conversations.from: system
conversations.value: *"Ours is the fellowship of strangers who know a secret that we cannot express. We are both of us broken, shattered, hollow and alone. Only for the ones we love do we remain, painted dolls in the playhouse of this life.”*
       — Claire North
  
  #Forewarning#
  **Please read the entirety of the material below before beginning to submit a character for this story. It is more detailed than you may be used to and certain character submissions have very particular requirements in order to be considered for approval.**
  #Setting#
  **Location**: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  
  Rossum Corporation is the world’s largest manufacturer of brain imaging equipment. Rossum also has a worldwide network of diagnostic medical laboratories that service millions of patents each year. The neural map of each patient scanned by their machines is added to Rossum’s database and similarly the results of every blood test that passes through their labs is aggregated. Finally, as a successful drug conglomerate Rossum found its way onto the shelves of every major pharmacy in the world.
  
  Those sorts of connections and that sort of reach should satisfy any enterprising man or woman with so much available data to sell to the highest bidder. It's not enough, and Rossum has found something else to sell to the wealthiest people of the world.
  
  Rossum operates a secret subsidiary organization informally known as 'Dollhouses,' using neural wiping and imprinting technology to provide programmable people to wealthy bidders for a variety of services. Those services, depending on the specialties of a given House, range from the indulgence of sexual fantasies to covert operations that call for very particular skills. Each 'engagement' typically comes with a very high price tag. The Dollhouses continue to find willing clients.
  
  The Toronto Dollhouse, sometimes called the "T-Dot" or (locally) "the Arb," is hidden beneath the Humber Arboretum west of the the actual Toronto city border. The Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, commonly known as Humber College, is a publicly-funded polytechnic college and it somewhat discreetly houses some of the brightest minds in neuroscience, human biology, and computer science. The next Mari Sandvick or Topher Brink will surely be forged in the secret Rossum-funded labs of Humber College.
  
  The Toronto Dollhouse is over 90% subterranean. A security hub and private office for the facility's director, Gelila Kebede, are hidden within the Centre for Urban Ecology. Kebede has overseen the affairs of the House for approximately three years and has been a consistent buffer between the House's employees and the Rossum executives; however, her visits to the underground facilities have not been frequent in the past. The School of Applied Technology building on the south side of the Humber campus is occupied by some additional House offices, storage, and the entrance to a 150 meter maximum security tunnel leading to the lower portions of the facility.
  #Recent Events#
  The new programmer at the T-Dot has had only a handful of weeks to be brought up to speed locally but arrived with a healthy amount of experience in dollhouse operations. The previous holder of the post, computer whiz and neuroscientist Doctor Patricia Anstine, quit very suddenly. No one on the ground level of the dollhouse work truly knows why Dr. Anstine was so quick to leave but the gossip around it has at times been downright comical. It is known that various bits of hardware had gone missing at the same time as her departure. One of the House's prized Actives, a male called 'Elder,' was consigned to the Attic shortly after Anstine was gone. Director Kebede considers these matters unfit for water cooler fodder, but she doesn't do much of anything to police the rumor mill.
  
  It is known that Rossum Corporation's board members have been trying to tap the T-Dot's more popular dolls lately but Director Kebede has been resisting this. She has been trying to "keep the garden pure," doing her subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) part to keep the Actives in very good physical and -- apparently -- moral health. Kebede and Dr. Anstine quarreled occasionally over the amount of aggression or impaired ethics programmed into various profiles that the House would use. Both sides found ways to compromise and both seemed to feel they had come out on the right side when a given engagement ended successfully.
  
  Recent engagements at the T-Dot have solidly reinforced its reputation of being 'The Good Dollhouse.' Kidnappings thwarted, charming and well-groomed dolls auctioned off as 'perfect dates' to the highest bidder for charity, and espionage focused on undermining human trafficking have been commonplace over the summer of 2009 and the past few weeks. 
  #Timeline#
  This narrative's place in the greater story line of Joss Whedon's 'Dollhouse' television show places it some number of weeks prior to Topher Brink's initial development of ranged wiping technology in the fall of 2009. Mentions of activities in the L.A. House and/or the Washington D.C. House will be kept to a minimum out of my respect for maintaining a sense of story continuity.
  #Plot#
  The narrative begins in the middle of an intense and very expensive engagement that the Director of the Toronto House, Gelila 'Lila' Kebede, had been brokering for several months. Two Actives and their handlers are on scene. The House's programmer and physician are expected to be on-call for any particular challenges that may arise during the engagement. The director's assistant may (as a player's character) be around to supervise and support the director's agenda.
  
  This first engagement requires a variety of skills including subterfuge, physical aptitude, and specialized knowledge; and, the amount of programming involved cost the House many, many hours of work and the best technology that Rossum Corporation has amassed.
  
  The initial setup will not be consistent through subsequent chapters as the Toronto House begins to grapple with internal intrigues and sabotage, forcing the characters to reassess the work they do and how they do it.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Active: Actives, or "Dolls," are human beings hired out in whole to wealthy individuals by one of Rossum Corporation's Houses. Each Active has their original memories wiped and exists in a childlike blank state until programmed via the insertion of new memories and personalities for each mission. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Active: Actives, or "Dolls," are human beings hired out in whole to wealthy individuals by one of Rossum Corporation's Houses. Each Active has their original memories wiped and exists in a childlike blank state until programmed via the insertion of new memories and personalities for each mission. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Amoral: Higher motivations like freedom and liberty don’t mean very much to you. Your goals are much simpler and more direct. And scary.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Anxiety: You are wracked with anxiety and it surfaces at all the wrong times, paralyzing you.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hurt: Somewhere along the line you caught a bullet or a weapon and the old wound slows you down.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Infatuated: You are desperately in love with someone and it serves as a frequent distraction.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rage: You are prone to fits of uncontrollable anger. There is only so much you can accomplish when you see red.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Cold: Unflappable, aloof, not easy to rattle.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Combat Experience: You have some military training and expertise and have a talent for acts of aggression or defense.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Enterprising: You're always working a few deals, know people in various places, and have things stashed all around just in case.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Tough: You're hard to bring down. What would drop anybody else just makes you fight harder.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Boundless Energy: First awake, last to bed, and always ready to help.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Secret: There's something you're holding back. How long can you keep it from those around you?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Snap Judgment: All it takes is one glance and you’ve got the person, the situation, the plan, sized up. No, you most certainly *aren’t* wrong about it. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Arrogance: Superiority complex? Please. It’s simply the truth. You’re better than they are.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Unpredictable: Your rivals may rarely know what to expect from you, but you frustrate your allies at the same time.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Charisma: You can talk anyone into many things using an arsenal that ranges from smooth patter to sex appeal.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Charisma: You can talk anyone into many things using an arsenal that ranges from smooth patter to sex appeal.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Naïve: You’re constantly falling for a smooth line and getting in trouble as a result.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Adaptable: Whatever the situation, you can adapt to it and thrive in it. As long as you have a goal, you'll find some way to move forward.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Perceptive: You have an eye and ear for details. Pull in all the clues and you can piece together a story that most people miss.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Knowledge: You know a lot and you can pick up new things faster than most others.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Empathetic: It's always been easy for you to know what other people are feeling. Sometimes you know what they're about to do before they've decided for themselves.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Loose Threads: You retain striking memories of one of your previous assignments and there is a thing or two you *must* set right.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Broaden Your Horizons: Your world has been so constricted. You're not going to settle for that anymore.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Further Your Cause: Ideals are more important than individuals. You'll do whatever it takes to spread yours.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Protect Your Privacy: If other people know specifics about you, it gives them power over you. You're not about to let that happen.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Practice Peace: The world is full of war and violence. You'll do whatever is in your power to reduce the conflict around you.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Regain Your Nerve: You've had a rough stretch but you know you can be as good as you used to be.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Find a Niche: You're still trying to find your mission in life. You'll keep trying things out until you do.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Find Your Own Path: For much of your life, others were making plans and decisions for you. You might soon be free to go your own way. But where? What’s important to you, exactly? Who do you want to be?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Win Friends and Influence People: There are people who move and who shake and you are going to be one of them.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Crush Your Rival: This world is not a peaceful one and you must come out on top against your nemesis no matter what it takes.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Handler: You were professionally trained and assigned to manage the affairs of one of your House's Actives. The physical safety of your Active and monitoring for potential need to extract him or her are primary concerns in your work.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Programmer: You are the scientist who operates your House's technology. You have some talent for understanding and creating human personalities and you use this knowledge to program Actives.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: General Physician: The medical concerns of the Actives of your House are your chief responsibility. You are also occasionally called on to discretely handle such matters for handlers and other employees of the House.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Director's Assistant: While the Director of the House handles face to face interaction with its wealthy clients, you are the director's right hand. You bring the director's edicts to the House and ensure that its day to day workings are in top shape.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Programmer's Assistant: Dollhouse technology is complicated and sensitive and the House's programmer can't do everything alone. You provide vital support in programming Actives and remotely monitoring their well-being during assignments.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The Arboretum: Located behind Humber College's North campus, the Humber Arboretum consists of botanical gardens and natural areas surrounding the Humber River. This unique site is home to the Carolinian bioregion, the most diverse ecosystem in Canada, and boasts over 1,700 species of plants and animals. The Humber Arboretum covers approximately 250 acres, including over six kilometers of walking trails.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Dollhouse Server Room: A huge air-conditioned space devoted to the continuous operation of the House's computer servers. The space is so immense that it could probably be considered a data center in its own right.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Dollhouse Spa: The Toronto House spa provides Actives top of the line accommodations and services between engagements. Beautiful architecture and soft music help maintain an air of calm.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Dollhouse Programming Room: The Toronto House uses the same state-of-the-art wiping and programming technology of the other Houses. Wedges are stored in a highly secured floor to ceiling locker in an adjoining chamber.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Dollhouse North Exit: An elevator from the north end of the subterranean facility, secured with keypad and thumbprint requirements, deposits individuals at a tunnel that empties into a locked down garage behind Humber College's School of Applied Technology building.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Dollhouse Quarters: Between engagements, Actives recuperate in secured sleeping pods set in the floor.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rand Emory's Sitting Room: This spacious room is elegantly appointed with furniture and artwork with staggering price tags.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: CN Tower Restaurant: 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower, one of Toronto's finest, features quality gourmet with a magnificent revolving view of Toronto more than 351 metres below. It is set up for a lavish evening dinner party.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Director's Office: Hidden in a tidy corner of the Humber College's Centre for Urban Ecology is the organized office of Director Gelila Kebede.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Director Gelila Kebede: Appointed authority of the Toronto House since 2006, Director Gelila 'Lila' Kebede has taken a more direct role in the day to day affairs of her House than the others. Rossum Corporation seems to rarely check in, presumably because they know she has things well in hand. She is an Ethiopian-American who wears her dark hair naturally, dresses well and professionally, and has a dignified demeanor.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Programmer Sarah Berenson's Office: A modest office in the Toronto House occupied by some amenities and computer hardware for the programmer Sarah Berenson.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Prudence Emory: Prudence 'Pru' Emory is a remarkably tall and broad shouldered 23-year-old woman with ??? hair and a very steady gaze. As a daughter of a Toronto House client, those involved in this engagement know that Pru is a gifted and well-decorated graduate in electrical and computer engineering.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Neural Imprint: Elder: Elder was known by the T-Dot's administrators to be nearing the end of his contract as an Active before being consigned to the Attic. He is a potent presence in the Dollhouse Dataframe.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: [Proctor] Pre-Engagement Social Dynamics: One thing the Director Kebede has stressed about the upcoming engagement is how important it is that all the "parts" (aka employees) are in good, working condition. The assistant director has the unenviable task of knowing and guiding and overseeing, to some extent, everyone involved.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: [Berenson] Perfect Imprints: The Toronto House's head programmer is responsible for cultivating the best imprints for the upcoming engagement. Care, forethought, and long hours can make all the difference between a successful mission and dead Actives (and no pay).
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: [Actives] What You Signed Up For: Actives are broken down and reassembled in such a way that they don't even really know what they're going to be up to week to week. Keeping in good mental and physical form requires regular training and appropriately suited engagements. Their handlers need to be there for them as well.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: [Pillai] Ship Shape: The Toronto House physician has more than enough responsibility making sure that Rossum's bought and paid for super soldiers, escorts, and spies are in fine condition for each engagement. The newly introduced neurostimulation implants call for some extra care as well.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Doctor Pillai's Office: Clean. Efficient. A good place to learn about the Toronto House employees' health and well-being.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: [Wells] To Be Trusted With One's Life: The job isn't an easy one. It isn't often intuitive. It can, however, be rewarding.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Poker face: Even those who know you well can't tell what you're thinking. If you ever went to Vegas, you'd wipe the floor with the high-rollers.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Curious: You just can't stop sticking your nose into other people's business, even when it's not good for you.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Change inside: There's so much you hate about yourself. What would it take to become a different person?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: PERCEPTIVE: Perceptive
  You have an eye and ear for details. Pull in all the clues and you can piece together a story that most people miss.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Active: Actives, or “Dolls,” are human beings hired out in whole to wealthy individuals by one of Rossum Corporation’s Houses. Each Active has their original memories wiped and exists in a childlike blank state until programmed via the insertion of new memories and personalities for each mission.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Emotional Empath: You tend to soak up emotions from those around you, this make you somewhat of a liability at times as you get caught up in other people's pain
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Choose a path: You turned to this life to escape things that haunted you. You never realised how much those things would weigh, even now. You may have the choice to reinvent yourself and become someone new. But who? 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Guilt: You did something terrible that haunts your dreams and intrudes on your life. Blood is a particular trigger. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Improvisation: She's not one to plan.  Not a schemer and certainly not a long-term thinker but she's good at taking what she has and turning the situation to her own advantage.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Overconfident: No hill too high to climb, no river too swift to swim, no problem too tricky to unpick.
  
  That's the way it's been so far, why would it be any different now?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Dreams and Nightmares: She's been having vivid dreams and nightmares of recent - something that is starting to be noticed.
  
  She can't help but feel that there's something important in them, though.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Active: 
  
  Actives, or “Dolls,” are human beings hired out in whole to wealthy individuals by one of Rossum Corporation’s Houses. Each Active has their original memories wiped and exists in a childlike blank state ...    
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Adaptable: Whatever the situation, you can adapt to it and thrive in it. As long as you have a goal, you’ll find some way to move forward.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Secret: There’s something you’re holding back. How long can you keep it from those around you?    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Loose Ends: You retain striking memories of one of your previous assignments and there is a thing or two you must set right.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Empathetic: It’s always been easy for you to know what other people are feeling. Sometimes you know what they’re about to do before they’ve decided for themselves.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Impulsive: You're reactive. You often act first and think later. You keep everyone around you on their toes. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Move On From The Past : You have lived through terrible events. They've fundamentally changed you as a person and you haven't been able to deal with it yet. One day you will have to live with what has happened and learn to heal.   
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Handler: DIERBLUDD IS MIGHTIEST HANDLER. NOT LET ANY HARM COME TO ACTIVE FROM WEAKLING ENEMIES. CRUSH ALL WHO STAND IN WAY OF EXTRACTION!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Unstoppable: DIERBLUDD MORE FORCE OF NATURE THAN MAN. TO STAND IN WAY IS TO EMBRACE DOOM.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Details: DIERBLUDD NOT SURE WHAT ALL THESE WORDS ON CONTRACT MEAN. NOT SURE HOW APPLY. NEED FIND SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN 'SUBTLE'.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Crush Your Rival: DIERBLUDD IMPRESSED THAT DEFAULT CARD ALREADY AWARE OF IMPORTANT GOALS. THIS SEEM LIKE START OF BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Boundless Energy: First awake, last to bed, and always ready to help.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Unpredictable: Your rivals may rarely know what to expect from you, but you frustrate your allies at the same time.    
   Cancel
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Find a Niche: You’re still trying to find your mission in life. You’ll keep trying things out until you do.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Conflicted: You're at near-constant war with yourself. Fighting the urge to start using again, ignoring whatever's left of your morality. It wears you down.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Efficient: No matter what's going on in your head, you know how to focus and get things done under pressure.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Get Your Life Back: You won't be here forever, just until you get back on your feet and your contract ends.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Out of the Loop: By the time information trickles your way, it might be too late.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Loyal: Once you've committed to a cause, you've committed to it fully. You don't need to ask questions, you'll do what it takes.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Multitasking: You can perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Fatalistic: You only ever prepare for the worst scenario you can think of. And you have a pretty good imagination.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Paranoid: Everyone has secrets. And you never know who could be out to get you. It's possible your closest friend could stab you in the back at any moment. Your suspicious of everyone and everything. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Decisive: While some people are dithering over pros and cons, you've already made your decision - and it's usually the right one.