Professor Uzo Aetum
Description
A distinguished professor of Cor Quae'thum, Uzo's theoretical expertise is backed by decades of practical application in warfare. Even in the most esteemed halls of the university, his ability to garner listeners is surpassed only by Headmistress Maeve herself.History
Professor Uzo Aetum was born in Cor Quae'thum in 1481 AO. His parents had stopped pursuing an academic career and founded a business selling security products and services - mundane and magical alike. Like all children of the city-state, he attended the children's classes at the university.
Uzo's early academic career was unremarkable. He passed his classes without issues, but was never at the top of any of his classes. Once he started studying magic properly, he took after his parents and focused on the school of abjuration. During those times, the world had seen over a thousand years of peace, and protective spells were seen more as a curiosity than a necessity.
However, the year 1519 AO completely changed his life, like it did the lives of many others. In that year, the scion kingdom of Taḫūmu fell, the god Zaqātu perished, and the rest of the Order Pantheon fled to their realms, leaving the world unprotected against the new Chaos goddess, Arachnida. Although those events took place far away, their consequences could be felt everywhere. Uzo's focus changed from magic theory to war magic.
His worries were realized when War of the Stripes started. The vespoids were fighting each other, and he feared a similar civil war could start somewhere else. But all concerns of internal unrest were forgotten when the arach forces destroyed the queendom of Chereb, and the War of the Eight-Legged Terror began.
At the same time, a new horror filled the heavens: a bright moving star had appeared. Initially, Uzo and many other luni thought that the star was some kind of a weapon of the spider goddess, aimed to destroy all who opposed her. However, the luni quickly formed a plan: as they could not reach the star, the only choice was to banish Arachnida before she could use her weapon. Uzo traveled to the frontlines with many other luni warmages, utilizing their skills in protective magic to hold back the arach threat.
For decades, the frontlines were nearly unmoving. All warriors there, including Uzo, had ample time to learn to fight the biggest threat Western Varzzen had ever faced. Eventually, they had a breakthrough, and the combined forces of Western Varzzen pushed the arachs back. Uzo fought in most major battles, including the final battle, where the Chaos goddess was banished to the Realm of the Wurm.
With the war over and Taḫūmu gone, Uzo had only one choice: to save as much of the library and knowledge of the fallen kingdom. Although the kingdom's library was not as extensive as Cor Quae'thum's, it did contain much knowledge about Eastern Varzzen, which the university was relatively uninformed about. In addition, the library contained plenty of new scriptures written by the arachs who had lived there after the kingdom's fall.
One text in particular caught Uzo's eyes: the writer was concerned about a bright moving star that had appeared. They were worried that it was a weapon that Cor Quae'thum was planning to use to destroy the arachs, musing that the star resembled the moon more and more and that, according to the myths, the luni and the moon are connected. This was quite a surprise to Uzo, as it clearly proved that the arachs had nothing to with the new star - and perhaps the musings about the connection between the luni and the moon were more than idle guesses...
After the arach threat had been completely destroyed, Uzo returned to Cor Quae'thum. Thanks to both his practical experience on the battlefield and the new knowledge he gained from the ruins of Taḫūmu, he gained the rank of professor in just a few years. He argued that another threat might rise soon, and the university had to be prepared for such an occasion. In his opinion, the slow, conservative ways of the university were no longer suited for the new, dangerous world they lived in. His arguments were mostly ignored; after all, they had just won the war.
Uzo turned his attention to another matter: could the new moon really be connected to the luni? Using divination magic, he found the answer: a cult calling themselves the Selenites had formed right in Cor Quae'thum. He met with some of the cultists. They claimed that the new moon was a sign, and could be used to gain powerful magic. Uzo had no plans to worship a moon, but he and the cult came to a mutual agreement: he would let the cult worship and study in peace, using any power they gain to protect Cor Quae'thum, and the cult could get insider information from the professors of the university.
Present
Although the Tunnel War came to Uzo as just as big of a surprise as it was to the rest of the Royal Hexagon, he couldn't deny that it made people far more receptive to his point of view. The war was proof that the world was still a dangerous place, and they would have to do anything they could to stay safe. After all, the threat could come not just from a far-away land, but from the inside as well.
It was easy to make people think about a new threat: do the necrites plan revenge? Is one of Rusterov's duchesses getting too ambitious? Are the wasps amassing amber in secret? Those are trusted allies, but so had the Detrinian Empire been before the war. And even if nobody plans to attack today, how about in one year, a decade - a century? And what exactly is the Theocracy of the Wurm up to?
Today, professor Uzo Aetum has many listeners, including many students and several esteemed professors. He is very quick to help projects that aim to keep Cor Quae'thum safe. Unlike headmistress Maeve and many older professors, Uzo cares much more about results than methods. To him, even heavy sacrifices are acceptable if the research provides a better way to defend the university.
Uzo Aetum, Professor of Abjuration Age
762 Gender
Male Species
Luni Appearance
Large, strong, and straight-backed compared to most luni. Analytical gaze. Nationality
Quaethan Class
Scholar Occupations
Professor, teacher, researcher Religion
Order Pantheon, Gnol-Dotera in particular General Disposition
Concern for safety keeps him often in a foul mood, but he never lets his emotions take over. Stern and fair. Motivation(s)
Wants to keep Cor Quae'thum, and by extent the entire Royal Hexagon, safe from any threats.
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