neverland.
Setting
"Come now, I will tell thee—and do thou hearken to my saying and carry it away—the only two ways of search that can be thought of. The first, namely, that It is, and that it is impossible for it not to be, is the way of belief, for truth is its companion."
-Parmenides of Elea, "On Nature"
A History
If one is to speak of history as it is relevant to the current events in London while excising the unnecessary details, then it is most natural to being with the reign of the previous (and thus far, last) King of the Kingdom of Albion.
It is a period largely defined by the invention of the class of technologies known today as Engines. Although the first were bulky, unwieldy machines (a stark contrast to their more sleek, modern counterparts), they nonetheless led the Kingdom into a period of intense prosperity with their miraculous capabilities. The other countries of the world, seeking to obtain the technologies for themselves, were foiled by what could be considered early predecessors of the intelligence agencies fielded today by the modern Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
These early small scale conflicts would evolve into a period of bloody conflict known as the Engine wars, fought over and with the eponymous Engines. Fought between the colonial superpower of Albion and it's fiercest competitors, it soon became clear just how important Engine technology would be in all conflicts from here on out. Concluding with the treaty of London, it established the Kingdom as the greatest world power of all time, asserting a level of dominance that even the mightiest countries of days past could have only dreamed of.
But this peace would be short lived, as the people of Albion would personally experience. Only a handful of years later, the King passes away from a sudden disease, and before his body has time to grow cold it becomes clear that the Royal Family as well as his will and testament has vanished without a trace. In the resulting succession struggle, called the Crisis of Albion, various parties form to establish their control not through contests of words, but of weapons. A brutal civil war erupts, the first to be fought in the capital of London in living memory.
Emerging out of the conflict are two distinct parties- the Kingdom, and the Commonwealth.
They agree to a tentative truce, bringing an end to a month of bloodshed. But for these two groups, this would be no happily ever after- for them, this truce was but an armistice to build up their forces, a prelude to the climax that would see the creation of a new, unified country- one forged through devastating conflict. The unity of the former Albion is but a relic of the history textbooks now. The once monochrome world is now a checkerboard, where it's players shuffle around their invisible players in preparation for the final round.
The Present
Even 15 years later, the world still remains at an impasse. Neither of the two states were willing to relinquish control over London, the former capital of the unified Kingdom, and have agreed to split it in half. Both regard this city as the most important battlefield of all- whoever achieves dominance here will achieve legitimacy, win over the remaining neutral parties and crush the other. What was once the most beautiful city in the world is now bisected by the ugly London Wall, a reminder that the glory days are past and what awaits is a future of conflict.
On one side lies the new Kingdom of Albion. It is a land where the aristocracy rule, and for those intent on achieving positions in the higher echelons of society nothing can be more important than the status given to you at birth, or the status of your lord. As a member of the nobility might say, the Kingdom is a land of culture and tradition. Within it's churches lie the most lavish decorations, in it's museums the most glorious artifacts, and in it's theaters the most extravagant accommodations. For it's citizens, it is an affluent land, where wealth flows freely.
On the other side lies the Commonwealth of Albion. Inspired by a number of social movements that resulted from the higher quality of life and education available before the civil war, it was formed by many former members of the Parliament. Worker unions and guilds dot its streets, and the people convene to elect their representatives to decide it's future. Everyone has their own collective responsibility to contribute to society with the fruits of their labors. Although it is not as wealthy as it's competitor, it is a place where people are equal.
Or so goes the propaganda they publish, anyways.
The narratives that leave the presses are all ones spun by their respective states. Those new to London often find themselves dazzled by the beautiful city of their dreams- airships that soar through the skies, glowing streets at night, and prestigious institutions opening their doors to new futures. For those who have been here longer, the capital is quick to lose it's luster. The airships are eyes in the sky, the streetlights ineffective decorations as disappearances continue to rise, the facilities training camps for the cold war. Reports of monsters that walk the streets and crime scenes impossible by human hands are only left with warnings from the local police to stay indoors at night, and never seem to make it into official statements. And yet since those who try to push opinions inconvenient to the state are erased, these incidents never leave the rumor mill.
Without hope for tomorrow, the people have averted their eyes to the bleak reality before them and turned to fantasy. The most advanced scientific center in the world, has become ironically become the largest breeding ground for the occult. It is now common for all sorts of gossip to hit the streets nowadays. One day it might be common to hear about secret engine technology so advanced that entire organs can now be replaced. The next, on summoning demons, or the fate of the missing members of the royal family. It doesn't help that both organizations have been steadily losing control over public order, with all sorts of tiny organizations rising on their territory, ranging from gangs, cults, and drug rings.
Locations of Interest
London Wall
The infamous wall that divides the Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Technically, the name is a bit of a misnomer- it refers to a pair of walls, each independently owned by the two states. These walls, built from a combination of concrete, barbed wire, and heavy artillery, are intended to serve as a barrier to any forces coming to cross their borders, and will likely serve as the front lines in case war breaks out. They are permanently staffed with a heavy patrol of soldiers, with highly trained men ready at any moment to fire at any unscheduled trespassers...
...Or so the states want you to think. In truth, it's not as impregnable as it sounds, with various gaps allowing for the daring to make it across. Far from the best choice for Principals to infiltrate, however. It's regarded by the people as a hideous thing, a scar on the city that reminds them the city will never return to it's former glory. The No Man's Land in between these two barriers consists mostly of worn down buildings and rubble from the days of the civil war, or parts of the Thames.
Old Underground
As natural for any modern city nowadays, London boasts a large underground network. During the Engine Wars, there were a great number of shelters and heavy security research facilities constructed underground in fear of aerial attacks. Engine lighting and automated rail networks had also begun to take off shortly afterwards, which led to a large number of underground malls and subway tunnels being constructed. Add in the standard plumbing system necessary for a city of London's size, and you have a veritable maze of underground tunnels and channels.
Unfortunately, most of the information on these systems was lost in the ensuing civil war. Little is known about the depths of London's old literal underworld, and to this day there still many new passages being found all the time. Which are all promptly sealed, and for good reason: the old underground is the ideal climate for all sorts of 'accidents' to occur, and those who are not Principals have little hope of making any headway into these forgotten depths. Sadly, this has not stopped the desperate from trying anyways. On the other hand, for those supernaturally inclined the underground is the easiest route between the two states, being completely unsupervised.
Former Royal Castle
The former residence of choice for the King of Albion, a once grand and majestic castle that has since been abandoned. It lies near the center of London, on the side of the Kingdom. Since the civil war, the government of the Kingdom has moved to a different castle, and it hasn't been touched since for various political reasons. This has sparked furious gossip by the populace as it was a number of key disappearances at this location that led to the civil war. Some believe that there are hidden chambers and passages that explain the disappearances, while others say that the ghosts of the former royal family can be found haunting it's halls, unaware of how the world has moved on without them.
Notable Individuals
Royal See
A hidden and illusive organization brought together by the various royal powers of the Kingdom, the Royal See is the Kingdom's secret police. Boasting special privileges dating from days before even the Civil War, their members operate in the shadows and are known to bring to justice those who are found voicing opinions inconvenient for their superiors. Secretive connections with most of the nobility and anyone of importance enables them to effectively keep tabs on the Kingdom.
Mary Windsor
Otherwise known as Duchess Windsor. Out of the members of the Royal See, she is the most prominent. Despite her presence in such a clandestine organization, her name is rather well known to the public as a high ranking noble with distant relations to the former royal family. She can commonly be found in her castle from where she delivers orders, either through letters or in person via the usage of several hidden passages.
Whether she is actually in charge or the entire organization or if there exist higher ups is unknown, but she is the name attached to almost all assignments and orders that regular members receive. Formerly a distinguished field agent, she has since left active duty. Known for doting on her agents, she appears kind and compassionate to the public at large. That said, it's questionable how much of this is sincere, as her position isn't one earned through mercy.
Charles
No last name. A serious and stern individual, who graduated from one of the Farms run in the Kingdom. He is a man of little words, who carries out his tasks with machine like efficiency. However, that does not mean he eschews the companies of others- his influence is such that he may be considered to be in control of his own small faction within the Royal See, composed of individuals whom he has personally scouted, as well as those who owe him favors.
In fact, it has gone to the extent that many members of the Nobility who are not personally associated with his group have begun to become wary of him. After all, there are several nasty rumors about him- namely that he seeks to become a ruler of his own, rather than continue to aid the nobility. Such allegations have only intensified after the duke with which he worked most closely with disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
It is said that Charles himself prioritizes reducing risk above all, and only takes action when he is certain of the outcome . Such could be said to the reason behind his rather esteemed track record, yet at the same time only fuels further doubts about his loyalties.
Department of Investigation and Security
Masquerading as a special division of law enforcement, the Commonwealth's Department of Investigation and Security is their main task force for maintaining control over the populace. Involving activities that must be kept secret from public eye, their members are privileged with extralegal authority and can force people to look the other way while they go about their duties. Citizens are expected to step up to their collective duty and report any information that they have to the government, which will then be handled by the Department.
Declan Osborne
The current chief of the Department of Investigation and Security. Responsible for handing out assignments as well as communicating with other branches of the government. Like Duchess Windsor, he also happens to a rather well known individual- as one of the side characters of the story, "The Nothing of the Touch", under the name Caleb Heartfield. In it, he appears initially as an antagonistic figure to the main character, but reveals a hidden grudge against the evil organization he fights against and dies fighting together with him, much to his chagrin.
He often appears not very invested in his job and grumbles about how much work it is, but make no mistake- his skills have earned him his current job, and he's more than capable of fulfilling his duties. He rarely stays at any location for any large amount of time, preferring to use a number of quick disposable offices or dropping by unannounced.
Rosa Wisteria
The most famous of all of the Department's active agents- for entirely the wrong reasons. Known to the world at large as the culprit behind the Fairborough serial killings, who was eventually imprisoned and executed by the Commonwealth. However, unknown to the public at large, Rosa has survived her would be execution at the hands of the government in exchange for her services as a Principal. An application of some of the traditional arts keeps her one of the Department's most reliable attack dogs, lest she consider her life forfeit.
And despite having been granted what might be thought of as a miraculous second chance by the Commonwealth, Rosa's behavior has not reformed much, if at all. Although she is known to be particularly effective at carrying out her missions, she is often criticized for excessive violence and messy clean ups after her work.
Despite her rather excessive hobbies, Rosa herself appears a rather sociable, if rather rude, individual, having no problems showing other members of the Department the ropes. She is particularly fond of animals- allegedly, she used to work at the zoo, although few people would be brave enough to pry into her history.
Independent
Anne Turner
A dedicated and work driven woman, who has made a name for herself as a detective. She primarily resides in her office in the Commonwealth half of London where she takes requests. However, she is known to sometimes travel over the Wall to the Kingdom for some of her work, made possible by connections with officials in the Commonwealth, as well as distant blood relations with Royal Family.
Known for her cordial and generous personality, Anne rarely ever outright rejects a request, regardless of who it is from or what it is. That said, she usually prefers to stay on the sidelines and only offer a little push whenever necessary, claiming that babying others would only hinder their own growth. Her sense of curiosity has recently been almost entirely directed towards the mysterious happenings in London.
Amaryllis
An underworld doctor, who wanders between a number of small hideouts. Swearing allegiance only to her art, Amaryllis is a woman whose loyalty lies only with her hobby- playing with corpses. Whatever her clients are, be they Commonwealth, Kingdom, innocent, criminal, street punks or battle grizzled veterans, Amaryllis doesn't have any particular complaints so long as she thinks their partnership will provide suitable benefits for herself. And in turn, her clients largely put up with her rather foul interests and rather exorbitant prices because her skills provide suitable benefits for them.
While her particular past is a mystery, Amaryllis's skills at dissections and autopsies are certainly the real thing, which have aided many investigations. She is also known to be a practitioner of some traditional arts that relate to her field of work, which also come in handy for healing injuries. Due to the rarity of such skills, many individuals in the underworld have come into contact with her.
Sebastian Trevalyn
A man who once served under the King, as one of the central figures in the former Regal Order of the unified Kingdom. He was thought to have died in the resulting crisis, but his name has since popped up upon interrogating some members of the criminal underworld. Whether it is someone assuming his name, or the real person, he is currently thought to be in charge of Spiral, a new underground association that helps peddle drugs, smuggle people across the borders and has relations with the supernatural. Wanted dead or alive.