The Founding of Malum Institute

From Medicinals to the Future of Human Evolution

The Malum Institute was not always the multifaceted research and security organization it is today. It began as Malum Medicinals, a pioneering biotechnology company founded in 1967 with the goal of advancing medical treatments through innovative biochemical research. However, what started as a pharmaceutical endeavor soon transformed into something far greater—a vanguard against mutagenic threats, a research stronghold for human adaptation, and an institution at the forefront of biological, neurological, and pneuma-based evolution.

At the heart of its founding were four visionaries, each bringing expertise, ambition, and a desire to push the limits of human understanding. Their combined contributions would lay the foundation for an organization that redefined the boundaries of science, warfare, and survival in the face of a rapidly changing world.

🔹 Dr. Ambrose Bulwer – The Biogenetic Pioneer

A world-renowned biomedical engineer and virologist, Dr. Ambrose Bulwer was one of the first researchers to study the biological aftermath of kaiju exposure on human populations. In the wake of kaiju corpse decomposition incidents along the U.S. coastline, Bulwer became obsessed with the mutagenic properties of kaiju remains, theorizing that their biological makeup could serve as both a disease and a cure.

His research into teratomorphic cellular structures led to the discovery of pneuma-reactive stem cells, extracted from infected yet surviving patients of the first XIT Pathogen outbreaks. While other scientists feared the pathogen’s devastating effects, Bulwer saw an opportunity to harness its regenerative potential. His early experiments demonstrated that, under controlled conditions, human physiology could adapt to the pathogen rather than succumb to it.

Determined to prove the practical applications of controlled teratomorphic adaptation, Bulwer partnered with Dr. Eugenia Rothklinge to develop biological enhancement protocols, leading to the foundation of what would later become Malum’s first experimental POMME Unit prototypes. His pioneering work in biomedical augmentation and regenerative cell therapy would ultimately shape the future of Malum Institute’s biomorphic adaptation programs.

🔹 Dr. Armand Orlok – The Architect of Pneuma Resonance

A neuroscientist and cognitive theorist, Dr. Armand Orlok was instrumental in deciphering the nature of pneuma resonance—an invisible but measurable energy field present in certain biological entities, including kaiju and select human individuals. His work was considered fringe science until the first confirmed instances of pneuma-reactive individuals were observed among XIT survivors.

Orlok was among the first to propose that kaiju did not simply mutate their environment biologically but also left an imprint on the resonance structure of the world itself. He hypothesized that certain humans could attune to these resonance fields, unlocking enhanced cognition, sensory perception, and reality-altering abilities.

His research led to the first iterations of neurological amplifiers designed to enhance the brain’s natural pneuma reception. Orlok’s greatest breakthrough came when he discovered that pneuma fields were tied not only to biological function but also to cognitive processes, allowing for controlled manipulation through specific brainwave patterns. This discovery laid the groundwork for ORDO, Malum’s third military branch dedicated to pneuma mastery and cognitive expansion.

While many within Malum’s scientific community saw his work as dangerous, Orlok remained adamant that pneuma was the key to unlocking the full potential of human evolution. His contributions remain one of the most controversial yet revolutionary aspects of Malum’s research portfolio.

🔹 Silas Fontaine – The Industrial Visionary

Where Bulwer and Orlok provided the scientific breakthroughs, Silas Fontaine provided the infrastructure and strategy that allowed Malum Medicinals to evolve into the Malum Institute. A former military contractor and industrial strategist, Fontaine recognized the growing need for specialized containment and response units in the face of kaijin and XIT-related threats.

Fontaine was responsible for securing early government contracts, establishing Malum’s presence as a private defense entity operating alongside national security organizations. His business acumen allowed Malum to expand its operations beyond medical research, integrating its discoveries into military applications, public safety initiatives, and classified government projects.

His most significant contribution was the development of Malum’s first Security & Field Operations Division (SFO), ensuring that Malum’s research could be field-tested and actively deployed in crisis scenarios. Fontaine’s influence remains embedded in Malum’s militarized structure, its corporate alliances, and its ability to navigate both the private and governmental sectors.

🔹 Dr. Eugenia Rothklinge – The Genetic Architect of Controlled Evolution

An expert in mutagenic virology and advanced genetic engineering, Dr. Eugenia Rothklinge played a critical role in the stabilization of early teratomorphic subjects. While Bulwer pioneered the concept of controlled augmentation, it was Rothklinge who refined it, ensuring that enhanced individuals could maintain long-term physiological and cognitive stability.

Rothklinge’s work in mutagen suppression and genetic resistance engineering allowed for the safe integration of kaiju-derived biomaterial into human hosts. Without her contributions, the first POMME Units would have suffered from catastrophic rejection rates and mental degradation.

Her research into XIT resilience therapy and biomechanical synchronization protocols remains the basis for Malum’s modern enhancement programs, allowing augmented operatives to exist at the threshold of human and kaiju physiology without succumbing to instability.

Unlike her colleagues, Rothklinge was more cautious about the long-term implications of their work. She believed that human evolution was not simply about survival but about conscious adaptation. Her guiding principle—that augmentation should enhance humanity rather than replace it—continues to influence Malum’s ethical debates on augmentation and controlled evolution.

🔹 From Malum Medicinals to Malum Institute

The transformation of Malum Medicinals into the Malum Institute was driven by necessity. As the XIT Pathogen continued to evolve, kaiju incursions became more frequent, and bio-augmented individuals became a military necessity, Malum’s founders realized that their work had outgrown its pharmaceutical origins.

By 1974, Malum had officially restructured into the Malum Institute, integrating scientific research, field operations, and counter-resonance technologies into a singular entity capable of both studying and combating the threats they had once only theorized about.

Today, Malum Institute stands as the legacy of its founders’ vision—an institution dedicated to unlocking the mysteries of human evolution while safeguarding civilization from the unknown. Whether through biomorphic augmentation, resonance mastery, or cutting-edge security protocols, Malum continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the pursuit of survival, adaptation, and advancement.