The First

The first mind flayer, also known as the "prime ghaik" by the gith. Once a Mardik, he was the sole survivor of that race after they inadvertently traveled through the far realm (and to the distant past) while trying to evacuate from Arlyss following the failed ascension project. Twisted and corrupted by the energies of the far realm over thousands of years, he became the first mind flayer and built an empire using ceremorphosis to transform other life-forms into mind flayers. Having traveled thousands of years into the past during their escape, the mind flayer empire came to predate the Mardik empire. During his search for Arlyss and the ascension engine, he became trapped in the Fae and could only exert his influence over the lifeforms living there. He slowly corrupted a grove within the summer court to produce mind flayer tadpoles and manipulate the fae creatures living there, eventually allowing him to send out his minions to find the divine frequency (aka "the signal"). They discovered it emanating from the "mistlands radio" within Tar'Kanis' estate, and murdered him to find it. They failed to find the radio, and the heroes of the north would eventually find it during their investigation into Tar'Kanis' murder. The radio led them to the fae realm, where they eventually discovered the first and accidentally awakened him. He took the radio and returned to Arlyss to find the ascension engine prototype within Mets Gradaran.
Following the demise of the fabulous few, he was defeated in the Mistlands by Bahamut's brood and the Tuhka, who took many losses defeating the mind flayer army. Bahamut never returned from entering Mets Gradaran.