Ir'ram Tor Gelum is the founder, editor, and presenter of Firearms Universal. The Æthernet cast follows Ir'ram throughout Ethnis; where he breaks down, explains, and shoots weapons from all around the Universe.
He is known for his intricate and historically accurate outfits and his love for many of the historical weapons of humanity.
His career started in the expansive halls of the Met'krah defense armory and has taken him to extravagant private collections, cutting-edge research facilities, and storied museums across the world. His nimble fingers, often covered in protective gloves, have taken apart and explored weapons both cutting-edge and ancient in design.
"The lead engineer on this project really just nailed the concept, and it's why we still see this Laser Rifle in use today."
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to get in some more giggles since I'm not paying for the power cells."
An Unassuming Hobby
Ir'ram Tor Gelum Tel Met'krah was born the son of an Auric Mage and an Electronics Technician, and was raised in the lower city of Drat'n Metkrah. He credits his initial interest in firearms to his formative years at the VR Arcade. During schooling, he contributed to a firearms knowledge database, which led to his guns being implemented in his favorite game.
He made his way through the Pact's public education system, where he elected to take mechanical engineering as a vocational skill.
His genuine curiosity and charisma earned him plenty of like-minded friends, and his volunteer work earned a healthy dose of respect even by the time he was ready to enter his first Jhoutigari Draft.
"I think the first time I fired a gun was when I got invited out on this big ol' range competition that the Jhoutigari Marksman Met'krah Lodge held outside the walls."
"First half of the day was watching some of the best locals run competitions; exterminators, target shooters, military types, those sorts of folks. Then, in the second half, we got to pair up with some of them. Learned about their background, learned about what they carried, and in some cases, they let us fire a couple shots of our own."
"I, like many others, shook a bit after the first go with uh, trying to remember, oh yeah, it was this Jhoutigari Officer's Snapper Pistol— but I'm also pretty sure that's where my love for guns went from a fleeting passion to a lifelong addiction."
Jhoutigari Palisade Guard (2 Years)
Jhoutigari Armory Specialist (10 Years)
Jhoutigari Media Specialist (22 Years)
Through the Ranks
As with all young adults in The ValuSelu Pact, Ir'ram served his first 18-month Jhoutigari duty shortly after his twentieth birthday. At the recommendation of the local Lodge and at the request of a Met'krah watch commander, Ir'ram entered service as a Palisade Guard with an apprenticeship in equipment maintenance.
He served his tour with his listed achievement of service being a recataloging and historical analysis of the city's armory, which spanned millennia of military history and included weapons sourced from around the known universe.
While working in the armory, Ir'ram got his first experience in broadcasting. The armory's Media Specialist team hosted a small Æthernet channel. The channel served as a public messaging network, primarily for news and transparency.
He spent two months covering for a sick teammate on the Media team. He did not make his debut in front of the camera, but he did suggest new content, including featurettes of some of the weapons of the Jhoutigari.
As he approached the end of his duty, he made the choice to request a full career with the Jhoutigari. He was accepted into the role and joined the team as an Armor specialist. During this time, he continued his cataloging work and expanded his network of contacts with other collectors and casters in the industry.
He gained more of a following through giving informative public tours and providing consultation on a long list of media projects.
"Best part of getting that recurring commission was getting a lot of range time. And I mean near daily if I wanted to."
// Ir'ram Tor Gelum
Ir'ram gets his first time on the camera! A show is born!
Ir'ram enters the competitive shooting circuit; while he is not the sharpest shot on the field, he is one of the most unique and brings a new life and audience to the sport.
Many of his Casts at this time are him shooting with all mannerisms of odd weapons from the Met'krah Armory while dressed in period-correct clothing.
His presence online grows exponentially, which gives him more and more opportunity to separate from armory duties and move into media relations and full casting.
He is invited to the Andromeda Syndicate to host a rare cross-Banner collaboration on historical arms. A long series that ran a year and involved two inter-banner flights, dozens of tours through the syndicate military complex, and tens of thousands of rounds fired on the controlled ranges.
The resulting footage was released for free between the two Banners, and became an entertaining compendium of firearms history.
"Nyeh see! This is what the humans called—
"The Tommy Gun!
I call it... a whole lot of fun!"
// Ir'ram Tor Gelum
He still serves as the Media specialist of the Met'Krah, but only spends about 3 to 6 months a year in his home city. The rest of the year he spends traveling for business; taking part in marksman competitions, promoting his friends, and building up his compendium of knowledge.
Impressive work! I'm new to Ethnis (somehow) but it's always neat coming across one of the folks who've been active with World Anvil a long time and seeing what they can make the formatting do! I'll have to come back here after Summer Camp, and take a look through some of the more central articles of the world.