~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ E. L. Gainsborough ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Name: Edmund Lloyd Gainsborough
Also Known As: Typically referred to as “El” or dependent on the speaker’s authoritative position “Gainsborough”. On a more rare occasion, he may be referred to as “Ed.”
Gender: Male
Title: “Mister” or more accurately, ‘Doctor”.
Age: 29 years
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown Note, that El often displays only one eye - the other almost always covered by a patch unless in private quarters.
Build: Slender, Athletic
Profession: Scientist specializing in Biology and Ecology suggesting that he both studies living organisms and living systems as well as the relationship of living things with their living and nonliving environment.
Character Traits: Cautious, Cynical, Intelligent, Realistic
Distinctive Features: El’s most distinctive features are his kempt hair, strong jaw line, and the eyepatch covering his left eye leading to the presumable conclusion of blindness in his left eye.
Motivations: Previously, El was motivated by a pursuit of discovery. Employed by the central government of the Elysium Prime as a biologist and an ecologist he often was given the task of identifying and understanding newly discovered creatures upon newly explored planets. However, under the current predicament El’s only motivation is survival and a safe return to his home.
Summary of Role: El fills the role of co-protagonist, as well as that of an intellectual man of logic and reason in a situation where decisions left to raw emotions may provide for life threatening consequences.
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Personality/Alignment
Against the better judgment of Elysium Prime Psychologist, Dr. Susan Culotta, the Administration has found this man to hold such an important position. In her medical opinion, Dr. Edmund Lloyd Gainsborough is a dominator in the most dangerous sense of the term. By her diagnosis he will methodically take what he wants without regard for whom, althought she does admit there are personal limits within his own code of conduct. He cares about tradition, loyalty, and order but not necessarily freedom, dignity, or life. El may play by the rules but without mercy or compassion. While he may be comfortable in a hierarchy and would like to be in a position of power, but will serve and has done well thus far. While Edmund may not condemn others based on their race, religion, homeland, or social rank - he will do so according to their actiosn. But why would this be problematic? Because he is often quick to pounce on one he sees as inferior due to these poor actions and do so ruthlessly. Edmund has proven loath to break promises. This reluctance appears to come partly from his nature and partly because he depends on order to protect himself from those who oppose him on moral grounds. While a list cannot be drawn, it wouldn’t be unheard of to believe that El may have particular taboos, such as not killing in cold blood (but he wouldn’t be above having someone else do it) or not letting children come to harm (if it can be helped). It could be said that compunctions puts him above unprincipled sociopaths. He will easily exploit anyone if it means it can expand what little power he can get his hands on. While it cannot be determined, he may commit himself to this domination or sociopathy with a zeal like that of a crusader committed to good. Beyond being willing to hurt others for his own ends, he may take pleasure in generating his schemes and taking control. One wouldn’t be surprised if he sees this domination as a part of a duty to some underlying duty to a less scrupulous master. If it could be said it is believed that Edmund Lloyd Gainsborough might be diabolical and the epitome of evil.
Introvert or Extrovert
El is a an introvert, which is suggest that he has a quiet energy and tends to listen or observe more than act or talk. He is more prone to thinking quietly in his head rather than communicating his thoughts. Edmund feels comfortable alone although he may often times find himself ill prepared to appropriately deal with a solitary life style. Despite having to be in the field to perform his duties, Edmund often prefers to work behind the scene, avoiding the limelight when at all possible. Self-contained and reserved, he has good powers of concentration and often prefers to focus on one thing at a time.
Sensory or Intuition
Edmund focuses on details and the specifics of a given situation. He admires practical solutions and notices details while strictly remembering facts. El is pragmatic and often times sees things as they are. He lives in the present trusting actual experience over gut instincts. He prefers step by step instruction and likes to use established skills. It is preferred to work at a steady pace rather than momentary explosions of inspiration.
Feeling or Thinking
Edmund makes decisions objectively. He appears cool and reserved, being convinced by rational arguments over how he feels. He is honest and direct valuing honesty and fairness. He takes few things personally and does quite well in seeing flaws. El is motivated by achievement and often times entertainment in argument or debate.
Perception or Judgment
Edmund likes to have things settled. He often takes responsibility seriously. El is usually prompt paying attention to time and prefers to finish projects rather than start new. He works first and plays later. Edmund seeks disclosure and sees the need for most rules. El likes to make plans and stick with them, finding comfort in schedules.
Strengths
One of Edmund’s most prominent strengths is his level of personal intelligence. This keen intellect goes side by side with his given profession as chosen by the administration of Elysium Prime. It was because of his strong aptitude for intellectual discovery that he was placed in a field of academia rather than physical prowess or mechanical understanding. To Edmund’s further benefit, is his physical ability which was propagated by the administration of Elysium Prime who requires that their field operatives be physically capable of handling themselves to a reasonable extent. Required to complete a mile under ten minutes as well as a number of other feats of physical fitness, El has maintained a relatively prominent level of physical fitness. El’s final strength is his relatively strong understanding of the mechanical systems that he is in immediate reach of while under the employ of Elysium Prime. Although he is not a mechanical engineer or even a mechanic in the general sense of word, El has a basic understanding of the wiring and mechanics of the STS Discovery as well as his Independent Environmental Homeostasis Suit or IEHS. He has a general understanding of the simplistic weapons he was issued for this mission in case of things such as jams or other minor issues.
Weaknesses
Edmund’s biggest weakness is that his skill set is very specialized in that there is little beyond his educated and trained job skills that he has acquired on his own accord. While his personality may be conducive to learning new things, his experience with learning new things in the on the fly is few and far between. This has made El rigid and resistant to change in situations where tensions are running high or his well being is in dire straights. While he may be physically fit to produce the results that Elysium Prime has come to expect, he is not as strong or in shape as others who may be more fit for missions of true exploration or survival. Edmund relies heavily on his IEH suit in the field whether it be delving into a dank cave or examining the features of a rocky crag. Another complication that El experiences regularly is in dealing with people who may be or may feel as though they are superior to him. His personality and his education has shaped him into resenting those who unjustifiably feel superior to him (if simply by position) but have failed to acceptably prove that superiority to him, El often treats them as if lesser simply in every way. This superiority complex leads him to be argumentative, and will often times make decisions that are detrimental to the collective thought potentially fruitful to himself.
Personality Flaws or Quirks
El was not chosen simply because he just so happened to show some level of aptitude for intellectual pursuits or a promising drive. Upon testing during his more formative teenage years as the Administration was working to determine his placement, El tested positive for a more enhanced psionic presence. Manifestation of this ability is nearly a mystery. While El acknowledges that others see it in him, he denies the existence of this gift. Subsequently, El has failed to hone this talent. Such an ability commonly only shows itself upon his most dire need in the most bizarre ways.
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Background Synopsis
Currently Omitted Due to Administrative Blackout, Synopsis to arrive soon.