[FFXII] Master Almog the Manic Moogle Maniac

Name: Almog
Nicknames/Alias: Doctor, Doc, Boss, Master, Professor (most of these self-assigned)
FF (Even OCs have to originate from a certain FF): FFXII
Age: Unknown
Height/build: 2’4” and 30 lbs.
DoB: Unkown
Race: Moogle
Weapon: Hammers, wrenches, mallets, torches, drills, saws, dremels, laser cutters, acids, heat guns, nail guns, glue guns, bullet guns.
Level (Anywhere between 1-100): 20
Strength: 60
(Split the strength up between physical, magical, and agility.)
Physical: 25
Magical: 25
Agility: 10

Special Skill(s): Self-Proclaimed Super Genius and Inventor who is learned in Etoria--the ultimate technology developed by moogles. She is an engineer who has studied varying disciplines of the physical sciences and mathematics, with an emphasis on quantum mechanics.

Magick: Almog mostly relies on motes and magick-infused items when it comes to spells, since her own MP is very low and she prefers to conserve her energy. She is not much of for magery since her understanding of magic is from a more scientific stance--i.e. the manipulation of energy fields rather than spiritual energy. By her reckoning, magick is just another word for advanced concepts of science, in which lesser evolved societies have yet to grasp, since people tend to use the term “magic” to describe mechanical and technological operations that they do not understand.

Like many moogles, she is capable of keeping herself aloft. However, while some may believe that moogles are able to sustain flight through the use of magick--such as a float spell--she will be quick to “correct” the assumption by claiming that moogles are able to keep aloft by generating a localized anti-gravity field around themselves, before adding, “Not that you’ll understand what any of this means, kupo.”

Summon/Monster Pet: Chocobeau the Chocobo is Almog’s bestest friend in the entire worldwide world. He is a chocobo that she’s had since she was little moogling, and one which she raised and trained herself. Almog tends to feed him a bit too much, though, so he’s a little bit on the weighty side, and bumbling at that. Although her chocobo was originally a yellow color, there was an unfortunate dye mishap during her stay at Mognet Central, in which Chocobeau ended up permanently dyed blue.

Level: 25
Strength: 75
Physical: 30
Magical: 5
Agility: 40
Abilities: Choco Cure, Choco Beak, and Choco Barrier

Appearance: Although Almog is female, her gender is probably something hard for non-moogles to tell. Preferring function over fashion, she doesn’t really dress in clothing that humes would genderize as effeminate.


Personality: Eccentric, terribly smug, and self important, she thinks herself to be quite the genius. She’s known to laugh at her own jokes, often with a cackling “KU KU KU KU KU KUPO!” She has both megalomaniac and “mad scientist” tendencies, for ever since she was a young moogle, she has dreamed of someday ruling the universe, nay, the multiverse. However, it is hard to tell if such proclamations were made in jest, or if they were serious.

She often has a take-charge attitude when it comes to group projects, and can be very bossy toward others. When her temper is flared, she’s been known to throw tools at those employees who upset her. Mostly though, she is nice. Or, at least, she thinks of her self as such.

When conversing with others, she can be too blunt when asking people questions that may be overly personal. She makes observations that may come across as offensive.

Her enthusiastic toward science, gadgetry, and shiny new things can modestly be described as manic.

History: Almog was born from a line of engineers learned in Etoria--the advanced technology used by moogles. When she was small, she was a curious tyke who was often taking things apart to figure out what was inside them, or how they worked. Then, as she grew older, so did her interests in engineering and the sciences. As a young moogle, started out as an apprentice to a weapons engineer. Eventually, as she grew older, their conflicting personalities started clashing so bad that her moogle master threw her out. Afterward, she decided to leave her hometown to make a name for herself (a name which, on a whim, she decided to be Almog) and moved to Archades. She managed to gain work at the aerodome as an apprentice airship engineer who, on the side, took to vigorously studying other fields of science. Over the years that passed, and after she finished her apprenticeship, she became quite an accomplished Etorian engineer known within scientific circles. It came to pass that her theories, via the publishing of her treatise within a peer-reviewed scientific journal, caught the interest of those within the Draklor Laboratory. Soon, she was recruited to work within the lab, and was able to continue her studies therein. As a budding scientist at the Draklor Laboratory, Almog spent much of her time tinkering around with doodads and thingamajigs. She also participated in varying projects ranging from airship design, weapons design, and research into magicite.

- Post Merge -

Just prior to the Merge, Almost had been taking a long sabbatical from her research at Draklor Laboratory. She had been in the Feywood studying how concentration of mist seems to have halted the evolution of the wood’s local plant and wildlife. She was interested in finding out of it was due to a chemical interaction between mist and monsters, or if it were possible that the mist held properties that could disrupt the fabric of space-time within this localized area.

When she later left the Feywood, she greeted by a very different word. She ended up wandering the continent attempting to get her bearing and learn what had happened. As she traveled, she encountered wonderfully advanced cities like Palumpolum (where she was initially mistaken for a mechanical toy, but less so after the humes there started growing used to such creatures), or the ruins of Vector and its Magitek Research Facility, as well as existence of Midgar, Junon, and Gongaga’s mako energy plants. Of these cities, though, it was the computer technology of Midgar and Palumpolum that most drew her attention. She found computers to be a new kind of advanced human technology totally unlike that of Etoria, but whose potential applications could prove to rival that of the moogle technology. She also holds an interest in learning about the implementations of magiteck armor, of materia fusion and crystals, as well as the workings of the fal’cie.

At first, she was put off by how some of the humans in certain cities continuously mistook her for being a toy. Then, once the ire wore off, she decided to use this misjudgement to her advantage, and sneak into areas that would otherwise be restricted access, by pretending to be a toy someone left laying around. It also afforded her the opportunity to just lay around while eavesdropping.

It was also during these travels that she encountered others who held interests in acquiring information about such previously foreign technology, or to steal the technology for themselves. Some of those whom she encountered seemed to have good intentions, only wishing to learn. And then, there were a few whose interests seemed to hold more sinister goals in mind.

She learned that in the aftermath of the Merge, the New World in which she found herself was one of mistrust, teetering on the brink of war. She also learned of Old Powers that striving to maintain their control, while New Factions sought to take it from them. She encountered Provincial Governments just trying to organize relief efforts, and encountered destroyed towns where there was very little to be had at all.

Of the people she encountered early in her travels, was a droopy-eared veira male. At first, she wondered what a male viera was doing outside the wood, for it was very rare that the males ever left. However, she soon noticed that there were anatomical discrepancies about his appearance, that suggested he was not a full-blooded viera. Due to this, she surmised that he must have never been part of the wood to begin with. Next, she recognized him as prisoner, one who must have escaped during the confusion of the Merge, for he had still been wearing prison shackles that silenced his magick. Initially, she was wary of him. Not one to trust what was obviously low-life criminal, she decided to leave him be and continue on her journey. However, circumstances came to be that she and her chocobo fell under the attack of a large fiend. The fiend was incredibly strong, and the two of them probably would have ended up gobbled up, were it not that the strange male half-deira came to their rescue. Weakened as he was, it was a fight ended up causing him more injury, but he prevailed in the end. Surprised by his action, she returned his kindness by removing his shackles, restoring to him his magicks. He identified himself as Yngve. They took up traveling together, temporarily, with him as her bodyguard. They took on doing quests as they traveled, in exchange for goods and information. Sometimes, there was a little treasure hunting to be done amidst the ruins they encountered--places she never would have dared to enter before encountering the stronger half-viera. Their friendship became and odd, and sometimes very frustrating one, for both come from very opposing outlooks in life--He, former temple acolyte under the Light of Kiltia, learned in the ways of magic, superstition, and lore; she, a scientist with little regard for the the blind faith that is placed on mysticism. When Almog, out of curiosity, asked about his heritage--if he was by chance a Feol Viera--Yngve freely admitted he was wasn’t exactly sure on that. He added that he wasn’t from Foel Warren, and that he had only passed through there but once. Considering his darker complexion and hair coloration, for all he knew, he claimed, it might be more likely that he was part hume. Regardless of which, in the end, it didn’t really matter--by the law of the Green Word, he was still one of The Exiled. She noticed he carried a certain bitterness to him, like he had a chip on his shoulder, but she never commented on it.

At another early point along her journey, she came across another moogle--the first that she had seen in a while. He was a courier, and he brought Almog and Yngve with him to Mognet Central. While at Mognet Central, she learned that since the Merge, some of the displaced moogles at been gathering at this place to regroup, or to seek information. It was there that her chocobo had bumbled itself into an unfortunate dye accident, which ended up permanently turning it blue.

In the year that passed after the Merge, Almog never returned to Draklor. Fascinated by this new world, she eventually moved to Palumpolum, instead, due to its proximity to areas of interest such as Vector, Midgar, and Junon. Wherein, she established her new moogle-staffed synthesis shop and laboratory, called “The MogWorks.” It was at this point that Yngve went his separate way--although he sends in requests for supplies to aid him in his quests. While staying in Palumpolum she continued pursuing her interest computer and semiconductor technology--particularly in that of miniaturization techniques and the fabrication of nanotechnology (see GYGES RING below).

When not in the lab, she spends her time exploring the more advanced cities of the world--particularly locations that used to be part of Cocoon, as well as the ruins of Vector and Midgar--in order to study their technology and trade ideas with local scientists and engineers. Sometimes, she stops in at Mognet Central to touch base with other moogles, share information, and gossip about world happenings.

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THE MOGWORKS SYNTH-SHOP AND LABORATORY

RESTRICTED ACCESS MOOGLING POST
Class: Etoria Technology
Function: Teleportation
Description: Almog recently had a Restricted Access Moogling Post installed in both her synth-shop and laboratory, which requires the use of a special key-stone in order for someone to teleport into the laboratory. Current people who have key-stones are Alma, Yngve, and the MogWorks Moogles, select Mognet Syndicate members, and the moogles who run the Moogling Posts.
Networked Moogling Post Locations: MogWorks Synth-Shop, MogWorks Laboratory, Rabanastre-The Sandsea, Mognet Central.

MOGG-KRUISAR
Class: Prototype
Function: MogWorks Laboratory Automated Security System
Timeline: After Merge, after establishment of laboratory in Palumpolum
Description: Automated Intelligence, programmed as an primitively experimental step toward Artificial Intelligence. Protects the laboratory from unauthorized intruders. If case of intruder, or a if a containment leak is detected, the system puts the laboratory under lockdown. Robotic sentinels are dispatched to apprehend intruders, if any.
Flaw: Weak against water spells. Hackable if intruder makes it to the control room. Programmed with a self-destruct function. The programming is still a bit buggy, and needs to get the kinks worked out. It’s been known to sometimes alarm at the detection of friendlies, mistaking them to be intruders. For example the system once sent its sentinels after Yngve, mistaking him for a monster.

GYGES RING
Class: Nanomagitek
Function: Invisibility Shield
Timeline: Invented After Merge, while staying in Palumpolum
Description: Borrowing from techniques used within the semiconductor industries of both Palumpolum and Edge, such as photolithography which is used in computer miniaturization, the Gyges Ring is a visible spectrum lightwave manipulator built from metamaterials, and is used to direct light around an object thus rendering it invisible. Based on a technology called plasmonics, the device utilizes nano implants--complexly stacked layers of wafers made from mithril and magicite-mist to form a three-dimensional magi-metamaterial. This magi-metamaterial creates plasmonic waves at the same frequency as the original light beam, that then act as a guide to direct the light through the device’s nanowires. With plasmonics, the device’s transistors uses the light beam rather than electricity to run. In past experiments, using electricity tended to overheat the device, causing it to fail. With light, there is much less heat loss, and the device runs cooler.
Flaw: Since light is being directed around the shield, anyone inside the invisibility shield will not be able to see. To counter this, a glass plate may need to be installed which will act as a beam splitter that will redirect some of the light going around the shield inward as well.

THE MOGWORKS EMPLOYEES AND ASSETS
The siblings Moghuak, Moggtth, and Mogho
Steve - The human costume that the moogles may wear when manning the front desk of the synthesis shop. This was made so as not to draw attention from, or scare off, humans not used to seeing moogles.
Yngve - A half-viera of many aliases, the most notable being the thief Rakesh and the sky pirate Deoradhán.

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MR THREAD PLOT POINTS

Thread: What Am I?

Regarding the Theft of the Fabul Crystal - The thief Rakesh (also known as the viera Yngve) devised a plan for hiding the Fabul crystal in the “last place they’d look.” The crystal’s hiding place was decided to be the very place where it belongs. Therefore, using her expertise in drawing energy from stones, Almog crafted a device that Rakesh could used to cloak the Fabul Crystal, to give the appearance that it was stolen.

There are times when Rakesh makes statements that seem oddly knowledgeable for a mere thief--particularly comments regarding moogles, as well as the following quote:

“There is a legend, wherein ‘tis believed that all o’ existence was supported by an immense tree--The World Tree, or Yggdrasil, as it was called. And upon each of th' Yggdrasil's sprawlin' branches, was harbored a different realm... From there, th' legend varies in account as t' what exactly such realms housed--ranging from th' lands o' gods, t' men, t' demons. Mayhap there be truth t' it, mayhap there be not. All th' same, 'tis my thinkin' that the Yggdrasil was really comprised of divergent realms, connected in origin at th' tree's trunk, with branches that grew outward through time. Formin’ into different realities. Existent in both opposition ‘n parallel. Each branch gave buddin’ t’ its own fruit--each wit’ it's own history... it's own present... Perhaps, even it's own future, were it not that Catastrophe struck, ‘n shook th’ tree. I do not ken th’ why or how or what, just yet, but I believe that somethin’ caused th’ branches shrivel in upon themselves as though diseased. Now, th’ tree is twisted and gnarled, her branches entwined together as one. All o’ existence has become but a mangled trunk—that trunk, th’ new reality into which we ‘ave all awakened, lost ‘n confused.

"This Catastrophe happened one year ago. In th’ time that has passed, this event has since come t’ be referred t’, colloquially, as The Merge. This reality in which we now live: ‘tis an amalgamation o’ different worlds, nations and people—a reality of distrust ‘n suspicion, standin’ upon th’ precipice of war. Old Powers struggle t‘ retain that order which has been lost; New Factions rise t’ seize th’ opportunity that now lies in th’ resultant chaos.”

It can be surmised that Rakesh had gained such knowledge directly from Almog, and was in fact quoting the moogle. The Yggdrasil analogy is Rakesh’s dumbed-downed interpretation of Almog’s best guess about what happened--which involved a lot of scientific gobbledygook about universal expansion and the many-world interpretation of quantum mechanics. For example, “one aspect of quantum mechanics is that certain observations cannot be predicted absolutely. Instead, there is a range of possible observations, each with a different probability. According to the MWI, each of these possible observations corresponds to a different universe. Suppose a die is thrown that contains six sides and that the numeric result of the throw corresponds to a quantum mechanics observable. All six possible ways the die can fall correspond to six different universes (Wiki).”

The reference to Old Powers and New Factions might be a vague reference as to the motive behind why they are hiding the crystals. However, due to the following statement, it is dubious as to whether such actions were done for good or ill.

“I am not th’ enemy they perceive me t’ be. Still, fer the greater good, ‘tis th’ role I must play... ” --Rakesh