Editing The Viaticus Dynasty (section)

=== [[Enginseer-Prime Quintus Aureleus]] ===
Quintus Aureleus (so-called because he was the fifth-named orphan in the month at the housing facility where he grew up) is a somewhat small man, in spite of his augmentation. Reaching barely 1.6 meters at full height, his solid presence might bring to mind a rather thin Squa-err, that is, he's rather short. Nevertheless, he radiates a strong sense of presence and a competence that is matched only by the reality of his capabilities.

While well-versed in the ways of Machine Spirits, he is somewhat of an oddity among his fellows in his sense of... aesthetics. A strong belief in the holy perfection of the human form, he feels that form does not always follow function, but that function may be improved by form. Disdaining the sometimes ostentatious displays of machinery sticking out of flesh, his implants, while just as capable as those of other tech-priests, tend towards smooth and shiny over loud and crude (in his opinion).

It is hard to put years to the face (or what can be seen of it) of a member of the Priesthood of Mars, but Quintus looks to be somewhat on the young side of middle-aged, or on the old side of youth, whichever. His mouth and chin are covered (or replaced, more likely) by a smooth metal mask that follows the shape of a human jaw, and which has a scalloped deformity where the lips might be - from the grille this surrounds comes his voice, and, one would assume, somewhere underneath he drinks the nondescript nutritious sludge that he carries around with him. His head is covered in electrum bands that lie flush into the skin, and similar bands cross his torso, interrupted by the softly glowing amethyst crystals that are the visible portions of his sacred potentia coil. His left eye is usually covered by a golden gear-like monacle filled with green crystal, through which flickering symbols might be seen, with his right being more or less normal-appearing, and a bright green that matches the crystal. Traces of metal that appear like circuits cover his arms (and, one would assume, his legs), and his wrists contain ports for who-knows-what.

He gets along remarkably well with normal citizens of the Imperium, considering his station in the Priesthood of Mars. Always looking for new things to learn (particularly any new incidents of lost human technology), he was attracted to the ship-yard of Exaviar's World from rumors of ancient blueprints hidden in the depths of the cogitators. His placement there put him in an excellent position when the long-lost Viaticus flagship reappeared - first to lead the repair efforts and to certify the ship as ready for use and then to get himself placed in charged of the company of Tech-Priests charged with its upkeep.

Now, he is sure, he will find plentiful examples of lost Imperial technology, and have many opportunities to demonstrate the value of his aesthetics and his abilities to those that scoffed at him many years before.<br><br>

'''Opinions'''<br>
''"Having an emissary of the Omnissiah with us is excellent. The ship will run smoother for it, I can feel it. And his monocle is a thing of pure style; I shall have him build one for me at some point.  He is suspiciously good at conversing with the mundanes of the Imperium. And how much of his ideas about the world could be considered heresy by his more orthodox brothers and sisters in the Mechanicum?"'' - Alexis<br><br>
''"Cogboy? Cogboy always good to befriend. If not your lasgun stop working in middle of fight and then who is iron jellyfish now, eh? He get along well with Didi, so I guess is okay chap. I guess is just his incense, leave ash everywhere, hell to sweep."'' - Boris<br><br>
''"Aesthetics of some of his bionics seems too... frivolous. Is it a sign that his skills and reverence are lacking? I don't know. Anyway, I haven't had good long philosophical discussion for a long time, and he's, without doubt can provide one."'' - Ramirez<br><br>
''The personality of Quintius is rather light compared to the usual tech priest.  His obsession with human perfection, is rather off setting for the crippled mutant especially the when he wants to start implanting things into her head, even if it would aid her.'' - Aeysha<br><br>
''Quintus Aureleus is an oddity, even among the Tech-Priests of the Mechanicum but very tolerable. His skills are obvious, and I find his social graces a surprising change given his professions usual lacking.'' - Darrius