| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
type |
TVTItem |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
label |
The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
page |
TheDreamOfPerpetualMotion |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
comment |
A Steampunk novel by Dexter Palmer, which extolls the virtues of Not Knowing against the pragmatism of Knowing Everything.It takes place in the first half of the 20th Century, where mechanical men and inventive machines dot the landscape. The main characters are Harold Winslow, a (failed) aspiring writer who does greeting cards to pay the bills, Prospero Taligent, the genius inventor of all the machinery that now dominates the world, and his daughter, Miranda, who is a cultural icon. Other characters include Harold's ignorant sister, Astrid, who's an aspiring artist, Caliban Taligent, who's Prospero's secret son, as well as, well Those Two Guys. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
fetched |
2023-11-26T14:30:21Z |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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2023-11-26T14:30:21Z |
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| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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Dropped link to JerkassGenie: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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Dropped link to TheTempest: Not a Feature - ITEM |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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Dropped link to TheWizardOfOz: Not a Feature - ITEM |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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Dropped link to charlieandthechocolatefactory: Not a Feature - ITEM |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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JerkassGenie |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
isPartOf |
DBTropes |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_127fc252 |
type |
Creator Cameo |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_127fc252 |
comment |
Creator Cameo: Dexter Palmer appears at an art show in the middle of the story. Doubles as Self-Deprecation. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_127fc252 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_127fc252 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_1869b4b1 |
type |
Unreliable Narrator |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_1869b4b1 |
comment |
Unreliable Narrator: Harold's father gives a different version of his mother's death every time. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_1869b4b1 |
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1.0 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_1869b4b1 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_1c5bf1fd |
type |
The Tower |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_1c5bf1fd |
comment |
The Tower: Taligent Tower (making Miranda a Girl in the Tower). |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_1c5bf1fd |
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1.0 |
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| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_1c5bf1fd |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_2a7b0247 |
type |
Could Say It, But... |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_2a7b0247 |
comment |
Could Say It, But...: The cop to one of the vigilantes, suggesting he take the unguarded fire escape to the roof and kill Prospero who's apparently gone mad and threatening the world with death rays. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_2a7b0247 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_2a7b0247 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_2d4a6d8c |
type |
Sophisticated as Hell |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_2d4a6d8c |
comment |
Sophisticated as Hell - Palmer's writing in and of itself. He has a Ph.D. in English Literature from Princeton University, so it's rather hilarious to see how succinctly gutter-mouthed his characters and prose can be. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_2d4a6d8c |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_2d4a6d8c |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_34f1b472 |
type |
Mad Artist |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_34f1b472 |
comment |
Mad Artist: Astrid who has herself bronzed, the sculptor hired by Prospero to make endless images of his daughter who cuts up Miranda to make the perfect version, and a literary professor even suggests that Prospero has arranged his entire life in imitation of The Tempest. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_34f1b472 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_34f1b472 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3517000d |
type |
Mad Scientist |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3517000d |
comment |
Mad Scientist: Prospero; it's agreed by all concerned that he is mad by the end, yet he also uses the trope deliberately when he threatens to Take Over the World with his Death Ray-armed zeppelin — it's actually just to get Harold moving. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3517000d |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3517000d |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3929e0db |
type |
You Need to Get Laid |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3929e0db |
comment |
You Need to Get Laid: Or as Astrid puts it, "AC:DC". |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3929e0db |
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1.0 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3929e0db |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3b79029a |
type |
Crapsaccharine World |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3b79029a |
comment |
Crapsaccharine World: Elements of this with the protagonist's work at the greeting card company, and the employees at the Taligent Tower marching to work singing proletarian songs. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3b79029a |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_3b79029a |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4160410d |
type |
Damsel in Distress |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4160410d |
comment |
Damsel in Distress: Invoked Trope |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4160410d |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4160410d |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4160410d |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_41f55ee1 |
type |
On Second Thought |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_41f55ee1 |
comment |
On Second Thought: Prospero and Astrid arrange works of art that require their deaths. They both have doubts at the last second, but it's too late. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_41f55ee1 |
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1.0 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_41f55ee1 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4966bf38 |
type |
Perpetual Motion Machine |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4966bf38 |
comment |
Perpetual Motion Machine: Prospero claims to have built one to power his airship, but Harold knows it's slowly losing power and the airship will one day crash. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4966bf38 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4966bf38 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4966bf38 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4e3dee88 |
type |
Their First Time |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4e3dee88 |
comment |
Their First Time: Subverted; it's Harold's first time, but Miranda's thoughts show she's already lost her virginity with a coalshoveler down in the boiler room (who was a lot better at sex than the inexperienced Harold). |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4e3dee88 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_4e3dee88 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_5541da8c |
type |
Lotus-Eater Machine |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_5541da8c |
comment |
Lotus-Eater Machine: Miranda's playroom; Prospero can't understand why she'd ever want to leave this Gilded Cage he's made for her. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_5541da8c |
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1.0 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_5541da8c |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_5a3b8032 |
type |
The Un-Reveal |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_5a3b8032 |
comment |
The Unreveal: What was done to Miranda to turn her into the Perpetual Motion Machine. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_5a3b8032 |
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1.0 |
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1.0 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_5a3b8032 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_6a6b23ff |
type |
Unfazed Everyman |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_6a6b23ff |
comment |
Unfazed Everyman: A rare example where all of humanity has become this in the face of scientific progress. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_6a6b23ff |
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1.0 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_6a6b23ff |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_6c81c95 |
type |
True Art Is Incomprehensible |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_6c81c95 |
comment |
True Art Is Incomprehensible (In-Universe): According to Charmaine Saint Claire, why Astrid shouted "Hot buttered spleen" and not "Turn off the machine!" while being lowered into a bath of molten bronze for her final work of art. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_6c81c95 |
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1.0 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_6c81c95 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_80251be3 |
type |
How We Got Here |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_80251be3 |
comment |
How We Got Here: Opens with Howard imprisoned on the airship with only Miranda's insane ramblings for company. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_80251be3 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_80251be3 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_80251be3 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_813afa05 |
type |
Defiled Forever |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_813afa05 |
comment |
Defiled Forever: Miranda's father can't even stand to touch Miranda once she's lost her virginity. Ironically she'd lost it long before her tryst with Harold. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_813afa05 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_813afa05 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_813afa05 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_851dda8f |
type |
Humanoid Abomination |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_851dda8f |
comment |
Humanoid Abomination: Like his Tempest namesake, Caliban Taligent. He's made up of the various body parts of people who were masters in their fields. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_851dda8f |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_851dda8f |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_851dda8f |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_a713e674 |
type |
Classical Anti-Hero |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_a713e674 |
comment |
Classical Antihero: Harold Winslow is a stubborn form of this, to such a point that he's become a jaded shell. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_a713e674 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_a713e674 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_a713e674 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_af3ff126 |
type |
Idealized Sex |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_af3ff126 |
comment |
Idealized Sex: Averted; Harold and Miranda argue over which position to use, the first condom breaks, Harold comes too quickly and Miranda has to fake her orgasm while thinking of a previous lover. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_af3ff126 |
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-1.0 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_af3ff126 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b06bbf4b |
type |
Be Careful What You Wish For |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b06bbf4b |
comment |
Be Careful What You Wish For: Miranda wants her father to get her a unicorn (knowing that's one thing even he can't provide). She's Forced to Watch as her father gets a horse and drills a hole in its head to insert a horn. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b06bbf4b |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b06bbf4b |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b06bbf4b |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b097493c |
type |
Madonna-Whore Complex |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b097493c |
comment |
Madonna-Whore Complex: Prospero is unable to cope with his daughter growing up and having sex and becomes obsessed with returning Miranda to a "pure" and unchanging state. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b097493c |
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1.0 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b097493c |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b0a529cb |
type |
Extreme Doormat |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b0a529cb |
comment |
Extreme Doormat: Harold has to be forced into the heroic role that Prospero has set up for him, given his lack of self-motivation. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b0a529cb |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b0a529cb |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_b0a529cb |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_beb91a53 |
type |
Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_beb91a53 |
comment |
Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter: Miranda |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_beb91a53 |
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1.0 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_beb91a53 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_bef696dd |
type |
Mind Screw |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_bef696dd |
comment |
Mind Screw: A common theme of the story is the Joy of the Unknowable vs the Tedium of the Knowable, so it's kind of expected. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_bef696dd |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_bef696dd |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_bef696dd |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_c309f9d1 |
type |
Science Marches On |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_c309f9d1 |
comment |
Science Marches On: Invoked by Harold's father and others with much pathos. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_c309f9d1 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_c309f9d1 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_c309f9d1 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_c75df49a |
type |
Shout-Out |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_c75df49a |
comment |
Shout-Out: Caliban Taligent is made up of the body parts of various people, just like in Frankenstein. Rebels against the advent of all this technology paint themselves silver and wear funnels on their heads. As a young boy, Harold gets to travel with a large group of children into the corporate headquarters of a reclusive genius. Not to mention that all of the principal characters get their names from The Tempest. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_c75df49a |
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1.0 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_c75df49a |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_ce750b4 |
type |
Living MacGuffin |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_ce750b4 |
comment |
Living Macguffin: Miranda Taligent, much to her chagrin. She ends up becoming the Perpetual Motion Machine. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_ce750b4 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_ce750b4 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_ce750b4 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_ceb7336a |
type |
Wetware CPU |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_ceb7336a |
comment |
Wetware CPU: It's revealed at the end that Miranda is the Perpetual Motion Machine. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_ceb7336a |
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1.0 |
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| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_ceb7336a |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_d91d0365 |
type |
The Magic Goes Away |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_d91d0365 |
comment |
The Magic Goes Away: The Age of Miracles (which had angels and demons walking around) is replaced by one of Science. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_d91d0365 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_d91d0365 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_d91d0365 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_da3a90a |
type |
Acid Attack |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_da3a90a |
comment |
Acid Attack: One of the children wants to be a professional vitrioler. Harold encounters him as an adult carrying out an acid attack on behalf of a jilted lover. He loves his work. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_da3a90a |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_da3a90a |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_da3a90a |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_dc167d72 |
type |
Knowledge Broker |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_dc167d72 |
comment |
Knowledge Broker: Prospero Taligent, to a ridiculous degree. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_dc167d72 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_dc167d72 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_dc167d72 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d589c5 |
type |
Ingesting Knowledge |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d589c5 |
comment |
Ingesting Knowledge: An inventive example. Caliban has his own typewriter plugged into his head. Though Prospero claims it doesn't actually work; it was just done to Caliban to make him feel special. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d589c5 |
featureApplicability |
1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d589c5 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d589c5 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d6eff8 |
type |
Cool Airship |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d6eff8 |
comment |
Cool Airship: The Chrysalis. |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d6eff8 |
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1.0 |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d6eff8 |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_e9d6eff8 |
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ItemName |
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_name |
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|
| | The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_name |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion / int_name |
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The Dream of Perpetual Motion |
