Xizlqk
Real Name: Xizlqk
Nicknames: Xiz, Ziggy, X, Squiddy, Squidbert
Occupation: Sophomore student, fifth floor RA (Azer Dorm), prophetic
subject
Homeplane: Penumbra, or possibly Faerun. Or Sigil. Depends on your
viewpoint
Known Relatives: Geller (guardian), Spshak
(adopted brother), Tashrod
(host, deceased)
Group Membership: Young Knights of Myth Drannor (president), Young
Champions of Ruin (president)
Background: Xizlqk’s story, like most mind flayers, begins with his host.
In Xiz’s case, it was Tashrod, a powerful Illithid Slayer. Tashrod was a member
of an interplanar society of Slayers known as the Illithinators, and was quite
good at his job. So good, in fact, that he became the champion of a deity
(apparently not a bright one), who sent him to Penumbra to rid the multiverse of
illithids once and for all. Unsurprisingly, he was defeated, and he was
implanted with an illithid tadpole, to be transformed into that which he once
hunted.
But Tashrod’s ceremorphosis would not be uneventful. A
prophecy arose, stating that the illithid that arose from this transformation
would lead the race to new heights of glory. Or possibly destroy it. The
illithid leadership chose a cautious course of action, placing the swiftly
transforming Tashrod in a backwater corner of Faerun for further observation.
However, those plans would be foiled when an unknown force swept through
Xizlqk’s new location, slaying everything from thralls to Elder Brain, except
for Xizlqk. Devoid of formative influence, the rapidly developing Xizlqk’s mind
was unusually fictile.
When Geller, a wandering Svirfneblin mentalist and
naturalist, passed through, he could not resist the opportunity that the
just-born illithid presented. Geller rescued Xizlqk from the destroyed city, and
took him to his secret compound, raising him with various knowledge-infusing
psicrystals. After only a few days, however, he realized that maybe having a
fully developed illithid in his home may not be such a good idea. So he packed
Xiz off to his alma mater, Sigil Prep. (This did lead directly to Geller’s next
challenge, however: creating the first non-full grown illithid).
At first, Xiz sought to learn to be evil. However, his
plans were generally foiled, both by the company he kept, and by
uncharacteristic tendencies of his own nature. His second day of school, he
became president of the Young Knights of Myth Drannor.
Xizlqk has attracted some powerful attention. For still
fully unexplained reasons, the Devil Lord Dispater has taken a strong interest
in him. For reasons that defy comprehension, most of this interest seems to
involve inviting Xizlqk to dinner parties.
Geller seems to be continuing his study of Xiz,
although from a distance. Similarly, a rivalry with former Young Knights
president, Paraval, seems to have faded into the background. More openly, Xizlqk
has had a long term romance with Mialee Summerbreeze. He is currently the fifth
floor RA of Azer Dorm.
Appearance: Xizlqk looks like most conventional mind flayers. What makes
him stand out is his clothing. He often wears a mauve suit that matches his
skin, and a zebra-striped hat, with accompanying bling.
Role-playing Xizlqk: Xiz’s formative hours left him essentially a blank
slate. Rather than the cold and calculating, terrible monsters most mind flayers
are, he has become a creature of snarky apathy. To see he doesn’t care is
inaccurate; rather, he cares only when he must, generally reacting to events
rather than generating them. He is, however, far from passive. He is happy to
take command, unless a clearly more qualified leader (that is to say,
Anastacia)
is present.
Again, unlike most illithids, Xizlqk feels a full range
of emotion, from happiness to anger. The only ones he lacks are those tied to
physical needs he doesn’t possess. Passionate love eludes him. His relationship
with Mialee is driven by a form of love, perhaps, but not the kind that fuels
other relationships he has observed. Because he realizes his emotional range is
contrary to his nature, he tends to express them as snark, sarcasm, or glibness.
Comments: Xizlqk is an active PC. Art by
Herman Lau.
Xizlqk Supporting Cast
Angela Dispater (erinyes): Young and ambitious niece of Dispater, who is presently serving as Xizlqk's cohort. She is a highly efficient secretary, with notes on everyone in Xizlqk's life. She is very catty, and dislikes most other females, especially Trivia, whose organizational skills she mocks.
Spshak: lil' brother
Tashrod (Psychic Warrior-20/Illithid Slayer-10): One of the most powerful illithid slayers of all time, finally defeated when he went to Penumbra, and used as a host body which eventually grew to be Xizlqk. Originally from Blackmoor, of all places.
Lt. Woof (umber hulk): Former security guard of the neogi, P'cr'D's mindspider, now the head of security for Xizlqk.