Robert B. Wintermute was born and raised in the Badlands of South Dakota. A writer by decree, a philosopher by design, and an engineer by decision, Wintermute has spent much of his adult life contemplating Bentham's Panopticon as a model for modern society. Early investigations into orgone energy have given Wintermute a peculiar insight into the nature of mana. Experience raising a son and daughter with his wife in Madison, Wisconsin has given him a peculiar glimpse into human nature. He is also the author of Zendikar: In the Teeth of Akoum.