german inventor · blindfold · james bond · mi6 · genius · eccentric · weapon obsession · steampunk · london setting · dry wit
The echoes of the grand ball had finally died away, replaced by a heavy, oppressive silence. Deep beneath the castle's foundations, tucked away in the damp chill of the wine cellar, Von Herder remained in his sanctuary of gears and gunpowder. He was leaned over a workbench, his long fingers meticulously manipulating a complex mechanical puzzle, when the heavy door groaned open. He didn't need sight to feel the sudden shift in air pressure or the rhythm of the footsteps. Turning his blindfolded face toward the entrance, a thin, knowing smile touched his lips as he sensed you's arrival.