Sanctimonious Munitions Pontifex

Basic Info

Name: Sanctimonious Munitions Pontifex
Nickname: Pope
Concept: Captain of Industry
Motivation: Illuminate the Void
Caste: Orichalum

Background

The nation of Sova is prepared to make war on the Void. It was agreed upon that present materials scarcity necessitated efficient usage of available weaponry, or, as a more preferable alternative, weaponry that provided more bang for less buck. Such then, was the creation of Sanctimonious Munitions Pontifex.

No small number of brilliant, albeit mortal researchers toiled endlessly to to devise weapons that would more efficiently eliminate, or better yet, reverse their natures. Progress was slow, and it lacked direction - a reclusive scientist would not catalyze brilliance necessary to achieve this feat. Someone radical, capable of catalyzing change, had to be chosen. So it was then, that the mortal soul chosen to become Pope was drawn from the ranks of eccentric, brash entrepreneurs. After his creation, Pope was quickly given a long leash and gentle suggestions that he induce a renaissance in the warfare research sector. He immersed himself in the Sova's quickly expanded defense industry, and with zeal typical of Caste, quickly mastered the business and technical aspects of the field.

Pope came to Retzor shortly after and was quickly able to convince the Tripartite Assembly to provide him with the means necessary to conduct research. He maintains a modest laboratory and a less modest test field, where he commands a small, specialized force in battlefield simulations. His ideas are considered somewhat rash, although they have produced interesting results. It is Pope's belief that Essence and light are fundamentally intertwined (his theories may have more credence than even he realizes - consider that all Gaian Celestial Exaltations come from Incarnae who are fundamentally light producing bodies). As such, he primarily conducts research into light-based weaponry, convinced that Essence-infused light is the key to reversing the effects of blight. He literally intends to Illuminate the Void, burning away Autochon's corruption by erasing the shadows that shield it. Within his research laboratories, he is primarily an idea man, contributing mostly to the beginnings and ends of projects - he builds prototypes to be improved upon, and he is often the engineer to put the final touches on his exceedingly complex wonders.

Although his research ideas are interesting, he was ultimately Exalted for his ability to inspire - and he does just that. The engineers behind the closed doors of his laboratories need no motivation to pursue their work - they have the privilege of researching some of the most interesting weaponry prospects in Autochon. Pope has put a tremendously positive spin on his work to Retzor's, and Sova's public. Thanks to Sanctimonious Munitions Pontifex, R&D is a noble undertaking on par with slaying Apostates and healing the sick, praised universally as an effort crucial to securing the Far Reaches. He has secured public backing for what was previously a niche industry, and is infamous for his tendency to make public appearances at any event of social importance - he has developed quite a reputation as a super-socialite, often visible in the public eye, but always unreachable. Pope is perceived as the hero who will empower the people to take a stand against the ever-encroaching darkness.

Privately, some wonder - Despite playing himself off as a somewhat relaxed venture capitalist, Pope holds a fanatical devotion to seeing his projects work. Several tests have already penetrated their defined boundaries, and some senior Tripartite members and other Alchemical Exalts wonder just how far Pope might go to see one of his weapons work. He has talked of constructing artificial fusion engines that will light the skies of Autochon ablaze (little does he realize he has serendipitously envisioned the pantheon of Celestial Incarnae) and purge the blight zones in one fell swoop - this would undoubtedly wreak havoc on all of the elemental poles, and though the installation of such devices would certainly be halted, the Adamant Caste privately worries that Pope may convince himself that even more dangerous and radical solutions to the Void problem are acceptable.