First I must provide a warning to those who would peruse this book. I have cleaned and edited as best I could. The most horrifying and detailed descriptions of the author’s deeds as well as the many detailed drawings have been removed. The few that do provide some relevant and worthwhile medical information have been preserved in another volume. I have annotated where necessary, but to distinguish my own insertions from the author’s words I will be using the [] symbols.
Still what remains can be gruesome and horrifying. This is after all the personal scribing of a madman. His evil is renowned and recorded in detail in many other works. It is likely that without these journals we would never have had the slightest idea of the number of victims he left in his wake. To have removed enough for it to be safe and comfortable for all eyes would have left precious little text for us to work with.
While these horrific ravings are disturbing they are not without educational value. It provides us a chance to study this man’s madness and perhaps help prevent or at least identify those who might follow in his footsteps.
The first thing that struck me as I worked on these texts was that his evil is not the normal evil that one assumes. Many stories tell of his delight in his victims suffering. That he enjoyed the depths of cruelty to which he sunk.
This is simply not true. He took no pleasure in his victim’s pain. In fact it is likely that he was unaware of their suffering except for its physical manifestations. He seems to have no understanding of other people as being of emotion. To him they were simply research material. This in difference might at first blush seem to indicate that he was not an evil man, but nothing could be further from the truth. Women, children, the elderly and even expectant mothers were all victims of his. In some ways his indifference was a greater evil than innate cruelty could have been.
Some background on the author is important. Many know of him only from the stories told of him, which frequently leave out key details. He is known as Ob or Bob as that was an easy sound for him to make. His birth name was Eldratch Frankle. He was born deaf. Perhaps this accounts for much his apparent madness. It was not that he ignored the please for mercy or screams of pain he caused, but simply that he did not perceive them in the first place. Unlike many who were born deaf his spoken language ability was rudimentary at best, although is writing ability was exceptional. Nor did he have the ability to read lips. In fact many who met him said he would only rarely respond to any attempts at communication other than writing.
His parents were well to do and when they realized their child was deaf they did everything in their power for him. The best clerics they could find could not relieve his deafness. At this point they turned to education in hopes of finding a way for him to makes his life. His early education included some minor training in combat and the use of armor, although he did not show much promise in these areas. In the area of study however he showed much promise. His tutors found that though he was deaf, once he grasped the concept of writing he was one of the most promising students they had ever had. His parents went into debt to provide the best, hoping their son would someday live a productive life.
It was when he was sent to the healer academy at the capital that he seemed to find his true home. The records show that he was known as the most gifted and promising student in decades, although one teacher with more foresight than the rest noted the young man’s growing obsession with life. Not the meaning of life which many question, but the nature of living happens. I will not attempt to explain further. The author’s own words will do that more effectively than I ever could.
He returned home for only a short time after graduating. Some books and ballads on the topic wonder if his parents ever realized the monster they had birthed. More learned sources know that they did, as they are counted as his first victims. This is unlikely to be true as going over the records of his schooling shows that 23 students and 2 teachers disappeared during his schooling.
His mother died of repeated poisoning. She apparently was poisoned and then allowed through skillful healing to recover from the poisonings for a period of 18 days. 12 different poisons were used and each was administered at least twice during the time. His father died by having a ¼ oz. section of his liver removed each day until it was no longer able to sustain function. These two processes are described in minute detail in the oldest journals so far found.
From here on out the madman’s own voice shall provide the details of his life and adventures.
For some reason I rather like this chap. ^_^
How very very interesting...
Well written Admiral-Captain Jose Monkamuck! Very well done.
I'll have to stick near this thread in the future.
I now continue my journey after a minor but useful diversion. I perhaps should not have stopped for the random traveler, but his veins were simply too perfect to pass up. As there were none to witness it was only a minor matter to incapacitate him and remove him to a sufficiently remote location as to not attract interference.
The arm in particular was fascinating. By rendering the blood through Zelop’s processing formulae before reintroduction the necrosis…[At this point the author lapses into a lengthy discussion of the process he attempted on his victim. It has been known to make even experienced warriors sick. One of the guards who were present when we acquired this particular journal made the mistake of reading the passages and found himself unable to eat for two days from the revulsion.]
The final expiration is confirmed to be due to the removal of 64% of his liver. I have further confirmation of my theories on the percentage remaining to life expectancy with regards to the function of the liver. It is unfortunate I did not have an appropriate control sample at the time to make the result more robust. Inspiration! I must note to acquire twins whenever possible. They will provide much more adequate controls to all processes being attempted. It is fortunate that I had only removed a tiny fragment of my own liver before I realized the low threshold and poor regenerative properties that particular organ possesses. [It is well know that the man used even himself as a test subject. It is said that he was so thoroughly covered with scars that all other features were unrecognizable.]
The results of this diversion, while interesting, have readily depleted my supplies. It seems I am required to approach a nearby town to reacquire such. This would be an opportune moment to begin the field research I have planned. A group of adventures would seem the wisest choice. They will experience multiple injuries during their course of action, as will their opponents. This is a perfect opportunity for close observation of battlefield injuries and their recovery, or the prevention there of. My current skills in the hastening or slowing of the body’s progression through the process of mortality is limited at the moment, but will be of considerable use to professional adventurers.
I must be careful to acquire only those who will not take gross exception to my experimentation processes. Several types of adventures are likely to be problematic to my endeavor. It would be preferable to acquire those intelligent and skilled enough to retain prisoners when possible, however that may be detrimental to their ability to accept or be kept of aware of my efforts. I shall study them carefully before making a selection and offering my services.
Caution suggests that I present myself under a pseudonym. As it must be one that is non-threatening and easy for me to enunciate I have chosen Bob. It is unpretentious enough to assuage those who are suspicious or egotistical. Further my ability to enunciate it clearly will set the more primitive ones minds at ease. This should suffice for the present.
I think perhaps it would also be wise for me to begin practicing whistling. I have noticed that many subjects respond poorly to my silence. While I cannot perceive the sounds I myself make I should be able to use this assuage the concerns of those around me. Now unto the city I must descend.
((This came about during a character creation session for a PF game that will be beginning this Sunday. The GM was willing to allow any alignment except for chaotic evil. He can't see that alignment as anything other than a raving lunatic. I disagreed with him and wanted a chance to prove otherwise to him.
From there I found out that so far the party had 1 fighter, 2 rangers and probably a summoner. To me that's 3 meat shields plus a speed bump that summons other speed bumps. Sounded like they needed a healer. I started looking at Oracle. When I saw the life mystery something just went click.
As I described the concept the entire group thought it was awesome. To top it off on 4d6 keep 3 for comliness I rolled 1, 1, 1, 2. So a 3 it was, hence the scaring.
Please feel free to post, it will be responed to by me out of character or the learned Brother Brian from what his studies of the journeys have gleaned.))
Perhaps I should have packed a larger lunch.