautiloid that was crewed by gnome ceremorphs and squidlings and used as a research vessel.

Description
The nautiloid was a semi-organic construction, mixing wood and iron with organic materials and reinforced with chitin. The ship was also circulated with a fluid created from the liquefied consciousnesses of several mind flayers, which allowed it to operate telepathically. Its interior was lit by bioluminescent orbs and kept at a temperature of by the ship's life-support systems.

The Id Ascendant had three decks: the lower deck had a forward section that housed one of the ship's ballistae and an aft cargo deck equipped with several stasis pods designed to keep the crew alive during long voyages; the middle, or battle, deck contained the second ballista and the ship's propulsion crystal; and the upper, or command, deck housed the bridge with the spelljamming helm and the captains' quarters.

The nautiloid was equipped with a single spelljamming helm that could only be operated by mind flayers. Several of the ship's main functions could be operated by one or both of its captains.

History
In the winter of the, the Id Ascenant passed through Realmspace while it was being pursued by a neogi slaver ship. The ship crashed in southern Icewind Dale as a result of bad weather, while flying low to look for research specimens. The nautiloid sustained heavy damage and lost its propulsion system in the crash.

The nautiloid was seen plummeting from the sky from several locations across Ten Towns, and was judged to be a comet. Following the crash, the ship emitted a rudimentary telepathic distress signal that could be picked up by a few of Ten Towns' inhabitants.

The crew was focused on getting the ship's propulsion back to work so they could return to wildspace. The captains surmised that a temporary fix would be to use a psi crystal to replace the nautiloid's destroyed propulsion system. While investigating a nearby cave, the crew discovered the ruins of the Abeiran city of Xorvintroth, along with a brain in a jar that they enthusiastically consumed for sustenance.

They allowed a group of adventurers and the giff mercenary Lieutenant Prook to use the Id Ascendant's spelljamming helm to charge explosives in the lieutenant's possession.

Inhabitants
The ship was crewed by the gnome ceremorphs Vorrin Q'uuol and Dredavex Sinfiz and the gnome squidlings Rin, Rix, and Zglarrd. In addition, it carried a number of creatures that the ceremorphs kept as pets or as test subjects, such as a flesh golem, a bulette, and two carrion crawlers. Following the crash, the bulette and the crawlers were released from the ship and allowed to roam the surrounding frozen landscape in search for food, as well as patrolling for visitors.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * A Plague of Ancients (Volatile Thoughts)
 * The Fallen Star • Into Darkness • Recipe for Retribution)
 * The Fallen Star • Into Darkness • Recipe for Retribution)