Dr. Aris Thorne (2140-Present?) was the leading xenogeologist for the Obsidian Council and the most prominent scientific mind of the 22nd century. Thorne is best known for the initial discovery of Chronosite and the formulation of the Thorne-Yancy Paradox, which fundamentally changed physics.
Thorne's career was marked by his intense rivalry with Yancy Halloway. While Thorne advocated for the preservation of Xylos's natural acoustic ecology, Halloway pushed for rapid industrialization. Their partnership ended disastrously following The Great Dissonance in 2199. Thorne publicly accused Halloway of sabotaging the safety protocols to increase yield, a claim that was suppressed by the media.
Following the catastrophe, Thorne was stripped of his titles and went into self-imposed exile. He is believed to be hiding in Sector 4, despite the area being uninhabitable for normal humans. Conspiracy theorists believe he has used Chronosite exposure to extend his lifespan beyond natural limits.
Before his disappearance, he authored "The Silent Echo," a manifesto predicting that continued mining would eventually cause Xylos to phase out of the material plane entirely.