Name: Dr. Cornelius Hyde
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Race: Shifted (Orangutan)
Profession: Chief Medical Officer/Surgeon
Skills:
Surgeon: The title of Doctor is not there to spice up his name. Dr. Cornelius Hyde is a highly trained surgeon and master of medical knowledge. Taught by an ancient institution of medicine, Dr. Hyde uses surgical techniques that can trace back to before the Great Drowning, though with the tools he has at hand.
Alchemist: Not only trained in medicine, Dr. Hyde also possesses a broad range of alchemical knowledge. Combining medical knowledge with alchemical skill allows him to create more precise potions and medicines. Should he require it, he has also created a serum that boosts his strength, speed, and reflexes beyond his already greater than normal capabilities, though this leaves him exhausted and hungry.
Gunsmith: Where medicine is his calling and alchemy is his passion, the creation, assembly, and function of firearms are his casual interest. Though with him, a casual interest is only slightly less than a total obsession.
Genius: Dr. Hyde is an incredibly intelligent man with a wide range of knowledge on a variety of topics. On top of this, he is a very skilled problem-solver and mathematician with the ability to pick up new skills and information fairly quickly.
Naturalist: Dr. Hyde enjoys studying the animal and plant life of Nero and records his findings in a journal, along with photorealistic sketches. Despite not being technically educated on the subject, he has read dozens of books and journals by other naturalists and taken them to heart. His greatest dream is to be the first to actually record a kraken and publish his findings.
Shifted Abilities: Dr. Hyde possesses the abilities of the orangutan, including increased strength, speed, and reflexes, greater endurance and durability, and opposable toes. He is approximately 7 times stronger than the average human, matching that of an adult male orangutan. He is also quite adept at climbing, using both hands and feet to swing on ropes or simply scale the various hand and footholds of the ship.
Equipment: Dr. Hyde is a well-equipped individual, keeping two bags with him at all times: his standard bag of scavenger equipment plus his “black bag” full of medicinal and alchemical supplies. His standard bag contains: a canteen, alchemical matches, rope, a knife, a Runed set of round, wire-rimmed bifocals that allow for sharper and increased night vision, a notebook, inkwell, and ink pen
His “black bag” is a satchel that hangs on his hip from his opposite shoulder. In the medical side is a needle and thread for surgery, scissors, a scalpel, tweezers, a stethoscope, a magnifying glass, a pair of slightly blood-stained gloves, a small bone saw, two rolls of heavy-duty bandages, two rolls of light bandages, 3 large flasks antiseptic alchemical ointments, 5 small bottles of antibiotic ointments, a flask of anti-inflammatory ointment, a bottle of light pain relief potion, a bottle of moderate pain relief potion, a bottle of heavy pain relief potion, and a bottle of strong liquor. There is also a book of medical information he can consult whenever he needs.
In the alchemical side is a collection of glass bottles, flasks, and vials of various sizes with stoppers, clippers, tweezers, a small hammer and pick for non-organic alchemical components, smaller bags of components such as exotic leaves, bones, scales, feathers, bark, fragments and shards of rock/crystal, and powders. It also has a set of protective gloves, eyewear, and a face covering, a notebook full of recipes, and two books of alchemical information, one about organic components and one about non-organic components.
Beyond the things in his bag, he owns a collection of books on various topics, larger and more surgical tools, implements, and supplies, a cabinet of medicine, and a drawer full of gunsmithing tools and supplies. He also owns a Runed flintlock pistol that fires more powerful rounds.
Appearance: Dr. Hyde stands just over 6’ tall, long and thin. He stands with a prim and proper air of a highly-educated man, hilariously at odds with the likes of William Shelle and the other crew members. His limbs are lanky, particularly his arms. While sitting, he may appear shorter than he really is, but when standing his height is realized. Despite his frail appearance, his body is tightly muscled and quite stronger than anyone would think by looking at him. His nose and jawline are strong and angled. Despite the mostly human look about him, his Shifted traits come through in two main ways: he fangs and his feet. His canine teeth are a fair bit larger than the average human’s, resembling those of a great ape. His feet also resemble those of an orangutan’s, with a far more hand-like appearance.
Despite the weather, he wears a blue frock coat with a white high-collared shirt and red ascot. His pants are black or grey. His red hair is going slightly grey at the temples, tied with black ribbon at the nape of his neck. His sideburns reach down the side of his face, framing his mouth. He has neither a mustache nor a beard, however. A set of round, wire-rimmed bifocals sit on the bridge of his nose. He wears no shoes, but does wrap his feet to protect the bottom of them.
Personality: Dr. Hyde is a neat, bookish gentleman with a scholarly air. He speaks with a polite manner though is not afraid to speak his mind. He is a calm, rational individual who pursues logic and science. He is also intelligent to an incredible degree and has no qualms about showing off his intelligence. Whether medicine, alchemy, nature, or gunsmithing, he is always ready to engage in conversation with any who can keep up. He also enjoys to debate and solve theoretical problems, as it gives him the mental exercise he needs. His idea of a good time is to sit in his study and read his books for hours with a cup of tea.
When the chief medical officer is needed, however, he shifts into a more robotic, straightforward mode. He tolerates no distractions nor interruptions to his work. He will work without rest for days if need be, then collapse and get up to do it all again.
History: Before he was a doctor or a sailor, Cornelius Hyde was part of a small Shifted community who lived on an island nation called Caledonia. Because of his unique Shifted abilities, he could pass for human. When he came of age, Cornelius was shipped off to the Royal Academy of Medicine, a college institution with a title from bygone days. There he learned, fell in love, and lived as a human man named Robert Goodfellowe. However, when his fiancé discovered his secret, she rejected him and fled screaming. Knowing he couldn’t stay, Cornelius joined up on the first ship that would take him as far from Caledonia as possible.
The Throne of Kore was a massive cargo ship headed for Delphi with hundreds of Atlantian salvage in her hold. They never got to Delphi. Halfway through the journey, the Kore was attacked by a fleet of pirates. Like a pod of orcas slaughtering a humpback whale, they slowly bled the Kore until the crew surrendered, exhausted. The pirates swept aboard and killed the crew one by one, before taking slaves and salvage alike. Cornelius was taken for his medical skill and forcefully impressed into the crew. For years, he patched up the pirate slavers who held him captive. Due to a debate that had devolved into a gunfight, the ship he was on had split from the fleet two years beforehand.
One night, he took his chance. By mixing an alchemical concoction that nearly killed him, he managed to kill the pirates of the ship by snapping their necks in their sleep. The next day, he set course for the nearest island nation as best as he could and abandoned the ship at the dock. Thoroughly done with the sea life, he opened shop as a doctor and alchemist and lived happily for a while. But he had gotten used to the rocking of the ship and missed the sense of adventure he had first had when on the Kore. He resolved to pack his things and leave on the next fleet that came into dock. When he heard Captain Genikos was hiring hands, he offered his services as a surgeon and left the island life for good.
Other: Cornelius is nearly blind without his glasses. His favorite food is a cream-filled pastry.
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