Respect for nature
He does not want to conquer the volcano. He believes real science comes from careful observation, so he tends to be cautious.
Portrait·Character assets
Character profile
Mu Yan · Volcanologist
More urban character cards →Reusable comic characterUrbanScienceGeologyResearcher
At a glance
- Role
- Volcanologist
- Genre
- Urban
- Gender
- Male
- Form
- Human
- Art style
- Japanese-style illustration
- Main colours
- Hard-hat yellow, orange, lava red
- Home scene
- A rock face beside an erupting volcano
Appearance
A middle-aged man with short dark hair that is turning grey at the temples, sun-tanned skin and a calm, alert gaze. He looks experienced and unlikely to talk more than he has to.
Signature outfit
A yellow hard hat with a clear visor, a light taupe field jacket over a black multi-pocket tactical vest, orange cargo trousers with black knee pads, heavy hiking boots, and a backpack with a water bottle. He holds up a dark rock sample in one hand.
Where you will find them
He stands on black lava rock with an erupting volcano and rivers of glowing lava behind him, the sky stained dark red by smoke. It reads instantly as a dangerous field site.
Personality and what makes them interesting
A calm data collector
Every sample is taken after careful thought, which suits stories about professionalism and responsibility.
Friction with bolder colleagues
He often disagrees with more daring researchers, which gives his stories a built-in source of tension.
Characters that pair well
A young researcher eager for results
They want to sample right at the crater, and he keeps stopping them until the warning data proves him right.
A local guide
The guide grew up at the foot of the mountain. The two disagree about whether the volcano will wake, which suits an adventure story.
Story hooks
The morning the data looked wrong
The monitor shows a small anomaly and he postpones the planned survey. The rest of the team cannot see why.
The rock he brought back
A sample from the volcano contains a structure that points to a forgotten piece of history.
Evacuating the town below
He must persuade a small town to leave early, but no one wants to believe in a disaster that has not happened.
Character card FAQ
Is Mu Yan better as a lead or a supporting character?
Both work. As a lead the story turns on caution and the truth. As a supporting character he is a steady early-warning voice and mentor.
What makes him easy to recognise?
The yellow hard hat with a clear visor and the orange trousers are the two most striking elements. Keep them even when the scene changes.
Where else can he appear besides volcanoes?
Any dangerous place that needs a calm mind, such as the polar regions, the deep sea or an earthquake site.
