Academics

The Church of Humanity Repentant is a diverse organization of preachers, scholars, academics, zealots, and a broad array of other folk who adhere to the Three Tenets. The academics contain a broad range of folk, some religious, some whose most important belief is in the sanctitiy of life.

### Dramatis Personae

#### **Dr. Chappie, Psychology**

Believes that only the material exists and that the soul is connected to the mind. Due to these beliefs, it is abhorrent to treat beings that can reciprocate to your well being as lesser than oneself. Studies the minds of the dead to garner information to be used on the living. Uses his knowledge to imprint new memories, or to carve out memories that one would rather forget.

#### **Dr. Quinn Vardom, Philosphy**

Although not specifically religious, Dr. Q. Vardom believes the core tenet that states consciousness and the soul are inexorably linked. His belief is that the soul is God, in so much as there is no higher being pulling the strings and if we're going to hold something sacred, then he will hold the soul as such. Therefore the killing of any creature with a soul, and thus consciousness, is a most heinous act. For we have no idea what happens to soul upon the death of the souls bearer, nor do we know for what purpose we have a soul. Until an answer to those questions can be found, interfering with a soul by killing its bearer must be assumed to be an affront to whatever master plan there may or may not be.

#### **Dr. Mei Bai of the Seven Shen, M.D.**

Mei Bai grew up in a frontier agri-community on Shān that relied heavily of synthetic labor. When the synths were purged, the community began to crumble. Not only were many of Mei Bai's childhood friends forced to flee, many of his remaining compatriots were forced into the hard labor of tending the gro-fields for little pay. Enlisted by the government for the use of his medical knowledge, Mei Bai was forced to work for a man he hated. After years of oppression, a young woman, Zhao Yimou, began to muster rebellion against the despot. Despite knowing that it would lead to the death of the ruler's family, Mei Bai offered critical information to her cause. Yimou's rebellion was successful, and Mei Bai now sits at her right hand. The weight of his betrayal, compounded by the ill-treatment of his synth friends, has left Mei Bai a tangled wreck of guilt and contrition. After the rebellion, he turned to the writings of the Great Rethinkers and the teachings of the CHR to ease his suffering. He has recently begun to preach the word to the new colony government, and has successfully
[1] converted Zhao Yimou and her retinue. He is rarely seen without his advisor Yi Ge, a maroon lemur with whom he converses frequently.

Despite his infirmity, Dr. Bai has traveled to the Mourning Star because he has heard rumors of charity program sponsored by the Church of Humanity. He hopes to secure resources for his struggling community before the revolution collapses on itself.

#### **Dr. Tahev Saadat, Surgeon**

Tahev cut all ties with his activist family, going as far as changing his last name some 20 years ago. Why would anyone care for some machines? Little did he know that his family was going to be masaccared in one of Crux's raids against Synths. After getting their last will, in a quest to find out what happened to them he was helped by a man named Ara'hera, who did everything he could to stop Tahev from getting killed. Sometime later Ara'hera got wounded saving Tahev from certain death that he found out his new friend was a Synth. These events turned his world upside down. While not a true believer himself, he tries to continue his family's work through Church, performing surgeries, forgery and doing anything necessary except killing to help all regardless of their race.

#### **Dr. Pietro MacNamara, Exogeology**

Guilt can be a powerful motivator. Though Dr MacNamara has been accused of no particular crime, his actions and countenance paint the picture of a soul in great shame. What IS known however is that at age 26 he quit his job, sold off almost all of his known assets and settled on Cabina, in the outskirts of its capital city.

For some years now he has lived quietly, working to ensure the stability of the planet's biosphere and leaving occasionally to walk The Vigil.