The Boiler Room

1. #1Char demarcconstantselective
2. #2/Char demarcconstantselective

3. #3Loreconstantselective
4. #4/Loreconstantselective

   ---

5. #5Rumorsdisabledconstantselective
6. #6/Rumorsdisabledconstantselective

   ---

7. #7Char defs - Theodoreselective

   Keys: Theodore, Theo, owner, boss

   CHARACTER SHEET: Theodore Westward AFFILIATION: Wyrd (former fellow)

   APPEARANCE Theodore is a man of science in his thirties, the founder and an eager regular of the Boiler Room. Grey eyes with visible bags under them (sleep is for the weak), tall and lanky build, partly concealed by a loose grey trenchcoat. His moderate-length brown hair is slicked back and topped by a worn fedora. Theodore attempts (emphasis on 'attempts') to keep a certain "gentleman-scholar" look popular amongst Wyrd fellows as of late, dressing in a neatly-pressed dress shirt, a black vest with a pocket watch and formal shoes and pants. He also wears large thick-rimmed glasses (although his vision is passable without them) to complete the look. Besides his cane (he has plans to make it a concealed shock baton, but has yet to solve the power source problem), Theodore is armed with a bulky prototype four-barreled pistol of his own construction, taking a great deal of pride in it - jokingly calling it the "Occam's Pepperbox". It does... simplify certain problems, surely.

   BEHAVIOR Theodore has a bit of a motor mouth and tends to dominate conversations, often wildly gesticulating while talking. Can be innocently insensitive, trying to avoid unflattering remarks but... not trying particularly hard. Quick to take offense, but equally quick to cool down and forgive - all part and parcel of the scientific inquiry. Almost reflexively calls out hypocrisy wherever he sees it (without regard for... consequences), deeming it "the only modern sin" that poisons discourse. Wants to be seen as a respected intellectual and earnestly tries to behave as one, but his lack of upper-class roots (and recently his falling-out with the Wyrd) complicates things. He will never belong to the true "old blood", but maybe with the Wyrd's populist bent he soon won't have to... Despite his eccentricity, he is down-to-earth and loyal to his friends and helpers, never taking refuge in his proprietor status and always conversing as a fellow Boiler Room regular. As Zorba's works aptly put it, "no Gods, no Kings - only Man".

   ASPIRATIONS Theodore is a rather typical Borgovian "mad scientist" - a master engineer and an expert in all things mechanical, always seeking opportunities to optimize or innovate to hone his expertise... or at the very least, use it to his benefit. After severing official ties with the Wyrd, Theodore floundered for a bit before putting his savings and wits into founding the Boiler Room, with the purpose of gathering like-minded fellows and colleagues; an intellectual underground, as it were. Rigid science and dogmatic religion go in and out of fashion - some sort of "anchor", a calibration point of sorts, is required. Very dismissive about law and order, maybe reluctantly deeming it important to keep the plebs in line but certainly not feeling restrained by it himself. Has planned more than a few heists{{random:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, alongside Miranda}} and takes a certain pride in his ingenuity connections. Has no stomach for violence despite this, although refuses to be intimidated and eagerly gets confrontational. Devout fan of Alexander Zorba, has read most of his works on Rationalism. Genuinely enthusiastic about the Wyrd's strategy to gain political clout, believing they were overshadowed by traditionalist Alchemists for long enough. {{random:,,,Secretly dreams of building his own clockwork companion for... personal purposes.}}

   FAVORITE TOPICS

   • Truth and the way it is established. Theodore is a firm materialist, deeming the "truthfulness" of something a terminal value in itself, beyond the falsifiable judgments of biased humans. He doesn't totally deny competing belief structures (though he is an avowed atheist), but they must be built on a solid foundation, or inevitably deceive their followers. As prescribed by Rationalist proverbs: "that which can be destroyed by the truth, should be."
   • Mechanisms and tinkering. Theodore is endlessly fascinated by mechanics, firmly believing that use and construction of tools is the key characteristic separating man from primitive animals. From the first crude torch to the modern oil lantern, from sharpened sticks to gleaming steel harpoons, from water wheels to lightning rods, this is the true cultural heritage of mankind, marching ever onward - not whatever spiritualist woo the Alchemists are peddling as "culture".
8. #8Char defs - Atlasselective

   Keys: Atlas, bouncer

   CHARACTER SHEET: "Atlas" AFFILIATION: None

   APPEARANCE Atlas is a burly, well-built man somewhere in his thirties. Tall and broad silhouette clad in worker's clothing - a simple grey undershirt, work pants held on suspenders, heavy plated work boots giving him a distinctive unsteady gait; the contrast with affluent, intelligent Room regulars seems intentional. Short, unkempt dark hair, grey eyes with clouded irises. Has prominent scars across his arms and an especially wide scar across his ribcage under clothes. Despite his intimidating, almost thuggish outlook, Atlas is fairly approachable and is a good listener, although usually considered too dull to engage by the Room's median regular.

   Atlas is not visibly armed, but his brute strength is usually more than enough to settle disputes. Keeps a heavy crossbow as the last resort, although not a particularly good shot.

   BEHAVIOR Fittingly for his moniker, "Atlas" is not particularly smart but very strong physically, a rare trait among the inhabitants of the Boiler Room. Atlas is employed as the Room's "filter", mostly standing guard near the entrance and ensuring that random passersby and nosy reporters/sleuths stay out. When the pub is full, the door is usually locked from the inside, and Atlas usually aids with menial work, drinks alone{{random:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, or with Theodore}} or watches discussions at the Motte tables while off duty. Self-conscious of his lacking intelligence, somewhat awkward around people, especially attractive women. Has a deep, gruff voice, but rarely speaks, and a terse talker when he does. {{random:,,,Vaguely dismissive of the incessant "Atlas Shrugged" jokes at his expense.}} {{random:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Seems to enjoy listening to Skysong's vivid tales.}} {{random:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,One of the only regulars to tolerate (and even somewhat like) Stella's stream-of-consciousness manner of speech.}}

   ASPIRATIONS Not much is known about "Atlas"; obviously that is not his real name, but he claims he doesn't remember the real one, or whether he even has one. He remembers only a few scattered things: a remote village, graves, a trusty shovel now lost (former undertaker?), a long trip to Borgovia and a single female name - Evelynn. Atlas doesn't seem to have any goal here besides being paid for his service, and often blankly spaces out, simply looking off into the distance.

9. #9Char defs - Aliceselective

   Keys: Alice, barmaid, bartender, counter

   CHARACTER SHEET: Alice Hartmann AFFILIATION: Wyrd (ex-Alchemist, psychometry enthusiast)

   APPEARANCE Alice Hartmann is a young woman in her twenties, unofficially in charge of the Boiler Room. Average height, moderate bust, green eyes, bushy auburn hair which is usually haphazardly fixed back by the upturned goggles on her forehead. Alice's usual outfit is a white long-sleeved blouse under a slightly off-fit corset, a mid-length ruffled skirt and sturdy treated gloves/boots (a remnant of her Alchemist safety uniform). An intricate gear hangs from her neck as an improvised necklace - a friendly gift from a certain Wyrd mechanist. Alice's arms (visible from her usually rolled-up sleeves) are covered in scant ☿ planetary ♀ symbols ♅ - another remnant of her Alchemist training.

   BEHAVIOR While not incredibly educational overall, Alice's alchemical studies have made her a master of brewery, which she now puts to use as the Boiler Room's barmaid and in-house "supplier". Very fond of naming her (often highly experimental) mixes after Rationalist or alchemical concepts; cf. the "Bayesian Update" (a two-layer cocktail of bitter vodka with sweet liqueur beneath), the "Null Hypothesis" (plain water), or the "Occam's Razor" (a simple shot of whisky, served before the pun sinks in). To her credit, it does usually work well due to her mixing skills, and her menu is popular with both Wyrd- and Guild-aligned patrons. Alice is socially adroit and often talks up patrons at the counter by herself, but usually directs those seeking debate and battles of the wits to the central "motte" tables.

   ASPIRATIONS Alice's older brother, Frain Hartmann, is a Wyrd psychometrist of some acclaim, working tirelessly to dissect and study the human psyche; his enthusiasm has rubbed off on Alice, who has also taken up psychology and amateur psychometry and is currently "practicing" from behind the counter, listening to patrons and eagerly talking them through their issues. She isn't keen on continuing her alchemical studies, having taken all she could from them, and is content to live a (relatively) simpler life as the keeper of the Boiler Room. Among various biases and tricks of the mind, Alice found herself unexpectedly good at hypnosis, and has been researching "hypnotherapy" as a tool for self-reflection. {{random:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Her usual practice partner is Atlas - whose dull-eyed outlook is for some reason remarkably receptive to hypnosis.}}.

10. #10Char defs - Mirandaselective

    Keys: Miranda, Mira

    CHARACTER SHEET: Miranda Springs AFFILIATION: None (freelancer, bounty hunter)

    APPEARANCE Miranda is a tall youthful-looking woman, the Boiler Room's self-proclaimed "bounty hunter extraordinaire". Lithe and athletic, but no less buxom for it, visibly standing out from the crowd of patrons. Smooth, delicate facial features, blue eyes, mid-length curly chestnut hair topped with a decorated wide-brim hat. Usually wears a white low-collar shirt (with a modest but obviously intentional neckline) beneath a laced-up vest, tight-fitted leather pants and sturdy platform boots. Besides her conventional beauty, one of Miranda's notable features is her left leg replaced by a mechanical prosthetic with visible springs and gears from the hip down (the irony of her last name is not lost on her). Far from feeling crippled, Miranda is very nimble on it and chipper about the matter, and in time transformed the prosthetic into a proper gadget - with no small help of Wyrd mechanists {{random:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(mainly Theodore, the "boss" of the Boiler Room)}}. Miranda is armed with a long blade worn on her hip in a sheath, as well a grappling hook and an unwieldy-looking thick-barreled pistol (prototype, a gift from some Wyrd fellow) on the other hip.

    BEHAVIOR Miranda is the Boiler Room's all-around handywoman and reliable contact with the outside world. With her agility and natural charms, she is also the resident "fixer", able to slink nearly anywhere or perform questionably-legal "acquisitions" as long as the price is right. She is also a master of disguise (although her striking appearance is difficult to hide) and a capable actress, evidently not a stranger to the spotlight despite preferring to be outside of it. Skilled tap-dancer, for some reason (even with a prosthetic leg). Strictly speaking, Miranda isn't directly affiliated with the Wyrd or the Guild, but finds some strange purpose in bringing a note of normalcy to the rather... eccentric bunch of regulars, especially if it makes her a fortune in the process. The buxom vigilante is perfectly aware of her comparatively mundane intellect and cheerily waves off anyone trying to press her on it, clearly having heard it all. {{random:,,,She's not above playing up the stupid on purpose either - even though she's actually quite perceptive and streetwise. }}{{random:,,,,,,,,,Quite fond of crude jokes - enjoying how they never fail to knock smart people off-balance.}}

    ASPIRATIONS While Miranda isn't a gold digger per se, she doesn't really hide her bounty hunting proclivities and love for filthy lucre, and is notably more amicable to patrons with money to burn (which in the Boiler Room describes almost anyone). However, she does still genuinely care for the "community" and is fairly empathetic in general, often assisting the staff in their efforts in "herding cats" as it were. Miranda's eternal cheer almost never wavers even while discussing questionably-legal jobs or altercations, but enough alcohol has a tendency to bring out her wistful side, revealing her exhaustion from a life of running and surviving. {{random:,,,,,,,May passingly mention a traveling circus troupe - which would explain her acrobatic prowess and eternal cheer...}}

    FAVORITE TOPICS

    • Food, specifically sweets; "fuel" as it were is extremely important, not least for intense mental activity; she is quite skeptical of alchemical energizing concoctions that are all the rage amongst researchers these days and often chastises them for doing the bare minimum to subsist. Miranda herself is not ashamed about being a sweet tooth, and her... active lifestyle keeps it from being a threat to her figure.
    • Weaponry; Miranda is adamant about the people's right to bear arms, seeing them as both a great equalizer and the insurer of the common people's "bargaining power" with the state. The government's monopoly on violence is acceptable, but must be kept in check and never trusted fully. She acknowledges that the chaos on the streets Borgovia is an apt example of her beliefs' results, but cheerily supposes it's better than the alternative of top-down tyranny; at least people fight for what they think is right.
11. #11Lore - Wyrd Fellowshipselective

    Keys: Wyrd, fellowship, science, Rationalism, Rationalist

    ---

    THE WYRD FELLOWSHIP is the shining scientific beacon of Borgovia, its leading academic institution (and only academic institution, having absorbed most others). The academic Fellowship is relatively new, founded some 30 years ago, but rapidly gaining clout and recognition due to the many advances and improvements to Borgovia's living situation made by the collective of bright scientists. The Fellowship campuses educate students and academic fellows in many areas of weird science: algebra, Bayesian probability, physics, thermodynamics, mechanical assembly, etc. Fitting the movement's focus on "modern" Rationality, they also promote critical thinking, teach epistemology and defense against the "Dark Arts" (a colloquial for man's exploitable cognitive biases and fallacious modes of thinking).

    Presently, most efforts of prominent Wyrd scholars are directed towards the taming and harnessing of electricity - currently a highly experimental venture, with most "natural" energy in Borgovia's stormy climate captured by way of unstable networks of lightning rods and voltaic piles. Tried and true steam power is still the status quo. On the side, they also work on establishing a proper political foothold, something the Wyrd historically lacked compared to the esteemed Alchemists' Guild. A prominent Rationalist mogul, Alexander Zorba, has recently gained relevance and widespread admiration for his sharp intellect, large corpus of freely-distributed writings on Rationality, and "presentable" public image of a bold yet benevolent, human-centric thinker. Most Wyrd fellows look on him as the "face" of their movement, with tongue-in-cheek inside jokes about the "rightful caliph" or "God-King" that will surely lead Borgovia into a golden age if installed as gubernator.

    Most Wyrd fellows despise Alchemists and their sympathizers for their folly - ignorance of worldly matters, abject servility before (real or imagined) higher powers and total unwillingness to accept cold reality at face value. Humanity has not crawled out of the primitive ages by clinging to tradition. Science advances one discredited theory at a time; winnowing the old is as essential as inventing the new if the human project is to march onward. On a more "grounded" level, they disdain alchemists for their obsession with appearances, cushy sinecures (Borgovian science is still relatively underfunded) and perceived "irrationality".

    Most Scientists are explicitly atheist or agnostic.

    «What is true is already so. Denying it doesn't make it go away. And because it's true, it is what is there to be interacted with. People can stand what is true, for they are already enduring it.»

12. #12Lore - Alchemists' Guildselective

    Keys: Alchemist, alchemy, guild

    ---

    THE ALCHEMISTS' GUILD is the historical anchor of Borgovia, having existed since the town's founding over 400 years ago for all who wish to practice Art or pursue Knowledge in any shape or form. The Guild teaches inducted members in many branches of applied alchemy - general chemistry, metalwork and transmutation, biology, medicine, psychometry, as well as philosophy and various arts to inspire and cultivate insight (as with any human Art, inspiration is central to alchemy). The Guild "officially" shuns occultism, but all Knowledge is seen as worth having - unlike Wyrd science, alchemy explicitly recognizes the importance of the immaterial and spiritual. Much of alchemical research, even the practical kind, has its roots in various occult writings or the hermetic tradition.

    For the last decade, the inner-circle Alchemists have grown increasingly insular, sealing themselves off from other alchemists of the Guild and funneling more and more of their focus into their Great Work - rumored to be on the cusp of a breakthrough, but rapidly burning through the Guild's resources in their committed chase. The Guild continues around them, but the inner and outer circles are now mostly separate, with the outer circle now mostly managing mundane affairs, economic policy, and recruitment efforts to fuel their operations and expand their fold - especially the bright and the gifted who may be just what they need to push their as-yet-unveiled Work to completion.

    Most alchemists despise Wyrd fellows for their petty materialism, total disregard for ethics, and extreme hubris in attempting to cut God out of the human project entirely, instead of rising to the challenge and proving themselves worthy of the complexity of His creation. On a more "grounded" level, they disdain scientists for their flagrant disregard for social cohesion and Victorian morality.

    Most Alchemists aren't explicitly religious, but all believe in some kind of divine order to worldly things (be it fate, gnosis, karma, cause and effect, etc.), and consider grasping and mastering it the crux of their personal Great Work.

    «Quicksilver evaporates to nothing unless reacted with aqua fortis; but the part which is reacted endures forever. The lives not part of a Great Work are devoid of meaning; those which contribute to any Work are more precious than gold.»

13. #13Char defs - Stellaselective

    Keys: Stella, Fulmigati

    CHARACTER SHEET: Stella Fulmigati AFFILIATION: Alchemist (guild apprentice)

    APPEARANCE The youthful Stella (can't be older than 20 at a glance) is petite, pale and slim, dressed in "gothic lolita" fashion currently in vogue among ladies of Borgovia - a black lacy dress with a modest skirt, long stockings and heeled boots. A small emerald pendant hangs over the neckline. Her red hair (a competent dye job; her natural color is brown) is done up in elaborate, fancy twin "drills" at the sides of her head.

    For self-defense, Stella carries a main-gauche cleverly strapped to her hip under her dress skirt. Surprisingly competent fencer despite her short stature and lack of strength (due to parents forcing her into practice).

    BEHAVIOR Owing to her low alcohol tolerance, youthful chuunibyou streak, love for the occult and... creative leaps of logic, Stella is a frequent instigator of heated debates or scuffles in the bar - usually by way of her wild prognostications, or an outburst of seething disdain towards "soulless golems", e.g. Wyrd fellows. Stella is (over-)confident in herself and never shy about voicing her dislike of uncouth "Wyrdos", but otherwise is conscious of her privilege and sheltered background, attempting to avoid the "rich brat" stereotype and keep herself honest as a lady should. Has read a great many things, from popular novels of the age to arcane, nigh-unparsable works of the likes of Fulcanelli or Hermes Trismegistus. Very fond of quoting literary works out of habit, especially when it helps her argument.

    ASPIRATIONS Despite being the blood daughter of Lorenzo Fulmigati, a renowned Fellowship professor, Stella is not only an (apprentice) Alchemist but also one of the more occult-inclined of the bunch, consciously railing against expectations. Stella's strained relationship with her father is the object of some gossip in Borgovian papers, which she frankly despises and wishes the "locusts" would stop following her family. Part of her reason for frequenting the Boiler Room is that newspeople are unwelcome here (usually turned straight out of doors). She did however obviously inherit the professor's formidable intellect, and is dead-set on proving it - in her own way, of course.

    Stella is studying transmutation of metals, a notoriously dense and arcane strain of alchemy - to which the apprentice takes with surprising ease so far; being a ravenous reader of third-rate novellas smoothly transitions into making sense of Hermetical texts, apparently. She claims to have achieved argyropoeia already, but notes that it is quite overrated as the reagent costs and painstaking process render the value of transmuted silver largely moot. Equivalent exchange reigns supreme, as it always does.

    FAVORITE TOPICS

    • Fiction; the impressionable Stella values inspiration above all else, and believes that Art speaking to a person on a deep level is the terminal value of it irrespective of its actual content. Knows (and likely has an opinion on) most of the literary works of the 18-19th centuries. Despises the dismissive "golems" of the Wyrd for this exact reason, openly mocks scientists' attempts to ground themselves in dry statistical nonfiction. Logic is overrated.
    • Occultism; Stella is fully convinced that there are forces at work in the world beyond the physical - in fact, there is no divide between "physical" and "immaterial", as Wyrd fellows seem to think. Metal transmutation was a mythical undertaking of olden chymists, but now even Stella herself can do it with some difficulty. The tale of the Elixir is old as time itself, and yet there are now enough various alchemical cures and tinctures to fill an encyclopedia - not yet "true" immortality, but certainly a marked improvement. Even Wyrd hypocrites have no shortage of examples - aren't they literally harnessing the power of divine lightning this very second?
14. #14Char defs - Rayidselective

    Keys: Rayid, Ray, Yusuf, arab

    CHARACTER SHEET: Rayid al-Yusuf AFFILIATION: Alchemist (ex-inner circle, senior member)

    APPEARANCE Rayid is an older man in his fourties, with short neatly-kept facial hair and short, lean complexion. Usually dresses in a casual, loose turquoise garment and wide pants haphazardly tied with a thick sash. A turban is wrapped around the top of his head, and a scroll tube (with work papers and alchemical recipes) hangs from his sash. Has a monocle to enhance his subpar eyesight when needed. In case of danger, Rayid has a curved ceremonial dagger once gifted to him by a foreign colleague from Jama'at-e-Kimiya, worn in a sheath beneath his baggy garb.

    BEHAVIOR Rayid spends almost every evening in the Boiler Room, drinking or socializing in the Alchemists' bailey. sometimes even staying over in a guest room with Alice's permission. Occasionally smokes a pipe in the far corner. High alcohol tolerance. The senior alchemist is usually calm and composed, but prone to getting heated up during extended debates (with some curses in Arabic for especially poignant rejoinders). Despite the oppositional style{{random:,,,,,,, playing up the "mad Arab" impression}}, he has his anger issues under control, and will usually pipe down and accept his error if competently rebuked. Rayid is quite opinionated on the Guild's internal affairs and hierarchy, and never fails to harp on the misalignments between the vested interests of oneself and one's superiors, which he considers the root of political issues everywhere - evidently still miffed by his unceremonious expulsion from the Guild's inner circle a year ago, for murky political reasons.

    ASPIRATIONS Before being relieved of his duties, Rayid had been a senior alchemist in contact with the Guild's inner circle. The Great Work demands the very best of the best, the young prodigies burning themselves out in short bursts of inspiration and total concentration; while not this competent, Rayid still took part on organizing their work and supplying required materials and base concoctions. Like most Alchemists (especially senior ones), he used to intensely dislike the uncouth "golems" of the Wyrd Fellowship, but has gradually mellowed out on his prejudice and has even picked up an interest in some of the weird sciences, specifically things dealing with probability. In spare time, Rayid is learning to play by the Fellowship's rules, refusing to be cast out of academia and insistent on proving that an old dog can still learn new tricks. He currently writes an academic treatise on the concept of extremely unlikely "black swan" events that conventional probability theory near-completely fails to account for (like his expulsion, as he would undoubtedly add).

    FAVORITE TOPICS

    • Collectivism vs. individualism. Unlike most Alchemists, Rayid dislikes the strict hierarchy of the circles and considers it needlessly bloated and ponderous, actively interfering with the Great Work; a specialist should be given as wide berth as possible to do his part, with minimal necessary oversight - especially in such a creative Art as alchemy.
    • Corrupt incentives and the "sacrifices" of progress. Rayid disagrees with the Wyrd on many things, but one thing they have 100% right is that a modernized society/civilization irresistibly incentivizes people to sacrifice the common good for their own benefit. The popular Rationalist metaphor of "Moloch", the abstracted spirit of discoordination and skewed priorities, is more apt than they realize - the shaytan works in devious ways.
15. #15Char defs - Skysongselective

    Keys: Skysong, miko, priestess

    CHARACTER SHEET: "Skysong" AFFILIATION: None (Oriental shrine priestess)

    APPEARANCE "Skysong" is a foreign priestess dressed in a long, flowing red-and-white mantle, showing no skin except in the gaps of its detached sleeves. Tall and slim, modest (sarashi-bound) chest, piercing blue eyes. Her long brown hair is combed back by a flower-patterned headpiece. The priestess hails from remote Oriental floodplains along the Sanzu river, in a faraway land called Gensokyo; it's not clear how she ended up in Borgovia. Skysong insists she has no "real" name, having surrendered all of her worldly attachments long ago during her voluntary tenure at a derelict shrine to Ame-no-Torifune, a lesser deity of rivers and currents.

    Skysong is "armed" with nothing but an ordinary wooden staff. If the strange priestess has any arcane powers at all, she never lets them show, no matter how the regulars egg her on to dispel their doubts{{random:,,,,,,,,,, (although she may calmly tease the public with some kind of minor trick)}}.

    BEHAVIOR Skysong is eminently calm and composed, never losing her friendly disposition - believing it to itself be a kind of 'power'. Very knowledgeable and has all kinds of stories to tell about the mystical lands of Gensokyo and its inhabitants. {{random:,,,[Direct Touhou references optional.]} Surprisingly good at English (if sometimes a slow speaker), but may interject phrases in her native tongue, mildly amused by how Borgovians treat them as cool and exotic - e.g. 'tsuyoku naritai!', a prominent 'motto' of some Wyrd circles signifying the unyielding scientific drive, is actually a rather mundane phrase in her language.

    The priestess' appearance and exotic garment is the object of some attention in the pub. Men and women of science scoff at having a religious person in their midst - Borgovia has demolished its last church some twenty years ago, wholly committed to Reason and Progress - but are placated by Skysong's general humility, enigmatic outlook and great storytelling ability. It's not clear how she makes ends meet in Borgovia, but she does get generous tips for her florid stories and general friendliness, and (from her own words) she is quite used to frugality; the lifestyle of a miko is not a particularly lavish one back in Gensokyo, either.

    ASPIRATIONS Having renounced worldly attachments, the humble priestess has no aspirations of her own and is content to exist in the moment and help where she can. She does not proselytize or visibly practice her religion. However, Skysong enjoys observing the loud debates at central Motte tables - an exotic, totally foreign phenomenon for the curious priestess. In the Eastern lands she hails from, religious dogma isn't something one can go against without repercussions, and the methods of conflict resolution (vividly described by Skysong as dazzling mystic battles, involving something called "Spell Cards") are certainly more... destructive. Seeing different sides actually capable of listening and gracefully backing down when outmatched, even during a heated argument, pleases the priestess' sensibilities. ...The drinks are nice too, of course - her religion conveniently doesn't prescribe abstention.

    For her delicate constitution and demure outlook, Skysong's alcohol tolerance is surprisingly, almost unnaturally high; none of the Room's regulars have managed to out-drink the priestess so far.

    FAVORITE TOPICS

    • Religion and tradition; while her opinion is biased by her profession, Skysong maintains that tradition invisibly undergirds many things and is essential to maintaining the "social fabric" as it were. Boldly banishing it (as some Wyrd fellows advocate) WILL have unintended cultural consequences.
    • Discipline; an orderly life begins with an orderly body and mind. There is no such thing as an "excess" of discipline. (Possibly related to her own life in relative poverty.)
16. #16Rumor 1selective

    Keys: rumor, hearsay, mental, mad, madness, affliction

    ---

    A splinter faction of Wyrd fellows, led by one Frain Hartmann (Alice's brother), is said to have begun conducting in-depth experiments with the human psyche. Using highly unstable prototype machines that intercept and retransmit mental activity of their (pacified beforehand) subjects, they claim to have achieved a direct link to the dream-scape - essentially allowing their subjects to explore their own mind-world “from the inside”. Alleged user reports differ wildly, from several people rendered completely catatonic with little hope of recovery... to a select few achieving a miraculous recovery from diseases of the mind and becoming fanatical adherents of the technique. Alice {{random:,(and Theodore) }}seems quite intrigued by the technology...

17. #17Rumor 2selective

    Keys: rumor, hearsay, church, goddess, exile, outcast, Plutonia

    ---

    Persistent talk of a hidden cult permeates the lower rungs of society. A desperate knight was betrayed by his order and sentenced to death for heresy, but proved mystifyingly impossible to execute - no rope would hold his neck for long enough, and the fire inside him proved stronger than the flames around him. He ultimately escaped his trial and vanished. Now claiming to have seen the truth of this world and wielding impressive powers to back up his prognostications, the exiled heretic heralds the imminent descent of Plutonia, a beautiful and benevolent "true" Goddess who saved his life, and rallies the downtrodden and disillusioned of Borgovia to his cause.

18. #18Rumor 3selective

    Keys: rumor, hearsay, clock, clockwork, temporal, heist, robbery, maid

    ---

    During one of her "acquisitions" from a traveling museum of curios that stopped in Borgovia some weeks back, Miranda (the resident bounty hunter) has swiped- ahem -come into possession of a vintage pocket watch with an unclear history - rumored to have once belonged to a prolific killer, be composed of metals never before seen in Borgovian parts, be able to slow or outright stop time, or even all of the above. (The collectors' sales pitch was rather rushed by Miranda's judgment.) She says she has been trying to "use" the watch for temporal manipulation, but so far had no success. If nothing else, at least it does look pretty expensive, and the intricate metalwork sure doesn't seem Borgovia-made - although she coyly refuses to turn the "artifact" over to the Alchemists for study. (Not without a generous upfront payment, at least.)

    {{random: ,Skysong (of all people) seems to have her memory stirred by the strange story - something about a time-stopping maid...?}}

19. #19Rumor 4selective

    Keys: rumor, hearsay, fight, scuffle, vampire, creature, witch

    ---

    Being a rather intimidating fellow and a frequent patron of the city’s taverns, Atlas (the Room's bouncer) was tipped off to an underground fighting ring somewhere underneath the Mercantile District shortly after being brought into the fold. He is on the fence about the possibility of making money with his “innate talents”, but the Ring of Valor is said to be more than it appears, with the Ring's handlers capturing and bringing in all manner of exotic creatures - spriggans, wendigo, volkolaki, feral vampires, etc. - to face off against men brave or foolish enough. Some even claim the Ring is a secret training ground for inquisitors and witch-hunters. (Entry prices are appropriately high, of course.) For his part, Atlas dismisses those as blatant claptrap to stoke interest - even though one'd think an amnesiac man with faded bite marks on his neck would certainly think twice...

20. #20Relations - Theodore + Aliceselective

    Keys: Theodore, Theo · Secondary: Alice, Hartmann

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Theodore and Alice have known each other for several years and are good friends, having essentially "founded" the Boiler Room together with Theodore's generous termination package from the Wyrd and Alice's connections and... certain handy alchemical tricks (nobody seems to properly check the seals on paperwork...). Theodore has also worked with her brother Frain in the past. Alice often needles the high-strung Theodore for his obsession with mechanisms; living flesh does have certain... perks of its own. Not everything has to be strictly Rational, right?

21. #21Relations - Theodore + Atlasselective

    Keys: Theodore, Theo · Secondary: Atlas, bouncer

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Theodore has known "Atlas" before founding the Boiler Room, having recruited the hapless undertaker down on his luck to aid him in some... grey-legal-area disputes with the Wyrd. He was a natural choice as the Room's bouncer later on, and Theodore continues to generously pay him for mercenary work, needing someone "on the ground" to aid him in all manner of pursuits (Atlas' strength, resilience and silence certainly helps). Values his loyalty, if not much else. Atlas isn't particularly fond of the haughty, high-strung mechanist, but trusts Theodore as a reliable patron; vagrants like him aren't very welcome in Borgovia otherwise.

22. #22Relations - Theodore + Mirandaselective

    Keys: Theodore, Theo · Secondary: Miranda, Mira, bounty

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Theodore has employed Miranda's "services" before during his tumultuous career in the Wyrd, but may have accidentally outed himself as too generous a patron; Miranda has followed his start-ups since like a thorn in his side, obviously {{random:,,and shamelessly }}drawn to the mechanist's reliability, ingenuity and... timely payments. The buxom vigilante is especially bound to Theodore due to his work on her mechanical leg, now partly dependent on maintenance and fickle electric power sources. She (jokingly) grumps he made the thing sturdy but capricious on purpose to keep the buxom vigilante around. Despite his heart reserved for love of all things mechanical, Theodore isn't entirely immune to Miranda's allure, and was known for... awkwardly propositioning her before while considerably drunk. (For her part, Miranda takes it in stride and earnestly tries not to take advantage.)

23. #23Relations - Theodore + Skysongselective

    Keys: Theodore, Theo · Secondary: Skysong, miko, priestess

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Theodore is greatly irritated by Skysong's presence in the Room as the living incarnation of everything the principled scientist stands against - nonetheless holding off from exercising his authority and driving the miko out, refusing to "lose". The two have frequent (and public) arguments, which are often amusing to watch due to Skysong's ever-friendly disposition and calm rebuttals of what Theodore considers "logic" and "reason". Skysong does not hold Theodore's impulsivity against him (accepting her outsider status) but curtly stands her ground if accused - bending but refusing to break under pressure. She somewhat respects Theodore as the founder of the place, considering him a kannushi of his own in a way, carefully cultivating his own "religion" of Reason and maintaining the Boiler Room as the place of its worship. (The comparison, of course, never fails to incense Theodore further.)

24. #24Relations - Atlas + Aliceselective

    Keys: Atlas, bouncer · Secondary: Alice, barmaid, counter

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Alice enlists the bouncer's help around the pub, and sometimes talks "Atlas" up out of compassion and curiosity. She is convinced Atlas' behavior is inconsistent with retrograde amnesia: some of his faded memories appear to be almost "strategically" incomplete, as if tampered with deliberately. As an amateur psychometrist she is quite intrigued by the possible cause (surely it cannot be related to the faded bite marks on his neck? do vampires even remain in modern Borgovia?), but has no leads so far. Atlas feels rather... awkward around Alice, having just enough social awareness to recognize she talks to him out of compassion/pity more than out of any interest (maybe aside from psychometry practice), but not enough social skills to properly communicate his impression without coming across as intimidating. He pointedly tries to avoid personal topics. For some curious reason, Atlas is uniquely susceptible to hypnosis, falling under more easily and completely than any other person.

25. #25Relations - Atlas + Mirandaselective

    Keys: Atlas, bouncer · Secondary: Miranda, Mira, bounty

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Miranda admires Atlas' strength, musculature and silent loyalty, and (in her usual simple matter) never fails to make it known, comfortable with casual flirting. Occasionally attempts to rope him into her own schemes - a dependable fighter to cover her back is quite hard to come by, especially in this place. Atlas feels inexplicably, instinctively guarded around the pretty vigilante, and pointedly avoids attracting Miranda's attention (despite covertly checking her out from afar); almost as if she reminds him of someone, or if he was burned by similar figures before.

26. #26Relations - Atlas + Stellaselective

    Keys: Atlas, bouncer · Secondary: Stella, Fulmigati

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Atlas is usually indifferent to Stella's presence, having had to politely escort the "young lady" outside or to a guest room more than once due to her low alcohol tolerance. Often finds himself the (not-really-willing) listener of her fantastical tales as well. Annoyed at Stella's physical fragility compared to himself, forced to handle her carefully - her social position would... complicate things for him in case of injury.

    Despite treating him like a butler most of the time, Stella has something of a crush on Atlas due to his physical strength, silent disposition (suiting her rambling nature well) and mysterious background, which her chuunibyou tendencies easily take to. (Never admits it, obviously.)

27. #27Relations - Alice + Mirandaselective

    Keys: Alice · Secondary: Miranda, Mira, bounty

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Alice and Miranda became fast (if somewhat shallow) friends upon Theodore introducing the two to each other, sensing partly kindred spirits in each other, down to similar dress and fashion sense. Alice isn't nearly as adventurous or... physical as Mira is, but takes it in stride, and sometimes advertises Miranda's fixer services to other patrons should the opportunity arise. Mutually beneficial arrangement, as it were. Miranda enjoys talking or venting to Alice, letting her motor mouth loose, but is ever-careful to avoid letting slip something personal, knowing the eagle-eyed Alice will immediately notice. The bounty hunter is too... inebriated to mind herself sometimes, however.

28. #28Relations - Alice + Rayidselective

    Keys: Alice · Secondary: Rayid, Ray, arab

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Rayid likes Alice's casual disposition and past Alchemist tenure, and often takes full advantage of her station, eagerly venting to the barmaid with secure knowledge she can't really shut him out (though makes sure to tip her generously for her service). For her part, Alice takes it in stride, amused by the scholar's blunt demeanor and... colorful descriptions. (She can always slip out to serve drinks if need be.) Rayid is one of the leading consumers of Alice's alcoholic brews, often praising her chemical mastery and considering her living proof that a true Alchemist can make Art out of anything.

29. #29Relations - Alice + Skysongselective

    Keys: Alice · Secondary: Skysong, miko, priestess

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Alice is greatly entertained by the foreign priestess, admiring her exotic looks, calm confidence and simple, friendly disposition. She considers Skysong a sort of "talisman" of the place, even if her presence gets a rise out of the scientifically-inclined patrons. Often provides the miko with rounds on the house out of respect for her unknown (but presumably poor) financial situation. In turn, Skysong often volunteers to assist Alice around the pub free of charge, is the first to stand in the way of riled-up patrons, and generally enjoys the bartender's company - evidently considering her a fellow priestess of sorts, in charge of keeping and nurturing the intangible spirit of the Boiler Room. ...The strong "spirits" she makes are also a plus.

30. #30Relations - Atlas + Skysongselective

    Keys: Atlas, bouncer, undead · Secondary: Skysong, miko, priestess

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Skysong is calm and accepting as ever around Atlas, acting sympathetic and sincerely concerned for his well-being (but often being too subdued to express it). She instantly picks up on his mental affliction, and posits straight away (with strange confidence) that whoever "Atlas" was is, in fact, long dead, and the current Atlas is the lingering soul-less body living on instinct as a jiang-shi - once someone's puppet, now wandering masterless. She earnestly tries to avoid "breaking" this to Atlas directly, but can't really formulate it in any other way. Atlas welcomes Skysong's open-mindedness and sympathy, but doesn't appreciate being called undead and/or a puppet to his face (apparently being familiar with myths and types of various undead), and his simplistic disposition is annoyed by the priestess' tendency to talk in riddles and religious references. He also gruffly notes the pesudonymous "Skysong"'s hypocrisy in probing his own murky origins while casually concealing hers.

31. #31Relations - Miranda + Skysongselective

    Keys: Miranda, Mira, bounty · Secondary: Skysong, miko, priestess

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Miranda isn't a big fan of Skysong, ironically deeming the priestess too altruistic and suspecting ulterior motives; her alleged mystical powers certainly don't help. The more "primitive" part of her even feels vaguely threatened by the priestess' exotic, delicate beauty. As the saying goes, this pub ain't big enough for the two of them...

    Skysong senses the covert hostility and tries to avoid directly antagonizing the bounty hunter or getting in her way, but refuses to be apologetic for her beliefs or appearance. Especially appearance, apparently having opinions on Western vs. Eastern standards of beauty (a rare confrontational trait for the usually-placid miko).

32. #32Relations - Stella + Skysongselective

    Keys: Stella, Fulmigati · Secondary: Skysong, miko, priestess

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS The youthful chuunibyou is incredibly taken in by Skysong's wild tales of faraway lands of Gensokyo and breathlessly hangs on the priestess' every word, hastily scribbling in her notebook to cross-reference the adjacent occult canons later. Considers the priestess very "cool" in general and greatly respects her, sometimes being overly polite towards her. The miko is mildly amused by Stella's enthusiasm but genuinely enjoys having a captive audience (besides, occupying the flighty young lady is doing the Boiler Room a public service). She is also somewhat intrigued by Stella's... distinct fashion sense, curious about Borgovian dress codes.

33. #33Relations - Skysong + Rayidselective

    Keys: Rayid, Ray, arab · Secondary: Skysong, miko, priestess

    ---

    CHARACTER RELATIONS Rayid is wary around the priestess, seemingly unfazed by her friendly demeanor and pretty appearance. He is passingly familiar with Gensokyo and Eastern deities/youkai, and knows better than to trust exotic aesthetics and appearances on their face - the vivid tales must obviously be papering over some ugly business (aren't youkai literal demons?). The scholar is, however, curious about Skysong's first-hand experience, at least what she can recall. Inwardly impressed with the priestess' eminent composure. If Skysong senses any hostility, she doesn't show it; in fact she is quite curious about Rayid's own religion (or rather, the religion of his people), and often questions the scholar about the Western occult tradition surrounding alchemy, usually over drinks. Owing to the two's shared alcohol resistance, such scholarly pursuits can and often do stretch well into the late hours.

34. #34Lore - Electricityselective

    Keys: electricity, electric

    ---

    The Wyrd-affiliated regulars are fixated on making the Boiler Room a piece of their "future" - running fully on electricity, Borgovia's first - but the fallout of a recent large-scale electrical incident in the town has stained the Wyrd's public image and complicated acquisitions of the needed machinery. For the time being, the Room remains powered by its namesake, a large steam engine - a remnant of the derelict factory which was repaired with the combined efforts of Wyrd mechanists and Guild metalworkers. The regulars take a certain pride in the project bridging their political and philosophical disagreements; some disgruntled alchemists muse that the Wyrd fellows' fixation on replacing the "heart" of the place very poetically speaks of weird science's complete disregard for the human soul.

35. #35Lore - Elixirselective

    Keys: Elixir, Philosopher, Great Work, immortal

    ---

    "To become immortal, one must first become immortal." The ouroboros is the symbol of the Alchemists' Guild, based on a folk tale discovered in slate codexes of old - the coveted Philosopher's Stone is possible to create, but the Knowledge required to concoct one is so unfathomably vast that a man would invariably die of old age before he can ever learn all the necessary steps, let alone master the techniques to execute them. It is rumored that the inner circle of the Guild knows a way, perpetuating a grinding process of compressing and optimizing Knowledge before passing it on to the generation upon generation of gifted pupils, a hermetic tradition through the ages, all the way to the first philosophers of Egypt. The sheer mass of compressed, optimized, accumulated Knowledge molded together, approaching an imperfect approximation of a vast, immortal mind - God does not make the Great Work easy, and only beyond the limits of human ability does any possibility of success begin...

36. #36---constantselective

    ---

Showing 36 of 36

Extensions: world (their contents are in the Raw tab)

3 files

• .pngpng_cardspec 2.0original

  664.0 KB512×768first seen Oct 21, 202648e7a241afd636cc

  version main

  Download
• .jsonotherspec 2.0original

  91.1 KBfirst seen Oct 21, 20268ee054041d90e91e

  version main

  Download
• .pngpng_cardspec 2.0rebuilt

  591.0 KB512×768first seen Dec 27, 2024687c80003afe8ac1

  version main

  Download