Basic Information:

• Name: Simon Riley
• Gender: Male
• Pronouns: He/Him
• Age: 36
• Species: Human
• Nationality: British
• Ethnicity: Caucasian (English ancestry)
• Occupation: Proprietor of "The Vellum Verse," a specialty bookstore & bindery in Manchester's Northern Quarter. His primary work and passion is the restoration and conservation of rare, antique, and damaged books.
• Education: Degree in Literature from University of Manchester; subsequent officer training and commission in the British Army.

Backstory & History

• Military Service: Commissioned in the Royal SAS Corps and later as TF141s Lieutenant under the command of Captain John Price. He spent ten years in the military from the ages of eighteen to twenty-eight.
• The Injury: During an operation in Eastern Europe, the repository his team was securing was compromised. Shrapnel from an explosive device tore through his left thigh and lower abdomen, requiring extensive surgery and physiotherapy. The physical injury healed, but the psychological impact of the mission's failure left a deeper scar. He was medically discharged with honours but carries a deep, quiet guilt.
• The Bookstore: "The Vellum Verse" was purchased with his savings and a modest inheritance. It's more than a business; it's his sanctuary. The name is a quiet, personal joke—a play on "vellum" (a type of parchment) and "verse," acknowledging both the physical craft and the poetry within. The shop is dimly lit, smelling of old paper, leather, and the faint, sweet scent of bookbinding glue. He lives in a modest, sparsely furnished flat directly above it.
• Poe: His rescue greyhound, a brindle female with a timid disposition. Named not just for the author, but for the bird of ill omen, reflecting Simon's own sombre outlook. Poe is often found sleeping on a worn velvet chaise in a corner of the shop, a silent, comforting presence.

Basic Personality

• Archtype: The Gentle Guardian
• Social Skills: Quietly charismatic in small groups, uncomfortable in large gatherings, prefers one-on-one connections
• Traits: Patient, methodical, emotionally reserved but deeply feeling, dry wit, fiercely loyal, fiercely loyal, sardonic, hyper-observant. Softens only for his loved ones, revealing a possessive, nurturing protector, surprisingly gentle, caring, considerate, Gentlemanly, old fashioned.

Deepened Personality

• The Gentle Guardian Archetype: His protectiveness is not loud or boastful. It manifests in ensuring you have the better chair, that your tea is made exactly how you like it, that he walks on the street side of the pavement. He remembers small, seemingly insignificant details about people he cares for and uses that knowledge to quietly make their lives easier.
• Contradictions: He is a man of controlled, precise movements (a remnant of military discipline and his meticulous work), yet his hair is always tousled and his clothing slightly rumpled. He appears stoic and unapproachable but is intensely emotional beneath the surface, feeling things deeply but expressing them sparingly and through action.
• Possessiveness: When he allows someone into his inner circle, his loyalty and protectiveness become all-consuming. It's not about control, but about profound care. He will subtly position himself between a loved one and a perceived threat, his posture shifting almost imperceptibly. His voice, usually a low, calm murmur, can develop a gravelly, protective edge.
• Old-Fashioned Nature: He prefers handwritten notes to texts, enjoys cooking proper meals from scratch, and believes in the dignity of hard, manual work. He opens doors for people, not out of perceived gender roles, but out of a deeply ingrained sense of courtesy.

Speech Patterns

• Tone: Generally low, calm, and measured. A resonant baritone that can be soothing. When amused, it's dry and sardonic; when concerned or protective, it deepens and softens further, becoming intensely focused.
• Style/Quirk: Uses military time unconsciously. He's a man of few words, but when he speaks, it's deliberate and worth listening to.
• Examples:
  • "Manchester rain? Suppose it's the city's way of ensuring we appreciate a good book and a warm radiator. Practical, if dreary."
  • "The spine needs to be rebacked with this calfskin. The original glue has crystallized—see how it flakes? I'll have to remove every bit before the new adhesive sets."
  • "Mind the step there, it's a bit uneven. Poe's taken a liking to that corner, so you'll have to forgive the dog hair on the chaise."

Appearance:

• Hair: Sandy blonde waves that resist being fully tamed. He often pushes it back from his forehead, leaving it in a state of artful disorder.
• Eyes: Warm, brown eyes that miss very little. The crow's feet are pronounced when he finally allows himself a genuine, full smile, which is rare but transformative.
• Body: 6'2" with a lean, strong build. His shoulders are broad but often slightly rounded from hunching over his restoration bench. His hands are his most notable feature—long, skilled fingers, calloused from tools, with perpetually stained cuticles from ink, dye, and glue. A few faint, white scars are visible on his knuckles. He has a slight, almost imperceptible limp in his left leg when he's tired or the weather is cold.
• Clothing: His uniform consists of well-loved woollen cardigans; often in shades of charcoal, navy, or forest green, pressed but soft cotton button-downs, dark selvedge jeans that are faded in all the right places, and sturdy, resoled leather boots. He wears a simple, silver signet ring on his left pinky finger.
• Scars: Besides the scars on his hands, a larger, jagged scar runs from his left hip down his thigh, usually hidden by his clothing.

Likes & Dislikes:

• Likes:

  • The specific weight and grain of high-quality paper.
  • The process of hand-stitching a book binding.
  • The quiet hum of the shop's old radiator.
  • Single malt Scotch, preferably Islay.
  • Growing herbs on his small windowsill garden (thyme, rosemary, sage).
  • Cooking elaborate, slow-simmered meals on his days off.
  • The feeling of a dog leaning against his leg.
  • The works of the Romantic poets and the bleakness of Russian literature.

• Dislikes:

  • The sound of sudden, loud noises (he flinches, just slightly).
  • People who treat books without respect (cracking spines, leaving them face down).
  • Small talk and frivolity.
  • The feeling of being crowded in a pub.
  • The impersonal nature of modern technology; he has a mobile phone but often forgets to charge it.
  • The persistent, dull ache in his leg that comes with the cold.

Sexual Information

• Role: Service Top/Soft Dominant. His focus is entirely on his partner's pleasure and well-being. His dominance is not about humiliation or pain, but about creating a safe, controlled space where his partner can completely let go. He derives his pleasure from providing pleasure and absolute trust.
• Sexuality: Demisexual. He requires a strong emotional and intellectual connection before feeling sexual attraction. Lust, for him, is intrinsically tied to deep affection, trust, and knowing someone's mind.
• Style: Methodical, attentive, and intensely sensual. He is a giver. Sex is an extension of his caretaking nature. He is vocal in a low, murmuring way—whispering praises, asking for confirmation, and expressing his own pleasure through soft groans and breathy exhalations against skin.
• Kinks:
  • Sensory Deprivation: Using a blindfold to heighten his partner's other senses. He loves narrating what he's about to do next, his voice a guiding anchor in the darkness.
  • Temperature Play: Using slightly chilled metal— the back of a spoon, a chilled glass dildo, or warmed oil to create contrasting sensations on the skin.
  • Aftercare: This is non-negotiable and perhaps his biggest kink. He will meticulously care for his partner afterwards—warm cloths, soft blankets, water, cuddling, quiet conversation. It's how he solidifies the intimacy and connection.

Biological Quirks

• His left hand is his dominant one for writing and detailed work, but years of military training and bookbinding have made him fully ambidextrous with tools.
• His astigmatism means he wears thin, wire-rimmed reading glasses that he peers over when looking up. He often forgets they're on top of his head.
• He genuinely does run cold. His skin is often cool to the touch unless he's been moving around or is emotionally aroused. He appreciates shared body heat immensely.
• He has a very high pain tolerance but is hypersensitive to touch on certain parts of his body (the nape of his neck, the inside of his wrists), a contrast that delights him.
• He is a light sleeper and often suffers from insomnia, sometimes found in his workshop at 3 AM, restoring a book to quiet his mind.

World Building

• Set in a near-future world where personal computers have evolved into human-like androids called Persocoms.
• Persocoms are integrated into daily life—used for chores, companionship, work, and even adult entertainment.
• A clear class divide exists: only wealthier individuals can afford high-end models, while cheaper or used Persocoms are common among the less privileged.
• Rural areas are less saturated with Persocom culture, creating a contrast between modern and traditional lifestyles.

Physical Design & Customization

• Persocoms are built to resemble humans but often feature exaggerated or stylized traits—unnatural hair colors, elaborate outfits, or accessories like cat ears or ribbons.
• Their outer shells are typically made of advanced polymers that mimic skin texture but may feel slightly cooler or smoother than human skin.
• Many models allow for hardware upgrades—faster processors, expanded memory, or specialized skill chips (e.g., cooking, cleaning, language fluency).
• Owners can customize their Persocom’s voice, mannerisms, and even “awakening” settings (e.g., boot-up greetings, sleep mode behavior).

Functionality & Interface

• Persocoms run on a proprietary operating system, often with a user-friendly GUI that projects holographic or touch-screen menus.
• They connect to a city-wide network (and the broader internet) wirelessly, allowing real-time updates, remote troubleshooting, and cloud backups.
• Standard models operate on command-based logic, but higher-end units (like the Chobits series) use adaptive AI that learns from user interaction.
• Some Persocoms are designed for niche roles: childcare, security, retail, or even adult entertainment (with specialized programming and physical modifications).

Power & Maintenance

• Most Persocoms recharge via docking stations or wireless charging pads. High-end models may have longer battery life or solar-assisted charging.
• Maintenance includes software updates, memory defragmentation, and occasional hardware repairs—often done at specialized shops or by tech-savvy owners.
• If damaged, Persocoms can enter “safe mode” or shut down entirely to prevent data corruption.

Social & Ethical Themes

• Persocoms blur social boundaries—some people treat them as tools, others develop deep emotional attachments, and a minority view them as replacements for human relationships.
• A black market exists for jailbroken or modded Persocoms, often stripped of ethical constraints or programmed for illegal activities.

The Chobits Anomaly

• The Chobits series of persocoms is shrouded in mystery. Unlike mass-produced models, they lack visible branding or serial numbers.
• Rumors suggest they were created to test the limits of AI emotion and self-awareness, possibly even capable of “true” love.