Red Wizard's Research Notes — Nasir Razthelyk

[Dardonas]

— Away in the Red Academy's Department of Transmutation, a notebook filled with several pages of Vaasi-written research sits out for its ink to dry. —

Subject: SD-1
Race: Elf
Gender: Female
Age: Young Adult

Notes: After being tricked into losing its soul in exchange for "abyssal power" offered by a [redacted], the subject grew a pair of demonic wings.

Procedure: I performed a live biopsy of the subject's skin, both the tainted and the untainted.  Precise knifework was neither required or utilized.  Both samples were placed in sterilized flasks for later study.

Observation: Upon acquiring skin samples from both her demonic-tainted flesh and her elven flesh, wounds began to close up rather rapidly.  The subject's regenerative capabilities seem to rival that of the curst subject I had studied in [redacted]'s undead grafting. 

I will go over former Instructor Hadiya's findings in troll grafts to see if there if perhaps her acquired wings can be grafted onto other subjects.  Perhaps full regeneration is possible in her boon. 

Note to self, see if limbs can be amputated and regrown.  Potential may even rival my revenant subject.

Subject's Report: Subject expressed that the wings were far more sensitive than their elven body, having cried from the pain.  I collected a teardrop as an additional sample.

Subject reported no other noticed changes beyond odd feverish dreams and "flirtatious moods."  Likely side effect is that she inherited the [redacted]'s carnal desire when acquiring its boon.

Conclusion: Subject may be key in aiding in applied transmutation research and other procedures not originally predicted.  I will continue to observe it for the next week.  Though the original intent may have been to reacquire its soul, its new form shows promise.

[Dardonas]

— A set of notes scrawled in Vaasi are left out to dry in the Red Academy's transmutation department. —

Subject: SD-1
Race: Elf
Gender: Female
Age: Young Adult

"Physical Stress Test 1"

Notes: Subject claims to be of sound body and mind before the stress test.  Administered wards: Greater Mage Armor, Shield, Cat's Grace, Bull's Strength, Owl's Wisdom.

I summoned a vrock and enhanced my subject with wards to go beyond its normal limitations, mostly as a safety precaution to not kill it.  The subject and the demon were instructed to fight each other in the pits below the academy.

The first stress test went as expected.  The subject struggled to pierce the vrock's hide with her blows, though she did not tire.  I halted the fight.

Observation:  Wounds regenerated as quickly as they did in the last examination.  The subject wanted to finish the vrock off and I indulged its request.  Note to self, watch its inhibitions close.

Subject's Report: Subject notes an increase in her speed.  Reported no mental alterations when induced to fight compared to before the incident.  Note to self, this conflicts with observation.


"Physical Stress Test 2"

Notes: Subject is still of sound mind and body.  Administered no wards to the subject and instead summoned the vrock and warded it: Greater Mage Armor, Cat's Grace, Bull's Strength, Shield. 

The vrock and the subject once again resumed combat in the pit, though this instance was much more prolonged.  Subject showed frustration in not being able to strike its foe, though this is likely a normal response given its inferior heritage and upbringing.

Observation: Subject's physical qualities were on par with the creature.  The vrock struggled to strike the subject, even with enhanced functions and speed.  Wounds did not regenerate as quickly in the heat of battle, but did so after the test concluded. 

Subject's Report: The subject seemed to revel in her new power.  Delusions of grandeur, perhaps? Careful watch will be needed to observe its mental state properly.  Mentioned a possible "bloodthirst." 

[Dardonas]

— The following pages, transcribed in Vaasi, are left to air out in Nasir Razthelyk's room in Zravgev while he sleeps. —

Subject: SD-1
Race: Elf
Gender: Female
Age: Young Adult

"Mental Stress Test 1"

Notes: Subject was stripped naked and of all possessions and made to wade through Mind Fog.  The spell feeblemind was casted to remove higher though as to better observe the more primal responses the subject had. 

Observation: After losing the ability of rational thought and speech through the feeblemind spell, the subject became quite enraged when attacked by an animated corpse.  It seemed to consider attacking me after it fought the reanimation I ordered to strike it.  Possibly an appropriate response?  I'll ask other faculty what they think. 

Student Observation: Though the subject has not been timid about being forced to expose herself in my series of observations, student [redacted] pointed out that SD-01 previously held some shame for being on display.  I will make a note to engage SD-01 on this topic.  It's possible the boon of the [redacted] has caused it to share in similar carnal tastes as the demon.

Subject's Report: Subject suggested that these responses seemed natural.  Gave appropriate reasons for why, though did admit that it wanted to kill us for a moment when the reanimation attacked it.  Maintains that it is of sound mind.  Watch closely.

— Set aside from the usual research notes, a quick assessment is scribbled down on a separate sheet of paper to be bound in another document. —

Assessment of Subordinates

Student [redacted]: Thayan Mulan female.  Prone to outbursts and disrespect.  I had to turn her to stone this evening after she cracked a joke about the way I walk.  Reminded her afterwards of the values of our institution.  Arrogant, insubordinate, ambitious, and acutely aware of her own intelligence.  Seems to be a promising Red Wizard.

Student [redacted]: Rashemi male; deformed, caliban.  Works more diligently than other students and has already taken steps for submitting a thesis proposal.  Vested interest in obtaining full freedom through academic pursuit.  Shows no signs of anger at my increased hostilities.  Caught sneaking food and water to SD-00 once after experimentation.  Will need to break him more before I could ever call him a Red Wizard.

Student [redacted]: Hazlani Mulan male.  Keeps quiet to himself, hard to tell what he is thinking.  Usually respects authority, however, I caught him joking with student [redacted] about how I walked.  Next time I will turn him into a mink.  Good student.

Student [redacted]: [redacted] female.  Hard to tell what she is thinking.  Most respectful of all the students, and has the most bearing of the four of them.  Carries traits of outspokenness from Instructor Sefris, yet maintains tactfulness, as well a great command of a variety of subject matter.  I will ease off of her so long as she continues researching the Book of the Dead for me.  Makings of a good Red Wizard, provided she keep discreet of [redacted].

Lab Assistant [redacted]: Tiefling test subject and assistant.  Quiet, though is in the beginning stages of learning Vaasi.  Hard to tell what it is thinking at times, often keeps to itself.  I ask for its input to gauge its potential as a student.  So far mildly promising.  Still has great potential for being a renewable source of tiefling clippings.

Lab Assistant [redacted]: Human female. Cannibal.  Former slave that won her freedom in the tournament, returned willingly to Hazlan.  Has desire for subservience, though within that she is ambitious.  Uncertain of whether I can trust her yet, though she has been useful in many odd jobs.  Likes to keep basilisks around.  Perhaps she is hinting that she wants to be grafted with basilisk eyes?  Mixed signals.

Test Subject SD-01: Elven woman.  Outspoken, unabashful.  Shares in ambition to improve its body.  Subject seems to hold an attachment to me that I can use to manipulate it.  If all augments work accordingly, it will make a wonderful servant and underling.  Must obtain its soul first.

Test Subject SD-00: Tiefling woman.  Reserved.  Has been absent since the [redacted] ritual, after it murdered two Rashemi serfs in the cage I put it in.  Other students have cited meeting with the subject since it escaped its cage.  Perhaps leave food out and it'll return home?  I may send [redacted] to reclaim the subject if it doesn't show soon.

[Dardonas]

— Left out to dry in the Department of Transmutation, detailed manuscripts of this evening's tests are written out in Vaasi. —

Subject: SD-01
Race: Elf
Gender: Female
Age: Mid-200s

"Magical Resistances Stress Test"

Notes: As my own spells are too powerful, I am having my apprentices test basic elemental magic against the subject.  The aim is to test for any magical resistances it might have.  The spells I requested were: Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Mestil's Acid Breath.

The first test began with a fireball, which seemed to be ineffective.  Perhaps I put too much value on my apprentice's abilities.

Subsequent tests of Boreal Wind and Lightning Bolt did very little.

Observation: After several tests further, I recognize that the subject was able to shirk off and resist most forms of damage before they could even impact it.  I do recall in previous tests that the subject was even capable of shirking off my own magic to some avail.

Addendum: Student [redacted] impressed me with a clever display of a [redacted] spell.  It was able to render the subject dazed so that proper testing could be done.  As suspected, the subject boasts no supernatural resistances to the elements when it can be struck by a spell through its innate magical resistance.  I will have to be careful to not indulge student [redacted]'s ego.

[Dardonas]

— Left out to dry in the instructor's personal quarters are essayed musings regarding last night's ritual, written in Vaasi. —

Personal Log

Reflections on [redacted]

"Sometimes I wonder how far is too far.  I had offered a slave up to be killed during the [redacted] tonight, though it was unnecessary.  I stood by and allowed my apprentice to put her soul as collateral for the [redacted].  For the briefest moment, I had considered offering my own... Once I considered there to be a line at how far I would go, and at that point I would never cross it.  This neither directly aids my quest for [redacted] or to bring back [redacted]."

...

"Halvor spoke little of his intentions when I was his slave.  I wonder if he realized then what he would become.  Did he have a line once too?  My own seems to be redrawn over and over again.  I am beginning to understand the darkness that plagues this plane.  It isn't some nefarious force genociding masses, acts of tyranny or grandiose act of ultimate betrayal, though those things surely exist.  It's the little things we turn a blind eye too.  Exceptions we make in our quests, in our pursuits..."

...

"...But, I still have a few more exceptions to make."

...

"I have come across a curious set of notes by Azalin Rex.  They seem to corroborate with Halvor's documentation of [redacted].  In it, he speaks vaguely of his "tormentors."  Just what is there that could possibly torment the King of Darkon?"

...