conversations.from: system
conversations.value: Everyone says magic can be bought by the pound on Salmagundi Street. Charms, curses, curatives — anything you desire, for a price. Now your group has arrived to visit a certain snake oil peddler for a certain magical potion—and maybe visit the twisted exhibits at the Museum of Oddities, while you're in the area. But suddenly, a peaceful day of shopping becomes the fight of your life. That stolen bottle you found on the ground might help you—or it might kill you. What is this strange beast, and what fresh hell spawned it?
  
  *******
  
  A dark twist on Carnivale meets Boardwalk Empire, The Island of Mesmer will leave you wondering if you’re dealing with a man in a monster suit… or a monster in a man suit.
  
  Put on your top hat, grab your umbrella sword, and step onto the ferry to mysterious and thrilling Hart Island. You’ll land at the Pier of Diversions, a boardwalk buffet of amusements, freaks, and carnival magic. Hop on a rickshaw for a ride to Madam Scipio’s Museum of Oddities, where you’ll witness exhibits of the strange and exotic. Buy trinkets and potions on Salmagundi Street; don’t be surprised when they actually work.
  
  But for heaven’s sake, make sure you’re off the streets by nightfall. The Pier of Diversions becomes the Pier of Perversions as soon as the red lights flick on at the Can-Can Cabaret, and rumor has it that terrifying sounds can be heard outside the Mesmer Institute for the Deeply Troubled, where the incurably insane are sent for Dr. Mesmer’s world-famous animal magnetism treatment. No one knows what happens to his patients. And no one asks.
  
  In a world where soul, magic, and flesh are sold by the pound, the only thing that’s priceless is humanity.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Carniepunk: You're a cog that can fit anywhere in the carnival machine, a jack-of-all-trades and master of being hated outside the pier. Nobody likes carnies, but carnies can be anybody.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Jack-of-All-Trades
  
  Suggested Weakness: Bad Reputation
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Beautiful Freak: Sure, you're weird, but you found your home among the other oddities. Good thing they don't know about your real powers...
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Hidden Talent
  
  Suggested Weakness: Draws the Eye
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Gadabout: Mainland, island, alleys: in between your money, your sword, and your smile, you're an aristocratic scoundrel who can fit in anywhere. Luckily, you're not as dumb as your pretty face suggests.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Gobs of Cash
  
  Suggested Weakness: Unabashed Egotism
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Mad Scientist: Whether your canvas is muscle and blood or steel and steam, you can breathe life into your twisted creations. Too bad the price of genius is insanity.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Science!
  
  Suggested Weakness: Madness!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Moonlighter: You're invisible, quick, and silent, a thief who's gone before your mark has noticed they've lost a purse. And you have a reputation to prove it.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Legerdemain
  
  Suggested Weakness: Criminal Record
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Gallant Globetrotter: A world as dirty as this one needs a champion, and you're it. You're strong, principled, and looking to see the best in everyone... even people with no best.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Lion's Heart
  
  Suggested Weakness: Fanatically Unyielding
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Charmer: Your voice lures them in, your charisma holds them captive, and your art gives them strength and joy. If only you had some left over for yourself.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Razzle-Dazzle
  
  Suggested Weakness: Hopeless Romantic
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Pugilist: Maybe you're a Strong Man, an ex-boxer, or an angry Amazon who lives to swallow swords. Point is, you make the rules — with your fists.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Brute Force
  
  Suggested Weakness: Bumps on the Head
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Conjurer: Step up and witness true magic! You command spells and potions, fire and visions. Such a shame that your body can't keep up.
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Magic and Mysticism
  
  Suggested Weakness: Frailty
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Snake Oil Peddler: They come to you for cures, and you provide them — for a price. You can solve baldness, fix a broken heart, or heal burns. And yet they doubt...
  
  ...
  
  Suggested Strength: Miraculous Cures
  
  Suggested Weakness: Lacking Credibility
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Jack-of-All-Trades: You're a quick study and can pick up almost anything in addition to the skills and knowledge you've already amassed.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Hidden Talent: There’s a reason the freaks stay in the freak show: it’s the best place to hide a dangerous talent.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Gobs of Cash: With this much cash, the mainland got boring. Time to take your toys to a new frontier.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Science!: Metal, flesh, alchemy: You're a genius, an inventor, a pioneer. And the island offers unusual freedoms for your experiments.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Legerdemain: You're the artful dodger, the hocus-pocus hack, the thief who was never there, the one with the invisible fingers.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Lion's Heart: Courage and determination drive you. You'll never give up, even when they beat you down.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Razzle-Dazzle: Everyone is drawn to your come-hither charisma — and not just humans.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Brute Force: No one messes with a gleaming tower of muscles topped off with a broken nose.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Magic and Mysticism: There's nothing up your sleeve: dark or light, for good or ill, it's definitely magic.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Miraculous Cures: Damage to body or mind, you can heal it, thanks to your army of little glass bottles and strangely warm hands.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Bad Reputation: When people see you, they frown and give a wide berth. You're like a bad penny, and no one trusts you, even when they should.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Draws the Eye: Even when you try to cover up, you can't hide in the crowd. You're just too fabulous and eye-catching.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Unabashed Egotism: Don't they know who you are? You're truly superior to everyone you meet, even if they don't realize it yet.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Madness!: All work and no play makes... what was that? Who said that? Was it the pixies again? Now, where'd you put that hammer...
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Criminal Record: They caught you. Just once, but it was enough. Whether they took your hand or your name, you're a known quantity.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Fanatically Unyielding: You have principles, and you won't break them. For anything. Even when you should.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hopeless Romantic: Hard work is all well and good, but you're a dreamer who knows that something amazing is just going to happen one day. If you wait.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Bumps on the Head: The School of Hard Knocks leaves you with a lower IQ, missing memories, or possible war wounds.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Frailty: You've tried every spell, every potion, and still your body fails you.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Lacking Credibility: They don't believe you. They should, and yet they never do.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Escape Your Prison: Something is holding you back. Whether it's a velvet rope, a circus curtain, a tall fence, or a bad memory, it's time to move on.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Become Famous: Everyone hungers for their time in the spotlight. Step out and shine.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Sweet Revenge: You know who they are, and you know what they did. Make them regret it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Find a Master: That magician who knows all the spells, that ex-boxer who can break bricks with his fist. Find them and convince them to reveal their secrets.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Fix What's Broken: Your leg, your heart, your mind, your machine. Find a way to fix it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Defeat Your Rival: They think they're better, louder, and stronger. Prove them wrong.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Recover What's Lost: Something was taken from you, and you'll never rest until it's safe in your hands. Take it back.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Save the Suffering: Whether it's your sister at the cabaret or a puppy in the street, chances are, someone could use your help.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give in to Temptation: You've been so good for so long. Give in. After all, it's the Pier of Diversions. And Perversions.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Uncover the Truth: Who are your real parents? What's in that box? Why can't you leave your tent? Uncover the truth behind the magic.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Steal an Artifact: Maybe you're a bad guy who needs cash; maybe you're a good guy who wants it back where it belongs. Go get it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Fix the Machine: It was working, and now... smoke. Whether you use a wrench or a spell, get it going again.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Stop Taking Guff: Whoever you are, there's somebody who thinks they can belittle or bully you. Don't let 'em.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Move Up the Ladder: Want a bigger stage, a new job, or more territory? Find a way to get it. Grab your brass ring.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Stage a Little Rebellion: It's your boat, not theirs. Rock it. Shake up the status quo.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Catch a Thief: Perhaps they're stealing magic, perhaps it's coins. Catch them in the act.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Tame the Beast: Whether you use music, words, half a sandwich, or a spell, calm the monster hiding in the shadows... or the crowd.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Win a Duel: The gauntlet has been thrown. Pick your weapon, bow, and attack!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Lose Your Inhibitions: You can't find yourself if you're always sober. Whether you long for drink, amour, forbidden magic, or the hookahs in the Cabaret, give in.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Explore a Wild Place: The island refuses to be tamed. Whether you want to probe the depths of the Abyss or wander the Grounds of the Institution, go forth.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Unexpectedly Helpful Familiar: He just showed up one day, but this animal definitely has his uses.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Umbrella Sword: Not only can it keep away the rain — it also holds a deadly sharp blade.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Tesla Gun: When they see the gleaming object on your belt, they think it's a child's toy. No one expects a bolt of electricity.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Doctor's Bag: It's just a bag of plain black leather with snaps, but inside nestle mysterious potions and peculiar instruments, if you know how to use them.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: One-Man Ornithopter: The streets are too narrow for anything but a rickshaw. Thank goodness for this personal helicopter that lets you soar. Hope you know how to fix it...
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Tiny Grimoire: It might be a little hard to read, but it's pocket-sized and full of spells. And the magical mumbo-jumbo always gets interesting results.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Velvet Pouch of Escape Powder: When a pinch of black powder hits the ground, you escape in an impenetrable cloud that lasts for... oh, about a minute.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Mysterious Potion: What is it? Does it work? Is it poison? You won't know until you open it, and maybe not even then.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Monkey's Paw: It's gnarled and crusty, but it has one finger left. One wish.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Chapeau of Mystery: Put on this hat, and you can move undetected through crowds. You're not quite invisible, but it's close enough. Their eyes slip right over you.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The Gilded Lily Resort: For the wealthiest holiday-goers. The rooms are all damask and gilt, the croquet grounds are immaculate, and the stone walls are high and topped with razorwire.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Infinite Abyss Overlook: Some people get married on the rickety platform over the mysterious chasm; others throw themselves over the railing. It's all very romantic.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Westerbourg House: This grand Victorian is home to the reclusive, wealthy Westerbourg family and whatever royalty they're currently entertaining.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The Grounds: Flowery fields, a hedge maze, and a statue-filled birch forest once made the Institution grounds a picturesque place to convalesce. Now, not so much.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Ratville: Carnies, freaks, orderlies, and oddities have to live somewhere, and it might as well be stacked and squashed together in this teetering shanty town.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The Can-Can Cabaret: Dancing, dining, flesh, firewater, and fixatives abound, all surrounded by red velvet and gaslights. Follow the chatter of dice to the gambling tables.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The Mesmer Institute for the Deeply Troubled: They call it an asylum, but it's so much more than that. Stay out of the West Wing, which was half devoured by a giant sinkhole, the Infinite Abyss.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Salmagundi Street: Portobello Road goods combined with the glitter and magic of alchemy means you can buy soul and magic by the ounce, if you have the cash.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Madam Scipio's Museum of Oddities: From two-headed bat boys to unicorn foals floating in jars, there's no end to the wonders and horrors on exhibit within these labyrinthine walls.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Pier of Diversions: Carnival, circus, sideshow, and amusement park all in one. After dark, some call this long, jagged boardwalk the Pier of Perversions.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Monster Melee: Whether this thing crawled up from the Infinite Abyss, snuck out of the carnival, or woke hungry in the Museum of Oddities, it's up to you to stop it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Angry Mob: They didn't get what they wanted or what they paid for, and now they're furious.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Daring Escape: They're on your tail and might be faster. Time to pull out your bag of tricks and escape.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Magical Backfire: That spell went wrong. Way wrong.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A Clever Puzzle: You can't move forward until you solve it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Save the Damsel: Whoever and whatever it is, they're trapped behind enemy lines and helpless. Save them.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Destroy the Object: It's evil, it's powerful, and it's magic, and your enemies can't wait to use it. It's up to you to destroy it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: You're Trapped: The stairway is out, the door is locked, and the abyss really is infinite. Find a way to get out.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Curses!: You can feel it inside, doing its evil work. Magic put it there; how will you get it out? Curses can be tricky to break...
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Dirty Double Cross: They said you could trust them. That was your mistake.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Angelica Westerbourg: This spoiled princess has a secret life outside of her family's estate.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Corvus Kanum: Everyone scurries from the Ringmaster's wrath. Some say he's secretly a dark conjurer; others say he's simply cursed.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Otto Mortimer: As Dr. Mesmer's right hand thug, he's always running secret business to and from the Institute. People who oppose him... disappear.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Helen Balthazar: The slip of a girl is just another Deeply Troubled Soul in Dr. Mesmer's institution. Her family sent her to the island because she's insane. Or is she?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Stickyfingers Finster: This pint-sized thief is rumored to be an escaped freak from the Pier of Diversions. He does have a full face of stubble and pointy teeth for a kid, but he claims to have no master.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Colonel Chilton: This globetrotting do-gooder seems to think he can clean up the island, but so far, all he's done is cause problems.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Madam Scipio: This turbaned virago runs the Museum of Oddities with a clawed fist, luring customers from the Pier into her lair. Of course, some never leave...
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The Amazing Fusco: Once the brightest star of the Pier, he now runs the Ferris wheel, brags about his days as a barker, and claims someone stole his charm.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Zazu la Mer: This doe-eyed charmer is a seer by day and the darling of the Can-Can Cabaret after dark... except when she disappears for a few nights and comes back wet and covered in salt.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Nick McGee: An ex-carnie, Nick goes everywhere and knows how to do almost everything, from welding to carpentry to disposing of bodies.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Make an Impression: You've fought a monster together, but now it's time for something more difficult: small talk.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The House of Miss Mesmer Funke: More rumor than fact surrounds this strange abode.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Recruit an Ally: You need to someone you can trust on this island—or maybe someone you can manipulate.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Recruit Allies: You have a mission, and for it to work you need to someone you can trust—or maybe someone you can manipulate.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Motivation!: Everyone has a price, and somehow Miss Mesmer Funke has found yours.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The Plotting Stage: Can this motley group determine a viable way to carry out the scientist's scheme?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Medium: You can commune with the dead and unite visitors with their lost loved ones– for a price, of course.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Listener to the Dead: You're haunted by your past as well as actual spirits. Sometimes their influence overwhelms you.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Earn a Paycheck: You're in this for yourself and whoever's paying you. Freedom has a high rate, especially for a young woman alone.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Speaker to the Dead: You may pull information and even mystical energy from beyond the veil.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Aviatrix: You are a bold woman who has shrugged off the cloak of respectful society and you have become a scandalous dashing adventurer. You seek out thrills be it at the controls of a primitive flaying machine, or in dabbling with the occult arts. 
  
  You are a strong, wilful woman trying to make your way in a man's world. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Rickshaw Driver: You're a prince of the road; one of the lucky few who have met everyone but are known by few. Strong, enduring; you know the weight of a good days work.  Competitive in spirit and action, you rise each day or night looking for the next opportunity.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Stubbornly Independent: You've fought for years to keep your museum (and yourself) free from the infighting between the island's main factions. As a result, relying on other people does not come easily to you.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The Third Option: You can't be the only inhabitant of the island wanting to stay out of the grasp of Madame Scipio and Ringmaster Kanum. Seek out allies, and offer people another option.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Careful: Always look before you leap. In your line of work, haste can be deadly.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Crack Shot: You have a most wicked aim. Whether its with a longbow at the ladies archery guild, or with a rifle hunting game in the savannah, or even tossing a coin into a beggar's cup, you rarely miss your target. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Encroaching Madness: For months now, the Professor has suffered from hallucinations and malevolent voices inside his head. These tend to arrive at inopportune moments.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Conniving: You've found that the most reliable way to not only get by, but get *ahead*, on the Island of Mesmer is to always, always look out for your own interests first.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Creepy: Ew.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Politeness: A public servant gets tipped best by being polite amongst paying customers.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Known Quantity: After thirty years on the island, most of the regulars know you (by reputation, if not by sight). Your behavior rarely surprises, and your more *unusual* personality quirks are no longer considered fodder for polite conversation.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Raconteur: The Professor has been everywhere and returned with enough stories to satisfy Scheherezade.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Cold: You don't have any emotion in your voice, almost monotone. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Shades of the past: You have had some adventures, both in and out of the bedroom, that would cause scandal and tarnish your reputation. You do not wish these secrets to be revealed. 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Many Masks: You are quick, adaptable and possess an array of masks to hide the true you.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Scattershot: Despite your best intentions, you have trouble settling on a single approach to an issue, and end up wasting time and energy in the process.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Mastermind: Bastienne sees problems occuring in the whole discussion and decides she must adopt more firm approach.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Polite Society: Despite your admitted oddness, you still possess the social graces that are suspected of a woman of means. 
  
  As long as you play by their rules, their honor will require them to follow right along.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Investigator's Eye: Over the course of your career, you have learned how to make your way in the darkest of underworlds. The Island is no exception.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Traitorous: Your selfish and scheming nature can benefit you in the short term, but in the long term it comes with risks. Careless attempts to screw your allies can backfire if you're not careful.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Friends in High Places: You know people in parliament, the House of Lords and the Police Force of London. 