Devolver Moodboard
Devolvers
“In the years that immediately followed the revolutionary discoveries of Chas. Darwin FRS, several noted scientists conferred to debate a hypothesis: if men shared common ancestors, would it not be possible to communicate with animals or even manipulate genetic material to realign genes to produce, either permanently or temporarily, certain animal features or traits? It was an ambitious project, but the Royal College of Devolution has achieved results that even its founders wouldn’t have thought possible. Modern devolutionary scientists (commonly referred to as “devolvers” by crewmen of the Line) use a complex combination of pheromone synthesis, non-verbal sound reproduction and expert pantomime to communicate with a range of birds and mammals (only the most adept have been able to reach other animals such as fish and lizards). Devolutionary scientists report that these communications take the form of “intents and impresssions,” never sentences or conversations. While rudimentary, these connections can result in birds being persuaded to roost when they otherwise might interfere with an airship’s launch, or the discovery of human fugitive hiding in a disgruntled wolf’s den.
However, some devolvers have gone far beyond communication. Some adepts–known as “science monks” due to their monastic hermitage in one of the Crown-granted Genetic Cloisters–have been known, through an arcane combination of meditation, foods, drugs and conventional devolver techniques–to transform their bodies into those of primates, large cats or even stranger beasts. While such transformations typically last anywhere from two days to two weeks, such changes are ultimately unpredictable. While the appellation “science monks” has captured the imagination of the proletariat, it is a gross misnomer as many experienced devolutionary scientists hold distinguished posts in the government of This Great Nation. Typically, devolvers are tall and very thin due to the enormous caloric volume needed to conduct their craft.”
{This entry describes a class of officer, artisan or mystic that populates the fictional Royal Steamline airship fleet. It was written to provide some context for the types and styles of one-of-a-kind dress badges that appear in the Royal Steamline Etsy shop. Also, they were just a lot of fun to write. Please do note that the classes and subsequent descriptions are the intellectual property of Royal Steamline.}
