The Captor's Diary

"Do you know what irony is? It's when you are a dark wizard steeped in blood to the elbows, when suddenly a silver dragon comes to you in your dreams, entreating you to perform a noble feat and save a few feeble kingdoms from the Spawn of Rovagug. At first I couldn't even come up with an answer. I've done many colorful things in my life – mass ritual murders, for example. But not feats. Never feats. What made me agree in the end? Curiosity, perhaps. And vanity. The dragon had given me enough information to excite both. The Spawn of Rovagug slumbered in the depths. A sphere of madness surrounded it. Many heroes had been summoned, only to fail in the task. It sounded like a perfect challenge for my skills. Besides, I had long desired to test a hypothesis – that kinder, nobler souls are far more susceptible to madness. I have often thought how fragile and cumbersome all these lofty ideals and strict morals must be. How crushing, how blinding, the need to suppress one's selfish impulses – the essence of what others call 'goodness'. Then it all crumbles under external pressures and internal contradictions, and the mind and spirit lie in ruins. 'What have I have to fear?' I asked myself. 'I, who has never been tormented by the pangs of conscience, and always act with cold-blooded premeditation?' So I agreed to the dragon's proposal, and took myself down to conquer the Tenebrous Depths. My approach is different from the other heroes who came here. There's no point in rushing forward haphazardly, hoping to accomplish the goal in one daring attack. I move slowly, studying the magic background of the dungeon, capturing local creatures and using them for experiments and sacrifices. I must admit, this place is significantly more dangerous than I expected. I've already had to fight for my life twice, and fallen exhausted afterwards. I think I shall require an assistant, someone who can drive away the monsters while I'm busy with my research. My skills easily enable me to summon and bind a powerful servant. But will this be enough? I've been thinking recently... What if rational, cold-blooded scoundrels like me are nevertheless susceptible to madness? Only for us, madness manifests in needlessly risking everything in noble escapades. – Like my crusade here to this damned dungeon."