Cato Umbra: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 01:54, 6 August 2023

Cato Umbra (/ˈkæ.toʊ ˈʌm.bɹə/) is a human scientist researching demi-human species taxonomy and magic, especially the human study and use of it, in Offetstine. He has gained somewhat significant notoriety in communities aware of his nature for his unethical method of experimentation. His work as a biologist involves experimentation on live human and demi-human subjects, who often do not willingly elect to participate in his studies. His means are readily considered abusive, often leaving his victims with substantial psychological trauma, and he is eschewed by most of the magic epistemological community who understands his means.

While nominally, Umbra refuses to take the lives of any of his subjects, his means are often likened to torture. He is known for his heavy use of deceptive tactics in general communication. Umbra is widely considered sociopathic and the real-life equivalent of the mad scientist archetype in fiction, especially by members of the research community in Offetstine. Despite this, he is able to evade both the complete ostracization of the community and legal consequences in the human world, due to the Masquerade and the secretive nature of his practice, rarely publishing in reputed demi-human journals nor ever disclosing his particular technique.^[amend]

History

Umbra has maintained his interest in the natural sciences and his proclivity for unethical experimentation since youth. He was ostracized from his ancestral town after he was discovered experimenting on people and animals alike. He was expelled from his university and forced to discontinue his postdoctorate studies, forced to move to Offetstine as a result, and maintains a laboratory in the Northbrook Woodland where he presently conducts his studies.

Among his victims was his brother, Lucas Umbra, who he captured and directly experimented on without prior consent or knowledge. In an attempt to empower Lucas as a mage, he instead died from the trauma of the experiment. Despite his death, he was subsequently revived as a zombie. As such, it may be surmised either that the experiment was partially successful, or that he was a direct subject of the Will of the People.

Another one of his victims was a child who he never bothered to get the name of, who was put under an experiment of his to figure out a source of magic that he could take advantage of. He tore off her ears, tore off bits of her skin, and replaced them with rabbit fur and ears. She was given fox claws, and a fox tail.. She almost died in the process, not by his own will it was more like an accident, but the magic of Offetstine had other plans for her. She was turned into an Animal-folk thanks to the magic of Offetstine, and she decided to dedicate her life to taking Umbra down, naming herself Dusk in the process. Unfortunately for her, Umbra is often on high alert and can be elusive at the best of times, so she hasn't been able to stop his madness yet.

Character

Umbra is keenly manipulative, and regularly attempts to build falsified rapports with demi-humans and human mages alike. His knowledge of the demi-human world is limited, and it may be surmised the magical energy itself in Offetstine recoils as Umbra. Despite the amoral nature of magic as per the Will of the People, Umbra may be understood as someone who wishes to hurt the respective side of the world itself, and the magical energy in Offetstine thereby resists him. Despite his express attempts to seek them out, he is often far less successful than other species taxonomists.

Umbra often seems to put himself in harm's way in pursuit of his studies. He works in the human scientific community under the guise of a microbiologist. Although he is barred from many journals for grave misconduct, he remains sufficiently unknown that he often has no trouble assuming his own identity and a bogus profession to win the favor of others he works with. His limited knowledge of the demi-human world allows him to investigate largely without playing a character, only sparing the fact of his prior interest in magic. For instance, despite being the most prevalent demi-human genus in Offetstine, his documentation on vampires remained tenuous prior to his exposure to one at Rainbow in the Moon, a demi-human exclusive bar and lounge.

Umbra rarely maintains genuine friendships, though he frequently maintains the pretense of kindness in order to lull people toward him. He is highly prone to seeing any acquaintance as a potential test subject, as an extension of his sociopathic character. Despite his relatively unknown status, he is occasionally alluded to by legend, tales wherein a strange man, of diminutive stature and owllike glasses, shall attempt to lure unsuspecting individuals into the forest wherefrom they never return.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-= Cato Umbra: A Biography =
+{{Infobox person
+|gender=Male
+|pronouns=he/him
+|born={{Date and age in years and months|1978-01-01}}{{Amend}}
+|occupation=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology Biologist], [[Species taxonomy|Species taxonomist]]
+|relatives=Lucas Umbra ''(brother)''
+}}
-== Who is Cato Umbra? ==
+'''Cato Umbra''' (/ˈkæ.toʊ ˈʌm.bɹə/) is a human scientist researching demi-human [[species taxonomy]] and [[magic]], especially the human study and use of it, in [[Offetstine]]. He has gained somewhat significant notoriety in communities aware of his nature for his unethical method of experimentation. His work as a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology biologist] involves experimentation on live human and demi-human subjects, who often do not willingly elect to participate in his studies. His means are readily considered abusive, often leaving his victims with substantial psychological trauma, and he is eschewed by most of the [[magical epistemology|magic epistemological]] community who understands his means.
-Cato Umbra is a 20 year old male with dark brown hair, green eyes, and pale skin. He wears a light blue lab coat with two patches on each shoulder, with a light purple shirt underneath. He also wears blue jeans, light purple socks, grey slip on shoes, and his signature blue circle glasses that he can never seem to keep in place properly for long periods of time.
-Cato is a scientist that is very interested in demi-human taxonomy as well as trying to figure out any way to obtain magic, and generally does all sorts of messed up experiments for the sake of trying to figure out the limits of what the world offers, he wants to even play god if possible.
+While nominally, Umbra refuses to take the lives of any of his subjects, his means are often likened to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture torture]. He is known for his heavy use of deceptive tactics in general communication. Umbra is widely considered sociopathic and the real-life equivalent of the [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MadScientist mad scientist] archetype in fiction, especially by members of the research community in Offetstine. Despite this, he is able to evade both the complete ostracization of the community and legal consequences in the human world, due to the [[Masquerade]] and the secretive nature of his practice, rarely publishing in reputed demi-human journals nor ever disclosing his particular technique.{{Amend}}
-== What has Cato Umbra done? ==
+== History ==
-So far, he's experimented on dozens of people and animals in the city he grew up in, though he was found out and was forced to move. He had decided to move into Offetstine, where he currently works at the lab while trying to keep his true intentions under wraps. He has accidentally turned his brother, Lucas Umbra, a zombie and is trying to figure out how to fix that, along with keeping up with his more malicious and dark experiments.
-He currently has very dark plans, trying to get close with any demi-human or human with magic that he comes across, so he can learn more..
+Umbra has maintained his interest in the natural sciences and his proclivity for unethical experimentation since youth. He was ostracized from his ancestral town after he was discovered experimenting on people and animals alike. He was expelled from his university and forced to discontinue his [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctorate#Post postdoctorate] studies, forced to move to [[Offetstine]] as a result, and maintains a laboratory in the [[Northbrook Woodland]] where he presently conducts his studies.
-== Cato's Personality ==
+Among his victims was his brother, Lucas Umbra, who he captured and directly experimented on without prior consent or knowledge. In an attempt to empower Lucas as a [[Magic|mage]], he instead died from the trauma of the experiment. Despite his death, he was subsequently revived as a [[Magic#Necromancy|zombie]]. As such, it may be surmised either that the experiment was partially successful, or that he was a direct subject of the [[Will of the People]].
-Cato is generally sociopathic, not really caring about anyone in the same way that you'd care about a friend or family. He does however care a lot about his brother, but it's in a more sick and twisted sort of way.
-Otherwise, he tries to put on the persona that he's very kind and caring, and passionate about his job. In reality, though, he's very manipulative and is stellar at weaseling his way into gaining trust. He knows what to say and what to do to come off the way he does, even with his off-putting aura. The majority of his interests are in a very sick and twisted way, if he's interested in you, it's likely that he wants to use you as his test subject. Though he can occasionally be friendly for the sake of actually being friends, albeit that's rare.
+Another one of his victims was a child who he never bothered to get the name of, who was put under an experiment of his to figure out a source of magic that he could take advantage of. He tore off her ears, tore off bits of her skin, and replaced them with rabbit fur and ears. She was given fox claws, and a fox tail.. She almost died in the process, not by his own will it was more like an accident, but the magic of Offetstine had other plans for her. She was turned into an [[Animal-folk]] thanks to the magic of Offetstine, and she decided to dedicate her life to taking Umbra down, naming herself Dusk in the process. Unfortunately for her, Umbra is often on high alert and can be elusive at the best of times, so she hasn't been able to stop his madness yet.
+== Character ==
+Umbra is keenly manipulative, and regularly attempts to build falsified rapports with demi-humans and human mages alike. His knowledge of the demi-human world is limited, and it may be surmised the magical energy itself in Offetstine recoils as Umbra. Despite the amoral nature of magic as per the Will of the People, Umbra may be understood as someone who wishes to hurt the respective side of the world itself, and the magical energy in Offetstine thereby resists him. Despite his express attempts to seek them out, he is often far less successful than other [[Species taxonomy|species taxonomists]].
+Umbra often seems to put himself in harm's way in pursuit of his studies. He works in the human scientific community under the guise of a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbiology microbiologist]. Although he is barred from many journals for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_misconduct grave misconduct], he remains sufficiently unknown that he often has no trouble assuming his own identity and a bogus profession to win the favor of others he works with. His limited knowledge of the demi-human world allows him to investigate largely without playing a character, only sparing the fact of his prior interest in magic. For instance, despite being the most prevalent demi-human genus in Offetstine, his documentation on [[Vampire|vampires]] remained tenuous prior to his exposure to one at [[Rainbow in the Moon]], a demi-human exclusive bar and lounge.
+Umbra rarely maintains genuine friendships, though he frequently maintains the pretense of kindness in order to lull people toward him. He is highly prone to seeing any acquaintance as a potential test subject, as an extension of his sociopathic character. Despite his relatively unknown status, he is occasionally alluded to by legend, tales wherein a strange man, of diminutive stature and owllike glasses, shall attempt to lure unsuspecting individuals into the forest wherefrom they never return.