Main_Page > Vampire: The Requiem > Characters > Harry Fuse
Unifying theory of everything? How about "Life Sucks?" How's that for a unifying theory?
- -Prof. Harry Fuse, to student during his last semester teaching
Early Life[]
Born in 1970, Fuse grew up with a sharp mind and strong sense of curiousity about the world around him. While he dabbled in biology, chemistry and mathematics, the field of physics grabbed his attention most of all. As his schooling progressed, he gained a deep appreciation of the scientific method and adopted the typical intellectual heroes of Einstein and Newton.
While his parents were proud of his growing list of achievements, they became concerned that Harry lacked a moral center. Regular church goers themselves, they tried many times to spark Harry's curiousity in the Bible that could possibly compete with his interest in the sciences. These attempts were of no avail and usually resulted in being challenged on the practical limitations of the Church's claims. Eventually his parents gave up, hoping that Harry would find his own way to God.
Harry continued through much of his teenage years learning about the world around him. He read like a machine, usually a book a day. For fun he would try to reproduce the experiments he read about in the backyard or the basement. At 18, he graduated at the top of his class and went to the University of Columbia on scholarship, the first in his family to go to college.
Professional Career[]
Unsurprisingly, Fuse went into experimental physics, particularly high energy particle physics and quantum mechanics. After graduating in the top five of his class, he went on to pursue a PhD at the same university.
Fuse eventually did his disseration on top quarks, a newly discovered particle from Fermilab. Fuse thought his approach was original and insightful but his advisors' response was lackluster. He didn't think much of it at the time, but later he remembered another student also jumped on the topic of top quarks and he was much more likable than the reclusive Harry Fuse.
Still, Fuse earned his PhD, receiving high marks and went on to teach in academia on a tenure track. His classes, though, were incredibly boring and Fuse lacked any of the energy and charisma students desire from professors. Student complaints grew faster than his list of publications and each passing year Fuse found his voice carried less weight in the politics of academia.
When the committeee turned down Fuse for tenure, the shock transformed him from a solemn intellectual to a bitter and ambigious man. Respect doesn't come from intellect, it comes from perception. It's more about how much people like you than what you can do. What you can do just gets your foot in the door.
Fuse left the university and joined the R&D department of a computer company trying to create a quantum computer for the Department of Defense. Here, too, politics was just as important as accomplishments but Fuse was too keen on the dangers of ignoring this fact. Relunctently, painfully, he took on the persona of the nice guy and slowly rose through the company ranks. He will not be denied his potential again.
Embrace[]
Fuse's dogged determinism in the face of stiff odds garnered the attention of a local Ventrue Invictus. Fuse was smart, driven, had great connections and is making strides in learning the political game. He's the perfect protege and future ally. Fuse was Embraced two years after getting his new job.
But the scientist's reaction was not what the Ventrue thought it would be. So dedicated to the exploration of science as Truth, Fuse was stunned to experience his undead state. In a single night everything he had ever known was through out the window: fire could catch with only room temperature heat; creatures could live without breathing or beating hearts; immortality existed as did magic: supernatural strength, secret auras, men turned to pillars of salt...
It took several weeks for all of this to sink in. In the end, Fuse did not throw away everything he had learned. Electricity is still electricity; the lights still work. But he also took new meaning from his parents encouragement of God. Feeling the weight of faith grow on his shoulders, Fuse joined the Lancea Sanctum, much to his Sire's dismay.