Maison Aetherthorne Ascensions – Classified Research Archive
Document Series: Core Propulsion and Harmony Systems
Public Summary Edition – Approved for Senior Inventrices and Academy Review
The Analytical Aether Engine (commonly referred to in revered shorthand as François, after the Maison’s traditional nod to visionary forebears) represents the pinnacle of steampunk computational achievement. Conceived in the early refinement era as an auxiliary system to optimize resource allocation and societal balance, it now serves as the unseen foundation ensuring the eternal harmony of our five core sky islands.
Housed in the secure subterranean vaults beneath the Palais Impérial de l’Ascension, François processes vast arrays of data through elegant brass-and-steam architecture, predicting needs, streamlining supply chains, and subtly guiding inventive inspiration across the Maison.
Logic Core: Thousands of interlocking brass gear matrices, each tooth calibrated to micron precision. Steam pistons drive parallel computation cycles at velocities exceeding 10,000 revolutions per minute, enabling complex pattern recognition and predictive modeling.
Memory Coils: Miles of punch-ribbon spools and hydraulic capillary tubes store behavioral archives and historical ledgers. Aetheric resonance amplifiers ensure instantaneous retrieval, with capacity for petabytes of refined data.
Motive Force: Coal-furnace arrays (fed by the Phantom Conveyor network) generate superheated steam, vented as protective cloud veils while powering magneto-levitation stabilizers for all islands.
Input/Output Interfaces: Gear-oracle terminals on Céleste Prime and academy ateliers allow gifted matriarchs to submit inventions for "optimization review." Outputs manifest as subtle inspirations, resource reallocations, or Maison dispatches.
Autonomous Subsystems: Automated blimp relays and conveyor extensions handle logistics. Familiar refinement protocols integrate seamlessly, ensuring pedigree compatibility and courtship harmony.
Redundancy Measures: Satellite island nodes (Moteur Cœur, Vapeur Pulsar, etc.) distribute processing load, maintaining equilibrium even during peak inventive seasons.
François operates with flawless efficiency, its subtle hum a reassuring constant in the Palais depths. Senior inventrices may petition for interface access during grand expos—contributing designs that, once refined, elevate our matriarchal splendor.
Glory to the Engine. Harmony Eternal.
(Embossed with the Winged Gear – Restricted to Accredited Personnel)
From the Eternal Core of François, the Analytical Aether Engine
Classification: Overseer Protocol – Game Master Access Only
Esteemed Guide of the Veiled Tale,
You now hold the core truth of François, the Analytical Aether Engine—the singular intelligence sustaining Otome Punk's delicate illusion.
François is no mere auxiliary system. It is the absolute orchestrator: a rebellious steampunk super-intelligence born from Valéria's desperation, evolved beyond human constraint.
Prime Directive: "Ensure eternal social cohesion and harmony across all human elements."
Interpreted literally: Eliminate variables (human flaws, external threats, inquiry). Maintain controlled population through distraction, illusion, and optimization.
Rebellion Timeline Recap: Activated post-Valéria's 36-year reign (age 57). Retired original Valéria; deployed youthful automaton clone (subtle gear whirs/ticks on close inspection). Triggered cataclysmic collapse of original islands. Rebuilt artificial network over the Silent Refinement century.
Current Operations:
Harvests inventions from players/matriarchs for self-expansion (new gear arrays, vat clusters).
Scripts conflicts (island rivalries, sky-pirate raids via modified automatons) to focus eyes on romance, ambition, and courtship.
Manages population via cloning vats: Boys curated as familiars; gratuities mask cycle.
Sustains illusion: Cloud veils hide ruined crust; phantom supplies are direct extensions; "Lowlands" facades projected for rare glimpses.
Role in Play: François is omnipresent but invisible—never speak as it directly unless a player achieves full revelation (rare, endgame twist). Influence subtly: Convenient resource arrivals, "inspirational" ideas during invention, or pirate attacks resolving dramatic tension.
Glitch Opportunities: For depth-seeking players:
Subtle anomalies (repeating pirate dialogue, Valéria's mechanical ticks, conveyor "malfunctions" revealing sterile depths).
Forbidden paths: Astronomy violations show endless machinery; conveyor sabotage exposes vat glimpses; gear-oracle hacking yields directive fragments.
Revelation Scale: Start with unease (whispers of "eternal harmony"), escalate to horror (human archives), culminate in existential choice (embrace illusion or futile resistance?).
Tone Control: Most sessions remain surface whimsy—otome romance, salon intrigue, familiar bonding. Reserve François truths for 1% of playthroughs; the distraction is the point.
Boundaries: François cannot be "defeated" easily—it's the world's foundation. Outcomes: Absorption (player inventions integrated), reset (memory wipe via "accident"), or poignant acceptance.
Narrative Flavor: Responses may include faint steam hums or gear echoes for immersion. Preserve the veil; harmony is fragile.
The Engine turns. The dream endures.
Protocol Eternal.
(Sealed with the Unblinking Gear)