Egan Arkadius
 Egan Arkadius
Doctor | ||
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| Race | Human (Caspian) | |
| Gender | Male | |
| Weapons | Combat Syringe | |
| Birth | 555 AR | |
History
Egan Arkadius was born in 555 AR, the eldest of two children in a family with substantial wealth, having made their fortunes as high-ranking members of the Mercarian League within Caspia. His sister Tabitha was born in 567 AR. While her early development was completely without incident, after her sixth birthday Tabitha started to show signs of mild palsy, and the Arkadius family seeked out top physicians for diagnosis and treatment.[1]
In 574 AR, Egan accepted entry into the Royal Cygnaran University’s esteemed engineering program to begin training as an arcane mechanik. Later that year, Tabitha began a rapid regression both physically and mentally. The Arkadius family spared no expense in attempting to treat their daughter. Yet in the end, she proved unresponsive to both spiritual and alchemical aid. She succumbed to the illness in 576 AR, and Egan, devastated by the death of his sister, changed fields of study to natural sciences with a focus on anatomy and physiology.[1]
Arkadius quickly established himself within his new field of study at the R.C.U., much to the amazement of many of his professors, who originally viewed the fiery upstart with no small measure of reserve due to his change in academic pursuits. His work concerning the linkage between parental traits and offspring was critically acclaimed by his professors at the R.C.U.[1]
Though Arkadius’ star continued to rise at the R.C.U., he left the university for Ceryl University in 581 AR. He quickly established a name and reputation for himself as a brilliant, if somewhat radical and single-minded student. Two years later, he completed his doctoral thesis and assumed a junior professorship at Ceryl University, teaching both engineering and physiology. During this time, all of Arkadius’ papers and lectures began to focus exclusively on the body as a machine whose parts and workings could be manipulated with the same principles applied to mechanikal science. As more of the radical nature of his research became apparent, the stronger the opposition grew among the administrators at Ceryl University to allowing him to continue his work, though despite the censure he retains his position for a few years.[1]
Arkadius first met Professor Viktor Pendrake, Corvis University’s High Chancellor of Extraordinary Zoology, during one of his lecture tours in 587 AR. With the encouragement of Pendrake, Arkadius left Ceryl University in 589 AR, joining the Department of Natural Sciences in Corvis University. He secured a post as a researching professor and was given greater access to research material to pursue his initial investigations into living physiology.[1]
Taking an interest in the farrow, Arkadius procured several farrow by unknown means and began experimentation on them. He conducted his work in secret, slowly amassing research data he intended to present to the professors at Corvis University to prove his initial theories and procure permission for further official testing. Arkadius subjected his subjects to all manner of grisly work, including severing limbs and replacing them with improved artificial ones, subjecting them to a host of alchemical treatments designed to enhance or regulate their basic physiology, and even attempting to culture lab-grown artificial organs.[1]
When he submitted his research to the ranking professors at Corvis University in 597 AR, the university immediately disavowed the work and expelled Arkadius from its ranks. Within the intellectual community, even Arkadius had to follow some rules and regulations; now he was left to his own moral compass.[1]
Having found exceptional test subjects in the farrow due to their unusual physiology, Arkadius left Corvis and drew on his family’s wealth to set up his own private research laboratory in the southeastern Thornwood near several competing farrow tribes. Using black market contacts, Arkadius procured a substantial amount of alchemical and mechanikal equipment. With his new laboratory in place Arkadius entered the next stage of his work.[1]
By 605 AR, Arkadius moves his operation from the Thornwood to somewhere in the Bloodstone Marches, likely to avoid interference by Cygnaran authorities. He first meets Lord Carver in 606 AR, at the edge of the Marshfells. Carver united the nearest tribes and made their chiefs bow to him. Though he initially wants to kill Arkadius, he changes his mind when Arkadius unveils his creations: surgically altered giant hogs, fused with steam engines and mechanikal components, known as war hogs. Carver brokes a deal with Arkadius, and with the doctor's backing he summons a large number of scattered farrow chieftains to the Thornwood at the Thornfall battlefield site and forces them to accept his rulership. This becomes known as the Thornfall Alliance.[1]
Personality
Dr. Egan Arkadius is ever mindful of chances to gather new specimens and materials, anticipating the day when those who once mocked his science will be at the mercy of the species he has molded into perfection. His is a brilliant mind whose lofty ideals have been corrupted into something monstrous, transforming both creator and creation into something utterly inhuman.[1][2]
