Humanity has long been enthralled by Dust, even before they had the barest inkling of what it was that they had plucked from the earth. Deceptively beautiful and unspeakably powerful, Dust has inspired people for countless millennia. Its utility as a technological resource, and a potent weapon against the Grimm, has firmly cemented its place within society—such that everyday life would be unrecognizable without it. Yet that has done little to combat humanity’s ignorance of what it is, exactly, that they’ve harnessed. In spite of generations of research, questions about the origins of Dust, and what it’s made of, continue to elude people.
Progress has continued, regardless of those setbacks. The individuals mentioned here have spearheaded that progress, and given rise to the breakthroughs that continue to drive humanity forward. Listed below are their names, along with their contributions.
Dossiers
Jordan of Anima — The founder of rhizology, who hailed from the ancient city of Chamenos, Remnant’s largest psychometric imprint. A separate post exploring the details of their life will be released on a later date.
Nicholas Schnee — A divisive figure who garnered his share of supporters and detractors, particularly within Atlas. Unlike the other members of the kingdom’s ruling elite, Nicholas was born to the working middle class of the undercity, Mantle. He hailed from a long line of blacksmiths and metallurgists, but unlike his predecessors, his fascination was with Dust, not ore. He spent much of his free time in his workshop, trying to find a method to make Dust usage more efficient and accessible. After much trial and error, his tinkering led to the modern process for flash-freezing Dust in its elemental-release state. The invention of the Dust cartridge (or battery) was the beginning of the SDC, which quickly expanded its operations to include both Dust extraction and factory refinement. Nicholas personally oversaw his mines in Solitas and earned a reputation as a formidable combatant, protecting his employees from Grimm (including a centuries-old Hartless). The success of his business was what enabled him to enter the ranks of Atlas’ old families, through his arranged marriage to Thyra Royce. In keeping with the social customs, Nicholas arranged his daughter’s marriage as well. Unfortunately, long-term exposure through Dust mining led to the eventual acquisition of toxorhizosis, which soon hospitalized him (and killed him not long after). Prior to his death, he named his son-in-law—Jacques Gelé—as his successor.
Djura Gannet — In the aftermath of the Great War, international travel became attainable as the world opened its borders. Gannet, a retired warrior from Vacuo’s coasts, wanted to experience the newfound peace he had bled for, and decided to visit the other kingdoms. As he explored Eastern Sanus (and later, Anima), he became particularly interested in Dust vortices. Their existence mystified him. As Gannet had personally observed in combat, Dust required the presence of Aura in order to have its elemental effects triggered. How could a vortex possibly be sustained if there wasn’t enough ambient Aura to keep them above a certain energetic threshold? On a scale of entire ecosystems, no less. While he wasn’t the first to ponder this conundrum, Gannet was the first to electronically map several vortices, and measure pneumatophysical activity across the area. His tentative conclusion was that the ambient Aura was disproportionate to the presence of wildlife needed to sustain that sort of passive output. This anomaly, named Gannet’s paradox, was used to classify Dust as either technically inert or functionally inert. The latter state, as noted by rhizologists, is only observed when Dust leaves Remnant’s atmosphere, suggesting that the planet itself holds some quality that explains the paradox.
Rednine — It’s an established fact that a Dust vortex can influence the evolution of endemic species. The gliding agamid lizards of Lake Matsu’s floating islands are testament of that. What was less known were the biochemical effects that vortices had on organisms, and the pharmaceutical value they held. The Siroccan who made that discovery took the name Rednine, after the eponymous plant native to Tsahïk Forest—a small, bright-red flower with nine petals. The roots, stems, leaves, and fruit of the plant are highly toxic, which might explain why no one realized the corolla was medicinal. In fact, when Rednine first ate one of the petals, it was an accident. They mistook it for a similar-looking plant. Once the initial panic—and relief—wore off, Rednine decided to harvest more of the plant and see if it had any culinary applications. While it wasn’t all that useful in a salad, Rednine was intrigued by the fact that it seemed to temporarily disable their Aura. Later research revealed the existence of unique rhizo-organic compounds which have an inhibitory effect. Today, the rednine flower is the source of a class of drugs known as Aura suppressants. It’s thought that other Dust vortices might yield similar pharmaceutical plants, but to date, only one has been discovered.
Tiago Torgal — Dying early in life is a recurring theme among rhizologists, though it could be argued that Torgal’s was his own doing. Unlike Rednine, who focused on the long-term evolutionary impacts of Dust, Torgal’s work concerned the immediate, short-term effects on biological systems. His interest wasn’t in its key characteristics—like luminance, color, and passive behavior—which were already well-documented; it was in the interactive, synergistic phenomena, which were harder to observe. Torgal extensively stress-tested Dust types by using himself as a research subject, going so far as inhaling it in a powdered form and ingesting small crystals. When asked why he didn’t just use animals, he scoffed, and muttered something about “objectivity” under his breath. While unconventional, his studies revolutionized healthcare by creating a thorough list of type-specific diagnostic criteria, and the dosage at which effects in the body occur. Years of subjecting himself to his own experiments eventually led to his death, and helped solidify toxorhizosis as a valid medical condition.
Kyrii Piers — A doctor from Menagerie who specialized in treating Dust-related complications, and the discoverer of epalem. One day early on in her career, she received a number of patients from the recently-opened Teoriaþ Mine, under the ownership of the SDC. Nearly every collier she treated had acute symptoms of Dust poisoning and silicosis, along with other injuries, such as abrasions and burns. Some occupational hazards were to be expected—Dust mining was, and continues to be, one of Remnant’s most dangerous careers—but not to this extent. When Piers attempted to speak with the insurance company and the Teoriaþ manager, their answers were evasive, inconsistent, and vague. Suspicious, Piers traveled to southern Mistral, and with the help of a colleague, managed to get hired by the mine under a pseudonym. While employed for the SDC, she witnessed and documented multiple workers’ rights violations, including the provision of faulty equipment. Once she compiled enough evidence, Piers terminated her contract and brought her findings to the public. The media coverage resulted in litigation and several fines that the SDC had to pay, although the mine was allowed to remain open, as the CEO claimed ignorance and blamed the damages on the manager. A few months after the investigation concluded, Piers was found dead in her apartment. Local law enforcement ruled it a homicide, and while never outright implicated, it’s suspected that the SDC had a hand in it.
