Rhine Lab
“ | A famous technology organization from Columbia, committed to expanding the practical applications of all kinds of cutting-edge technology. | ” |
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Rhine Lab LLC. (R.L.) is a Terran organization. They are a Columbian research institute and scientific consortium that is active in the fields of Originium, biology, and robotics, but have been marred with shady practices involving unethical, inhumane experiments. Nevertheless, they have a grand ambition to become Terra's pioneer in space expedition.
Background
Foundation
Rhine Lab was founded by Dr. Kristen Wright and Saria, two equally-minded graduates from the Trimounts Institute of Technology, in the year 1083 with the purpose of seeking scientific advancements and following the legacy of the former's parents in exploring space beyond Terra. R.L. came from humble beginnings with its first office being an old apartment near the founders' former college.[1] A year later, Muelsyse, a young Elf girl, joined the duo. Despite this, R.L. was struggling with management affairs, as it heavily relied on investors and other third-parties' funds. On the other hand, their projects were limited to high-energy physics and life research. That would change in 1085, when the trio decided to consult Jara Wilson, a former Wrankwood star who became one of Columbia's top investors, who decided to provide enough funds to turn R.L. into a consolidated commercial business. The same year, Ahrens Parvis and Ferdinand Clooney would join the company as well.[2][3]
R.L. eventually became one of Terra's biggest scientific organizations, famous throughout Terra for their Originium-related research and uses in robotics, medicine, and ecological studies. They eventually upgraded into an LLC. in 1085, and through collaboration with the Maylander Association, began attracting more researchers to join the company. Kristen Wright became the Director of the Component Controls section and head of R.L. as a whole, while Saria took up the position as chief of the Defense section. Along with its scientific endeavors, the Maylander Association also helped R.L. start the Rhine Lab Pioneer Project: a series of archeological expedition programs to uncover ancient ruins, many of which actually belonged to the previous civilizations which once colonized Terra.
However, R.L. eventually became involved in ethically questionable research, which they have simply deemed "unavoidable." The company accepts funding from the Columbian Department of Defense (DOD) as part of the nation's goal to achieve technological superiority over other Terran superpowers. For example, in order to decode the secrets of Originium, Joyce was chosen to have an Originium chip implanted inside her brain, but this came at the cost of her contracting severe Oripathy, along with other illnesses.[4] R.L. even secretly invested in the infamous Loken Watertank Laboratory, inheriting much of its legacy after its downfall by accepting its remaining research data and subjects.[5] They continue to use the façade of appearing as an institution of academic freedom to attract researchers while disguising their true intentions.
Of all the experiments R.L. has conducted, "Project Diαbolic," launched in the year 1095, was their most defining. Under the supervision of the DOD, they acted as an investment partner for Haydn Pharmaceutical, which attempted to create a humanoid weapon by resurrecting the extinct Diablo Sarkaz.[6] The result, however, was a series of devastating events known as the "Diαbolic Crisis". It began with Ifrit, the experiment's test subject, losing control of her Arts and burning down laboratory Lab-1, killing its director Haydn Ramt. Following the destruction of Lab-1, R.L. secretly continued the project under the supervision of Prof. Parvis, by disguising it as therapy for Ifrit , intended to relieve the symptoms of her Oripathy. R.L. eventually failed to suppress Ifrit's rage, which almost led to the destruction of the lab and the subject's death.[7] Since then, R.L. has concealed all details concerning the Crisis, and announced publicly that the incident was nothing more than an experimental accident.
R.L.'s inhumane experiments, as well as the disastrous Diαbolic Crisis, have led two of its members, Dr. Olivia Silence and its co-founder, Saria, to leave R.L., though their positions are still nominally retained by Kristen. Even then, R.L. continues to supervise the two to prevent them from harming their interests; they also observe Ifrit in secret. At the same time, they have partnered with Rhodes Island to conduct research on Oripathy, while admitting to R.I.'s superiority in this field of research. Magallan, Mayer, and their superior Muelsyse are some of its members lending their services to R.I.
In November 21, 1099, the "Horizon Arc Project“ was officially launched as part of R.L.'s collaboration with the DOD. Originally a superweapons program with the purpose of constructing Arc-01, it was soon hijacked by R.L. itself as part of Kristen's ultimate lifetime goal. In the end, R.L. succeeded in penetrating the Starpod—the "fake sky" of Terra—and created a unique phenomenon named the "Trimounts Arc" by later generations. Despite R.L. ultimately losing Kristen, the event became the current generation of Terra's first attempt to fly beyond the Starpod, marking the very beginning of space expedition in the current era.
Branches
Departments
R.L. has ten departments in total with each performing different tasks. The core of R.L. is the Component Control Section (CMPT CTRL) that deals with the general affairs within R.L. among all departments. Beneath the Control Section are five scientific research sections and four general affair sections:
Scientific research
- Ecological Section (ECO): The department that investigates the biological evolution history of Terra and its interaction with Terra's environment.
- Energy Section (NRG): The department that conducts research on various forms of energies in Terra (i.e., Originium, sunlight, geothermal, and biothermal) and their practical applications in technology.
- Originium Arts Section (ORIG): The department that dives into the basic principles of Originium Arts and its applications.
- Scientific Investigation Section (SCIEN): The department consisting of explorers that reach outside of the borders of civilization on Terra (i.e., Sami Icefield) to investigate its mysteries and uncover relics of Terra's previous civilizations. The S.I.S. is the leader of R.L.'s Pioneer Project.
- Structural Section (STRU): The department that investigates the basic particles (i.e., elements, atoms, and biological molecules) of living beings on Terra and how they are affected by their surroundings.
General affair
- Business Section (BSN): The department that deals with public affairs and communications with other corporations.
- Defense Section (DEF): The department that deals with R&D and security issues such as laboratory emergencies. It also takes care of undisclosed and classified information.
- Engineering Section (ENG): The department that provides mechanical and robotic support for R.L.'s researchers.
- Human Resource Investigation Section (HRI): The department that is responsible for human resource management.
Notable members
Directors | ||||
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Section dirs. | ||||
Staff | ||||
Addendum | ||||
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- Andenate Maryam – director of R.L. Scientific Investigation Section
- Dellareed☠: A R.L. researcher who studied the possibility of integrating Originium with computers and the organic mind through a direct neural interface, as well as Joyce's friend. She passed away at some point from unknown causes, leading to her project's team disbandment. Della's death led to Joyce voluntarily implanting an Originium-based DNI named "Device #9" into her brain to remember her and prove her theories.[9]
- Albert (Rhodes Island's Records of Originium - Rhine Lab)
- Lammy (Rhodes Island's Records of Originium - Rhine Lab)
- Leon (Rhodes Island's Records of Originium - Rhine Lab)
- Jane (Rhodes Island's Records of Originium - Rhine Lab)
Enemies
Normal | |
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Elite |
Interactions
Operator | Subject | Interaction |
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Expenditure Economization | Rhine Lab Operators (including Muelsyse herself) have their DP cost reduced by 2, with the one first deployed having their DP cost further reduced by 1 (2 at Potential 5). | |
Refreshment | When Saria's GUA-X Operator Module is upgraded to Stage 3, R.L. Operators (including Saria herself) recover 3 SP from Refreshment. | |
Plumes of Plenty | The talent's effect is doubled for R.L. Operators (including the Paradigmatic herself). |
Gallery
Facilities
The Control Office, Kristen Wright's workspace
Personnel
Artwork
Media
Trivia
- The name refers to the Rhine River despite being based on Terra's analogue to the United States of America, Columbia.
- The Rhine Lab logo is identical to that of Arduino's, albeit flipped and slightly modified.
- According to NoriZC, the logo was originally meant to be resembling an owl with <> representing its beak, which was later removed for artistic reasons.
- All but three of Rhine Lab Operators (Dorothy, Mayer, and Ptilopsis) are illustrated by NoriZC. Excluding Dorothy and Ptilopsis, they are based on elements as can sometimes be seen on NoriZC's personal merchandises:
- Because of their close relationship, Rhine Lab Operators are given the nickname "Rhine Lab Family" by the Arknights community.
- Saria is viewed as a strict father due to her nature as well as being a Vouivre. There are some fan arts where she is instead a silly father who teaches Ifrit all the wrong things and/or unintentionally injures her, which results in Silence punishing Saria in various comical ways.
- Silence is viewed as a distant mother. Occasionally, the CN community view the relationship between Silence and Saria as divorced parents.
- Ifrit is the super naughty child in the "family" that often creates troubles.
- Ptilopsis, Mayer and Muelsyse are Ifrit's "aunts."
- Magallan is treated as Ifrit's niece. The EN community tends to view her as another aunt.
- Kristen is viewed as Saria's "ex" by some in the CN community.
- The date that Project Horizon Arc is launched, November 21, is when the first hot air balloon travel was launched by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes, a monumental beginning of aviation researches in Earth.[11]
References
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