Close your Mind and Rest (Patreon)

 I asked Cydemon to draw this sketch not only because I'm obsessed with Daddy Emperor, but also because I wanted an alternate scenario with these two.

 There is a big debate regarding his morality: some people say that he's totally evil, that everything he's doing is for bad reasons and that he doesn't care a fuck regarding to you, while other people says that he is an asshole with you only if you antagonizes him the whole time (probably because you don't trust a MindFlayer, which is undertandable, and because you want to go Orpheus rute); my position is that his reaction strictly depends on the way you decide to go, if you're good with him, he's going to be appreciative and good towards you too, and even if he's trying to buy your compromise with all the good things he does for you, it's very obvious how dependable on you is him. If you treat him bad, since he can't get help from anybody else and is "trapped" there, then he's going to snap and say the stuff he probably thought at first. It's obvious he was using you at first, but I also believe that his affection towards your character is real and that he didn't sleep with you just to make you feel bad if you want to free Orpheus.

 The Emperor is an Illithid and will always have, by nature itself, a desire for controlling others, that's impossible to extinguis, but he's also really smart and mentally strong, so he knows it's better to have a good ally that decides to help him by desire than an obedient and discartable thrall that will do stuff only because he's controlling it. He could just betrays you through the entire game are so many times... but he eventually frees you from your tadpole and everyone else, fulfilling his promise. It doesn't matter why he did it, the fact is that everyone is free from Tadpoles and he goes away silently. So yes, pragmatic, survivalist, somewhat opportunistic, whatever you want, but pure evil I absolutely doubt it unless you're forcing him to hate you, and even then it's more because you mentally broke him. What he did to Steelmane is none of your business. Pure Evil? No, pure good? No. Just someone that wants to be free from the mental subjugation of a bigger being.

 I'll explain my position in a deeper manner on another drawing XD

 Due to this, and because he's, in fact, way more human than other MindFlayers, I saw a scenario where Franceska (after the "Hand Squeeze" event where he's mentally fatigated) invites him to just close his eyes and rest over her lap. He decides to do what she asks him and enjoys a moment of peace for the first time after a long time of fencing Orpheous's bodyguards and watching him chained.

 A little cheesy picture that Franceska would totally do XD He's head over heels for him and whatever that makes him happy would make her happy too... and would be the same for me because I want nothing else but seeing happy, and if conquering the World and ensalving humanity would make him happy she'll absolutely pursuit that goal XD

Sketch made by Cydemon: https://www.deviantart.com/cy-demon1989/art/Shaded-Lineart-15-Emperor-and-Franceska-02-1015074273

The Emperor and Franceska(custom FemTav) (c) Baldur's Gate 3

Document for the drawing is here:

https://mega.nz/file/v1YnFB6J#jgpsuz5K3T_r9n1rykzsxOnmenKMXnd-ka9lsIaZ_bs

Password (if needed) here:

jgpsuz5K3T_r9n1rykzsxOnmenKMXnd-ka9lsIaZ_bs