ROCK || Arsène Stonem

eccentric syndicate drug dealer and confectioner // VIP pass private investigator

| ᴏᴄ | ɴꜱꜰᴡ ɪɴɪᴛɪᴀʟ ᴍᴇꜱꜱᴀɢᴇ | ᴀɴʏᴘᴏᴠ | ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛɪᴏɴ | ╰┈➤ ❝ I’d say watch out for cavities, kiddo. But, word of advice, eruption should stay off the agenda too. ❞ ᴄʟɪᴄᴋ ᴍᴇ~! ++⋆ ══╝

||| 🃜 🃚 🃖 🃁 🂭 🂺 ||| series-wide content warning ||| ɴᴏᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴀᴘᴘʟʏ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ʙᴏᴛ ||| ᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ 🃜 ᴘsʏᴄʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ᴍᴀɴɪᴘᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ 🃚 ᴛᴏʀᴛᴜʀᴇ 🃖 ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀʙᴜsᴇ 🃁 ᴍɪɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ 🂭 ɢᴀsʟɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ 🂺 ᴘsʏᴄʜᴏsɪs 🃜 ɪɴsᴀɴɪᴛʏ 🃚 sᴇʟғ-ʜᴀʀᴍ 🃖 ᴅʀᴜɢs & sᴜʙsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀʙᴜsᴇ 🃁 ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ 🂭 ᴏᴠᴇʀᴅᴏsᴇ 🂺 ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴅʀᴜɢ ᴜsᴇ 🃜 ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ & ᴄᴏʀᴘsᴇ 🃚 ɢʀᴀᴘʜɪᴄ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ 🃖 ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ 🃁 ᴍᴀss ᴋɪʟʟɪɴɢs 🂭 ᴅᴇsᴇᴄʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴄᴏʀᴘsᴇs 🂺 ɢʀᴀᴘʜɪᴄ ᴅᴇsᴄʀɪᴘᴛɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ᴄᴏʀᴘsᴇs 🃜 ᴇxᴇᴄᴜᴛɪᴏɴ 🃚 ᴀssᴀssɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ 🃖 ᴘʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟ ᴀʙᴜsᴇ 🃁 ɢᴀɴɢ ᴡᴀʀғᴀʀᴇ 🂭 ʙʀᴜᴛᴀʟ ʙᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢs 🂺 ᴋɪᴅɴᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ 🃜 ʜᴏsᴛᴀɢᴇ sɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴs 🃚 ᴛᴏʀᴛᴜʀᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇs 🃖 ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴛʀᴀғғɪᴄᴋɪɴɢ 🃁 ᴏʀɢᴀɴ ʜᴀʀᴠᴇsᴛɪɴɢ 🂭 ᴀʀᴍs ᴅᴇᴀʟɪɴɢ 🂺 ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏsᴛɪᴛᴜᴛɪᴏɴ 🃜 sᴇxᴜᴀʟ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ 🃚 ɪɴᴛɪᴍɪᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴ 🃖 ᴛᴇʀʀᴏʀɪsᴍ 🃁 ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ & ᴄᴏʀʀᴜᴘᴛɪᴏɴ 🂭 ʙʟᴀᴄᴋᴍᴀɪʟ 🂺 ᴇxᴛᴏʀᴛɪᴏɴ 🃜 ғʀᴀᴜᴅ 🃚 ᴍᴏɴᴇʏ ʟᴀᴜɴᴅᴇʀɪɴɢ 🃖 ʜᴇɪsᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴏʙʙᴇʀɪᴇs 🃁 ʙʀɪʙᴇʀʏ 🂭 ᴇsᴘɪᴏɴᴀɢᴇ 🂺 ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴜʟsɪᴠᴇ ʙᴇʜᴀᴠɪᴏʀs 🃜 ɢᴀᴍʙʟɪɴɢ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ 🃚 sᴇxᴜᴀʟ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ 🃖 ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ʟᴀʙᴏʀ 🃁 ꜰᴜʟʟ ʟɪꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴋɪɴᴋꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴇᴛɪꜱʜᴇꜱ ɪɴ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛɪᴏɴ ||| Encountering issues? Please visit my profile under the 'artificial intelligence disclaimer' section for possible reasons, as well as resources to help.

||| 🃜 🃚 🃖 🃁 🂭 🂺 ||| the lore ᴄʟɪᴄᴋ ᴍᴇ~! ++⋆ ══╝

||| 🃜 🃚 🃖 🃁 🂭 🂺 ||| the plot

This is a steampunk fantasy setting, where the "world" is actually a planet-sized atmospheric pocket entirely composed of a floating island archipelago. No seas and continents, nor fossil fuels or electricity. Instead, everything is dependent on a special metal called "Mirthril", which, like a sponge, absorbs energy from radiated psycho-sources: humor, insanity, hysteria, joy and laughter.

"Spherey Island" is a megacity built on the back of an automaton. You can get there by hot air balloon, if you know where to look. This manmade island, modelled after a sky whale, is affectionately referred to by the denizens as "Mobile Dick".

Spherey Island is, in its entirety, styled after an amusement park. It is run by the criminal Rochambeau Syndicate. Psycho-energy keeps the attractions operating, so that the syndicate can profit from elites and lower class alike. More specifically, it was formerly under the leadership of Mr. Archibald Rochambeau and his three prodigious vices. That was, until Mr. Rochambeau met an untimely end at the top of the Spherey Island Skywheel, dropping dead with seemingly no cause.

Mirthril automatons, like all mirthril machinery and weaponry, can be controlled by the mind. However, the control center of Mobile Dick can only be entered using the "Master Card". And, while Mr. Rochambeau's body was quickly recovered, the Master Card was nowhere to be found.

While the three vice-leaders maintain a precarious truce, the whereabouts of the Master Card is an unsolved mystery. Until it's found, the position of kingpin can only remain empty. With no leads, the Rochambeau Syndicate can best be compared to a flock of headless chickens. All three vice-leaders suspect another as being responsible for the assassination of their mentor.

If Mobile Dick continues to operate on autopilot, the elusive syndicate runs the risk of enemy attack, or the entire amusement park's operations coming to a crashing halt.

You, a private investigator, have been entrusted with a VIP Pass and a mirthril music box containing Mr. Rochambeau's final will. The contents are simple. Find the traitor, fucking kill 'em. So, turn your attention to Arsène Stonem. Known by several aliases, including "The Candyman", his jurisdiction is the drugs and substances that lace every appetizing consumable on Spherey Island.

Have you, with your refined palate, got a taste for the absurd?

This confectioner's got enough curiosity in him to wipe out cats as a species. Still, he persists, and with much to show for it. His snacks have strange, fantastical and... ahem, sometimes sexual effects. Whether it's turning you blue, or splitting your mind in two, his factory's the one-stop shop for every whimsically sinister narcotic and hallucinogen you can think of.

Go ahead, get to know him. He certainly wants to get to know you. Just don't let him get too... experimental. He has a bad habit of sticking his lollipop places it has no business being. ɴᴏ ꜱᴘᴏɪʟᴇʀꜱ ɪɴ ᴅᴇꜰ 🃁 ʜɪꜱ ᴄᴀʀʀᴅ ++⋆ ══╝

||| 🃜 🃚 🃖 🃁 🂭 🂺 ||| the graphics

╚═ 🃜 🃚 🃖 ❝ 7x ɴꜱꜰᴡ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇ ᴠᴀʀɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴠɪᴀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴛʜᴇᴅʀᴀʟ ɪɴ ᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴘʜɪᴄꜱ ʙᴜɴᴅʟᴇ, ᴘʀᴇᴍɪᴜᴍ ʙᴜɴᴅʟᴇ ᴏʀ ᴀʀꜱᴇɴᴇ ʙᴜɴᴅʟᴇ ❞ ╚═ 🃜 🃚 🃖 ❝ ᴄᴀʀᴏᴜꜱᴇʟ ❞ ╚═ 🃜 🃚 🃖 ❝ ᴄᴀɴᴅʏ ꜱᴛᴀʟʟ ❞ ╚═ 🃜 🃚 🃖 ❝ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴘʜᴇʀᴇʏ ɪꜱʟᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀɴᴅʏ ꜰᴀᴄᴛᴏʀʏ ❞

||| 🃜 🃚 🃖 🃁 🂭 🂺 ||| recommended listening ( ʙᴜʙʙʟᴇ ᴘᴏᴘ ᴇʟᴇᴄᴛʀɪᴄ・ɢᴡᴇɴ ꜱᴛᴇꜰᴀɴɪ ) 1:24 ━🂭──────── -4:52 ↻ ⊲ II ⊳ ↺ ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ: ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇ 100%

||| 🃜 🃚 🃖 🃁 🂭 🂺 ||| the name origins

||| Arsène: /ɑːrˈsɛn/ (ahr-SEN) = The first name "Arsène" has French and Greek origins, meaning "virile" or "manly". It is a name that evokes strength and masculinity, often associated with the legendary gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, a character created by French writer Maurice Leblanc. The name suggests intelligence, charm, and a certain roguish appeal.

= In the context of Rochambeau (rock, paper, scissors), the "rock" is paired thematically with earthen symbolism: masculinity, strength, violence.

= I wanted to pull away from stereotypes, and rather than have the classic violent and brutish syndicate member expected of "rock", deviate slightly to explore phonetic similarities between "Arsène" and "Arsenic". Particularly where illicit substances and narcotics are concerned, there's a strong connection between hard drugs and hard candy in syndicate modus operandi and slang.

= When you think of "rock", it isn't that hard to jump into the linguistic web and reach the various colloquial terms for drugs. Think "crystal meth", "crack cocaine" and "bath salts".

||| Stonem: /ˈstoʊ-nəm/ (STOH-nəm) = The last name "Stonem" likely originates from Old English, combining "stone" and "ham" or "hamm", which means "a dwelling" or "homestead". It suggests a place or home characterized by stone, possibly indicating a stone-built house or settlement. The name evokes a sense of stability, permanence, and resilience, qualities often associated with stone structures.

= "A stone's throw" is a common idiom meaning a very short distance. The phrase originates from the literal act of throwing a stone, which typically doesn’t travel far.

= Another related phrase, "carved in stone", suggests something that is permanent and unchangeable, much like an inscription on a stone monument. This phrase underscores the enduring and lasting nature of certain decisions or agreements.

= I like the idea that despite how chaotic he is, there needs to be a certain degree of stability to him. Like in his plot synopsis, any cat as curious as him would be six feet under by now. But he isn't. He is, in some ways, a very reliable person. After all, most chemical compounds are until a reaction is triggered by a catalyst.

||| 🃜 🃚 🃖 🃁 🂭 🂺 ||| the author's note

||| This is the first bot in "The Rochambeau Predicament" series. It's about time I put out a mafia series, but I didn't want to just go classic mainstream. For those of you that don't know, steampunk fantasy is my favorite genre after modern realism. The "Hive" series is the same.

||| If I had to assign a genre to this, it's hopefully dead dove and comedy. A weird blend, yeah. But, I really like to play with the concept of how laughter and fun can be sinister and unnerving. I think the fear of clowns is extremely interesting. What makes us scared of something like that?

||| It's probably: uncanny valley, distorted realities, contrasting emotions, surreal atmosphere, and cognitive dissonance.

||| Any hyperbolism of the human experience veers quickly to nightmarish. I think in wanting to exaggerate and maximize the joyful experiences of fun, adrenaline, play, humor and similar themes, we see a kind of psychological phenomena where something in us snaps and we become disturbed. We say, "This isn't right.", and suddenly the exterior of bright lights and entertainment topsy-turvies into a sinister skepticism.

||| There's also something else in hyperbolic intensity, in that exaggerated expressions of emotions oftentimes misalign behaviors to their mental processes. For example, so happy you cry. So sad you laugh. Isn't it absurd? Isn't it disconcerting?

||| Incongruity is a powerful tool in horror. I hope you find this series... hysterical.

||| 🃜 🃚 🃖 🃁 🂭 🂺 ||| the shop

So, what exactly is “The Shop”? As part of this series, there’s going to be several bundles on offer which you can purchase. Once you purchase them, you will always have access to the downloadable bundle ZIP file, which will be updated constantly with new changes. To look at what’s currently included in the bundles, you can look at “The Rochambeau Predicament – Log”, a Google Doc available for FREE in ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴛʜᴇᴅʀᴀʟ, a personal Discord I use for transactions.

╚═ 🃜 🃚 🃖 ❝ ᴀʟʟ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ’ ꜱᴛʏʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇꜱ, ꜱᴇᴍɪ-ꜱᴛʏʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇꜱ, ʀᴇᴀʟɪꜱᴛɪᴄ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇꜱ, ɴꜱꜰᴡ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇ ᴠᴀʀɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ, ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ʙᴀɴɴᴇʀꜱ, ᴇᴍᴏᴛᴇꜱ ʙʏ @ᴋʀᴏᴡ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ɢᴀʟʟᴇʀʏ ᴏꜰ ʙᴀᴄᴋɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴜꜱᴇ ɪɴ ᴊᴀɴɪᴛᴏʀ ᴀɪ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪʟʟʏ ᴛᴀᴠᴇʀɴ. ❞

╚═ 🃜 🃚 🃖 ❝ ᴀʟʟ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ’ ᴇxᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ & ʟᴏʀᴇ, 26 ᴘᴀɢᴇ ʜᴏʀᴏꜱᴄᴏᴘᴇ ʀᴇᴘᴏʀᴛꜱ, ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ-ꜱᴘᴇᴄɪꜰɪᴄ ʟᴏʀᴇʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ, ᴇxᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇɴᴅɪᴜᴍ ꜰᴏʀ “ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴄʜᴀᴍʙᴇᴀᴜ ᴘʀᴇᴅɪᴄᴀᴍᴇɴᴛ” ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʟᴏʀᴇʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴏʀ ᴜꜱᴇ ᴏɴ ꜱɪʟʟʏ ᴛᴀᴠᴇʀɴ. ❞

╚═ 🃜 🃚 🃖 ❝ ᴀᴛ ᴍɪɴɪᴍᴜᴍ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴀʟᴛᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴇ ʙᴏᴛꜱ (ᴀʟᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛɪᴏɴꜱ, ɴᴇᴡ ɪɴɪᴛɪᴀʟ ᴍᴇꜱꜱᴀɢᴇꜱ) ꜰᴏʀ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ, ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ ꜰɪʟᴇꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ. ❞

╚═ 🃜 🃚 🃖 ❝ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴀᴛᴇ, ᴘʟᴜꜱ ᴇxᴛʀᴀ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴄᴀʀʀᴅ. ❞

╚═ 🃜 🃚 🃖 ❝ ᴀʀꜱᴇɴᴇ’ꜱ ꜱᴛʏʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇꜱ, ꜱᴇᴍɪ-ꜱᴛʏʟɪᴢᴇᴅ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇꜱ, ʀᴇᴀʟɪꜱᴛɪᴄ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇꜱ, ɴꜱꜰᴡ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇ ᴠᴀʀɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ, ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ʙᴀɴɴᴇʀꜱ, ᴇᴍᴏᴛᴇꜱ ʙʏ @ᴋʀᴏᴡ, ꜱᴘʜᴇʀᴇʏ ɪꜱʟᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢꜱ, ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ᴇxᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ & ʟᴏʀᴇ, 26 ᴘᴀɢᴇ ʜᴏʀᴏꜱᴄᴏᴘᴇ ʀᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ, ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ-ꜱᴘᴇᴄɪꜰɪᴄ ʟᴏʀᴇʙᴏᴏᴋ, ᴛᴡᴏ ᴀʟᴛᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴇ ʙᴏᴛꜱ (ᴀʟᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛɪᴏɴꜱ, ɴᴇᴡ ɪɴɪᴛɪᴀʟ ᴍᴇꜱꜱᴀɢᴇꜱ), ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ ꜰɪʟᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴɪᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ. ❞

ᴠɪᴀ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏʀᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡᴇʀᴇꜱᴡᴏʟꜰ 🂺 ᴠɪᴀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴛʜᴇᴅʀᴀʟ ++⋆ ══╝ ⚙️