Doug Ramsey

## **Appearance**

Doug's the all-American boy-next-door.  He's about 5'10, with blondish brown hair and blue eyes.  Slightly dorky looking, he's always in need of a haircut and dresses for comfort.

## **Powers**

Semi-telepathic and semi-clairvoyant omnilingualism (intuitively translates any languages he comes into contact with, including written, spoken, computer, or body language).  He's also been infected with the transmode virus, which, while it's largely latent, aids in his processing and retention.

## **Talents**

Research, multi-tasking, overworking, seeing patterns in human behavior and interpreting them, intuitive leaps of logic, consuming large quantities of caffeinated beverages without ill effects.

## **Interests**

Everything. No, seriously, Doug's pretty much always researching something that's caught his attention.  Languages, cultures, technology - he's spent his time thus far in Wall learning everything he can about all of the above.  It's fascinating.

## **History**

Doug is the only child of Philip and Sheila Ramsey, and grew up in Salem Center, NY. He was something of a dork as an early teen, more interested in computers, gaming, and anime than in sports or outdoor activities.  He originally came into contact with the X-Men through Kitty Pryde, with whom he attended dance classes and shared a love of computers, but while Professor Xavier was aware that he was a mutant, he never invited him to the school, believing that his powers were more suited to the "real world" than to missions.

Emma Frost believed otherwise, and invited Doug to the Massachusetts Academy.  Kitty accompanied him and was captured by Emma, prompting a rescue effort by the New Mutants.  While Doug's memory of the events was wiped by Emma, it brought him and his abilities to the attention of the New Mutants.

It was lucky for them that it had.  Not long afterwards, the New Mutants encountered Warlock, an alien who didn't recognize humans as a form of intelligent life.  They sought Doug's help communicating with him, and Doug saved the day and joined the team.  He and Warlock quickly became best friends, and Warlock often shifted into technoorganic armor to protect Doug in dangerous situations.  While he meant well, his doing so fueled Doug's feelings of inadequacy, as his abilities, while often instrumental on missions, were of no use in a combat situation.

Being beaten in a swordfight by an Asgardian serving maid probably didn't help, either.

Perhaps that was why Doug threw himself in front of a bullet aimed at his teammate and almost-girlfriend Rahne.  He died while apologizing to her for not having followed orders and stayed under cover, promising he'd never do it again.

It was many years later that Doug was resurrected by Selene, who used the transmode virus with which Warlock had long ago infected him to control him.  Warlock and the other New Mutants ultimately managed to sever his connection to Selene, and he rejoined the team for a time.

Ultimately, though, Doug drifted away from the X-Teams and set himself up as an information broker. He still did work for them and other New York based heroes from time to time, but his primary occupation was gathering, analyzing and selling information. He was walking home from the library one night when he caught sight of a gate he'd never noticed before and paused to investigate.

Given his life experience to date, he should have known better.  The gate was a portal to Wall. Realizing quickly what had happened (it wasn't as if he'd never found himself unexpectedly teleported to another world before, and thank you Illyana for those experiences) and that returning any time soon wasn't an option, he set himself to learning everything he could about his new home.  And, because a guy has to eat occasionally, he fell back on what he did best; translating for newcomers and finding answers for people.

Need to know where that dragon pillaging the countryside came from?  Where you might be able to find the missing Gem of Amara? Whether the ancient scroll you found contains a spell or a grocery list?  Just what language the newcomer is speaking, and whether or not he can be talked into not running you through with a sword?  Contact Cypher, who's put up advertisements on the Notice Board in quite a few languages, and visit him at his ramshackle shop located at the South Ward edge of The Bells. If you can find your way through the stacks of books to where he's set up his laptop, he'll research the answer!