Margaret Cavendish

Character art by Jackie Franco

**Margaret Cavendish** is a character in Pulp Musicals. She is a wealthy aristocrat who has a deep connection to the moon. She is a friend of Samuel and Rose Stratford. She features in The Great Moon Hoax, The Brick Satellite and The Ghosts of Antikythera and is played by Natalie Llerena.

## Background

Margaret doesn't know much about her past, but throughout her entire life, she's felt a connection to the moon. They used to have staring contests, and Margaret found comfort in the moon. She sometimes feels disconnected from Earth and her current life, and has experienced something similar to phantom pain connected to the moon.

She lives at the Westchester Hotel, and her flat on the topmost floor of the hotel is decorated with "models of planets spinning, shelves with books to the ceiling". Her room is like a museum, dedicated to the stars.

## The Great Moon Hoax

Margaret appears first in Samuel's office, sitting in an empty chair behind his desk. She arrived there to talk about the stories and to find answers, if at all possible. She's described as an eloquent aristocrat, with a statuesque stature, but questions why when she read the story she began to question her life and experience a peculiar sensation.

She asks Samuel if he can tell her how the stories end, but he denies it. Margaret offers to compensate him for his efforts, but once again, he denies it, telling her that the *Sun* alone will have the rights to the stories. Margaret believes him, and proceeds to tell him that she felt something stir upon reading the stories, something that she hadn't felt in years. She reveals that she's questioned whether humanity is truly ever alone, and tells Samuel that [they] need something to believe in. She leaves, and Samuel tells her that she knows where to find him if she ever needs to.

One week after the Stratfords published the first article, the second is put out. However, after their apartment is broken into, Margaret offers them a place to stay with her in the Westchester Hotel, all expenses paid. After settling the Stratfords in, Margaret makes her way up the spiral staircase to the roof and looks up at the moon, then, softly, begins to cry.

She asks Samuel if he knows what phantom pain is, and explains that phantom pain is the best way to describe the way she's felt throughout her entire life. She tells him that something inside of her was lost long ago, and explains that she doesn't cry because she's distressed, but because it's possible that she's no longer alone. Margaret notes that the moon has never spoken to her this way before.

Later, Margaret is summoned to Benjamin's apartment, where he reveals the truth to her about the Stratfords and their deceit. She is shocked and hurt, and as the Stratfords run in, she drops to her knees and begins to cry... and begins to glow.

The Radiance overtakes Margaret, and as the room begins to shake, she feels something new awaken. The Stratfords are thrown to the other side of the room and are knocked out, leaving Benjamin staring at Margaret. She tells him that whatever he chooses next is entirely up to him, and that she doesn't care, and he leaves. Unbeknownst to Margaret, John Herschel has been there the entire time, watching from another room.

Afterwards, Margaret finds her way to the roof once more, where she meets Samuel. He knew that he would find her on the roof, and attempts to apologize, but Margaret admits that she doesn't know if she can ever trust or forgive the Stratfords truly. She asks for space to grieve the possibility that she wasn't alone and Samuel promises that from now on she'll have friends. She tells Samuel that he's fortunate to have Rose, telling him that the trust they share is precious.

Yet, in the deception of the articles, Margaret admits that she's learning things about herself, things that are familiar and will hopefully provide truth to her life. She tells Samuel that it all started when she met him. As they sit there, Rose and John Herschel arrive on the roof as well, where John introduces himself, telling Margaret that he saw her glow. He offers her a place on an expedition to South America with himself and the Stratfords, and she accepts.

## The Brick Satellite

Margaret first appears in The Brick Satellite sailing on board a boat for British Guiana alongside John Herschel and Samuel and Rose Stratford. One evening, Margaret sits by a window looking out across the ocean as she practices using her radiance powers. She is approached by Samuel who attempts to talk to her but she sends him away. Margaret then sits and considers her life thus far, especially the pain she feels in the Great Astronomical Discoveries articles being fake.

After weeks of travelling, the group arrive in Township Number Nine where Herschel and Anna Hanover explain their plan of building a Brick Satellite. Anna then explains that they've run out of money for the project. Margaret then offers the project as much money as she can in order to get it to work as well as agreeing to help them build it.

Months pass as the group work at building the satellite. However, there is a problem with the clay the bricks are made from: it has too much lime in it which causes the brick to crumble. Margaret runs tests on the bricks which suggest that there is a saboteur within the township. One night when work has finished for the day, Anna, Rose and Margaret sit and drink together, toasting to Maria Cunitz a highly influential astronomer.

After months of work, the satellite is finally finished and the township celebrates with a party. However, Margaret doesn't join the party and instead sits by the fire. She's approached by Rose who apologizes to Margaret for the role she played in the Great Moon Hoax and promises to do whatever it takes to get Margaret to forgive her.

The next day, Margaret joins Samuel on top of the satellite as he works to make final observations. Samuel reiterates to Margaret how he wants them to be okay again and Margaret explains to him how he hurt her and how she doesn't know where their relationship will move forward. However, their conversation is interrupted when Margaret spots a boat approaching the township.

The boat brings people who begin attacking the township. Margaret and Samuel call for Anna, Rose and John to climb up the satellite and the group congregate inside. While trapped in the dark, Margaret begins to glow and makes the sphere shake, causing it to roll down the ramp and be launched into the air. The power used to do this causes Margaret to be exhausted and she passes out.

Margaret awakens to find Samuel sitting next to her in the satellite. He reassures her that they're okay and goes to leave but Margaret asks him to stay before falling asleep again. Margaret wakes up again to find the inside of the satellite has been completely transformed into a jungle. Margaret follows the path through the jungle until she finds a woman standing by a lake. The woman begins talking to Margaret about their home and says that it's nice to see Margaret again. Margaret is deeply confused by this and asks the woman who she is. The woman is confused by Margaret's lack of memories and attempts to get her to remember her power by getting her to turn a branch into gold. Margaret begs the woman for answers but she tells Margaret she can't give her them yet, which upsets her. The woman then tells Margaret that she can call her The Traveler.

Margaret and The Traveler are then interrupted by Anna, Rose, Samuel and John who begin asking questions about what has happened to the satellite. Margaret asks The Traveler if she's going to get some answers to her questions. The Traveler helps Margaret to realize that she is no longer alone in the world and this prompts Margaret to inform Samuel and Rose that she forgives them. Margaret then asks The Traveler if she's able to help the group get home and The Traveler agrees. Once the group is ready, Samuel, Rose, Margaret and John are transported back to Earth.

Upon returning to Earth the group find themselves in an unfamiliar town. After asking Morgan Reese where they are, they find themselves in the town of Hanover. They then find a monument commemorating the launch of the Sagitta which was constructed in 1865. The group are astonished and confused as they realize they have traveled through time.

## Personality and Traits

Margaret is a quiet yet powerful woman. Despite having a lot of material possessions in life, Margaret feels very alone in the world, almost as if she is missing a part of herself. As a result of this, Margaret has a lot of questions about herself and her life to which she yearns for answers. She has a deep connection with the moon as she feels that the moon is also among people yet alone. Margaret is a very emotional person but is also willing to share her mind and tell those she trusts how she feels. Margaret is also a very intelligent woman who has dedicated a lot of her life to reading and learning about astronomy.

## Skills

* **Radiance-** Margaret has a power known as the radiance. The exact extent of this power is currently unknown though it grants her a number of supernatural abilities.
	+ **Photokinesis-** Margaret has the ability to make her skin glow at will. This glowing can be amplified based on her emotions and Margaret only has some control over this.
	+ **Psychic Waves-** Margaret can use the radiance to create psychic blasts which can throw people who hurt her across the room.
	+ **Chrysopoeia-** According to The Traveler, Margaret has the ability to turn objects into gold.
* **Astronomical knowledge-** Margaret has spent much of her life learning about the night skies and has a large astronomical knowledge because of this.

## Relationships

### Samuel Stratford

Samuel Stratford is Margaret's friend and love interest. Margaret previously had a great amount of trust and respect for Samuel and was willing to share her thoughts and feelings with him. However, upon the exposure of the hoax, Margaret lost of lot of trust for both Samuel and his sister Rose and was unsure if she'd ever be able to trust them in that way again. Despite this, Margaret still cares about Samuel and is willing to venture to South America with him.

While working in South America, Margaret and Samuel's relationship is very strained. While Samuel spends much of his time reaching out to Margaret and hoping to make amends, Margaret is hesitant to trust Samuel again and keeps him at a distance as she's scared of being hurt again. However, upon the launch of the satellite, Margaret realizes that Samuel does genuinely care for her and begins to view him as part of her new family.

### Rose Stratford

Rose Stratford is Margaret's friend. Despite Margaret feeling betrayed by the part Rose played in the Moon hoax, the two are bonded in their work as women in the field of science and the way they are treated as a result of this. Ultimately, Margaret learns to forgive Rose for her part in the hoax and comes to love and trust her as part of her found family.

### Anna Hanover

Anna Hanover is Margaret's friend and colleague. Much like Rose, Anna and Margaret have a lot in common due to being women in the field of science, as well as the sexism of their society. Margaret regards Anna's faith and love for the Brick Satellite very highly and as a result of this, is willing to donate her fortune in order to allow Anna to build the satellite. As a result of this, Anna has a deep love for Margaret and views her as one of her closest friends.

### The Traveler

The Traveler is Margaret's friend and is a trusted presence in her life. While Margaret knows very little about the Traveler, she sees the woman as someone to be trusted and as someone who holds the answers to her questions.

## Trivia

* Margaret is based off of Margaret Cavendish, Dutchess of Newcastle.
* As the historical Margaret Cavendish's birthday is unknown, Matt based the Pulp version of Mags off of his Aunt Mary, with whom Pulp Margaret shares a birthday.
* Margaret is an Aquarius!
* Matt calls Margaret "Mags", and has said that "[He calls] her Mags, but [he doesn't] even know it that's a proper nickname for Margaret haha. it's too late for [him] to change [his] ways. she's Mags to [him]."