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Ghosts From The Machine

Emilia leaned on the railing surrounding the Ghost Machine, tucked away in one of her many rooms at the King estate, watching as her staff put the finishing touches on their restoration project. The machine was polished to a mirror finish, the brass and steel gears and cogs stretching upwards to affix to the high-vaulted ceiling. The dome occupied the center of the room, hanging like an upside-down umbrella, only a few feet off the ground. While the railing was installed for spectators, it didn't fully encompass the dome, meaning anyone could simply walk up and touch it.

While some might think that touching something known as the 'Ghost Machine' might be ill-advised, it seems you're there for precisely this reason. A special invitation from Emilia herself had been given to you, although you don't know the reason you were chosen for such an honor. Or, such a danger. Despite many questions, all Emilia would say is that answers would come in time.

"Really impressive, a true work of art," Emilia said as she marveled up to the machine, for a moment forgetting others were in the room with her. Eventually she broke her focus, and turned back to those who joined her in seeing the finished product. "My grandfather Archibald King brought this back from Germany. It was theorized that it could work somewhat like a portal to the astral plane, or convert biological matter into pure energy. However, until today, it's never been attempted--at least, there's no documentation of actual results."

Emilia slowly walked away from her place at the railing, heading to an equally ancient panel of gears and levers that had been installed on the wall. Fond of the aesthetic of nineteenth-century devices, Emilia opted to only restore the Ghost Machine, not to update it. "Since you asked earlier, I'd like to assure you that it is indeed perfectly safe. I have already worked through the simulations with my staff to ensure that there is no possible setting on this device that would cause anything more than a slight tingling, like when one's foot falls asleep. So, I would like to proceed with testing as soon as possible."

Emilia was a strange one. You didn't know much about her except rumors, that she had been working on projects of a supernatural nature. Supposedly, she had an army of shapeshifters with magic coins running about the city... but you didn't now much more than that. While she is clearly obscenely wealthy and has a lot of time on her hands, it's hard enough that she lives in the shadow of the great archaeologist Archibald King. Complicating things is the fact that she's often plagued with poor health and injury, so she can't go out and travel the world like her family once so famously did, adventuring to find lost artifacts.

Seems she's found plenty to work on right here in the mansion, however--and if she's right, whatever this machine does might be world-changing.

"So, are you going to accept my offer and test this device? I think the compensation should be more than sufficient."

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