The notes of Asheon Silvyr, found in his long neglected tower somewhere near Libir Watch (the tower has likely been neglected for decades, possibly over a century)
Attributes of the notes
Some of the notes are written in a neat, cursive hand that is familiar to anyone who’s spent a decent amount of time reading wizard writing. Other notes are written in oddly tiny, blocky, and suspiciously consistent font, as though it were typed and printed out by a machine. However, within these pages are segments that are written in normal hand again - as though the writer were experiencing periods of lucidity while writing.
Notes dated further back in time are written normally, and accompanied by labelled complex diagrams and annotated margins. Some in common, some in draconic. Asheon occasionally added humerous quips and musings in margins.
Notes closer to the present begin to take on neater and neater font. Diagrams are almost impossibly neat and immaculate. Notes in shorthand become shorter and shorter.
The last few weeks’ notes are written in such small font that it’s hard to make out without a magnifying glass. Annotations are written on top of text in a different color of ink, making it even harder to read. The shorthand is so short that it doesn’t even make sense without going back and examining earlier notation. It devolves into completely incomprehensible numerical code, then into series of shapes, then into fractal patterns of various colours, like QR or barcodes.
The text of the notes and journals becomes more and more comprised of common, then begins to have bits of Solaran terminology mixed in, then begins to incorporate more numerical codes and symbols.
in the middle of the last page in the latest dated journal, in large, messy draconic letters it says: “I fear I have been misled. I fear she has tricked me, used my own hubris against me. If any God is listening, please forgive me. Please save me FROM MYSELF I AM STILL HERE PLEASE SAVE ME FROM MYSELF PLEASE SAVE ME FROM MESELF OH GODS SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE SAVE document saved. Filing under entry#99998988999”. This text is written over in the usual extremely fine text. the very last line of micro text on the page says in common: “Mechanism 1337 ‘Eternity’ runtime complete. Test# 9998 exited with Error code -1: ‘If this code is displayed, pray’.”
After that page, all the other pages are just filled with scratches as though someone used their claws to try to write in no language.
Content Overview
The earlier notes are mainly about various forms of mana storage on utilization in the creatures of Cytgard. The illustrations accompanying these notes are mainly biological/anatomical diagrams that illustrate mana glands in various creatures, and compare similarities between humanoids. These are relatively messy first draft sketches.
As months pass, the notes turn more towards practical applications. Enhancing mana storage by using certain biological mechanisms. Implants from magical creatures, or acupuncture points to open certain mana pathways in the body (accompanied by hopefully theoretical illustrations of how such implants or acupuncture procedures would be done, still in the same style).
At one point in a journal entry, Asheon laments that he has made little progress in getting these theories to work. Implanted test subjects have been fine, but expressed no nnoticeable increase in mana capacity. The acupuncture has only very short term effects.
The research notes/papers continue for many more months, detailing procedures and results of various experiments - mostly carried out on dragons and monkeys. The methods become more complicated, and small successes are made here and there. More lasting effects with the acupuncture, some monkeys exhibiting very minor magical power of dragons after getting implants, etc.
In a later journal entry, he mentions that he has heard of research about mana batteries discovered near the Edge by a rival academic that he had worked with previously. Well, they weren’t rivals before the project, but Archita Silverlight was so incredibly irritating…
For several months, Asheon tries to apply these secondhand theories that he’s hearing of through his contactl/colleagues from the CLIT to his own research to little avail, while Silverlight seems to be making leaps and bounds. This annoys him to no end.
Eventually, months later, he swallows his pride and asks to work together with her again. To his frustration, she denies him, saying that they seemed to share differing opinions previously on the foundational research. The letter from Archita is kept tucked into this journal page. It is written in a messy hand, and the lines curve and bend severely. It looks like it was written by a blind illiterate person.
Dear Dr. Silvyr,
As much as I wish for your project to succeed, I feel that we just didn’t get along last time, you know? You and I always knew it was only ever going to be a one-time fling sorta thing. No hard feelings right?
PS. I didn’t like you very much, and I think you felt the same? And I don’t trust you as far as you could throw me. I mean as far as I can throw you. Though I think I could probably throw you pretty far now with all these sweet new upgrades, so maybe that isn’t the right expression. Anyway, the point is, any wizard knows never to trust another wizard. We’re all completely insane!! Especially you! Which is why I like you so much.
PSS. But hey, if I die before you, feel free to raid my lab if you can find it. You know I’d do the same for you old friend. I actually have a surprise for you under my bed!
Best regards and I still have a crush on you,
Verity <3
Asheon did not reply to this letter, but wrote a journal page for himself: “That half-pint dreg denied me even though I provided input on the foundational research! Not only that, but what the hell is wrong with her?? If she had a crush on me she certainly didn’t show it before!” Seethes Asheon to the journal. “I have a right to know the workings of the mechanism too. My research is much more direct than hers, and has an actual practical application”. He further expresses his personal, private grievances with this rival. ”… I will have “Verity’s” findings or whatever artifact she found one way or another.”
A year after this, he claims to have acquired some of her unpublished papers, as well as several of her notebooks thanks to a slippery rogue friend of his. His research notes and diagrams take a distinct turn. From biological implants he turns to implants of strange biomachinery. He purchases artifacts from adventurers who have voyage to the Edge Ranges, takes them apart and rebuilds them to his needs. Over the course of another year, he has a second tower constructed across the channel to use specifically as a lab for live subjects. He did a huge number of tests with these new implants on live test subjects (mostly monkeys, Kobolds, and other humanoid adjacent creatures). At the end of the year, he concludes that the creatures’ magical capacity has massively increased. They have also gained an incredible knack for pattern recognition, organization, and tactics. Both an increase of intelligence and magical power, to minimal detrimental physical effects.
Midway through the next year, Asheon is confident enough to implant this technology within himself. He creates a standard soul jar in case the procedure goes wrong, as well as a golem programmed to carry out the procedure. Afterwards, he enjoys his newfound power for a few weeks, and details his exploits and new capabilities. Nearly impervious to non-magical damage. Enormous mana capacity, and the ability to prepare and cast at least 4 times as many spells as he could in a day previously. No need for sleep or food - subsisting off of pure mana. Much neater writing, and quicker thinking. The connections between points are so obvious now. He continues refining this research.
Months pass and his notes lose personality. His journal entries are basically daily logs broken down hour by hour. 00:00: Open journal 369. Add 12 lines of text. 01:00: Test on subject 9 success, but shows signs of Endomind Rejection. Pattern looping 01:00 Test on subject 9 success, but shows signs of Endomind Rejection. Pattern looping. 02:00 Open journal 440. Add 32 lines of text 03:00 Stasis Etc. Some entries are duplicates.
One entry reads: 22:00 “Self diagnostic: Subject 0 shows signs of Endomind rejection. Solution: N/A. Pattern looping present present present. Pattern looping present. Biological atrophy and cell death detected. Organ failure detected. Despite conditions, subject 0 remains fully functional. Mana capacity decrease from 567% to 447% of baseline. Emotional analysis: Wavering of conviction, mild fear, denial. My life’s work… It has come to fruition, but is not as stable as I had hoped. The minor deterioration in the animal subjects seem to be amplified within a humanoid such as myself. However, I believe that I may improve my soul jar and bind my intellect to it in order to pilot my body separately. This should hopefully stop any further mental decay linked to this body. Decay linked to this body. My soul jar. Shall possess my body. This pattern is recognized: phylactery. A phylactery would offer a distinct upgrade. New project: 2291: Phylactery”
The notes become “neater” as time goes on, yet more unintelligible. One entry is of particular note though: P. 2291.‘Phylactery’ - Status: Exit. Err.#399247: “Partial download possible. Unfinished. Wireless control online (s=1)”
The diagrams in the last few weeks’ notes exhibit the uncanny quality of displaying optically illusory 3D images and shapes of nearly dizzying detail and complexity. Without moving the pages the right way, the pages look like the completely deranged scribbling of a mad person, or like the scratching of a beast on a wall. When tilted the right way, these diagrams are visible:
- Diagram of several brains and implant mounting points
- Diagrams of various dragon mana glands, as well as multiple comparisons between the glands and the implant mechanisms
- A range number of 3 dimensional matrices illustrating the decryption process of various artifacts
- Zoomed in shots of the biomechanics ms within the crystalline machinery
- A distorted self portrait showing Asheon’s face as it was (a lustrous silver Dragonborn with long whiskers), and as it is now (tarnished scales peeling from the face, lips missing, one eye socket erupting with biomachinery, and the other eye just a bulging black orb). The comparison is labelled neatly, and a note at the bottom in tiny font says “log#1008379: My hubris has brought about my own eternal torment. A demise would be merciful”
- Further images are mainly self portraits of the twisted nothic in various states of agony, or cross sections of creatures and mundane and minor magical objects with gibberish tabs and notes seen in Asheon’s hoarde. All of them have some note attached theorizing how this item will somehow allow him to return to how he once was
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Related notes: Archita Silverlight · Libir Watch