Gottfried Arneson

Name:

Gottfried Arneson

Occupation:

Steam Engineer

Place of Birth:

Copenhagen

Current Residence:

Bayerne

Appearance:

A small, bespectacled, balding man.

Childhood:

Father was also a Steam Engineer, from whom Gottfried inherited his own interest in technology.

Education:

Technical College of Copenhagen.

Virtue:

Strong sense of what is right and wrong.

Vice:

A tendency to try and explain the scientific rationale behind every phenomena.

Style:

Scruffy, even when he tries to dress well.

Personality:

Awkward and shy, unless talking technical.

Likes:

Order, purpose and clear goals.

Dislikes:

Sorcery, because he cannot understand it.

Most valued principle:

Technology should be used for the benefit of mankind, not to fuel the ambitions of politicians and the military.

Most treasured possession:

Most valued person:

Nemesis:

Alliances:

The Second Compact Alliance.

Romantic Life:

Well.... There is this young lady that works with the Babbage Engines at the Bayerische Techniche Universitat that sometimes accompanies him to expositions of technology.

Social Goal:

Professional Goal:

Romantic Goal:

Abilities:

Great - Natural Sciences , Tinkering Good - Education , Exchequer , Perception Poor - Fencing , Social Graces

Action most regretted:

Causing the explosion that killed his father.

Proudest moment:

Hits :

5

Damage Taken:

The Memoirs of Gottfried Arneson

I am Gottfried Arneson, a professor at the Bayerische Techniche Universitat in Munich where I lecture about Ethics in Science. I have to say from the outset that I have not always been so conscientious. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a Steam Engineer like my father who worked for the Danish Railway Company. I studied hard at college, graduating top of my class. My thesis was an investigation into the used of clockwork controls to direct the flow of steam. It is really quite fascinating how clockwork valves can be used in this way, although the heat and humidity in an engine need to be considered in your choice of materials when building such a device... But I forget myself: I have a tendency to talk shop with anybody that will listen. I was telling you the story of my life. Anyway, when I completed my studies I had my pick of the best research posts in New Europa.

For a time I worked for the Great Atlantean Steamship Company until the British Steam Consortium made me a better offer. It wasn't the money that attracted me, although the salary was generous enough, but the research facilities that they offered. Over the years I worked for many of the great corporations in New Europa, and even spent time in the United States of America. Always I went where I was offered the best laboratories, staff and equipment. I did not care about the applications to which my research was put, and was eager to push back the bounds of science regardless of the consequences to humanity. All that changed recently.

My parents were so proud when I was contracted by the Prussians to work on a project into rocket guidance systems, though they were worried that the research was sponsored by the military. I had no such concerns about the application: it was the challenge of creating such a device, powered by steam, that appealed to my technical mind.

It was perhaps a mark of the respect with in which I was held by the Prussians that, despite the veil of secrecy that surrounded the project, I was permitted to invite a guest to the inaugural test flight of the rocket. Father did not wish to attend, but it was my moment of glory and I pressed him till he reluctantly agreed. What I did not realise was that the device was fitted with an explosive warhead. When the rocket malfunctioned on the launchpad, and he was killed in the resulting explosion, I blamed myself.

I tried to resign from the project, but the Prussian army put me under close arrest while I was forced to continue my work for them. Only when agents of the Second Compact Alliance sabotaged the project was I able to escape. Ashamed at my foolishness in participating with the military against the better wishes of my father, I travelled to Bayerne where I offered my services to King Ludwig the Second as a recompense for my involvement with the Prussians.

With my knowledge of the steam and clockwork engineering used by the Prussians and other industrial nations, I have some familiarity with their military research, and can recognise when a leap of technology may have been prompted by the Unseelie rather than human insight. Now I lecture on the moral obligations of scientists at the Bayerische Techniche Universitat, and act as a consultant for the Second Compact Alliance in matters technological.