One of three versions of the Institution's Logo
The Institut für menschliche Bildung und Weiterentwicklung (Institute for Human Education and Development, subsequently abbreviated as "IMBW") is a research institute that, according to recovered data, undertakes experiments and projects working towards the goal of transhumanism. The Institute works in numerous scientific fields, including:
- Genetic Manipulation
- Surgical Procedures
- Pharmaceuticals
- Psychological influence and conditioning
- Education and Pedagogy
- Parabiology
- Thaumatology
There is abundant evidence that the Institute also works in other scientific disciplines related to the anomalous. Additionally, it known to carry out human experimentation, in part on completely unsuspecting civilians invited through various means to seminars or courses promising to expand physical or mental capabilities, and subsequently monitored for abnormalities in everyday life or through news reports. The majority of experiments are carried out on people who have either been abducted or purchased, and so the IMBW mostly works on the homeless, orphans, illegal immigrants and war refugees. The fate of most of their victims is unknown, but it is assumed that most of the experiments are fatal due to the constant need for new test subjects.
Evidence so far suggests that the Institute specifically seeks out anomalous objects and entities to research them or to utilise their effects, using trained and augmented individuals and/or squads for this purpose. It has already been observed how the anomalous properties of humanoid anomalies have been successfully transferred to ordinary people.
It is known that the IMBW is financed by several financially privileged persons and institutions, including several of the super-wealthy, Marshall, Carter & Dark Ltd. and Raptor Tec Industries. In return, IMBW manufactures products or devises processes commissioned by its funders while at the same time carrying out its own studies and projects. It is also common for clients to undergo treatment themselves in order to enhance certain physical or mental abilities or even acquire anomalous abilities.
The IMBW is lead by the PoI Professor Alexander Voss, a humanoid anomaly known to have performed many experiments and improvements on himself in order to develop transhumanist procedures.
The Institution and above all Professor Voss praise the Foundation for locating, storing and securing of anomalies for the protection of humanity, but criticise that anomalies are not used for the further development of humans and society. Despite several overtures from the Institute, the Foundation classifies the IMBW as a hostile organisation, not least because several undercover agents have been exposed by the IMBW and used for experimentation.
The IMBW was founded in 1972 by Professor Voss, with the idea of promoting human education and development. The IMBW developed from a small institute into a large research facility in Berlin. At the time it was assumed that the institute was an ordinary education research institute, concerning itself with the prerequisites for and possibilities of educational processes. Nothing was known about its use of anomalous objects and entities, or its experimentation on human subjects.
The funding of various benefactors, including education research organisations, enabled the IMBW in 1987 to establish itself at several locations across Germany. Funding openly came from wealthy philanthropists or academic institutions. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the IMWB began offering seminars and courses across Germany under the cover of pseudonyms and front organisations, in which the education or physical capabilities of the attendees was promoted through exposure to anomalous objects. These events generally charged an admission fee. The educational approaches and methods for visitors primarily consisted of interaction with anomalous entities and objects, as well as memes or learning specific practices. None of the participants were informed that they had been exposed to anomalies. The IMBW expanded further in 1997 into Switzerland, Austria, and other countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands. In hindsight, it is clear that the Foundation was unaware of almost all of the IMBW locations. The only known location was the institution of the IMBW in Berlin.
The Foundation became aware of the institute in 2004, since by this time the institution had conducted several partially successful operations to obtain anomalous objects and information to use for their own purposes, and several infiltrators were uncovered and arrested. At this point, the institute began to go underground. The Foundation carried out several raids, but with the exception of the location in Berlin, the other addresses of the IMBW were merely shell companies. However, the raid on the Berlin site was regarded as a success and placed numerous IMBW data and anomalies into the Foundation's hands.
The loss of public donors does not appear to have affected the IMBW's work, presumably because of greater support from people and groups that also operate underground. However, the loss of a public image resulted in the institute pursuing their studies more aggressively, and greatly expanded it's pursuit and acquisition of anomalous objects and entities. The institute still offers seminars and courses under false names, but these are not free of charge and are mostly just for the purpose of testing mature procedures or inventions. Likewise, the willful and spontaneous release of anomalies in densely populated area has already been linked to the IMBW, but most have no directly harmful consequences for affected individuals, as observed in detention by the Foundation or by similar organisations such as the Global Occult Coalition.
Above all, the IMBW is a research institution with specialists in numerous scientific fields. However, there are other departments that make the institute the danger that it is.
Management: The IMBW is lead by Professor Alexander Voss, the founder of the Institut für menschliche Bildung und Weiterentwicklung. However, due to his extreme multitasking and his unmatched ability to control multiple RTI-Titans at the same time, he has also taken on other duties. Apparently, this is mostly motivated by curiosity.
Research Department: The heart of the IMBW. The research department is divided into countless individual sections, each specialising in its own field of research. They are networked so that they can exchange ideas and collaborate with one another.
Department for Procurement of Personnel and Materials: As the name suggests, these are the people responsible for acquiring resources and recruiting new employees and the abnormally gifted to the IMBW. A large part of their manpower is used for the procurement of test subjects. Willing to use morally questionable means, since the needs of the individual research sections are always quite exotic.
Hunting Unit: A relatively small troop of combat personnel that compensate for their limited manpower through the use of RTI-Technology and home-made augmentations. Responsible for capturing anomalies sought or broken out by the IMBW. Contrary to their name, they are also the people responsible for tracking down and procuring new anomalies. In emergencies, they also engage in theft and burglary. Members of the unit sometimes volunteer for IMBW experiments in the hopes of earning Special Agent status.
Intelligence Division: A network of spies and infiltrators, planted in various groups that the IMBW wants to keep an eye on for various reasons. Mostly not augmented, to avoid attracting attention.
Special Agents: The IMBW's solution to larger problems, without needing to bring in external forces such as the Primordial mercenary group. Special Agents are individuals who have been heavily augmented by the IMBW, deployed as extremely competent fighting or espionage personnel. Special Agents differ from ordinary personnel in that they are allowed to chose a code name. This is to prevent confusion, similar to the nicknames used by Foundation MTF units. One of the best known Special Agents is Magma-M, but Professor Voss also counts himself as a Special Agent.
Sales: Part of the IMBW tasked with acquiring new business, handling sales, and promoting the Institute's products. Also organizes seminars and courses for the testing of new inventions.
Administration: A completely normal administrative body.
Name: Professor Alexander Voss
Role: Leader of the Institut für menschliche Bildung und Weiterbildung
Appearance: Unknown. At all times, Professor Voss is fully covered by clothing and wears a futuristically designed motorcycle helmet, presumably to conceal his abnormally altered form, although it is known that his height is 231 cm. RTI-Titans are remotely controlled by him with the appearance of a thin brown-haired man about 186 cm tall, in order to interact with other people and the wider world. These always wear a bow tie around their neck.
Resume: Investigations have revealed that the identity of Professor Voss was falsified, however his doctorates are genuine except for the date of receipt. Investigators eventually discovered a professor by the same name born in Heidelberg in 1892, in what is now Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is assumed based on the appearance of the RTI Titans used by Voss that this individual and the current Professor Voss are the same person. The likelihood of this hypothesis was calculated to be 92% by the Archive AI KAI. According to recovered information, Professor Voss grew up in Heidelberg and studied medicine at the city's university, before being drafted into the German army as a medic in 1915 during the First World War. Following the end of the war, Professor Voss continued his studies and earned several doctorates, before receiving his professorship in 1931 and began to research how to increase the performance of the human body. Professor Voss went into hiding in 1934 after the establishment of the National Socialist regime. No public records exist after this point, and what happened to him in the period from 1935 to 1984 is unknown. He has been married since 1994 and fathered two children, however in 2002 his entire family disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
Distinguishing Features: Professor Voss is one of the most abnormally augmented humans known to the Foundation, to the point that even his DNA and anatomy are barely identifiable as human. Some of his anomalous properties include:
- A cybernetic prosthetic arm (left) with numerous inbuilt weapons and other functions, most notably a powerful plasma weapon in the palm of the hand. This appears to have been continually developed by IMBW, adding and replacing features over time.
- The ability to cover his body with armor plates made from an unknown metal, capable of withstanding machine gun fire and shell blasts.
- A massive, hairless, tapering tail about around two and a half meters long, that appear to be an extension of his spine. Light green in color, usually hidden under clothing. It is unknown whether Professor Voss wraps it around himself or retracts it into his body. Used as both a weapon and as a gripping tool.
- The ability to manipulate his own biomass at will. Enables rapid muscle growth and reduction when needed, as well as changing the shape of his body parts.
- Moderate regenerative powers allow him to completely recover from even fatal wounds or amputation within a few days.
- The ability to control electronic receivers through an implant in his head, used in multiple ways including to remotely control his RTI Titans.
- Multiple parallel consciousnesses working in harmony, enabling Professor Voss to engage in extreme multitasking. He has been observed piloting up to five of his Titans at the same time across distances of hundreds of kilometers in this way.
The professor is also known for his engaging charisma. There are known cases in which he has successfully persuaded members of hostile factions to work for him instead, including some of our own Foundation employees. Anomalous effects are considered but have not yet been proven. In addition, he is classified as highly dangerous, not least because of his psychological abnormalities. Agents in the field are advised to flee if they unexpectedly encounter him. A precise psychological profile is currently still being created.
Name: Magdalena Marcelina Mager (Code-Name "Magma-M")
Role: Combat Personnel, responsible for capture and procurement of anomalies.
Appearance: Chin-length brown hair, slim, about 183 cm tall, presumably in her thirties, almost always wears protective clothing, usually found in heat-resistant combat gear.
Resume: Unknown, according to received information she was picked up from the street by Professor Voss in 1992. Lost all limbs in an unspecified accident except for her right arm , which was badly mutilated. Has been fitted with prosthetic limbs by the IMBW to enable normal function, with the right arm amputated and also replaced. Has been assigned to IMBW combat personnel since 2000 and is considered to be one of the most capable agents for acquiring anomalous objects and entities.
Distinguishing Features: Cybernetically augmented, possessing mechanical limbs and enhancements to the spine, pelvis, shoulders and skull. This has greatly increased physical strength and resiliance. Has experience with the use of numerous handguns and melee weapons. Also capable of generating temperatures of up to 8000°C with her prosthetics, her body seemingly being able to withstand the heat without harm. Also appears to suffer from a superhero complex, including insisting on being addressed by her codename in front of hostile individuals. Classified as highly dangerous.
Foreword: The list ranges from hostile to poor, neutral, good und allied.
SCP Foundation
Leadership: O5-Rat
Gesinnung: Hostile
Current Relationship: Current Relationship: The IMBW praises the documentation and research on some objects. The IMBW also shows great interest in anomalies that could serve human development and education. However, the institution considers the captivity of some SCP objects to be foolish. After several incidents in 2004 in which the IMBW attempted to steal SCP objects, the relationship with the Foundation has become very strained. Given that they are pursued by the Foundation, the IMBW is not above raiding Foundation sites and stealing stored anomalies.
The Mages Academy
Leadership: Archmagister and Board
Attitude: Hostile
Current Relationship: The IMBW employs a few defected mages to use their skills to create new anomalies for them. Additionally, the Institute is actively working to create artificial mages, considering them as an evolution of humans. The Mages Academy considers itself to have a moral and legal obligation to oppose and destroy IMBW due to repeated breaches of its charter by IMBW mages. If the Academy gets hold of creations of the IMBW, it does its utmost to render them harmless, or at least to free them from their abnormalities.
The Fourth Reich
Leadership: Mister Rass
Attitude: Hostile
Current Relationship: Mister Rass had Acolyte Stier infiltrate the IMBW and divert numerous resources from the Institute to the Fourth Reich. However, the Acolyte was exposed in 2010 and later freed by the Fourth Reich. Since then, Mister Rass has refused both cooperation and further infiltrations, for unknown reasons. For its part, the IMBW ridicules the vision of the Fourth Reich as misguided and doomed to fail, and sees the organization's actions as a waste of useful potential. If members of both groups meet, they will usually come into conflict.
Division XXV
Leadership: Officer Konstantin Mader
Attitude: Neutral
Current Relationship: The IMBW obtained some Division XXV objects in 200█ by accident, without any information about them. Their limited knowledge of the use of these objects occasionally leads to incorrect operation of the anomalies, or the detection of undesirable side effects that occur too late. There is insufficient information to say much about the involvement of the Department in the IMBW during the days of the GDR, but it is known that the Stasi siphoned off knowledge from the Institute for their own purposes.
Caecus Carneliana-Collective
Leadership: Kether / The Crown
Attitude: Neutral
Current Relationship: Due to the theft of two "sentient" SCPs related to the Collective from the Foundation, the Collective became aware of the IMBW. It has no problem with the further development of humanity and the other projects of the IMBW. Some members still harbor resentment for the abductions and failure to surrender their comrades, and occasionally attempt to attack IMBW, despite Kether's ban. Failure usually results in the capture of these members.
Sonderkommando for the Paranormal
Leadership: [REDACTED]
Attitude: Unknown
Current Relationship: It is unknown whether Professor Voss or other IMBW employees ever came into contact with the Sonderkommando. However, it has been confirmed that some of the IMBW's work is based on designs by the dissolved Nazi organization.
Raptor Tec. Industries
Leadership: ?
Attitude: Good
Current Relationship: A trade agreement exists with Raptor Tec. Industries, giving the IMBW access to a range of RTI technologies and funds, while also developing new technologies for the weapons manufacturer to enhance human soldiers. RTI doesn't care about the goals of the IMBW, and in its work with the interest group it focuses only on the manufacturing and commercialization of anomalies and technologies.
Das Wunderkabinett
Leadership: Ms Mirabilis
Attitude: Neutral
Current Relationship: The Institute sees das Wunderkabinett and its members as possible options for researching human evolution, however Mirabilis knows of the IMBW's human experimentation and so adamantly refuses to interact. Professor Voss is also one of the few people with a lifetime ban from the shop. Due to prior fierce counterreactions to attempted contact with the IMBW, both groups avoid each other whenever possible.
Information on writing an IMBW articles, such as SCP articles and Tales
The following is a list of some information and points to keep in mind when writing a new SCP article or Tale related to the IMBW.
If important or noteworthy points are missing and questions remain unanswered, it is recommended to contact
Dr Ore.
Information:
The IMBW is a scientific institution for the development and promotion of human education and the human species in general. The direction in which this progression goes is irrelevant. The IMBW has an unhealthily broad concept of humanity and what can be seen as an appreciation of human existence and intelligence and therefore conducts research in all imaginable areas. This includes, amongst other things, the creation of weapons and drugs, the mutation of humans into completely different species, mind-affecting memes and the realization of ideals of beauty.
- The IMBW creates its own anomalies, used in public educational seminars for experiments on the ignorant. Completed and production-ready objects and processes are sold commercially.
- The IMBW does not employ the incompetent, or at least not for long, but even they are not immune to failure when research objects and inventions reveal unforeseen properties or long-term consequences.
- For some weaponized creations, the IMBW uses similar or the same technology as RTI, mostly because the company placed the order itself.
- There are no longer any IMBW locations known to the Foundation. The institute operates underground. Investigations are ongoing.
- Even though the IMBW conducts human experiments, internal regulations require that test persons are treated with as much respect and humanity as possible. However, this does not change the fact that they can suffer death, or worse, during experiments.
- The IMBW is not above procuring outside objects or kidnapping abnormally gifted individuals to study their anomalous abilities. However, a peaceful approach is always chosen first. Violations of this escalation algorithm usually result in the individual responsible being demoted to Voss' personal guinea pig.
- There have been incidents where the Foundation has come into contact with IMBW staff at the site of an anomaly.
- The IMBW only leaves the logo of their institution on anomalies they make themselves, but never on humans.
- All IMBW articles should be tagged with "IMBW".
Professor Alexander Voss
- First and foremost, he is one of the cruelest antagonists of the Germanophone Foundation, but he isn't motivated by malice, but rather out of the honest desire to help. He even tries to form friendships with his test subjects and lovingly cares for children and the living remains of the guinea pigs in his care. However, he has simply never understood that "love" and "friendship" actually means that you shouldn't subject the loved one to potentially deadly experiments, and he doesn't understand that what he's doing is wrong. As such, he thinks he is doing his test subjects a favor by sacrificing them for the good of humanity and giving their lives meaning, and he is usually very proud of his protégés whenever he can learn something from their terrible fate.
- Please do us all a favor, and don't try to get Voss to take off his helmet. The last person to see his full face had to be admitted to a psychiatric ward. It's sufficient that we know that there is some inhuman thing under his clothes. You're welcome to come up with new abilities for him and new peculiarities of his body's biology. Consistency isn't that important here, since he's always gaining new ones and losing old ones through experimenting on himself.
- Voss is usually a cheerful and outgoing fellow who tries to make friends with everyone he meets. However, he reacts with polite refusal to attempts at flirtation. After all, he is married and loves his wife and children.
- He likes to portray himself as Comic Relief, because it makes it easier for him to work with other people, especially children.
- Voss finds humanity as a collective fascinating and breathtaking. It is this admiration that drives him to do the things he does.
- It is unknown whether the professor still possesses the capacity to feel sadness or anger.
- He hates handing out punishments to his employees, since he is very fond of them all. However, as we already know, this does not affect the welfare of rule-breakers. He issues punishments purely out of the logic of deterrence and apologizes profusely to his victim before subjecting them to particualrly gruesome experiments for serious offenses.
- Professor Voss remembers the names and personalities of all his staff and of all the test subjects he has dealt with. He even recognizes them if he hasn't seen them for a long time and/or they have been mutated due to some incident.
- Favorite saying: "Where there is potential, it should be used."
Magma-M (Agent Magdalena Marcelina Mager)
- Magma-M is a massive fan of superhero comics and manga. Unfortunately, since she models her own career on it, she sees herself as a superhero.
- She has an extreme sense of justice. Extreme, in this case, means extremely twisted. Although she tries to enforce common virtues, she is strangely blind to the sinister machinations of the IMBW. She points out that it is for a good cause and with pure intentions, and that Professor Voss is apparently working to restore his victims.
- Was actually only intended as a further test object, but the experiments in which she took part were a complete success, which is why she was hired at the IMBW at her own request. Some IMBW scientists believe that Magma-M survived Voss' trials purely because of her willpower. However, she personally believes that the professor never put her in any danger.
- In public, she always wears long-sleeved clothing to hide her prosthetic limbs.
- Was born to a homeless woman outside of a hospital, and therefore had no official identity until Professor Voss gave her one. However, no one knows, not even herself, how she lost her limbs.
- Has a kind of father-daughter relationship with Professor Voss, although she always addresses him as "Professor".
- Always wears heat-resistant clothing when on duty, though there are no weapons that can withstand her maximum output. As a result, her armaments will melt or burn if she raises the temperature too high.
- While she gained experience with hunting before becoming a special agent, her knowledge of weapons and combat was programmed into her with the help of an IMBW anomaly.
- Likes frogs.
Names, doctors, professors, etc. can be freely thought up by authors, with the previously mentioned persons and units having a permanent seat in the IMBW. An addition to this hub can be carried out in consultation with the person responsible for this hub.