Chapter Summaries

Renato and his companions fought their way through the Mind Flayers’ prison, where failed experiments escaped from shattered glass columns and attacked them. At Klauthsura’s urging, they reached the Elevator Platform and began rising away from the chaos below.

• Renato drank an Oil of Speed and a See Invisibility Potion as Klauthsura explained that the prison held failed results of the Elder Brain’s experiments.
• A mutant troll attacked the group, and Renato severed its leg before it crashed into the glass columns and released the imprisoned creatures.
• The freed monsters flooded the room, and Renato, Tristana, and Balin fought them while the troll began regenerating its leg.
• Klauthsura urged the group to avoid getting bogged down and directed them toward the Elevator Platform, covering their retreat with psionics.
• Tristana trapped pursuing hounds in a web, and the group pulled the lever to raise the Elevator Platform away from the battle.

Klauthsura led Renato, Tristana, and Balin into the Library, where they met Noesis, a powerful Soul Devourer and Legendary Psion. Klauthsura began searching encrypted information in a brain held in a vessel, leaving the others to wait beside the motionless Noesis.

• Klauthsura opened the prison gates, and the monsters scattered through the exits.
• Klauthsura warned Renato, Tristana, and Balin not to attack anything in the Library, then led them inside.
• Klauthsura introduced the inverted Mind Flayer as Noesis, a Soul Devourer who oversaw the Library.
• Klauthsura explained that only the Elder Brain and Zephros could awaken Noesis's primary consciousness.
• Klauthsura connected a neural device to the brain in a vessel and began searching its encrypted information, while Balin watched Noesis.

Klauthsura explained how to disrupt the Elder Brain's ritual transforming the Deep Dragon, and the group set out to carry out its plan. Before they reached the Rest Pool, the Elder Brain's contingency triggered a devastating psionic storm, leaving Renato to strike at the collapsing space with the Silent Lady.

• Klauthsura revealed that the Elder Brain was weakening the Deep Dragon's will while Zephros dismantled its Draconic magic, and said it could disrupt the mental ritual.
• Renato calmed Tristana and agreed to Klauthsura's plan: Klauthsura and Balin would draw the guards while Renato attacked under Tristana's cover.
• The four hurried toward the Rest Pool, with Klauthsura outlining how the Deep Dragon might break free once its mental ritual was interrupted.
• Psionic arrays activated in the passage, unleashing spatial rifts that tore apart the surroundings and overwhelmed Klauthsura's attempt to stabilize them.
• Renato swung the Silent Lady at the disintegrating space and shouted, "Negation!"

Renato and the injured Tristana reached the Elder Brain’s brain pool, where freed slaves were being crushed by mind flayer guards. With Lolth’s protection and Tristana’s support, Renato joined the battle and carved through the enemy line, but the fighting continued.

• Renato recognized the vast brine pool as the Elder Brain’s brain pool and identified the dragon resting on it as Gattholex.
• Renato found Tristana injured and saw that freed slaves were attacking the mind flayer guards but were nearly overwhelmed.
• Tristana blessed Renato with Lolth’s protection and urged him to charge while she healed herself.
• Renato used his speed, shields, and longsword to fight through the mind flayer guards and drew the surviving slaves to rally around him.
• Tristana joined the battle, interrupted a mind flayer’s spell with a curse, and shielded Renato from incoming attacks.

Renato helped the slaves break the mind flayers’ defensive line by slipping through their Wall of Force and striking their casters. After Klauthsura told him to retreat while she finished breaking the ritual, Renato withdrew with Tristana, still uneasy about Balin’s disappearance.

• The duergar, orcs, hobgoblins, and drow pressed the mind flayers as their defensive line suffered mounting casualties.
• Renato passed through the Wall of Force and cut down a psionic caster, while an orc warrior charged after him and killed another mind flayer.
• Renato dodged and blocked the mind flayers’ attacks, then retreated to survey the battle as their defenders began to falter.
• Klauthsura telepathically told Renato to retreat at least a hundred and fifty feet from the Brain Pool while she finished breaking the ritual.
• Renato saw the deep dragon still bound in the Brain Pool and could not find Balin, then pulled Tristana back with him without explaining the danger.

Renato and Tristana prepared for Klauthsura to break the Elder Brain’s ritual, while Tristana linked them with a Chain of Protection and urged Renato to worship Lolth. When Gattholex awakened, Renato realized the Elder Brain had taken control of the dragon, which began preparing a breath attack.

• Renato checked his armor and readied javelins while Tristana worried that Klauthsura might abandon them after the ritual.
• Tristana cast Chain of Protection on Renato and insisted that Lolth had chosen him, but Renato rejected her claims and avoided her attempt to convert him.
• A cracking sound announced that Klauthsura had broken the Elder Brain Dragon ritual, and Gattholex rose from the brain pool.
• Renato noticed the tentacles wrapped around Gattholex and realized something was wrong when Klauthsura said deep dragons had no tentacles.
• Gattholex leaped from the pool, crushed an orc, and began charging a breath attack as Klauthsura revealed that the Elder Brain had controlled it through a physical connection.
• Tristana pulled Renato backward and warned him to get away from the breath attack.

The Elder Brain-controlled Deep Dragon attacked Renato and pinned him with Hold Person, leaving him helpless before its jaws. Balin’s Mind Ripper ignited the Brain Pool and broke the spell, allowing Renato to escape the bite.

• The Deep Dragon’s spore breath rotted and killed the duergar, orcs, and hobgoblins in its path while Renato and his companions stayed behind a divine shield.
• Renato charged the Deep Dragon, and Tristana’s Guiding Bolt vanished against the Elder Brain’s Psionics Shield.
• The Deep Dragon struck at Renato, who dodged its claw and slid close enough to attack with the Silent Lady.
• The Elder Brain immobilized Renato with Hold Person, and the Deep Dragon opened its jaws to bite him.
• Balin dropped the Mind Ripper onto the Brain Pool, setting it ablaze and disrupting the Elder Brain’s control.
• Renato broke free, dodged the dragon’s bite, and saw Balin standing above the lair.

Renato and Klauthsura exploited the Elder Brain’s weakened defenses to attack the Deep Dragon, while Balin’s Black Arrow wounded it and briefly disrupted its control. Klauthsura carried Renato above the dragon, and Renato leaped down to sever the tentacles controlling Gattholex.

• Laduguer’s divine flames scorched the Brain Pool, forcing the Elder Brain to devote its psionic power to resisting them and weakening its shields.
• Renato wounded the Deep Dragon’s belly and wing, then identified the tentacles beneath its scales as the Elder Brain’s means of controlling it.
• Balin’s Black Arrow struck the back of the dragon’s skull, briefly restoring its awareness before the Elder Brain forced control over it again.
• Klauthsura urged Renato to attack from above, explaining that the damaged Psionics Beacon Eye and the lost Mind Ripper made retreating costly.
• Klauthsura raised Renato on a Wall of Force, and Renato dispelled it and leaped toward the wounded dragon to cut its controlling tentacles.

Renato tried to stop the Elder Brain from controlling Gattholex by killing the Deep Dragon, but his attack on the dragon’s skull caused him to absorb its blood and suffer searing pain. The chapter left Renato struggling with the dragon blood’s effects as the Black Arrow burrowed deeper into the wound.

• Renato landed on Gattholex’s back and cut through its tentacles, realizing the Elder Brain was close to overpowering the dragon’s consciousness.
• Balin’s crossbow bolt bounced off Gattholex’s head, leaving him unable to help Renato from atop the Mind Flayer Hive.
• Renato ran along Gattholex’s back to its head and declared that he would slay the dragon rather than try to sever the Elder Brain’s control.
• Renato used Touch of Dakoul to corrode the bone around Balin’s Black Arrow and drive it deeper into Gattholex’s skull.
• Renato absorbed vitality flowing from the dragon’s wound and felt searing pain, realizing that the dragon blood was affecting him.

Renato struggled to keep hold of Gattholex as the Deep Dragon fought the Elder Brain’s control and escaped its restraints. As Gattholex flew toward the cavern opening, Balin Rockshield leaped down with a lightning-charged warhammer to attack it.

• Renato plunged his arm into Gattholex’s skull, and the dragon thrashed violently while he clung to the Black Arrow.
• Gattholex regained its awareness, pretended to follow the Elder Brain’s pull, then spread its wings and snapped the tentacles restraining it.
• Gattholex flew upward and roared that it would punish the mortals in the cavern.
• The Old Dwarf shouted for Renato to hold on, then introduced himself as Balin Rockshield of the Third Cohort, Tenth Legion, and leaped toward Gattholex with a lightning-charged Warhammer.

Renato and Balin believed they had killed the Deep Dragon and destroyed the Elder Brain, but the Brain Pool exploded and the dragon rose again, transformed into a horrifying vessel for the Elder Brain. Klauthsura realized the Elder Brain had gone mad.

• Balin drove the Black Arrow into the Deep Dragon's brain, and Renato, Balin, and Klauthsura survived the fall with Klauthsura's telekinetic aid.
• Balin declared the Deep Dragon dead, while Klauthsura said the Elder Brain's psionic signal had disappeared; Tristana struggled to breathe from the lingering poison.
• Balin revealed that a Duergar's voice from within the Artifact had urged him to throw the Mind Ripper into the Brain Pool.
• Klauthsura connected the voice's words about vengeance and the Elder Brain's individuality, just before the Brain Pool exploded.
• The Deep Dragon rose with its skullcap missing and an oversized brain crammed into its head, prompting Klauthsura to say the Elder Brain had gone mad.

An elder brain fused with the dead dragon and attacked the survivors, leaving Renato battered amid the ruined hive. After searching for Balin, Renato confronted the monster and prepared to counter its psionic magic.

• Klauthsura recognized the elder brain dragon as an elder brain fused with the dragon's corpse and urged everyone to retreat.
• The elder brain dragon struck the Main Hive, injuring Renato and devastating the chitin dome.
• Renato searched the rubble for Balin, then sensed the elder brain dragon and evaded its tail.
• Renato vowed to kill the elder brain, hurled a javelin to distract it, and charged into melee range.
• The dragon tried to immobilize Renato with Hold Person, and Renato cut his hand on the Silent Lady and shouted, "Negation!"

Renato and Tristana attacked the Elder Brain Dragon, but it took to the air and began gathering power for its breath. Balin relived the guilt behind his oath, refused to leave with Luca after avenging his comrades, and received a blessing to protect others before tragedy struck.

• Renato repeatedly struck the Elder Brain Dragon's exposed limbs while Tristana attacked its brain and tendrils with Lolth's power and her whips.
• The Elder Brain Dragon lifted itself into the air behind a Psionics Shield, then gathered dark purple light in its throat for a breath attack.
• Balin remembered how Luca had protected him from the Deep Dragon and how guilt had driven him to swear an oath of revenge.
• Balin recalled leaving his family and livelihood to fulfill that oath, and recognized that he had finally killed the Deep Dragon.
• Balin refused to leave with Luca, saying he still had people to protect and wanted to prevent tragedy before it happened.
• A white-haired dwarven elder blessed Balin, and his warhammer shone with golden light.

Renato survived the Elder Brain Dragon’s breath attack but was left badly injured as the monster charged him. Balin arrived in giant form and, with Klauthsura’s help, destroyed the Elder Brain, though the chapter left Renato’s companions’ fate unresolved.

• The Elder Brain Dragon’s weakened breath destroyed Renato’s Shadow Shield and severely decayed his body, while Tristana’s Chain of Protection and his dragon blood helped keep him alive.
• As the Elder Brain Dragon dived at Renato, Balin arrived as a giant and knocked it into the Brain Pool with his Runes Warhammer.
• Balin charged through the dragon’s psionic Fire Storms, while Klauthsura countered the Elder Brain’s Hold Person spell and left it immobilized.
• Balin smashed the Elder Brain with his warhammer, then tore apart its tentacles and crushed the dragon beneath his boot.

After the battle, Balin repaired Renato’s armor and revealed that he would soon depart for Moradin’s divine realm. He vanished in golden light, leaving Renato alone in the Underdark to continue the journey to the surface.

• Renato reached Balin beside the ruined Brain Pool, where the dragon and Elder Brain lay dead.
• Balin repaired Renato’s corroded armor and told him to take good care of it.
• Balin explained that he had promised Moradin to travel to Mount Soulania and reunite with his family.
• Balin reminded Renato that the journey back to the surface would be difficult and urged him to stay alert.
• Balin vanished in golden motes after blessing Renato and wishing him a steady road ahead.

Renato and the wounded Tristana faced an encroaching Mind Flayer force after Balin’s death, but Klauthsura urged them to flee when a Githyanki Astral Ship appeared. The ship brought no rescue: its commander was dead, and a powerful Mind Flayer emerged as the surviving Githyanki succumbed to his tadpole.

• Tristana awoke, learned that Balin had killed the Elder Brain Dragon and gone to Moradin’s divine realm, then offered Renato comfort.
• Renato and Tristana found themselves surrounded by Orcs, Goblins, and returning Mind Flayers as Renato struggled with exhaustion and injuries.
• Klauthsura called Renato and Tristana to the Brain Pool, warning that a Githyanki Astral Ship had appeared near the lair and they needed to evacuate.
• A burned and tadpole-infected Githyanki warrior wandered through the ruined hive and lost an arm when a Hobgoblin attacked him.
• The Astral Ship appeared and the Githyanki ran toward it, only to see a dead Kith’rak commander and a powerful Mind Flayer emerge from the hatch.
• The Mind Flayer’s presence stirred the tadpole in the Githyanki’s brain, and his consciousness faded as he perceived the creature as beautiful.

Zephros returned to the ruined Colony and confronted Noesis over the Elder Brain’s death and the failed ritual. Noesis argued that the gods had ensured the plan’s failure and proposed entering the Sea of Minds, asking Zephros to become its voice.

• Zephros healed the newly transformed mind flayer and reunited with Noesis at the ruined Colony.
• Zephros questioned whether Noesis had betrayed their kind, but the two Legendary Psions ended their tense standoff without fighting.
• Noesis argued that a chain of unlikely events and divine interference had doomed the Elder Brain Dragon ritual.
• Zephros challenged Noesis’s conclusions and asked how their Colony could survive without the Elder Brain or new tadpoles.
• Noesis announced that it would become the Elder Brain and opened a gateway to the Sea of Minds.
• Noesis asked Zephros to become its voice as they set out to reshape their society and future.

Renato discovered that his Darkvision had become Dragonkind Senses after the Elder Brain Dragon died, giving him blindsight and heightened awareness. As Klauthsura returned from scouting, Renato considered how he might grow stronger by improving his skills through practice.

• Renato rested in a cavern with the unconscious Tristana while Klauthsura scouted for githyanki.
• Renato checked the Adventurer's Guide and found that Dragonkind Senses had replaced Darkvision.
• Renato tested his new senses and realized they let him perceive everything within thirty feet, even with his eyes closed.
• Renato concluded that the slain dragon's soul and blood had granted him the feat and considered improving his skills through training.
• Klauthsura returned, and Renato reassured the startled Tristana that the approaching mind flayer was not an enemy.

Renato received a Space Ring from Klauthsura as payment for completing his commission and learned how to use its extradimensional storage. The ring filled sooner than expected, and Klauthsura explained that he had already placed Renato’s uncollected spoils inside.

• Tristana warned Renato that Klauthsura might betray them, while Klauthsura reported that the other mind flayers’ psionic signals had vanished.
• Klauthsura gave Renato a black Space Ring as payment for his role in the Elder Brain Dragon ritual.
• Renato put on the ring despite Tristana’s warning and discovered that it could store and retrieve items through a miniature demiplane.
• Renato transferred belongings from his Bag of Holding into the ring until it seemed full, and Klauthsura revealed that he had already stored Renato’s uncollected spoils inside.

Renato examined the dragon materials Klauthsura had salvaged and learned why she believed the remaining Mind Flayers would not avenge the Elder Brain. After Tristana challenged Klauthsura over the spoils, Renato urged them to cooperate so they could survive the Underdark and help him return to the surface.

• Renato questioned Klauthsura about how she had stripped the Deep Dragon's corpse while they were surrounded by enemies.
• Klauthsura explained that the dead Elder Brain's followers had no logical reason to risk their lives seeking revenge.
• Tristana accused Klauthsura of trying to buy their brains, and Klauthsura argued that Tristana had earned no share of the spoils.
• Renato recognized that Tristana and Klauthsura were both trying to win him over and isolate the other.
• Renato proposed that they cooperate in the dangerous Underdark because he needed their help to return to the surface.