20th Itera's Most Feared Scholar

I dare say that man could wring nerve gas out of a cleaning rag.

— Burr (Itera V-18), Senior Scholar & Head of Technology Division

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Year 342,003
The Council
High Councillor If,
Please find attached as requested Scholar Burr's report on High Councillor Ferro and the Philosophy Incident, as well as all supporting documents.

Councillor Hay

Table of Contents

• Final Report on the Investigation of Scholar Ferro (Itera E-20)
• Part One: Rumours & Allegations
  • Early rumours
  • Initial allegations
• Part Two: The Philosophy Incident
  • Opening act
  • Tech demonstrations
• Part Three: Aftermath
• Recommendation

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Year 335,055
Technology Division

Final Report on the Investigation of Scholar Ferro (Itera E-20)

This report is the culmination of the investigation by the Technology Division into the extremely deadly inventions, devices and substances created by Head of the Imaginarium Scholar Ferro over the course of his tenure. While there have been rumours over the milos regarding his possession and use of such items, they were not confirmed until the events of the seminar Scholar Ferro ran for the 21st Itera trainees, also known as the Philosophy Incident. What was also unknown up until this point was the true breadth and vastness of his collection.
In this report I will be detailing the evidence collected in the aftermath of the Philosophy Incident in relation to both to the the nature of these inventions and Scholar Ferro's intentions in creating and using them. I will then give my recommendation as to what measures should be taken in response to his actions.

High Councillor Ferro

by MagicalPouchOfMagic

Part One: Rumours & Allegations

Early rumours

The earliest rumours have been traced back to circa Year 321,000. The then 17-milos-old was reportedly "eager to a fault" when it came to working with restricted materials. There was some casual specualtion among his peers as to what he might come up with once he was given clearance to use them.
However, Scholar Ferro himself showed no signs of recklessness in what he was allowed to work with. He was known for being hands-on, thinking outside the box and exhibiting a great deal of oversight in everything he did. Seeing how meticulous he was with his documentation, supervising Scholars Indigo and Jump assigned him to the restricted storage units, where his tasks included taking inventory; updating the database; monitoring the security system and reporting any problems to the Mechanics; and preparing the various materials for demonstrations and safety tutorials.
Multiple Scholars claim to have witnessed him entering and exiting the labs after hours, sometimes late into the night. Based on past records, it is possible that at least some of these visits were due to being summoned to handle late-night transfers. However, this does not account for all of the instances reported.

Initial allegations

The first allegation surfaced during Year 322,200. 20th Itera Scholar Flicker reported that she had witnessed him dipping a tuning fork into cerulic acid. She said he then pointed it at a makeshift target as lightning shot out of it.
Upon questioning, Ferro showed evidence that he had been instructed to test the cerulic acid for impurities. When asked how shooting lightning out of a tuning fork was supposed to acheive that, he referenced an early test created by the late Scholar Tenner (Itera I-15), which involved checking the colour of the lightning and the smell emitted from the singed target against a table to see if the combination matched a certain profile.
An inspection of the lab revealed that several mini shield generators had been placed around the area Scholar Ferro had been running this experiment. The shields were determined to be sufficient for blocking the lightning should it have gone out of control. After determining that nothing had been damaged, Scholars Indigo and Jump made sure to remind Scholar Ferro to always use the most up-to-date methods unless absolutely necessary, for the safety of himself and others. The case was then dropped.
Two more incidents of note were reported by Scholar Ferro's colleagues over the next few milos. Both were concerning Scholar Ferro's experiments with coating various objects with paint made from aurora stone dust. He had been sealing the paint by applying heat to it at high temperatures. This would have made the objects highly volatile, with the potential to explode if dropped. The second incident involved Scholar Orinth (Itera R-19) stumbling upon a small box full of aurora stone-coated marbles that was found to belong to Scholar Ferro. Scholar Ferro insisted that not only had these been made before his last warning, but that he had found a way to treat the aurora stone marbles so that they could be carried safely. The marbles were confiscated and he was placed on probation for one milos. However, later tests performed on the marbles proved they were indeed as stable as Scholar Ferro had claimed.
No more reports were filed against him in the milos following his probation. He displayed an excellent work ethic and adhered closely to safety rules. In Year 329,300 Scholar Ferro applied for a place in the the Imaginarium and was accepted based on the strength and originality of his project portfolio. He was said to have displayed "a deep fascination" with the imagination's inner workings during his early days there. As his research grew from strength to strength, he was gradually given more responsibilities as an organizer and reviewer of the Imaginarium's larger projects, as well as clearance to perform extended solo studies of Simone's soul. Apart from a period in which he took time off from Imaginarium duties to mentor Scholar Kindred as part of his career transition post-exile, his dedication to the Imaginarium never wavered. As such, he was eventually promoted to Head of the Imaginarium in Year 331,000.
Throughout this time there were no signs of him engaging in any dangerous experiments or stealing restricted materials. He always followed protocol and displayed a responsible attitude. It is possible that he was waiting until he had been given sufficient clearance so he would have easy access to these materials without inviting questions. How long he would have been able to continue his activities before he was exposed I cannot say for sure. However, I am certain that Scholar Ferro was fully aware he would be exposing himself when he first decided to run his seminar.

Part Two: The Philosophy Incident

In Year 335,525, Scholar Ferro lead a seminar for the Scholar trainees of the 21st Itera. He labelled this seminar a "philosophy class" and opened it to any trainees who were interested in pursuing Imaginarium and/or interdisciplinary work. Three of the five trainees attended: Diorama (Itera O-21), Grimoire (Itera S-21) and Rosen (Itera H-21). The following summary is based on the accounts of these trainees.

Opening act

The class started normally enough. Scholar Ferro greeted us and thanked us for being there. He told us a little bit about himself and his role as Head of the Imaginarium [...] He then mentioned that in his early days at the Imaginarium, he became curious about the imagination's duality. Its light and dark. If Simone could truly imagine anything, then what could that mean for what it was capable of? Could the ability to create co-exist with the ability to destroy?
He pulled out a couple of glasses from behind the desk. They were full of what looked like pink lemonade. They each had a slice of lemon on top. Scholar Ferro put them on the desk, then turned to us and said, "But before I continue... who wants a drink?"

— Rosen (Itera H-21)

Scholar Ferro began by asking for a volunteeer to share a drink with him. Confused but finding this an innocuous request, Rosen volunteered and was brought up to the front. Before giving her her glass, Ferro placed a few drops of a blue liquid inside it. Then he handed it to Rosen and instructed her to drink from her glass at the same time as him.

He counted to three, and the two of us drank together. After I took my sip, I watched as Scholar Ferro drained his glass. I thought I'd done something wrong. Was I supposed to have taken it all as well?
Once he was done he put the empty glass back on the desk and told me to put mine down as well. Then he turned to the others and said, "What the two of us have just consumed is a cocktail of industrial-strength chemicals and corrosive metals. Ingredients include bryonic silver, "burning blood" virgil, concentrated polyhalo and a blend of several Grades 4 and 5 mutagenic solvents. This liquid has been treated with modified akatasia to remove all odors and make the taste pleasing to the Variant tongue. The akatasia also makes it completely harmless... until it gets inside you."
I thought I was going to faint.

— Rosen (Itera H-21)

Upon informing the class of the true nature of the drink, he informed Rosen that the blue liquid he had placed in hers was a mix of blue and grey salts dissolved in pure water, which would prevent any and all ill effects of the liquid in her body*. However, as Ferro had not added this to his own drink, he now had approximately ten minutes to live.

That was when I said, "Is this a joke, Scholar Ferro?" I mean, he had to be messing with us, right? But he was just like, "Oh no, I am quite serious." Then he pulled out a scanner and told me, "You can come test it yourself while I set up."
So I went up there, right, and I scanned this weird liquid. Rosen was just standing there, white as a sheet. Scholar Ferro was pulling all sorts of stuff out from behind the desk, test tubes and flasks and reading devices and these black boxes.
When I got the results, my jaw just about dropped open. He was right - the stuff in his glass had crazy unsafe levels of everything he'd said, and more. When I scanned Rosen's though, the concentrations were somehow almost negligible. It looked like most of it had been converted to... lemonade. It didn't make sense, but I couldn't help but be relieved. That didn't last long, though.

— Grimoire (Itera S-21)

Scholar Ferro told the trainees that he and Rosen were going to prepare the antidote, a solution made with clear theryllium crystals, blue salts and gemini dew. He refused to allow Grimoire or Diorama to go to the Medics for help. According to him, the solution would nullify the effects of the liquid and heal any internal injuries. He promised to walk Rosen through everything she needed to do. Upon receiving Rosen's reluctant agreement, the two of them got to work.

I think it was five or six minutes in that Scholar Ferro stopped and pulled a white handkerchief up to his mouth. He coughed hard several times, then began to wipe the red off his lips. He was coughing up blood. Blood! He didn't seem that bothered by it, only mentioning that time was of the essence then moving on. That's when I knew I needed to pick up the pace.

— Rosen (Itera H-21)

Recreation of pink liquid consumed by Scholar Ferro and Rosen (Itera H-21)

by Arisa Chattasa

Scholar Rosen (Itera H-21) at age 15

by MagicalPouchOfMagic

He said we were his responsibility, and that he takes his responsibilities seriously. That he vowed to take us seriously as young Scholars and keep us safe. I'd thought the seminar was just going to be theory with some tech demos. I could never have guessed what he had planned.

Scholar Diorama (Itera O-21) at age 15

by MagicalPouchOfMagic

Grimoire and I stayed so we could report him. I knew the more we observed, the more information we would be able to provide. I don't know why he chose to flaunt such powerful weapons while alone with us. But there is one thing I am certain of. What we saw that day... should not have existed.

Archivist Grimoire (Itera S-21) at age 15

by MagicalPouchOfMagic

Those things were terrifying! Why the heck was this guy let anywhere near Simone!? If this is what the Scholars are all about, then I don't want a part in it. I'm gonna switch to Archivist and hope I never see Scholar Ferro again. But not before I tell the other guys what a WMD-obsessed freak he is.

He used aurora stone to charge the gemini dew. He had a solid ball of it, the size of an orange. Scholar Ferro used a device to electrify it for several seconds, then asked Rosen to sweep the aurora stone dust off of it into the gemini dew. He used a heated rod to stir the dew until the aurora stone dust turned dark red.

— Diorama (Itera O-21)

Throughout the demonstration, Scholar Ferro described the effects the liquid was currently having on his body as it made its way through his system. By the time the antidote was complete, he was coughing and hacking into the handkerchief for several seconds at a time. His voice was slightly hoarse and he was beginning to look pale. Undeterred, he informed the trainees that he had about eighty seconds before the chemicals entered his bloodstream and he lost consciousness. Scholar Ferro then proceeded to drink all of the antidote straight from the flask.

He hunched over a bit and steadied himself against the desk. He was staring at the floor and taking deep breaths. All I could think of was what I was going to do if Scholar Ferro actually collapsed.

— Grimoire (Itera S-21)

I could see the colour return to his face. His breaths grew steadier, calmer. A few seconds later he gulped, stood up straight and smiled at us. And he looked perfectly fine.

— Rosen (Itera H-21)

Grimoire reported wanting to leave immediately once the demonstration was done. It was Diorama's quiet persuasion that convinced him to stay. However, the event set the tone for the rest of the seminar.
*Note: Rosen was later examined by the Medics and found to have suffered no internal damage from the liquid.

Tech demonstrations

Scholar Ferro went on to explain his private research. Since his early days at the Imaginarium, he had been creating various devices and substances that on the surface appeared innocent and harmless, but were in fact capable of unleashing extreme harm upon both people and their surroundings if used in a certain way. He brought out another example - a simple metal teaspoon. Scholar Ferro claimed that this was "a perfectly functional little spoon, delightful in every way... unless you do this." He then twisted the handle from side to side in a way that reminded the trainees of someone cracking a safe. It made several clicks as he turned it, until it finally popped off. Ferro then took the spoon head and quickly sealed it in a shield bubble. Seconds later, it exploded.

He wasn't done with it just yet. Scholar Ferro held up the spoon handle and asked which one of us had a steady hand. Diorama raised her hand and was brought to the front. He brought out a mat and set a large metal cube on top of it. Then he gave the handle to Diorama, and told her to press it against the cube and squeeze as hard as she could.

— Rosen (Itera H-21)

The moment I applied pressure, a laser shot out of the place where the spoon's head once was. I knew what he wanted me to do. I kept my hand still and moved it down the side of the cube. When I reached the bottom, the singed slice of metal fell forward onto the mat.

— Diorama (Itera O-21)

Scholar Ferro told us that any piece of cutlery could be made the same way as that teaspoon. He said that with a fork, you could use the prongs to stick the head into something and use the handle as a detonator. And that the larger the utensil, the more firepower you could get out of it.

— Grimoire (Itera S-21)

Ferro showed the trainees several other of his inventions over the course of the seminar. These were as follows:

• A fountain pen that wrote in invisible ink that would explode once dry
• A pearl necklace that shoots spikes into the wearer's neck upon receiving a voice command
• A shoe polish capable of seeping into the shoe and melting the wearer's feet
• A substance resembling ordinary dust that could be spread across an area and would burst into flames if exposed to direct sunlight
• A mug that would release acid into any liquid it was filled with

Once he'd shown us everything Scholar Ferro said, "Now I'm sure you're wondering where the philosophy is in all of this... The answer lies in my decision to create these. It is not the fact that these things are dangerous that is notable, but the fact that I CHOSE to make them dangerous. You see, there is always a choice in life, the choice to either create things that help people and make the world a better place... or to create things that will bring forth destruction and pain. During my solo studies, I explored Simone's imagination for ideas that would allow me to create things in the grey. Tools and other items that were good or neutral, but with the slightest twist could be used for great evil. The question is: when humans and Simone look at or envision a tool, what do they see? Something to help? Or something they can harm with? And what does that say about the core ideas that exist within their souls? The answers are not black and white. What I want you all to remember is that things can exist as both good and bad at once. It is your perspective and choices that define their ultimate impact. Utility is in the eye of the beholder." Then he thanked us again, and we were dismissed.

— Rosen (Itera H-21)

Part Three: Aftermath

Once the report made by Diorama and Grimoire was received, Ferro was immediately summoned for questioning. He admitted that everything they had said was true. He argued that as future Scholars more than halfway through their training, they were not beginners, and thus were more than capable of being lead through the demonstrations safely. When asked to hand over all of his research, he responded by saying this would be "quite the endeavour":

As I told the trainees, I have been working on these since I first became part of the Imaginarium. And my research has been quite involved. There is much, much more where that came from. Many of those devices were far too destructive to safely bring to the seminar.
They're all in a vault. About ten metres underground, in unsculpted land. I can give you the key.
Be careful when you go in there, though. Some of the walls spit liquid nitrogen.

— Scholar Ferro (Itera E-20)

A team of Scholars was mobilized and equipped with safety gear before being sent in search of the vault. They found an unprecedented number of items and dangerous substances. Almost everything that could be picked up was a potential hazard. The team retrieved 1006 inventions in all. They have now been contained under the tightest security, with only a handful of Scholars being given access.
Meanwhile, the Technology Division launched an investigation in order to assess Scholar Ferro for signs of malicious intent. It seemed impossible that he would take the time to create so many destructive weapons of this nature without any intent to use them on his fellow Variants. Many Scholars were questioned, particularly those from the 20th Itera. Rosen was also brought in to give her account.
As a result of these proceedings, word got out about what Scholar Ferro had done. Whispers in the labs and corridors increased, and many people went to great lengths to avoid being in the same room as him. Some people were more vocal, calling for his resignation and exile. Others claimed that Citadel would not be safe until Scholar Ferro was placed under permanent cryosleep. The Technology Division made an official statement reassuring all Scholars that the issue was being handled, but some still remained dissatisfied.

They're calling him 20th Itera's Most Feared Scholar. They're obsessed with the idea that he's going to come in one day and turn Citadel to glass. I just tell them it's all the more reason to focus on their work, so we can be ready for him.

— Scholar Trinity (Itera Z-19)

Recommendation

Given the results of the investigation detailed above, my recommendation is as follows:

1. Remove Scholar Ferro from his position as Head of the Imaginarium and return him to the main Technology Division.
2. Place a permanent ban on Scholar Ferro going on Earth leave for any length of time, lest his creations end up in the hands of humans.
3. Attach a note regarding the details of this incident to Scholar Ferro's Councillor application, as well as any applications for future promotions as a Scholar.

I thank all those involved in the investigation for their hard work. Please contact me if there are any further questions.

Scholar Burr (Itera V-18)
Senior Scholar and Head of the Technology Division

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Year 342,000

Councillors,
Thank you for your presence at today's ceremony. As part of Ferro (Itera E-20)'s promotion to High Councillor, the House hereby releases all Councillors from the Internal Surveillance Initiative. All Councillors are relieved of any and all tasks related to the monitoring and investigation of Itera E-20 for signs of dangerous activity, malicious intent and/or use of Highly Destructive and Deadly Inventions, effective immediately.
We have also reviewed your report regarding the transfer of duties related to the Internal Surveillance Initiative to the House. Your recommendation was as follows:

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Decision: Do NOT continue monitoring Itera E-20 (based on 7 out of 8 votes)
Reasons:

• Lack of evidence of posession or production of HDDIs
• Extensive record of unprompted self-reports from Itera E-20
• Itera E-20's leadership in the building and maintenance of several highly successful initiatives in the community
• Longstanding dedication towards going above and beyond in monitoring distribution of resources, settling disputes, engineering solutions, contributing to Council meetings and other associated Council responsibilities

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After thorough discussion, we have come to the decision to rework the Internal Surveillance Initiative from within the House to incorporate limited monitoring and self-reports into High Councillor Ferro's initial mentorship.
The House thanks you for your dedication to the safety of our people.

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Appendix - Off the Record

Excerpt from interview with Scholar Ferro

Burr

One last question, before you go.

Ferro

Yes?

Burr

You went so many milos without causing concern for anyone. Yet you decided that the first people to see your... creations would be these trainees. Why is that? Why wait until now to reveal your work?

Ferro

Ah.(pause) Well, the next Genesis is coming up, yes?

Burr

Yes, it is.

Ferro

Soon my family will be welcoming our darling E-22. It's something I wanted to be prepared for.

Burr

How so?

Ferro

...I want to keep E safe. My... personal collection can't stay in the same house as a small child. I know what I said, about things being capable of both good and evil... but I want our E to live with only the good of this world. At least for a while.

Burr

I see.

Ferro

I thought it would be best to give everything away. Pass on my research and ideas to the next generation of Scholars. You can destroy it all, if you like. Though it would have been nice to have a legacy... (pause) Scholar Burr, whatever this may cost me doesn't matter. My greatest responsibility now is to that child. They may not be born yet, but there's nothing I wouldn't give up for them.

Burr

(pause) Is it true what they say? That that child is your second chance?

Ferro

(long pause) (whispers) They're... my only chance.