~Dr.Yale Ramos has passed from the world of life, yet he remains a restless spirit beyond the Shroud. Powerful sentiments bind Yale to this existence. Although he appears fairly normal as ghosts go, the pallor of this apparition glows with heartful feelings. Yale usually appears wearing a casual pair of black slacks, shoes, white collared shirt, and a paisley-designed red tie. The academic's pale skin seems nearly transluscent now. Yale once had dark-auburn hair, though now like the rest of him, it is a contrast of black, white, and gray. Yale's age at death is evident in mature features and a receding hairline, placing him around forty. Despite his demised state, Yale often bears a pleasant and attentive smile. Mostly impressively of all, Yale's dark eyes, once a rich brown, now convey only his character, conviction, and cognizance.~
OOC: Appearance 2
"Know thyself."
History
Life
The Windy City saw the 1956 birth and growth of Yale Ramos. The boy was raised in a broken home, his mother a single working parent. His father…his father was an asshole, gone from their lives. Not that this affected Yale's good nature. He remained inquisitive and helpful to his mother and friends and neighbors throughout his youth. In the late 60s, as he reached his early adolescence, the "Movement" was in full swing. And Yale participated as much as a boy his age could, though drugs were thankfully kept out of his reach. He was into the politics and thinking of it all, and overall it heightened his compassion and awareness of other people.
As Yale neared the end of high school, he considered sociology as his career pursuit. But once he got to the University of Chicago, he changed his mind and opted for psychology instead. He realized he could help people on a more individual and intimate level through that field. And like many psychologists of the day, Yale jumped on the cognitive theory bandwagon. He found that it depicted the human psyche most accurately, although any single theory was flawed. It was foolish to rely on one theory and he knew this. But cognitivism was still his favorite theory, and it aided what became his specialty: mnemonic abilities. Yale delved into the study of memory and his examination of memory's physiological factors was the subject of his doctoral thesis in 1982.
After graduation, Yale opened a practice for treating patients with mental disorders. He avoided the psychotic, seeing patients who suffered from various neuroses and especially those with memory problems. Indeed, Yale's work helped pave the way for full recognition and consideration of adult ADD and ADHD. Over the years of his practice, Yale created and tested a few original mnemonic devices to aid his patients and humanity in general. Among them included old-fashioned flashcards and a practice of keeping familiar objects in immediate recognizable sight.
Perhaps this was why Yale was always so interested in antiques. He found the old-fashioned objects carried a strong sense of sentimental value. And sentiments became his personal pet project of sorts. He researched people's sentimental values as well as explored his own. Yale eventually began to visit a favorite antique shop every week starting in 1995, and he befriended its French immigrant proprietor, Nicole. He and Nicole became good friends, and shared tea and conversation in her shop every week. Over the years, Yale actually fell in love with the beautiful Nicole. He never told her his feelings, however. He never had much luck with women: he was often overly analytical and perfectionist, and it turned most of his girlfriends off over the years. Nicole never seemed to mind, and Yale hoped that maybe there could be something.
But it seemed like it was not meant to be. In 1997, Yale developed heart problems, a congenital defect passed down from his father's side of the family. He began to take medication to alleviate the syndrome. But in 2000, a flub-up of his medical doctor or the pharmacist resulted in a fatal contraindication of medicine. Cardiac arrest caused Yale to collapse at home alone. He managed to dial 911 for himself, but the paramedics arrived too late.
Death
So Dr. Yale Ramos died. He was interred in the cemetery with all proper ceremony. His mother and cousins and colleagues and patients and friends all saw to his burial. They didn't realize that that wasn't the end of Yale, however. After he perished, Yale found himself stuck inside what felt like an unbreakable sac. He didn't struggle, too overwhelmed with memories of life to recognize this strange, unworldly environment. So this was what they meant when "your life flashes before your eyes", Yale realized. For a month, he languished in this dreamy slumber, going over his past from start to finish and back again, over and over. He wished and yearned for the things he failed to accomplish, especially his failure to tell Nicole how he truly felt about her. Yale might have laid in his Caul forever, so inactive was his soul despite his reeling mind's rising regrets and passions.
Fortunately, Yale sparked interest on this side of the Shroud even before his death. His study of mnemonic devices inspired interest in the lost Guild of wraiths known as the Mnemoi. Few now in number, they still existed out of sight (and memory) of most of the Restless Dead. It was a small circle of these Mnemoi that harvested Yale from his Caul. Shocked as he came to full awareness, Yale was luckily inducted by compassionate-seeming ghosts. He learned the ropes of being a ghost quickly and safely. And they guided him through the measures of their unique Arcanos, Mnemosynis.
Although Yale wanted to go back and visit (haunt?) Nicole, at least one last time, he knew he had to readapt to this new (after) life first. So he stayed close to the Mnemoi for a couple years. He learned their quiet methods of helping other Restless, often in return for favors and payment in relics, artifacts, and oboli. Yale wanted to help other ghosts, too, and he was driven by altruistic motives. He helped the Restless remember things they forgot -- good things. Yale also began to uncover certain secrets about other wraiths. And sometimes, Yale recognized these secrets were things those ghosts would prefer not to be repeated. While Yale wanted to maintain a "doctor-patient" relationship of confidentiality, he had to tell his Mnemoi superiors. At least, for these "dirty" discoveries he was promoted within the Guild from the initial Fifth Circle to the Fourth. While he cared little for authority, he did like the greater freedom the rank gave him.
Seeking
However, Yale found it hard to learn other Arts. His Mnemoi superiors refused to teach him more until he "earned the right". He wanted to learn other Arcanoi so that perhaps one day he might visit Nicole a la Ghost (not that he identifies with Patrick Swayze!). It required Yale to pull favors from the wraiths he helped, learning a few basics of such Arts as Embody and Puppetry. Although his "dark side" offered to lead him to ghosts who could teach him more, Yale knew better than to trust the whimsical lusts and urges of his Shadow. It would just take more time. As impatient as the Restless can be, Yale steadied himself until 2004. He at least tracked Nicole back down. The woman had pulled up shop not long after Yale died back in 2000 and moved to Kansas City, Missouri. So with the freedom he had as a 4th Circle Inspector, Yale left the Chicago necropolis. He exchanged favors with a Harbinger to guide him down the Byways to reach the Kansas City and Centropolis area. There he began his search and haunting of the only love of his life. Yale just hoped she would come to love him, too. Just because he was dead didn't mean he was gone.
The Shadow
Yale's dark side conceals its underhanded deal-swinging tendencies beneath a professional and critical veneer. It hungers for ultimate destruction, but revels in all the tiny failures Yale suffers until that day. Yale's psychological education and insightful wisdom works as a double-edged sword. On one hand, his understanding of human (and ghostly) behavior keeps him one step ahead of the game. But he can be too preoccupied with understanding, probing and analyzing himself and others until it starts to hurt.
Significant Other
Yale and Nicole were acquainted back in 1995. Yale's attraction to things of sentimental value drew him to the Cabirus' antique shop. For several years more, they spent a warm friendship every week, sharing tea and conversation. But then his unexpected death took him from Nicole in 2000, for whom he secretly harbored growing affection. He returned as Restless Dead, but he needed time to adapt to this new existence. Nicole meanwhile left town. He later caught up with Nicole in 2004, intent to quietly haunt the woman…until he realized she knew of him, of his kind. Now the wraith and so-called "mummy" rekindled their relationship…with a bonfire of passion as fuel. As they conversed, friendship deepened into romance.
Nicole
Weakness Depths of the Maze
Dr. Yale Ramos understands the human psyche better than most. He's constantly exploring new horizons of cognition, especially the differences in the mental states of the Restless Dead. But one can go too far with the undead. Skeletons in the closet are sometimes better left alone.
Likelihood of Corruption
Average.
Yale is prudent and compassionate. But he's in an extremely hostile environment. Threats to his very soul are constant.
