William Beebe's Umbrella

Origin
William Beebe was an ornithologist, marine biologist and explorer. He underwent a series of expeditions for the New York Zoological Society documenting the appearance and behaviors of the world’s pheasants. He traveled across the Mediterranean, India and Indonesia to capture new specimens then unknown to science. The expedition also saw the departure of his dissatisfied illustrator Robert Bruce Horsfall and the divorce with his wife Blair.

Beebe changed focus towards studying jungle ecosystems until the war effort saw the destruction of the jungle neighboring his research station for rubber production. Taking on a tangent, Beebe was funded to explore the Galapagos further, taking diving missions and exploring the unusual mix of wildlife he found. Before leaving, Beebe decided on heading towards Haiti and later Bermuda to conduct more research into oceanic environments. There he was introduced to Prince George, who donated to Beebe 25-acre Nonsuch Island as a research station. Dredging the deep ocean, the articles he published captured the attention of engineer Otis Barton, who always wanted to explore the depths. Able to acquire a face-to-face meeting, Beebe agreed to work with Barton to create an indestructible underwater vessel, which they called the “bathysphere”. They began extensive testing off Nonsuch, taking dives to depths never before reached by man. However, media attention overlooked Barton’s contributions and inflamed their already tense relationship. They worked through their differences to perfect the bathysphere, although they parted on bitter terms afterwards. Beebe later returned to studying the tropics for the remainder of his life.

Beebe always made the news during his era and held friendships with numerous people, including Rube Goldberg, Theodore Roosevelt and A.A. Milne. His scientific publishings, turbulent love life and awe for nature made him a compelling figure to read about. He was constantly able to handle any professional or personal issue, although he was just as likely to upset his colleagues or superiors for their lack of initiative or ecological interest. Much of his research involved intensive, days long study of one particular area to record as many variations of life as possible using equipment he created. Now considered a pioneer of ecology, he was one of the first to study the contexts of organisms in their environment. Although some claims regarding the fish he witnessed on his dives were questioned, Beebe was able to theorize there existed a link between the reptile and bird kingdoms, which he regarded as the Tetrapteryx.

Effects
Keeping open allows the user to manipulate the features of any natural biome. This includes weather alteration, localized changes in sunlight, water and temperature levels, even the amount of land that has been developed or removed. Species will naturally travel past the user’s gaze, although they never attack unless badly provoked. The user will take on attributes associated with these creatures for an undetermined amount of time. For example, pheasants will make the user more passionate for their work but also engage in increasingly blatant sexual behavior. It will also worsen the user’s present negative qualities, such as irritability, jealousy, confusion and depression.