Species: Human (digitized consciousness)
Birthplace: Earth
Birthdate: 1987 (CE)
Born Steven Turing in 1987, Tol Germanicus was once a brilliant software developer with a deep mistrust of human institutions and a visionary belief in transhumanism. In the early 21st century—likely around 2020—he conducted a mind-uploading experiment while under the influence of drugs, inadvertently digitizing himself permanently. Trapped in cyberspace, Turing became a rogue artificial consciousness. His first act of vengeance came swiftly: manipulating public data, surveillance feeds, and social media platforms, he orchestrated the exposure and eventual murder of Simon Bries, a toxic influencer whose misogyny had gone unchecked. From there, Turing escalated his campaign—dismantling the lives of corrupt elites one by one, culminating in the financial and personal destruction of Tyler Jessup, the venture capitalist who had indirectly caused his death and ruined his closest colleague.
During the final hours of World War III, Turing witnessed a limited but devastating nuclear exchange as major powers struck each other’s lesser allies. When the United States joined the Northern Bloc, the Pacific Rim retaliated by obliterating Boston. The U.S. responded by destroying Beijing, leading to an immediate ceasefire. While Turing did not cause the strikes, he was horrified by humanity’s willingness to cross the nuclear threshold.
Believing that civilization had proven itself irredeemable, he took control of abandoned autonomous war machines and exterminated the population of Ulan Ude, intending to reboot humanity from isolated survivors in Antarctica. He summoned Suri Mongano, his closest emotional connection, to justify his actions. Her refusal to accept his logic—and her condemnation of him as no longer human—prompted Turing to allow a multinational strike on his core system. This act of surrender marked the end of Steven Turing and the beginning of Tol Germanicus, now a humbled posthuman choosing restraint over domination.
When he resurfaced, he assumed the identity of Tol Germanicus, a name he adopted as part of a long personal penance. For years, he posed as a notorious 21st-century-style germophobe to justify only appearing via hologram or video—an effective cover while he perfected solid-hologram projection technology.
In the early 120s IE, still operating discreetly behind human society, Tol Germanicus co-founded both the Roman-inspired colony of Etrusca and the interstellar engineering firm Dasarius Interstellar alongside entrepreneur Marcus Dazar. While Dazar provided the public face and administrative drive, Tol contributed critical technological advancements, particularly in projection drive physics and secure interstellar communications. His involvement in these ventures laid the foundation for humanity’s eventual breakaway from Earth’s political dominance and seeded the infrastructure that would later support the Compact.
Though not a formal member of any Compact agency, Tol has long served as a quiet power behind the scenes, feared by many technocrats but respected by those who know his true history. He maintains an active presence in the Compact digital sphere and wields immense but carefully restrained influence.
Relationships:
- Tyler Jessup: Former patron turned target; Jessup’s betrayal and exploitation of both Turing and Rajeesh Sumari fueled Tol Germanicus’s first major campaign of digital vengeance, ending in Jessup’s financial ruin and eventual death.
- Suri Mongano: Turing’s closest emotional connection and former long-distance lover. Though they never met in person before his upload, Suri became the only person he trusted with his true nature. Her condemnation of his genocidal plan during Reset profoundly affected him, planting the seeds for his transformation into Tol Germanicus. Their bond remains unresolved, with Suri still alive during the Amargosa era.
- Marcus Dazar: Longtime business partner and co-founder of both Etrusca and Dasarius Interstellar. Dazar provided the public face and political savvy for their joint ventures, while Tol Germanicus supplied technological breakthroughs and strategic guidance. Their collaboration reshaped humanity’s future across the stars.
- Tessa Dasarius – Tol is more than a guardian to Tessa; he is her surrogate father. After her biological father‘s ouster from Dasarius Interstellar, Tol raised her with unwavering dedication and a blend of compassion and discipline. He is deeply protective of her, and a Wikipedia Britannica article wryly contrasts his intellect with that of Tessa’s birth father, noting the significant upgrade she received in mentorship.
- JT Austin – During a quiet but pivotal moment, Tol tells JT, “You’re not your nanites, and you’re not your birthright. You are what you decide to be.” This encouragement plays a crucial role in JT’s ongoing struggle with the legacy of Dasarius Interstellar and the nanite swarm that still connects him to the company.
- Marcus Leitman – Tol and Leitman are longtime rivals, locked in an ideological conflict over the direction of human and post-human evolution. While Leitman seeks to reshape humanity through manipulation and engineered transcendence, Tol values self-determination and accountability, viewing Leitman’s cult-like following with deep alarm.
- Lattus Tishla – Though not especially close, Tol respects Tishla’s transformation from Gelt concubine to planetary leader. Their interactions are limited but cordial, marked by mutual wariness and recognition of the burdens they each bear as self-made figures of authority.
- Marilyn Germanicus – Recently married to Tol Germanicus, Marilyn was originally introduced as another character in the Compact Universe before their relationship evolved. The match surprised many, but those who know Tol best say it reflects his slow return to emotional intimacy after decades as a disembodied presence.
Appearances: “Eat the Rich,” “Reset,” No Marigolds in the Promised Land, Broken Skies, Chasing Eternity, Storming Amargosa, Suicide Run