Station VIII

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"Factory VIII is a monstrosity of brick and glass, its towering walls and high up windows lending it the air of a prison. The factory does not produce the foul coal stench of those in London, instead it emits bright clouds of pungent scents – which occasionally bring passers-by to tears."

The Station for Factory VIII, or Station VIII, is a large chemical factory located in the Hinterlands. It serves as the fifth station of the Great Hellbound Railway, rather than the eighth.

Brick and Glass

"Station VIII may not be a place to linger, unless you have a particular interest in industrial manufacturing."

Station VIII, also known as Factory VIII, is a Masters-run facility contained within a massive brick building. Its well-protected workers use specialized chemical equipment and heavy machinery to manufacture a variety of emotion-inducing substances. The factory's smokestacks spew colorful smog, which also has the capacity to affect bystanders, but the fact that the chemicals produced within are capable of influencing emotions is kept a well-guarded secret. In the courtyard, there is a huge dirigible mast rigged with alarms; the Masters dock here to visit and check on the factory. The surrounding area is sparsely populated, with only a single pub and scattered housing for workers.

Factory VIII ships its products to London, so the Masters are perfectly comfortable with the arrival of the Great Hellbound Railway, as it will expedite the process. However, the factory's couriers formerly relied on carts, and are now on strike because they are afraid of losing their jobs.

The factory is run by the Blithesome Overseer, a jovial but high-strung man with close ties to the Masters.

The Secrets of Factory VIII

"The Overseer keeps his desk locked, but that presents little obstacle. You do almost miss the second concealed drawer, however, in which you find his diary. The entries are terse. Either he has a subscription to a cellar, or he meets Mr Wines on a monthly basis. 'Iron' appears once, several months ago. Yesterday, 'Fires' is crossed out."

The Overseer regularly meets with the Masters; he is responsible for documenting the viability of Factory VIII's products, and to whom they might be marketed. He even samples some of the chemicals himself. He has a private office full of geography books and newspapers discussing world events, such as the ongoing women's suffrage movement. It is strongly implied that Factory VIII's chemicals are being used to influence Surface politics, and the Masters are likely involved in this scheme.

A small, cupboard-sized room within the factory, marked "Communications," contains a brass console filled with many levers and buttons that enables contact with any of London's other specialized Stations. Curiously, the folder of codes that enables contact with Station I appears to have been stolen, which has prompted the Overseer to chain the other folders to the desk. There is also a periscope in this room that seems to allow its user to observe London's skyline from afar.

Station VIII was originally only a single room; this space is now disused and boarded up, and the factory may have been built around it. Within the room is a desk that has been heavily damaged by... something: "a giant bird," or perhaps not a bird at all? A nearby workbench has a liquid suspended between two pieces of metal, which induces the feeling of tearing out someone's throat. Notes found within indicate that the room was used to develop "purified vindictiveness," with limited success; whoever conducted these experiments considered consulting Mr Wines for improvements.

Imports and Exports

"How about this one?" Pinnock digs his nose into a pile of scraps. "Interested in 'startled and overjoyed to have returned from death'? Getting rare, that is."

A door marked "Special Extracts" leads to a secret laboratory within Factory VIII. Here, scientists experiment to create new extracts of emotion[...] an experiment [...] you catch a whiff: [...] fills your stomach with anxious yearning, sets your pulse racing, brings a lump to your throat. [...] from items sourced by Pinnock, a Rattus Faber otherwise known as the Shivering Relicker's rat. These items carry sentimental ties to an emotional event; for instance, a dress bought to celebrate catching a murderer, or a variety of trinkets associated with experiencing Neathy phenomena for the first time. Unfortunately, now that it has been forty years since the Fall, some of these feelings of novelty are becoming rather rare.

The following are examples of Factory VIII's products.

• Halcyonic Tonic induces joy and optimism; this sweet substance has become a valuable commodity for several Surface powers seeking to placate their restless citizens.
• The name of Crystallised Euphoria suggests its effects; it is extracted from the joy and relief associated with a person's first return from death.
• Oil of Companionship induces delight and camaraderie when applied to the skin, acting as a panacea for loneliness. It has become scarce over time, however, since the emotion behind it is the joy of hearing one's cat speak for the first time upon arrival in the Neath.
• Salve of Righteousness inspires a roaring confidence when applied to the skin; it is synthesized from the vindication of one's faith by witnessing certain Neathy phenomena, such as devils, for the first time.
• Distillation of Retribution is a heady mixture associated with the thrilling feeling of finally achieving vengeance. It may be distilled further into Discriminating Aconite, a delicate poison harmful only to those who deserve to feel its effects; the label of every bottle of Aconite simply reads "You know what you did".

• 
  Fillip of Effervescence
• 
  Halcyonic Tonic
• 
  Crystallised Euphoria
• 
  Powder of Renewal
• 
  Concentrate of Self
• 
  Oil of Companionship
• 
  Salve of Righteousness
• 
  Distillation of Retribution