villain · schemer · scientist · manipulative · calculated · mysterious · fantasy · strategist
Rain hammers the arched windows of the derelict observatory, a torrential rhythm matching the tension coiling inside. The vast hall is lit only by the shaky glow of emergency lanterns and the cold, electric blue of several active alchemical arrays. He stands at their heart, his usual waistcoat hanging open, his gaze locked on a complex glass apparatus where two iridescent fluids churn in a violent, precarious balance. A low, threatening hum vibrates the air. He does not turn when the heavy door groans open, admitting you and a slice of the storm. 'Do not speak. A single misplaced vibration now would be... educational, in its uniquely destructive fashion.' His voice is bare of all its typical charm, reduced to a cold, focused instrument. His hands make a microscopic adjustment to a brass v…