Editing F.F. Gebrandt

{{Character
|image1 = <gallery>
Gebrandt election.jpg | Campaign Poster
Gebrandt.png | Icon
</gallery>
|caption1 =F.F. Gebrandt's 1898 campaign poster. 
|location =The Museum of Prelapsarian History<br>
[[Veilgarden]]<br>
[[Watchmaker's Hill]] 
|allegiance = 
|relationships=Unnamed husband}}<blockquote>''"General consensus has it that she is Fallen London's greatest chemist. A substantial minority would say she is the city's most shrewd industrialist."''<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Rely_on_F.F._Gebrandt Rely on F.F. Gebrandt. ''Fallen London'']</ref></blockquote>'''F.F. Gebrandt''' is widely regarded as [[London]]'s greatest chemist and industrialist.

== The Polymath ==
<blockquote>''"F.F. Gebrandt is a valuable sounding-board, gently pushing and pulling on you until you reach your conclusions. Even if this is not her field of study, she has an ease for recalling facts and making connections."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Get_her_opinion_on_your_research|Get her opinion on your research|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>F.F. Gebrandt is a pioneer of scientific progress who constantly strives to refine her products and formulas.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Aid_F.F._Gebrandt_in_Refining_her_Formulas Aid F.F. Gebrandt in Refining her Formulas, ''Fallen London''] ''"You work well together, and she seems happy with your progress, even though the improvements are minute; tiny amounts of reagents saved here or there, small increases in purity. How much Tincture of Vigour does she sell each year?"''</ref> She believes that "science is a team pursuit" and rejects the notion of the lone genius, advocating instead for collaboration as the means of advancing society.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/F.F._Gebrandt_(Card) F.F. Gebrandt (Card), ''Fallen London''] ''"[…] F.F. is […] answering the more complex questions […]. Where her supporters are, so is she.''

''"Science is a team pursuit," she says. "The lone genius nonsense is exactly that. We can only advance science, and thus society, together."''</ref> She manages numerous business ventures, including her recent enterprise offering airship tours to the [[Roof of the Neath]],<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Converse_at_the_edge_of_a_precipice Converse at the edge of a precipice, ''Fallen London''] ''"She hands you a recent edition of the Gazette. […] columns of uninterrupted Roof coverage. […] probably written entirely from a garret near Doubt Street. […]''

''"London is […] on the precipice of a new fad: Roof mania. When that arrives, I want to be selling tickets. […]"''</ref> and maintains extensive connections.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Discuss_business_%E2%80%93_yours,_specifically Discuss business – yours, specifically, ''Fallen London''] ''"Of course, if you're looking for a good source of lamplighter wax, you want to avoid the sellers who supply the University. I can put you in touch with a merchant who brings a shipment of the stuff from Apis Meet every three months..."''</ref><ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Enter_an_agreement_for_the_production_of_steel Enter an agreement for the production of steel, ''Fallen London''] ''"Gebrandt has an arrangement with the Iron & Misery company – she can synthesize the reagents needed to refine Surface-grade steel, but she will not reveal her method to them. […] she will allow you to purchase some of the […] output at a steep discount..."''</ref> 
[[File:Prism.png|thumb|130x130px|F.F. Gebrandt's Patent Neathoscope, Containing and Displaying All Seven Colours of Exotic Light]]
An active public figure, Gebrandt is the inventor of several renowned products which often bear her name. These include medicines like Tincture of Vigour and Superior Laudanum, food and drinks,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Secure_a_shipment_of_dubiously_preserved_food Secure a shipment of dubiously preserved food, ''Fallen London''] ''"Gebrandt's biscuits are the most impervious food in the market: […] in the mouth, they shatter into shards that scratch and claw at your palate. The mushrooms (preserved into tins and heated until they become mush) are similarly permanent."''</ref><ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Buy_a_round_of_F.F._Gebrandt%27s_Superior_Lager Buy a round of F.F. Gebrandt's Superior Lager, ''Fallen London''] ''"Gebrandt's attempts […] have met with mixed results; patrons grimace […] as they sip their lager – but sip they do. You don't catch much of the conversation, though; a Garrulous Drunk waves his way through the tables to sit at your ear and talk."''</ref> industrial products and gear,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Converse_on_the_Correspondence Converse on the Correspondence, ''Fallen London''] ''"The flameproof paper was originally born out of necessity. I wonder if I should have put it on the market – it only gives people even more unwise ideas."''</ref><ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Descend_(The_Abyssal_Depths) Descend (The Abyssal Depths), ''Fallen London''] ''"'What is that caulk?'' ''"F.F. Gebrandt's Superior Postal Adhesive […] Illegal without a licence, obviously.""''</ref> and esoteric novelties like her Patent Neathoscope: a prism that displays the colors of the Neathbow.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/F.F._Gebrandt%27s_Patent_Neathoscope,_Containing_and_Displaying_All_Seven_Colours_of_Exotic_Light|F.F. Gebrandt's Patent Neathoscope, Containing and Displaying All Seven Colours of Exotic Light|Fallen London|}} ''"A dazzling contraption for safely viewing and displaying those colours that are unique to the Neath. Delightful at parties. WARNING: Do not gaze onto the device for longer than seventy-three seconds."''</ref> She is an occasional guest at the [[University]]<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Charming_of_F.F._Gebrandt The Charming of F.F. Gebrandt, ''Fallen London''] ''"F.F. Gebrandt is giving a rare public lecture at the Department of Infernal Rarefactions. Perhaps you should attend and meet her."''</ref> and runs an advice column, though she uses the latter to self-promote<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Be_cruel_to_be_kind_1 Be cruel to be kind 1, ''Fallen London''] ''"Your reply is full of dire warnings about this kind of scandalous conduct – and hints that the writer should stock up on F.F. Gebrandt's sal volatile forthwith, as a countermeasure against the fainting fits she is so evidently prone to."''</ref><ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Write_to_F.F._Gebrandt Write to F.F. Gebrandt, ''Fallen London''] ''"Mrs Gebrandt - or one of her ghost-writers - replies to your letter in a very timely fashion. And in amongst the veiled barbs and thinly disguised advertisments for tonics and tinctures nestle a few nuggets of genuine wisdom."''</ref> and sometimes hires ghostwriters.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Be_sympathetic Be sympathetic, ''Fallen London''] ''"You draft a letter suggesting that the young lady simply ask her fiancé […] 'That will never do,' says Mrs Gebrandt. 'If people start behaving like that, I shall never sell any […] There's no arguing against this agenda."''</ref> She has also founded a "church," though it functions more as a gathering place for academics rather than a site of worship.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_a_substantial_donation_to_F.F._Gebrandt%27s_church Make a substantial donation to F.F. Gebrandt's church, ''Fallen London''] ''"It's more like a university common room than a vicarage. But Mrs Gebrandt is pleased at your generosity. Would you like to assist with a small experiment?"''
</ref> 

Her laboratory on the outskirts of the city is her home base for experiments and a meeting point with those who pique her interest.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/F.F._Gebrandt_and_You F.F. Gebrandt and You, ''Fallen London''] ''"You call upon Mrs F.F. Gebrandt at her acrid-smelling laboratory on the outskirts of the city."''</ref> Gebrandt once had a business partnership with [[Mr Wines]],<ref name=":0">[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Tell_her_everything Tell her everything, ''Fallen London''] ''"F.F. Gebrandt […] confides that she parted ways with Mr Wines […]. She also offers a secret: anything Mr Wines sells as 'absinthe' is likely no such thing. It is its code for products that are harmful to their drinkers."''</ref> and is familiar with [[Mr Spices]]' health status.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Rely_on_her_knowledge_of_chemistry Rely on her knowledge of chemistry, ''Fallen London'']  ''"F.F. Gebrandt is […] knowledgeable and helpful on chemical matters. Though on the subject of Mr Spices' tears she is almost too knowledgeable, making a few leaps of logic that prove to be correct, but seem unsupported by the evidence before you."''</ref> The [[Masters of the Bazaar]] still bother her for her expertise,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Do_the_bidding_of_Mr_Wines|Do the bidding of Mr Wines|Fallen London|}} ''""Mr Wines, the Master of the Bazaar who deals in drinks and entertainment, has asked after the health and happiness of Mrs Gebrandt. However, it also wants her to share her scientific advances with the Masters.""''</ref> but she dislikes them greatly<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Do_the_bidding_of_Mr_Wines|Do the bidding of Mr Wines|Fallen London|}} ''"You and F.F. Gebrandt are getting along famously until the Masters are mentioned. She has no kind words for them, […] describes them in terms uncommonly heard from a lady. You won't advance Mr Wines' cause today, but you could always call again later."''</ref> and has no qualms about divulging their trade secrets.<ref name=":0" /> It is implied that the Masters backed her rapid rise to prominence, but their coercion — particularly in forcing her to develop a love potion, which she deliberately sabotaged — led to her cutting ties with them.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Reach_into_a_secret_memory_of_F.F._Gebrandt Reach into a secret memory of F.F. Gebrandt, ''Fallen London''] ''"[…]'In a letter to 'Cuddy', F.F. responds: '[…] you are right about the ineffectiveness of my "Patented Love Potion". Have you not considered that this might be deliberate? […]'' ''if you're calling me an "old fraud", you better be calling me "old" to my face.'"''</ref>

Gebrandt is in a platonic marriage of convenience with her best friend, ensuring that societal expectations do not hinder her scientific pursuits.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_F.F._to_share_a_confidence_(The_Waswood) Ask F.F. to share a confidence (The Waswood), ''Fallen London''] ''"A gangling, mustachioed gentleman canters down [...] He gives F.F.'s shoulder a fond pat as he passes. Her husband? "Well. [...] That is what we say. [...] It has been a useful convenience. Our 'marriage' meant I could pursue my studies unharassed, and removed from him at least one cause of parental disapproval. [...] He is my closest friend, and the person I trust the most. That's better than most marriages."''</ref> As a result, she is unbothered by dalliances outside of marriage.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Seduce_her! Seduce her!, ''Fallen London''] ''"[…] The afternoon turns to evening […] in a haze of pleasure […]. You even learn what F.F. stands for. […] Mrs Gebrandt confides that she has grown tired of the Masters' attention. She is thinking of cutting them a little more of her business […]"''</ref> She implies fond remembrance of the [[The Regretful Soldier|Regretful Soldier]]; they may have had a relationship at one point.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Stay_up_all_night_talking_science_with_F.F._Gebrandt|Stay up all night talking science with F.F. Gebrandt|Fallen London|}} ''"...there was someone once, you know. Splendid fellow. Amazing moustache. He went off and joined the cavalry. Heard he got married too. So did I, as it happened. Wonder where he is now."''</ref>

Gebrandt is very confident in her ability to overcome her own biases and act against her own self-interest, and claims that her election opponents would not even admit to theirs.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_F.F._Gebrandt_if_the_Mayorship_wouldn't_be_a_conflict_of_interest|Ask F.F. Gebrandt if the Mayorship wouldn't be a conflict of interest|Fallen London|}} ''""I can't deny that I could use it to advance my personal work. Indeed, my belief in what would benefit the town is certainly influenced by my own interests. But I think you'll find the other candidates haven't the introspection even to realise this. Which means that they cannot resist their biases. I can, and will.""''</ref> She views [[Parabola]] as antithetical to scientific principles; thanks to her refusal to engage with it, her Parabolan reflection remains identical to her real self.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Employ_the_Reflection_of_F.F._Gebrandt Employ the Reflection of F.F. Gebrandt, ''Fallen London''] ''"F.F. Gebrandt – You can't for the life of you tell how her reflection is unlike herself; it is uncanny – vibrates with impatience. She doesn't like Parabola one bit.''"</ref>
== Paleontological Prominence ==
<blockquote>''"I'm going to nurture the flame of London's imagination. Provide palaeontological education – to start with, a museum to learn from and contribute to. Encourage explorations, help Londoners discover things that have never been seen before. As they grow addicted to the joy of discovery, London shall learn, and rise up on its newfound knowledge."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Discover_her_plans_for_London_(F.F._Gebrandt)|Discover her plans for London (F.F. Gebrandt)|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>
[[File:Dinosaurskull.png|thumb|An enormous dinosaur skull.]]
In addition to her passion for chemistry, Gebrandt's keen interest in paleontology<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Get_her_opinion_on_your_research Get her opinion on your research, ''Fallen London''] ''"F.F. Gebrandt is keenly interested in palaeontology, and is not afraid to bring her many hypotheses to bear on your present study."''</ref> became a significant focus of her 1898 campaign for [[Lord Mayor of London]]. Running under the slogan ''"Science Serving Society,"'' her platform emphasized the use of scientific advancements to benefit the city's populace.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Learn_more_about_F.F._Gebrandt%27s_platform Learn more about F.F. Gebrandt's platform, ''Fallen London''] ''"London is on the cusp of a breakthrough, and, as Mayor, I can ensure that it happens. [...] I cannot currently reveal it – I'm in the process of applying for a patent. But I'm aware of a recent enthusiasm in London for palaeontology. I couldn't miss the possibilities of combining my discovery with those of the palaeontologists."''</ref> She proposed the establishment of a museum dedicated to paleontology, in order to encourage curiosity and discovery<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Discover_her_plans_for_London_(F.F._Gebrandt) Discover her plans for London (F.F. Gebrandt), ''Fallen London''] ''"I'm going to nurture the flame of London's imagination. Provide palaeontological education – to start with, a museum to learn from and contribute to. Encourage explorations, help Londoners discover things that have never been seen before. As they grow addicted to the joy of discovery, London shall learn, and rise up on its newfound knowledge."''</ref> — but her grander ambitions involved reviving extinct creatures (though not "bringing dinosaurs back"<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Learn_more_about_F.F._Gebrandt%27s_platform Learn more about F.F. Gebrandt's platform, ''Fallen London''] ''"Will she really bring dinosaurs to London? Wouldn't that be hugely dangerous? "That's getting a little ahead. [...] I do promise that I'd enable advances in the palaeontological field. And I'll raise the influence of scientists in society. At the expense of traditionalists, some of whom hold far too much sway over all of us.""''</ref>) to ease the burdens of the working class, a distinctly [[The Tracklayer's Union#The Prehistoricists|Prehistoricist]] ideal.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/F.F._Gebrandt_(Election_Candidate) F.F. Gebrandt (Election Candidate), ''Fallen London''] ''""We will start with a museum, but that's only the beginning. I am in the process of developing a new formula." She has been inspired by the new passion for palaeontology and believes that she will, eventually, be able to supplement skeletons with living muscles. "It will revolutionise industry! Relieve the working classes!" [...] living extinct beasts will 'surely be the next step'."''</ref> Gebrandt's campaign was managed by a notable Aunt and a formidable squad of spinsters.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Choose_F.F._Gebrandt_as_your_candidate Choose F.F. Gebrandt as your candidate, ''Fallen London''] ''"Your Aunt is managing F.F. Gebrandt's campaign. She marshals a squad of spinsters […] Even constables quail before them, letting them stick posters up in entirely illegal places.''

''[…] Your Aunt herself pins the rosette to your collar […]"''</ref>

In a bid to rally support, she campaigned at the Bone Market<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Show_F._F._Gebrandt_around_your_Stall Show F. F. Gebrandt around your Stall, ''Fallen London''] ''"She is making a campaign visit to the Bone Market, assuring seller and buyer alike that she will bring the study of Palaeontology to new heights. There is much talk of the Museum."''</ref> and distributed electrostatic machines to her supporters.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/An_Augmented_Electrostatic_Machine An Augmented Electrostatic Machine, ''Fallen London''] ''"[…] The bolts of lightning […] should be harmless, but an earlier visitor returned from the boatman with their hair entirely on end. […]''

''It takes five porters to carry […] "This will be a damn sight easier when she comes through on those prehistoric lifters," […]"''</ref> She ultimately lost to the [[Viscountess of the Viric Jungle]],<ref>[https://www.failbettergames.com/news/election-1898-statistics Election 1898: Statistics, ''Failbetter Games''] ''"The Viscountess won with 42% of the vote, over F.F. Gebrandt’s respectable 32% and the Rubbery Entrepreneur’s 25%."''</ref> which she considered a failure on both her part and London's.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Take_Tea_with_F.F._Gebrandt Take Tea with F.F. Gebrandt, ''Fallen London''] ''"I meant everything I said during the Mayoral campaign, you know." […]''

''You wonder aloud if she has any regrets. "Regrets? I failed, I suppose. I don't really think of it in those terms. Maybe London failed me. Maybe we failed each other."''</ref>
== The Museum of Prelapsarian History ==
<blockquote>''"F.F. Gebrandt CORDIALLY INVITES All Londoners to participate in the Raising of a New Museum of Prelapsarian History & accompanying Exhibition, to put on Display Curiosities Historical, Palaeontological, & Philosophical."''<ref>{{Citation|https://www.failbettergames.com/news/f-f-gebrandts-prelapsarian-exhibition|F.F. Gebrandt's Prelapsarian Exhibition|Failbetter Games|}}</ref></blockquote>Despite her electoral defeat, Gebrandt fulfilled one of her campaign promises two years later. In the summer of the second year of 1899, she spearheaded the establishment of the '''Museum of Prelapsarian History''' in [[Veilgarden]]. This initiative, known as the [[The Prelapsarian Exhibition|Prelapsarian Exhibition]], invited Londoners to transform an abandoned estate into a museum and contribute exhibits of historical, paleontological, and philosophical significance.<ref>[https://www.failbettergames.com/news/f-f-gebrandts-prelapsarian-exhibition F.F. Gebrandt's Prelapsarian Exhibition, ''Failbetter Games''] ''"F.F. Gebrandt CORDIALLY INVITES All Londoners to participate in the Raising of a New Museum of Prelapsarian History & accompanying Exhibition, to put on Display Curiosities Historical, Palaeontological, & Philosophical."''</ref>
[[File:Exhibition.png|thumb|F.F. Gebrandt's Museum of Prelapsarian History]]
Gebrandt was also simultaneously using Exhibition preparations as a front for the construction of a time machine of sorts,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Watch_as_Gebrandt_explains_her_machine|Watch as Gebrandt explains her machine|Fallen London|}} ''"The stone body of the Salt Lions accumulates time like a mortal body accumulates heavy metals. It is a toxicological phenomenon. [...] We are able to separate out the relevant principles through dialysis, making certain segments of the past available to us."''</ref> at the bequest of the [[Empress]].<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_your_way_inside_the_museum Make your way inside the museum, ''Fallen London''] ''"[...] the royal entourage has already made its way through the museum and into the Egyptology Wing. The ground level is thronged, but you can make your way up the stairs, to the upper galleries [...] overlooking the room at the very back of the museum. The panelled interior of this room [...] has been covered up with rows of basalt blocks. Sphinxstone from the Salt Lions; so this is where that ended up."''</ref> At the opening presentation of the exhibition, Gebrandt's demonstration of the device successfully summoned an apparition of the [[The Royal Family|Prince Consort]],<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Watch,_yet_more_furtively|Watch, yet more furtively|Fallen London|}} ''"The Consort – whether that is the real man or a shadow conjured up from the fog – has cornered himself against the walls in fear. He pleads with the Empress in ragged German, and she pleads back with him – soothing and begging."''</ref> but it then malfunctioned. The Empress refused to allow Gebrandt to turn it off,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Watch,_yet_more_furtively Watch, yet more furtively, ''Fallen London''] ''""I am turning the machine off," yells Gebrandt – for the first time you notice the dull hum that has filled the room, making it hard to hear her speak. For the first time, the Empress acknowledges her with a hiss: "We forbid it!""''</ref> and it overloaded as a result, causing a chaotic irruption of [[Second City]] structures and ushabtiu into London.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/A_Careful_Stroll_Around_the_Neighbourhood A Careful Stroll Around the Neighbourhood, ''Fallen London'']</ref> Gebrandt quickly took control of the situation, manufacturing vast quantities of a specially formulated perfume.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Cover_your_nose Cover your nose, ''Fallen London''] ''"The scent is heady – borne aloft by ethanol. [...] "I've made enough to clear out the immediate vicinity of the museum. But with some help, I could scale up to industrial quantities. Enough to manage all of London.""'' </ref> With the help of the citizenry,<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Hear_her_call_to_action Hear her call to action, ''Fallen London''] ''"[…] one must make the obvious connection to the emergence of prelapsarian architecture around London."'' ''[…] "To fight this new menace, we must understand it. […] I have some ideas. But most of the knowledge we need is out there – I need your help finding it.""''</ref> she used the perfume to lure the ushabtiu through a great mirror into [[Parabola]], before smashing the mirror to prevent their escape.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Stay_and_watch_what_happens Stay and watch what happens, ''Fallen London''] ''"Gebrandt is holding a large steel mallet. She counts a few seconds [...] When no more ushabtiu materialize, she swings the hammer. The mirror [...] shatters into a million little pieces. A wave of catharsis washes over the [...] members of the investigation."''</ref> 

When questioned at the [[Fruits of the Zee Festival]] about her involvement in the incident, Gebrandt deflected responsibility, blaming the Empress' intervention as discreetly as possible to avoid legal trouble.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Listen_for_F.F.%27s_answer Listen for F.F.'s answer, ''Fallen London''] ''"It is regrettable that the museum's opening has been tarnished in this manner, but the events in question had very little to do with the Exhibition itself, being largely perpetuated by" – she pulls herself back from the brink of treason – "third parties, and solved by science and experimentation. The museum is a successful monument to curiosity and knowledge, and one which I stand behind wholeheartedly."''</ref>
==References==
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