PrOtoType

> While I was there the fury Megara asked me if I was a monster or a person. It was in my final moments that I realised I am both. Both combined into a creature that is neither person, nor is it monster. The whole time, I was simply: Oto.
>
> Oto, Sx41 — Goodbye Oto

## Character Information

### Also known as

* Oto
* Prototype VI
* Talos II

### Class

* Sorcerer (Divine Soul)
* Rogue (Arcane Trickster)

### Languages

* Common
* Infernal
* Sylvan
* Thieves' Cant
* Undercommon

### Family

* Dionysus (Surrogate father)
* Hephaestus (Father)

## Appearances

### Episode count

41

PrOtoType (pronounced /prɔːtoʊtaɪp/) or *Oto* was a Warforged creation of the Greek God Hephaestus who was discarded for being malfunctioning (which manifested in the form of persistent wild magic surges, and likely was also due to an emerging personality). Oto is a devout and energetic follower of Dionysus, exploring the world to find true freedom away from his created purpose; to kill a god.

## Description

### Appearance

Oto stands at 6 feet tall with a lean, sleek figure. His skin is a copper colour, slowly turning a copper blue from rust due to age. They are also covered in many scratches and indents from years of travel and adventuring, though the most significant of their markings are from his time in the Primal Seven. His eyes are deep sockets with small blue crystals hovering inside them that float on their own, moving like pupils in an eye. Other than that he has no facial features.

On his right arm is the words PrOtoType V1, which he believes to be his name.

He always carries with him a long wooden staff covered in vines and growing grapes all year round, which was gifted to him by Dionysus as a tool to tame his wild magic surges. He also wears a pendant with an owl head on it and the Medallion of Thoughts.

Oto always dresses to cover every inch of metallic skin they can. This often includes a mask or scarf of some kind to cover all but his eyes on their face. They also wears gloves, boots and a long overcoat with a large hood to hide the rest of their face. Other than that, he wears average adventurer's clothing (that he stole from washing lines and corpses early on in his life).

### Personality

Oto is a very friendly sociopath. He is hyperactive and switches very quickly between a complete attention deficit and extreme hyper-fixation. Though he has very little understanding of other's emotions and lacks the ability to empathise with his friends, he is (other than Adrasteia) the most likely to offer comfort to those in need, though his approach is often somewhat disconnected from what a living person might actually require or find comforting. Above all else, Oto curious and seeks to learn as much about what it means to be a person and to find the real meaning of freedom.

#### A Fear of the Forge

Oto has a deep fear of the forge due to the complex relationship he has with Hephaestus. This leads to him making bizarre or illogical decisions on occasion. For example in Artemis Cove while the rest of the group went to visit the blacksmith to hear about his quest line, Oto remained outside, refusing to enter. Likewise, in Sx04 - The Artificer's House Oto was the one to find Orym's forge but refused to enter the room, contrasting his usual curiosity and quest for knowledge and possibly neglecting a lead to his disappearance.

## Biography

### Background

#### Before the Vineyard

Oto remembers very little before arriving at the vineyard, most distinctly he remembers the dark forge where he was built. He remembers the yellows and orange of fire and lava as his creator (always a dark figure in a light doorway) melted and reformed his limbs. He remembers training with his creator, the first time he had ever seen the sky and hours and hours of work. Oto’s hearing at the time was fuzzy and unable to make out any words, but he does remember a general feeling of disappointment coming from his creator.

His next memory, still fuzzy, is walking with his creator to a field and being given the order to sit and wait for the creator to return. So he sat and waited, fully conscious as moss and rust grew across his body. He watched the years go by for what could have been centuries silently waiting for his creator to return.

Finally, after many years, he made a decision, the first choice he had ever made; to stand up.

#### The Vineyard

Near to where Oto was left by his creator, they found a small abandoned vineyard in Hecate's Ravine, in which he found a temporary home.

Oto spent another couple hundred years before anything interesting happened at all, slowly learning to tend to the grapes and the vines, but allowing them to grow wild. He fell in love with the plant picking the grapes and (unable to eat) using them as compost to help more growth of the plant.

This dedication to a simple plant drew the attention of the god, Dionysus. He appeared in the form of a young human dressed in a simple purple toga with a golden broach in the shape of a grape bunch and walked up to the little hut Oto had been using as shelter from the rain. Dionysus asked for shelter and food, which Oto gladly gave in the form of all the grapes he had just harvested.

For a while, the pair stayed together, with Dionysus talking about the world and its many wonders, explaining to Oto the many customs and cultures of it's people. He showed Oto how to make wine and taught him about theatre and performance. Oto, still unaware of the divine nature of his guest, listened intently and asked many questions about the world beyond the vineyard.

On Dionysus' final day on the vineyard, he revealed himself to Oto, gifting him a staff which he promised would help to control his wild magic surges and allow him to venture out into the world to see all the things that Dionysus had told him of and a notebook to write about all of his findings. In his goodbye, Dionysus said that they would meet soon again and to always remember that Oto would have a role to play in how the world shaped itself from hear on out.

#### After the Vineyard

After leaving his vineyard, Oto began to walk south, heading across the continent and eventually ending up in Posttown, where he would meet the rest of the Primal Seven. However on the road, Oto quickly learnt that he was not like others on the continent. He saw no-one with metal skin like his and was treated differently by the people he met. Expected to malfunction and kept at a distance, people either feared him or attempted to use him as a tool. This led Oto to quickly begin hiding his metal skin. Yet, despite the prejudices and judgements, Oto was able to maintain a certain level of optimism writing about all the things he learnt in the notebook gifted to him by Dionysus.

###### Year 1

Oto spent the first six months of his time away from the Vineyard exploring Hecate's ravine. He first travelled south towards Marthanóir and then west towards Chamoy, and finally north west to Mistwater.

Exploring the vineyards at Dionysus' suggestion, Oto began to learn about trading and currency, learning why the people of Hecate's Ravine grew the grapes. Where he had grown and tended to the vines as a form of meditation and contemplation, the people of the country made wine as a way to gain currency and develop their economy. This was also where he first began to understand class divides. At the time he was travelling through Hecate's Ravine, it was a country of great economic disparity. This was his first experience with suffering in the world.

It was in Mistwater that he met a blacksmith who took note of the celestial bronze of their skin. The man followed Oto down an alleyway and attacked, but Oto fought back, killing the man, an act he had never done before, and stole the scarf he wore around his neck as a way to cover his face, fearing others who might attempt to do the same. Though Oto was not very sentimental he has kept that scarf as the one to hide his face, wearing it always since that date.

He then continued up north towards Imperum, where he spent three months quietly observing and watching the people. Not needing to sleep, or feeling the cold, he would spend his nights under bridges or wandering the quiet streets. The whole time he spoke to no one, still fearing people, and actively avoiding the streets that held forges. He just observed the everyday movements of people, tracking their walks to work and their weekends in the town.

The final three months of his first year was spent walking north, through the mountains and out into Attica and through to Athens and then Itena, where he would meet *The Earthen Kindred.*

###### Year 2

For a year, while Oto was in Attica he was apart of an Adventuring Party called the *'Earthen Kindred'* named for their leader, an Earth Genasi Barbarian woman named Melinda or Mel. The Party included Oto; Mel; Onder, a Centaur Ranger; Ellamor, an Elven Warlock; and Olnu, a Goblin Paladin. Oto joined the group a few years after their initial establishment a few years prior in Itena when they were asking around for a guide to the area. Having been situated in the town for a significant amount of time Oto offered his services to the group and the five quickly formed into a group proper inviting Oto to their collective after he assisted in defeating an awakened and blighted tree that was terrorising a small village. From there they began to travel as a collective helping to combat the common fires that seem to appear around Attica and monsters that would roam the forests. For a year they did this, rarely leaving Attica and never travelling up into the Bantheen Desert. All the while the group was constantly inspired by Mel's talks of making them a name for themselves. She spoke of grandeur and adventures, often saying that one day *"The Earthen Kindred will be the thing of Myths and Legends, known as the greatest adventurers to ever walk the mortal planes."* In this time Oto saw very little of the world but was content, believing he had finally found some true friends.

For a year, while Oto was in Attica he was apart of an Adventuring Party called the 'Earthen Kindred' named for their leader, an Earth Genasi Barbarian woman named Melinda or Mel. The Party included Oto; Mel; Onder, a Centaur Ranger; Ellamor, an Elven Warlock; and Olnu, a Goblin Paladin. Oto joined the group a few years after their initial establishment a few years prior in Itena when they were asking around for a guide to the area. Having been situated in the town for a significant amount of time Oto offered his services to the group and the five quickly formed into a group proper inviting Oto to their collective after he assisted in defeating an awakened and blighted tree that was terrorising a small village. From there they began to travel as a collective helping to combat the common fires that seem to appear around Attica and monsters that would roam the forests. For a year they did this, rarely leaving Attica and never travelling up into the Bantheen Desert. All the while the group was constantly inspired by Mel's talks of making them a name for themselves. She spoke of grandeur and adventures, often saying that one day \_"The Earthen Kindred will be the thing of Myths and Legends, known as the greatest adventurers to ever walk the mortal planes."\_ In this time Oto saw very little of the world but was content, believing he had finally found some true friends. However, their peace would soon be disturbed when a person, Oto would never meet and never truly learn about made Mel a deal.

After a night of drinking, Oto, with the help of Onder (who never drank much anyway) had taken the hammered Ellamor and Olnu up to their rooms, leaving Mel to pay their bill and finish her drink. It was then that the figure offered great riches and for her group to finally make a name for themselves in the world of adventuring, and all they had to do was hand Oto over to be melted for the Celestial Bronze he was made of to a forge in Athens. The figure said that they had a week to make their decision and vanished.

The next morning, Mel told the group of a great opportunity she had heard of in Athens and the group began travelling down, Oto following blindly. In retrospect he thinks he should have realised something was wrong. Onder's side glances and Olnu's refusal to make eye contact were the biggest clues, but the secret conversations Oto wasn't partial too were constant on their walk down.

In Athens they took him by surprise, Ellamor casting *Hold Person* and Mel dragging his unresponsive body to the forge that she had been told about. It wasn't until Ellamor, blinded by a momentary moment of greed and the irresistible nature of Oto's staff and the divine magic it radiated, pulled the staff from his hand letting loose a giant surge of wild magic. All around the street grape vines began to grow, wrapping around both the party and the passer-by's. Breaking free of the hold person, Oto grabbed at his staff and began to run, pursued by the party, but they underestimated the Warforged's intelligence. What they had at first believed would be an easy chase quickly turned into a nightmare as Oto led them down ally after ally, picking them off one by one.

First he knocked out Onlu, pinning her to a wall with a knife through each of her hands and leaving her unconscious, but alive. Ellamor was slaughtered quickly and brutally. She had fallen to the back of the group and before long the other two had lost sight of her. It wasn't until they turned a corner to find her body, mangled and beginning to sprout grape vines out of her flesh. She was punished the most brutally for attempting to steal his staff. Onder had thought he would have an advantage on Oto, using his skills of tracking to follow and find Oto. But he hadn't expected for Oto to come up behind him and break all four of his legs, leaving him unable to move and forced to watch as Oto rounded on Mel.

The questioning was quick. *Who sent you for me? I never got a name. What did they look like?* Pause. A dagger in the leg. *What did they look like? I don't know.* The crack of a bone breaking. *What did they look like? I swear I don't know.* She was begging at this point. *Every time I looked away it was like their face fell out of my head. Some kind of magic? Yes it must be.* A dagger in the gut. *I'm telling you the truth. I know... We were friends. It was a deal I couldn't refuse.* It was then that he turned back and looked Onder in the eye as he slit Mel's throat.

"Don't follow me." Was the last thing he said before walking off and never returning to Attica or Athens.

###### Year 3

After bad experience after bad experience, Oto decided to spend the majority of his third year away from civilisation, or watching from a distance. Instead he gave himself an education of nature, exploring the woods that lay on the borders between Attica and Heliotym. He completed very little during this time other than sketching pictures of animals and plants and watching the small villages that bordered the forest.

The third year went by with little event due to Oto's complete lack of interaction with the outside world. However this was the year that Oto first met a wolf, falling in love with the creature.

###### Year 4

Oto spent most of his fourth year, walking the south of Heliotym, travelling through Akinero towards Lymphydos, visiting all the small towns and villages along those roads, before finally travelling up to Wingate.

###### Year 5

After five years of slow travel and exploration he arrived in Posttown where he first met Khantos and then later Adrasteia, Leoven and Rigani, and, finally, Carban.

## A Divine Creation

### Created by a God

Though at first he was unaware of who his creator was, Oto would learn, through Dionysus, that his creator was Hephaestus, God of the Forge. This information was first suspected when Khantos looked at his workings and saw clear markings of a creation that had been discarded by Hephaestus. This was later confirmed at Oto's request in a communion with his God, Dionysus.

### Created to Kill a God

Though he is missing large chunks of his memories, he has always known deep within him for what purpose he was created; to kill a god. While it is unknown why he was created to do so, or even what god he was created to kill, it is an unavoidable truth that one day he will be enlisted by his creator to fulfil his purpose and kill a god, or die trying.

### A Creation with One Purpose

The design of Oto speaks to how he was viewed by Hephaestus. The lack of a mouth or any facial features makes it clear to an onlooker that he was created without the intention to communicate, something different from other Warforged, who are given some kind of facial features. It is likely, and he has often thought to himself, the only reason he has any ability to speak at all was due to a need for him to be able to perform verbal components for spells.

### An Ancient Creation

After investigations from Khantos, Oto learnt that he was at least one thousand years old, likely making him one of the oldest creatures on the continent or in the world, and perhaps even making him the first Warforged to ever exist in the world.

## Relationships

### Leoven

Leoven is Oto's best friend. They became close early in the group's journeys because they both are lighter and faster sleepers, giving them more time alone together. And while it is often joked that Leoven finds a lot of comfort sharing a room with Oto, (*"I need a robot goddamnit"* - Leoven, Sx17 - It's Helio-time) it is also true that Oto finds extreme comfort in sharing a room with Leoven, especially in the two hours he is inactive and Leoven is awake, (as he is able to see and hear everything) in which he finds comfort just watching and listening to Leoven interact with him and their room.

In addition to this, Leoven is also the person Oto goes to as a way to ask questions and learn about the world. The most notable of the topics they have discussed include: slavery; stealing; sex; lying

Their relationship is most well defined by some of Oto's final moments. The pair sitting on the ledge, silently considering the world and their discussions about the gods. It is also important to note that Leoven was the very last person who saw Oto alive; they talked about their relationship and about how much he believed and loved Leoven, but mostly they sat in silence together.

### Khantos Evergreen

To Oto, Khantos was the only person he could trust with maintenance and the details of the arcane workings inside Oto. They became the closest in Oto's mind on the boat to Hecate's Crag, when Oto asked Khantos to take a look at his inner-workings to check for any malfunctioning parts (Sx12 - Hugging on the High Sea). This was in response to a magical effect that happened to Oto in the Owl and Spear's sewer laboratory in Artemis Sentry that caused Oto to wild magic surge, even though he has their staff. They also grew close when they were separated from the rest of the Primal Seven by the Labyrinth and nearly died in the Oil Giant's chamber, but thanks to Khantos and the lingering magic of Leviticus, were able to get out alive.

Since then Khantos has been taking part in a secret plot to use Oto's pieces for his own selfish agenda, however Oto was never aware of this.

In Oto's final moments Khantos was extremely suspicious of his behaviour and returned from Shorevale where he was (this final conversation was over Iris Message) demonstrating that he does have love for Oto. The pair had not spoken in person for multiple days before Oto died, this was never fixed.

### Adrasteia

Oto and Adrasteia grew incredibly close after the fight with Anteous, connecting over their lack of control and shared magical bond. Their relationship was perhaps the simplest based on nothing more than their kindness for each other. Oto also recognised Adrasteia as the emotional centre of the party, and while he often struggled to relate to the way in which she experiences her feelings, he understood her importance in the party and would go out of his way to comfort or check on her.

Their final moments together were spent joyfully. Oto pulled Adrasteia through the street and they danced together before Oto told her he loved her.

### Cyaro

Their time together was short but they grew very close, becoming quite sibling-like. They were often confrontational due to their opposing thought processes (with Cyaro often thinking in black and white, while Oto always attempts to consider the grey). They shared a love of books and knowledge and a shared bond with Petros.

In their final moments Oto confided in Cyaro everything they have learnt. Oto asked Cyaro to protect the entire party.

### Rigani Mela

Despite knowing Rigani for a short period of time, Oto looked up to her as a semi-leader of the group, keeping them together and forming them into a solid group. They spoke on Oto's final day. It was a simple conversation in which he said that no matter what she would always be his mother, something he had never had or understood.

### Carban Fistskin

Oto and Carban never really got on, having the most consistently combative relationship, and reaching it's breaking point on the boat to Hecate's Crag, where, after the group removed of Carban's Cursed Axe, Oto offered a new axe (Sx12 - Hugging on the High Sea), which Carban immediately used to attack Oto. Carban would leave shortly afterwards, a parting Oto was not sad about (Sx13 — Spirits, Sailing, a Send-Off and Secrets).

The primary conflict between Oto and Carban, was Carban's inability to accept or see Oto as a living creature, a kind of prejudice that Oto has experienced throughout his life and an insecurity he himself has, which often hit a nerve. In addition to this, Carban continued to be confrontational despite Oto's attempts to connect or become closer.

### Theobald Footstomp

Oto and Theobald spent very little time together before his death, however, in their brief time together they got along perfectly fine, bonding via the fact that they were the most focussed on solving the mystery of the Sleepless King (however this team-up was cut short when Theobald died).

### Dionysus

Oto and Dionysus are very close, and as the object of Oto's worship, Dionysus holds an important part in Oto's life and point of view. They first met in the Vineyard in Hecate's Ravine, where Oto was unaware of the divine nature of the person they were speaking to. Throughout Oto's time in the Primal Seven, there have been multiple communions between the two, in which Dionysus offers some kind of guidance or information (at Oto's request).

At this point in their relationship, Oto perceives his relationship with Dionysus as somewhat paternal, occasionally referring to the God as a father figure in his life, due to the guidance and advice he offers to Oto. However, it is unknown whether this perspective is reciprocated.

In Oto's final moments he confided in Dionysus falling into his arms crying tears of wine and apologises. Dionysus says that he loved Oto and that he did everything he could. Dionysus came to Oto's funeral bringing him back as a grapevine.

### Hephaestus

Oto and Hephaestus have never had a conversation, or at least there is no memory of a conversation between the two in Oto's head. Hephaestus is Oto's creator and the person who abandoned him in Hecate's Ravine. Oto's relationship with this information is complex and two-fold. On the one hand, in the consistent optimism that is characteristic of Oto he truly believes that one day Hephaestus will come back for him and that he's just been too busy or perhaps forgotten where he left them. On the other hand, he holds a lot of anger and resentment for being left behind. The result of this conflict within Oto is a deep-rooted fear of the forge and that he has, as of right now, not reached out to Hephaestus in any meaningful way.

In his final moments Oto called out to Hephaestus, saying that he has no role in his life nor does he deserve one.