Alchemist Kael Greythorn

“The Obsessive Researcher”

“Understanding corruption is humanity’s only hope. If that requires accepting corruption into myself, so be it. Knowledge justifies any sacrifice.”

Quick Reference

Attribute	Details
Age	38 (appears older)
Role	Rot researcher, Glimmering Spire’s de facto leader
Status	Early Stage 1 Rot-corrupted (from research exposure)
Personality	Brilliant, obsessive, socially inept, surprisingly ethical
Goal	Synthesize Rot-neutralizing compound
Conflict	Research vs. self-preservation, knowledge vs. safety

Alchemist Kael Greythorn - The Obsessive Researcher

Overview

Alchemist Kael Greythorn is the Aetherium’s foremost expert on Rot corruption—a position earned through decade of obsessive research at Glimmering Spire’s crumbling laboratory. Expelled from the Constellation Clergy for heretical experiments, Kael dedicates every waking hour to understanding the Rot’s nature, progression mechanics, and potential cures.

His laboratory contains the most extensive collection of Rot samples, corrupted specimens, and experimental compounds in existence. He’s developed treatments that slow Stage 1 progression (temporarily), mapped corruption spread patterns, and identified chemical signatures the Rot leaves in tissue. His research has saved lives and advanced understanding immeasurably.

But Kael himself is slowly corrupting. Years of exposure—handling samples, breathing contaminated air, obsessive proximity—have infected him with early Stage 1 corruption. Black veins spider across his hands. He knows what’s happening. He doesn’t stop. The research is too important, and he’s closer to breakthrough (he claims) than ever before.

Brilliant but maddening, ethical but dangerous to be near, Kael represents science’s double edge: the pursuit of knowledge that saves and destroys simultaneously.

Appearance

Height: Average (175cm)
Build: Gaunt (forgets to eat)
Hair: Dark brown, unkempt
Eyes: Bloodshot, intense
Skin: Pale (rarely sees sunlight)

Corruption (Stage 1): - Hands: Black veins visible - Fingernails: Darkened - Skin temperature: Cool - Occasional tremor

Clothing: - Stained lab coat (chemical burns) - Practical underneath (forgotten fashion) - Gloves (when remembers) - Goggles (safety, sometimes)

Appearance: Unkempt genius (too busy for grooming)

Biography

Early Life (249-264 S.)

Origin: Born Skyport Eos (middle class)

Family: Parents (both Clergy), two siblings

Childhood: - Brilliant (obvious early) - Curious (obsessively) - Socially awkward (preferred books)

Education: Constellation Clergy schools (expected path)

Specialty: Healing arts, alchemy, natural philosophy

Clergy Career (264-277 S.)

Ordained (264 S., age 15): Youngest priest

Assignment: Healing work (successful)

Interest: Rot corruption (began studying)

Questions: - What is Rot chemically? - Can it be neutralized? - Why does it progress at different rates?

Research (270-277 S.): - Unauthorized experiments - Collected samples (dangerous) - Tested compounds on corrupted tissue - Discovered promising leads

Controversy (275 S.): - Used human subjects (Rot-Touched volunteers) - Experiments risky (some died) - Clergy disapproved (moral objections)

Expulsion (277 S., age 28): - Charges: Heresy, endangerment - Defense: Progress justifies risks - Verdict: Expelled - Unrepentant: Continued research independently

Glimmering Spire (277-287 S.)

Arrival (277 S.): - Spire perfect (minimal oversight, resources available) - Established laboratory (Spire’s base level) - Continued research (unrestricted)

Decade of Work: - Extensive Rot cataloging - Compound synthesis (hundreds tested) - Stage progression mapping - Slow corruption mechanisms - Failed cures (many) - Partial successes (few)

Reputation: - Brilliant researcher (undeniable) - Ethically questionable (volunteers at risk) - Obsessed (probably) - Mad (possibly)

Current Status (287 S.): - Spire’s de facto leader (others defer) - Corrupted himself (irony noted) - Claims breakthrough imminent (always claims this) - Won’t stop (can’t stop)

Personality

Obsessive: Research consumes everything

Brilliant: Genuinely genius-level intellect

Socially Inept: Terrible at human interaction

Ethical (surprisingly): - Only uses volunteers - Explains risks honestly - Genuinely wants to help - Just willing to accept terrible costs

Monomaniacal: Rot research is everything

Optimistic (delusionally?): Always claims breakthrough soon

Kind (awkwardly): Cares about people (bad at showing it)

Research

Laboratory

Location: Glimmering Spire base level

Condition: Organized chaos (he knows where everything is)

Contents: - Rot samples (various stages, sealed containers) - Corrupted specimens (preserved) - Chemical compounds (hundreds) - Notes (decades worth, detailed) - Equipment (pre-Shattering some, functional)

Current Work

Project: Rot-progression inhibitor

Method: - Identify corruption’s chemical signature - Synthesize neutralizing compound - Test on tissue samples - Refine formula - Eventually human trials

Progress: - Compound Theta-7 shows promise - Slows Stage 1 progression (confirmed) - Requires continuous dosing - Side effects significant - Not cure (management)

Problem: Requires Rot-Touched tissue (ethical nightmare)

Discoveries

Major Findings: 1. Rot spreads chemically (airborne + contact) 2. Psychological state affects progression (despair accelerates) 3. Early Stage 1 potentially reversible (theoretical) 4. Voice Beneath = real phenomenon (not hallucination) 5. Corruption has consistent chemical markers

Publications: None (who’d publish heresy?)

Shared Knowledge: - Collaborates with Kalis Dren - Advises Clergy (unofficially) - Trains desperate alchemists

The Corruption

His Infection

Source: Decade of exposure (cumulative)

Stage: Early Stage 1

Progression: Slow (resistance through understanding?)

Symptoms: - Black veins (hands, forearms) - Cool skin temperature - Occasional tremor - Hears Voice (faintly, resists)

Prognosis: Will progress unless cures self

His Response: “Research subjects include myself. Ethical consistency requires it.”

The Breakthrough

Secret: Compound Theta-7 actually works

Truth: - Arrests Stage 1 progression - Requires daily dosing - Works on him (self-testing) - But: Made from rendered Rot-Touched tissue

Ethical Horror: - Needs corpses (volunteers? Coerced? Murdered?) - Currently using own corrupted tissue (insufficient) - Scaling up = moral nightmare

Dilemma: - Reveal method = denounced as monster - Stay silent = cure unavailable - Continue = increasing moral cost

Relationships

Kalis Dren: Research partnership (mutual respect, regular collaboration)

Former Clergy: Mixed (some respect work, others condemn)

Volunteers: Grateful (he helps them) and exploited (he uses them)

Glimmering Spire Residents: Tolerate (benefits > risks)

Archivists: Interested (want his research preserved)

Current Activities

Daily Routine: - Wake whenever (irregular sleep) - Work (18-hour days) - Experiment (constant) - Eat (forgets often) - Sleep (collapse from exhaustion)

Projects: - Refine Theta-7 - Test on volunteers - Document everything - Seek funding/materials - Occasional consultation work

Secrets

The Tissue Source

Hidden: Where Rot-Touched tissue comes from

Options Considered: 1. Volunteers donate (insufficient supply) 2. Purchase from Murky Chasm (Cartel sells corpses) 3. Self-harvest (his own corruption, limited) 4. Worse options (doesn’t want to consider)

Current: Mix of 1 and 3 (ethical but insufficient)

Future: May need option 2 (moral compromise)

The Success

Hidden: Cure works (partially)

Reason for Hiding: - Method unacceptable - Insufficient supply for mass production - Needs perfection (current version flawed) - Public knowledge = pressure to release (not ready)

Plan: Perfect formula first, then reveal

Timeline: Uncertain (months? Years? Never?)

The Progression

Hidden: Corruption accelerating recently

Evidence: - Spreading faster (despite Theta-7) - Voice louder - Occasional dissociation

Cause: Resistance weakening? Dose insufficient? Stage 2 imminent?

Fear: Won’t complete research before transformation

Response: Work harder (probably accelerates corruption)

Quest Hooks

The Material: Acquire Rot-Touched tissue ethically (how?)
The Formula: Steal/obtain Theta-7 (uses?)
The Intervention: Convince Kael to stop (before dies)
The Funding: Find patron for research (who’d support?)
The Publication: Help document findings (preserve knowledge)
The Volunteer: Become test subject (desperate cure-seeker)
The Ethics: Investigate tissue source (expose? Enable?)
The Cure Distribution: If revealed, manage consequences
The Rescue: Extract Kael before Spire collapses
The Successor: Find/train someone to continue work

“Morality is luxury. Survival is necessity. I choose survival. Judge me after humanity endures.”

“Yes, I’m corrupted. Occupational hazard. I’ll die knowing more about the Rot than anyone alive. That knowledge might save millions. Worth it.”

“They called my work heresy. Let them. When I find the cure, they’ll call me savior. Or they won’t, because they’ll be dead. Either way, I’ll have tried.”