Although Kel'Thuzad had ostensibly surrendered, Rhodes wasn't about to place 100% trust in the Archlich. He needed Sandro to master everything the Lich knew as quickly as possible.
"I understand, Master. Lord Sandro's attainments in the realm of the soul are truly astonishing; we shall certainly cooperate fully," Kel'Thuzad said, giving Sandro a slight nod.
While examining the undead troops Rhodes had brought, the two had already exchanged ideas. Kel'Thuzad could tell that Sandro was no amateur in necromancy or biological modification; it was simply that Sandro specialized in a different "version" of the craft. Working together would be beneficial; he could take the opportunity to study a completely foreign system of undead engineering.
Kel'Thuzad suspected that a powerful "Eternal One" from the Shadowlands stood behind Rhodes, gifting him these otherworldly undead. He assumed Sandro himself was a denizen of that realm. To Kel'Thuzad, the Shadowlands were an object of immense curiosity.
He theorized that the Jailer—the one who provided the Lich King's power—was a traitor within the Shadowlands, while Rhodes represented the "official" forces of that realm.
Since the Shadowlands likely couldn't interfere directly with the world of the living, they had chosen Rhodes as their proxy. Rhodes's goal, then, was to apprehend the Lich King or return his stolen power to the Shadowlands.
Back when he first sensed the presence behind the Lich King, Kel'Thuzad had wanted to curry favor with that master. Now, a better opportunity had presented itself. If the creator of the Lich King was truly just a prisoner, there was no reason to serve a loser. He needed to stay close to this new master to gather more intelligence.
Loyalty was a flexible concept for the Archlich; how much "devotion" he truly felt was anyone's guess.
"Continue, Kel'Thuzad. I'm very interested in your modification plans for the Ghost Dragons, Dread Knights, and Vampires," Rhodes said, leaning forward with a smile.
"As you command, Master," Kel'Thuzad said, organizing his thoughts to present his most ambitious designs.
"First, the Ghost Dragons, My Lord. Your dragons are essentially powerful 'Spectre Dragons' or 'Wraith Dragons.' They lack physical form, granting them high resistance to physical attacks, and their Death Breath is formidable. However, this is not the end of their potential."
Rhodes nodded. In the original games, Ghost Dragons didn't actually have physical immunity, but in this reality, their spectral nature allowed them to ignore most low-level physical strikes. Their "Death Breath" was usually just a standard attack, and their most potent ability—Aging—was notoriously difficult to trigger.
"We can attempt a 'Frost-Wraith Dragon' modification. By utilizing the frost magic runes I researched in Northrend and combining them with the Ghost Dragon's incorporeal nature, we can transform their breath from pure death energy into a [Frost Obliteration Breath] infused with ultimate cold."
"This breath won't just cause massive frost damage; it will severely slow or even freeze enemies solid, and it will have a devastating effect on buildings and magic shields. Furthermore, we can enchant them with a permanent [Everfrost Aura], weakening the attack and movement speed of all non-undead units within range. This elevates the Ghost Dragon from a mere heavy hitter to a strategic unit that can control the entire battlefield."
Rhodes liked the idea. He had previously considered turning his unupgraded Bone Dragons into Frost Wyrms, but standard Frost Wyrms were made from Blue Dragon remains. His Bone Dragons were smaller and less powerful than the Blue Dragon flights. A mutated Ghost Dragon variant was a much better fit.
"Excellent! Proceed with that research. Sandro will stay here at Naxxramas with you to facilitate the modifications," Rhodes decided immediately.
"Next are the Dread Knights. Their charge is unstoppable, and their greatswords are razor-sharp—they are the perfect vessels for Death Knights. Straker's previous method of turning them into Blood Death Knights was a bit primitive; I can enhance this."
"Lord Rhodes, I am researching a new type of Death Knight called the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I originally planned to kill and convert powerful human Paladins, but your Dread Knights are excellent 'pre-built' shells. We can modify them into the Four Horsemen or specialized 'Vassal Knights'."
"Oh? Tell me more," Rhodes asked, intrigued. The Four Horsemen—Plague, War, Famine, and Death—were legendary in Warcraft lore.
"We can brand the Dread Knights' mounts and armor with runes representing different concepts. For instance, some can focus on spreading the [Blight Plague], causing enemies to suffer life-draining diseases. Others can trigger [War Frenzy], massively boosting the attack power of themselves and nearby undead allies. Some can master [Soul Hunger], recharging their rune blades and restoring their status by slaying foes. Finally, the elite tier can touch the edge of a [Death Pact], transferring damage to nearby low-level undead or linking a 'Death Covenant' with a powerful enemy to share damage taken..."
Rhodes realized these were essentially the boss mechanics from the raid. With four Dread Knights, he could create a mini-set of Horsemen. Their combat power would be off the charts.
"Fantastic! Kel'Thuzad, your talent exceeds my expectations. Follow your vision and get to work! I look forward to the first Frost-Wraith Dragon and the first Apocalypse squad."
Blood Magic and Shadow Affinity
"Your praise is my greatest honor, Master. Allow me to elaborate on the Vampires and Power Liches. These two possess potential equal to, if not greater than, the Dragons and Knights," Kel'Thuzad said, bowing slightly. He was particularly envious of the Vampires' ability to be resurrected if their kin drank life energy shortly after their fall.
"First, the Vampires. Yours have excellent life-leeching and bat-form mobility—perfect assassins. We can develop them through 'Blood Magic' and 'Shadow Affinity'."
"Blood Magic? Shadow Affinity?" Rhodes raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. We can enhance their talent so they no longer satisfy themselves by just biting. They will control the enemy's blood. [Hematic Plague] would add a vicious curse to their attacks; as enemies bleed, the spilled energy forms 'Blood Orbs' that nearby Vampires can absorb for rapid healing or temporary power boosts.
Secondly, a [Crimson Pact] for elites: when a nearby non-construct undead is destroyed, the Vampire immediately gains a portion of its remaining energy, entering a 'Frenzy' state with vastly increased speed."
Rhodes nodded. This was essentially the precursor to the San'layn.
"And the Shadow?"
"Shadow Affinity compensates for the Vampire's fragility in open warfare. Through runic engraving and shadow rituals, we strengthen their link to the Shadowlands. This allows them to use [Shadowstep] for short-range blinks, making them impossible to pin down.
Elite Vampires could even master a [Shadow Form], becoming fully incorporeal for a short time to ignore physical attacks while boosting their own shadow spells. We can even grant them a [Terrifying Screech]—a sonic wave of shadow magic to cause panic and paralysis."
Rhodes rubbed his chin. These additions made the Vampires function almost like Wardens or Rogues.
"Proceed with the Vampires as well. Now, for the final one: the casters. What about the Power Liches?"
"Ah, you've reached the highlight, Master," Kel'Thuzad grinned. "This is where the real show begins."