.:Steampunk AU mini bios:.

[Antonio Fernandez Carriedo]

Name: Antonio Fernandez Carriedo
Age: 22
Role:  Shopkeeper/Trinket-Maker: sells metalwork trinkets and decorative mechasuit add-ons, most of which he makes.
Class: Middle

Appearance: Because he often tinkers with trinkets between customers placing orders and making purchases, Antonio is rarely seen without a brown pair of magnifying goggles on his head and brown gloves on his hands while in his shop. There's also a key with a base made of cogs on a chain 'round his neck that unlocks the shop, and he rarely takes that off either, since both key and shop have been in the family for generations. His signature outfit usually consists of brown trousers, a dark brown button-up vest and a white shirt with baggy sleeves, but said sleeves usually end up off-colour by the end of the day as a result of greasing trinket mechanisms. 

Personality Changes/Quirks (Backstory incorporated):
>He's pretty family-oriented in this verse. The family business of intricate trinket-making has become so important to him--he takes great pride in making little curiosities and seeing wonder in the eyes of adults and children alike when they see them. He'd spent a lot of time as a kid at the shop watching his father tinker away and had been filled with that same wonder himself, so when his father tragically found himself growing more and more unsteady with his hands to the point where he was unable to craft, Antonio was old enough and more than willing to take over and continue his father's legacy. 
>He hasn't let his old man down seeing as he's already creating a name for himself as an excellent upstart trinket-maker, but... he's pretty humble despite this. 

Relationships:
Marco: The fella that brings him his trinket parts orders and mechasuit decor material orders. He's pretty friendly but he instills a bit of sadness in Antonio sometimes because he looks like he's had it rough despite his smiles. 

Other Things Worth mentioning: N/A

[Ludwig Beilschmidt]

This is always a WIP!

Name: Ludwig A. Beilschmidt

Age: 23

Role: Mechanic (also "former" Mecha Pilot)

Class: Low (working class; but known in the underground for his prowess in the UMCL)

Appearance:

*Just Pretend it's not 2P...mmmkay*
Hair would still be down most times, but no scarf since that'd get caught up in the equipment.

Personality Changes/Quirks:

* Tinkers - A lot. A LOT. He always finds there is need for improvement and since he's a mechanic by trade...well, this sorta thing comes extremely naturally to him. If he could do something earth-shattering...maybe then he'd finally stop smelling like he got dunked in a vat of oil and sweat.

* Highly Competitive - More than you would wager, really. While he doesn't necessarily practice bad sportsmanship if and when he loses, you can bet he'll be beating himself up for it and going over his tactics constantly to see exactly how he screwed up and how it could be remedied.  That's not to say however, that he's not punched a few walls as a result of his losses.

* Very Private - He's not 100% standoffish, but he does have a tendency to become highly protective of his efforts... As a fledgling inventor, he's just a bit concerned that someone will try to steal his work and ideas and patent them without his knowledge (it's happened before...). So no, he's not going to tell you how he did this or that, nor is he going to show you the blueprints of his new doodad or where he keeps his Mecha suit. While he does keep his most confidential works locked up tight and hidden, he'll probably yell at you and kick you out of his shop if you snoop or tend to have a wandering eye.

* Mecha Suit Furie - He only pilots on occasion and only then under a pseudonym or anonymously, mostly because he doesn't want to fall out of graces with his more uppity patrons that don't care for the UMCL. However, his suit is rather old and is only tinkered with here and there. In truth, he's hesitant to pick it back up again, but is too stubborn (and mildly prideful) to abandon it completely and leave it to rust.

* Bad Memory - It's not always as good as it could be; hence why he keeps a notebook and writes everything down in it. He also has difficulty remembering bits and pieces of his past. Damn that accident.

Backstory: 
Ludwig was born and raised in Germany to a pair of low-class citizens: his father, a mechanic (JUST a normal mechanic) and his mother, a bakery worker. Naturally, Ludwig took after both parents in different degrees, but it was ultimately his father's footsteps that he followed in. That isn't to say, however, that his mother didn't whisk him away from the shop every now and then to show him a thing or two about baking. Nevertheless, whenever he could, Ludwig would act as an assistant in his father's workshop and would do his best to not only help his father fix the broken machines, but in some cases, improve them. Naturally his parents encouraged such an inquisitive young mind to go and do what he could, but as he grew into his teen years, his attention became a bit divided.

Maybe it was just getting started, or maybe it was the first time he had actually had his eyes opened to it, but the young man's curiosity slowly lead him to exploring the Underground Mecha Combat League, or UMCL for short. At first, Ludwig was too young to join in on the fights so he watched from the sidelines and meticulously picked apart how the machines operated. Sometimes, he'd sketch out a few improvements for the losers while analyzing the champs and taking note of why they had won. This realm wasn't too different from what he did in his father's workshop, and really, it was just using the machines for a different purpose. Or that's how Ludwig pictured it at least. As such, in his spare time, he would sketch out and try to piece together his own Mecha. Naturally, the first few prototypes were complete rust buckets that fell apart at the touch of a hand, but he was learning at least.

During Ludwig's trips to the ring, he also became quick friends with a few other young enthusiasts (some of which traveled from far and wide to watch the fights) and they often attended the matches together. When he finally turned 16, however, he decided that he would give the ring a shot himself. Thankfully he had managed to put together a decent Mecha, which he christened Furie, in between his shifts at his father's workshop and his own work, and after paying a small fee, was given the green light by the officials to participate. If anything, he reasoned, if he won, he could use part of the money to help his parents at home. He was not, however, expecting to win in his very first match, but it appeared as if all those previous years of analyzing and picking apart the other Mecha paid off. Some said that it was simply a beginner's luck; others called him a prodigy--whatever the case, Ludwig was rightly proud of his accomplishment and it boosted his confidence. Encouraged by his friends and motivated by not only by pride but the sum of award money offered with each successful fight, Ludwig continued on to be one of the best, if not THE best and most renowned Mecha Pilot in Germany. 

By the time he turned 19, he was already competing in international tournaments with some of the best pilots mainland Europe had to offer. Soon, he threw in his lot for the championship title. As expected, he started out strong, winning his first few matches with ease and with the sort of ferocity and determination he was known for.

During the final match, Ludwig was just a step away from snagging the championship. Though the previous matches had definitely been tougher than any he had to face before and he and Furie were both having to prove themselves more and more, he was confident in his and his Mecha's abilities. He stepped foot into the ring and after the bell, set straight to work. The crowd was roaring, adrenaline was pumping, and he was sure that he'd be able to go home with the gold. He'd already managed disable the other Mecha's left arm and it seemed that he was soaring toward victory.

All good things must come to an end, and the bright light of victory was soon plunged into a sudden darkness.

Ludwig woke up months later in a hospital bed with no recollection of what had happened near the end of final fight. He was having difficulty recalling many things, actually... But from what he had been told about the fight, he had stalled (whether it be to a mechanical error or a delay in human reaction, no one could quite tell) and there was just enough time for his opponent to strike with their good arm. The blow had struck on Furie's upper build--the equivalent to where the human shoulder may be--but it wasn't square on and had also struck the cockpit where Ludwig was. The sudden force had pushed Furie into one of the thick walls of the arena, damaging its motor, but it had also caused Ludwig to become jostled around to the point that even the protective padding didn't stop him from receiving injury (and certainly it wouldn't protect him from a few chunks of metal that had been pushed into the cockpit and against his head). Had it not been for the safety precautions he had taken, however, he may have been pulled from the wreckage as a cold corpse. Thankfully, he was spared death and suffered from lacerations to his face and arms and a head injury instead.

It took him longer to recover than he would have liked, but after ensuring that his parents were given part of the money from his second place earnings, he took what he had left (including his damaged Mecha) and moved to England. Part of his reasoning was because he wanted to distance himself from the mainland rings, but he also wanted to just start anew after the failure he faced in the ring (and yes, his pride has a bit to do with that and he blames his shortcomings on the loss regardless of the rumors of sabotage that had started creeping up). Some may have seen it as cowardice, but in Ludwig's eyes it was a result of cautiousness: if he wasn't able to be in the mainland, he wouldn't be as tempted or capable of engaging in the Mecha Fights he was used to. Furthermore, if he was distanced, he wouldn't be putting himself in danger again by trying to re-enter the ring and get 'vengeance' on whoever it was that took him out during the final round of the championship. He doesn't feel that he needs to risk his life again on that sort of thing.

Currently, Ludwig owns and runs a mechanic shop in London. It's only been running for approximately three years, but thankfully, his eye for perfection and determination to give the best he can has earned him a good name among normal patrons and Mecha enthusiasts alike. He still has to fight the urge to return to the UMCL scene and fight himself rather than just work on the machines, but thankfully, those temptations only creep up once in a while and he's ensured that he's taken better precautions this time around.

Relationships:
- Elizaveta - Currently, one of his rivals. He doesn't really have much of a beef with her, but he is a little wary.
-Alfred - Lud will admit that Al is one of his best opponents as well as friends. They go WAAAAAAAAAAY back. So far back that unfortunately (partially due to his Mecha Accident) Ludwig can't quite remember how far back they go. They first met by chance, but the pair became fast friends and as they grew older, shared an interest in technology--and especially in Mecha and the UMCL. Currently, however, Alfred has rediscovered Ludwig in London (the German has no clue how) and is almost always trying to get Ludwig into his prosthetics business (andpickingbackuponmechafightsagain).

Other Things Worth mentioning:
* Unless you are a UMCL enthusiast, you probably won't recognize Ludwig as being someone who was in the big leagues.
* Has previously fought in the GUMCL (German Underground Mecha Combat League), the WEUMCL (Western European Underground Mecha Combat League), the EUMCL (European Underground Mecha Combat League), the IUMCL (International Underground Mecha Combat League), and currently dabbles with the UKUMCL (United Kingdom Underground Mecha Combat League) as both a fighter and a mechanic.
* He started learning English only after he met Alfred. At first and for the longest time, it was rather terrible, but now that he's moved to London, it's gotten considerably better and his accented English only slips every now and then (if he can help it).
* Has a few scars from not only working as a mechanic, but from a Mecha suit failure. He sports three very noticeable slashes on his right arm.
* Sometimes, his ears ring something awful.
* His sideburns are all the rage. If you meet him you will experience sideburn jealousy.
* Would like to find someone 'worthy' enough to use his old Mecha suit...and that means, you've got to win over his trust. Good luck with that.
* Though he still dabbles in mecha, he doubts he'll be able to return to his old glory days, but if he did...well, he wouldn't complain.
* Still sends some of his earnings back home to his parents in Germany. It's sort of his way of apologizing for worrying about him due to a UMCL fight induced coma...but also he just wants to be able to ensure they're well off since they're getting older and Vati's been having a few health concerns himself.

[Alfred Jones]

Name: Alfred F. Jones
Age: 23
Role: Prosthesis Engineer/Mecha Pilot
Class: Middle Class
Appearance:

Alfred is a very rough-and-tumble person compared to most others in the middle class. Rather than their silly silk cravats and wool suits, the blonde wears simple pants and cotton tops with a signature dark brown duster coat (though he NEVER wears the coat when he's working. He's not that big an idiot) Since he tinkers with machines 99% of his days, most of his clothes have a myriad of stains, old and new. He does own several very nice suit with the semi-precious gemstone buttons and the shimmering lapel pins and freshly shined shoes, but he almost never wears them. Usually he'll even show up to important exhibitions for his newest models in his work clothes--better for the customers to know who they're working with, right? (it has nothing to do with the fact that Alfred can be lazy as hell about his appearance)

His hair is dirty blonde (in more than just color; his hair is often dirty with metal shavings, sawdust, and just plain ol' dirt) and in a constant state of ruffledness, as are his clothes. He has big bright blue eyes, though they're often hidden behind his glasses or his work-goggles, specially lensed so he can see with them on. However, Alfred often goes without his thin-wired glasses, especially during Mecha battles to "give himself a proper challenge". A bit of a handicap for his lesser-experienced opponents, so to speak. The blonde is 1.8m tall (6'), on the tall side for many Mecha fighters. Therefore, his "official" Mecha, Patriot, is larger than most. He has several small scars on his fingers from nicking them on sharp edges of parts and plenty larger ones across his biceps and torso from mecha fights.

He also has several piercings in his ears, including two piercings in the lobe and large cuffs in the shell, and two in his left eyebrow. The only time he removes these piercings is during Mecha fights.
Personality Changes/Quirks:
★ Thrill-Seeker: Alfred goes out of his way to find challenges and dangerous situations for himself. He's addicted to the high of adrenaline as well as the rush of pride of a challenge overcome.
★ Driven: When Alfred wants something done, he'll get it done. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
★ Stubborn: Tied in with his driven nature, if Alfred wants something, he'll pester and poke and prod until he gets what he wants, and he won't back down under most circumstances. After deviating from his parents' merchant backgrounds into his interest in mechanics, the blonde's learned that he won't get to do what he wants if he bows over to other peoples' wishes. There's also the problem of the "accepted" limits of mechanics--Alfred doesn't want people telling him what he can do.
★ Tinkerer: Alfred is a very physical person and has a hard time sitting still. Even during official meeting and important dinners, if he's not talking and pacing the room and the like, he'll be sitting in his seat tinkering with prosthesis plans or a little knick-knack of sorts. He can only sit still when he's working on something. 
★ Protective/Private: While the blonde is very open about his emotions and thoughts, almost to the point of crassness, he's certainly not open about what goes on in his workshop. He doesn't mind sharing the basics of his prosthesis work, because even if he gave out the specific plans, he highly doubts that someone could actually duplicate the awesomeness of his prosthetics. There are plenty of people with injuries that require amputation and a prosthetic, and he believes in making these necessities easily available to those who need them. (it's not like he needs the money, between his family's businesses and his earnings in various UMCL rings, sanctioned and illegal. But his Mecha blueprints are for Alfred's eyes and his alone (or those he trusts and respects implicitly)
★ Ambitious: He wants to be written down in the history books for his achievements--be they his prowess in the ring, his daredevil stunts, or his discoveries in the field of prosthetics. You don't get noticed doing the same old, same old.
★ Starving Mind: Alfred learns very quickly and has a voracious mind--he learns quickly and wants to constantly absorb as much knowledge as he can manage. THe only problem is finding information and knowledge that actually interests him.

Backstory: Alfred was born to a rather affluent family of merchants stationed on the east coast of the United States. And by "stationed", the family business originated there--they have connections and stores across much of North America and even Europe (in England, France, Italy, Germany, and Romania, specifically). Most of Alfred's childhood was spent traveling from store to store, entertaining himself midst his parents' boring business meetings and long flights. He loved traveling via zeppelin, but he rarely got the chance to explore the inner workings of the machine and it made the trip exceedingly frustrating.

However, the trips to Germany were some of his favorites, due to this awesome lil kid named Ludwig he met back when he was like...six. Or was he seven? Ah, that doesn't really matter! He met this kid named Ludwig after he got separated from his parents and eventually lost trying to find their parts and supply store. They could hardly communicate, but the other blonde led Alfred home and his parents let the American stay until James and Marianne Jones could be contacted. Like, how nice is that? The next day, Alfred dragged himself from his parents to find Ludwig again. And again, and again. He enjoyed playing with the quieter blonde, who could keep up with Alfred despite his more introverted nature.

They kept in decent contact via letter over the years, Alfred insisting on a German tutor so he can properly write to his new friend. They had a shared love of mechanics, and the young American latched onto that source of "intelligent" conversation as he grew older. His parents desperately wished that Alfred would follow in their footsteps to take over the family business, but Alfred had absolutely no desire to do that. He didn't want to trade parts, supplies, and other stuff for other people to put together. He wanted to build things for himself. The economics of sustaining a proper trading empire were so boring, anyway. In defiance of his parents' overbearing natures, unbearable at the tender age of 14, Alfred used his larger-than-average physique to lie his way into the AUMCL (American Underground Mecha Combat League) fights as an amateur pilot. He could tinker and perform maintenance on a Mecha Suit, but at the time he didn't have the training or the knowledge to build his own. Thankfully, there were plenty of patrons looking for a pilot for their own suits, not wanting to take the risks of the fight on themselves. Alfred certainly wasn't complaining. The teenager simultaneously nearly died of a heart attack and practically pissed himself his first fight.

His first introduction to true adrenaline had him hooked, hooked bad. Most of his letters to Ludwig involved tales of the UMCL and everything he was learning working on his patron's mecha. If his parents were aware of exactly where Alfred was running off to instead of going to his lessons, they never said anything. However, it spurred Alfred to build his own mecha, planning to travel the glove and join the IUMCL (International Underground Mecha Combat League) once it was complete. He'd made sure to stop by in Germany many times over the years and he and Ludwig happily watched matches in the GUMCL (German Underground Mecha Combat League). Knowing that his friend was eventually planning on joining the GUMCL (though as a mechanic or pilot Alfred wasn't entirely sure), Alfred wanted to be well-prepared should he come to meet his friend in the ring.

The only way the American could convince his parents to let him travel the world relatively unsupervised was to apprentice first at the store in his hometown and then continue his apprenticeship in every city he stopped in that they were connected to. For once, he certainly wasn't complaining--it gave him 24/7 free access to whatever parts he might need. With that connection, it took less than two years for Alfred to complete his first version of Patriot. Just a few months after Ludwig was competing himself, the American shipped up his Mecha and whisked the two them to Germany to show off.

He certainly wasn't expecting to be impressed by Ludwig's performance. Damn, the kid was good, though! There were lots of talk between the two of them about going pro, joining a proper "team" (or making one themselves) but the payouts were much higher if you were working solo or with a small maintenance teem. Ludwig, being the private guy he was, wasn't keen on sharing his plans for his Mecha, Furie, either. (Alfred didn't mind all that much, he wasn't one to share more than small pieces of Patriot). They both excelled in their respective rings, but when the largest international tournament of the year came up their 19th year, Alfred couldn't even join. In a practice battle just before the preliminary rounds, Patriot's internal core began to fail--he'd been pushing the mecha too hard and burnt out the power supply. The overheat damaged part of the endoskeleton, putting entire mecha at risk if the broken and damaged parts weren't replaced.

That didn't stop him from watching every single match from the sidelines, or joining Ludwig's "team" as a secondary mechanic to help with touch-ups during breaks between matches. It was only knowledge of Alfred's competitive and daredevil nature that kept rumors of him sabotaging his friend's mecha from spreading. (He was fond of not wearing his glasses during mecha fights, believing them to be a handicap. Someone cocky enough to put himself in danger for a challenge wouldn't take out his competition outside the ring) However, seeing his friend's blood staining the inside of his cockpit struck a cord with Alfred. He didn't have a lick of knowledge in the medical field, at least nothing that could help his friend. Having to stand there, watching and waiting for some incompetent jackasses stumble to the ring to help his friend infuriated the American.

While waiting for his friend to wake up, Alfred picked up every book on biomechanical engineering he could get his hands on. There were short talks of permanent nerve damage, and the blonde knew how devastated Ludwig would be if he couldn't use or control his hand. Alfred knew that there had to be a way to bipass that kind of injury. Thankfully, those worries came to naught, but that didn't stop Alfred from reading, studying, learning. It was actually interesting.

It took absolute ages for Ludwig to wake up, so Alfred had plenty of time to continue his research. He had plenty of time to get revenge on the guy who put Ludwig in that hospital bed. That mecha'll never see the inside of a ring again. (not that the German knows that. He's a surprisingly noble kinda guy, and wouldn't've liked to hear what Alfred did, and the American isn't fond of being lectured) However, once Ludwig was recovered enough to leave the hospital, he packed up what remained of Furie and vanished.

Alfred was furious. Yeah, the guy kinda had a bit of a near-death experience, and his memory had more holes than most of the mecha going up against Patriot, but to run like that? How lame!! For a few years, Alfred let Ludwig play his little game of isolation, simmering in irritation at his friend's "cowardly" actions and the loss of entertainment in the IUMCL matches. He eventually moved to England, which was one of the most advanced nations in the biomechanical engineering field. Continuing his education by apprenticing under several craftsmen, he'd begun his own prototype work on limb-stimulating apparatus and prosthetic legs. While finding people of the lower class to test his prototypes on (since he was "unfortunately" not missing a limb himself), he discovered the truly underground rings; the ones where safety isn't the #1 concern, but the thrill of the fight was. You'd think Ludwig's accident would show Alfred the dangers of his position and to be wary; rather, Alfred craved that brush of danger.

In the past three years, Alfred's made a name for himself in both official and unofficial mecha fighting rings, opened up his prosthetic business, and rediscovered Ludwig's location. Talk about a coincidence!
Relationships:
★ Ludwig Beilschmidt: As kids, they used to trade ideas and fantastical plans of the future, and became fast friends due to shared passions. They also became respected competitors during mecha fights and UMCL competitions--at least until Ludwig's accident. They're still close friends, but Alfred spends much of his time trying to convince Ludwig to join his fledgling prosthesis business, or at least a UMCL fight. It's too much of a shame to let the man just settle for little jobs like what he's doing right now, not with Ludwig's skills!
★ TBA: TBP
Other Things Worth mentioning:
★ Alfred plans on building a mecha suit that fits like armor rather than a machine one rides in to control. Either that or build one as tall as a building! Or both! He hasn't quite decided yet. The first option'll probably happen first, since he's already halfway there with his prosthetics and limb-stimulating gloves.
★ Ludwig's accident is what geared Alfred from strictly mechanical work such as his mecha suits and vehicular pursuits and towards biomechanical engineering. His business has only been open for a year, but he's got plenty of business from the lower class, many of which were injured in factory accidents. 
★ Patriot is Alfred's first and "current" mecha suit, standing just under 4.5m (15') tall. Compared to many other Mecha, it's very slow, but the blonde has greatly fortified the suit to withstand plenty of damage. Its legs bend like that of a deer versus a person, making it easier for the mecha to jump and run without using as much energy. His main weapon is a large gatling gun, but hidden in the forearms are large steel blades. It took seven years for Alfred to build Patriot to its current standards.
★ Liberty, Alfred's latest Mecha and one he's been tinkering on for the past three years. Due to boredom with the standard UMCL rings and regulations, Alfred has entered some seedier, more dangerous rings in order to get a higher thrill. The illegal ring he's part of requires exposed cockpits for pilots. As with Patriot, Liberty's main weapons are the guns built into her arms. She is much smaller and speedier than her brother, standing around 3m (10') tall and with small wings and jets protruding from her back for extra speed boosts in gnarly situations. He's still tinkering on her, hoping to eventually create a mecha that can fly.
★ Definitely doesn't mind accepting money from his parents if he needs it. Alfred has a lot of big plans, and money is money. What'll they do with it if he doesn't use it? Let it sit in a safe or the bank and gather dust? They have more than enough to take care of themselves, let them spoil Alfred if they want.
★ Knows how to speak several languages other than English, most noticeably German, but he rarely speaks them. he's a bit self-conscious of his pronunciation and it's one of the few situations where he'd rather back down than make a fool of himself However, during Ludwig's recovery, Alfred tried to speak German as much as possible just to keep from confusing his friend too much. Don't ever say he can't be considerate!
★ Some people consider him something akin to a "mad scientist", with his zealousness for his craft. Don't worry though! He won't snatch up random strangers and experiment on them. he's much more likely to experiment on himself than other people

[Mihai Roșu]

"You know how they say two wrongs don't make a right? I'd say whoever said that has never been wronged before."

Name: Mihai "Nightshade" Roșu

Age: 23

Role: terrorist (eco- and anarcho- ), airship navigator

Class: middle

Appearance: His hair is in a messy cut which hangs to about his shoulders, which he usually ties up. His left arm is a prosthetic and burn scars cover much of that side of his body, starting from his neck down to his hip. He dresses simply for the most part, preferring a light blouse and a vest or a jacket, and corduroy pants and if the day is accommodating, he may opt for a long skirt. He always shows a strong preference for red though, and the color is usually used to accent his outfits. He also has a couple of ear and cartilage piercings. Most unique is probably his choice of prosthesis, which looks fairly unsuspecting but is carefully designed with detachable parts and hidden compartments, making it particularly easy to smuggle small objects.

Personality Changes/Quirks:

SPOILER: Click to show

• Light-hearted: He's not as dour or as gloom-and-doom as someone you'd expect to be a terrorist. In fact, he's actually quite cheerful and playful if the situation allows him to be. If it doesn't, he is still able to keep his cool while figuring out the next move.
• Leader: He genuinely cares for the people who are loyal to him and he does his best not to disappoint them in return. He's meticulous about making sure they're safe and know that he's looking out for them. His plans are also carefully calculated to minimize the risk and human cost.
• Shy: Around strangers that is. Since he doesn't exactly have an easy time communicating with people, he's used to being brushed off or ignored. It's frustrating, but it's also made him much more wary about approaching people he doesn't know. This usually fades with longer-lasting relationships though.
• One-night stands: Nah, he doesn't have much going for him here either, because again, communication. It's kind of hard to seduce just anyone without saying a word. Under the right conditions it may be manageable, but those are rare in presenting themselves. He flirts less too, mainly due to (again) communication issues. This doesn't mean he doesn't sleep around though, but mostly only with people he knows. 
• Impatient: It comes with being mute, sort of. At least, he's figured out that it takes much longer for people to understand him or for him to get his chance to give input, so when it comes to things that can be acted upon, he usually skips the asking part and does.
• Expressive: He makes it easy to read his expression, usually (unless he doesn't want you to be able to). It's the easiest way to communicate his emotions after all, so you might find him pulling faces at you in the middle of conversation in place of voicing his disagreement.
• Curious: As much damage as industry has done to the environment and as much as he hates much of it, he's still quite curious as to how machines work and whether they might be better adapted to be friendlier. This drives him to want to travel and see other places as well, which is at least one benefit of his job. He can spend hours aimlessly wandering new cities.
• Studious: When he finds something he's interested in, he'll actually put time and effort into learning it, but how long his interest lasts is completely variable. He's not beyond picking something up and leaving it before he's done, so he has quite a bit of half-complete knowledge on various subjects.
• Creative: His thirst for knowledge has benefitted him with creativity, which is necessary for spur-of-the-moment decision-making. Plus, plans that land you outside of the law require a little bit of thinking outside the box.
• Idealistic: He truly believes that there are better alternatives to the conditions of the present, and he hopes that people will embrace them someday. Preferably soon.
• Critical: He's not afraid of pointing out what he finds wrong with British society, and quite vocally and violently at that. He's also learnt to critically analyze situations and see flaws in plans—if not, their whole operation could go up in flames.
• Double life: This makes him rather secretive. Although he's still amiable with people, he reveals very little about his personal life, preferring to keep his contact with civilians to the superficial level of friendliness and nothing more.
• Ends justify the means: Certainly if it's property. Property-damage has nothing on human lives. If it does concern lives though, then that person must be responsible for the suffering of many. He doesn't treat what he does lightly, but perhaps there are systems that humans would be better off without, and if some destruction is needed to change the right minds, then so be it.

Backstory:

SPOILER: Click to show

His parents loved machines, so it was a given that he grew up in a trainyard, around steam engines and rails. His mother, Luminița Roșu, took the bus to work the airships while his father, Constantin, operated train schedules. The couple were surrounded all day by steam and smoke, and back then, they didn't know exactly what it did to human health. However, the effects of the industrial age manifested in their young son, who they named Mihai. Mihai was a clever child, and seemed to inherit his mother's capacity for predicting the weather. One single problem: he didn't speak. He never spoke, not when the speaking years of toddlers came and went. Eventually, his parents grew concerned and brought him to the doctor, who could only place a guess as to why. Either he did not want to speak, or something physically prevented him from doing so.

The Roșus loved their son no less, and raised him as best they could. They stumbled upon a local who was willing to teach Mihai how to "talk" for a small fee, and slowly, Mihai learned to communicate in writing and sign language. By six years of age, he could converse fluently with his parents using body language. He'd also taken to going with his parents to work, spending his time between his father and his mother, however, he quickly showed a preference for watching the airships take off and land than keeping timetables. Although his mother never allowed him to make her monthly travels with her at that age, she taught him how to read maps and how to predict the weather. He learned quickly and eagerly. For his tenth birthday, his mother finally allowed him on board the ship for a trip to the continent on the condition that he not disturb the crew. He was overjoyed, and kept well to his promise, behaving well as he watched and learned from Luminița's work. He truly developed a passion for flying. This went on for two years, with Luminița taking Mihai with her five or six times a year on her airship flights, and he soon grew quite adept at navigating himself. But after two years, it ended.

On one of their flights—Paris to London, he remembers it well—something malfunctioned. The airship began its slow, but not slow enough—descent towards the earth and crashed in the English countryside. His mother scooped him up and held him in her arms right before the impact.

He survived, and was rushed with the rest of the living to the hospital. He suffered third and second-degree burns over his left side and lost an arm, but he survived. His mother had not. For a long time, Mihai shut himself off to everyone but his father. They suffered, raged, and grieved together. Eventually, it was revealed in the news that safety precautions hadn't been observed, and the company had cut corners on the building of the airship. The industrial age ushered in an era of carelessness, one in which human lives were disposable.

Constantin despised this, and his lost wife made it personal. One day, the railroad workers struck for better wages and working conditions, and Constantin joined them. He left Mihai with his teacher, and the strike continued on for a week until they broke it. That evening, his father did not come home. Mihai was twelve, and now an orphan, his parents having disappeared into the cogs and guts of the machine that was England. Secretly, a flame began to burn.

His teacher took him in, and he learned as much as he could from her—he couldn't exactly attend a "normal" school—but then he was out on his own. He began looking for jobs at fifteen, but no one was willing to hire a mute. No one legal, that is. The first job he took was on an airship, just as he'd dreamed... but not quite. This one was part of an illegal smuggling business which flew between the Americas and Europe. He navigated for them, and they also found that giving him a prosthesis with hidden compartments made for an excellent smuggling device. No one suspected a child who was mute and lame. Mihai didn't mind what they used him for, as long as they paid him enough to take care of himself and his aging teacher, and they did. So he continued working for them, all while cultivating a burning hatred for the society which took his parents' lives.

As he got more involved with the smugglers and the underground, he began to hear some interesting rumors. They talked about green cities, cities that subsisted off of the sun and natural elements, that had nothing to do with smoke and oil. They talked about ecoterrorism. Illegality was not limited only to smugglers and killers, but also included some radicals who were willing to do anything to see their green cities rise from the dust of industry. He heard it through the grapevine, and eventually figured out where and how the green radicals held their meetings. They were a small group—mostly lower-class, though all young—so he was allowed in, tentatively at first, but their respect for him grew when he came up with a way for them to carry out one of their hypothetical plans: airships.

One of the other members—they weren't sure how—procured a large sum of cash to buy a small airship. It was his first time piloting, but his years of working in the cabin had allowed him to pick up enough of the controls that he could fly it successfully. After one test flight, their first experimental task was the delivery of food to a group of strikers. They also smuggled a case of explosives into the administrative offices of the company, blowing them up. It was only later, when they managed to sneak out of the area, they realized the strikers were being investigated for the attack, and they did the only thing they could do: they took credit for it. They called themselves the Sun Society, and announced they were a dissenting group from 'all that which England represents.' Naturally, this caused quite a stir, and they were now be the targets of prosecution, but they were young and heady on success.

Over the years, the Sun Society grew more and more successful. More members joined its ranks, the organizational structure unfurled, and the funding network has expanded to the point where they get a lot of their funds from running the underground mecha gambling rings. Mihai—codenamed 'Nightshade'—currently falls somewhere near the top of the leadership, dealing mainly with piloting airships, smuggling supplies, and acting as a messenger between several cells due to his mobility. He hasn't stopped navigating either, but he's since switched over to a legal, if small, company, as it lessens the risk of getting caught and tied to the ecoterrorist attacks.

Relationships:

• Nikolai: They met after Mihai switched over to a legal job and was on the ship carrying Nikolai from the continent to England. They managed to strike up a friendship, and whenever their travel schedule coincides they spend a great deal of time together until one of them has to leave. Nikolai was also the person who first showed him the mecha battles, which Mihai found absolutely intriguing. Their relationship currently is platonic and sexual, though who knows what might happen if their lives quit being so hectic?
• Lukas "Aksel": They met by chance after both were taken hostage by a group of people, but Mihai managed to escape and freed Lukas as well. Lukas infrequently pays him some visits for information, though Mihai happens to enjoy his company, so it's unfortunate that Lukas only seeks him out for business.
• :3

Other Things Worth mentioning:

• He communicates mostly through sign-language, which is frustrating when most people don't know it. On the plus side, it means he can sign whatever he want about people in front of their faces and they won't know. He usually carries around paper and a pen though, for when all else fails.
• He's very good at giving the silent treatment for... well, obvious reasons. If someone pisses him off too much, he'll break off all contact until the guilty party has made suitable amends. It can be pretty hard to figure out what he wants though, since he'll still be ignoring the other person throughout the attempted reconciliation.
• He has a love-hate relationship with machines and industry. They were culpable for some of the most devastating events in his life, but he is hopelessly intrigued by how they work. It's rather the same with airships; they're guilty for being his mother's cause of death, but some of his best memories were made in them, and the tragedy hasn't soured them.
• Prosthesis design:
• It's fully operational, and he can move it as one would a normal limb. He doesn't quite understand it, but apparently it works similar to a mecha suit.
• fingers: switches. They can either be pressed or flipped so that he can activate other parts of his prosthesis single-handedly. The pinky finger can be unscrewed though, revealing a hollow container which bears lock-picking tools.
• palm: revolver. It flips outward when its switch is pressed, so that it ends up sitting the same way as a gun normally would in one's hand. It carries six rounds.
• forearm: switchblade. It also flips outward, and is designed to cut through any rope.
• upper arm: hidden containers. A small vial of poison, a box of matches, some salves and bandages for minor wounds, a rolled-up piece of paper and a pen. Any messages he might be smuggling are also carried in here. Sometimes there's extra ammunition too.
• fist: switchblade. This is more for combat purposes, and protrudes outward from the back of the hand, parallel to the arm.

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[Lukas Iversen]

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NAME: Lukas (No known last name, goes by his second name Aksel to some)
AGE: 27
ROLE: Information broker; will find and sell information to the highest bidder. Can also be hired to find out specific information his client wants.
CLASS: Low, though people usually can’t tell from his appearance


APPEARANCE

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Blending in is essential in his line of profession, so Lukas’ changes his clothes and look with each job he gets. His default attire is sleek but plain (white shirt, a vest, a jacket and black pants), but he can quite convincingly go from a low class factory worker to a wealthy merchant with just a change of clothes. His wardrobe is quite extensive for someone of his status, really.


PERSONALITY CHANGES/QUIRKS

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DISTRUSTING Because of the nature of his work, he doesn’t really trust anyone. Clients quickly turn into enemies when you work for each and every side there is, so he has to stay on his toes at all times.

IMMORAL Lukas can go to great lengths to acquire the information he needs. Though he generally tries to avoid violence it’s not completely ruled out. Bribes, threats, even sexual favors are all means he won’t hesitate to use if he cannot get what he wants just by talking.

CYNICAL He doesn’t really believe in idle dreams or naïve idealism. After all, his mother was just another example how well those things work out. Life sucks, and no matter how one hopes that is not going to change. All you can do is struggle through the years you're given to your best ability.



BACKSTORY

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Lukas’ story doesn’t have an uncommon beginning for the son of an immigrant woman. His mother was one of the hundreds of Norwegians who left their home country in hopes of a better life in North America. Her two cousins had made the long trip across the sea two years prior, and their letters that always praised their new home really appealed to her. She didn’t have much of a future to hope for in Norway, being the youngest daughter in a farmer’s family, so eventually she came to a decision to leave Norway and go live with her cousins.

Her journey didn’t go as planned, however. Their ship was meant to stop briefly in London to deliver some cargo they were carrying, but due to a sudden malfunction in the engines the ship ended up staying in the harbor for far longer. For people who had only the clothes on their back and no money to pay for meals let alone beds in the harbor inns this was devastating. Some people gave up on their original plans and just decided to try their luck in finding employment in London, some huddled up together in secluded corners of the docks hoping that they wouldn’t get mugged, assaulted or even killed in the dark of the night.

Lukas’ mother belonged to the latter group. However, she wasn’t as lucky as some; it was after the third night at port that she woke to find her meager possessions gone. Everything she owned had been stolen, including her ticket out of London, her spare clothes, the letters she’d brought with her from her home… everything was gone. She was stuck in London, with no money and unable to neither speak or understand the language. There was no choice for her but to wander the streets during the day, begging for coin or a piece of bread, and hide in back alleys during the night and pray for safety.

She was hard not to notice, however, a girl of seventeen with fair hair and strikingly blue eyes. But she was lucky that the one who first took notice her wasn’t some criminal but the owner of a local brothel. The older woman took her in, gave her food and cleaned her up, and offered her employment which she reluctantly accepted. It wasn’t honorable, it wasn’t the life she’d dreamed of, but she was desperate and she hoped that she’d be able to make enough money to get to America soon.

But it was hardly two years later that Lukas was born. There was an airship pilot that had taken interest in Lukas’ mother soon after she’d begun working in the brothel, and it was obvious to everyone that the two did have genuine feelings for each other. He couldn’t openly acknowledge his son, so Lukas grew up with the few other kids in the brothel, helping out with housekeeping and other running errands as he soon as he was big enough. The identity of his father was never clear to him, but he didn’t really think much of it; all the other kids were the same, after all. But he does still have a vague memory of a man who would often visit the brothel and bring him candy after visiting his mother.

Lukas was eight when one night a group of men arrived in the brothel, asking after his mother. He couldn’t recognize them, they didn’t look like the usual customers, and he could immediately tell something was wrong. When the owner asked them to leave, they merely pushed her aside and headed upstairs into his mother’s room. Of course he followed, hiding in the small alcove in the corridor as he listened to the voices coming from his mother’s room. He wasn’t able to hear everything, but it became obvious that the men were asking about the airship pilot. They wanted to know when she’d last seen him, if she knew where he was… But she refused to tell them anything, and after that there was a scream, muffled sounds of a struggle and then silence. The last Lukas ever saw of his mother was when he watched the men drag his mother out of the room by her hair, blood staining her face and on her white nightgown.

No one ever explained to him what had happened that time, but he didn’t really need them to, anyway. He’d always been a quick-witted child and he’d heard enough to put the pieces together. In this world it was the strong that took what they wanted, and his mother had tried to resist. It was as simple as that.

Luckily the owner of the brothel took pity of Lukas and let him stay at the brothel. But Lukas didn’t really consider that place home anymore; he would start to wander out on the streets more and more, skipping on his duties in favor of mingling with people and listening to people’s conversations, stealing a piece of bread or an apple here and there. At first he didn’t really have an objective to it, but after one time he overheard a discussion about someone meddling with a certain mecha-pilot’s suit to make them lose in an upcoming fight, an idea occurred to him. Heading to the fight rings, he offered to tell some of the gamblers the result of the fight for some money. And while most refused him, there was one or two people who were willing to pay couple pennies for his information. It was hardly anything, but after the fight ending just like he’d said it would, some people actually started seeking him out in hopes of more correct predictions.

It went like this for a couple years; Lukas would wander the streets listening carefully, then selling whatever useful information he’d learned for a few coins to anyone willing to buy it. it wasn’t until he turned 12 and was finally kicked out of the brother that he started doing it more seriously to make a living for himself. As time passed, he learned to know the places where different people liked to gossip, learned to hide both in the shadows and in plain view, paying close attention to the way different kind of people dressed, spoke and acted. Eventually he began to take actual customers; people wanting specific information that he would then go about finding. As his reputation spread the scale of his jobs grew as well, and his services began to be sought after both by major criminals as well as the military and navy personnel. Lukas didn’t really make a separation between his customers, as long as they paid what they owed. Besides, there was the lesson he’d always remember; it was the ones with power who ruled the world, and in this world knowledge was power.



RELATIONSHIPS

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ARTHUR One of his most loyal clients. Wealthy enough to pay a good price for Lukas’ services, too, so for now he’s in Lukas’ good graces.

MIHAI Helped Lukas out of some trouble. Feels pretty grateful for it, but no way he’s going to admit that. Or the fact that he doesn't dislike the other all that much. 

MATHIAS First met him as a child when he used to hang around near the fight rings. They've had a bit of a fling in the past, but there's no desire for anything deeper on Lukas' part. Still in touch with him from time to time.


OTHER THINGS WORTH MENTIONING

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Despite being quite tall and lanky and not very intimidating physique wise, Lukas is quite quick in his movements and skilled with a knife. He doesn’t do well with firearms, but the blade he keeps hidden inside his boot is just as deadly and he won’t hesitate to use it if need be.

[Mathias Kolher]

Name: Mathias Kohlor

Age: 27 (subject to change upon talking to lilly again)

Role: Former street fighter/current body guard

Class: Born low, but lives high-ish due to his bodyguard duties

Appearance: He wears comfortable clothes that are easy to move around in. He also has a fake left eye that can detect thermal ranges. He also has a metalgear left hand Click for picture

Personality Changes/Quirks:
*Not as loud/obnoxious
*More aware of his environment
(more to come as i play him)

Backstory: Born to a low class family, his Father worked in a factory and his mother was a waitress on a flying restaurant. While his family never had much, he never really wanted for much. It wasn't until later in his lie that he realized how much his parents sacrificed to make sure that Mathias had plenty of food and clothing when he outgrew the old ones. when Mathias turned fifteen, he joined the factory where his father worked.  He could remember being amazed that the company had a heart with wings attached  as its logo.  A few years later, after his seventeenth birthday, both his parents were killed in a car accident.  Distraught with the death of his dear parents, he couldn't afford to take off of work after their funerals.  Not watching what he was doing, the machine caught his hand and mangled it.  There wasn't much the doctors could do to save it, and so he ended up losing his hand.

His bosses were nice enough to keep him on, but he was forced to change positions, doing more of desk work where only having one hand wouldn't be a deterrent. This change in position and loss of wages led to him not being able to secure the prosthetic hand he wanted to make himself feel whole again.  Looking into other options so he could keep his tiny house and his medical expenses, he found  a small fighting ring. It wasn't as big as the mecha fights, but it would do well enough to supplement his income. 

For months, he fought and hid his at work, until one day he ended up in the hospital after a fight. His opponent had drawn a knife and attacked his left eye. Laying in the hospital, left eye ruined, left hand missing and on a cocktail of painkillers and medicine that he couldn't afford, he was forced to think about where his life was going. He could only see it continuing to go downhill and he didn't know how to fix it, he didn't know how to bring his life back to something he enjoyed.  One day, before he was due to be released, a man came to him, a man he had only seen once before. This man was the head of the factory he worked at.  Surprising him, he wasn't here to fire him. Instead, he had seen how much Mathias had fought to survive and make the most of his life. He offered that, once Mathias healed and was ready, he could take up guarding the man's youngest daughter, keep her from being kidnapped like the brother she once had.  Desperate for anything at this point, he agreed. Not to long after, once he was sure he could survive another two surgeries, they brought in a mechanical artist an had him create an mechanical hand for him, and also make a custom eye for him, though the kind he ended up recieving ended up only being in red and couldn't be matched to his good eye.  Finally, he could see his life starting on the upward path.

Relationships:
Lilly: The girl he is assigned to protect. He owes her an her family his life, he'll do anything to protect her.

Lukas: This is a man he's had an on again-off again relationship with. He knows how lukas is, so he enjoys just having a bit of fun with the man when he can, but hes always careful to watch what he says around him. Though its been a while since hes seen him, Mathias isn't sure if Lukas has seen his fake hand and eye or not.

Vash: Doesn't really know the man or have a relationship with him, but hes always trying to keep an eye out for Lilly's missing brother and help reunite the broken family.

Other Things Worth mentioning:
*His metal hand is a useable as a flesh and blood hand, he just has to remember to oil it and keep it in working condition.
*His eye is thermal, he can see thermal images with it, cold things are blue, warm things are yellow to red. Its a good way to see in the dark and navigate his way around. Also to see if people are trying to ambush him or  Lily.
*Has a tattoo on his lower back that's a recent addition. Its a heart with a dagger through it, topped with a crown. He doesn't quite know why he got it, but it just appealed to him. Perhaps one day he'll figure out why the image had struck a cord with him. 

[Kiku Honda]

 



Name: Kiku Honda
Age: 25
Role: Police officer/ mech pilot
Class: Middle

Appearance:During his shifts, Kiku wears his uniform, a dark jacket and pants with gold accents. He is also never without his sword, getting special permission from the head of his department to use that rater than firearms. However, at night he wears whatever is comfortable. With one exception; he is never without a mask to hide his face during his battles.

Personality Changes/Quirks (Backstory incorporated):
>His family has always been tied in with the drug underworld and he was specifically groomed to be placed in the police department to keep the underworld informed on any possible moves by the law enforcement. He is otherwise a good cop and tends to be stern, but fair. He isn't particularly happy with his role in the Underground, but figures if he's going to do it, he'd better be good at it.

>Loves the fight: Kiku loves battling. He's able to let go of any restraints and be as cruel and brutal as he likes. For him mechs represents an escape from his life. No one knows about his involvement.

Relationships:
TBD

Mei: Engaged I think... tbd

Other Things Worth mentioning: N/A

[Roderich Edelstein]

Name: Doctor Roderich Joseph Edelstein


Age: 33


Role: Former Physician, due to scandals now runs a back-alley surgery (refers to himself as a general practitioner, though derisively maybe called a 'Surgeon'). This suits his purposes just fine - even if the conditions are deplorable, having his lab in the slums and patients who don't want questions asked ensures privacy to conduct whatever experiments he want.

Class: formerly very upper middle-class (practically Upper), a physician for the rich, though these days Roderich finds himself straddling middle and low due to his clientele and business.

Appearance: 

Roderich is a thin man approaching middle-age, though without his glasses and hair mussed, he looks much younger. Despite his fortunes falling, he still dresses impeccably well - though this is due to more meticulous repair on his part than being able to afford new clothes. He often carries around a lace parasol (with a mechanism for protection inside) and sometimes his glasses are pince-nez. Sometimes he will cover his face with a surgeon's mask and he will always be wearing gloves.

Personality Changes/Quirks: 

• Roderich is a man of science - a man of curiosity. Life has been unkind to him in some regards, nature unyielding, but he's man who believes that with perseverance and dedication born of passion, he might be able to best it, eventually.
  
  
• Is a very devoted father, almost to the point of obsession - especially now that he doesn't have the money to send his son off to a school, something he's working on. He forbids his son from contact with most other people and is extremely strict with disciplining him. Roderich feels this is completely justified since Johann is sickly.
  
  
• Perhaps a little more unusual for a practitioner at this point in time, Roderich is extremely conscious of hygiene and hygienic practices, due to being a hypochondriac (this explains the parasol and the gloves and the reason he dislikes Johann going outside). He's extremely careful that any patient of his not be treated with unsterilized instruments (as best as he can sterilize them given what could be done). 
  
  
• Despite his attachment to cleanliness, this doesn't stop him from using a separate lab and table to perform experiments using cadavers - some allotted to him by the government by the Anatomy Law, and some, since the pickings are limited, gotten through body snatching.
  
  
• Due to financial difficulties, especially now that so many customers of his happen to be...off the books, so speak, Roderich is immensely frugal. Hardly a thing is wasted and he tends to save for long amounts of time. Despite this, there's not much money leftover. 
  
  
• Very knowledgeable in anatomy, bio-mechanical engineering, botany/drugs, and medicine in general. 
  

Backstory: 

Born in Linz (Austria) in 18xx, to a Jewish surgeon named Joseph Edelstein, Roderich grew up seeing his father attempt to break down class barriers in order to become a physician, barriers unfortunately solid to due his family's 'background'. Aware that perhaps it'd be better for Roderich, who was to become a physician himself, to grow up somewhere with perhaps less animosity towards their background (though not much), he moved his family to England, and set up in London. And while still a surgeon, he paid money for Roderich's schooling, resulting in Roderich being trained as a physician, though helping with his father's practice.

While surgeons were less seen as less reputable, being a well-spoken and rather charming physician made Roderich high in demand with rather rich patients. And of course, his hand was demanded quite early on - an upper class noblewoman deemed such an ambitious man worthy of 'marrying' down. Roderich got a leg up the ladder with his marriage to her and, well, he did love his wife. Especially when she bore him Johann.

Of course such things weren't meant to last. Several things happened at once - one was an incident with a patient of his, who had a very curious reaction to something he prescribed him. Generally such problems were a general hazard of medicine, but with such important clients, of course it sent the rest of the gentry into a frenzy. He found his patients leaving him - and around the same time, something else happened.

It had been only four years since they wed, and since she bore him Johann, but suddenly his wife acted strange. Moody when the subject of his recent misfortunes came up, standoffish with company. In fact, he could only recall his wife being happy around a regular patient of his, another noblewomen. Of course, Roderich thought little of it - he had to deal with his creditors asking about his monthly payments being later and later due to the lack of business. So it was really a surprise when she ran out on him. With another woman. Coupled with the previous scandal and the rumors of financial difficulties, and of course, his background, which he could never escape, and Roderich found himself pretty much ruined.

Or so he thought until his son had an accident and needed his left arm and leg amputated. He had to do it himself - how sickening, operating on one's own son when all off this was going on. 

Near destitution due to debts, no parents to turn to since they'd passed on, wife off gavotting God knows where, and now a crippled son.

You could see how it could...change a person.

First, he closed that practice of his, as it was merely driving up his debts to his creditors. And then he opened up a new one, a more...secretive one. One where the patients' files were bolted and locked, and they used pseudonyms anyhow, if they stayed around to make repeat visits that is. Ones were they wouldn't pay attention to what methods Roderich might have been using or whose prosthetics he was using (generally he made his own, of course, but if a resurrectionist should happen to find some in decent condition). Ones where the neighbors wouldn't care who visited him in the dead of night and expenses happened to be off the books.

Trading status for survival proved a good move, as Roderich had managed to pay off creditors, even if he lives on very little with his child, everything either going to save for Johann or the practice. Unlike some of his wealthier patients, the lower classes had much use for biomechanics, and Roderich studied up on things before hitting certain interests...more experimental aspects of the field. He constructed new limbs for his son, and is very meticulous about making sure the boy can use them. But as other things have weighed down on his mind, he's become rather protective of his son. So protective that he doesn't let the child leave the house without supervision and adds...supplements to his meals that ensure that his son never leaves him, no, not like his mother. And at the same time he's tinkering and slicing away in the lab of his, working on some very cutting edge things indeed!

Relationships:

• Johann Edelstein His son, and truly the only thing Roderich has kept from happier times, before his father and his life's work and dream of having a successful physician in the family fell apart. He's very attached to him, surely that's understandable, right? That tea he gives him is strangely bitter, but Roderich says it's for Johann's own good, since his mother left because she was sick and Johann has that same illness. 

Other Things Worth mentioning: 
(TBA)


my most screwed up Rod tbh....